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Mascara is definitely one of my weaknesses and if there’s one product I hoard… it’s definitely it. I was actually doing pretty good in this department over the last couple of months and haven’t been buying too many new ones. Of course, this had to change when Too Faced released their new Damn Girl! mascara.
At first, I thought that I have found myself a new “holy grail” of mascaras. It had everything I love in my mascara. The wand brush so thick it grabs onto every single lash, the formula that gives crazy volume and a super black tint while also being easily layered and clump-free (you have to coat the lashes with a side to side application to prevent clumping). My lashes looked amazing… until the mascara dried and I noticed that the lift it gives them doesn’t last. My eyelashes have a natural curl to them that most mascaras emphasize/compliment, not this one. It just makes them look kind of… flat and straight. I also noticed that it transfers easily on to eyelids throughout the day. Definitely not smudge-proof. Shame, because when you first apply it, it does look absolutely beautiful.
I rotate between a few sunscreen products and not all of them mix well with base makeup like foundations or bb creams. Paula’s Choice Smoothing Primer Serum with SPF30* gives the best of both worlds as it provides that protection and creates a smooth, soft canvas ready for makeup application. The thing to remember though is that if you’re skipping your regular SPF lotion in place of a primer like this one, you do need to use a generous amount to get adequate SPF protection. Otherwise, you can use it just like a regular primer, on top of your usual SPF routine.
I’ve actually just started using primers again not too long ago, and I forgot that while not everyone will notice, for me they do seem to make a difference in the way my foundation wears. I just kind of fell out of a habit of using them unless I was doing my makeup for a special event where I really need it to last all day. Another one I recently tried and really liked is Tatcha’s Silk Canvas. It doesn’t leave any residue on the skin, works great under water-based foundations and immediately makes the skin feel and appear smoother and softer. I noticed that it does help my foundation to stay in place a lot longer, which, of course, is the main reason why I’d use it in the first place.
Even though it’s not exactly a primer, I always keep IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Lines serum in my makeup bag. I’ve been using it probably for as long as it’s been on the market. It has such a silky formula and leaves your skin feeling so soft and blurred you have to keep yourself from constantly touching it. It works beautifully under foundation, it’s one of my favorite IT Cosmetics products, I just wish you’d get a bit more product for the price ($58 for 1 oz).
Every year, it seems all my favorite body bronzing creams get discontinued, one after the other. This year I’m trying Vita Liberata’s Body Blur HD Skin Finish. This one is a bit different than other similar products I’ve used, specifically in how quickly you have to work it into the skin as it dries quite quickly. This is the kind of product that I, as someone who’s both pale and doesn’t go out in the sun too often, always use in the summer. It adds a nice color to the skin while also slightly blurring the skin and evening out the skin tone. The blending does require some work, but once you’re done the product will stay in place until you wash it off. The key here is to not use too much- otherwise, it will transfer onto clothes.
Drunk Elephant’s D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops* are nice for adding a little glow and a hint of color to the skin. These can be mixed with your sunscreen or other skincare products, but I actually like mixing them with my lighter base products. Usually, I add a few of these drops to Guerlain’s Baby Glow Foundation. I love using these on their own as well, just on top of my SPF. These drops or, a serum, has a very light and blendable formula. Even though it does look quite intense at first, it blends well and adds just the right amount of color to my fair skin. It doesn’t look too orange or muddy and plays nice with other products.
Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops & Lippe Balm Swatches
Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops blended
Other face-bronzing products I love reaching for right now are Chanel’s Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base and Soleil Tan De Chanel Sheer Illuminating Fluid; Marc Jacobs O!Mega Bronzer in Tantastic, and BareMinerals Invisible Bronze Powder in Fair to Light (this one is really amazing even for very fair skin).
I’ve been really struggling to use something other than Fenty’s Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Powder as a setting powder. It just works so well with my skin, regardless of whether it feels more on the dry or oily side. I only need the tiniest amount and it helps keep everything in place without making my face look flat or oily throughout the day.
My base of choice at the moment- whenever I do wear foundation- is a bit of a snooze as it’s the same as last month and, perhaps a month before that one? It’s a rotation of Dior’s Backstage Face & Body (in #1) and Airflash (#200 or #300 when I spray tan).