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The Big Question: Creme Versus Powder–Eyeshadows, Blushes, and more!
There are a lot of big questions in make up these days, but one of the biggest ones I encounter is whether to use creme or powder formulations for things such as eyeshadows, blushes, and eyeliners. In order to answer this question, I’m going to break down the pros and cons of each and these three categories, and then come to a conclusion on which I personally prefer. Obviously, there is no one forcing you to take my word for it. As always, you should definitely try each out for yourself and make a decision for your own use.
This will be the first of three parts, one on Eyeshadows (this one), Blushes, and Eyeliners.
Eyeshadows–
Creme (Maybelline Color Tattoos, ELF Smudge Pots, etc…)
Pros: I really like cream pots for two reasons: they’re a quick swipe on when you need a little color on your lids, and they’re very blendable. When I need a quick little shimmer or color on my lids, I hardly ever grab for a powder eyeshadow because I have the PERFECT creme one. The one I reach for the most is the ELF Smudge Pot in Ain’t That Sweet, which retails for $3 USD and lasts FOREVER. Whenever I’m in a hurry, I swipe a little bit on each lid and have the perfect amount of champagne shimmer for the day. I also have these pots in Cruisin’ Chic and Brownie Points, a gold and a bronze respectively, that are beautiful and perfect if I am wanting a little bit more color on my lids. Creme eyeshadows are also very blendable. I tend to blend Brownie points out when I use it to diffuse the strong color and it has never given me any problems. It blends nicely into other shadows and especially through the delicate crease area. Creme pots, especially these, are a definite bargain for how much you get out of them and how easy they are to apply.
Cons: My major con with these is that they often have a sticky consistency. Much like when you apply mascara or eyeliner and don’t wait for it to dry, these have the tendency to get all over if you’re not careful. Once you apply them to your lid, you MUST wait for them to dry and adhere properly, otherwise you’re in for a shimmery, sparkly mess where you don’t want one, and especially if you’re using it in a rush, it can often take way more time than it’s worth.
Powder (Naked Palettes, any of your “normal” eyeshadows…)
Pros: Powder eyeshadow is everyone’s go-to, and I admit, it’s mine too. You all know I wouldn’t be able to function without my Naked3 palette. I reach for this almost every single day. The best part about powder eyeshadows is that there are a variety of ways you can use them. Brush them over the eyelid and through the crease, wet a brush and make an eyeliner, or even pat some in the middle of your lips to accentuate a lip look, powder shadows are incredibly diverse and totally accessible. This is the formulation of nearly every eye shadow out there. It’s easy to get access to and comes with applicators or brushes in some of the more expensive palettes. For your money, these will be the best shadows and come in way more shades than creme eye shadows often do. If you’re looking for non-neutral shades, powder formulations are the way to go.
Cons: Two of my biggest complaints about powder shadows are pigmentation and fallout. In terms of pigmentation, you have to search very hard to find a bright shadow with enough color payoff to be worth it. When you find it, you often still have to pack a lot on before you get even close to the color in the pan. I personally stick to nude shadows, so this isn’t as big of a problem, but if you want shadows that pack a log of punch, color-wise, you’re going to have to use a lot of primer and find a great formulation. My second complaint is fallout. I haven’t been able to find a primer I really like for eyeshadow, so I end up putting it on with no primer or a little foundation or concealer on my lids. Often this leads to fallout, or sparkly powder finding its way to my cheek bones without my permission. This is often a big problem with powder eyeshadow of all varieties. I’ve heard a lot of complaints about fallout, even from some of the more expensive palettes like Urban Decay’s Vice3. I don’t know how to fix this problem, but it’s one I perpetually have and a big complaint about powder shadows.
CONCLUSION
Powder eyeshadow formulations.
Why? They are easy to get and come in way more variety than creme formulations do. Even though there are issues such as pigmentation and fallout, I still end up reaching for powder formulations (mainly my Naked3 palette) more than any other eyeshadow in my collection.
How To: My First Day of the Semester Look
It was so cold today, but I decided to do a full face, so here is a listed tutorial on how to do my First Day of the Semester look.
