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. This time, I’m writing about my favorite products under $50. I would love to see your favorites and recommendations for under $50 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.
Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick in Biscuit ($48)– I’ve included this in multiple favorites posts because I really do love and use it so much. This is one of my go-tos when I’m short on time and just need to add some color to my face without having to do a lot of work or blending. I own so many cream bronzer products, and always come back to this one as my “I just don’t want to think about it and need something that works” product. I stand by what I said in my 2020 favorites post: if I had to start my collection over, this would definitely be one of the first things I replace.
Auric Glow Lust in Morganite and Selenite ($45) – This product is my favorite for making my skin look amazing no matter what’s going on with it. Even if my skin is dull and dehydrated and not looking its best, Glow Lust will make it look glowy, smooth, and moisturized. Every time I wear it, I instantly feel more confident, especially for video meetings because Glow Lust reflects so beautifully and distracts from anything else going on. Of all of my glowy, liquid products, this is definitely my favorite of the bunch. I use it as a primer, mixed in with foundation, and as a highlighter, and it works amazingly well for all of those purposes.
Fitglow Beauty Lip Colour Serums ($42) – I know I write about these all the time, but it’s because I truly love them, and I’m so happy I have so many of them. I 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 Halo and Regal 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 interested in these!
Fitglow Beauty Lip Colour Serums in Bliss, Beach Glow, Kind, Halo, Ful, Root, Nudie, Gospel, Regal, Cheer, and Juice
Roen 11:11 Quad – This is my favorite Roen quad of the three that I own, and it’s definitely my most used. Each shade is a perfect one-and-done on it’s own, and they are so easy and quick to use. The shade swatched farthest to the right below is my go to for adding a high impact sparkle to any eye look, whether it’s on top of the other shades in the 11:11 palette or any other eyeshadow I’ve used. It just seems to finish off any look, particularly in a world where I want people to see my eyes through a screen. I also really love the Roen formula because it’s so versatile – with a finger, the shades go on incredibly pigmented and intense, but with a brush, you can create a very sophisticated wash of color. They last all day on me with an eyeshadow primer, and I don’t have any issues with flaking or fall out.
Farmacy Honey Halo Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer ($45) – This is hands down the best moisturizer I’ve tried for my super dry skin. It’s incredibly thick but still absorbs super quickly and plays well with my other nighttime skincare products. It’s been really dry even though it’s solidly Spring now, and I’m so glad I have this to keep my skin hydrated and moisturized. In particular, it’s been saving my dry skin from totally losing all its hydration overnight. I
What are your favorite products under $50? 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.
I asked my followers on Instagram for their makeup dilemmas, inspired by this video from Kackie Reviews Beauty, and these were the most common ones! Before I get into it, I love all of these products, and this is just for fun – if you want a more specific recommendation for your particular needs, don’t’ hesitate to ask in the comments or on Instagram DMs. 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!
Auric Glow Lust vs Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter – I have a longer review comparing these, but the TLDR of that post is Auric Glow Lust all the way. The packaging is way better, and I like the formula more. I love the packaging so much more and it’s way more versatile since I can use it by itself in lieu of foundation, as a primer, mixed in with my foundation, as a highlighter, and any combination of those methods. I also think the Charlotte Tilbury was breaking me out so I ended up decluttering it because of that and because I found I never reached for it over the Auric Glow Lust or the Lisa Eldridge Elevated Glow Highlighter.
Glow Lust in Selenite and Hollywood Flawless Filter in 2
Fit Glow Lip Serum or Finding Ferdinand Custom Lipstick (if you’re buying yourself a gift) – For this one, I would go with the Finding Ferdinand custom lipstick. There’s something so special about getting exactly the color you want (the team at Finding Ferdinand will help you choose if you’re stuck) and being able to choose formula and the scent. I love my custom Finding Ferdinand shades and would happily give or get them as a gift. I also love the Fit Glow Lip Serums (they were in my 2021 Makeup Favorites and I talked about them a bunch last year), but they aren’t the same gift experience as Finding Ferdinand.
