Jo and Sarah answer real questions from readers: to put your query, go to beautybible.com
Q I have an oily T-zone and wonder if there is a primer and/or tinted moisturiser or foundation that would help me stop looking shiny but not give that slightly ‘dead’ look some mattifiers give?
A We have just been trying the new Matte Cream by Erborian, a Korean/French hybrid range that we rate very highly indeed. It’s long name is Mattifying Face Cream Blur Effect – and it does both excellently. Try the small 15ml size for £16.
Stroke on a small amount over clean skin before applying foundation or BB cream. It does give an ultra-matte finish but because it has light-reflecting micro-pigments, there is no dullness. In fact, it looks luminous and very soft – a perfect base for foundation or, as they suggest, BB Cream. Plus, you can use Matte Cream to touch up your T-zone during the day, over your BB cream.
Erborian suggest treating an oily T-zone with their (faintly scary-looking) Black Scrub, £24 for 50 ml made with charcoal. It works in three ways to help get rid of impurities, eliminate dead cells and absorb excess sebum (the oil in your skin) so it mattifies too. They advise focusing on your T-zone to help balance that.
We are also big fans of Erborian CC Cream Doré SPF25, which comes out of the tube an unimpressive light grey but magically self adjusts to your complexion, £17.50 for 15ml.
BB Cream is probably moisturising enough on its own. You could always dot a light concealer on any blemishes (a fine paint brush is a brilliant way to apply with pinpoint precision then tap with your little fingertip to blend in well); we like the Beauty Bible Award winner, Inika Certified Organic Perfection Concealer, £22 for 10ml.
If you like to wear foundation you may need to apply a light moisturiser first on your cheeks (and of course always on your neck and décolleté). Look for an oil-free product – lots to choose from including Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation, £6.49 for 30ml, and Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation, £32 for 30ml.
Beauty Bible loves…
Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain Customisable Lipstick and Double Mirror Cases, £24.50 for the lipstick and £24.50 for the case. Well, this is RIDICULOUSLY exciting.
We’ve long been fans of the so-glamorous Guerlain Rouge G lipstick. But now, not only has the formula itself been made even more luscious – see below – the real excitement is that you can now choose a customised cover, with more than a dozen different cases to choose from (see a selection, below).
We can’t even begin to do the maths about the number of options – 22 shades, loads of case choices. But we’re going to have such fun working out our personal perfect combo!!!!
And if you want to get really personal, there is even the option of having the ‘mirror’ cases embossed with a crystal initial.
First, the new-and-improved formulation. Gloriously moisturising as well as high-octane glamorous, this now features ruby powder (an optical brightener to enhance shine), tiger grass, wild mango butter and myrrh – used in Ayurvedic medicine. (Guerlain call it ‘guggul resin’, but myrrh is what it is.)
The incredibly elegant case (designed by jeweller Lorenz Bäumer) features a great mirror and a clever closure: you slide out the lipstick to flip the ‘compact’ open. The choice of cases, meanwhile (they’re £14.50 extra) includes faux croc and snakeskin, high gloss, leather, bold patterns. (Sadly, the one downside is that they’re not compatible with the earlier Rouge G lipsticks.)
We can’t even begin to do the maths about the number of options – 22 shades, loads of case choices. But we’re going to have such fun working out our personal perfect combo!!!!
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