Tag: lifestyle

The Products I Use for a 5 Minute Full Face in the Rush Between Drop-Off and Meetings 

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on The Products I Use for a 5 Minute Full Face in the Rush Between Drop-Off and Meetings 

I’m about to do a bunch of big roundups so I’m taking a little break and just sharing the makeup I’ve been throwing on every day because I’ve had a lot of very early meetings and a toddler who really doesn’t want to leave on time. These products help me look more awake pulled together fast without having to think too hard or worry that something will look off or unblended. 

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. 

IT Cosmetics Do It All Sheer Tint Face Balm in 120 – I’ve been reaching for this a lot lately because it’s just so easy to throw on, and my skin looks really nice when I wear it. When I don’t have time to work with a more traditional foundation + concealer situation, this gives super pretty sheer, skin-like coverage like a tinted moisturizer but even easier to work with. It blends really quickly and easily and doesn’t need to be powdered. Shade 120 works well enough on me for fast makeup since it’s not too orange or pink that I need to fix it. This is exactly the kind of base product I want when I need to look pulled together without spending a lot of time on my face.

IT Cosmetics Do It All Sheer Tint Face Balm in 120
IT Cosmetics Do It All Sheer Tint Face Balm in 120

Glossier Cloud Paint Gel Cream Bronzer in Swept – I honestly forgot I had this, and pulling it back out reminded me why I liked it so much. Swept is such a good quick summer bronzer shade for me because it adds warmth and bronze without going too orange or being too gray or contour-y. It’s actually quite rosy on me. The gel formula blends out quickly, looks natural, and doesn’t take much effort at all, which is exactly what I want when I’m trying to pull together a look quickly. 

Glossier Cloud Paint Gel Cream Bronzer in Swept
Glossier Cloud Paint Gel Cream Bronzer in Swept

Victoria Beckham Crease-Proof Eyeshadow Stick in Pecan – This is one of my favorite one and done eye products. I can swipe it on, blend it out quickly with my fingers, and it actually stays all day exactly where I put it. Pecan is a really good brown that stays brown on me, with a tiny hint of green that works really well with my olive undertone. It has warmth, but not in a Cheeto way, and I can wear it alone or tap a shimmer on top if I want it to look like I did more. 

Victoria Beckham Crease-Proof Eyeshadow Stick in Pecan
Victoria Beckham Crease-Proof Eyeshadow Stick in Pecan

Merit Flush Balm in Postmodern – Postmodern is described as a pink brown but on me, it’s an easy red cheek shade that makes it looks like I did way more with my makeup than I actually did. It’s a bright enough red that it’s a “cheek look” and still actually works with my olive undertone instead of fighting it. It also has enough blue and pink in it that it stays fresh and natural instead of turning orange or tomato-y. I love the Flush Balm formula because it’s so easy to swipe on and blend, and it gives a hydrated cheek look without getting overly dewy. I also love that this works well as a lip product, and I can get a really put together look in about 10 seconds. 

Merit Flush Balm in Postmodern and Merit Signature Lip Liner in Bauhaus
Merit Flush Balm in Postmodern and Merit Signature Lip Liner in Bauhaus

Merit Signature Lip Liner in Bauhaus – I already have this liner in Brownstone, and it’s one of my favorite lip liners, so I knew already that I loved this formula. I’m so excited to have another color in the range. Bauhaus is a deep cool plum, and I truly can’t imagine it going orange on anyone. It’s purple, but in a lip contouring way that I can blur it out and make my lips look fuller and more defined without it looking harsh. It works especially well with Postmodern because it adds a layer of cooler depth and keeps the red cheek/red lip look from feeling one dimension. Unsurprisingly, Merit also knows these go super well together and you can get them in the Cool Plums trio that also comes with the Shade Slick in Tabby. 

Caliray Lipguard SPF 31 Hydrating Gloss Balm in Big Sur – This is the SPF lip product I’ve been keeping in my pocket now that it’s sunnier out and using as my finishing step (especially because my office has a giant window). Big Sur is such a pretty rosy brown-pink with a little warmth that doesn’t go Cheeto orange. Because it’s sheer and glossy, it just adds a light rosy tint. It feels moisturizing, lasts pretty well for a glossy balm, and isn’t overwhelmingly sticky. It doesn’t taste amazing but it’s way better than every other SPF lip product I’ve tried so far. 