1. Start with primer, my favorite once again, is the ELF Mineral Infused primer. Smooth that all over your face for a good base.
2. Spread foundation and blend well. This may take some time, but to ensure the smooth look you want, it’s worth it. Pay special attention to blending around the nose, in the T-zone, and under the chin.
3. Fill in eyebrows. For a strong, natural-looking brow, use short strokes with a pencil to create a strong effect and still look natural. I recommend the Sephora Retractable Brow Pencil for this, as it comes with a little eyebrow comb on the end for maximum blending.
4. Next is eyeshadow. I used my Naked 3 palette for my eyes, as I’m still trying to create new looks with it. I brushed the color Factory (a darker taupe with pinky glitter) all over my lid, blending it with Mugshot (a darker taupe) through the crease, and finished with Dust (a glittery pink) in my inner corner down a bit under the lash line.
5. Line the eyes with a black eyeliner on top and smudge out. Eyeliner looking too perfect doesn’t fit the look as well as a “lived-in” liner look. I used Sephora waterproof eyeliner in 01 Black. On my waterline, I used the NYX WonderPencil to make my eyes look larger and brighter.
6. Mascara! I used Maybelline Volum Express The Rocket Mascara in black, taking it as close to the root of my lashes as possible and wiggling it out for a full lash effect. I’ve given up on my bottom lashes, so I leave those alone.
7. Next I took NARS Laguna Bronzer on my cheeks in the line created when you suck in your cheeks like a fish and blended it up into the top of my forehead.
8. I used my favorite winter blush, ELF Essential Blush in Pink Passion, on the apples of my cheeks for the just-in-from-the-cold look to my cheeks for an added rosy glow.
9. On my lips, I used Rimmel Kate Moss Longwear Lipstick in 104, a perfect dupe for MAC Snob. I swiped it over my lips, paying attention to my cupids bow area, as I didn’t have time to line my lips. Blot your lips with a tissue to get the excess off by putting a folded tissue between your lips and pressing down.
10. I sealed my whole look with my favorite finishing powder, ELF Studio HD Powder, applied all over my face with one of their total face brushes from the studio line. This makes skin look soft and natural while preserving the hard work you put into your makeup.
I hope you enjoyed! Have fun trying this look not only for class, but work or going out as well!
My 2015 Wishlist
This post is all about the products I’ve looked over and most want to try in 2015! I’ve broken them down into categories (face, eyes, etc…) so you can skip over the parts you’re not wild about and move on with what you really want to know!
SKINCARE
1. First Aid Beauty Face Wash: I have a deluxe sample waiting to be opened once I remember to take it into the shower with me, and I have high hopes for it. I’ve always had soft, nice skin and I’m looking for a good face wash that will be kind to my skin and give it a healthy and natural glow.
2. Glamglow Mud Mask: This product is SO EXPENSIVE, but I’ve heard amazing things about it. It apparently sucks every imperfection out of your skin and into the product so that when you wipe it away it leaves your pores free of dirt and problematic blackheads.
3. Tea Tree Facial Exfoliator: Tea Tree oil has soooo many beneficial effects. I use it often to solve problems like keloids on my piercings and even problematic acne spots that crop up and need a quick fix. Exfoliating is important to remove dead skin that can clog pores and create acne spots, so I’m really looking forward to trying the two together.
BATH
1. Lush Bath Bombs: Okay, these are one thing I am no stranger to (sorry, not sorry) but they come out with more all the time and I’m eager to try them! I didn’t get to Lush over my break (SHAME) but I hope that over my spring break and summer break as well that I’ll be able to dig into Lush and try some new bath bombs.
2. Lush Bubble Wands: These are some of the coolest things I’ve ever seen but I’ve never tried one. I would love to in 2015 though! Basically, they’re bubble bath on a stick that you swish around to create a bubble bath like a magical fairy! I know I sound so awkward, but I’m really looking forward to trying them.
3. Sugar Scrub: My sister gave me a coconut lime sugar scrub for Christmas and I’m eager to try it on my whole body and especially on my legs after I shave. I’m so excited to try it!
