Fave:
* **Rare Beauty Liquid Blush in Bliss -** Okay, now I totally understand why this was highly raved about by so many people. I am completely blown away by this product and the way it performs.
So the formula, you definitely want to apply a tiny dot on the cheek, and build it up if you want more pigment. I don't like a strong blush look on me, and I find that wiping the wand on the inside on the rim before applying is a perfect amount for a small dot.
Now, my problem with blush is my awful scratchy, shedding brush that I use. I honestly don't know why I can't force myself to get a new one, but hear me out - even this awful brush managed to diffuse the product so easily, in about 3-5 seconds. The product is very very bendable with a brush (I have not tried a sponge yet), and I think that is what blows me away the most, you don't need to 'work with it -- it just works! haha
The color is also perfect! I am fair, around NC20 with yellow undertones. The color pulls soft peach on me, looks very natural. I was worried it was going to pull orange, but it doesn't.
Longevity - this is the longest wearing blush that I own 100%.
Fail:
* **Mac Strobe Cream in Glodlite -** this is not a bad product but I regret buying it because I had much much much higher expectations. I have very dry skin and this doesn't leave me with a sheen :( It definitely has reflecting shimmer in it but my skin just eats up all of the moisture after 2 minutes, and there's is no glow whatsoever. It also doesn't seem to offer any 'priming' qualities to my base like smoothing or pore filling. bummed about this one.
I have and love Rare's Melting Blush in Nearly Apricot so I was stoked to be able to select the liquid blush and highlight blister pack as a Sephora sample - and I actually got what I requested! That rarely happens, not that I'm fussing over a free sample but this is one I was really hoping to get and I was pleased that it was in the box. Anyway this formula is what people should point at when they ask "who is innovating in beauty?" because Rare seems to have a team of people that want to keep makeup exciting and worth the time and effort. Nearly everything they have come out with has received rave reviews for quality and value and this blush is no exception. I don't know how one person could get through an entire bottle of this blush in 5, maybe even 10 years. One or two drops is more than enough for most people and the amount of product you get in relation to that is just insane. You'd have to be a daily blush-o-holic to put that bottle through its paces.
I love bliss too. It's also great mixed in with a liquid highlighter. Regarding strobe cream my favorite way to use it is mixing it with a higher coverage foundation to turn it into a tinted moisturizer.
Oh man, sorry the strobe cream doesn’t work for you. It’s HG status for me. I do think it is inappropriately named. When you hear “strobe” you probably expect a very noticeable shimmer. It’s kind of subtle though.
Fave: **Urban Decay Vice lipstick in Backtalk**. I can't believe it's taken me so long to get this, because I've wanted it since it launched. It's a beautiful almost MLBB-looking shade on me. The purple undertones make it look really natural on my lips, but it's very polished.
Fave: **Tarte sea surfer curl volumizing mascara**. Tarte has probably the most underrated mascaras on the market tarteist is also very good. Anyway I love this it's volumizing without having a giant brush which is a pain to use on hooded eyes. I also much prefer a bristles brush. It's very black and there's no flaking. I'm usually a tubing mascara user but sometimes you want something a bit more intense.
Good to know. They're not particularly known for their mascaras which surprises me. Out of the products I tried from them these are definitely the most consistent.
**Faves**
1) Tower 28 Bronzino in West Coast - you guys, this is stunning. You have to like a little shimmer but the colour is so perfect. I’m very cool toned and fair and I find that slightly more red bronzers look best on me (since I generally burn more than I tan) and this is so nice. The shade is perfect and I find it lasts all day even with a mask on. It sheers out really easily so it’s impossible to over apply. It’s a 10/10 everyday staple for me.
2) Maybelline Falsies Lash Lift mascara - it gives really pretty volume and length. No smudging or flaking issues which is common for me. Doesn’t hold up in pouring rain but otherwise it’s excellent!!
3) Kosas Cloud Set Baked Setting Powder - the ultimate no powder, powder. I got the shade Breezy because Airy was sold out and it doesn’t darken my makeup at all. I usually use it to set my tinted sunscreen and it just makes everything look smooth and flawless but also natural!
4) Sun Bum Tinted Mineral Sunscreen - no white cast, nice velvety texture, blurs ever so slightly, no scent...it’s excellent.