Caliray Lipguard SPF 31 Hydrating Gloss Balm in Big Sur
Caliray Lipguard SPF 31 Hydrating Gloss Balm in Big Sur

*For those of you who saw the Substack note I posted with this actual look and want to know what mascara I was wearing, I can share soon but it’s pretty great.

What products should I test next? As always, some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.  

I Tried 8 “Olive-Friendly” Cream, Cushion, and Liquid Blushes From YesStyle Under $20 

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on I Tried 8 “Olive-Friendly” Cream, Cushion, and Liquid Blushes From YesStyle Under $20 

A lot of affordable makeup is pretty fantastic, and I don’t spend enough time talking about it. So for May, I’m dedicating the entire month to posts about products under $20. I originally planned to do one big YesStyle blush roundup, but there were way too many good affordable blushes to fit into one post. So after starting with the powder blushes, I’m back with the cream, cushion, and liquid blushes as promised. I did order a few more blushes based on your recommendations so far, so there will be another YesStyle under $20 blush follow-up later. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.

Swatches are in the same order from left to right as the order of blushes are reviewed in the post. 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) based on your feedback – thank you!

Joocyee Glazed Multi-Purpose Stick in G402 Wheat Nude, Gege Bear Air Cushion Blusher in 303, TFIT Fluffy Velvet Cushion Blush in B01 Charming Berry ,Bbi@ Ready to Wear Downy Cheek in Downy Taro, and A’pieu Juicy-Pang Jelly Blusher in PK01 and BE02

Joocyee Glazed Multi-Purpose Stick in G402 Wheat Nude – This is one of my favorite blushes from this whole YesStyle haul. G402 is a rosy brown that actually stays rosy-brown on me instead of turning orange, and it’s one of those colors that immediately looks at home on my skin. The formula is creamy, easy to blend, and makes my skin look hydrated without looking greasy. I also like it as a lip product, so it’s very easy for a soft monochromatic look. My only complaint is the packaging, which is chunkier than I want it to be, especially because this is exactly the kind of product I’d otherwise travel with all the time. *Out of stock at YesStyle, but I did find it in stock at Stylevana.

Gege Bear Air Cushion Blusher in 303 – This might be the most perfect blush color I’ve ever found. It’s my ideal everyday beige-mauve, and it looks so good every time I put it on. I do have to build it up a little, but I don’t mind that because the cushion format makes it so easy and hard to overdo. I use this all the time, especially paired with the NAMING powder blush from my last post. I’ve used the included puff, brushes, and fingers to apply it and never have any issues. The packaging is cute, but it does feel a little like a kid’s toy. If luxury packaging matters to you, this may annoy you, but at this price (under $5), I don’t care, and I would absolutely repurchase it.

TFIT Fluffy Velvet Cushion Blush in B01 Charming Berry – This one did not work for me at all. I don’t know if mine arrived dried out or if the formula is just this low pigment, but I cannot get it to show up on my face at all. I can get a little pigment if I really press into it for a finger swatch, but on my cheeks, it basically disappears. It also doesn’t pick up well with the puff, a brush, or my fingers, so it feels harder than it needs to be. If you are very fair and want an extremely pale cushion blush, maybe this is for you, but there’s so many amazing blushes out there. If you have this and love it, please comment and let me know if mine is just a bad batch! *This is actually over $20 when it’s not on sale, but I had to include it because it was my only product that didn’t end up working for me.

TFIT cushion vs Gege Bear – you can see the Gege is an actual cushion product

Bbi@ Ready to Wear Downy Cheek in Downy Taro – I love this formula so much that I already have another shade in my cart. Downy Taro is a brighter cool-toned pink that actually stays cool on me, and it brightens up my face so well. The formula is so easy to work with and makes my skin look dewy and hydrated. It’s also tiny and compact, so it’s one of the easiest blushes here to travel with. I especially like tapping it over a look that has gotten a little too powdery because it brings the skin texture back in a really pretty way.

A’pieu Juicy-Pang Jelly Blusher in PK01 and BE02 – PK01 is definitely the shade I should’ve gone with. It’s a neutral rose with a little warmth, but it doesn’t go orange on me. It has a slightly red-leaning quality in a good way, and it feels like a perfect, easy summer blush color on me. BE02 is a tangerine-orange shade, and it absolutely reads orange on my skin. It was recommended as an orange that an olive can actually wear, and I don’t totally regret having it because it does work for a fun, intentionally orange look since it isn’t super Cheeto bright once it’s blended out. This is one of the only blushes I own that I can use for that kind of look. The formula is easy to blend, blurring, and definitely more of a cream-powder hybrid than a dewy cream blush, which is one of my favorite blush formulas. The packaging is small and travel-friendly too.