Finding Ferdinand Custom Shade and FitGlow Lip Serum in Root
Salt New York vs Phytosurgence highlighters – Even though both of these products are amazing, I would choose the Salt New York highlighter. The Phytosurgence Spectral Shine is gorgeous, but the formula does take a bit of effort to work with. You really have to run your finger or brush over the product many times to get it to pick up. The Salt New York highlighter is so easy to use with a brush or finger and goes on so quickly and easily. It adds a beautiful sheen that isn’t glittery every time and blends easily with other products. I find myself reaching for the Salt New York over my Spectral Shine almost every time because I usually have very little time to get my makeup on in the morning. That said, if you have oily or normal skin (vs my desert skin) or need your makeup to be locked in all day, you might prefer the matte dry down of the Spectral Shine over the dewiness of the Salt New York.
Salt New York in Beige and Phytosurgence in Divine Daylight
Salt New York vs Phytosurgence blushes – I feel similarly about these as I do the highlighters. Both are amazing in their own way and it’s honestly so hard to choose, but I generally reach for the Salt New York Creme Tints. They are so much sheerer and easier to mix and build that I can mindlessly use them and create whatever shade I’m feeling that day. The Phytosurgence Skin Spark Blush Balms are richly pigmented, which is amazing when I want something impactful that still blends beautifully into the skin. But usually, I’m doing my makeup half asleep before I even have coffee and can easily end up overdoing it, which never happens with the Salt New York Creme Tints. I also usually end up sticking to just one shade vs the mixing I love to do. All that said, you can’t go wrong with either!
Salt New York in Raspberry and Phytosurgence in Simmer
Phytosurgence vs Vesca Eyeshadows – I love both of these so much, but from a versatility standpoint, Phytosurgence has a much better range of formulas and shades. Vesca’s liquid shadow in Lyra is one of my all time HGs but there’s only four shades and that one formula from the brand. Plus, the Phytosurgence shadows also provide a different effect depending on how you apply them (finger vs brush vs which kind of brush) whereas the Vesca looks the same regardless. From Phytosurgence, I love both the cream and glitter formulas, and they have four shades in each formula. They’re also (I think) coming out with more of the cream shadows soon! Like all of these, you can’t go wrong with either, but my guess is you’re more likely to find what you’re looking for from Phytosurgence unless you’re specifically looking for the kind of liquid shadow formula the Vesca is.
Vesca in Lyra and Phytosurgence in Potent Petal and Orchid Overload
What other products would be helpful to see compared? Let me know in the comments below! And 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.
Someone requested this post, and I got super excited about the idea to think about which products give me a boost when I use them. These products are my version of a bold, red lip – when I put them on, I instantly feel more confident and put together. They make me feel happy and ready to face whatever life is throwing my way no matter what kind of day I’m having. 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.
Roen 1:1 Quad – I love the Roen eyeshadows, but there’s one shade I use the most. The sparkly shade swatched farthest to the right below is my go to for adding a high impact sparkle to any eye look, whether it’s on top of the other shades in the 11:11 palette or any other eyeshadow I’ve used. It just seems to finish off any look, particularly in a world where I want people to see my eyes mostly through a screen. I did a huge presentation that I was really nervous for and covered my eyes with this shade and got so many compliments on it. So now when I’m feeling nervous, I just put on a ton with a finger, and I’m good to go.
Swatches of the Roen 11:11 Quad
Glossier Portrait and Lisa Eldridge Velvet Petal – I thought I wasn’t a pink person at all since I tend towards more browns and roses for my lip shades. Then I tried these two lip products and realized there’s something about a warm, pink lip that just makes me feel amazing. I’ve gotten compliments wearing both of these, and they really brighten up my face. Portrait is my go to for when I want a glossy lip, and Velvet Petal for when I want something matte and long lasting, especially under a mask.
Auric Glow Lust – This product is my favorite for making my skin look amazing no matter what’s going on with it. Even if my skin is dull and dehydrated and not looking its best, Glow Lust will make it look glowy, smooth, and moisturized. Every time I wear it, I instantly feel more confident, especially for video meetings because Glow Lust reflects so beautifully and distracts from anything else going on. Of all of my glowy, liquid products, this is definitely my favorite of the bunch.
Vesca Kissed By Bronzing Powder in Santorini – I’m not a huge powder product user, but there’s something about this bronzer that really pulls a look together. I find this creates a more satin finish which is great for someone like me that wants to look hydrated and dewy while still having something long lasting, especially under a mask. This Vesca bronzer is my favorite for this purpose (and also my favorite powder bronzer in general) – it’s not too orange, feels incredibly smooth and velvety, blends beautifully, smells amazing, and is such a believable bronzer on me. When my makeup is feeling a bit blah, I add this as a finishing touch, and everything feels right again.