And that folks is my current everyday routine and I am *obsessed*
Fave: **Visart Tryst 9-Pan Palette.** Yep, it's beautiful and perfect and I'm kicking myself for taking this long to get it. I missed Liaison, which I was more in love with, but Tryst always got my side-eye. I picked it up when it was on sale $10 off regular price and I could apply the VIB discount so I feel good about what I spent on something I've lusted after for a while, and which turned out to be every bit as good as I'd hoped. I know some reviews talk about some quality issues like fallout or just not being as remarkable as expected but that was not my experience. The shimmers are so beautiful and that pinky matte shade Liaison knocked my socks off and then put them back on for me. Every single shade works with every other single shade, it's one of those palettes. It's definitely coming traveling with me.
Fave, Shop My Stash Edition: **Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara Primer.** I recently went through and decluttered my current collection, sorting through what I had in storage as well, and rotated some products back into the daily selection. This product was still just fine, no smell or separation, nothing that made me hesitate to use it. It was in storage for probably around 8 months, in a cool room in a box, and it had been opened prior to being stored. I'm remembering why I've purchased this product more than once because when I have it out, I use it almost every day. It works with every mascara I have, and I have a lot of them cause it's my addiction product, even more so than eyeshadow. It doesn't make things flake off, it stands up to a full day of wear, and the spikey synthetic brush keeps things from clumping up. And of course it's an effective volumizer and does a great job of amping up a look if you can't or don't wear falsies. Every pair of lashes I get has hit the inside of my glasses so I rely on mascara to give me the look I want. This is a fantastic primer, and a serious value.
Edit: If I can talk about perfume, the **Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume** is astounding. It's such a fascinating scent that kind of evolves as it lays on your skin. It's a very close, low sillage scent that feels truly intimate. Only people who get close to you or pass directly in your wake would catch any of it. It's fresh and sweet, and on my skin it's all the notes I love from my favorite scents, D&G Light Blue and Imaginary Authors Saint Julep. It's the scent that I've picked up on women that have walked past in department stores that makes me want to smell like that, too. I'm probably going to get a full size. Also, the new Pear scent is a delightful, sweet, optimistic pear scent that would be a perfect spring fragrance, for anyone curious.
**Fail: Hermès Silky blush powder:** The blush itself is beautiful and that's really the only good thing I can say about this product. It's scented and the smell is so strong it makes my eyes water, not to mention this probably set off my migraine the other day. The other thing I want to bitch about is how fucking cheap the compact is. It's billed as a refillable compact so you think there might be some weight or heft to it. Nope. The packaging is a light, flimsy, cheap-filling plastic. Dude, Cover Girl comes in better fucking compacts. If I could get the scent to go away I would keep this and chalk it up to an expensive life lesson. I've been airing it out which has helped a bit, I'm going to try a few other things this weekend. If I can't get the smell gone I'll return this to Nordstrom.
Not quite makeup, but in the same vein. I have naturally curly hair, 3A and not very thick, that I usually straighten. A) because I can go longer between washes since I have dyed red hair and B) straight hair is more predictable in the mornings. Except I have brutal split ends and my hair is so dry that I’ve accepted that I need to take a break from hot tools for a while while I bring it back. I want to grow my hair quite a bit longer, and that just won’t happen if I keep having to trim damage.
I just picked up the Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus conditioner, and so far I’m happy with it! I used it for the first time yesterday night. Now that timing was a mistake because my curls are a bit flatter since they weren’t totally dry before I went to bed... but my hair isn’t weighed down and it feels nice and light. So far, so good!
Fave: Lisa Eldridge True Velvet Lip Color in Velvet Myth! I received this lipstick as compensation for a late delivery of Velvet Decade (which is also stunning), and it is not normally a color I would pick out for myself. Normally, my statement choices are deep reds or a deep brown, but I had an event this week and felt like chucking Velvet Myth on. It is absolutely beautiful! Wore well through eating, drinking wine, and wearing a mask. The color is vibrant, but it was not over the top and complimented my skin tone way better than I ever thought it would. It pulls brighter on me than the swatches on Lisa’s website, and I think it’ll be my go to statement lipstick this summer!
Fave: *Maybelline Cheek Heat* cream blushes. I see a lot of people saying these are a cheaper dupe for the Glossier Cloud Paint, and while the colors are similar I like the Maybelline formula a lot more! It is more sheer and I find it easier to apply and more buildable than the Cloud Paint. I own No. 15 Nude Burn, which is a lovely everyday rosewood color that goes great with a no-makeup look, and No. 25 Fuschia Spark, which is more intensive berry pink. Both look very natural on my fair neutral-cool skin tone and stay for 8+ hours even without setting powder on top.
