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January 2022 Favorites

January 30, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

I can’t believe January is already almost over, and it’s time for another round of favorites! As always, I’m only featuring products in my favorites that are true favorites that I’ve been using consistently for longer than a couple months (I have some products I received during the holidays that I’m loving but not ready to talk about just yet!). If there’s anything you were looking for a review on or a topic that you want me to cover, please let me know if the comments below! And, of course, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.

MAC Glow Play Blush in Blush, Please – This formula has been my go-to recently for finishing off my cheek looks because it has a really incredible blurring quality that really pulls together any look I’ve done. Because the texture is like a cross between a powder and a cream, it adds a slight sheen like a cream and great lasting power like a powder. I’ve been getting great use out of all of the shades I have (So Natural, Blush Please, Heat Index, and Grand), but I’ve been really loving the shade Blush, Please this month. It’s described as a neutral light mauve, and I find it pairs so well with so many different eyeshadow, lip product, and blush combinations.

Salt New York Sculpt + Bronze Crème Tint Pro in Light/Medium – I’ve been mentioning the Salt New York crème tint pro bronzer a ton lately (the swatches are from a post recently where I also talked about this), and it’s because it’s really become a staple in my everyday makeup routine. It blends out incredibly easily and seamlessly, feels like nothing on the skin, and looks so natural on me. It’s my favorite formula for when I need a “I’m running late and need something easy” look, which is every day right now. It blends out so quickly with a brush, sponge, or fingers and never looks patchy which is great when I’m behind on washing my brushes. This honestly might end up being the first cream color cosmetic product I hit pan on ever, and I wouldn’t be surprised.

Salt New York bronzer in Light/Medium, highlighter in Beige, blushes in Rose, Cocoa, and Plum

Fitglow Beauty Lip Colour Serums – I know I just wrote about these in my 2021 Makeup Favorites, but I have been loving them and use them almost every day. The formula is incredibly nourishing, thick, hydrating, and long-lasting, and I just reach for them so often especially because they work so well as toppers for more matte lipsticks or lip liners. All the shades are beautiful and I can always find one to match my look. I’ve been really loving Bliss and Gospel this month in particular, but all of the shades I have get a ton of use. I have 5 full sizes and the rest are minis, and I highly recommend looking out for sales or mini sizes if you’re interesting in these!

Fitglow Beauty Lip Colour Serums in Bliss, Beach Glow, Kind, Halo, Ful, Root, Nudie, Gospel, Regal, Cheer, and Juice

NBM Cuticle Buddy – My nails have never been healthier or stronger since I starting using these, and I don’t freak out about nail breaks anymore because they grow back so fast now. I have been particularly loving the Lavender Cuticle Buddy right now – I use it every night as I’m getting ready for bed, and it’s become a key part of my nighttime routine. It’s calming and relaxing and the perfect “wind down” scent. As always, you can use my affiliate code with Shop NBM to get 10% off sitewide: LIFT10. Like all my reviews, everything written is my completely unbiased opinion, and I would definitely be talking about these without being an affiliate.

Holo Taco Lavender Syrup topped with Gliterally Purple to match my Lavender Cuticle Buddy

What were your favorites this month? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

2022 EMPTIES (WILL I REPURCHASE?) – PART 2

January 28, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

Back again with another 5 empties (fully finished products)! I have a bunch of empties this month, but, as usual, I am keeping these posts to 5 products to keep them short. As always, I’m super excited to take a good look at what I thought of the products I’ve finished and whether or not I’d buy them again.

IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cleanser – This is a very hydrating facial cleanser was great for my dry skin. It cleaned my skin and didn’t just not strip it of moisturize, but actually added hydration. This bottle also lasted me a really long time because I didn’t need to use very much. That said, I still like the Allies of Skin Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser even more and have two bottles of it to get through. I won’t be repurchasing the IT Cosmetics Cleanser, but I did really enjoy using it while I had it.