A’pieu Juicy-Pang Jelly Blusher in BE02 vs Joocyee Glazed Multi-Purpose Stick in G402 Wheat Nude so you can see they are actually very different undertones/shades

Before we get into the liquid blushes, I’m not usually a liquid blush person. Before trying these, the only liquid blush I consistently used was the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flushes. Otherwise, I almost always reach for a cream, cushion, or cream-powder blush. These really surprised me. They’re easy to blend, easy to layer, and I’ve been using them a lot either as a first blush layer or on their own when I want something quick and fresh. Swatches are in the same order from left to right as the order of blushes are reviewed in the post. 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) based on your feedback – thank you!

Peripera Syrupy Tok Cheek in 03 Friendship Mauve, House of Hur Moist Ampoule Blusher in Rose Brown and Berry Purple, nuse Mousse Care Cheek in 05 Crema Mauve


Peripera Syrupy Tok Cheek in 03 Friendship Mauve – This is the liquid blush I use the most. Friendship Mauve is mauve in theory, but on my face, it turns into a soft, springy pink that brightens up my face. The formula blends out beautifully and stays dewy without being sticky. I also love that I can build it up without it getting patchy, so if I want more color, I can just tap on another layer, and it still looks good. My only complaint is the packaging. It has one of those little buttons at the bottom that you have to press, which can be frustrating if you have any kind of mobility issues.

House of Hur Moist Ampoule Blusher in Rose Brown and Berry Purple – I have two shades of this because I liked the first one enough to buy another. Rose Brown is a rosy brown that doesn’t go bright orange on me, though it’s definitely a little warm. Berry Purple is a brown-berry color that looks very at home on my skin. These are more of a watercolor wash than the Peripera, so I don’t always wear them alone, but they’re really pretty when I want something soft and skin-like. The formula blends out well and makes my skin look nice without looking like I’m wearing blush. This is much more of a watercolor, could never put on too much, kind of formula. 

nuse Mousse Care Cheek in 05 Crema Mauve – This is such a pretty cool-toned pink. Compared to the Peripera, it’s lighter and brighter, but it still works really well on my olive skin and doesn’t go orange. The formula is more opaque than the House of Hur, so instead of giving that watercolor wash, it looks more like I put on a cream blush. But then it dries down and really stays. Once it sets, it’s pretty matte and blurred, but it still looks really pretty. I like this one so much that I actually already bought two more nuse blushes to test, one in this formula and one in a different nuse liquid formula that one of you swatched that I just had to try. 

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.

I Tried 6 “Olive-Friendly” Powder Blushes From YesStyle Under $20

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on I Tried 6 “Olive-Friendly” Powder Blushes From YesStyle Under $20

A lot of affordable makeup is pretty fantastic, and I don’t spend enough time talking about it. So for May, I’m dedicating the entire month to posts about products under $20. I specifically picked 13 YesStyle blushes that looked like they had a real chance of being olive-friendly and were all under $20 to test. I originally planned to put all of them into one big affordable YesStyle blush roundup, but once I started writing, it became very clear that 13 blush reviews in one post was too much. So I’m going to do the powder blushes today, and then this weekend or early next week, I’ll post the liquid, cream, and cushion blushes. I promise there will still be all the other affordable May posts so we’ll just have an extra post. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. 

Swatches are in the same order from left to right as the order of blushes are reviewed in the post. I tried two different lighting conditions, and the second photo is truer to the actual colors of the blushes, but I think you can see the formula better in the first. Feedback always welcome!

The first four are the four shades in dasique Blending Mood Cheek in 05 Violet Knit, then NAMING Fluffy Powder Blush in Taro, Unleashia Dough Dough Waffle Blush in No. 3 Jammy Grape, rom&nd Better Than Cheek in C02 Blueberry Chip and N02 Vine Nude, and Judydoll HOT Pretty Blush Powder in 68

dasique Blending Mood Cheek in 05 Violet Knit – These are the powder blushes I reach for the most out of these 6. The formula is so smooth and blurring and has what I’d call a skin-finish matte texture. It’s very soft and blurred, but not flat or dry. There’s a pale lilac I use more as a blush topper, a warmer pink that gives a pretty almost peachy pop (although if you’re less green, it’ll probably be just pink), a cooler purple that actually stays purple on me instead of turning pink, and a bright cool pink that is my my perfect everyday brightening blush. My camera kept pulling the warmer pink so much more peach/orange than it looks in real life, but the difference between the warmer pink and cooler purple is much clearer in person. I can use one shade, mix them, or shift the tone depending on the rest of my makeup, and it’s the rare blush quad where I actually use every shade. 

