I've always been interested in makeup, but I feel like this year I really developed a love for all things beauty. I have a makeup collection that I'm pretty proud of, and feel like I know much more when makeup shopping then I did before. Reading labels and researching before buying is something I started doing this year and really enjoy knowing more about. So I made a list of some of my favorite makeup products, both high-end and drugstore, that I use most often.
Up until recently, the only thing I ever used to apply my foundation was a basic
MAC 190 foundation brush. It does the job, but it never seemed to blend well and would leave streaks. When I saw that a million Youtubers loved the
Beauty Blender, I had to give one a try, and I'm obsessed. It's for sure my favorite tool to use for a flawless foundation application. I definitely use this on most days, but I also have this
Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. For a brush, it blends really well, and for only $9, you can't go wrong.
I've mentioned both of these foundations here before, but it's for a good reason, they're amazing! I'm currently on my fourth bottle of
Revlon Colorstay and have every intention to continue buying it. For me, it's the perfect everyday, natural looking foundation. It blends well, doesn't cake, and lasts all day! The
Nars Sheer Glow is kind of like a nicer version of this, the only reason I even tried it was because I hadn't discovered the Revlon yet. The only differences are the Nars would probably be better if you have really sensitive skin and want nicer ingredients.
Bronzer is something that always intimidated and kind of scared me. Since I'm so pale, I always thought it would look really unnatural and fake on me. But with the help of mostly my sister, I learned how to apply it to look natural and just add definition to my face. I started using
Hoola by Benefit, since I love that brand, and it's perfect for contouring. I never add bronzer all over my face anyways, so this is perfect to add a little glow. I also love this one from
NYX. It's matte, so it can look a little heavier on, but with practice it really enhances your look.
Blush has always been one of my favorite beauty products, along with lipstick, so I had a hard time coming up with only two I use often. I generally like to go for warmer, peachy shades, I feel like they compliment my skin tone, so the color
Captivating by Tarte is one of my favorites. These blushes look very natural, and really last all day without being thick and cakey. I also love this one from
Milani. It's a baked blush, so it's really soft and easy to apply.
Concealer is a really important step for me, I have the darkest under-eye circles and look like I haven't slept in days if I don't cover them. I really love the
MAC Pro Longwear concealer. It's like an all in one; heavy coverage, doesn't crease, and lasts all day. I love this stuff! A really cheap option for a heavy duty concealer is
Glamoflauge by Hard Candy. This stuff is crazy thick. The teeniest dot with cover up pretty much everything. Just make sure to use primer underneath it or it'll crease.
Liquid is the only kind of eyeliner I'll wear. I'm not a fan of the kohl, smudgy look, I like a clean line. So liquid pens are the way to go. They can be tricky to master, but once you've got it down it looks really good. The only real difference between these two eyeliners is the
Stila one lasts longer, but the
Maybelline is a great option for the price.
One part of my makeup I don't necessarily want to look natural is my lashes, for me, the bigger the better. I want it all; long, thick, black, curled lashes. Mine are naturally pretty long, but stick straight out (I have to use a eyelash curler).
Benefit's They're Real Mascara is my all time favorite. It gives me everything I mentioned before without making them clumpy and spidery. If you can't justify $23 for mascara,
L'Oreal's Miss Manga is really good. All the same results, just don't go overboard or it'll start to clump.
I'm always on the hunt for that perfect, everyday, keep in my purse lipstick. And so far I have a few I love. I tend to look for warm pinky nude shades, and
YSL's Nude Beige is perfection. My favorite lipstick color ever, plus a creamy, soft formula, and just look at the tube it comes in, beautiful! A cheap nude I really like is
NYX butter lipstick in Fun Size. It's a really pretty peachy-nude color I wear regularly. It's not as smooth and soft as the YSL, but amazing for the price!
And finally, a makeup collection isn't complete without the perfect red lipstick. My (and a ton of people's) favorite is
MAC Russian Red. It's a really nice, deep matte red that looks amazing on every skin tone. And if you've ever had a MAC lipstick, you know how nice they are. A really good alternative is
Rimmel Kate in the shade 10. To me, it's the perfect crayon red color, and these lipsticks are surprisingly smooth and moisturizing for how inexpensive they are. This is the only shade I have from this collection, but it's made me want to go out and get a bunch more!
So those are a few of the amazing makeup products I've discovered this year and love. And goes to show you don't need to spend a lot to get a gorgeous makeup application. Have you ever tried any of these products? What are your all time favorite makeup products, drugstore or high-end?
xoxo!