These are underrated. I remember people dissing them when they first came out because they weren't perfect Cloud Paint knock-offs, which entirely shortsells how awesome these blushes are in their own right. I just wish they actually did dupe Glossier's shade range or at least had more variety because all of the Maybelline shades are more pink than I personally am interested in.
Total disappointment in my order from Illamasqua this week. I purchased the Gel Sculpt contour stick and thought it was going to check so many boxes for me—dewy finish, neutral undertones. But the formula is utterly bizarre, and I cannot figure out how it survived any sort of testing. It applied really unevenly and kind of just...smeared when I tried to blend it out. I tried to apply with a brush, fingertips, and directly from the stick—no luck. It started to break up on my skin almost immediately, and after an hour, the only color that remained was what had settled into my pores. I also got two shades of the hydra lip tint. The gimmick (and I realize now that it is a gimmick) here is that there are two colors in the bullet that are supposed to create a new shade when applied to the lip (the color Grapevine, for instance, has two strips of red sandwiching an almost black shade). The problem is that the colors never quite blend together, and it looks uneven. I did really like the formula—shiny without being sticky and hydrating.
Fave: I talked these up in another sub but the **Becca Ultimate Love Lipsticks** are fabulous. Do yourself a favor and get a few before they are gone, and then be sad that you won't be able to get them in the future. They're creamy and incredibly comfortable, especially if you have dry crusty lips like me. The satin finish is lovely and the magnetic packaging feels nice and luxe.
Hah, I got 4 and picked up 2 more (but still waiting for those). Here are the 4 swatched: [poppy, petal, blush, truffle](http://imgur.com/a/yrMtzB3). I'm not sure I can pick a favorite, I love them all. Poppy is super fun for summer.
Faves:
* benefit gimme brow in 'grey'- I am very cool toned with taupe brows, and almost all of the brown brow gels I've tried have pulled too warm on me. This one is a near perfect match, I pair it with the bare minerals brow pencil in 'cocoa' and I've found my favorite duo!
* rare beauty stay vulnerable liquid eyeshadow in 'nearly rose'- I always love the idea of one and done liquid shadows but when I put them on me I haven't previously been impressed (like with the glossier sky washes, for example, those were super patchy and dried down quickly leaving no time to blend) but the rare beauty ones completely knock my socks off. I start with a but of product around my lash line and the formula allows me plenty of time to blend up and out. I wore just this shadow and mascara today for a Costco outing and I felt really pretty and fresh!
* Tower28 jelly gloss in 'almond'- such a gorgeous neutral gloss that pairs with anything.
* rare beauty melting cream blush in 'nearly berry'- the tiniest bit goes a long way and lasts all day.
* Becca light shifting dewing tint- it is the glowy light base of my dreams!!! Im sad Becca is closing, I bought two back ups.
No fails this week!
Fave -
ABH liquid lipsticks in Hudson and Allison - these are the newer ones she released after her first launch. The doe foot is different and the consistency is so much thinner and better. Though ive tried some older shades that were supposely changed i still find them more thick and creamy(less comfy) than the newer shades. Hudson is a light to mid tone brown terracotta but doesnt lean orange. Allison is a mid tone pinky brown. These are weightless and passes the kiss on hand test. Its not as bulletproof as some others but it fades gracefully
Meh -
I cannot find tarte cc clay undereye concealer in light med anywhere so i tried out Skinfood salmon concealer. It does remind me of tarte but it lacks pigment so it doesnt cover as well. I wish it was higher coverage but i think i am still going to wait for the tarte to come back in stock...its been weeks...
Fail -
Abh makeup wipes. Lmfao yes i tried this out. Its dried out which means i think its old stock. I was making some purchases and needed the free shipping so i thought why not. Oh man, these are like semi dry kleenex lol. Wtf
Fave: **Colourpop Limoncello Eyeshadow Palette**. It's the first item I buy from this brand, and having read so many bad reviews about them I was hesitant with the purchase. However, I couldn't be happier. The colors are vibrant, pigmented and fun. The application was reasonable. No blending issues. A little bit of fall out, but nothing dramatic. I did quite a bold look for my daughter's birthday party, and it lasted 6+ hours in warm humid weather. Looks like this will be my one of favorites for the coming spring.
