"No Lipstick" Lipstick

My recent post on "No Blush" Blush ended up being one of my favorite posts to write in awhile, so I thought I'd continue the trend, taking inspiration from an Into The Gloss article I saw a couple months ago, and throw together my "No Lipstick" lipstick edit. My favorite kind of makeup products are the ones that make it look like you're not wearing anything, but in a good way. I love the process of putting makeup on in the morning, but when I'm in the lab getting covered in cement dust I don't want to look like I'm wearing makeup, you know? (In my first interview they asked me if I was *sure* I wouldn't mind getting a little messy while working like six times - maybe I looked too put together?) Anyway, on with the lip picks.

Glossier Generation G, 'Like' & 'Cake' | I'm sure you're not surprised these made the list. These sheer matte lipsticks are so unique - usually matte lip products come with a load of pigment, but these give the lips a soft blotted look. The two palest shades, Like (a soft pink) and Cake (a peachy nude), end up looking just like a subtly enhanced version of your lips. These live in my work bag for touchups throughout the day and are my most-worn of the bunch I'm going to mention here.

Like, Cake, Pillow Talk, Strip, Honey, Nu de Soleil, Boy, Twisted Beige

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat, 'Pillow Talk' | My favorite way to wear lip liner, and the way that it makes it fit into this "no lipstick" category, is smudged into a balm. It makes the color apply a little more sheerly and keeps the lines from being too harsh. The color of this liner is perfect as well - when worked into the lips, it looks just like my natural lip color, just slightly enhanced.

BareMinerals Gen Nude Radiant Lipstick, 'Strip' | I've mentioned this one quite a few times lately, but it really is an underrated gem - everyone talks about the liquid lipsticks from the Gen Nude collection, but definitely check out these lipsticks. When dabbed into the lips, Strip makes the perfect rosy flush with just enough of a brown tone to keep things neutral.

Revlon Balm Stain, 'Honey' | An oldie but a goodie, the Revlon Balm Stains are still some of my favorite lip products. They're sheer and lightweight like the Generation G's, but still with a bit of a glossy finish. It eventually wears away though, leaving a subtle stain. The shade Honey is yet another lovely "MLBB" shade, adding the subtlest hint of mauve/berry.

Surratt Lipslique Lipstick, 'Nu de Soleil' | I raved about this beautiful lipstick in my Sephora VIB Sale Haul, and it's still one of my everyday picks. The finish is sheer and glossy, and the warm nude shade really brightens the face without actually looking like you've done anything different with your makeup - it's a bit magical, really.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick, 'Boy' | Another classic - this one adds the most chic hint of nude pink to the lips. You really can't tell if you've added a discernible color, but you can just tell something is there by how instantly put-together it makes you look. It's really quite beautiful, and if I don't make a custom Bite lipstick for my wedding I think I'll be going for this (over the aforementioned CT Lip Cheat of course).

Lancome Shine Lover Lipstick, 'Twisted Beige' | This has been a firm favorite in my lip product rotation for awhile, but I just haven't gotten around to mentioning it on the blog for some reason. It's a lovely, balmy formula that feels super comfortable on the lips, and Twisted Beige is the perfect shade for adding a bit of "somethin' somethin'" to the lips without being over-the-top or even that noticeable, really. It's just a good basic that should have more people talking about it.

What are your favorite products for a low-key lip look?

---

Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation

I've mentioned the Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation a couple times on the blog now - I talked about it in both my Sephora VIB Sale Haul and my November Favorites. I've had a good month now to test it out, and as you could probably tell from its inclusion in my favorites post, I'm utterly obsessed. I'm never one to use the same base multiple days in a row, but I went a good three weeks using nothing but this foundation. Even now that I've started rotating other products back in, I always find myself going back to this after a day or two.

I had had the Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation on my wishlist for the longest time. One of my favorite people to watch on YouTube is Karima McKimmie, and she uses it so often in her videos. I noticed how beautiful it always looked on her skin, and it really didn't look like she was wearing a thick layer of foundation. Once I figured out what shade to get, I was sold. The shade names are a bit confusing, being only numbers that don't always go in a logical (to me) order, but after much Googling and looking at swatches, I learned that 012 is the lightest shade (and not 002), and it would most likely be a good match for me. On the Koh Gen Do website, they explain that the shades beginning with zeros are cool-toned, while the shades beginning with ones and twos are warm.

