Instant Radiation (Boots No7 Radiant Glow Foundation)

Member Name: Coxy1974

Product:	Boots No7 Radiant Glow Foundation
Date:	15/04/07 (473 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Does what it says it will

Disadvantages: would look too made up if you didn't blend properly

On a recent trip to Boots to fill a prescription I was attracted to the little basket of reduced make up at the side of the till whilst waiting for the prescription.

I am attracted by any kind of reduced bin – regardless of whether or not I actually need the product. I will rummage through in case there is a bargain lurking in there. I have actually been found in Debenhams sales buckets, dangling feet first trying to reach the bottom (well I am only 4ft 11) looking for bargains. But that’s probably yet another review. Back to this one…

Anyway, I’d run out of my favourite Clinique foundation a few weeks before and I’d gotten an Estee Lauder replacement that cost an arm and a leg so I didn’t particularly want to use it every day so I was looking for a foundation that was a bit easier on the pocket so to speak.

Rummaging through the bargain basket I came out triumphantly with a bottle of foundation. No 7 Radiant Glow foundation to be precise. I was even more ecstatic when I discovered that it was my shade.

Packaging

This product doesn’t come in a box, or at least the one I bought didn’t. Maybe it does if you buy it at full price. There is a cellophane hygiene wrapper around the lid and the upper part of the bottle to ensure that there has been no tampering.

The bottle is clear glass so you can see the actual shade of the foundation that you are buying. The bottle is topped with the signature No 7 black top. In Grey lettering on the front of the bottle is the name of the product and on the back is the shade number and name along with it’s claim.

The bottle contains 30ml of the product.

The Claim

Well No 7 claim that this foundation will help you ‘look beautifully radiant in any light’ and that the ‘light reflecting particles add a healthy luminous glow to keep skin looking naturally flawless all day long’.

It then has the directions for use underneath this bit.

I hadn’t read this before I got home but when I did I immediately thought ‘Blimey best not wear this with my Skinlights or else I’ll glow like a beleisha beacon!’

So did it live up to it’s claims – let’s find out…

The foundation

I have very fair skin and don’t like to look too made up so I always opt for a nude shade and this is the one I chose from No 7. It is shade 15.

No 7 state on the bottle that this foundation has SPF 15 and is hypo allergenic.

I took off the cellophane and removed the black cap which just pulls upwards. Underneath the cap you have essentially a white pump mounted on a gold screw mechanism. After pumping a few times I managed to achieve a 5p blob of lotion which was more like streaky water.

‘Nice’ was my first thought. ‘No wonder it was bloody cheap’ was another thought as I stared at the streaky blob on my hand.

Then I read the destructions on the back of the bottle and realised I hadn’t shaken the bottle before I pumped any out. After shaking the bottle I went back to pumping. Ah yes – that’s how it’s meant to be. A nice, even shaded 5p blob of lotion.

It doesn’t smell, which I found rather odd as all other foundations I’ve had have had a slight or strong smell but this was noticeably absent from this foundation. The lotion is of a smooth consistency and not thick but not thin either so it keeps it’s shape when pumped out.

Application

I pumped out the 5p sized blob and then read the rest of the instructions. It says ‘Shake before use. Blend on smoothly and evenly with your fingertips or a sponge.’

I actually dip my finger into the blob and splodge a bit on my forehead, chin, nose and each cheek before dampening a latex sponge (from Boots) and blending in the foundation.

Make sure that you blend right under the chin and over the neck down towards the chest and again out into the hair line so that you prevent that hard make up line.

I had a maths teacher at school who wore loads of make up and she always had a ‘tide mark’ on her neck where her foundation shade was wrong and she hadn’t blended properly. But back to my review..

Result

The lotion is of a nice consistency so you can easily splodge it where you want it and then blend away with a sponge. I feel it would look too heavy if you used your fingertips but maybe that’s just me as I like the less is more look, when it comes to makeup.

I blended the foundation in really easily with the sponge as the consistency means that a little goes a long way and it really tones with your natural skin colour.

After I’d finished my skin looked great. A more even skin colour (I have a typical English rose complexion) so I was pleased that my natural rosiness had been toned down. My skin kind of glowed and I didn’t need to use my Skin lights as usual. I just applied a little more foundation with the sponge under my eyes to relieve the dark circles and I didn’t even need my concealer after that as the foundation did the same thing!

This product really does deliver exactly what it claims. I dusted over my translucent powder and stood back to survey the results. I looked so much better. My skin looked as good, if not better than when I’d used the Skin Lights for the first time. I literally glowed. There was a dewiness to my skin that hadn’t been there before. My skin felt soft to the touch and I didn’t look like I’d layered it on with a trowel. Really pleased with the results I set about applying the rest of my make up.

Value for money

For me this has been excellent value for money as I managed to get it for £1 in the bargain basket. I only need to use a couple of pumps of the product (about 10p size) for it to cover my whole face and also do the same job as a concealer and my Revlon Skin Lights in one product.

Recommendation

Yes. Yes, Yes – even at full price you cannot fail to go wrong with this product. Yet another triumph for No 7 branding that previously to trying this and their moisturiser I wouldn’t have touched with a barge pole. What a turnaround.

Availability

Boots stores
www.boots.co.uk

This product is priced at £12.50 for 30ml bottle.

Summary: Having realised how much this is I now know how much of a bargain I actually got!!!