Nécessaire The Body Serum – This added extra hydration to my skin, and I definitely noticed that my skin felt moisturized longer when I used this before my body lotion. It sinks in super quickly and doesn’t pill. It’s fragrance free so it didn’t mix weirdly with any of my lotions, which I really appreciated. It’s pretty expensive for what it is, but the bottle lasted a long time and I did really enjoy it. I’m trying out two other body serums I got last year, and I’m going to wait to decide which of the three (if any) I’ll repurchase once I finish all of them.

Zoya 3-in-1 Formula Remove + Nail Polish Remover – I love how effective yet gentle this is for removing nail polish. It’s really important to me to keep my cuticles, nails, and hands healthy and hydrated because they get really dry and crack super easily. This has been so non-irritating compared to other nail polish removers. Plus, I love the way it dispenses onto a cotton round instead of having to tip the bottle over so I found this lasted way longer than other bottles of nail polish remover I’ve had. I already bought a replacement for this and will likely continue to use this one over any other nail polish remover.

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Mask – I love the entire invisible oil line, and this mask in particular is magic for my hair. My hair always feels so much shinier and softer when I use it and is so much less frizzy. Plus, it smells amazing like the rest of the line. I only use the mask about once every 3 weeks, and that’s been more than enough to keep my hair feeling great. Even though it’s pretty expensive at $43, I find that it lasts me so long (almost a year) that it’s definitely worth it, especially if I can get it on sale. I have a couple of other masks that I’m working through, but I’ll likely go back to this after those run out.

L’Oréal 8 Second Wonder Water – I really love this product and not just because it’s less than $10. I don’t understand what magic is in this product, but it does truly transform my hair only using it a couple times a week, 8 seconds at a time. It leaves me with silkier, shinier, healthier-looking hair without weighing my hair down. I have really dry hair that tends to look dull, so this has been a game changer for me. I happen to already have a ton of backups that my mom bought me (thank you!) as she loves this too so I won’t be repurchasing quite yet, but I totally will when I need to.

January 2022 No-Buy Update

January 26, 2022by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

I’m on a no-buy for most of 2022 and using these monthly updates to keep me accountable. For these updates, I’ve decided to answer the same set of questions every month. Feel free to follow along in the comments with your own no-buy or low-buy updates. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

What’s one thing that helped this month go easier?
At the start of the year, I unsubscribed from tons of brand emails and created a filter so that any I kept would skip my inbox. This has helped so much! I thought I’d be tempted to buy things constantly, but I really haven’t because I just don’t know what’s launching. I also haven’t been tempted by any sales because (if there have been any) I don’t know about them so can’t be tempted. Similarly, I deleted the Sephora and Ulta apps off my phone and haven’t been able to just browse for what’s new. I only have 2 non-nail polish items on my wishlist which is so much less than I would have expected.

What was one thing I wanted to buy but didn’t and why?
I really wanted to get the Holo Taco Winter Shimmers collection that launched recently. I don’t have any iridescent shimmer toppers in my collection, so I immediately wanted to buy them since that felt like a gap. They also looked so pretty on all the combinations I was seeing online and so different from what I already own. But if I buy every new launch, I’ll never get to enjoy what I already have. Plus, I have really fun toppers to play with like the one I used on launch day in the photo below – it was great to try and “dupe the vibes” as Hannah Louise Poston would say. Since these are permanent, they’re going on the wishlist for Black Friday, and I can bet anything there will be so many other nail polish launches to get excited about been now and then that I might even not want these anymore.

Orly Star Glaze over Holo Taco I’m Over Brew in beautiful elevator lighting

Did I buy anything this month?
Nope! I got nothing from my no-buy categories, and I’m so excited to keep this progress going. I didn’t even need any replacements so got through the month with no shopping at all in my no-buy categories at all.