Nail polish – Having super pretty, sparkly, fun nail polish on always makes me feel more confident and put together. I have a ton of polishes that I love for this, so here’s some recent ones that made me feel great while wearing them. I could list so many more – let me know if you want to see more nail polish on here in the comments!
KBShimmer Wrap It Up
Holo Taco Bring Me the Teal and Starrily Star Cluster
ILNP Cityscape
Starrily Uranus
What products make you feel more confident? 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.
Cate has one of my favorite channels on YouTube, and she is a really great person. She sung me Happy Birthday on a live stream and gave my blog a shout out in a different live stream because she’s awesome! I really appreciate her approach to reviews, and (spoiler) I’ve been incredibly impressed with everything she’s recommended. I’ve even found a few things that aren’t makeup that I’ve fallen in love with because of her channel. If you aren’t following her yet, I recommend it! She also has a bunch of discount codes and affiliate links for various products (including some of these), so I would head over to her channel to use those to support her and save some money.
One of the first things I got that Cate recommended is the Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation in 2 Fair. This is a “your skin but better” foundation – it’s incredibly light weight and feels like a moisturizer. It looks incredibly seamless and natural and blends in so quickly. It’s slightly dewy and is low to medium coverage, which are both things I look for in base products. Even though I love this, I likely won’t repurchase it when I run out because I have so many other foundation favorites that are less expensive like the Glossier Skin Tint, Fenty Eaze Drop, and the Typology Tinted Serum.
The Fenty Eaze Drop filled a gap in my foundation collection I didn’t realize I had. It’s a really unique formula that’s blurring, light-weight, not too matte, and doesn’t budge. The formula is almost entirely mask proof and sweat proof, but doesn’t look heavy at all. I love that I can blend it in super quickly with my fingers, and it looks flawless. It also works great with a brush if I don’t feel like using my hands to apply it. I wouldn’t recommend using it with a sponge if you have dry skin, but otherwise, I have no issues with it. I was on the fence given some folks had issues with it, but I trust Cate, and she was right! It’s my pick when I want a bit more coverage than the Charlotte Tilbury Foundation or any of my skin tints.
Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder in 2 Fair, Fenty Eaze Drop in 2, Kosas Concealer in 02, Glossier Stretch Concealer in G11
I’d heard about the Kosas Revealer Concealer from a bunch of people but Cate finally convinced me to pick it up. It blends out beautifully and doesn’t dry out the area under my eyes – it really does feel like a concealer & eye cream hybrid. It doesn’t lose coverage when you’re blending it out, which is super important to me with concealers since I have incredibly dark under eyes. I can use it both under my eyes and on my face and alone or with foundation. Cate uses the concealer in shade 1, and I think that would have been a better match even though 2 is a good match for my face. I’m planning on trying the new Thrive Causemetics concealer next but would absolutely grab the Kosas in shade 1 otherwise.
I wasn’t sure about the Glossier Stretch Concealer in G11, but I figured I would give it a go because Cate loves it so much. I’m really happy I did – it’s my favorite pot concealer and is great for someone with skin as dry as mine. My favorite way to use this concealer is all over like a foundation. It looks incredibly skin like, lasts all day, and provides just the right amount of coverage for me. It also feels very light weight, and everything I put on top of it looks great. I would recommend using setting powder on top of it if you don’t have dessert dry skin like I do or if you’re planning on doing any amount of sweating.
I know I talk about the Auric Glow Lust all the time, but it really is such a great product. It gives both a super smooth and glowy effect to the skin, whether I use it as foundation, a primer, a mixer, or a highlighter. Of all of my glowy, liquid products, this is definitely my favorite of the bunch. The packaging is also amazing, especially the pump – it’s so much easier to use than something like the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. It feels like much more of a luxury experience, from the packaging to the formula. I have a full review here if you’d like to see more comparisons!
I have no idea why more people don’t talk about the Chantecaille Brightening Eye Nude Kajal – I think Cate may be one of the only people I’ve seen mention it! It’s the only eye liner I’ve found that is the right color to brighten up my eyes when I use it in the waterline – it’s not too white or too yellow. It just looks like I actually get enough sleep and makes my eyes look less red, even if it’s from allergies. It also stays all day and doesn’t irritate my eyes. It’s on the pricier side at $29, but mine has lasted me so long, and I think it’s completely worth it.