NAMING Fluffy Powder Blush in Taro – I’ve talked about this one before in my beige makeup for olive skin post, and it still holds up as one of my favorite beige blushes of all time. The formula is also excellent. It’s smooth, easy to blend, and very hard to mess up. Compared to the dasique quad, this has a little more of a satin finish, but you probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference unless you were really looking for it. This is the kind of shade I can wear when I don’t want my blush to compete with the rest of my makeup, but I still want my face to look finished. If I had to pick one single powder blush from this group of 6 to keep, it would probably be this one because the color is so perfect.

Unleashia Dough Dough Waffle Blush in No. 3 Jammy Grape – This is not the blush I’d pick if you want something matte, because it is definitely shimmery. There are no obvious flecks or chunky sparkle on my face, but it’s definitely more of a blushlighter. It’s smooth, glowy, and sheeny in a way that makes my skin look really nice but it’s not matte or blurred. Jammy Grape is a brighter pinky-purple shade, and it gives me more of that spring/summer pop of color. It’s also the most pigmented of this group of blushes here, so I don’t have to build it as much to get it to show up. Even with the extra pigment and sheen, I still find it easy to use because the formula is so smooth and blends out without getting patchy. This is the one I reach for when I want my blush to be brighter, glowier, and more noticeable.

rom&nd Better Than Cheek in C02 Blueberry Chip and N02 Vine Nude – I have both C02 and N02, and you don’t need both unless you’re looking for pale blushes with slightly different undertones (I know at least one of you is, and if you’re reading this, then yes, you specifically do need both). They’re also really hard to see in the swatches with my current skin depth, but I promise they’re very pretty in person. The formula is really nice but texturally, these are a little less smooth and blurring than the dasique and NAMING blushes. They still have that soft, airy, pale powder blush look, but if your main goal is “as blurred and smoothing as possible,” these would not be my first choice. If you are very fair  and your biggest issue is blushes looking too pigmented too fast, these are perfect. The tones are so pretty and soft and really easy to build up slowly. I also really like them for blending out another blush or giving that Dior Rosy Glow style blush topper effect. When I first got these, I used them both all the time, especially in winter as a very pale blush. 

Judydoll HOT Pretty Blush Powder in 68 – This is a really pretty pale cool pink, and it also gives me that Dior Rosy Glow type of effect that’s bright and fresh. The Judydoll formula and the rom&nd formula are almost exactly the same, and I would happily reach for any of them for this type of color. As we’ve moved into spring and warmer weather, I’ve definitely been reaching for this one more than the rom&nd. It works as a topper, but I can also wear it by itself when I want a fun lilac-y pink cheek that still looks like it belongs on my face. Warmer pinks work well on me because I’m a warm olive and I personally like that almost-peachy (not cheeto) look in the warmer months, but if you want to stay in that cool pink/lilac/purple blush family, this is the one I’d pick. *I can’t find this shade on YesStyle right now but it is on Stylevana for about $5.

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. 

I Built Another Sephora Cart, Then Shopped My Stash Instead

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on I Built Another Sephora Cart, Then Shopped My Stash Instead

I’ve been watching everyone’s Sephora sale reviews and last-minute recommendations, and I could feel myself starting to fill up another cart. The problem is I had already shopped the sale once, I ordered a bunch of Lisa Eldridge and Ravie products to test, and I also have a huge YesStyle birthday order I’m working through. So instead of placing another order, I shopped my stash. Some of these are products I hadn’t used in a bit, and some are things I just wanted to spend more time with, but all of them reminded me I already had great options at home. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.

