Recent Makeup Favorites

​Guys....how are you? I'm exhausted. It is still hectic around here. Anyway, today I'm going to follow up the "skincare faves" with my "makeup faves" as of late. I actually have more makeup favorites than I do skincare faves this time and that doesn't happen that much. It's a lot of surprising stuff as well. Product categories that I don't really touch on much.  I've been testing so much stuff lately though that I've had a lot of hits rather than misses which is a nice change. I've also revisited some favorite products too which I love doing right now.

Let's go.

​Firstly, Hourglass Seamless Vanish Loquid foundation.... I did a review on it already. You knew it was coming. I know it's getting some hate from a few "gurus" because they either don't like that you can't use primer (?) or it doesn't look good on their drier skin. I have normal to dry and more so dry as of late. I used this when I was super dry actually. I didn't use a primer technically but I did use a moisturizing base (think Bobbi Brown Face Base or one that I'm going to mention next). I've had no issue with it. 

Primer(s). Yes I have a few actually. I don't like primer in general. I always like a moisturized base though. I'm more likely to use a primer that is more like a lotion/cream, rather than a silicone slip feeling primer. So that being said I've been loving the VDL LumiLayer Primer that is more "illuminating". It nearly looks duo chromed and man does it give the skin a glow. They have it in cushion form which I think is cool but I tend to reach for the pump version because it's formula is killer. I have a review on it as well. I do use this under the Vanish Foundation as mentioned above. 

First Aid Beauty Hydrating Primer. I've only had this for maybe a week and I'm already talking about it. It smells so fresh and lovely first of all. It's not super thick but it does feel like more of a lotion. It's thinner than the Coconut Smoothie Primer that I've enjoyed and I like it better than that one. It hasn't caused any issue with my skin looking super dewy through out the day. It's light weight, hydrating without going over board, and smells amazing.

Elf Smoothing Primer. Here's where I kinda eat my words about primers that are standard primer feeling. I LOVE this primer. My girl, "Poodle", told me about it. They'd sent it forever ago. So I dug it out and gave it a whirl. So happy I did. Good call Poodle. It's not overly "silicone" feeling. It's just right. Let's be clear it's not going to "facetune" your face in the respect of using the "Smoothing" feature but it does do a really good job of making pores less apparent, not balling/peeling up if you rub the skin, and doesn't cause the foundation to move or slide off your face like some smoothing primers can. Plus it's so dang affordable. 

Here's a throwback. I've been getting back in to my more colorful looks here and there. I did this navy look the other day (I'll insert a pic), and I used the Urban Decay Kaleidoscope palette. I'll be honest I'm not even sure it's still available and I'm sorry if it isn't. It simply has the BEST shades that are super intense. For instance, most people who have made a palette always talk about how the black shade in their palette is the "most intense" or "darkest black" you've ever seen. Horse shit. This palette has the "blackest black" I've ever seen in my life. Nothing compares. Not to mention the blue shade is stunning, the duo chromes are the best for inner corner highlight, the whole thing is just A+ and I've loved using it again.

​I have two lip products. I've been going back to my Bare Minerals Gen Nude liquid lipsticks again. It's just the best formula. I also have been getting into gloss more, which is unlike me. I have loved wearing ABH "Vintage" gloss. Their glosses are very full pigment and opaque usually and I prefer mine without shimmer in it and this is perfect.

I have a couple of cheek products. First being the Lorac blushes. I've not looked at them in a minute so I'm not sure if they have other finishes but the ones I have are matte/natural finish. I only have two shades because there is only two types of shades that I ever wear which is a dusty/rose or a coral/peachy pink. Depending on the mood, eye look, and season honestly. My friend Rhea told me about them. I've had them for probably two years and the formula is killer. It doesn't look chalky at all and it's easy to build up as well as just being a wash of color if that's what you'd prefer. The other prduct is Bare Minerals Invisible Bronze. Once again this is a product that I've loved forever and has been in several blog posts. It's the best bronzer formula that I have in regards to how it can build without getting too crazy, how it stays put on the face, and the undertone is perfect for me. I have shade "Tan" which looks super dark and I'm sure you could make it super dark but it's so subtle (hence the name "Invisible Bronze") that it works no matter what I'm doing or how pale I am. 

One product that I haven't put down is the First Aid Beauty Eye Remedy. This is a hydrating corrector for the under eye basically. It's not a super pigmented corrector but it does have a nice peachy pink color to it that does help cancel out my darkness. It's not going to make it go away completely but it really helps plus it's plumping up those fine lines and the applicator is metal that's always cold to help de-puff the eye area. In my opinion it's better than Tatcha Pearl and I still like that don't get me wrong, but this is way more affordable and does a better job with a similar pigment in terms of the color/corrector being the same shade, the fact that neither one is a full coverage corrector, and that they're both hydrating. 

Lastly is a brow pencil. I've been trying and using a lot of different brow products lately from tinted brow gel only some days, to pomades for a very sculpted brow, to pencils. I fell in love again with the Chella brow pencil. It's what I like to call the skinny brow pencil and not the angled definer pencil. I just love how precise it is without it being a harsh line or too intense. It also has lasted much longer than the ABH Brow Wiz ever does in my opinion. Maybe it's because I don't have to use a lot of the product, I don't know, but I love it.

So that's it. I'm gonna go to bed. None of this is sponsored.