I had wasn’t planning on buying the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Sculpture Unlocked palette, especially because it was $58, and we all know I don’t really use powder products or need any more of them. Then, I saw it on sale for $35 and decided to grab it after watching Cate’s review of it, and I honestly have no regrets. It’s so quick and easy because the powders are very finely milled and blend seamlessly into my skin (see swatches below). I can do a full face is about a minute, which has been fantastic. If you don’t need a full palette (or can’t find a version for your skin tone which is likely because Hourglass really needs to do a better job at making sure these work for all skin tones), I would recommend getting a mini version of the product you want. They make minis of most of their powder products, and they last forever.
The Pat McGrath Lust Glosses (I now have Pale Fire Nectar and two Pat McGrath Mini Lust: Gloss Trios) is one of my favorite gloss formulas all of time. Cate is obsessed with the Pale Fire Nectar shade so I started there. Everything Cate said about these is true. There is just the right amount of glitter to make my lips look amazing, and the color is perfectly pinky coral without going overboard. The formula is incredibly hydrating and smoothing, even with the glitter. When I saw the trios on sale for $9 at Sephora, I knew I had to get them. Every color in the trios are great for me, and they all have the same great formula. They also have amazing lasting power – you can’t go wrong with this gloss, and there’s usually always a couple of shades on sale on the Pat McGrath website.
Video swatch of Pale Fire Nectar
The Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask is my HG face mask, and I am so thankful to Cate for introducing it to me. This mask warms up as you massage it into your skin, so not only does it work to deeply moisturize and calm my skin, it’s also a really great relaxing experience. It is the perfect mask to use after an exfoliating treatment or when your skin is feeling extra dry. It really is the best face mask of all time. My skin feels so smooth, hydrated, and glowy after using this. It’s my go to for when my skin is feeling stressed, irritated, overly dry, or anything else that requires help. It always comes to the rescue, and my 1.7oz jar is still going strong so it was totally worth the investment.
Cate is known for her amazing headbands, and I love how they look on her. I decided to pick up some of the ones from Soulvation Society after she talked about them. They are so soft and comfortable and feel incredibly high quality. They also stay put and don’t put any dents in my hair. They don’t give me a headache even if I wear them a long time, which I normally have issues with. I got the neturals twist pack which comes with 5 super pretty shades that go with anything else I’m wearing. I’m honestly set for headbands for a long time with these!
I pretty much immediately bought the Frâicheur Facial Ice Globes after watching this video. I love using them at night to help my nighttime skincare absorb quickly and in the morning to depuff my face before putting on makeup. I think they really help my skin improve over time, but even if it’s just a placebo, I love the way it feels when I’m using them. My favorite thing about them is that they really help me with headaches and migraines. They really came in handy when I was experiencing a few terrible migraines last week, and I was so glad I had them. I love that you can keep them in the freezer so I always have them ready to go, which is particularly great when it starts getting really hot.
If you like these influencer made me buy it posts, comment below who you you’d like me to focus on next! Thanks as always for reading!
Like I mentioned in my last post, I recently took a month long trip to the East Coast and brought a pared down routine. I tried really hard to bring only what I needed, and there were a bunch of things I left at home and really missed. I was so excited to be reunited with these makeup products this last week and never want to be without them in the future!
I didn’t realize how much I loved the Auric Glow Lust until I didn’t have it for a month. This product is so versatile – I can use it by itself in lieu of foundation, as a primer, mixed in with my foundation, as a highlighter, and any combination of those methods. It gives both a super smooth and glowy effect to the skin, which is something I can’t find with any other product. It’s a really special product that I missed having and being able to use to liven up, brighten, and blur any look that needs it.
I didn’t bring any powder blushes, but I wish I had brought just one – which would have been the the Em Cosmetics Heaven’s Glow Blush in Magic Hour. Because it gives such a soft, glowy look without being overly pigmented, it’s a really easy way product to use to brighten up a look that’s coming off a little dull or flat. This is my go-to for setting cream and liquid blushes, particularly if I know I need my makeup to last all day for video calls or running around a city. This color matches so many of my cream blushes and adds just the right hint of bright pink without changing the overall look too much. I just got this formula in the shade Venetian Rose – let me know if it’s like a review!