What’s a product I rediscovered by having to shop my stash?
One of my favorite rediscoveries are the Bodyography eyeshadows. I had honestly totally forgotten about them and how great they are. Their site says that these are a unique formula that incorporates “the saturation of a loose pigment, the cushion of a cream, and the silkiness of a powder”, and that describes it better than I could. I can throw them on with a brush or finger to create a lot of impact and dimension quickly with one shade, but I’ve been loving layering them together too. I have Celestial (Pink/Brown), Off the Hook (Taupe), and Sparkler (Rose Gold), which cover all the kinds of glittery shades I would want. They stay all day even with a regular eyeshadow primer, and they work great with a glitter primer as well. I’ve loved shopping my stash and enjoying the amazing products I already have!

If you’re doing a no-buy, how did your January go? If not, what amazing thing did you buy this month? I’d love to know in the comments below! Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading!

The Products from my 2020 Makeup Favorites I Still Use and Love

January 23, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

As part of my no-buy year, I’m trying to really get to know and love my collection, and thought I’d look back at my 2020 Makeup Favorites and see which products are still mainstays in my collection. I was surprised at how many weren’t favorites anymore, and it really made me realize both that I need to stop buying backups because new and better formulas are coming out all that time and that these products are truly favorites of mine. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

Glossier Future Dew – This continues to be one of my favorite products, and is one of the only things I consistently use every day in my makeup routine. It provides such an amazing glossy, hydrating base that makes me look like I drank enough water (and if you know me, you know I have never had enough water). It works beautifully with any foundation, concealer, and powder combo I put on top of it and makes them look way better on my skin – no dry patches, no clinging, no flatness. This was listed in both my 2020 and 2021 Makeup Favorites, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s my favorite primer again in 2022.

Salt New York Crème Tint Pro Bronzer, Blush, and Highlighter – I’ve written about my love for Salt New York’s products so many times, and it’s because it continues to be one of my favorite cream formulas that I go back to over and over again. All the Crème Tint Pros I have (and I have 21) blend out incredibly easily and seamlessly, are super lightweight, and look so at home on my skin. This is my favorite formula for when I need a “I’m running late and need something easy” look – they blend out so quickly with a brush, sponge, or fingers and never look patchy. My most used shades over the years has been the bronzer in Light/Medium, highlighter in Beige, and blush in Rose, and I’ve really been loving Cocoa and Plum recently.

Thrive Causemetics Lip Liner in Kackie and Em Cosmetics Lip Cushion in Magic Hour and Venetian Rose

Em Cosmetics Lip Cushion in Magic Hour – This is still one of the products I use all the time, and I’m honestly surprised I haven’t panned it yet. It’s so easy to swipe on, is incredibly moisturizing, and has enough thickness to not disappear right away. The color completely brightens up my face, and I frequently keep it on my desk to reapply before video calls. I have since gotten Venetian Rose as well as a gift, which is a beautiful “vintage rose” shade that works so well with the brown tones I tend to gravitate towards.

Thrive Causemetics Lip Filler Long-Wearing + Plumping Lip Liner in Kackie – I still love this lip liner, and it’s one I reach for all the time. I don’t know how Kackie did it, but this is the most perfect neutral brown shade for me. I can put any gloss or lipstick over top of it, and it looks great. The formula also manages to be creamy, not drying, and have great staying power. It’s the lip liner I use when I don’t want to worry about my lip look coming together, especially in the morning before I’ve had coffee and just want something I know will work. Thank you again to Kackie for this perfect collab shade.

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara – Not only do I still use and love this mascara, it’s still the only one I use. This is hands down the best mascara I’ve ever used and continues to be what I go back to even after trying others. It makes my lashes look amazing, doesn’t smudge, and actually holds a curl. The best part is that it washes off so easily and quickly, and I never have to worry about accidentally pulling out my lashes when I’m washing my face. More tubing formulas are coming on to the market, so I’m curious to see if something comes around that unseats this for me eventually, but the joy of a no-buy is that I get to keep using and loving what I already have.

