Hellloooo there! Nothing helps define your ‘must haves’ like packing to move. I consider myself a pretty experienced slash professional mover at this point (eight moves in the last 12 years), so when it’s time to narrow down a small stash of products to have easy access to while everything else gets packed up, it sort of defines ‘favorites’ on its own. Let’s check out my April 2015 makeup favorites…
(Clockwise, from L to R: Stila liquid eyeliner, Laura Mercier powder, MAC bronzer, Charlotte Tilbury foundation)
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner // I picked this up during the recent Sephora VIB 15% off sale after running out of the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner and the Lorac Pro liquid liner (both have a different, more flexible tip). I’ve always heard great things about this pen, but it is exactly like a hard-tipped marker so I thought it would make for difficult application when making a smooth line. I was completely wrong! This liner is pretty easy to apply (for liquid liner, take that for what it’s worth) – without even having to tug at your eyelid. It’s completely black and matte and lasts FOREVER. It certainly holds up to its waterproof claims. I wore this on moving day (just to see how tough it really was) and it didn’t budge through 14+ hours in 80 degree Houston humidity.
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder // This product goes hand in hand with the Charlotte Tilbury foundation you’ll read about below, but it’s also a standalone favorite in its own right. Although my face is generally not as oily as it used to be in my younger years, I still get super oily on my nose, between my brows and on my chin (T-zone) around 2-3pm. It was starting to feel like my skin was making a mockery of my powders – it would blast through everything! I also don’t like a powder to look too “flat/matte.” Enter: LM loose setting powder. This banishes shine for hours and also works to brighten under the eyes without that cakey/powdery finish when setting concealer.
MAC Bronzing Powder in Refined Golden // I thought I needed to buy a new bronzer until I remembered I picked this up last year but put it away during fall/winter. This bronzer is not for my fair skinned friends – it has strong burnt orange/red undertones. For anyone medium to tan in skin tone (think: MAC NC35 and darker), this is a great bronzer for the spring/summer. It warms up my complexion and really boosts radiance. I’m not super tan yet, but when I apply this bronzer, I immediately feel more alive. You really don’t need any blush when wearing this, either. It gives me that perfect ‘spent a day at the beach’ glow.
Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Youth Boosting Perfect Skin Foundation // Since we’re talking about warmer temps and summer here, let’s discuss this super lightweight foundation. This is not going to cover your serious blemishes or spots, but it will do a beautiful job of evening out your complexion, giving you this instant glow and minimizing fine lines or wrinkles. This foundation is not for my friends with super oily skin. This is for my friends hitting 30, 40 or 50 and beyond who are over the super matte look and want a pretty complexion. It has some skincare benefits in it, too, which is lovely. I find that even though it provides a ‘glowy’ finish, it still is long-wearing. Again, I wore this on moving day, and even when it gets shiny it doesn’t completely break down and disappear on my face. Also, please note the price for the size of the bottle. Most foundations are only 1 oz; this is 1.4 oz. I love this for everything from easy weekends with a bit of mascara to a night out with some shimmery eyeshadow!
…So as if moving this week wasn’t chaotic enough, I’m heading to Maui for a belated (1 year late) Honeymoon! I can’t wait to give you a brief recap on the trip and also what beauty products made the final cut and worked hard in Hawaii 🙂
-Steffanie
