WOC - Fashion Fair Cosmetics Relaunch (2011)

[msroyalty2u]

This is certainly a blast from the past, but has anyone recently tried any products from the Fashion Fair line since Master/Celeb MUA Sam Fine has been designated as the new Creative Director?

I'm curious about their blush and lipcolors.

I'm NARS Macao & Tahoe for reference.

 

[msroyalty2u]

I also took a look at the packaging and it still leaves a little to be desired. I hope they look at upgrading/repackaging the look because it's a little too blah.

 

[L281173]

That brands needs a serious prayer.

 

[MAChostage]

I checked out the website and, I gotta say, I'd like to take a look at their foundations and lipsticks. I've not bothered with this brand since the late 70's, but I'm curious!

 

[honybr]

I just read an article in Essence about their foundation and they are rating it pretty high. They even said something to the effect of it's not what you remember. If I could see them in person I would try their lip gloss.

 

[amillion]

I could never get with Fashion Fair. I remember being a young child growing up in the 70's and my mom used to have all those broken pink plastic cases of fashion fair makeup all over our bathroom. I also remember the colors being super bright. No thanks. I will stick to my usual brands of MAC and NARS.

 

[mekaboo]

See, I tend to look at product instead of what the outside looks like. That being said...I LOVE their foundation stick..I recieved complements from Bobbi Brown, MAC, Nars and several others on my foundation the day I wore it in Nordstroms. Don't knock it until you try it. Don't judge a book by a cover...

 

[Curly1908]

Personally, I swear by their blushes -- especially Golden Sunset. I've never seen a dupe for it.

 

[sss215]

I will have to be on the lookout for it, because FF counters are kind of hard to find, even in a metro area like I am. I'm thinking maybe Macy's?

Looking on their site, I think I may want to try one of their concealer trios. I love having access to different concealer colors in the same palette because I have found that I need to mix concealers more often than not.

I would try a foundation stick. MAC discontinued theirs and I think that was a ill move on there part. Foundation sticks are so easy to use and transport!

The glosses look so pretty and being a girl that can't get enought lip glosses, I will try those. The blushes on the other hand are a little too natural looking for me. I think the blushes are colors that are historically safe for black women, but we've broken that mold already. I love a good plum and berry blush, but I love my corals, oranges and pinks WAYYYY more. I like the redux of FF because they are an iconic brand in black beauty. Good they are still around.

 

[MAChostage]

Well I made my way to the only Fashion Fair counter anywhere near me, about 45 minutes away. My overall impression: underwhelmed. It's obvious that this counter is not much of a priority for this store, as the testers were messes and several of them were missing. Having said that, I had a MUA match me in the stick foundation and I ended up being pretty much let down (I went in with really high expectations for it, since I've heard so much positive press lately). I had a little sinking feeling when the MUA first approached me, because my very first thought upon seeing her was, "I'll bet she's wearing Fashion Fair foundation" because it was orangey and shiny. Turns out that she was, it was the foundation stick (she was around NC37 or so). So anyway, I'm NC44 and she started with the shade Tender on one side of my face and then another shade, I think it was Tawny, on the other side. One was full of orange and the other red, just like the Fashion Fair foundations I've come to know over the years. At my suggestion, she tried Butterscotch and it was the best match, but it was still off on me, not enough yellow for my skin. These foundation sticks are also supposed to be smudge-proof and dry to a powder finish and I found that it easily transferred and left a shiny appearance. I especially wasn't impressed enough to buy one for $28.

I went on to look at the blushes, having remembered how fond I was of Chocolate Chip back in the day. I do find many of the blushes to be pretty, and I was prepared to purchase one in Chocolate Chip but, alas, they were sold out. The few (9) eyeshadows in the line were nothing to write home about IMO, especially compared to what other lines have and are doing in that regard. They only have 7 lip gloss colors (Lip Teasers), and 3 of those testers were missing, but I did try and purchased one in Tantalize. Again, at $17 a pop, and after having worn it for a couple of hours now, it's just okay. There's not much of a consistency or opacity. I wouldn't purchase any more of these. There are several lipsticks in the line, but I wasn't interested in lipsticks, so those just got a cursory glance over from me.

The only thing I could see myself buying from Fashion Fair at this point would be blush. I may go ahead and purchase the one I wanted online, but the rest of the line was completely "meh" for me.

 

[d n d]

In my recent search for a cheaper alternative to MAC, I stopped at the FF counter. Well, unfortunately the new image didn't seem to change the fact that the colors are still way off (for me atleast). I tried on several shades, but they all looked too red or too pasty. This is the same issue I have had for years with this company which is too bad since I would love to support this brand.

 

[lafemmetopaz]

Wow, I'm sorry you didn't find a matching foundation shade. FF has like 17 shades. FF is carried at Boston Store in my city. My perfect finish cream foundation shade is pure brown. I have a yellow undertone in my skin and pure brown is a perfect match for me.

To give you an idea of my skin color here are some other foundations that match my skin tone: Makeup Forever Face & Body #46(Cognac), Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation in 7.5 Warm Walnut and Nars Sheer Glow in Trinidad.

I'm not a fan of M.A.C foundations, I could never find a perfect or even a good match for my skin tone. As I believe a lot of deeper skinned toned WOC have this issue with M.A.C. along with breakout issues. My skin type is dry to normal.