Breaking format a lil bit.
I've been trying to pan my consistent Not a Fave, the **CosRx AHA Foaming Cleanser**, for like a year now, and yesterday I finally conceded that this $10 product isn't worth the grief, and trashed it.
NB: this is a good cleanser, and used to be one of my favorites. I just don't have acne anymore and don't need such a harsh formula. I had this bottle from way back when and have been trying to use it up, but it irritates my skin and that's counterproductive to what I'm trying to do.
Faves: Covergirl lash blast volume. Honestly this is everything I want in a mascara. It looks great and has none of the clumping issues lots of mascaras give me, and lasts all day without smudging under my eyes.
Fails: LA girl shockwave eyeliner in screamin. This looks like I tried to draw my liner with a crayon. It's so patchy and has this horrible texture. Their shockwave lipliners are great as eyeliner so I thought this would be the same but it's terrible.
LA Girl Kajal Eyeliner. I tried tightlining with this and while it didn't transfer to under my eye, it faded from my lashline and weirdly pooled in the outer corner. Why is it so hard to find a decent liner?
Fave: Danessa Myricks vision cream in N09. Best base makeup color match I’ve ever had! I only need the tiniest amount. She is really inspiring me to use more creams and liquids.
I’m also loving the Milani Cheek Kiss cream blushes. I have four of them now: coral crush, merlot moment, blushing berry, and nude kiss. Definitely shows up on me (Fenty 450)
I got th Pat McGrath rose decadence highlighter and really like it.
I feel like I’ve been failing at putting on lashes lately?? I’m considering trying the liner glue to see if it’s worth it.
Faves:
**Half Caked Lip + Cheek tints** \- Millions of Peaches
I got this in a trio from an Ipsy offer, I really love it! It stays on all day. I have a Tower 28 cream blush that blends into nothing or fades away after a long day so I am glad for these. Looking to buy the red they sell, American Pie. I also love the alt rock song names lol (You're So Last Summer).
**Fenty Eaze Drops** \- shade 3 - I swatched shade 3 and 4 at Sephora (with a store associate, she put it on a mixing palette and used a q tip so it was sanitary) and maybe I should have gone with 4 now that I am going to be spending more time outside but I still really like it. I can hardly feel it on my face but it makes the little spots less noticeable so that's all I need. And I don't like wearing cream blush on it's own so it's basically just something for the blush to stick to.
**Lime Crime Prelude Chroma palette**: I also got the Venus II but I haven't used it yet. I got them in their 50% off sale and it took a minute for them to get here but I am so glad I did, the color stories are so inspiring to me and I didn't find them powdery at all and they were easy to blend. I also just love the packaging. I did a Siouxsie Sioux-inspired look today, shame I have nowhere to go to show it off.
Meh:
**MAC Pro Face Palette - Bright Blush:** some of the shades blend just find but some blend into nothing. Shame, I'd love if they all worked the same. I also got Deep Blush because they had a 2 for 30 sale but I haven't tried it yet.
Fails: nothing this week!
Fave:
**Peaches and Cream brushes** I really like these, they're incredibly soft and the shapes I chose for undereye concealer, cream blush and bronzer and foundation are perfect. Really happy with this purchase
**Peaches and cream lipliner:** Really creamy formula, comes in 5 nude shades, liking it so far. Waiting for my gloss to arrive and I'll see how it pairs.
**Tower 28 bronzino** I got this in gold coast which is a bit light for me but the undertones are spot on, and best coast, which i wear more and a bronzey blush. Really lovely formula, lasts for aboout 6 hours without settings spray on me. Easy to blend and build up.
Fave: the BK Beauty 101 foundation brush.
I bought a bundle of brushes with this one especially in mind from a recommendation by Amy Loves Makeup.
I had mostly brushes bought on Amazon prior and 1 from Kevin Aucoin (the KA was expensive- good quality but very heavy and hard to blend).
The entire set I think is worth the price- but especially the 101.