Swatches of the 75° Warm , 11:11, and 52° Cool Roen Quads
I bought a mini-palette that I made of single powder eyeshadows, but I so wish I had brought my Roen quads instead. I really love the Roen formula because it’s so versatile – with a finger, the shades go on incredibly pigmented and intense, but with a brush, you can create a very sophisticated wash of color. I totally could have gotten away with just one eyeshadow brush and gotten so many incredible looks with this range of shades, particularly with how many great one-and-done shades there are. I also love that these are so quick and easy to use and last all day which is super important to me when I’m travelling. If I had to pick one, I probably would have gone with the 11:11 but I would have loved to have them all.
I bought my IT Cosmetics CC Cream for foundation because I’m trying to use it up, but it ended up being too full coverage and not as long wearing as I would have liked. The Fenty Eaze Drop would have been a much better choice. The formula is almost entirely mask proof and sweat proof, and it would have been much better for me given all the walking we did outside in the hot weather. It also looks way more natural on my skin while still providing coverage. I love that is blends super quick and easily with fingers which means I wouldn’t have needed a foundation brush, and the packaging would have taken up such little space. Definitely bringing this the next time I travel!
I’ve gushed about the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate cream bronzer and highlight duo so many times, and I definitely missed it when I was travelling. It has such amazing formula that blends like a dream, looks natural, and still makes an impact. I love how they are both a little sheer which makes it super easy to just throw on without having to be super precise, and it blends into the skin so seamlessly. I love that this has both a bronzer and highlighter in one and that the bronzer shade is neutral enough to be used as more of a “brontour.” I’ve been using it everyday since I got back, and I’m so happy to have it back in my life.
What are your must-haves when you travel? What do you want to see next here on LiftBakeLove? Let me know in the comments!
I wanted to wait to do this comparison post until I really had time to use the Glow Lust long enough to really be able to talk through the nuanced differences between it and the Hollywood Flawless Filter. For those unfamiliar, Auric is a new brand recently launched by Samantha Ravndahl and their Glow Lust product is often compared to the Hollywood Flawless Filter, so I wanted to compare their price, packaging, and formulas to help anyone who is trying to decide between them! Before I get into it, if you have one, you don’t need the other. I’m going to talk through how I use them both in my routine, but I want to say upfront that they aren’t different enough that you absolutely need both.
Comparing prices, the Glow Lust is $45 and the Hollywood Flawless Filter is $44. That said, you get 1.18 ounces for the Glow Lust ($38/ounce) and 1 ounce for the Hollywood Flawless Filter ($44/ounce) so the Glow Lust is more cost effective. With something like the Sephora sale going on right now, Rouge members can get the Hollywood Flawless Filter for around $35, so they are very comparable in terms of price.
The Glow Lust wins hand down for packaging for me. It feels so much more luxurious, down to the writing on the bottle (look at Hollywood Flawless Filter bottle writing just peeling off!). The Glow Lust bottle has the best pump I’ve ever used – I can pump out as much or as little product as I want without having any wasted product. It’s much harder for me to control the Hollywood Flawless Filter because of the large doefoot, especially if I want to use a tiny bit to spot highlight. It also gets all over the bottle opening and can feel really messy. Choosing purely on packaging experience, I would go with the Glow Lust every time because the bottle is just designed so well for this kind of product.
Glow Lust in Selenite and Hollywood Flawless Filter in 2
It’s probably impossible to tell the differences in formula from the above swatch, but they are definitely different. The Glow Lust has a much thicker texture that feels closer to a moisturizer than a liquid highlighter. For me, that makes it much better to mix it with my primer or foundation, particularly since it adds additional moisture (which my dry skin can never get enough of). I’ve also used it in lieu of foundation, and it creates this lovely smoothing effect that makes my skin just look good. I find the Hollywood Flawless Filter has just a bit too much shimmer in it to use by itself or mixed in with other all-over face products, as it turns everything into a shimmer finish that just looks off when applied all over. That said, that’s what makes the Hollywood Flawless Filter a great spot highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones. It gives slightly more of an impact than the Glow Lust when used in this way, and it’s my go to for video calls when I want my face to look less flat. Of course, you can use the Glow Lust in this way, and it works amazingly well (as I mentioned in my February Favorites). To achieve my most glowy look, I use Glossier Future Dew as my primer, mix Glow Lust in with my foundation, and then use Hollywood Flawless Filter as my highlighter – I look hydrated and healthy without looking greasy and the lasting power is still great after at least 12 hours of wear.