Moira Love Blur Blush in 12 So Divine – Hybrid cream-powder blushes are so popular right now, and because this is probably my personal favorite blush texture, it was very easy to convince myself I needed another one. Instead, I pulled back out my this Moira blush, and I’m so glad I did. It has that bouncy cream-to-powder texture that makes this category so good, and the formula is actually really blurring. The shade is such a pretty berry flush on me without being too bright or too purple, which can be a hard balance to find. It blends out to just the right amount of pigment, lasts all day, and reminds me a lot of the Rare Beauty blushes in this formula, which I also love. Pulling this back out was exactly the reminder I needed that I did not need to buy another trendy hybrid blush just because I was watching everyone else’s sale reviews. If you want a full Moira review, I actually have a bunch of products from the brand and just haven’t found the right place to post them yet, so let me know in the comments if you’re interested! I also really like buying Moira products from HB Beauty Bar because they seem to always be having a good sale.

Moira Love Blur Blush in 12 So Divine and Prada Reveal Skin Optimizing Refillable Soft Matte Foundation in LW5

Prada Reveal Skin Optimizing Refillable Soft Matte Foundation in LW5 – Soft-focus, perfected base products are very tempting to me right now, but instead of buying another one, I pulled back out the Prada foundation I already own and love. This is still one of my favorite foundation formulas because it gives that really smooth, blurred finish while still looking like skin. The coverage is on the lighter end of medium, but it builds easily without getting heavy or cakey, which is a huge part of why I like it so much. This is what I reach for when I want my skin to look especially polished without feeling overdone. Pulling it back out was a very good reminder that I did not need to buy another trendy base product when I already had one of my favorites at home (did I already buy four new base products before this to test for y’all? Also yes).

Etude Fixing Tint in 14 Rose Lilac and 15 Woody Pink – I am very into the whole lip blush, blurred matte lip situation happening right now. It reminds me of when matte lips were everywhere, except the formulas we have now are so much better. You still get that soft matte, blurred look, but without the super dry, crusty feeling that used to come with it. I have honestly been testing a ridiculous number of these kinds of lip products at this point, at least fifteen, so if you want a full roundup sooner rather than later, let me know. But instead of buying yet another blurred matte lip during the sale, I pulled back out my Etude Fixing Tints in 14 Rose Lilac and 15 Woody Pink. I don’t want to speak too soon, but I’m pretty confident this is my favorite formula in this category so far. I love how flexible this formula is. You can do just a little for a soft hint of color or build it up more, and either way it stays comfortable and looks super smooth. Woody Pink is a dusty rosy neutral that works really well with the mauvey beige looks I wear all the time. Rose Lilac is deeper and moodier, more of a jammy berry-plum, and it pairs especially well with berry-toned blush. Another thing I really like about these is the tint they leave behind. Woody Pink fades into a really pretty light pink stain, while Rose Lilac leaves more of a berry tint. This is one of those categories where using what I already have has honestly just made me want to buy more of it, but these are so good that I’d rather keep reaching for them instead. These are also under $10 right now.

Etude Fixing Tint in 14 Rose Lilac and 15 Woody Pink and Lawless Forget the Filler Lip Plumping Line Smoothing Gloss in Lavender Sorbet
A note on this swatch – I know my skin looks super off but I really wanted you to be able to see the true colors of the products.

Lawless Forget the Filler Lip Plumping Line Smoothing Gloss in Lavender Sorbet – There are always a million glosses, lip balms, and other glassy lip products tempting me, and I definitely did not need to buy more of them during the sale. Instead, I pulled back out the Lawless Forget the Filler in Lavender Sorbet, which is already one I love. The shade is such a pretty cool-toned milky violet that adds the nicest tint on its own, but it’s also really good over other lip products when I want to cool something down a little. I also love this formula so much. It does have some tingling, but nothing painful or intense, and I really do think it makes my lips look smoother and better overall. It’s also super nourishing and hydrating and lasts pretty long for a gloss. I honestly was considering grabbing another shade, but once I put this one back on, I realized I already had the one I needed. 

Unleashia Glitterpedia Eye Palette No. 1 All of Glitter
A note on this swatch – I know my skin looks super off but I really wanted you to be able to see the true colors of the shadows.