Glossier Lidstar Eyeshadow, Haloscope Highlighter, and Generation G Lipstick Review

January 21, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

During the 2021 holidays, I was gifted a Glossier set that comes with a Lidstar eyeshadow, Generation G lipstick, Haloscope highlighter, and Stretch concealer. I have never tried any of these products other than the Stretch concealer (which I love and have posted about many times), so I wanted to take this opportunity to review these staple Glossier products. Before I get into it, I love so many products Glossier makes and a few are even HGs of mine I’ve repurchased over and over again, so the fact that (spoilers) all of these ended up not being perfect for me is not a comment on the brand’s products in general. And as usual, my goal is to provide you with information to make the best purchasing decisions for yourself and the reasons why I might not like something might be why you’d love it! As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

Lidstar eyeshadow in Bun, Haloscope in Quartz, and Generation G in Leo

Glossier Lidstar in Bun – I really love how easy this formula is to use and how perfect the color is for a work appropriate one and done eye look. Bun is described as a soft champagne with a gold shimmer, and it’s a great shade of champagne because it isn’t too warm or cool. I can apply and blend the eyeshadow on both eyes in about 20 seconds and haven’t needed to use a brush any time I’ve used this. And initially, I’m always really happy with how it looks. Then, within about a half hour, the shimmer looks a bit faded, and it starts to look patchy. It’s a very different wear experience than other liquid eyeshadows I have like the Lisa Eldridge Liquid Lurex, which stays sparkly and full impact all day. The Lidstar seems to break up on my eyelids very quickly, and I find myself applying other shadows over top to make it look the way I want. I’ve tried it with and without eye primer and glitter glue and nothing seems to help. As a base for other shadows, it works pretty well, but I have so many other eyeshadows that I’d rather use for that.

Haloscope in Quartz and Generation G in Leo

Glossier Haloscope highlighter in Quartz – I love the effect this gives when I take the time to apply it just right. It provides a natural looking subtle glow that is glitter free and looks like I just have healthy skin. But because it has a champagne colored section and a clear section, if I apply it directly to my skin, I end up with a darker streak on my cheekbones and a patch where my blush has picked up under that. Instead, I’ve found it’s really important to either swirl it on the back of my hand first and then pick up with a brush or use a brush to pick it up from the stick before I applying it. I can get away with swirling my fingers in it and then tapping onto my skin but that can also lead to picking up product underneath because it’s a bit sticky. I hardly reach for this because I have so many easy to use cream and liquid highlighters that don’t require really any thought or attention.

Glossier Generation G in Leo – Like the other two products, I love the shade of this product. Leo is a perfect neutral brown that is so easy for me to wear and never looks like “too much.” I’m not surprised that it’s as drying as it is because it’s a matte product, but I find that it’s more drying than the other matte lipsticks I have. I can get away with using the Generation G if I really prep my lips with a lip mask while I’m doing the rest of my makeup or topping it with a gloss. I do appreciate that it’s sheerer than my other lipsticks, which makes it super easy to throw on. It also lasts much longer a lip gloss or balm, so it’s great if I need something to last under a mask. That said, I’d much rather use the Glossier Ultralips for a similar effect of the Generation G with a gloss added on top without needing two products. That way, I get the benefits of all the hydration that comes with the Ultralip formula which I’d rather have even if I need to reapply, since I am very rarely these days going somewhere I really need the lasting power of a lip product.

What products in your collection do you like but don’t use often for one reason or another? Let me know in the comments below! Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

Buff Chick Supplements Review

January 19, 2022June 24, 2023by liftbakelove4 Comments

6/23/2023 Update – Strawberry Kiwi is the most amazing flavor, and I highly highly recommend it (but I still love Icy Blue Razz too!).

