dry skin – Makeup and Skincare Reviews

September Reader Requests: This, That, or Neither?

I normally try to stick to 5 products for these monthly reader request posts but you all requested too many products this month for me to review. I decided to do 5 sets of products instead, which was actually a lot more to test and review and also why this September post is landing in October. Don’t worry though – I will still do October reader requests; make sure to leave your requests in the comments or join the Your Green Friend Substack chat!

In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) for all the products.

Westman Atelier Suprême Bio-Complex Liquid Foundation With Exosomes + Peptides in F4, F5, and L1 and Hung Vanngo Red Carpet Skin Luminous Longwear Serum Foundation in 5 – I started this journey by buying F5 because y’all wanted to know what I thought about this foundation. I honestly have been wearing it all the time, and if you’ve seen me in person lately, there’s a 90% chance I was wearing this. I honestly love the formula and how it looks on my skin (except for the shade – more on that in a bit). It actually looks better over the course of the day, which is really rare for me since most foundations tend to break up or just look worn off by the time I wash my face. I’ve tested this one through full workdays, including going to the office in person, and have been really impressed with the wear time. I like to apply it with my fingers, but a brush works too, and it’s buildable to full coverage even though it starts off more medium. If there was a shade that matched me, I’d be so happy with this.

However, even though F5 is definitely the most olive shade of the 3 I have, it’s a very saturated yellow olive. If you’re a cooler olive or teal, be warned how yellow this is. F4 pulls pinker on me and L1 is straight up peach. All the shades feel like they just have a lot of color/pigment in them, even though they don’t look dramatically more saturated than my other foundations in swatches. It’s just when I blend out the foundation on my actual skin, the pigment just stays really present even though it’s not technically full coverage. I wouldn’t even say it’s more pigment = more coverage, it just really seems to stand out against my skin. Because of this, I’ve mostly been mixing F5 with Lisa Eldridge Skin Tint 1.5 to get my “best” shade and most natural look out of this. Otherwise, I mix in some blue to get F5 closer to my actual skin tone but it’s still not quite right. I’m definitely fixing the shade and not the formula, though I still haven’t found something that doesn’t do well with some Lisa Eldridge 1.5 added.

I also tested Westman directly against Prada LW5 since it feels the most similar to me in my collection. Prada was a little smoother and more blurring and just looked slightly nicer. In side by side comparisons I showed to my friends, everyone voted for the Prada side. If I were buying a foundation of this style again, especially at this price, I’d buy the Prada even though I do really like the Westman foundation.

And the opposite happened with the Hung Vanngo foundation in shade 5. It’s definitely the best shade match of this group even though it’s still slightly peachy. But even though the shade is pretty okay, I can’t get this to look good. I have tested this so many different times and so many different ways. I’ve tried different application methods, different prep, side by sides with other foundations to see if I’m just seeing things. No matter what I do, I get so much texture and it breaks up on my face so fast. It just looks like it doesn’t want to be on my face.

Westman Atelier Suprême Bio-Complex Liquid Foundation With Exosomes + Peptides in F4, F5, and L1 and Hung Vanngo Red Carpet Skin Luminous Longwear Serum Foundation in 5

I’m testing a bonkers number of complexion products right now between this and the concealer tournament, which is why I haven’t reviewed this yet even though it launched in July. And of all the ones I’m testing, this is one of the only ones I’m annoyed I didn’t return so I could review something else for y’all. I know that other people love this foundation (and it’s entirely possible it looks great on them!), but if you tend to like the same base products I do, you might have the same experience I did with this where it just doesn’t want to be a foundation.

Sarah Creal Just Like Paradise Sculpting Cream Bronzer in 1 and Refy Water Bronzer Liquid Cushion in Cove and Sol – I’ve had the Sarah Creal Just Like Paradise Bronzer in shade 1 for a really long time, and I’ve been putting off reviewing it even though it’s been on my requests list for what feels like forever. Now seemed like the perfect opportunity because it shows the shades of the Refy so well in comparison, and I can finally cross this one off my list. I genuinely love the formula of the Sarah Creal bronzer. It reminds me so much of the Makeup by Mario Soft Sculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer because it has that same lightweight gel texture that sheers out super easily and stays a little dewy.

Alas, shade 1 is orange on me, and it’s that very specific kind of “oh no, why did this turn orange?” type of orange when it gets onto my face. Even though I know how to work with warmer tones so much easier now, this is honestly just not bronzy on me. It looks like Sarah Creal has added shades to the line since I bought this one, and I’m betting one of those is better, but if you’re wondering if this shade goes orange, it does.

Editing Rebecca coming back later – I legitimately forgot this was $50 until I was going through adding links. Why is this $50? Unless you absolutely love the packaging (valid!) or the colors are perfect specifically for you, get the Makeup by Mario bronzer if you want this kind of formula.

Sarah Creal Just Like Paradise Sculpting Cream Bronzer in 1 and Refy Water Bronzer Liquid Cushion in Sol and Cove

The Refy Water Bronzer in Cove and Sol are both definitely bronzy but they don’t turn orange like the Sarah Creal does. Cove is more neutral and a little rosy whereas Sol is a bit richer and closer to a more standard bronzer shade – something like Marc Jacobs Light 20. No one needs both, but I actually have used each of them in different looks and been really happy I had both shades.

I absolutely love the cushion format for a product like this. It’s so much easier than dealing with a traditional liquid bronzer since I can just tap a brush in the cushion and blend it out on my face. This formula is super blendable and easy to work with. It sets down to a skinlike finish that isn’t too matte or dewy. I have basically stopped reaching for my regular liquid bronzers since getting these. Make sure you actually close them because cushions can dry out; other than that, I highly recommend these.

