I have to admit I read a lot of makeup reviews, tutorials, etc., but I'm still pretty much a novice moving into an intermediate "makeup person". I've always been more into hair and experimenting with different styles and techniques than anything else, so I'm not really keen on the lingo or any special makeup applications. I used to keep my makeup routine for going out simple and my day-to-day even simpler. I've always marvelled at my girlfriend's who can pull off elaborate looks using a million colors and not turning out like a clown, ahem, like I usually do. With that being said I've been purchasing things here and there to help me with my "makeup journey" as I like to call it.
My most recent purchases (from left to right):
Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Power & brush set in Fair-purchaed from Amazon.com retails at Sephora for $59, I paid $35.
Revlon Photoready Airbrush foundation in 01 Vanilla-purchased at Ulta for $12.99
NYX Studio Liquid Liner in Extreme Black-purchased at Ulta for $5.99
Let me give you a little background on my skin experience and how it is today. When I was a teenager I didn't have extremely bad acne, yet I did have little white heads on my forehead, nose and chin, I was extremely pale (still am!) and with having rosacea , I always embarrassed by my skin. I wore heavy coverage foundation in the lightest color I could find (at the time it was Clinique and the brand Prescriptives) with a green corrective cover-up under the foundation and then powdered the crap out of my face to make it "look natural". I hated makeup, I hated spending my part-time high school job money on expensive brands because I was too pale to wear the $5.99 Maybelline foundation that made my skin look orange. I went through this for years and even though my skin did improve, it took my boyfriend at the time to say, "You have beautiful skin, just you don't need all that makeup". So, at 19 I stopped wearing foundation all together, but still continued using cover up and powder. Now, somewhere along the line as I got into my later 20s my rosacea came back in full force and I started getting cystic acne here and there which resulted in scarring my face. WHAT THE HELL, I'm 28 this shouldn't be happening! Well kiddies, I'm in my 30s and now I'm back on the foundation train looking for something that doesn't dry out my sensitive dry skin (which I moisturize and drink lots of water and do not over product my face).
Okay girl, shut up and talk about the products!
I've been told dry skin+powder foundations=bad news. Well, I have tried a few things paired with the
Cargo Onebase I've been using for a year now, which is AMAZING if you don't like full foundation, but I had yet to find anything that really made my skin feel and look good as the
Smashbox Halo Hydration Power does. I was skeptical as other powder foundations did make my skin feel very dry towards the end of the day, but this Smashbox product glides on smoothly, doesn't sit on top of the skin, or look cakey. I have to say I'm pretty sure I will be buying this one again. But I will warn you, it's not for heavy coverage, you can build the coverage with the product, but I suggest pairing it with a concealer for your problem areas.
I decided to give the
Revlon Photoready Airbrush mouse foundation a try while I was browsing the aisles at Ulta, as I had the Revlon Photoready makeup foundation along with the powder (which both are okay, but a little drying for me), so I thought mouse would be more hydrating. The jury is still out on this one. The pros are; the product is light in texture, the 01 Vanilla seems to match my pale skin pretty well, and a little goes a long way. The con's are; blending is a little difficult and it can look cakey, dries out my skin after about an hour of wear unless I use a heavy moisturizer paired with a primer, it sorta smells weird, and I'm not quite sure if I should apply with a sponge or foundation brush as it seems to not blend well with either. I do wear this out to the dark clubs as it looks great in low light settings and in pictures as it is from the Photoready line. It's a good alternative to models who can't afford Smashbox or Makeup Forever foundations, but I wouldn't recommend this foundation for everyday wear.
NYX Cosmetics is one of my favorite makeup brands, I love their prices and I can afford to spread my wings and experiment without leaving a large hole in my pocket. I picked up the
Studio Liner in Extreme Black as I'm on the hunt for a nice liquid eyeliner, for some reason I've tried several brands and I'm just not liking the formula, the applicator, or it's just not black enough. I've been wearing liquid liner since about 14, so I'm not a stranger to what I like and dislike. The NYX Studio Liner is a fail. I have to say the brush sucks, the liquid is clumpy and it rubbed off even though I put a clear base coat over it! ACK!
I know I'm not the only one with makeup woes, what do you like to use?
XOXO-Meagan Kyla
