It's that time of time of the month when I share about all the products I've liked these past few months. I call this the throw back edition because they're all products I've had for a while. Pulling them out for the Great Purge (a destashing project where I go through my entire collection to use up all my non-CF products) reminded me how much I love them. I am going cruelty-free so most of these will not be repurchased but I'll still talk about them while I have them. Without further ado, let's get into the products!
*MAKE UP FOR EVER HD FOUNDATION ($43usd for 1 oz) -- With 40 shades and various undertones, this line is the best if you have difficulties finding your perfect shade. I wear shade 120 or its equivalent, Y245 Soft Sand. After feeling frustrated with drugstore foundations, I decided to bite the bullet and buy this. Makeup-wise, it was the best decision I've ever made. Even now, there's no foundation that matches me better than the MUFE. It has the perfect yellow undertone without making me look jaundiced. The thin consistency always looks perfect, even when my skin is not. I can trust this to look good on my bad skin days, over my dryness or even on the hottest days. It wears off evenly without looking patchy or gross. If you have heavy pigmentation, this won't cover it. Minor redness and faded acne pigmentation marks will vanish with this foundation, making it perfect for everyday or for photos. I love that it's in a pump but the cap cracked when I travelled with it. I'm gutted that MUFE isn't cruelty-free but the silver lining is that I can try others. If you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear it.
*REVLON PHOTOREADY CONCEALER ($10.99usd for 0.11 oz / $99.91usd per oz) -- Though I haven't much luck with drugstore foundations, drugstore concealers are where it's at! I heard StyleSuzi rave about this so I had to give it a shot. The color I have is Light Medium, which works for my undereye circles and redness around my nose. The consistency isn't creamy but firmer. Yet, it blends itself. I only need one swipe and then I blur the edges. There is the teeniest bit of glitter specks in the stick but after using it loads, I don't see anything on my face. Maybe it transferred from a different product...?
*BENEFIT HIGH BEAM ($26usd for 0.45oz / $57.78usd per oz) -- This is another oldie but goodie product. I wasn't too sure about the pale icy pink color on my yellow undertone skin but surprisingly, it works. I don't like wearing pink clothing but on my face, it gives a lovely romantic look. Coordinating my eye makeup with my face makeup is my version of wearing those matching two-piece outfits, haha. In terms of today's highlighter market, it's on the subtle, moonlight-hits-the-waters type of highlighter. If I forget to apply this before my powder, it doesn't cause my base to ball up, which is a bonus. I haven't mixed it with my foundation as the tiny nail polish applicator doesn't pick up too much for that purpose but I'm pretty sure you could do that with a full size. I have several dupes of this product that I'd love to share in another post. This small bottle will last forever even though it was only half full when I got it.
*BOBBI BROWN SKIN FOUNDATION STICK (product smackdown) ($46usd for 0.31oz / $148.39usd per oz) -- I already have a review of this product, so check it out for more deets. I'm still loving it now, especially for cocktailing. There's a stockpile of base makeup that are too dark for me so mixing it with a bit of this lightens it enough for me to go out in public feeling normal and not like an Oompa Loompa. It also adds coverage to sheer foundations. I even use this as concealer if I need to. It's gone up in price since I got it last year, boo. The Skin Foundation Stick is available in 29 shades. Bobbi Brown is great for us yellow-toned peeps but there are cool tones as well. I wear shade 2.5 Warm Sand, which is a little light for me now that it's summer but it matches perfectly in winter. Definitely one of my favorite foundations.
NYX PROOF IT WATERPROOF MASCARA TOP COAT ($6.99usd for 0.18oz / $38.83 usd per oz) -- If you've ever read any of my mascara reviews, you'll know I struggle with watery and oily eyes that smudge pretty much any mascara I've ever tried. I was about to buy the Anastacia version when I saw that NYX had one. It's pretty good but I have a few caveats. When I first used it, I didn't apply much mascara. After reading The Beauty Department Daily Lashes trick, this top coat didn't work as well. So while it's not entirely foolproof, it's better than nothing. I'll save more of my thoughts for a full-on review and demo, so stay tuned.
TARTE SMOOTH OPERATOR AMAZONIAN CLAY SETTING POWDER ($33usd for 0.30 oz / $110usd per oz) -- I'm not one for fancy powders but this came in a set with the Maracuja Concealer. Boy, was in a for a curveball because I love this powder! It's great for setting my dewy foundations and filling in pores. If I'm having a bad makeup day. this magical dust makes it instantly better. It's like photoshop in a jar. It's even great for touch-ups throughout the day. The finely milled powder does fly everywhere but since a little goes a long way, I don't mind. There's a slightly fruity, baby powder scent that doesn't linger once dusted on my face. I'm not entirely convinced that it's better than the MUFE HD Powder but I'll have to do a flash test to decide once and for all.
BARE MINERALS FLAWLESS FACE BRUSH ($22usd) -- This teeny brush came in a BareMinerals Try it Kit but it's definitely my favorite powder brush for deluxe sample jars. My bigger brushes don't pick up the powder well but this one fits into those jars and dusts the smallest amount on my face. I tend to go overboard with my makeup so this is a built-in filter. The natural hairs do shed every once in awhile but it's still dense enough for powder application. I don't know if I'll spring for another one of these but I'll enjoy it while it lasts.
*Denotes a non-cruelty free brand.
What products did you enjoy this month?
I'm totally in a buying mood after being quiet on the blog, haha.
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