FACE
1. NARS SheerGlow Foundation: I’ve heard other beauty bloggers rave about this one, and YouTube celebrity Tanya Burr swears by this foundation. It’s DEFINITELY not cheap, but a little goes a very long way, I’m told. I’m eager to hopefully give this one a try and review it on the blog this year.
2. Rimmel Stay Matte Powder: Another one that both Zoe Sugg (Zoella) and Tanya Burr swear by. I use the foundation, but as the weather will (hopefully) warm up here in the next few months, it will go nicely with a tinted moisturizer to matte-ify my face without the heaviness of the foundation.
3. MAC Mineralized Skin Finish: I’ve had my eye on this one for a while and have wanted to try it for a variety of reasons, but mostly because it is raved about as a highlighter and a lighter blush. Baked products are all the rage right now and I’m eager to try this one and decide it for myself!
4. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush: I see these at Sephora every time I’m in there and I just can’t decide if it’s worth it or not. I’ve decided that I would like to try them. They have two colors I’d LOVE to use, a coral summery color and a bright pink for the winter.
5. NARS Laguna Bronzer: A holy grail product I have yet to try yet, I’d love to get my hands on a Laguna bronzer to give me a little sun-kissed glow.
EYES
1. Urban Decay Eyeshadow: I’m already loving my Naked 3 palette (reviewed here) and would love to try more of their eyeshadows in other colors, such as the taupe shades in the Naked and Naked 2 palettes or some of the wilder colors in singles or in other palettes.
2. Benefit They’re Real Gel Eyeliner Pen: I’ve heard good things about this one and would love to make gel eyeliner easier to travel with! I love the mascara and can’t wait to give this a whirl in the near future.
3. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara: The tutorials and videos I’ve seen with this have made lashes look great, so I’d really love to try it!
LIPS:
In lieu of writing them out in list form, I figured I’d just write up a little paragraph. This year, I’d love to acquire more high end lipstick (MAC specifically). I own one MAC lipstick in Diva and I absolutely love it, so it’s a goal of mine to add more to my growing collection. I’d also love to add some YSL lipsticks to my collection, as they are highly sought after and formulated really well (as well as packaged to the nines). You all know how much I LOVEEEEE lipstick, and its a goal of mine to hone my collection to high quality lipsticks that I will wear often, whether they’re drugstore purchases (like the Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick I just purchased in 104) or a splurge like a MAC or NARS.
That is my wish list for 2015! Comment on this article if there’s a product you think I should add to it or YOUR most sought after product for 2015.
5 Must-Have Beauty Essentials for Girls With Glasses
As you can tell, I wear HUGE, thick, pretty nerdy glasses. I am blind as a bat. As those of you who have ever had your face graced with spectacles will know, wearing makeup and glasses at the same time is sometimes (read almost always) a precise, albeit awkward, balancing act between that fun eyeshadow you really wanted to wear and not wanting to draw attention to your plate-glass thick eyewear. Here are five beauty products that will draw attention to your eyes and not your eyeglasses.
1. A soft, matte shade of eyeshadow: I suggest a soft matte brown lightly applied to the lid that won’t look dirty or grimy behind your glasses. The last thing you want is to draw attention to poorly applied or blended eyeshadow or eyeshadow that’s just too much. I suggest NYX Naturals palette ($7.49 USD, Ulta Beauty). It’s versatile and goes great behind glasses for a fresh and clean look.
2. A quality mascara: A mascara that takes your lashes up and away from your eyes will help them appear bigger behind glasses that might make your eyes look smaller. I use ELF 3-in-1 Mascara ($3 USD, Target). It has a big, kind of oddly shaped brush, but it does the job of three different mascaras all in one. It makes my lashes look full and long behind my glasses.
3. A quality eyelash curler: For the same reason as number 2, a good eyelash curler is a necessity for every girl who wears glasses. I suggest one by ELF ($1 USD, Target). It curls nicely and brings your eyelashes up and out, making your eyes seem bigger and brighter.
