Maybelline Fit Me | First Impression

I've been meaning to find a new foundation for ages... probably about two years now- ever since the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation started breaking me out like crazy! I read so many reviews about the Maybelline Fit Me foundations but never really payed much mind to them. When I saw my local drug store had them on special for 50% off I decided I'd give the foundation a go.

I chose to try the Matte and Poreless formula designed for normal to oily skin as this is my skin type. The shade selection was pretty good ranging from really fair to deeper brown skin tones. Having slightly more yellow undertones and hint of a tan, I went for the third shade in from the lighter end of the range; 120 Classic Ivory.

Upon first glance, the packaging isn't much. It's easy to overlook it in the drug store as it's not an in your face colour or design. The glass bottle makes it a touch impractical for travel purposes, however it looks nice mixed in with other products on a dressing table. I so wish this foundation had a pump! The formula leans more toward the watery side and so pouring it out from the bottle can be a little messy. I can see myself wasting quite a bit of this product from over pouring onto the back of my hand.

Right now my skin is in a bit of a state. I'm coming off the end of a fairly bad hormonal breakout. I have no active breakouts to cover, but there's redness where the spots once were. I've also had a terrible lack of sleep and my under eye circles are utterly horrendous.

I haven't worn foundation in absolutely ages so I have no idea where my beauty blender ended up. Blending foundation with a brush isn't my favourite method of application, but it ended up looking quite natural- I was so surprised. It didn't get streaky at all! The coverage is light to medium but definitely buildable. I'm sure this foundation could be built up to be full coverage. The colour choice ended up being a seamless match with the skin tone of my neck- my perfect shade! The foundation definitely did a good job at making my skin one even tone as well as making my dark circles and acne spots less visible. 

The foundation blended nicely with my Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer, creating a really great base. It also set really well with my NYX stay matte powder. I wasn't getting any caking or patchiness what so ever!

The Fit Me foundation created the perfect base for this everyday neutral makeup look. 

After an hour of wear I didn't notice any oxidization or movement of the product. It still looked the exact same as when I applied it an hour prior. 

I chose this day to test the foundation because I knew it would be extremely hot and I would be outside a lot. I wanted to see if the foundation could withstand the sun and the heat. Even after working outside and sweating quite a bit, I was six hours in and it still looked great! There was no real difference from when I first applied it. 

I spent an hour laying in the sun, catching some rays. After ward my face was obviously sweaty and so I blotted with a tissue. I was surprised to see that there was very little product transfer- mostly powder! The stay power really proves itself to be amazing!

I decided when my friends and I hit the outdoor patio bar to go dancing that night that I was not going to redo my makeup. I was going to put this foundation to the ultimate test! It stood up to my dancing outside for three hours despite already being on my face all day! 

After 17 hours, my face was still matte, poreless, and the coverage was still definitely there! In fact, when I went to wash my face that night I was surprised by just how much product came off on my flannel cloth. It all stayed all day long! I've got a little hunch that this foundation could stand up to a waterproof makeup test. 

All in all, I'm so impressed by this foundation. I think the poor packaging is a very small sacrifice for an otherwise amazing product. I can't wait to keep using the Fit Me foundation so I can report back with a full review!

Have you tried the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless foundation? What did you think of it? Do let me know in a comment!

Thanks for reading & check back again to see what KatieDidd, xo

Beach Bummin' It | Tips + Photo Diary

I don't know about you, but as soon as the temperature is above twenty two degrees Celsius and the sun is out I just want to spend every waking second at the beach! As a self proclaimed 'beach bum', I have become somewhat of a professional with having successful beach trips! Today I'm going to share with you a few tips for a perfect beach day!

Tip number one is obviously to check the weather prior to going out. Once you've determined it's a good day to be a beach bum, the next step is to pack a bag full of essentials. For me, the beach means no makeup; however, I always bring a chapstick with SPF in it. In my beach bag, I always pack sunglasses, a towel, my beach rug+pillow, a good book and a bottle of water. Birkenstocks are my footwear of choice when heading off to the beach.

I always like to wear a summer dress over my bikini when heading to the beach. This helps me to avoid those strange lines that shorts can leave on your tummy. Not to mention that awkward moment when you go to take your shorts off and your bikini bottoms start to come along off with them!

The next tip I have is just lounge! Catch some rays and soak in that vitamin D. I don't personally use sunscreen but I do make sure I eat plenty of sun blocking foods the day before I have beach plans. This includes tomatoes, carrots, dark chocolate, and tuna. If I see my skin beginning to get pink I throw on a light cotton beach cover up.

My gorgeous best friend, Logan, who came along with me to the beach was kind enough to be my golden hour model while I played around with my camera. How stunning is she!? There's nothing better than some sunset pictures on the beach.

Then she decided to try her hand at it. After a quick briefing in photography she snapped these shots of me!

This impromptu photoshoot leads me to my last beach bum tip: bring your bestie. There's nothing better than lounging in the sun with your best girlfriend and talking each other's ear off about everything and anything!

I hope you all are getting to the beach as much as possible this summer! Do you have any beach related tips? Do let me know!

Thanks for reading & check back again to see what KatieDidd, xo

I've Been AWOL | Update

Oh my gosh. We are nineteen days into July and I have yet to post on this blog. I don't think I've ever gone this long without posting. It's so freakin' bizarre. 

I got so caught up with the whole daily vlogging thing for my happiness project that I completely neglected this blog. After sixty days of vlogging I realized that I didn't really enjoy it- it wasn't really my thing. Firstly I don't even enjoy getting my photo taken, so watching back videos of myself was super cringe-worthy. The second reason I stopped vlogging was that it dawned on me that my happiness project is quite a private journey and I'd prefer to document it in a more private way- say a diary or something.

To get back into blogging, I thought it only right that I do a little update/photo diary of my life over the past twenty days. Enjoy!

Father's day is kind of like the kick off to summer in my family. It's the first big barbecue of the year and (usually) the first really nice day of summer. It was such a lovely day spent outside with so many of the people I love and cherish.

Paul moved back home too! It's so nice to have him here. He's one of my best friends and we always have such a great time together.

I've had some lovely times with my cousins out on the lake at camp! From fishing to seadooing, we've been having a blast and making the most of summer!

As per summer standards, I have been living every free moment in my bikini. There's nothing better than getting outside by the water, soaking up the sun, and lounging around in a bikini!

As if family fishing adventures aren't already perfect, family fishing adventures at sunset is a sure way to soothe the soul. The views alone are stunning. Add in the thrill of catching fish. Enter spending time with your amazing family. Perfect evening if you ask me!

I SHOT A FREAKIN' WEDDING! On the ninth of July my wedding photographer virginity was gracefully swept away by Shannon and George as they allowed me to capture the glory and beauty of their wedding day.

Logan's back!! It's so great to be reunited with my summer time partner in crime. We've had some lovely beach days and spent far too much money at the mall! Every girl (and person) deserves a best friend like Log!

The summer student I'm supporting at The Home Depot was awarded an employee of the month badge for friendliest customer service! He and I were both over the moon about it- he definitely deserves this!

I have discovered a new favourite place, right near my house, that's perfect for sitting alone and reflecting on life. This little space has been such a blessing with how hectic my life has gotten!

I've been keeping on track with my fitness and I feel GREAT! It's a little easier to stay in shape when you're working a physically demanding job so I hope I can keep it up when I get back into school.

How is your summer going so far? Please do let me know in a comment!

I solemnly swear, here and now, to NEVER go this long without blogging again!

Thanks for reading & check back again to see what KatieDidd, xo