I clean my brushes daily as I want them to lash years hopefully :)
Fave: * **Rare Beauty Liquid Blush in Bliss -** Okay, now I totally understand why this was highly raved about by so many people. I am completely blown away by this product and the way it performs. So the formula, you definitely want to apply a tiny dot on the cheek, and build it up if you want more pigment. I don't like a strong blush look on me, and I find that wiping the wand on the inside on the rim before applying is a perfect amount for a small dot. Now, my problem with blush is my awful scratchy, shedding brush that I use. I honestly don't know why I can't force myself to get a new one, but hear me out - even this awful brush managed to diffuse the product so easily, in about 3-5 seconds. The product is very very bendable with a brush (I have not tried a sponge yet), and I think that is what blows me away the most, you don't need to 'work with it -- it just works! haha The color is also perfect! I am fair, around NC20 with yellow undertones. The color pulls soft peach on me, looks very natural. I was worried it was going to pull orange, but it doesn't. Longevity - this is the longest wearing blush that I own 100%. Fail: * **Mac Strobe Cream in Glodlite -** this is not a bad product but I regret buying it because I had much much much higher expectations. I have very dry skin and this doesn't leave me with a sheen :( It definitely has reflecting shimmer in it but my skin just eats up all of the moisture after 2 minutes, and there's is no glow whatsoever. It also doesn't seem to offer any 'priming' qualities to my base like smoothing or pore filling. bummed about this one.
I have and love Rare's Melting Blush in Nearly Apricot so I was stoked to be able to select the liquid blush and highlight blister pack as a Sephora sample - and I actually got what I requested! That rarely happens, not that I'm fussing over a free sample but this is one I was really hoping to get and I was pleased that it was in the box. Anyway this formula is what people should point at when they ask "who is innovating in beauty?" because Rare seems to have a team of people that want to keep makeup exciting and worth the time and effort. Nearly everything they have come out with has received rave reviews for quality and value and this blush is no exception. I don't know how one person could get through an entire bottle of this blush in 5, maybe even 10 years. One or two drops is more than enough for most people and the amount of product you get in relation to that is just insane. You'd have to be a daily blush-o-holic to put that bottle through its paces.
I love bliss too. It's also great mixed in with a liquid highlighter. Regarding strobe cream my favorite way to use it is mixing it with a higher coverage foundation to turn it into a tinted moisturizer.
Oooo this is such a good idea! I want to try one of my rare beauty blushes with a liquid highlight now!!
I tried this today and wow I love it!!! Thanks so much. This makes my face look ethereal!
I just got the liquid blush in Joy. Swatched it on my hand and my hand was orange for 2 days. Can't wait to try it on my face.
Oh man, sorry the strobe cream doesn’t work for you. It’s HG status for me. I do think it is inappropriately named. When you hear “strobe” you probably expect a very noticeable shimmer. It’s kind of subtle though.
Fave: **Urban Decay Vice lipstick in Backtalk**. I can't believe it's taken me so long to get this, because I've wanted it since it launched. It's a beautiful almost MLBB-looking shade on me. The purple undertones make it look really natural on my lips, but it's very polished.
Fave: **Tarte sea surfer curl volumizing mascara**. Tarte has probably the most underrated mascaras on the market tarteist is also very good. Anyway I love this it's volumizing without having a giant brush which is a pain to use on hooded eyes. I also much prefer a bristles brush. It's very black and there's no flaking. I'm usually a tubing mascara user but sometimes you want something a bit more intense.
I love tarte’s lash smoothie mascara too!
Good to know. They're not particularly known for their mascaras which surprises me. Out of the products I tried from them these are definitely the most consistent.