Jung Saem Mool Artist Cushion Blush Blur in Rosy Petal, Artist Cushion Blush in Odd Mauve, and Refy Water Blush Liquid Cushion in Acai – I actually got two formulas of the Jung Saem Mool – the Cushion Blush Blur and the Cushion Blush. I was hoping to try these because the brand launched at Sephora, but I might have actually gotten shades that are exclusive to Yesstyle. Either way, I prefer the Cushion Blush Blur because it has much better pigmentation (though that could just be the shade I got), and I like the blurring and matte but not too matte finish. Like all the cushions, it’s super easy to tap a brush in or use the included cushion and blend the blush on to my skin. Rosy Petal is brighter and more coral on me than I expected, and it’s just not my favorite pink. I probably should’ve gotten Fuzzy Lavender, but I think that one might have been too light.

The Cushion Blush is so sheer. I love this color in theory, but I just can’t see it. I love mauve shades because they almost always are super natural looking beigey pink on me, but this is just so sheer it’s barely anything at all. If you’re looking for something barely there and impossible to overdo, you might actually love this. I personally want this shade but more pigmented, which luckily I already found in a cushion formula I love that’s less than $5.

I was surprised but the Refy Water blush is actually my favorite of these. Acai is a beautiful berry brown that doesn’t go orange, and it’s exactly the kind of shade I’m looking for in the fall and winter. It has enough pigment to show up without being impossible to use/blend. The formula, like the rest, is so easy to use. All three wear about the same on me throughout the day, and so it’s more down to the sheerness and shade. Acai wins by a landslide between these for me. I really hope that Refy comes out with more shades.

Soshe Precision Sculpting Stick in Drift and Vieve Silhouette Stick in Light – Hopefully you can see by the swatches what’s happening here. Soshe is on the left, Vieve is on the right. I chose the shade Drift in the Soshe because it’s the light to medium shade, and I’m normally around there or what ends up being shade 2, at least for my correct depth across bronzer and contour type products. The depth here is probably right, but it’s so orange. Not only do I not understand how this could be a contour, I couldn’t even use it as a bronzer. I love Soshe – you’ve read about them here a ton, and their blushes and bronzers are some of my favorites. So I was fully expecting to love this, and yet, it’s one of the most Cheetoing Cheeto products I’ve tried in a while.

Transparently, I haven’t tested the formula that much because honestly how am I supposed to use this as a contour. Even adding a little bit of blue, it’s nowhere near a believable contour shade. So, the formula might actually be incredible, and I’d just have no idea. Leave me a comment if one of the other shades is actually great because I am always happy to test something again, but otherwise, the shade made it so I couldn’t really tell you if it’s a great formula or not.

The Vieve Silhouette Stick in Light is a much better color that’s cool enough to function as contour. It has a little bit of that purple nuance that I love to have in a contour so it can be cool without being too grey. But it can also warm up enough when I blend it out that it’s more of a brontour than a contour. The formula is super easy to throw on and blend without it sheering out to nothing. The stick format is really convenient, and it’s emollient in a good way. I’m happy I bought it, and for most people, I think this could be a great contour shade. I just know I make things go very orange so I’m pulling out all the warmth it has.

Soshe Precision Sculpting Stick in Drift and Vieve Silhouette Stick in Light and Judydoll Liquid Contour in 02

As a comparison, I swatched these next to my favorite contour which is the Judydoll Liquid Contour in 02. You can see that it’s green grey enough that it’s literally a shadow on my skin. Formula wise, I think the Vieve is easier to use and blend because it’s such an easy cream to work with, but the Judydoll color is so good. The only one I really don’t recommend is the Soshe.

COSRX Peptide Collagen Lip Film Tinted Treatment in Cinnamon and Danessa Myricks GlossWork 4D in Honey Coco – These were actually some of the most requested things this month because apparently y’all need more lip balm reviews. And don’t worry – there’s even more lip balm reviews coming. I think I would’ve really liked the COSRX in a vacuum. It’s super comfortable, it’s not sticky, and Cinnamon is a really pretty pink. It’s objectively nice, and I’m 0% surprised there’s a bunch of hype around it. It’s just that compared to the Danessa Myricks, it doesn’t feel as unique or special.

Honey Coco is a much more interesting color on me. It’s such a nice nuanced rosy brown that’s the color I’m usually looking for but have trouble finding. This shade looks especially nice with the Refy Acai blush. More importantly, the formula feels more nourishing and longer lasting than the COSRX. It just feels like it’s more substantial and I’m getting more out of it by using it. The plumping part is super mild and not uncomfortable, but my lips definitely look nice when I’m wearing it.

The COSRX is super nice, but just feels like a very good lip balm like all my other very good lip balms. When I put it on, I was like “yes, this is a great lip balm.” When I put on the Danessa Myricks, I was like “wow, I really want to try this in more colors.” And I probably will. If you want to know whether I’d recommend the Danessa or Eadem or Ole Henriksen, I refuse to choose, you can’t make me, and I will be using all three. I promise I will maintain a top three from here on out though so I will kick one of these out if something fantastic comes along.

Don’t forget to let me know if you have requests for October! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog and some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

Winter Favorites for When Your Skin is Dry and You’re Really Tired

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

This winter my skin has been extremely dry and textured, and it’s been one of those stretches where a lot of my usual makeup just isn’t cooperating. Everything either clings to and emphasizes texture, or somehow makes me look more tired than I already am. These are the things I keep reaching for when I want to look more alive with minimal effort. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.