4. A nude eyeliner pencil: A pencil like the NYX WonderPencil ($4.49 USD, Ulta Beauty) used along your bottom waterline will make your eyes appear bigger and less restricted than lining the waterline with black liner. This soft nude pencil has a creamy consistency and comes in three shades to (sort-of) match your skin tone. It’s a versatile pencil that can be used not only as an eyeliner, but as a concealer, a universal lip liner, or a brow highlighter.
5. A good brow filler: Whatever consistency you prefer (I like brow pencils), filling in your brows and making sure they’re neat and well-groomed is incredibly important. Because glasses draw attention to the top of your face, i.e. your eyes and eyebrows, they draw attention to what is out of place. I use the Sephora retractable eyebrow pencil ($12 USD, Sephora) to fill in my brows and make them look good before putting on my glasses and heading out the door.
Those are five of my must-have beauty products for girls with glasses! As always, if you have questions, want to see a tutorial, or have a suggestion for the next post, leave it in the comments of this post!
My Favorite Christmas Present
For Christmas, I received a gift card to pick out a Naked palette from Sephora. I already have a lot of gold-and-brown toned neutrals, so I wanted to go for something I haven’t worn in a bit: pinky nudes. The Naked 3 palette, which costs $54 USD, is a palette of 12 eyeshadows from Urban Decay and a brush you can only get with the Naked 3 palette. Dividing it just amongst the eyeshadows, that’s about $4.50 per shadow for a HIGH QUALITY shadow. In each package, you also get four weeks worth of Urban Decay’s primer in a variety of shades and formulas.
I haven’t used it too much since I got it, but it is by far one of the best products I’ve ever owned. The shadows are a range of very light pinks to a dark shadow with red microsparkle. they are really versatile and can be worn for every occasion. So far I’ve used it to do my sister’s makeup for a Christmas party she was going to with her boyfriend and used it to do my own makeup for lunch out with one of longtime friends. Right after those two occasions I had oral surgery, so I haven’t been able to get full use out of it yet, but I assure you, with just those two applications, I’m sold on spending that much money on eyeshadow.
The consistency is fantastic on these. A common complaint with UD eyeshadows is fallout, which I experienced with some samples of shadow I got and my limited use of a friend’s Vice 3 palette. Naked 3 does not have that problem, however, but stays put with just a dab of primer on the eyelids. When applied, it goes on really smooth and not at all cakey like some other eyeshadows might. Overall, the consistency of the shadows themselves really wow me and I can’t wait to use it more on a daily basis.
Not only is the consistency amazing, but the pigmentation of the color is phenomenal as well. The light colors make beautiful highlighters in the corner of the eyes and on the brow bone, and the darker colors make amazing accents in the crease of the eye and even as a soft and subtle powder eyeliner. The colors accent blue eyes like mine but work well with a vast variety of skin tones and eye colors. Their pigmentation is impressive and if nothing else will, the richness in color should definitely sell you on this palette.
This is by far one of my favorite palettes I’ve ever owned, and I love every color in it. It goes really well with a lot of the lipsticks I own and is a very versatile palette. There are countless tutorials on pinterest, tumblr, and other sites on how to work best with this palette if you’re just beginning, but you will soon learn that this palette can do anything! I’ve had a lot of fun experimenting with my own color combinations and I’m excited to try some more!
How to Create: My Holiday Look!
This is the fabulous look I sported in my holiday cards this year, and I thought I’d write a little posty-post about how I created it.
1. I started with a good primer. I used ELF Mineral Infused Primer SPF 20. Rub a dime sized amount all over your face to smooth out everything.
2. Blend in a good foundation. I’m partial to Rimmel’s Stay Matte because it’s thick, you only need a small amount, and it stays put allllllll day.
3. A good pink blush! It gives that warm, fresh-in-from-outside look to your cheeks. I used ELF Studio Blush in Pink Passion.
4. EYEBROWS! I filled mine in with the Sephora retractable brow pencil. I’ve been gifted with pretty good eyebrows, so I only needed a light fill, but this is great for mimicking the actual hairs in your brows.
5. For eyeshadow, I used an ELF essential palette in Golden Goddess (in the white package). I used the coppery color on my lids and the cream color to add a highlight under my brows.