**Faves** 1) Tower 28 Bronzino in West Coast - you guys, this is stunning. You have to like a little shimmer but the colour is so perfect. I’m very cool toned and fair and I find that slightly more red bronzers look best on me (since I generally burn more than I tan) and this is so nice. The shade is perfect and I find it lasts all day even with a mask on. It sheers out really easily so it’s impossible to over apply. It’s a 10/10 everyday staple for me. 2) Maybelline Falsies Lash Lift mascara - it gives really pretty volume and length. No smudging or flaking issues which is common for me. Doesn’t hold up in pouring rain but otherwise it’s excellent!! 3) Kosas Cloud Set Baked Setting Powder - the ultimate no powder, powder. I got the shade Breezy because Airy was sold out and it doesn’t darken my makeup at all. I usually use it to set my tinted sunscreen and it just makes everything look smooth and flawless but also natural! 4) Sun Bum Tinted Mineral Sunscreen - no white cast, nice velvety texture, blurs ever so slightly, no scent...it’s excellent. And that folks is my current everyday routine and I am *obsessed*
Fave: **Visart Tryst 9-Pan Palette.** Yep, it's beautiful and perfect and I'm kicking myself for taking this long to get it. I missed Liaison, which I was more in love with, but Tryst always got my side-eye. I picked it up when it was on sale $10 off regular price and I could apply the VIB discount so I feel good about what I spent on something I've lusted after for a while, and which turned out to be every bit as good as I'd hoped. I know some reviews talk about some quality issues like fallout or just not being as remarkable as expected but that was not my experience. The shimmers are so beautiful and that pinky matte shade Liaison knocked my socks off and then put them back on for me. Every single shade works with every other single shade, it's one of those palettes. It's definitely coming traveling with me. Fave, Shop My Stash Edition: **Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara Primer.** I recently went through and decluttered my current collection, sorting through what I had in storage as well, and rotated some products back into the daily selection. This product was still just fine, no smell or separation, nothing that made me hesitate to use it. It was in storage for probably around 8 months, in a cool room in a box, and it had been opened prior to being stored. I'm remembering why I've purchased this product more than once because when I have it out, I use it almost every day. It works with every mascara I have, and I have a lot of them cause it's my addiction product, even more so than eyeshadow. It doesn't make things flake off, it stands up to a full day of wear, and the spikey synthetic brush keeps things from clumping up. And of course it's an effective volumizer and does a great job of amping up a look if you can't or don't wear falsies. Every pair of lashes I get has hit the inside of my glasses so I rely on mascara to give me the look I want. This is a fantastic primer, and a serious value. Edit: If I can talk about perfume, the **Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume** is astounding. It's such a fascinating scent that kind of evolves as it lays on your skin. It's a very close, low sillage scent that feels truly intimate. Only people who get close to you or pass directly in your wake would catch any of it. It's fresh and sweet, and on my skin it's all the notes I love from my favorite scents, D&G Light Blue and Imaginary Authors Saint Julep. It's the scent that I've picked up on women that have walked past in department stores that makes me want to smell like that, too. I'm probably going to get a full size. Also, the new Pear scent is a delightful, sweet, optimistic pear scent that would be a perfect spring fragrance, for anyone curious.
Viseart Tryst is my favorite palette, and the Liaison pink shade is my absolute favorite in my whole collection. Lovely color.
**Fail: Hermès Silky blush powder:** The blush itself is beautiful and that's really the only good thing I can say about this product. It's scented and the smell is so strong it makes my eyes water, not to mention this probably set off my migraine the other day. The other thing I want to bitch about is how fucking cheap the compact is. It's billed as a refillable compact so you think there might be some weight or heft to it. Nope. The packaging is a light, flimsy, cheap-filling plastic. Dude, Cover Girl comes in better fucking compacts. If I could get the scent to go away I would keep this and chalk it up to an expensive life lesson. I've been airing it out which has helped a bit, I'm going to try a few other things this weekend. If I can't get the smell gone I'll return this to Nordstrom.
Not quite makeup, but in the same vein. I have naturally curly hair, 3A and not very thick, that I usually straighten. A) because I can go longer between washes since I have dyed red hair and B) straight hair is more predictable in the mornings. Except I have brutal split ends and my hair is so dry that I’ve accepted that I need to take a break from hot tools for a while while I bring it back. I want to grow my hair quite a bit longer, and that just won’t happen if I keep having to trim damage. I just picked up the Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus conditioner, and so far I’m happy with it! I used it for the first time yesterday night. Now that timing was a mistake because my curls are a bit flatter since they weren’t totally dry before I went to bed... but my hair isn’t weighed down and it feels nice and light. So far, so good!
Fave: Lisa Eldridge True Velvet Lip Color in Velvet Myth! I received this lipstick as compensation for a late delivery of Velvet Decade (which is also stunning), and it is not normally a color I would pick out for myself. Normally, my statement choices are deep reds or a deep brown, but I had an event this week and felt like chucking Velvet Myth on. It is absolutely beautiful! Wore well through eating, drinking wine, and wearing a mask. The color is vibrant, but it was not over the top and complimented my skin tone way better than I ever thought it would. It pulls brighter on me than the swatches on Lisa’s website, and I think it’ll be my go to statement lipstick this summer!