MAKE Beauty Diffusion Dew Skin Tint in 1.5 – Shade wise, this is definitely not quite right on me because it’s way too saturated and too warm. But I still can’t stop wearing it. I’ve mostly stopped thinking of it as a skin tint and started using it as a primer because it makes my (very dry this winter) skin look so much better. It’s extremely sheer, like the original Glossier Skin Tint. At first, I’m wondering if anything is happening. But every time I use it, my skin looks healthier and more hydrated and more even. It blends in about five seconds and so seamlessly, even with the horrible shade match. I’ve found with a bunch of beigey green color corrector, I can get away with this as my only base product, but I do wish they’d come out with more shades. I will note that this has a bit of sparkle/mica/shimmer to it that might bother you if you’re not looking for it, but my skin really needs all the help it can get right now.

Makeup by Mario Soft Plumping Blush Veil in Berry Punch – This is such a perfect winter blush for me. It’s one of those blushes that makes it look like you slept and drank enough water (couldn’t be me). The shade is such a good berry plum shade that gives that “cold girl” look without looking like you’re wearing a ton of blush. It goes more purple on me than I can get in the swatch but I love how it’s not super bright. The formula blends so seamlessly you can’t see where it starts and stops, and it works really well even over powder. I love to throw it on half way through the day and wake my face back up. I’ve used it alone, under, and over things, and it’s been great every time. It also sets down and lasts pretty well for being a dewy finish product. I discovered during swatching that this actually stains a really pretty soft pink which is one of the reasons it seems to stay so well.

Makeup by Mario Soft Plumping Blush Veil in Berry Punch and Westman Atelier Light Up Highlight Stick in Biscuit

Westman Atelier Light Up Highlight Stick in Biscuit – I normally don’t get this excited about a highlighter but I’ve been loving it so much. Biscuit is a perfect light beige that makes my skin look glassy and hydrated without any weird shifts happening. It also doesn’t emphasize texture and doesn’t mess up any of the products that are underneath. I catch myself in the mirror and think it just looks so pretty. I can swipe it on and blend it out with my fingers or brush or sponge, and it gives that glossy healthy sheen. The only annoying thing is you have to buy the shade Biscuit from the Westman Atelier website, but for me it was worth it because it’s exactly the finish and shade I want and I use it constantly.

Ravie Beauty Soft Definition Longwear Eyeliner in Umber, drawn on (left) and blended out (right)

Ravie Beauty Soft Definition Longwear Eyeliner in Umber – I really need eyeliner to make my makeup look complete, but I am also so terrible at eyeliner. I have given up on it a million times. This is the first eyeliner that has made me feel like I can actually do eyeliner. The formula is soft and blendable, but it still gives definition. I can tightline with it, I can do a thin line, I can smudge it out, I can apply it with 3 hours of sleep. It still looks intentional every time. You have a ton of play time with this formula, which is the main reason I like it. If I mess up, I can blend it away and try to get the look I want without it being a huge mess. That said, once it sets, it sets. I still have proof of these swatches on my arm the next day, even after a shower. I also bought their brush, and it makes it so easy to do my eyeliner. If you want a strong graphic liner, I wouldn’t recommend this. But if you want a soft defined line you can play and practice with that still looks like you know what you’re doing, I highly recommend this.

dae Cactus Fruit 3-in-1 Styling Cream with Taming Wand – I am finally getting into the postpartum hair regrowth stage (yay!), and I have a ton of short little hairs on the top of my head. My hair had been looking absolutely ridiculous no matter how I tried to style it until I picked this up. It smooths everything down so fast, it smells amazing, and it doesn’t make my hair crunchy or sticky. My hair looks so much more put together whether I’m wearing it up or down. I really never knew I needed something like this, but now I can’t go back to not using it all the time.

What other products would you like me to review? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog and some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

Setting Spray Showdown Round 1, Match 1 – One/Size On ’Til Dawn Mattifying Setting Spray vs. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

This is the first match of the first round in my setting spray showdown series, where I’m testing popular formulas side by side to see what actually makes a difference in real life. I’ll be doing the same makeup, with same lighting, for at least 16 hours for each test. I’ve also been testing all of these setting sprays for months before doing these elimination rounds. For this round, I tested One/Size On ’Til Dawn Mattifying Setting Spray on one side of my face and Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray on the other. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.

Right away, I could see a literal line down the middle of my face. It’s very apparent that these are very different formulas. The One/Size side locked in immediately with a blurred, soft-matte finish, while the Charlotte Tilbury side stayed wet and shiny for a while. Even after fanning it because it wouldn’t dry down, it still stayed a little too dewy. The One/Size side looked like my skin but smoother, while the Charlotte Tilbury side had that slightly glassy, almost plastic-like sheen. The One/Size has more of an intense aerosol type sprayer while the Charlotte Tillbury has that spitty spray bottle situation. I don’t actually love either mechanism and wish they had one of those fine misters.

A couple hours in, the difference got even clearer. My blush and bronzer honestly looked better on the One/Size side, and it was smoother, more even, and less textured. The Charlotte Tilbury side was still a bit sticky and shiny, and while both sprays definitely helped my makeup last, the One/Size side felt lighter and more comfortable throughout the day.

