My vice and guilty pleasure is makeup. I’m a VIB at Sephora, I binge watch makeup tutorials on YouTube (I will do anything Jaclyn Hill tells me to), and so many of my friends ask me to do their makeup before we go out for girls’ night. I don’t really care if people think this makes me vain or ditzy (for more on why, read my blog on Lipstick Feminism here). I think it’s fun, and I love trying new products and beauty trends.
Recently, I bought a bunch of new makeup (some new to me, and some are my long-time faves), so I thought I’d do a “makeup haul” blog, and review what I got! This is not sponsored or endorsed – I paid for all of these products, and have not received anything in return for these reviews. This is just a random beauty-lover’s thoughts. Click on the links to view and/or purchase the products online!
1) Sephora Collection Retractable Brow Pencil – Waterproof (in Neutral Gray Brown)
I really wanted to try the Anastasia Brow Wiz that the online beauty community has been raving about to fill in my eyebrows, but couldn’t justify spending $27 on something with so little product. My sister recommended that instead I check out the Sephora Collection Brow Pencil, and I gotta say, it’s a pretty good dupe. Besides the fact that my colour is “Neutral Gray Brown” (which my sister says is “just offensive”) I really love this product so far. It’s small tip is perfect for creating perfectly-shaped brows, and it really mimics natural brows well. My only criticism is the brush at the end – it looks like a comb, which isn’t great for brushing your brows in the right direction. I’d suggest picking up a cheap spooly from the drugstore to use instead. But at $16, I’ll take this over the Brow Wiz any day.
2) Benefit “They’re Real” Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara (in Black)
I have the world’s shortest and stumpiest eyelashes. I’ve always wanted long and pretty lashes, and I’ve searched forever for a mascara that does the trick. For a long time I was against buying a high-end mascara; once again, I just didn’t think it was worth the money. But after exhausting my mascara options at the drugstore (trust me, I tried everything), I caved and bought the Benefit “They’re Real” Mascara. Many beauty bloggers swear by it, and while it hurt both my heart and my wallet to cough up $31 for a mascara, I did and truth be told, it was worth it. The length of my eyelashes after using this product is insane. I don’t really understand how it works as well as it does (I mean, my eyelashes are only so long, right?), but whatever they put in this magic formula works. If you’re not sure about the price, try out the travel size version, which is $16 and apparently lasts a pretty long time.
3) NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick (in Life’s a Beach)
The one feature I really like to play up on my face are my lips, which means I love to experiment with bold lip colours. I was stoked when the NYX line of products finally came to Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada because I’d heard so many great things about their lipsticks. The first product I bought from NYX was this pretty coral shade of liquid lipstick – perfect for spring. At first, I wasn’t sure about the colour (it was a LOT brighter than I’d imagined once I put it on), but once I came around to how bright it was I fell in love with it. The colour payoff is great, it lasts a long time on my lips (at least two coffees and a couple hours before I need to touch up), and it looks great matte or with a sheer gloss on top. The Suede Cream Lipsticks come in lots of colours, but with spring and summer just around the corner, Life’s a Beach is the perfect trendy pop of colour your makeup look needs. Also, at only $10, the price is right. 4) NARS All-Day Luminous Weightless Foundation (in Mont Blanc)
As you can probably tell from the previous product reviews, I really don’t like spending too much on makeup if I don’t have too. But as someone who has always struggled with my skin, when it comes to foundation, I’m willing to splurge if the product is good. It took me a long time to find a foundation I really loved, but the NARS Weightless Foundation is my “holy grail” product. This foundation has the word “weightless” in its name, and it’s not kidding! It’s not gloopy or tacky at all, and when I apply it with a damp Beauty Blender (well, who am I kidding, I use a cheap knock-off), there’s no need to pile on layers of foundation. Its name also says “all-day,” and again, that’s a promise the product follows through on. Once I set it with a bit of powder, this foundation lasts all day without breaking up or rubbing off. At $59, this is the priciest makeup item I buy, but one bottle usually lasts me three months, and I really think it’s worth the money, especially if you’re looking for high coverage that doesn’t get cakey.
5) Maybelline New York Fit Me Concealer (in Light)
The Maybelline Fit Me Concealer is a product I will definitely be re-purchasing. Again, as someone who struggles with skin problems, I’m always looking for products with great coverage. This drugstore concealer has by far the best coverage of any concealer I’ve tried, including high-end concealers from Sephora or Mac. This is perfect to cover tricky blemishes or red areas, and makes a great undereye concealer for dark circles! It’s available at pretty much any drug store, and ranges from $6-$10 dollars depending on sales.
6) Rimmel London BB Cream Matte (in Light)
On days where my skin is doing well (and I don’t feel like wasting my NARS foundation), I like having a cheaper backup product to use. This Rimmel BB cream is perfect for summer days, or for when I’m just running to the store or to an exam and don’t feel like doing a full face of makeup. As someone with oily skin, I like this product because it’s hydrating but it also keeps me matte. It also has really good coverage for a BB cream – it doesn’t even come close to the NARS foundation, but I don’t always need it to. It’s priced at $7-$11 depending on sales at most drugstores. There is one problem with this product though that I didn’t realize until recently (and one that is going to keep me from repurchasing in the future) – it only comes in three colours, and doesn’t have anything that works for darker skin tones. For a long time, BB creams for people with darker skin tones was a big problem with beauty companies, and it still is with products like this one, but there are a few out there that are apparently great. One I’d recommend is the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Skin Perfector. I’m going to pick up the Maybelline one when I run out of my Rimmel and give it a try, as I’d prefer to buy from a company that makes products for everyone.
7) Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow (in any colour… seriously)
This line of products is absolutely phenomenal and can be used in so many different ways. I bought the shade “Bad to the Bronze” for everyday wear – it’s easy to apply quickly with just my finger and gives me a look that’s simple but pretty. They come in bold colours that can be used for a bold eyeshadow look (but also doubles as a colour gel eyeliner), in metallics that shimmer and create a multi-tone look with just one product, and in “leather shades” for a matte look. They run for about $7-$12 at most drugstores. The brand e.l.f. also has a line of Smudge Pot Cream Eyeshadows that are a great dupe and cost only $3-$4 dollars. And there you have it – reviews of all the products I’ve bought in the past few months. Have you tried any of these products? Or have you bought anything recently that you’d love to share your thoughts on? Let us know on social media, collegiettes!
Photo source: https://thebeautytab.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/img_20150624_024145.jpg… makeup product photos from website linked in description.