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This month, I’ve been all about a minimal soft glow, in the makeup department. And, as all makeup lovers know, in our world, “minimal” sometimes involves using A LOT of products.
All about the gloss: I fell in love, hard, with these Hi-Shine Glosses from Urban Decay.* They come in 4 finishes: Cream, Sheer Cream, Holographic, and Metalized. Four that I’ve been reaching for the most are Obsessed (sheer cream), 1993 (cream), Candy Flip (holographic), and Midnight Cowgirl (sheer cream). These are so comfortable to wear, they do not feel sticky or thick and feel like a mix between a gloss and a balm. If you love glossy lip products, you will L-O-V-E these!
Another beautiful lip gloss product: Pixi x Chloe Morello Lip Icing. This is probably one of my favorite products discovered this month. It has such a unique formula that feels like a mix between a lip oil and a lip gloss and it adds a beautiful shimmer that is actually quite natural looking. You can use it alone, or as a lip-topper with other lip products. I know I’m going to get a lot of use out of this product in the summertime. It’s exactly the kind of product you’d expect to see from Chloe, and I love that.
I wouldn’t be myself if I wouldn’t sneak in at least one matte lip product and this month it’s MAC’s Retro Matte Liquid Lip Color in Burnt Spice. Nothing not to love about MAC lip products and this one is no different. Soft, creamy nude with a long-lasting formula. How boring, I know, but nude lipsticks will forever be my favorite.
I’m still loving REN’s Perfect Canvas Skin Finishing Serum, which is great to use under makeup, I’m on my 2nd bottle, this serum really changes the way your base applies. Another under-the-base favorite is this new gel from Patchology: Aquaflash Daily Gel Moisturizer.* It’s incredibly lightweight, very refreshing, works great under makeup and overall it’s a nice daytime gel moisturizer. I have to add that it also doesn’t feel sticky upon application, which is something I really dislike in a lot of gel moisturizers.
Colorescience Total Eye Renewal Therapy with SPF 35* – this is a must for any true makeup minimalist. It’s skincare and makeup, combined. With SPF 35 this treatment adds moisture, brightens and corrects, it’s gentle so it doesn’t irritate that delicate skin under your eyes and it adds a nice, sheer coverage. The only downside is that it only comes in one “shade” as it is tinted, and it’s not the most flattering shade on fair skin, but this product is so incredibly lightweight you can also use it underneath your concealer or foundation.
IT Cosmetics CC Cream is another all-time favorite that I usually reach for this time of year. I don’t think there’s anything that hasn’t already been said about this CC Cream- amazing coverage, gives the skin a beautiful glow. The only issue here, again, is the shade selection. I usually have to mix Fair and Light to get a matching color. Still, that won’t stop me from reaching for this product, but I do wish there were more color options available.
Speaking of glow, I also can’t do spring without Laura Mercier’s Face Illuminator in Indiscretion. Adding some color (bronzer) has always been a bit of an issue for me, as I always have trouble finding something that would look natural with my skin, and that is why I love MAC’s blush in Harmony. It’s a perfect taupe-y shade that can easily be used for contouring on fair/light skin.
UD Hi Shine Glosses in Candy Flip, Midnight Cowgirl, Obsessed and 1993, MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lip Color in Burnt Spice, Pixi x Chloe Morello Lip Icing and Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Indiscretion.
Urban Decay’s Backtalk Face + Eye Palette*– looks so, so beautiful, but I honestly didn’t get enough playtime with this one to give my honest opinion just yet. The mauve-y colors look stunning in the palette, but I did notice that the cheek part of the palette is a lot more pigmented than the eye palette. Will keep you posted.
Last, but not least, I have to talk about these beautiful Cashmere -On Lip Pots from Emile Cordon.* You know that I am obsessed with lip care products and quite picky when it comes to them. The minute I used these, I fell in love. They immediately heal any dryness and are formulated with evening primrose oil and vitamin E. The jar packaging feels and looks so luxe, and these little pots also come with a spatula for easy application. They’re a bit pricey at $42, but I see them lasting for a very, very long time as you only need the tiniest amount to combat any dryness. These pots can also be used to soften cuticles, tame brows and soothe dry skin. I’m traveling to Europe in May to visit some family and I’m definitely buying a few of these as gifts, as they not only look beautiful but what’s inside the pots is pretty amazing, too.
What’s in your makeup bag this month?