At the 12-hour mark, I couldn’t believe how good both sides still looked and that even my cream blush, bronzer, and eyeshadow were totally intact. The makeup on my nose hadn’t budged. I asked people at an event in the afternoon which side looked better(they didn’t even know what was different on each side), and every single person (including my husband) picked the One/Size side. He said the Charlotte Tilbury side looked a little “clumpy,” and honestly, I agree. It also still felt heavier by comparison.

By the 16-hour mark, both sides were still going strong, but the finishes had shifted a bit. The One/Size side looked a touch more dry and flat. Even though it still matte and blurred, it was maybe too matte at this point. The Charlotte Tilbury side, meanwhile, had settled into a softer, dewier finish that was actually a little more flattering right at the very end of the day.

Who’s moving on?
If you want that locked-in, blurred, weightless matte finish that doesn’t move all day, One/Size On ’Til Dawn is the clear winner. If you prefer a more dewy, natural look (and don’t mind a bit of shine or heavier feel), Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless still holds up impressively well. I’m honestly shocked that after 16 hours, my makeup looked almost exactly the same as when I started. This experience was the same as when I’ve been testing this before, and I’ve found that both do a great job. The One/Size side just looked a little more flawless all day and has held up better not just in this test but when I’ve testing them running on the treadmill, playing with my son, and out in the summer heat and humidity. One/Size moves on!

Stay tuned for the next round! What other products would you like me to review? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here, 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.

5 products I used for a 5 minute face

July 2, 2025July 2, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

I was running super late the other day (which seems to be very common with a 6 month old) and needed to do a full face in about 5 minutes. These are the actual only 5 products I used to put a quick look together. All of them are easy to apply, long-lasting, and give my skin a naturally enhanced look without any fuss. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.

Ciele conceal & PROTECT SPF 50+ spot concealer for dark spots in shade 04N – This concealer is incredibly creamy and has a natural finish that isn’t too dewy or too matte. It’s medium coverage but can built to almost full without being cakey. It’s blendable and easy to build too. I love that it has SPF 50 so I get a bit of extra coverage around my eyes or on the high points of my face where I might be getting extra sun. Like the foundation, it’s lightweight and has a skincare feeling. 04N is a bit yellow for me but it works great under my eyes and to brighten certain areas of my face. I was still able to use it all over as a foundation in a pinch, and it honestly looked great.

Ciele concealer in 04N, LH Artistick in Splash, and YSL Candy Glaze in 16

LH Cosmetics Artistick in Splash – This blush is a multi-use stick that is super lightweight and creamy. I grabbed this because when I’m short on time, I want something that’s really easy to blend and that I know will have a seamless finish on the skin without me working too hard. I can throw this on directly from the stick, blend out the edges, and then I’m done. Splash is a cool toned pink that works so well with my olive undertones, and I’ve loved it as a quick way to really bring life to my face. It’s also punchy enough that I don’t have to build lots of layers of products to see any impact.

Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting and Laminating Eyebrow Gel – I’ve tried so many brow gels, and nothing has ever really held my brows in place all day—until this one. I was honestly shocked that they stayed put until I washed them off, with zero crunchiness, flaking, or stiffness. The hold is strong but flexible, and it actually looks natural. My only complaint is that it doesn’t come in tinted shades. I’ve been layering it over the Make Beauty Infinite Hold eyebrow gel (which is still my all time favorite tinted gel that comes pretty close in terms of hold), and the combo is perfect—it gives shape, color, and all-day hold without fail.

YSL Candy Glaze in 16 – If you’re looking for something incredibly nourishing and hydrating that also works like a lipstick, this is the one for you. It’s so easy to throw on, it looks amazing, and it feels great. It lasts for so much longer than I would have expected, to the point that I would absolutely use the clear version of this as a nighttime lip treatment in a pinch. It also smells incredible, but if you’re not into fruity/mango scents, you might not appreciate it as much as I do. Shade 16 is a beautiful neutral pink that is a great my lips but better and pinker color. I find it really brightens up my face and is perfect for my olive skintone.

e.l.f. Cosmetics Lash XTNDR Mascara in Deep Brown – This is one of the only tubing mascaras I’ve found that comes in brown, and I love having it around for these no makeup-makeup looks where black wouldn’t balance well. This provides pretty good lengthening and volume, and like most tubing mascaras, it doesn’t flake or smudge. It’s super easy to wash off at the end of the day. This one is also pretty lightweight so holds a curl much better than some others I’ve tried. For $7, I’ve been really happy with it as my go-to brown mascara.

What other products would you like me to review? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here, 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.

Ciele Makeup Review: Mineral SPF Foundation, Concealer, Highlighter & Powder

April 14, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

I’ve been testing out a bunch of products from Ciele lately, and I’m honestly so impressed. Every product in the line is packed with mineral SPF (which I love), but what really stands out is how beautifully everything wears—it feels more like skincare than makeup, with all the added benefits. Whether I’m going for a quick no-makeup makeup look or doing a full face, these formulas have totally earned a spot in my everyday routine. In this post, all links are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own!

tint & PROTECT medium coverage serum foundation with SPF 50+ in 3 – This is one of my favorite skin tints/foundations, and I reach for it all the time—especially because of the added SPF. I would never use this as my only SPF but I appreciate having the boost and love that all the Ciele products use mineral SPF. I would call this a skin tint because of how thin and lightweight it is, but it gives my skin a beautifully blurred, smooth look even with only having medium coverage and serum texture. It never gets cakey and blends like a dream. It wears beautifully throughout the day and is so hydrating it feels more like skincare than makeup, even with its medium coverage. Honestly, I have nothing but good things to say about it and would recommend it to everyone! You can hopefully see from the swatches below that shade 3 is really great for my warm olive skin too. I’ve been very happy with it!