Unleashia Glitterpedia Eye Palette No. 1 All of Glitter – I am always a little bit at risk of buying another glittery eyeshadow because I really do love having something sparkly on my eyelids. But I have plenty of eyeshadow palettes I’m already testing, plus another one I’m excited for later this year (if you know you know), so I absolutely did not need to add another one right now. Instead, I pulled back out the Unleashia Glitterpedia palette in No. 1 All of Glitter, and it has been perfect for adding that sparkle to every eye look. It’s a palette of nine glitter shades in a really good range of tones, and only one pulls a little too orange for me. A few of the shades are chunkier pressed glitters, so if that’s not your thing you probably won’t love this, but there are also several smoother sparkle shades that work beautifully if you don’t want to mess with pressed glitter. I would not recommend this as your only palette if you’re hoping to do a full eye look because all but one are really best used as toppers (which you can probably see in the swatches – they really look amazing over something, but not great over bare skin). If you want a dedicated sparkle palette to add that extra layer of glitter, this is a really fun one.

Have you shopped your stash lately, or is there a category you keep almost buying more of? 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.

The 10 Sephora Products I’d Replace First if I had to Start Over

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on The 10 Sephora Products I’d Replace First if I had to Start Over

I realized I would need to write a reallllly long post with all my Sephora favorites I’d recommend for the sale, so I decided to focus on the 10 products from Sephora I’d buy first if I had to start over and rebuild my routine. I really tried to focus on what I’d actually buy from Sephora instead of doing a full-face roundup/one from every category. You’ll notice some categories (like bronzer, contour, powder blush, and mascara) are missing because my favorites aren’t available at Sephora. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops – This is the primer that makes my skin look so much better, no matter how little sleep I got. It’s skincare and glowy primer in one, without leaving a greasy finish. It gives that fresh, bouncy finish like you just drank a gallon of water. Even though it provides a glow, it still sets down and provides a great base for makeup to sit on top of and also looks great on no-makeup days because of the finish. I’m really happy I finally grabbed the value size in the last Sephora sale.

Armani Golden Hour 24HR Lightweight Skin Tint with Hyaluronic Acid in F3 – This is such a beautiful skin tint that’s worked well with every primer and sunscreen I’ve paired it with. It’s also played well with all my powders. The shade is a bit too peachy but I don’t feel like I need to add a color corrector when I wear this which is huge for me. You can see next to the Tower 28 concealer below that it would look seamless, except that the Tower 28 is so perfectly green in comparison. It gives light coverage that lets my freckles peek through, similar to the Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Tint. You can build it up a bit to light-medium coverage, but it won’t go a real medium or even full coverage. The finish is natural (not too matte, not too dewy), and really looks just looks like skin but better. It has a slight fragrance, but nothing overpowering or lasting. It blends out incredibly easily and holds up really well throughout the day without getting patchy or breaking up. I’ve honestly been really neglecting my other base products so I can wear this instead.

Armani Golden Hour 24HR Lightweight Skin Tint with Hyaluronic Acid in F3 and Tower 28 Concealer in BW 

Tower 28 Concealer in BW – This is a newer shade that is specifically supposed to work for olive undertones, and yup, it really is green. This is one of the only concealers I’ve found that actually looks like my skin tone (on my face) instead of just sort of working well enough. I already liked this formula, so having a shade that actually matches me is awesome. It blends in beautifully and looks really natural on the skin, which is why you can’t really see anything in the swatch. It looks like they also have a medium olive shade, so I may end up grabbing that in the sale and mixing the two together because BW is about to be too light for me heading into the spring and summer. I really appreciate that BW is a true warm olive, and it matches me much better than any of the other shades I’ve tried so far.

Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Liquid Blurring Balm Setting Spray – The Danessa Myricks spray has become more of a powder step for me than a normal setting spray. Sometimes I spray it onto a brush or puff and press it into the skin and basically use it as powder. Since it’s still been super dry here and so has my skin, I’ve been reaching for it most days instead of actual powder, and I’ve been really happy with how that’s been working. 

Laura Mercier Translucent Pressed Setting Powder Ultra-Blur – If I really want an actual powder step to lock something in, this is the one I reach for. I love that no matter what I do, it never feels like I put too much of this on. It’s truly translucent so it doesn’t add any coverage or change the color of what I have on my face. It’s definitely only doing a tiny bit of setting and mattifying (so I wouldn’t recommend this for combo/oily skin) but I love how it’s able to do what I want a powder to do without adding any heaviness or getting cakey. It does have a tendency to hard pan, but you can easily fix that with a piece of tape.

