Maybelline Airfoam Foundation

When I saw the press release for this a couple of months ago I couldn't wait for it's UK launch to get my hands on it. I've been a long time love of Maybelline's Dream foundation range and am yet to find a version I don't like so I had high hopes for this new formula. Although it's a refreshing change of pace mousse/foam foundation isn't a totally new concept. It was popular in 90s, Elizabeth Arden's version has remained in their permanent line ever since and Revlon have recently launched an aerated version of their popular photoready in US so I'm sure we will see lots of brands having a go at something similar this year.

The first thing I'd like to clarify here is that I don't think this is going to be for everyone! Normal to oily skins will be fine but the formula is thin and quick to set so drier skin types might not get on with it. It will cling to dry patches making them appear worse. Extra oily skin might struggle too. The application is nice, it spreads nicely and I got an even matte finish, The coverage is a lot like that of a tinted moisturiser, very light but this is buildable and doesn't look the least bit cakey when layered on. It lasts as well as any other dream formula I've tried.. I would need to reapply for the evening but it will be fine for a days work.

My only real issue with this foundation is how difficult it is to colour match. The foam comes out as quickly as you'd expect - just the same as a hair mousse - so you get way more than you need if you're just swatching which means you can't swatch that many shades in store unless your armed with a packet of babywipes.. and even then it's just so wasteful! The shade I went for ended up way too dark on me and looking online I'm not sure they will have one light enough for my skin tone (NARS Mont Blanc FYI) so that's a big disappointment.

Despite my misgivings if you have normal skin with no more than an oily t-zone I would recommend you give this a go. If the colour match was good I'd have been really happy with this product but it was comically dark and the tester didn't appear that way.. I mean look at the pictures... I'm not crazy.. that's clearly not my shade! If I can find the right one for me it could just be my favourite foundation, it has the potential to build to a true airbrushed finish without all of the tricky machinery usually required to achieve it.

The RRP on this is £8.99

Currently available from Superdrug here for £6.99 so now's a great time to give it a go

Have you tried this already?

Thoughts?

Miss BB

There's a Mousse loose aboot this hoose!

So I thought it was about time I tried this mousse thing everyone's buzzing about. Most companies are bringing out their own versions now and I thought I'd give Loreal a whirl.. 

Take one willing participant...

 A bunch of instructions in a variety of languages... 

 The apparatus looked cool and new... always generates hope

...An idea of what I'm looking at achieving 

Once Put together it was lightweight and didn't seem to contain as much product as a usual cream/lotion colourant.. The bottle felt substantial but the product within did not. 

 Here are my roots before..

And my very damaged and much lighter ends.. 

It didn't feel like I was going to have enough of the product to cover my hair, it was much like any other mousse.. it disappeared into my hair and didn't really spread. I wasn't keen on the application at all. 

Here's the colour I am left with.. 

I like it but it doesn't have much in the way of depth, the shine is nice but the conditioner included is nothing special at all... nothing compared to nice'n'easy 

 The ends do look healthier but I'd put that down to the blow dry more than the conditioning treatment or the colour itself.

Overall I'm disappointed. I expected a whole new way of colouring my hair, I expected a huge lather of foam (as shown on the box) Nothing about this product made me want to repurchase.. the colour is "so what" .. I can get the same elsewhere, My hair did feel soft after the blowdry but it usually does after a fresh colour.

The one and only saving grace is that this is not heavy, it all washed out and I didn't feel like it left any residue. When I colour my hair it ALWAYS takes at least two washes before it's gone but this left my hair feeling light and bouncy which was a nice change.

I'd be really interested to hear from you if you've tried this product and if you've tried other brands that you feel have been better than this let me know, I'd be tempted to try the Nice'n'Easy version because I love their stuff but not if the consensus that all mousse colours are the same.. I have come away from this disillusioned. As a regular dyer of her own hair for more than 10 years this was a cool new twist on the process but it turns out just to be a gimic that doesn't really work any better than traditional colouring. So why change?

xoxo

miss bb