conceal & PROTECT SPF 50+ spot concealer for dark spots in shade 04N – This concealer is incredibly creamy and has a natural finish that isn’t too dewy or too matte. It’s medium coverage but can built to almost full without being cakey. It’s blendable and easy to build too. I love that it has SPF 50 so I get a bit of extra coverage around my eyes or on the high points of my face where I might be getting extra sun. Like the foundation, it’s lightweight and has a skincare feeling. 04N is a bit yellow for me but it works great under my eyes and to brighten certain areas of my face. I can’t use it all over as a foundation like some of my other concealers because of this.

glow & PROTECT SPF 50+ liquid highlighter in Piper – This highlighter is such a gem—it’s hydrating, super glowy, and gives the most beautiful soft-focus finish. The formula feels lightweight on the skin, with a buildable wash of color that never looks overdone. I love that it also has SPF 50 for that added sun protection, especially on the high points of my face. It makes my skin look incredibly healthy, fresh, and radiant, like I actually drink enough water and eat enough veggies. It’s the perfect glow without the glitter, and I find myself reaching for it for every look every since I got it. Piper is a beautiful champagne color that works really well with my skin tone.

filter & PROTECT SPF 30+ blurring finishing and setting powder – I was really pleasantly surprised by this powder. It’s very smoothing and blurring and sets everything in place without ever feeling heavy. The formula is super lightweight with just a touch of coverage and a natural finish that isn’t too matte. I love that it has skincare ingredients too—it helps support the skin barrier while keeping excess oil and shine in check. It never looks cakey or dry, and it layers beautifully over makeup or just on bare skin. When I’m really trying to build up sun protection, this is my go to powder.

What other products would you like me to review? 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.

Luxury Beauty Worth the Splurge: My Top Picks for the Sephora Sale

April 4, 2025by liftbakelove2 Comments

The Sephora sale is the perfect time to grab high-end beauty products at a discount, especially those that feel like a splurge at full price. While I love finding budget-friendly gems, there are some luxury products that are so exceptional, they’re worth every penny—even more so when you can get them on sale. If you’ve been eyeing any of these but hesitating because of the price, now’s the time to add them to your cart! In this post, all links are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own!

Prada Reveal Skin-Optimizing Refillable Soft Matte Foundation in LW5 – During the upcoming Sephora sale, depending on your discount, this will end up being around the same price as other foundations from brands like Nars, Estee Lauder, Haus Labs, Ilia, Makeup by Mario, etc., and it’s so much better than anything else I’ve tried in this category (although for skin tints, I have other recommendations!). It doesn’t matter what I do with the rest of my face, this looks great all day. It’s somehow blurring and skin-perfecting without being too high coverage or drying. It’s described as a skincare foundation that refines the skin in three dimensions including tone, luminosity, and texture to reveal soft-filtered skin in real life, and that’s honestly exactly what it is. It’s basically magic in a bottle, and I don’t understand the wizardry of this foundation. I’m just so glad I picked it up and tried it! And if you’re not going to travel with it or care about it having a lid, you could totally get away with buying just the refill.

Prada Foundation in LW5 and Sarah Creal Concealer in 02

Sarah Creal Face Flex Concealer & Complexion Enhancer with Caffeine in 2 – I didn’t want to love this concealer as much as I do because it’s so expensive, but it really is amazing. Despite the high price, it looks stunning on the skin. It provides excellent coverage without creasing or looking cakey, especially under the eyes. It’s lightweight, doesn’t settle into fine lines, and isn’t too drying. The finish is dewy and hydrating but not overly glowy. While it sets beautifully on its own, it also works well with powder if needed. I’ve used it as a concealer and blended all over as a foundation, and it works great either way.

Makeup Forever HD Skin Face Essentials Longwear Full Face Cream Palette – This palette is so fun to use and play with to mix together different shades to make whatever colors I want. It has contour, bronzer, blush, and highlight options, and you can use the bronzer/contour shades as complexion products as well. It’s so worth it to have an all in one face palette for travel that I also use all the time at home. I love the formula and how easy it is to apply and blend. They also have great staying power for creams and the formula layers on top of other things super well if I’m using these more as adjusters. I’m always surprised by how much use I get out of something like this as someone who isn’t a fan of face palettes, but I think it’s because the colors are so dialed in and because the texture makes them so easy to mix together to get my perfect shades.

YSL Couture Eyeshadow Quad 710 – The YSL Quads are some of my absolute favorite palettes, and while I’d gladly pay the $88 price tag, they’re an even better deal on sale. 710 is the perfect neutral palette and is flattering even on my olive undertones. The formula is exceptional—each shade picks up effortlessly, blends seamlessly, and wears beautifully all day. I love how even with 4 shades, it feels like there’s enough variety in the quad to get a bunch of different looks. The shimmer topper in this palette is especially stunning—I’ve been layering it over all kinds of eyeshadows to add the perfect touch of sparkle. Whether you’re going for a natural, no-makeup look or something bolder, I highly recommend this one. And of course, the packaging is beautiful. I also love the 200 palette – you can see my review of that here: https://liftbakelove.com/2024/11/09/ysl-couture-mini-clutch-in-200-gueliz-dream-my-favorite-eyeshadow-palette-for-my-olive-undertones/.