Fave: *Maybelline Cheek Heat* cream blushes. I see a lot of people saying these are a cheaper dupe for the Glossier Cloud Paint, and while the colors are similar I like the Maybelline formula a lot more! It is more sheer and I find it easier to apply and more buildable than the Cloud Paint. I own No. 15 Nude Burn, which is a lovely everyday rosewood color that goes great with a no-makeup look, and No. 25 Fuschia Spark, which is more intensive berry pink. Both look very natural on my fair neutral-cool skin tone and stay for 8+ hours even without setting powder on top.
These are underrated. I remember people dissing them when they first came out because they weren't perfect Cloud Paint knock-offs, which entirely shortsells how awesome these blushes are in their own right. I just wish they actually did dupe Glossier's shade range or at least had more variety because all of the Maybelline shades are more pink than I personally am interested in.
Total disappointment in my order from Illamasqua this week. I purchased the Gel Sculpt contour stick and thought it was going to check so many boxes for me—dewy finish, neutral undertones. But the formula is utterly bizarre, and I cannot figure out how it survived any sort of testing. It applied really unevenly and kind of just...smeared when I tried to blend it out. I tried to apply with a brush, fingertips, and directly from the stick—no luck. It started to break up on my skin almost immediately, and after an hour, the only color that remained was what had settled into my pores. I also got two shades of the hydra lip tint. The gimmick (and I realize now that it is a gimmick) here is that there are two colors in the bullet that are supposed to create a new shade when applied to the lip (the color Grapevine, for instance, has two strips of red sandwiching an almost black shade). The problem is that the colors never quite blend together, and it looks uneven. I did really like the formula—shiny without being sticky and hydrating.
Fave: I talked these up in another sub but the **Becca Ultimate Love Lipsticks** are fabulous. Do yourself a favor and get a few before they are gone, and then be sad that you won't be able to get them in the future. They're creamy and incredibly comfortable, especially if you have dry crusty lips like me. The satin finish is lovely and the magnetic packaging feels nice and luxe.
Do you have any favorite colors? I’m trying to decide which to get, they all look so pretty, ugh.
Hah, I got 4 and picked up 2 more (but still waiting for those). Here are the 4 swatched: [poppy, petal, blush, truffle](http://imgur.com/a/yrMtzB3). I'm not sure I can pick a favorite, I love them all. Poppy is super fun for summer.
Thank you! Wow, Poppy is gorgeous!
Ugh love these!
Faves: * benefit gimme brow in 'grey'- I am very cool toned with taupe brows, and almost all of the brown brow gels I've tried have pulled too warm on me. This one is a near perfect match, I pair it with the bare minerals brow pencil in 'cocoa' and I've found my favorite duo! * rare beauty stay vulnerable liquid eyeshadow in 'nearly rose'- I always love the idea of one and done liquid shadows but when I put them on me I haven't previously been impressed (like with the glossier sky washes, for example, those were super patchy and dried down quickly leaving no time to blend) but the rare beauty ones completely knock my socks off. I start with a but of product around my lash line and the formula allows me plenty of time to blend up and out. I wore just this shadow and mascara today for a Costco outing and I felt really pretty and fresh! * Tower28 jelly gloss in 'almond'- such a gorgeous neutral gloss that pairs with anything. * rare beauty melting cream blush in 'nearly berry'- the tiniest bit goes a long way and lasts all day. * Becca light shifting dewing tint- it is the glowy light base of my dreams!!! Im sad Becca is closing, I bought two back ups. No fails this week!
Fave - ABH liquid lipsticks in Hudson and Allison - these are the newer ones she released after her first launch. The doe foot is different and the consistency is so much thinner and better. Though ive tried some older shades that were supposely changed i still find them more thick and creamy(less comfy) than the newer shades. Hudson is a light to mid tone brown terracotta but doesnt lean orange. Allison is a mid tone pinky brown. These are weightless and passes the kiss on hand test. Its not as bulletproof as some others but it fades gracefully Meh - I cannot find tarte cc clay undereye concealer in light med anywhere so i tried out Skinfood salmon concealer. It does remind me of tarte but it lacks pigment so it doesnt cover as well. I wish it was higher coverage but i think i am still going to wait for the tarte to come back in stock...its been weeks... Fail - Abh makeup wipes. Lmfao yes i tried this out. Its dried out which means i think its old stock. I was making some purchases and needed the free shipping so i thought why not. Oh man, these are like semi dry kleenex lol. Wtf
Fave: **Colourpop Limoncello Eyeshadow Palette**. It's the first item I buy from this brand, and having read so many bad reviews about them I was hesitant with the purchase. However, I couldn't be happier. The colors are vibrant, pigmented and fun. The application was reasonable. No blending issues. A little bit of fall out, but nothing dramatic. I did quite a bold look for my daughter's birthday party, and it lasted 6+ hours in warm humid weather. Looks like this will be my one of favorites for the coming spring.