If I had to start my collection from scratch, I would absolutely buy only the Auric Glow Lust out of these two. I love the packaging so much more and it’s way more versatile since I can use it by itself in lieu of foundation, as a primer, mixed in with my foundation, as a highlighter, and any combination of those methods.
Are there any other comparisons you’d like to see? Let me know in the comments below!
I can’t believe February is already over, and March is almost here! This month, it got even colder outside and my skin was even drier than usual so I really invested in products that would make my skin look and feel hydrated with very little effort. I also have started to receive some early birthday presents, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more of them make their way into my future favorites!
The one skincare product I wanted to shout out is the Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask. As I mentioned, my skin is feeling super dry but it’s been even worse with all the snow, cold weather, and heater running. I’ve been added this mask to my nighttime skincare routine, and it has totally saved my skin. It works incredibly well to add a ton of hydration overnight, and I love how it really melts into the skin. Plus, unlike a lot of my skincare, the price per ounce is fairly low, and this tube will last forever.
I love all of the products I’m mentioning this post, but there is something truly special about the Auric Glow Lust. I’ve tried it by itself in lieu of foundation, as a primer, mixed in with my foundation, as a highlighter, and a bunch of combinations of those methods. I’ve loved it every way I’ve tried. My favorite thing to do is mix it in with my foundation and use it as a highlighter, and it just makes my skin look so naturally glowy, hydrated, and healthy, even more than the Glossier Future Dew does. The packaging is also amazing, especially the pump – it’s so much easier to use than the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. I’m planning on doing a comparison post between the two – let me know if you have specific questions! And to my friend that I wasn’t giving 100% attention to on a call because I kept getting distracted by how amazing and glowy my skin looked with Glow Lust as a highlighter, I’m so sorry (and thank you for letting me know that you noticed it too!).
For more info on the Vesca eyeshadow and lip gloss, I would check out my Vesca review from earlier in the month. I’ve abandoned almost all my other eyeshadows and lip products (except for one I’ll get to shortly) and have continued to love them both as much as I did when I wrote that review. The eyeshadows have such easy textures to work with that leave a lot of impact quickly, and the lip gloss has the most amazing cushiony moisturizing feeling. When you’d rather sleep for an extra 30 minutes then do a 5 shadow look for all day Teams calls, these are perfect.
I was able to get the Pat McGrath Mini Lust: Gloss Trio for $13 with free shipping (still in stock as of posting!), and I’m so happy I did. I love all three shades in the cool trio, but I particularly love the Divine Rose shade. This color is my lips but so much better, goes with all the lip liners I own, and is just really pretty. Along with Vesca and Lisa Eldridge glosses, this is one of my favorite gloss formulas. It’s incredibly hydrating and smoothing, and the colors I’ve tried have just the right amount of shimmer to make your lips look like you actually drink water but not overly sparkly. And they smell amazing! I’m so happy that Cate the Great Beauty turned me on to these and that I’ve been able to get them on sale because they are just so nice.
Petal Poppin and Rose Latte in natural light
Even with over 20 cream blushes to choose from, something about the Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush in Petal Poppin and Rose Latte really made me happy this month, and I kept coming back to them. The two I have are both beautiful colors that seem dupable but are actually quite unique, and really brighten up any look (used alone or together!). The formula is really light, blendable, and easy to work with while still being pigmented enough that it shows up without a ton of layering. They also leave a really nice hydrated glow without being sticky and without picking up any products you’ve already used. I also love that they are only $20, which while in general is still a lot for blush, is very affordable compared to some others that I’ve recommended. There’s also a really fantastic shade range if these don’t speak to you. This is definitely one of my top cream formulas!
Swatches of Petal Poppin and Rose Latte in natural light
I’ve been getting back into perfume again as a way to create different atmospheres in the morning rather than just feeling like another same day in my home office. I got gifted a Replica perfume set for my upcoming birthday (thanks, mom!), and I love all the scents in the set. I have particularly been enjoying Beach Walk during the dreariest of winter days. It’s so light, fresh, and summery and really does remind me of walking down a sandy beach. I’m been loving using this to transport me away from our apartment and as a small reminder that one day in the future we’ll be back to sunny beaches and vacations far away again.
What did you love using this month? Let me know in the comments below!
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