YSL Candy Glaze in 02 and 15 – If you’re looking for something incredibly nourishing and hydrating that also works like a lipstick, this is the one for you. And if you’re just looking for an incredibly luxurious lip balm that makes your lips look and feel amazing, then the clear (02) is fantastic. It lasts for so much longer than I would have expected, to the point that I would absolutely use the clear as a nighttime lip treatment in a pinch. It also smells amazing, but if you’re not into fruity/mango scents, you might not appreciate it as much as I do. Shade 15 (Showcasing Nude) is a beautiful rosey brown that is a perfect my lips but better color that’s so easy to wear.

NARS Brand Review: Blush, Eyeshadow, and Lipstick

March 24, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

NARS has been absolutely delivering with their recent launches, and I’ve been loving what I have in my collection. From effortlessly blendable blushes to a long-time favorite eyeshadow base, plus a stunning palette and a lipstick formula that’s quickly becoming a staple, these picks have been in constant rotation. In this post, all links are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own!

Powder Blush in Behave and Infatuated – I have two shades of the newly formulated blushes, and I absolutely love them. I’m constantly tempted to grab another! The formula is incredibly lightweight and blendable. Both shades are matte but not overly flat—they offer a soft, blurring effect without looking powdery. They wear beautifully throughout the day, and I love that I can keep layering them without overdoing it. I adored the original version, but this reformulation is even better. Behave is a matte pink mauve that is super unique to my collection, and I love using it to layer with other blushes. Infatuated is a matte deep plumberry that’s perfect for olive skin and was one I wore all the time in the winter especially. The swatches below aren’t super built up but hopefully you can see how pretty they both are!

Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base – There’s not much to say about this eyeshadow base except that it works so well! I’ve tried countless eyeshadow primers over the years, and this is the one I always come back to. While it doesn’t offer much color correction, it does exactly what I need: keeps my eyeshadow in place all day. It creates a smooth, non-sticky base that helps shadows adhere without making them difficult to blend. Plus, the doe-foot applicator makes application super easy!

Afterglow Tempting Eyeshadow Palette – This has been my go-to palette ever since I got it, and I’m so sad it’s limited edition! If you’re thinking about picking it up, I highly recommend it. The shades feel unique within my (very large) eyeshadow collection, and I love that it doesn’t include a ton of unnecessary mattes. The mattes that are in the palette work perfectly as base shades or for deepening the outer corner. If I need more mattes, I can always reach for another palette. Follow Me is a standout—it’s a gorgeous purple-leaning brown that works beautifully as a matte one-and-done or for adding depth, especially with my olive undertones. The shimmer range in this palette is stunning, whether worn alone or as toppers. My favorite is No Lies, the perfect one-and-done shimmery brown. I have to admit the swatches absolutely don’t do the shimmers justice – they are so sparkly and dimensional in person. And as expected from NARS, the shadows pick up easily, blend seamlessly, and have fantastic staying power.

Explicit Lipstick in Exposed – This formula is everything I love in a lipstick—lightweight yet pigmented, offering medium-to-full coverage that builds effortlessly. It has a dimensional satin finish that gives the lips a soft sheen without being too glossy or too matte. The wear time is impressive; it stays put without feeling heavy or drying. I especially appreciate that it’s smudge-resistant but still comfortable—no weird slipping or settling into lines. Exposed is supposed to be a cool-toned taupe but because I’m so olive, it goes pretty orange on me. That said, I love using it to tone down anything too berry or too pink and bring it back to a more neutral place, so I’ve been using this almost every day to balance out some of my other shades. I’m super tempted to get another shade because I love the formula so much, and I’m glad I grabbed this one to try it out!

Top Powder Bronzer Picks for Olive Skin from RMS, Victoria Beckham, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Make Beauty, and YSL

March 20, 2025March 20, 2025by liftbakelove1 Comment

Finding a powder bronzer that truly works for olive skin can be tricky, but these all have the perfect undertones for me and are never too orange. Whether you want a warm, summery glow, a neutral year-round option, or something that enhances olive undertones without clashing, these bronzers deliver. With skin-smoothing formulas, seamless blendability, and a range of finishes, these are my top picks for the most natural, flattering bronzers. In this post, all links are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own!

Bronzers are shown from left to right in the order listed below: RMS, VB, Armani, Gucci, Make Beauty, YSL

RMS ReDimension Hydra Bronzer in Beachwalk Betty – This is my go-to bronzer when I want a really warm, summery glow without turning myself into a Cheeto. Particularly if I’ve used a blush that leans too warm, this helps balance everything out so my face looks cohesive. It’s the most “normal” bronzer shade I own, but it still doesn’t go orange on me. The formula has a subtle shimmer that gives my skin a hydrated look without being glittery. It’s smoothing, blurring, and incredibly easy to apply. Since it’s fairly pigmented, I can skip cream or liquid bronzers and still get enough color—especially as someone with high contrast features. This is refillable too so if you use this up, you can just get the insert without rebuying the compact.

Victoria Beckham Bronzer Brick in 01 – This is an ever so slightly cooler and more neutral-toned bronzer compared to the RMS, and its matte finish makes it extra blurring. The lighter shade is perfect for blending out any harsh edges or bridging the gap between my cheek products and concealer. It’s a great year-round option since you can mix and match the two shades for a lighter or deeper bronzer. The neutral undertone makes it especially flattering on olive skin, but I think it would work well for a wide range of complexions. I love that this is refillable too, so if I ever hit pan, I can just replace the insert instead of rebuying the whole compact.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Bronzer in 90 – The first time I tried this, I knew I had to have it. It has a weirdly perfect yellow undertone that works so well with my olive skin, making it look like a natural, sun-kissed glow. The tiny amount of shimmer is just enough to make my skin look healthy—like I actually go outside (which I don’t). The pan is huge, so you can use literally any brush with it, and that just makes applying it even more fun. Like the all these bronzers, it blends seamlessly and layers beautifully with my other products. This is the one I reach for the most in spring and summer, and it always looks amazing.