I have two FF blushes, warm sand and ginger berry. Both have very good pigment and lasting power. They are some of favorites along with my other Nars Blushes. The FF lipsticks are the stellar products for the is brand. I have five lipsticks, Chocolate Raspberry, Fiery Bronze, Tropic Pink, Siren Red and Simmering Copper. I want a few more

I like the packaging, its like a burnished amber/bronze color.

 

[ChChCherryBomb]

Fashion Fair was the first cosmetics to touch my face.

I'm kinda bummed that the packaging is no longer pink. Lol. Very interested in what they have to offer now.

 

[LadybugAbbie]

Hi! I totally agree with you! Those who are judging FF by the OLD packaging may not realize that Sam Fine has taken over the artistic part of the company and is developing new products--I just ordered their new liquid foundation from MACY'S! Haven't gotten it yet, but I'll give a review ASAP. The "pink" packaging doesn't exist anymore--they've updated everything including the colors and variety in the foundations and powders. You might not find a PERFECT match, but the quality is very good. I've tried very high end makeup (i.e. Giorgio Armani, Chanel) and they didn't come close to what FF provides. Makeup is a personal taste thing and all I believe is trying whatever you can before condemning anything! Ladies, if it's no good, return it! When I wear FF I tend to get compliments from strangers on the street asking me what I do to my face to have such nice skin. No--they don't ask me what kind of MAKEUP I'm wearing, just what skin routine I use. I do have to blend two colors, but if you apply any makeup correctly--it should look natural and flattering. I live in NYC so I get FF from Macy's on 34th St. The only other way to get FF online other than Macy's is from Dillard's! Maybe if enough of complain about the color choices for FF's foundaton, Sam Fine will look into it and improve and extend the choices--speak up and we may be heard! Everytime I go into Macy's to buy other FF products--I say something to the ladies at the counter.

 

[soapdiva]

Interesting thread, has anyone else given the line a try yet? If so, what products?

 

[califabulous]

I am waiting for the big FF launch. Did I miss it? lol I would absolutely give FF another chance. I would love to be able to purchase awesome quality products that also work well with my coloring. I have never been matched to a foundation in FF. Just like MAC, there's the "this is the closest we could get" shades. I have a dark olive undertone and I've not found any FF foundations to match this undertone. My mom still swears by the stick foundation and now uses the concealer stick but I don't think it looks that great. Granted I haven't tried it for myself so I will be easy on FF. I'm still open but doubtful...especially if Sam Fine has created all the magic possible. I hope things are still in the works in terms of re-vamping the brand and product options so I will continue to wait for the awesomeness to arrive

 

[dundada]

It's like FF started right back at Ground Zero again from a year or two ago. Why do I say this? Because discovering FF right now so far has been fantastic! Years ago at department store in Florida, when an FF sales associate put the liquid foundation on me in Tawny (I think it was that color) and I looked like one of the Blue Man Group's cousins, one of the Orange Man Group! The loud pink marble packaging was dated and unappealing also.

But now FF is offering foundations in more than just the one undertone of stoplight red and they look fantastic on! I bought the stick foundation in Butterscotch which is finished now, so I bought the souffle makeup in Butterscotch to replace the stick foundation. I like the FF blushes in Warm Sand and Bronze, their shimmery blushes are nice looking too but not on my blemished cheeks!

When it comes to FF's older or classic line of lipsticks I like Tropic Pink which I have but I like the look of Sangria Red and Cinnamon Crush as well. But the best FF lipsticks are the newer ones from their most recent collections starting from almost a year ago. The lipsticks from the Siren Call collection are gorgeous and they feel right unlike the waxier feel of the FF original lipsticks.

The FF newer lipsticks have a nice feel, are lightweight, look semi-matte on the lips, look more opaque, have a different shape and they don't have the candy scent of the original line of FF lipsticks. Their newer lipsticks are way better than the older lipsticks!

I recently had to change shades in the oil control pressed powder because I don't like the powder in Toffee that I bought a while ago because when I get oily throughout the day and pile it on my face it chnages the color of the Butterscotch foundation to a red-orange which is what I try to avoid in the first place! LOL So I wanted to buy the powder in Cashew but at the time of typing this Hurricane Sandy is holding up the FF shipping to London so the sales associate told me to buy the same pressed powder in Fawn instead. So wish me luck!

 

[dundada]

Hi MACHostage try the FF foundation in Tan as that's lighter than Butterscotch. I'm a MAC NC45 and a Butterscotch in FF.

 

[MAChostage]

I just re-visited the FF website and see that they have overhauled it, and their product, yet again. It looks like it might be a fresh and thoughtful update. I'm intrigued about the new True Finish Refining Mineral (liquid) Foundations.

 

[dundada]

Yeah I received a small sample of the True Finish foundation in Gracious Golden. I tried it on with a damp foundation brush and it looked great on in that 'I live in the tropics and it's crazy hot!' sort of way! To me it looked very summery and shiny but 'good' shiny! LOL But it's a light coverage foundation that didn't cover my blemishes after a while especially because I used this really mattifying powder on over it. So I'll use my sample again in the summer or something like that and maybe I won't use powder over it. But for everyday use, I'm going to use the souffle makeup in Butterscotch that I bought when I received the sample of the True Finish foundation. A sales associate quite a while ago told me to use the souffle makeup with a damp foundation brush and not with a sponge.

I have to say I really love FF's new packaging of their foundations, powders and lipsticks and the pressed powder compacts are quite thin and sleek.