BYS Face Primer with Vitamin E and Chamomile Extract
I have no previous experience with face primers so my knowledge and experience is next to nothing but what I feel a face primer should do is...prime your face. Without giving you the feeling of too much gunk, oiliness or an unworkable surface that will cause what ever else you put on your face to "snag".
(I swear I didn't sneeze on my hand...or..er...no, lets not even go there)
What I felt when using this was a light layer that made my skin feel slightly taut. I didn't really notice much difference when using this prior to foundation nor did I notice an improvement in the longevity of my "fake face". I still think face primers are unnecessary but I liked doing this extra step just for the sake of being thorough.
I didn't much care for the smell, expecting it to smell of a hint of chamomile I instead found it to be a more chemical smell with a hint of chamomile. Or maybe I was deluding myself in believing there was a hint of chamomile. Although I experienced no breakouts or allergic reactions (I fully expected it when I reluctantly used it on my face) I would expect those with sensitive skin to be more cautious with this and instead invest on something more expensive (psychologically it will put them at ease anyway). I think this is harmless and can be trusted but it all depends on your skin and what it is used to.
BYS Matte Foundation in Medium Beige
It says it is a matte foundation and so it is! What I loved was how well this matched my skin tone. Since tanning significantly earlier this year which brought out my darker Sri Lankan pigmentation (prior to that I rocked out a much lighter skin tone, my Japanese side!) and put all my natural beige foundations I owned out of business. Medium Beige on the other hand? Perfect match at the moment.
When I first got this the weather was still warm so I felt like that warped the consistency of this a little as it was almost oily and slicked on my face leaving behind...a face that felt like it had no foundation on. However now that is it cooler I feel like it has settled to a foundation consistency, that is it goes on and leaves behind a more powder-y effect. That said this hardly has a powder-y effect once on my face, it is a nice, light layer that feels barely there. Some may find this unappealing as it does little to conceal blemishes and emphasizes pimples more but I feel that - hypothetically - if I were to use foundation daily I would want something very light and barely there that wouldn't seem to suffocate my face. Although the emphasis on my tiny pimples didn't appeal to me which is why I go bare faced to begin with - less emphasis overall! Plus you don't have to worry about patchy foundation throughout the day, etc.
Also this foundation doesn't really give a smooth appearance to your face like other foundations do but it does its job fairly well and gives you some coverage that is better than no coverage.
BYS Concealer in Medium to Dark
Oh concealer, how I fail to understand you. Seriously, I have never used concealer in my life. Which could explain why the rare times I have had to do makeup myself for a shoot I always have blemishes (especially when my chicken pox scar on my face was more prominent) showing up. This has never bothered me though, and I cannot comprehend how slapping concealer over a pimple is good for you. I rather get rid of the pimple sooner than have to deal with a prolonged, concealer-dirty pimple.
Needless to say, I have no idea how to use concealer. Do you put it on before foundation or after foundation? I see people doing it either way and some people even use concealer just under their eyes to brighten them up - I am so confused but don't really care enough to learn. I'm not sure I'll ever get around to using concealer but it's handy to have one that matches my skin tone.
This concealer blends in really well with the Medium Beige foundation and is easy to apply. As for coverage, unfortunately I need to harvest some pimples and blemishes to tell you that and since my acne cleared up once I moved to Sri Lanka a few years back I haven't exactly been able to cultivate the pesky things as easily. When I get a promising one I'll get back to you - yes, I'll even risk it and prolong the darn thing just for you!
BYS Blush & Bronze Compact Mosaic in Light Glow
For some reason I always assume this will smell like chocolate. And get so let down each time I open it! Of the three mosaics available I chose Light Glow assuming it would be just that - a light glow. However I was not so pleasantly surprised to find that even using it with a light hand would give quite pigmented results! Good product but possibly a little difficult to use if you're a beginner like me in the fine art of make up.
What I did like about this was the fact you could get good results by using it sparingly but what I didn't like so much was how it is more of a bronzer than blush. Also the shimmer doesn't really appeal to me but it is very pretty on - personally I just prefer matte over shimmer, glitter, frosty, etc. You get quite a bit of fall out using this but at least the next time you open the compact you already have product to work with!
I love these face products because...
- They are all affordable
- They do their job even if it is just the bare minimum
- They are easy to use if you are a complete beginner (like me)
- The foundation and concealer come in a variety of shades for all sorts of skin tones
I didn't really love these face products because...
- They don't give you the results higher end brands would give you
- Weather seemed to make them temperamental, for example in terms of texture