6. The eyeliner I used was a Wet and Wild retractable crayon liner in Blackest Black, then used the smudge end to soften the line on my lid.
7. For mascara, I used the ELF 3-in-1 Mineral Mascara. Has a funky shaped brush, but does amazing things for my lashes.
8. Onto my favorite part! I lined my lips with the Sephora Nano Liner in True Red. I created the dramatic cupids bow by drawing an X between the points of my cupids bow in order to really define it.
9. I finished with the Revlon ColorSensations Lipstick in 690-“Siren in Scarlet” a deep, matte red.
10. Optional, but recommended: dust a light layer of an HD finishing powder (Like this one) over your whole face to preserve the look and bring it all together.
My Nightly Routine
Most of my beauty routine in the morning is putting on makeup and brushing my teeth, which is a totally different monster than my nightly routine, which is skincare and pampering in order to create a good canvas for makeup inspirations. So, without further ado, here is my nightly skincare routine.
1. Take a shower:
Showering is literally one of my favorite things to do. Even though it’s a community shower in my dorm building, if I take a shower at night, the water gets hot. I absolutely love the products I use in the shower, starting with my shampoo and conditioner, which are Herbal Essences Color Me Happy with Rose Extract. It smells so good and it protects my (usually) color treated hair. Next, I wash my body using an EcoTools purple loofah (I LOVE IT) and Soap and Glory’s Foam Call body wash, which smells soooooo good and makes me feel so cozy. Lastly, I wash my face using True Blue Spa’s Citrus Exhilarating and Exfoliating Face Scrub. I wash while the water is still warm and then do a rinse of my face with ice cold water (THIS IS IMPORTANT. COLD WATER CLOSES YOUR PORES AND HELPS YOUR FACE ABSORB MOISTURE AND THE IMPORTANT BITS OF YOUR FACE WASH.)
After stepping out of the shower, I…
2. Comb My Hair:
It’s really important for me to comb my hair and let it air dry, otherwise it goes all crazy and I end up wearing a hat for the whole of the next day. I use a run of the mill Goody brand comb that came in a two pack. Combing your hair after a shower is always best if you can manage it because brushes tend to break the hair and make it frizzy and unhealthy looking when it dries. If you can’t manage it, use a soft bristle brush or a tangle teaser (I’ve heard those things are miracles) to keep your hair looking healthy.
Next, I..
3. Moisturize My Face:
I use Simple brand moisturizer and rub a pea-dime sized mount all over my face to make sure that my face stays soft and supple and my skin looks the best that it can. It’s really important to moisturize, especially during Winter when the skin is dry, so that your skin stays healthy and youthful!
After that, I…
4. Apply An Eye Gel:
Currently I’m using a deluxe sample size of Ole Henriksen’s Intense Night Eye Gel. I apply all over my eyes to reduce puffiness in the morning and take care of my dark circle problem. This isn’t a necessary step, but I’ve been having a dark circle/puffy eye problem that this gel has really been taking care of.
Next I…
5. Do My Lips:
First, I use the ELF Lip Exfoliator I talked about in my Autumn/Winter must haves (found here) and go over my lips with that. This offers me a chance to prepare my lips for whatever color they’re going to sport the next day. I go over my lips with that and make sure the skin is smooth before applying the My Favorite Night Balm (also mentioned in the Must Haves) with a generous hand so that the moisture soaks in and it does its healing work while I’m asleep.
Finally I…
6. Moisturize My Skin:
First, I start with Soap and Glory’s Hand Food, though admittedly I’m not quite fond of the scent, I love the way it makes my hands feel. I alternate between Hand Food and Bath and Body Works Holiday Cranberry. I love that scent and the feel on my hands. For the skin on my body, I only use The Body Shop’s Moringa Body Butter. It smells like sunshine and flowers and makes my skin feel SO AMAZING. I absolutely love this and it makes me feel so happy and my skin so soft.
As always, let me know what you like about this, if you have questions, or if you have an idea for a post you want!
My Autumn/Winter Must Haves
I know I’ve been a scarcity, but I’ve been adjusting to life with two full time jobs and going to school. So without further introduction, here are my MUST HAVES for Autumn/Winter.
