July Beauty Favorites
Happy August! This summer is going by so fast - it's already state fair season for my Missouri people - and July was a crazy busy month for me. We didn't have a single weekend at home the whole month and most of the weeknights were full too. With living out of a bag most of the time, I packed some of my tried and true products that would work for any occasion to save some space.
Growing up my dad would always make fun of how much stuff it took for me to be away from home (and I can't say that he was wrong sometimes - serial overpacker right here!) so I've been trying really hard for years to pack lighter, but when it comes to makeup I feel like that can be more of a challenge than I'm up for. My solution: lay out all of the products in that category and pick one (or at the most two). Bonus points for picking a trial/travel size!
I've recently been trying out facial primers again. I have used a few different ones that get tons of great reviews in the past, but didn't care for the consistency of the product so I gave it up for a while. I'm not much a fan of silicone based primers, but have tried trial-sized versions of two this past month and love both of them!
Hourglass' Mineral Veil Primer is one that I've looked at many times before and finally decided to take the plunge. It's incredibly lightweight and soft to the touch without feeling like there's a coating on your skin. The only downside for me is that it tends to dry fairly fast for me and I don't always get it blended out the way I'd like before it dries down so I've been trying to apply it in smaller sections instead of my whole face at once.
The YSL Blur Primer is one that I thought looked pretty, but I wasn't sure on how well I'd like the consistency. The formula has tiny flecks of shimmer to give a nice glow to the skin, but has a gel-type feel. The first time I applied it, I was totally freaked out by how it felt at first, but once I had blended it in, I loved the way it made my skin feel and look. I'm so glad that I gave this one a chance!
The next step in my routine is usually foundation and this month I fell back in love with an old favorite of mine. The Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation Stick is a great choice for countless looks. On it's own, it gives a great dewy glow to the skin, but can be a terrific matte when set with a lightweight powder. It's a lovely full coverage foundation, but with a beauty blender and a bit of serum, can appear like a lightweight formula. I only wear this foundation in the summertime because I haven't found the right shade for me when my complexion is lighter, but it's a great choice for year-round if you can find your shade match.
In July, I had two bronzers that I kept coming back to. The first, Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel is a stunning cream-to-powder bronzer in a flawless shade. I wishlisted this stuff for years because of the price, but you really do get a lot of product that lasts forever. I've used mine so, so much and it looks like I've barely touched the surface. If you're looking for a great bronzer that can truly do it all - I'd highly recommend this one.
The other bronzer that's gotten a lot of love from me this past month is Nars bronzer in Laguna. This is a cult classic that I resisted for a while too, but I see why so many people like it. It's not too deep of a color and isn't too orange which gives a great natural looking color for lighter skin tones. I don't know how much someone would love this product if their complexion was tan, but it's a great bronzer for me and I love it for contouring.
If you haven't given MAC blush a try, you definitely should! They have a great selection of colors with the perfect amount of pigmentation. While I love some beauty products to have a lot of pigmentation, blush isn't usually one of them for me. I always worry when working with a full color blush that it'll be too much product and I won't be able to blend out the shade enough. MAC does an outstanding job at creating top notch blushes that are a breeze to work with. Warm Soul is the best selling blush that MAC produces and for good reason - it's gorgeous on every skin tone. If you like the Chanel blush I've shared before in golden sun, but aren't a fan of the price, this is a great dupe! Melba is a matte peachy-coral shade that I love. Ladyblush is a cream blush so it's a bit different to apply and blend, but is one of my favorites that I own. It's exactly the same shade as my natural flush.
Illamasqua's Gleam Highlighter isn't one that I've ever heard anyone mention before and I picked it up on a whim a while ago from Hautelook, but it's a cream champagne-colored highlighter that I think gives me the most realistic glow. Cream products are different to use, but once you get used to them, they'll seem so much more realistic than a powder product in my opinion.
I re-fell in love with Anastasia's Brow Wiz. I have 3 different shades that work for my brows, but finally repurchased the color soft brown and it's my favorite of the colors for me. I also have taupe and medium brown. All three shades match different parts of my natural hair color, but have different effects when I wear them. Soft Brown isn't too harsh and still defines my brows.
The last product that I apply when doing my makeup is a lip product. MAC lipsticks are renowned for being the best because they truly are amazing and the price point isn't unrealistic. They also have a program where if you bring back 5 empty products, you get a free full-size lipstick. They used to have one where you could exchange canned goods for a free lipstick as well, but I'm not positive if it's still around. The first ever lipstick I got was an empties exchange and the makeup artist recommended Shanghai Spice for me. I've gone back and forth on it being too pink for my taste, but it's a great coral-peach-pink shade and the cremesheen formula is my personal favorite in the line. It's not too glossy and not too matte and a perfect choice for daily wear or your first MAC lippie.
Thanks so much for visiting and I'll talk to you again soon!
xo, h.
Illamasqua's Gleam Highlighter isn't one that I've ever heard anyone mention before and I picked it up on a whim a while ago from Hautelook, but it's a cream champagne-colored highlighter that I think gives me the most realistic glow. Cream products are different to use, but once you get used to them, they'll seem so much more realistic than a powder product in my opinion.
I re-fell in love with Anastasia's Brow Wiz. I have 3 different shades that work for my brows, but finally repurchased the color soft brown and it's my favorite of the colors for me. I also have taupe and medium brown. All three shades match different parts of my natural hair color, but have different effects when I wear them. Soft Brown isn't too harsh and still defines my brows.
The last product that I apply when doing my makeup is a lip product. MAC lipsticks are renowned for being the best because they truly are amazing and the price point isn't unrealistic. They also have a program where if you bring back 5 empty products, you get a free full-size lipstick. They used to have one where you could exchange canned goods for a free lipstick as well, but I'm not positive if it's still around. The first ever lipstick I got was an empties exchange and the makeup artist recommended Shanghai Spice for me. I've gone back and forth on it being too pink for my taste, but it's a great coral-peach-pink shade and the cremesheen formula is my personal favorite in the line. It's not too glossy and not too matte and a perfect choice for daily wear or your first MAC lippie.
Thanks so much for visiting and I'll talk to you again soon!
xo, h.
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