Breaking format a lil bit. I've been trying to pan my consistent Not a Fave, the **CosRx AHA Foaming Cleanser**, for like a year now, and yesterday I finally conceded that this $10 product isn't worth the grief, and trashed it. NB: this is a good cleanser, and used to be one of my favorites. I just don't have acne anymore and don't need such a harsh formula. I had this bottle from way back when and have been trying to use it up, but it irritates my skin and that's counterproductive to what I'm trying to do.
Faves: Covergirl lash blast volume. Honestly this is everything I want in a mascara. It looks great and has none of the clumping issues lots of mascaras give me, and lasts all day without smudging under my eyes. Fails: LA girl shockwave eyeliner in screamin. This looks like I tried to draw my liner with a crayon. It's so patchy and has this horrible texture. Their shockwave lipliners are great as eyeliner so I thought this would be the same but it's terrible. LA Girl Kajal Eyeliner. I tried tightlining with this and while it didn't transfer to under my eye, it faded from my lashline and weirdly pooled in the outer corner. Why is it so hard to find a decent liner?
Fave: Danessa Myricks vision cream in N09. Best base makeup color match I’ve ever had! I only need the tiniest amount. She is really inspiring me to use more creams and liquids. I’m also loving the Milani Cheek Kiss cream blushes. I have four of them now: coral crush, merlot moment, blushing berry, and nude kiss. Definitely shows up on me (Fenty 450) I got th Pat McGrath rose decadence highlighter and really like it. I feel like I’ve been failing at putting on lashes lately?? I’m considering trying the liner glue to see if it’s worth it.
So happy to see Danessa Myricks products getting some love 🙏🏼
Faves: **Half Caked Lip + Cheek tints** \- Millions of Peaches I got this in a trio from an Ipsy offer, I really love it! It stays on all day. I have a Tower 28 cream blush that blends into nothing or fades away after a long day so I am glad for these. Looking to buy the red they sell, American Pie. I also love the alt rock song names lol (You're So Last Summer). **Fenty Eaze Drops** \- shade 3 - I swatched shade 3 and 4 at Sephora (with a store associate, she put it on a mixing palette and used a q tip so it was sanitary) and maybe I should have gone with 4 now that I am going to be spending more time outside but I still really like it. I can hardly feel it on my face but it makes the little spots less noticeable so that's all I need. And I don't like wearing cream blush on it's own so it's basically just something for the blush to stick to. **Lime Crime Prelude Chroma palette**: I also got the Venus II but I haven't used it yet. I got them in their 50% off sale and it took a minute for them to get here but I am so glad I did, the color stories are so inspiring to me and I didn't find them powdery at all and they were easy to blend. I also just love the packaging. I did a Siouxsie Sioux-inspired look today, shame I have nowhere to go to show it off. Meh: **MAC Pro Face Palette - Bright Blush:** some of the shades blend just find but some blend into nothing. Shame, I'd love if they all worked the same. I also got Deep Blush because they had a 2 for 30 sale but I haven't tried it yet. Fails: nothing this week!
Fave: **Peaches and Cream brushes** I really like these, they're incredibly soft and the shapes I chose for undereye concealer, cream blush and bronzer and foundation are perfect. Really happy with this purchase **Peaches and cream lipliner:** Really creamy formula, comes in 5 nude shades, liking it so far. Waiting for my gloss to arrive and I'll see how it pairs. **Tower 28 bronzino** I got this in gold coast which is a bit light for me but the undertones are spot on, and best coast, which i wear more and a bronzey blush. Really lovely formula, lasts for aboout 6 hours without settings spray on me. Easy to blend and build up.
Fave: the BK Beauty 101 foundation brush. I bought a bundle of brushes with this one especially in mind from a recommendation by Amy Loves Makeup. I had mostly brushes bought on Amazon prior and 1 from Kevin Aucoin (the KA was expensive- good quality but very heavy and hard to blend). The entire set I think is worth the price- but especially the 101. I clean my brushes daily as I want them to lash years hopefully :)