I love it when a product not only does what it promises, but springs on you a surprise element!
Did you know the Bourjois Youth Extension Flower Perfection Foundation SPF 15 would smell so good? Well, I didn’t!
My initial experience with Bourjois was its blushes. I don’t know why Bourjois blushes are so heavily perfumed. I choke just going near them. I had 4 of those some years ago. The pigmentation’s not too bad if you don't get the glittery ones and the colors are pretty, but why the super heavy smell? I’m not even going to call it ‘fragance’ coz it’s too much to take. I just couldn’t bring myself to buy any of those blushes anymore.
The rest of its products like mascara, eyeshadow, eyeliner, are free from intoxicating smells though, but I made sure to take good sniff of the Bourjois Flower Perfection Youth Extension Foundation before purchasing it.
The Bourjois Flower Perfection Youth Extension Foundation is part of a small collection which consists of this foundation, a face primer, a translucent loose powder and a face brush.
I didn’t feel the need to get the rest of the collection. I was looking for a foundation since I was getting a little bored of applying the Lancôme Maqui Blanc Miracle Foundation everyday already. I wanted to decide between the Flower Perfection Foundation and the Healthy Mix Foundation, but in the end I got both.
(To The Boyfriend: What?! I’m a beauty blogger! I can’t help it!)
The Bourjois Flower Perfection collection claims to smooth and even out skin tone, hide blemishes and is enriched with wild azalea extract for cell regeneration to give you younger-looking skin for longer.
Okie, all foundations can smooth and even out skin tone, and those with higher coverage can hide blemishes. And I don’t really care what kind of flowers or fruits go into the product. I just want a foundation that works for my oily skin. I like that it has SPF 15 though, makes me feel a little safer walking under the sun.
Good Coverage With Matte Finish
The Bourjois Flower Perfection Youth Extension Foundation provides medium coverage that can be easily built to full coverage with more layers. The skin does not feel heavy or oily even with a few additional layers of product. Great plus point for my easily clogged and oily skin!
The matte finish lasts for about a couple of hours and then gives way to my oily skin, but this is something that happens with every other foundation so that’s fine.
The important difference is that with other non-mattifying foundations like the Lancome Blanc Miracle or Stage Cosmetics Photo Pro Foundation, I need to apply MAC Blot Powder in Light on top to prevent my face from oiling up too soon. With the Bourjois Flower Perfection Youth Extension Foundation, however, I can leave the house without that layer. Pretty amazing! That’s one less step required of my makeup routine.
I can go for my dance lessons/sessions without my skin feeling heavy or looking shiny.
Long-lasting Foundation
It is a long-lasting liquid foundation with a matte finish that is supposed to hide imperfections that lasts for 16 hours. They’ve got the front claims smacked down, but the 16 hours? Nah. I’d say a good 8 hours for a foundation’s lasting power is more than impressive and the Bourjois Flower Perfection Youth Extension Foundation seems to be able to do that.
Of course, at the end of the day, the foundation would have faded by a considerable amount, but my blemishes, red spots, dark spots are still covered by a thin veil of product. Not those SUPER BIG PIMPLES though.
The Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation does not oxidize on my skin, unlike the much loved Revlon Colorstay Foundation.
As you can see from the list, the number one ingredient stated there is Dimethicone, which is what the Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel that I use as a face primer contains too.
Applies Easily With Fingers
Not all foundations apply and spread easily with fingers, many I’ve encountered appear blotchy and uneven. One foundation I could not get an even finish with fingers was the MAKE UP FOR EVER Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation.
I find that when using my favorite foundation brush – Sigma F80 Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki Brush – to apply the Bourjois foundation, product is absorbed very quickly.
I used my fingers on other occasions and even though I had more time to spread the foundation all round, the product gets absorbed rather fast too. So in general, this product turns matte on the skin very quickly.
Using my fingers to apply the foundation results in a slightly heavier finish and I’m not a fan of using my fingers to apply makeup products. So I’d rather use a proper face brush.
Insufficient Shades
The only gripe I have with this foundation is the lack of shades it comes in, in Singapore at least.
Only three shades are available on our shelves (#52, #53 and #55). Eight shades are available in France, where the foundation is made.
51 – Vanille Clair
52 – Vanille
53 – Beige Clair
54 – Beige
55 – Beige Fonce
56 – Hale Clair
57 – Hale
58 – Hale Fonce
If you can read french: http://www.bourjois.fr/catalogue/maquillage/teint/fonds_de_teint/fond_de_teint_prolongateur_de_jeunesse_flower_perfection
I went to read the UK website first, then the French website. So Maquillage means ‘Makeup’, and Teint means ‘Complexion’. We learn something new everyday, don’t we! 😀
Mine is 52 – Vanille and I’m a MAC NC20-25 for reference.
The first time I applied the Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation in 52, I was quite shocked that it looked so PINK on my skin! It was such a great change from the Lancome Blanc Miracle, made specially for Asians, which has a strong yellow undertone to it.
I was like “OH NO. I’m gonna look weird in this pink-based foundation”. My face was pink and my neck was yellow. GAH!!!
Unblended
Blended
I went out anyway; I had to test it under environmental stress! Hoping that the foundation shade would settle into my skin and look more natural, I looked at myself in my pocket mirror whenever I had the chance. Thankfully, the foundation did look more natural.
It still looks a tad pink though, and therefore is not a fantastic match. This is the reason I cannot bring myself to give it a 'This is LOVE!' rating.
Pretty unfair for people who can’t find a close match in the 3 pathetic shades too.
Integrated Sponge That Is Of No Use
The bottle that contains the foundation is made of glass while the rest of the container is made of plastic. A sponge attached to the top of the cap can be used to apply the foundation, but I’m not a fan of using sponges for foundation. Besides, it’s not going to be easy to clean this sponge! It is stuck onto the plastic cap with super glue and looks like it will have parts of its bottom falling out after washes.
The cap falls off easily too so most of the time the cap is in one corner of my foundation drawer and the rest of it somewhere else. Fortunately, there is another layer of plastic to cover the pump to keep hygiene intact.
Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation VS Healthy Mix Foundation
I’ve been using the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation too to get ready for the next post. The Healthy Mix Foundation has more of a glow to it and the shade match is perfect!
Will talk more about the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in the next post! (Update: Review of Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation)
So does the Bourjois Youth Extension Flower Perfection Foundation SPF 15 make me look youthful? Well, I'm not that ancient to start with. I think anyone with some foundation looks better than without so I'm not buying into the 'youthful, cell-regeneration' claims. Meanwhile, I'll just enjoy the great experience of applying this sweet-smelling foundation on my face.
Where To Buy?
International: Amazon
Singapore: Watsons, BHG, Metro, Price = SGD38.00
Bun Bun rates the Bourjois Youth Extension Flower Perfection Foundation SPF 15:
(Update 18 Feb 2010: You know what, after using this for quite a while, I think it actually deserves a 'This is LOVE!' rating. :D)
Do certain ingredients - like flower or fruits extracts - in foundations entice you more to get them? Or are they irrelevant to your purchase?
How do you find the heavily-perfumed Bourjois blushes? I'm wondering if it's just me. @_@