Before I get into it, let me just say that this foundation is beautiful. I don't think I've ever been more impressed with how a base product has looked on my skin. It's quite a thin, water-y formula (as the name might suggest), but it spreads over the skin evenly and easily, and I love applying it with a damp Beautyblender - I don't find that it sucks up too much product. This foundation truly looks like your own skin once blended into the skin - it has that perfect finish that sits somewhere between dewy and matte. I'd say it's a luminous satin. I have mostly normal, leaning on the dry-side skin, and I don't find that this catches on any dry patches. It gives such life to the skin, rather than masking it. I typically apply a sheer layer to even out my skintone, and then I go in with another layer on areas I need more coverage, such as on the redness around my nose and on the acne marks on my chin. It layers up without any caking or lifting away the initial layer.

This could be down to the fact that I'm finally using a primer consistently (this one), but I find it lasts so much longer than other base products on me, too. Typically my skin will immediately drink up a foundation and leave it patchy and expose the unevenness I was trying to cover up, but I haven't had that issue once with this. I'm just so over-the-moon happy that I finally got my hands on this foundation, and I don't have one negative thing to say about it. I even mixed it with a tiny bit of my sister's Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation for a bit more coverage, and it was even more stunning. I think I might need to pick up a bottle of the Luminous Silk myself and use the combo when I get married.

Have you tried the Aqua Foundation? What's the best foundation you've ever tried?

---

Five to Try

I'm still making my way through the piles of new beauty products I received last month (not bragging - most of them were bought by me because I majorly fell off the spending-ban wagon), and I'm gradually finding new favorites. Rather than put together a massive monthly favorites last week, I decided to split them up and pop up another "Five to Try" post.

Cover FX The Perfect Light Highlighting Powder, 'Moonlight' | I'll start with my favorite of the products here. I first added this to my wishlist because of Amelia, and then when my sister bought it and vouched for how good it was there was no stopping me. I surprisingly haven't used any highlighter except this one since I got it. You can layer on a little bit for a really natural, lit-from-within glow, or you can pile on more to give a more intense sheen. The formula is really lovely and buttery, and the shade Moonlight is perfect for my skin. If you've been looking for a champagne highlight that doesn't lean too warm/gold, this is the one for you.

Saturday Skin Rise + Shine Purifying Cleanser | I mentioned how much I loved the mist from Saturday Skin in my November Favorites, but their Cleanser is pretty great too. It comes out as a thick cream that gently foams up as you massage it over your skin. It's not stripping at all, though. It leaves my skin feeling thoroughly cleansed but not at all "squeaky" - this makes it perfect for sleepy mornings.

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask | I'm kicking myself for not trying this mask sooner. It has a thick, jelly-like texture that's easy to smooth over the skin. It sloughs away all your dead skin with pomegranate enzymes, French pink clay, and willow bark, and it leaves the skin glowing and smooth. This one has instant results, so I love using it in the morning - it doesn't leave my skin red or irritated at all.

AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact | I can't get enough of good light bases - even though I have so many foundations and tinted moisturizers I love, I can't resist trying out new ones. For more minimal makeup days I've been loving this cushion foundation from AmorePacific (rumor has it they're the ones that actually came up with the whole cushion foundation thing). It's super easy to apply and gives the skin a juicy, even appearance. It gives a decent amount of coverage and layers nicely without getting cakey. It has a bit of a fragrance that takes a little while to go away, but it doesn't smell like sunscreen despite being SPF 50. Speaking of the SPF, that's why it's my new favorite base for everyday. (Also if, like me, you're thinking the price is a little steep, it comes with a refill!)

Marc Jacobs Under(cover) Perfecting Coconut Primer | I picked this up in the Sephora VIB Sale, and I could not be happier with my purchase. This beautifully smooths over the skin - it gives such an even canvas for makeup application. I have noticed my makeup lasting longer when using this and not getting patchy. Since it's a hydrating primer, it keeps my skin from drinking up all my foundation. If you've been on the fence about this one, just bite the bullet and GET IT, it's beautiful.

What new (to you) products have you been trying lately?

---