I spend most of my time outside of work and testing beauty products training for powerlifting competitions (see my last competition recap here) and am very into fitness and health. I’ve been using supplements from Buff Chick since they launched and wanted to share my thoughts on everything I’ve tried so far in one post. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

Only one of each supplement pictured but this is a small subset of my collection!

Buff Pump – This is the product that got me hooked on Buff Chuck, and it’s really amazing. It’s caffeine free, which is great for me since we workout in the evenings. It’s made such a huge difference in my workouts to help me have enough energy to get through them and give them my all. It also has helped me with motivation to go to the gym when I really don’t feel like it, because I will take the pre-workout exactly 30 minutes before we want to go and then then I feel like I need to workout to “not waste it.” Unlike other pre-workouts, this doesn’t make me feel weird, jittery, or shaky. My favorite flavors are the Watermelon and Icy Blue Razz. The Sour Lemon is fine but I don’t think I’ll get it again once I get through my current bottles. I am not a fan of the Cherry Limeade at all – it tastes like sour medicine to me and I’d much rather have the other flavors.

Buff Chick Supplements Creatine – According to the website, studies have demonstrated Creatine supplementation supports strength and power output during intense resistance training. I add this to my Gatorade Zero every day (I use the powder which is much cheaper and no plastic bottles!), and I can confirm that it has absolutely helped my ability to push through heavy lifts and high volume sets way better than I ever have been. It’s $25 for about 3 months worth, which ends up being $100 per year (or less depending on if you can grab it with a 10% off code or other sale). The Icy Blue Razz flavor is also great if you want to drink it by itself and don’t mind paying extra for the flavored version. I actually prefer mixing the unflavored into other things so I’m going to stick with that one for the cost savings, but I’m definitely not sad I have the Icy Blue Razz.

Buff Reds and Buff Greens – I feel so much better after I drink either of these (or both together), and I wish I remembered to drink them more often. They help with my soreness after hard workouts and give me more energy without any caffeine. I’m a big fan of strawberry lemonade and love how the reds taste. I don’t like the taste of the greens as much but it’s still good and totally masks any vegetable flavor. Both mix into water super easily without any grittiness and mix well with each other or with the creatine.

Buff Whey – I am very picky when it comes to protein powder and have generally hated every one I’ve tried for being too powdery, too sweet, not great macros, or some other reasons. But I love Buff Whey – I have the Strawberry Banana and Birthday Cake flavors and am super happy with both of them. I actually make the same smoothie with them – a cup of protein milk, half of a frozen banana, and one scoop of protein powder. The powder blends in so easily, and there’s no weird texture or aftertaste. The smoothie is almost 40 grams of protein for less than 250 calories which are incredible macros, especially given I try to hit around 125g of protein a day. I’m likely going to pick up the Fudge Brownie in their next sale and already have Iced Cappuccino on deck to try once I get through more of the ones I have already.

Do you have any favorite supplements or protein powders? Let me know in the comments below, and thanks as always for being here! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

Revisiting the 5 Oldest Products in My Collection

January 16, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakelove6 Comments

As part of my no-buy year, I’m trying to really get to know and love my collection, and my friend suggested that I review the oldest five products in my collection as a way to revisit products that I might have forgotten about. I track all my purchases in an Excel sheet, so it was super easy to find the five oldest products, and I’m excited to review them. Not everything is linked because some of these items were limited edition or discontinued and aren’t available anymore. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

diptyque Paris Eau Moheli – My husband bought this for me for our first holidays together, and I’ve loved and cherished it ever since. It’s been more than 8 years since I received it, and it still smells exactly the same. The scent is a very fresh citrusy, green, and woody and definitely fits our joint love of nature and hiking. I wore it on our wedding day and have a travel atomizer I used whenever I went on a trip alone for work. The scent continues to make me so happy, and this is a great reminder for me to use it more often instead of trying to save it. I know it’ll go bad eventually, and I’ll have to throw it away, so I want to get as much use out of it as possible.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Master Palette By Mario – This was a limited edition palette, and I’m honestly so glad I bought it even though I wasn’t even really into makeup yet when it came out. It is one of my most loved makeup products in my collection and always what I used when I wanted my eye makeup to look great. I got so many compliments wearing this palette, especially the shades Paris and Marina. The quality is actually still the same as when I got it in 2016, and I won’t be getting rid of it until I’ve panned more of the shades. I wish that instead of buying more eyeshadow over the years, I just used this one more.

