The 'Bronzed Goddess' Duo

July 14, 2016

Maybe it's just a situation of wanting what I don't have, but lately I've been all about products that will give me not only a glow, but a bronzy glow at that. My skin is neither naturally glowy nor bronze, but why shouldn't I get to pretend I just came back from a tropical vacation? (Let's just ignore the fact that I just got back from a week at the beach and have no tan whatsoever to show for it).

I've spoken already about my love for the Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer (here), and the Glossier Haloscope in Topaz (here), but lately I've found the true key is in layering these two products.

Right to Left: Milk Bronzer, Glossier Haloscope, Haloscope layered over the Milk Bronzer

I love a good stick product. They're just so easy to use, which really appeals to me when it's such a struggle to get out of bed in the morning. Anything that's quick and easy is a win for me. I love how creamy the Milk Makeup bronzer is - I just stripe a little bit just under my cheekbones and blend it out. As you can see from the swatch above, it's just the perfect shade. When blended out it becomes a bit warmer, but not so much that it turns orange (which is always a concern for me). The Glossier Haloscopes are pretty much my favorite highlighters, and I was searching for ways to use the shade Topaz after I ordered it knowing it wouldn't work as a traditional highlighter on my skintone. One day I happened to stripe it on over the top of the Milk bronzer before blending, and it was basically a magical discovery. The Milk bronzer, although matte, already looks quite fresh on the skin because of its creamy texture, but adding the golden sheen from the Topaz Haloscope makes it so much better. It really looks like I've been laying out on the beach all day. It catches the light in the most natural way, and the golden tones of Topaz really amp up the bronzing capabilities of the Milk bronzer. I used to get comments almost every day about how tired I look, but since starting to use this combo I haven't heard it once (so maybe people were just trying to say I looked too pale?). So that's progress I guess.

What's your favorite bronzer? And do you have any products you love combining?

Two Glowy Foundations from L'Oreal

July 12, 2016 in Makeup

I'm the first person to admit that I'm a bit of a makeup snob. Since learning of the wonders of Sephora, I just don't find traipsing through the aisles of the drugstore quite as exciting. I rarely write about drugstore products on here because they usually don't wow me as much as my more luxe picks do, but lately two foundations from L'Oreal have really caught my attention.

I picked up the L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation back in the wintertime I think, and I'm pretty sure I never actually mentioned it here. It's definitely my favorite lighter coverage base from the drugstore. The formula blends seamlessly into the skin, and it's pretty much undetectable. It gives a wash of sheer coverage that evens everything out, but you'll definitely need more coverage if you're looking to hide blemishes or scarring. On minimal makeup days, this is perfect. I don't actually mind the sponge applicator that came with the product, but lately my favorite way to apply it is by pressing a damp BeautyBlender into the cushion and then pressing it into my skin. It gives such a natural dewy look that doesn't look overly sheen-y or sweaty. It fades after about 6-8 hours of wear on me, but a lot of the more hydrating bases do that on me as my skin tends to drink them up. This is definitely one I'll repurchase.

Fast forward to this summer, when the L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation launched. I immediately jumped on it, ordering the lightest shade from Amazon before I could find it on drugstore shelves and hoping for the best. The shade is actually a good match - very light and not too pink (although it's a little too light for me now that I've been to the beach, but my slight tan will fade within a couple weeks). This is a heavier coverage than I'm used to, but it still manages to not look mask-like on the skin. I apply it with my fingers for a quick and easy application in the morning, but I'm sure you'd get a more flawless coverage using a brush or damp sponge. This is a thinner formula than I was expecting, but it manages to pack quite the pigmented punch. When I wear this, I don't feel the need to add concealer over my dark circles or blemishes as this covers them up well enough for me. At first it has more of a satin, skin-like finish, but as time goes on it develops the perfect amount of dewiness and makes you look so glowy and healthy. I can feel it on my skin throughout the day, which is usually a dealbreaker for me, but this doesn't do it in a way that makes me want to claw my skin off - I can actually feel it hydrating my skin. I'm amazed at how long this lasts on my skin - I haven't tested the 24-hour claims and I never will, but it's still completely intact when I go to wash my makeup off at the end of the day. That's sometimes around 16 hours of wear.

Have you tried either of these foundations? What's your favorite foundation from the drugstore?

Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks

July 09, 2016 in Makeup

I'm sure by now you've heard all about Urban Decay discontinuing all of their lipsticks and coming out with the new Vice Lipsticks, a collection of 100 shades in 6 different finishes. I had never tried any of Urban Decay's old lipsticks, but I was so surprised by this ballsy move that I had to give at least one a try. And after trying it, three more found their way into my online Sephora cart. I ended up with Sheer Liar, a sheer formula, Backtalk, a comfort matte formula, Ravenswood, a cream formula, and Tampered, another comfort matte.

Top to Bottom: Sheer Liar, Backtalk, Ravenswood, Tampered

Sheer Liar | I had been tempted to pick up Sheer Liar in Urban Decay's old line of lipsticks but never got around to it, so I just had to get it when I saw it had been resurrected. For me, it's just the perfect nude. It's a little pink and a little peach, and the subtle shine really enhances the lips. It's not quite as sheer as the name makes it seem, but it is still more sheer than my other picks. It's a super comfortable formula on the lips, creamy and a bit hydrating, but this does cut down the longevity a little. I typically have to reapply every two hours or so and after eating.

Backtalk | This is the first one I picked up, and I'm still smitten. It's such a lovely mauve neutral, which are my favorite colors to wear, so it's the one I've gotten the most wear out of so far. The comfort matte formula is my favorite of the three I've tried - it really does live up to its name. It has a little more of a satin finish, rather than matte, but it still sticks around for most of the day without needing another application.

Ravenswood | Another neutral - why not? Ravenswood is more of a dusty rose shade with more red and brown tones in it than Backtalk. It actually pairs extremely well with MAC's Whirl Lip Pencil. I wear this one when I want something a little more noticeable than Sheer Liar or Backtalk. The cream formula is lovely as well. It has a true satin finish rather than a glossy one, and its weartime is somewhere between the sheer formula and the comfort matte.

Tampered | I watched BeautyWithEmilyFox's swatch video of all 100 shades (this is how I picked all of these, as we have similar skintones), and Tampered was probably my favorite of all 100. It's a beautiful deep dusty rose - it seems to be the same color as Ravenswood, just a few shades darker. This one makes more of a statement, but it still goes well with many makeup looks because it's still a neutral. Again, the comfort matte is beautiful and the perfect formula for this kind of shade. If I was braver with what colors I wear to work and such, this would definitely be the shade I reach for the most.

Have you tried any of the new Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks? What shades are your favorite?