Gucci Poudre de Beauté Éclat Soleil Bronzing Powder in 01 – Before buying this, I swatched all the bronzers I had at the time, and most leaned a little yellow and warm (great for summer). But this one is rosier, making it perfect for winter. It’s especially great when I’m doing a berry or pink-toned makeup look instead of something more beige or brown, since I didn’t have a bronzer that fit that vibe before. The formula is stunning—blurring, blendable, and super easy to use. I recently took this on a trip in a magnetic palette (since the pan is removable), and I loved being able to pair it with some eyeshadows without it taking up too much space.

Make Beauty Skin Mimetic Microsuede Bronzer in Lunar – This bronzer formula is incredible. It’s completely non-patchy, layers beautifully over creams, and somehow maintains a satin finish while having great staying power. The shade has just enough green to keep it warm without going orange (a rarity among warm bronzers). The range includes six shades, and I think they did a great job with the undertones across them. The packaging is also super nice, and I love that it’s a different color than their pressed powder compact since they’re the same size. Bonus: it’s refillable like the RMS and Victoria Beckham, and the pans fit interchangeably in either compact!

YSL All Hours Hyper Bronzer in 01 – If you want a bronzer that’s basically impossible to mess up, this is it. It’s really light but buildable, making it look incredibly natural on my skin. Like the rest of these, the formula is smoothing, blurring, and effortless to blend. It never leans orange and just looks really polished. I love that I can keep adding more without worrying about overdoing it or placing it perfectly. This is my go-to when I’m running on two hours of sleep and just need to look awake.

Lilac and Berry Toned Makeup Must-Haves: Blushes and Lipsticks

November 14, 2024November 14, 2024by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

As someone with an olive undertone, purple makeup is one of my favorite things to use. But it can be hard to find purple makeup that actually looks at home on my skin, and these products all are so easy to throw on. If you have any other lilac/berry/purple products I should try, definitely let me know in the comments! Thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here for new posts. All links in this post are affiliate links, and if you choose to shop through them, thanks for supporting the blog!

Dior Rosy Glow in Pink Lilac – I’m so happy I purchased this. It’s definitely on the top of my lilac blush list now. I also have the original pink one (shown in the swatches), and I don’t regret having both. That said, for my skintone, I think I’ll get way more use out of the lilac one. This formula is fairly sheer so you can really pile it on without having to worry about it (and I would play around with what brush you use to see which works best to pick it up). It’s a little shimmery but in a really subtle way that I actually appreciate. It means I don’t need to use a highlighter and still don’t have to worry about emphasizing texture. This is just now one of my favorite things to finish a look off with no matter what else I’ve done because it brightens up my face and just looks so pretty. This swatches terribly but it does look really pretty on .

MAC Glow Play Blush in Totally Synced – This formula has been my go-to for finishing off my cheek looks for years because it has a really incredible blurring quality that really pulls together any look I’ve done. Because the texture feels like a cross between a powder and a cream, it adds a slight sheen like a cream and has great lasting power like a powder. I own 6 of these, but Totally Synced is a perfect light lilac that really brightens up any look and makes me look awake and hydrated. I imagine it’s what a bright pop of pink looks like on other people, but this lilac shade is perfect for me.

Dior Rosy Glow in Pink Lilac, MAC Glow Play Blush in Totally Synced, Ravie Beauty Endless Diffusion Baked Blush in Oasis, Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Faith

Ravie Beauty Endless Diffusion Baked Blush in Oasis – This formula quickly became one of my favorite powder blush formulas of all time – it blends so seamlessly and easily into the skin, is so blurring, and stays all day. It reminds me of an Hourglass blush but somehow better. It doesn’t need to be built up because this color is quite punchy but absolutely can be layered if you need to. The finish is just glowy enough without being overly glowy like a highlighter. I don’t know how they did it, but it’s basically perfect. Oasis is a Fervor is a rich raspberry pink that works so well for olive skin, especially for that “cold girl” makeup look. And of course it fits so well with the rest of the products on this list.

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Faith – This is one of the only liquid blushes I’m willing to use, and it’s because the formula is honestly just so great. This shade is in the matte formula, which I actually prefer to the dewy one because it really dries down and almost stains my cheeks. It has incredibly lasting power, and if I still want a dewy look, I have plenty of highlighters I can layer on top of it. It really is as good as everyone says it is, and I’m not surprised this blush keeps going viral. The shade Faith is a deep purple toned berry that really packs a punch, and you definitely want to use just a tiny bit at a time. Like Fervor, this is one of my go tos for the “cold girl” winter look or to pair with deeper brown or mauve eyeshadow looks. I also love using this as a base to top with Fervor if I want a blush look that’s really going to stay all day.

Thrive Causemetics Lip-Plumping Peptide Gloss in Lilliana – My lips always look so much better when I put one of these on because of the slight plumping and the high shine. The formula is super minty and cooling, and I’m so excited to use these when it’s hotter outside. That said, if you’re not a fan of minty glosses that you can really feel, I would steer clear of this one. Lilliana is a sheer deep purple berry that looks so good with my skin tone. It’s also sheer enough that I can use it regardless of how much other makeup I have on my face but I can also build it up if I want something more.