Four of the shades from the Viseart Theory Palette in Cashmere are on the right under JD Glow Unexpected

Viseart Theory Palette in Cashmere – This was given to me as a gift and was my first “higher end” palette. I honestly don’t use it very much because it’s quite cool toned and the shimmers don’t provide as much impact as I would want. I like the mattes but like using the mattes in my other palettes so much more, including in the Petit Pro palette I have from Viseart. I wish that I had gotten that one instead of this one originally. Writing this up had made me consider decluttering this to a friend because it’s made me realize that I’ve been forcing myself to use it instead of palettes that work much better for me. In the meantime, I had moved some of the shadows into my Salt New York palette to see if I’ll get more use out of them that way.

Bite Beauty Amouse Bouche Lipstick in Chai – This was part of the Sephora birthday gift set in 2018 and still one of my favorite lipstick shades. It’s a warm plummy brown that works so well with my lip color, and I always loved how it looked when I wore it. The formula is still super creamy and slightly hydrating. I also purchased the full size of Chai when they were discontinuing the lipstick line because I thought I’d for sure get through the mini. I didn’t know 2020 was going to happen and we’d be wearing lipstick so much less, but even so, I learned that I don’t need to buy a full size no matter how much I like the mini because it takes so long to get through lip products. The mini is still going strong and now I have so many other lipsticks I love wearing just as much.

Maybelline Expert Wear Eyeshadow Single in Nude Glow – I used and loved this eyeshadow so much. It’s still one of the singles I pack when I’m going on a trip because it’s such a great one and done. The color is a really pretty rosy bronzy sparkly shade that isn’t too dark or light on me. The formula has held up really well and still goes on creamy with no fallout. It was only $3.99, and looking back, it was a much better investment than some of the other eyeshadows I’ve purchased over the years.

What products do you have in your collection from years ago? Do you still wear them? Tell me about it in the comments below! Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

2022 EMPTIES (WILL I REPURCHASE?) – PART 1

January 14, 2022April 2, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

Back again with another 5 empties (fully finished products)! I have a bunch of empties to go through, but, as usual, I am keeping these posts to 5 products to keep them short. These are all products I finished while travelling for Thanksgiving in 2021, which is why they’re all minis. As always, I’m super excited to take a good look at what I thought of the products I’ve finished and whether or not I’d buy them again. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser – This cleanser took me forever to go through because I hate the smell and the texture. I know lots of people love it, so that might just be a me problem. It’s a lovely cleanser – it cleans without stripping, it leaves my face hydrated, and it washes off cleanly. But it feels like gross slime and smells like rotten cucumbers to me. With so many amazing cleansers on the market, I won’t be repurchasing this one and will happily never use it again.

Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray – I used and loved this face spray for years before I started using my all-time favorite mist continues to be the Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator. It’s hydrating, doesn’t have a strong fragrance, and feels great on the skin. That said, I don’t feel like it does anything extraordinary, and I didn’t feel a huge difference when I ran out of it before my trip was over. I have a travel size bottle of the Josh Rosebrook and will likely keep refilling it when I travel, so I won’t be repurchasing the Clinique.