Concealer:
Benefit Erase Paste in #2 ($26 USD, Sephora)
Why I need it? This concealer (while on the pricey side) lasts SO LONG. I bought it two months ago and I haven’t even made a dent in the pot. I need it for winter especially because it brightens my complexion and conceals my under-eye circles with a nice consistency. It also does really well to hide breakouts and spots that I don’t quite like. This is a great product and you definitely get your money’s worth.
Foundation:
Rimmel Stay Matte in 100 Ivory ($5.49 USD, Walgreens)
Why I need it? This is the perfect foundation for winter. Its thick pasty texture means that you only need a bit for all day, long lasting coverage that eliminates shine for a beautiful matte finish on the skin. It’s easy to apply with fingers, a makeup sponge, or a brush and is an incredibly blend-able product that provides a wonderful base for layering on other products without feeling cakey.
Blusher:
ELF Studio Blush in Pink Passion ($3 USD, Target)
Why I need it? Who doesn’t love the youthful glow that comes from cheeks turned pink and rosy from some winter playing? Pink Passion blusher seems like an offensive, clownish color when you see it en pan, but once you apply just a touch using a brush to the apples of your cheeks, its as though you’ve just stepped in from the cold. It lends that cozy Autumn/Winter touch to your cheeks and begs for a comfortable cup of hot cocoa and a book by the fireside.
Highlighter:
ELF Essential All Over Color Stick in Persimmon ($1 USD, Target)
Why I need it? This lends the perfect little touch of shimmer to the top of the cheekbones, over the brow bone, on the tip of the nose, and most prominently, over the cupids bow. I love this because it’s cheap, blend-able, and is the perfect peachy champagne color for a highlighter. It’s a stick, but it’s not greasy or oily like some others might be. Overall, its a beautiful product for a light shimmer.
Eyeshadow:
ELF Essential Smudge Pot in Ain’t That Sweet? ($3 USD, Target)
Why I need it? This is perfect to throw on for a subtle shimmer over the eyes when you’re in a hurry. When I bought these, I bought two more in different shades because I liked it so much! This is a beautiful shimmery color that swipes on very quickly with not much maintenance. It stays on for a while and gives just the right amount of sparkle for the average day!
Eye Liner:
ELF Studio Cream Eyeliner in Black ($3 USD, Target)
Why I need it? It goes on phenomenally with the brush that comes with it or another angled liner brush. It can create thick, dramatic lines or thin, every day ones. This is a very versatile liner that stays put with a little setting time and wears all day for the perfect liner look!
Mascara:
ELF Studio 3-in-1 Mascara ($3 USD, Target)
Why I need it? It’s literally the perfect mascara. It’s waterproof, it lengthens, volumizes, and defines lashes and wears literally all day. I have non-existent lashes and I pop a few coats of this on and it’s like they grow out of nowhere! It’s so perfect! I absolutely rave about this mascara to anyone who will listen because the brush is amazing and so is the formula, all for $3! I am literally in heaven every time I think about it.
Lips:
(DISCLAIMER: I LOVE MY LIPS AND THEY NEED SO MUCH ATTENTION DURING THE WINTER.)
ELF Studio Lip Exfoliator ($3 USD, Target)
Why I need it? Everyone’s lips get chapped in the fall and winter, and this lip exfoliator is PERFECT. It comes in an applicator like lipstick and you just rub it in circles over your lips and it magically takes all the dead skin away and leaves soft lips! I use this probably…every other day. I am prone to chapped lips and this is a MUST HAVE during the cold months!
C.O. Bigelow My Favorite Night Balm ($7 USD, Bath and Body Works)
This lip balm comes in a glossy form and offers 8-hour renewal and moisturizing powers and it sure does follow through. This product is amazing, and I pop it on every night so that my lips are ready to apply lipstick in the morning. I’ve really noticed my lips becoming softer and smoother as I’ve been using this. It only takes a little swipe on both lips and you guys leave it to soak into your lips and work its magic! This is a product definitely worth the price!
Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color in 420 Deepest Cherry ($5.59 USD, Target)
I love this color. It’s the perfect dark lip for those who aren’t willing to commit to a “Lorde” style dark lip look. It’s a beautiful dark cherry/plumy color and it goes on smooth and stays on all day. I really love this lipstick and it pairs really well with the $5 Pleasantly Plum Sephora nano lip liner. I really love the way it looks with my skin tone, and I’m totally in love with the moisturizing feel of it. I wear this lipstick at least twice a week, if not more, I seriously love it that much.
These are my MUST HAVES for the colder months. If you have suggestions for more products I should check out or things you might want to hear about later on! I’m hoping to be back more regularly now that I’m adjusted to my school life this year!
What’s in my makeup bag?
My makeup bag is a little sparse right now, because it literally ONLY has my most important products in it, and the ones for literally the simplest makeup look in the world. It’s a mix of high end and drugstore products, my absolute favorites, and the ones I use almost daily. I’ll put them in the order they go on my face and do a small review of each one and what I use it for! If you have any questions about other products that you have in YOUR makeup bag that I don’t list, or you want to know more about the products that I have, feel free to comment below!
1. CoverGirl Clean Concealer in color Medium
Use: Conceal under eye circles and evens skin tone with absolute minimal amount of coverage.
Why I like it: I love the Clean line of products because they’re formulated to lay nicely on the skin without making you feel like you’re caked in product. This color works nicely with my skin tone and blends really nicely into my skin whether I need to cover up blemishes under some foundation or tinted moisturizer, or often just need a little brightening and evening under my eyes. I was blessed with good skin, so this concealer works very well for me. It gives just the right amount of coverage and conceals nicely what I don’t favor about my complexion.
2. BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfection Highlighter in color Opal
Use: Highlight and illuminate under the brow bone, above the cupid’s bow, and along the tops of cheekbones.
Why I like it: This pearlescent highlighter is the perfect consistency to add a little shimmer in the places you really want to bring out. I love using it to add just a bit of shimmer above my cheekbones after I contour (full make-up look) or under my brow bone to really illuminate the shape of my brows. It really makes any shadow pop, and even better, if added just above the cupid’s bow and blended in with a brush or the fingertip, it’s perfect for accentuating the natural shape and pout of your lips, especially when paired with the perfect lipstick.
3. Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Liner in color 12L
Use: Can be used as just the liner or lightly applied all over the lid for a bright shadow.
Why I like it: The consistence is smooth and wonderfully applied as a pop above the lash line or all over the lid. It goes on smooth and the shimmery teal color is unconventionally beautiful as a liner, especially when paired with blue or brown eyes. I’m not usually a fan of eyeliner, but this one (bought in the Sephora Summer Stash) looks so good on my eyes and is easier to apply than most liners, making this an instant grab in my makeup bag.
4. Benefit They’re Real! Mascara in color Black
Use: Lengthens lashes and adds volume, thickness, and all-around improves the look of lashes.
Why I like it: I have a hard time finding mascara I really, really love. Often mascara improves only one area of improvement that my short, stubby, blond, flat, lifeless lashes needs. Not this one, though. Also a staple of the Sephora Summer Sampler, Benefit’s They’re Real! mascara has been one I’ve been yearning to try for a while, but never really wanted to make the investment. This sample size is the perfect trial and so far I’ve been very impressed with what it does for my lashes, insofar as my sister even noticed and complimented me. I elicited a compliment from my SISTER? That definitely makes this a makeup bag must have.
5. Rimmel Lasting Perfection by Kate Moss Lipstick in color 111 “Kiss of Life”
Use: A lasting lip color in a matte finish
I really love this classic red lip look. The matte finish doesn’t dry out my lips and it looks very classy when paired with a neutral eye look and classy eye liner. This is a great lipstick for layering under gloss or leaving alone to shine on your pretty pout. This is by far one of my favorite lipsticks and an absolute must have in my makeup bag.
So that’s what I have in my pretty cream and gold makeup bag. I hope you enjoyed a little look inside my purse! If you’d like to know more about my makeup collection or a “what’s in my bag” comment below and like this post!
Beauty University 