Elf Lip Oil in Jam Session – This is one of my favorite lip oils/glosses and definitely my favorite under $10. It’s described as an ultra-glossy tinted lip oil that nourishes, hydrates and enhances your lips’ natural color which is 100% accurate. I love that it’s just pigmented enough that you can tell you’ve used something on your lips, but it’s not too overwhelming or punchy. And I don’t need to worry about using a mirror or anything when I apply it. The formula is super nourishing so I actually will throw this on even when I just feel like my lips are dry. It’s honestly just a bonus that the purple berry color is so perfect. When I’m looking for something plumping and extra minty, I’ll go with the Thrive, and I’d go with this when I want something more nourishing and hydrating since these two are almost the exact same color on the lips.

Thrive Cosmetics Lip-Plumping Peptide Gloss in Lilliana, Elf Lip Oil in Jam Session, Finding Ferdinand Balm in Lucky Cat, Hermes Shiny Lipstick in Prunoir

Finding Ferdinand Balm in Lucky Cat (*PR) – I think this might be limited edition, so if you’re looking for your perfect mauvey berry balm that doesn’t cost $80 like Hermes Prunior, I’d grab this one before it’s gone. I got this in PR (thank you!) but if I hadn’t, I’d absolutely spend $26 on this because the color just looks so great on me no matter what else I have on my face. It’s really the purple without looking too purple balm of my dreams. The other thing I appreciate is that it’s super buildable so I can start with a light layer that just makes it look like my lips have color on them or I can build it up to be more true to its color in the tube if I’m doing a berry/purple look. The Asian pear scent is also so nice, and it isn’t too strong. You can also use affiliate code LIFTBAKELOVE10 on Finding Ferdinand’s site to save 10%.

Hermes Shiny Lipstick in Prunoir – This is truly the perfect lipstick when I’m doing a berry toned or mauvey toned or purple leaning look . It’s also incredible as a way to balance out lipsticks that just need a bit of purple added to them when it feels like something is off. The formula is perfect – it’s shiny and hydrating without sliding all over the place, and it’s sheer without being patchy or not really showing up. The only thing is that it really has that luxury lip scent that’s quite strong, but I’ll put up with it for how perfect it is otherwise. Of course, the packaging is also stunning and feels like something you paid $80 for. This shade is probably out of stock now, but the formula is great if one of the other colors would work for you!

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.

Merit Brand Review – Solo Shadow Matte Eye Color, Flush Balm Cheek Color, and Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick

November 12, 2024by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

As part of getting to know my collection, I want to spend more time reviewing all the products I have. Next up is everything I own from Merit Beauty, which turns out to be 9 products because I keep getting more of the same products in different shades. I either bought these myself or they were gifts from friends/family (thank you!!), and this is not sponsored or PR. Let me know if you want me to try anything else from the brand! Thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here for new posts. All links in this post are affiliate links, and if you choose to shop through them, thanks for supporting the blog!

Solo Shadow Matte Eye Color in Studio, Midcentury, and Brun – I needed a new one and done matte shadow after my Mac Paint Pots finally expired, and these seemed like the ones to try. I’m so glad I picked these up. The formula is incredibly easy to work with and doesn’t require a primer because of the way these set down. It doesn’t crease and stays all day without fading. It also works great as a base for shimmer toppers or even powder shadows. I’ve applied it with fingers and brushes, and it works great either way. I know this formula has a lot of hype around it, but it’s absolutely as good as people are saying it is. Studio is a cool taupe, Mid-Century is a warm brown, and Brun is a cool toned deep brown so between the three I have options for cool and warm toned looks as well as options to create as much depth as I want. These are my favorite shadows to bring when I’m travelling because the shades I have go with everything, and they’re just so quick and easy to throw on.

Flush Balm Cheek Color in Fox, Bespoke, Mood, and Stockholm – I first bought Fox in the full size and loved it so much, I knew I had to get the mini trio. I have a ton of blush so I’d honestly rather have more shades in the smaller size to play with since I’ll never get through a full size anyway. Fox is described as a warm taupe, but I think it’s more of a rusty brown that manages to not turn orange on me. It’s my current go to for “I just want to throw brown on everywhere but I want it to look good” type of look. For the mini trio, Mood is a beautiful burgundy, Stockholm is a cool toned light pink, and Bespoke is a beigey pink leaning brown. I honestly can’t decide whether I like Fox or Bespoke better for the kinds of looks I tend to do at the moment, but I’m glad I have both. The formula makes these so easy to throw on and blend, even with my fingers. It’s sheer enough that I don’t have to worry about putting on too much but pigmented enough that I don’t have to do a ton of layers. I can also throw it on over a fully done face (on top of powder and setting spray) with no issues, and it makes my skin look so much more hydrated.

Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick in 1990 and Slip – I know everyone has been talking about these, but it’s for a good reason! The formula is just amazing – it’s semi-sheer but buildable without settling into any lip lines. It’s a satin matte finish that doesn’t slide around and wander onto my face like other formulas that are popular right now tend to do. Despite the finish, it’s still very comfortable and nourishing. 1990 is a neutral deep brown that is actually fairly unique to my collection, and I love using it to balance out super pink eye/cheek looks or over the top bronzy looks. Slip is a warm leaning brown that I can’t quite describe but it’s the perfect lipstick for a fair/light olive skintone. I love 1990, but Slip is my favorite everyday lipstick. I honestly wear it more often than any other lip product I have, and I have a way more lip products than I’m wiling to admit.

Tag: dry skin