Tatcha the Silk Peony Eye Cream – I normally don’t do this but I actually think the description of this eye cream is very spot on: An eye cream that fights the signs of aging and melts to release a double shield of hydration with liquid silk and moisture-locking Japanese white peony for instantly youthful-looking, radiant eyes. It felt amazing on and made my undereyes look way more hydrated. I honestly loved this eye cream when I was using it and would consider getting it again if I didn’t like my HG Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothie Eye Cream even more. Plus, I can usually get the Shiseido buy one get one free during the holidays (so $32 each) whereas the Tachta is $60, so I won’t be repurchasing it.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder – I got this as a mini so long ago, and it lasted a very long time because I kept it in my travel bag. It’s incredibly lightweight and blurring without being too matte or drying. It’s honestly a lovely powder, and I totally agree with everyone who has hyped it up for use on dry skin. That said, it’s more than $10 more than the Kosas Cloud Set Powder for less product in the full size, and I like the Cloud Set even better, so I won’t be repurchasing this.

Cocofloss – The only reason I floss every day is because of Cocofloss, and I love the pineapple flavor, so I’m not surprised it’s one of the ones I’ve made it entirely through (I switch through flavors every day). If you’re not familiar with Cocofloss, it’s a floss made from recycled water bottles and infused with coconut oil which makes it both sustainable and very effective. I’ve honestly tried to go back to regular floss after using this, and I can tell the difference in how much better it works.

I’d love to know – what have you finished lately? Like I mentioned, I have a ton more empties that I will be posting about, and not all of them are as positive as this group. Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

My 5 Favorite Products Under $10

January 12, 2022April 2, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

As part of my no-buy year, I’m trying to really get to know and love my collection and starting a “favorite products under $X series” to help me in that process. I’ll be doing posts every month for different dollar amounts, and I’m so excited to dive into my collection in this way. I’m starting with my favorite products under $10. I would love see your favorites and recommendations for under $10 beauty products in the comments! And, of course, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.

Beauty Pie Triple Beauty Luminizing Wand – This blends so easily and quickly and creates a sophisticated glow without glitter. It’s a perfect wash of light-catching pigment and is also blurring. It looks great as a finishing touch to any look I’ve used it in, and I love that it looks great on the cheeks, brow bone, inner corner, or anywhere else I want it to go. I can apply it straight from the wand or use my fingers or a brush and it works great. It only comes in one shade but I think this shade would work for a lot of people because it’s so sheer. Compared to $38 for the Charlotte Tilbury version of this, it’s incredible that this only costs $9.18. I honestly would’ve thought this was a luxury product down to the packaging, and I can’t believe it’s less than $10.

Elf Hydrating Camo Concealer – This is my favorite concealer for when I want something high coverage to cancel out my undereye circles. The shade Fair Warm is perfect for me (my arm where I swatch shows up much lighter and cooler than my face, but I find that helps show product colors really well). It’s incredibly lightweight for how much coverage it provides, and I can layer it with no issues. It doesn’t look dry or cakey and has great lasting power for something that actually is hydrating. I’m able to use powder on top of it with no issues or any weird texture. This is everything I wanted the Tarte Shape Tape to be. This concealer is $6, and I got it on sale for $4.80.

Elf Hydrating Camo Concealer in Fair Warm

Essence Mosaic Blush – I have both shades that are currently at Ulta, a rosy pink shade called The Berry Connection and a peachy pink shade called All You Need Is Pink. There’s a little bit of kick back because it’s a bit dry, but it goes on smoothly and is easy to blend. I love using these to set any cream blushes I’ve used because they’re not too pigmented and have a satin finish. I got these blushes for $3.99 so both together are under $10. I was shocked at how great this formula is – it rivals my high-end blushes easily. I find myself reaching for it over other powder blushes because it looks so pretty and is so easy to blend. I also like having them for travel because the compact is so thin and easy to slide into my makeup bag if I want something to help my cream products last longer.

Essence Mosaic Blush in The Berry Connection and All You Need is Pink

Ulta Under Eye Brightener – I have super dark undereye and can’t get away without a corrector, and I’m so happy to have discovered this one. It’s about $10 and a very effective dupe of my beloved Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector. Just like the Becca one, this corrector works so well for correcting my super dark circles and helps hydrate my super dry under eyes for whatever concealer goes on top without any heaviness. It blends like a dream and the color is perfect for me. And it’s in stick form which is so much easier to use than the pot!

Shop Miss A Super Soft Wonder Blender – I cannot believe I was spending $20 regularly on Beauty Blenders when these were an option. They get so big once you’ve wet them, and they have an amazingly soft texture. And they are still firm enough to avoid soaking up a ton of makeup and blend products seamlessly. I have tried many Beauty Blender dupes and makeup sponges, but none of them have as great as this one. At $1.55 per sponge, I am never going back and have loved and used these for almost a year now with absolutely no issues.

What are your favorite products under $10? Let me know in the comments below! Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

Beauty Pie Review: Wondergloss Collagen Lip Oil, Futurelipstick Luxe Shine, and Supercheek Cream Blush

January 9, 2022April 2, 2025by liftbakelove1 Comment

If you haven’t heard of Beauty Pie, it’s described as providing consumers with exceptional formulas sourced from the best factories worldwide – all while keeping costs low by cutting out the middleman, excessive packaging and expensive marketing budgets. It’s basically like the Costco of beauty – you pay a membership fee to access the low prices, but in theory, you save way more than your membership fee. This is part two (see my first reviews here), and I know I’ve already saved more than the yearly membership cost (I ended up getting a Black Friday deal where the membership was $9 when all was said and done). As with all of my reviews, this is not sponsored, and there are no affiliate links in this post. And as always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

Wondergloss Collagen Lip Oil – This lip oil reminds me so much of the Dior Lip Oil but is so much more nourishing and a fraction of the price (the Beauty Pie is $8.21 and the Dior is $35). It’s hydrating, comfortable, and not sticky while still providing that shiny and glossy effect. I have the shade Nude Nectar which is sheer enough to use as a glossy topper for most of my lipsticks and lip liners but still pigmented enough to provide some “my lips but better” color if I’m not wearing anything. It also smells like vanilla in the best way, and I get so much joy from it every time I use it. It’s been a struggle to not pick up a ton more shades but between my no-buy and all my FitGlow Lip Serums (which is also very similar to this), I definitely don’t need more right now.

Futurelipstick Luxe Shine – This formula is really high shine and super smoothing, and I find myself reaching for it so much more than my other lipsticks. It’s surprisingly nourishing and hydrating for such a pigmented lipstick – it has the finish of a lipstick and the formula of a hydrating lip balm. I have the shade Nothing Nude which is a cool rosy brown that I’m super excited to wear even more when fall rolls back around this year. This lipstick is $10.60 – the least expensive full sized lipstick I have in my collection. It reminds me the most of the Lisa Eldridge Luxuriously Lucent Lip Color ($36) and the Glossier Ultralip ($18) in terms of formula and finish.

From left to right: Beauty Pie lip oil in Nude Nectar, lipstick in Nothing Nude, cream blush in Bare Blush

Supercheek Cream Blush – The formula is creamy but it totally dries down and isn’t sticky. It’s super easy to dip a brush into the pot and blend onto my cheeks – it takes less than 10 seconds. The formula is also surprisingly blurring (which hopefully you can see in the swatch above), and I love how it sets down to a powdery finish without being matte. The texture is really thin and because it dries down, I don’t notice it on my skin at all. I love the color I got, Bare Blush, which is such a warm, rosy pink. The only issue I have with this blush is that it can tend to pick up what’s underneath it if I’m not careful, so my favorite way to use it is actually over powder. Out of these three products, this is my least favorite, and I think I prefer my other cream blush formulas over it. That said, it’s a really great product for less than $10 vs some of my favorites like the Kjaer Weis Cream Blush which is $32.

What new products and brands have you discovered lately? Are there Beauty Pie questions you have or products you’d like me to review in the future? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading!

Author: liftbakelove