Makeup by Mario Master Mattes® Long-Wearing Cream Eyeshadow in Mauve – This shadow has quickly become a one-and-done favorite. The mauve shade is actually a warmer brown on my skin tone but it looks so polished with very little effort – it’s the tan/brown I’ve been looking for that isn’t Cheeto orange. It applies super easily, blends out quickly, and once it sets, it stays put all day without creasing. I love using it alone, but it also works really well as a base under other powder shadows. It’s exactly what I want in a liquid matte shadow. I also love how easy it is to get just a little bit off the doefoot because the formula is a little thick, which means you don’t end up with way too much that blends out all over your face. I honestly might grab some more shades in the sale.

Makeup by Mario Master Mattes® Long-Wearing Cream Eyeshadow in Mauve and Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Believe 

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Believe – This is very far away from beige in the packaging, but on me it turns into a perfect soft muted beige flush that looks like it just belongs on my face. The brand describes it as a true mauve, and it has that desaturated cool-toned mauvey pink tone that ends up looking just right instead of orange. This is a pretty pigmented formula as you can see in the swatch where I applied directly from the doefoot in a line. You really don’t need that much, and 0.25oz will last forever. The formula is great – it blends easily, lasts all day, and sets down to a really nice skin like finish that isn’t too dewy. If your blush disappears on you, this is a really good one to grab.

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’m honestly always shocked that my eyebrows stay put with this until I wash them off, with zero crunchiness, flaking, or stiffness. The hold is strong but flexible, and it actually looks natural. I wish it came in tinted shades, but even with the clear shade, it’s worth adding into my routine for the shaping and hold.

Eadem Lip Balms in Fig Sauce, Pain au Chocolat, Croissant au Beurre, Boba Bounce, Bissap Glaze, and Guava Fresca

Eadem Le Chouchou Exfoliating + Softening Peptide Lip Balm in Fig Sauce – I’ve talked about these balms so many times because they’re genuinely some of my favorite lip products ever. What I wanted to share is that Fig Sauce is such a good color. It’s a super pretty milky rosy brown that ends up being the perfect everyday shade. I usually go for deeper and more brown colors because of my high-contrast olive complexion, but this one still works so well. It’s flattering, easy, and very much a “throw it on without a mirror” situation. The formula is incredible, the scent is amazing, and I haven’t met a shade I didn’t like. I’m so happy to have another one in my collection, and I highly recommend them if you’ve been curious. I still love the shimmery ones (Pain au Chocolat and Coissant au Beurre), Boba Bounce, Bissap Glaze, Guava Fresca, and Butter Mochi, but Fig Sauce has definitely become one of my favorite day-to-day colors.

Every Experiment product I’ve tried so far – I’m cheating a little by making this one product but I would immediately replace all four of the Experiment products I’ve tried. I love them, I use them every day, and they are really special. The Super Saturated Barrier Support Serum gives my skin a lot more hydration, and the Molecular Mesh Moisturizer is one of the best moisturizers I’ve ever used. The Oil Buffer Jelly and Softwear Lip Treatment are very important parts of my nighttime routine and supporting my skin barrier overnight. I use both at night as my last steps, and I definitely notice when I skip them. I’m actually grabbing a new Molecular Mesh, a Support Serum, and a Softwear lip treatment in this sale because I’m about to run out of all 3.

What Sephora product would you replace first? 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.

The Complexion Products I Keep Reaching For

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on The Complexion Products I Keep Reaching For

I was going to do a post about the products I’ve really been using day to day, and once I looked at the list, it was basically all complexion products. These are the ones I kept reaching for because they either work really well with my skin or help balance out products I already have that don’t quite work with my olive undertones. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.

Milk Hydro Grip 12H Hydrating Gel Stick Concealer in 2 – I bought this hoping it would work for my under eyes, and it absolutely does not. On me, it really does not sit well there at all and emphasizes all my texture and lines. But as a spot concealer, I’ve actually been using this a lot more than I expected. It’s close enough to my skin tone (it’s almost a perfect match on my face), it blends in really easily, and it gives me that effect where I can tap a little on something and it just disappears. This was not what I wanted it to be, but it still ended up becoming a product I use all the time. It’s what I always wanted in the Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer but in a good shade for me and works on my dry skin.

Milk Hydro Grip 12H Hydrating Gel Stick Concealer in 2 and Lisa Eldridge Pinpoint Concealer Micro Correcting Pencil in 5.5

Lisa Eldridge Pinpoint Concealer Micro Correcting Pencil in 5.5 – This fills a really similar role for me to the Milk concealer, but in a more precise format. I’ve especially been using it around the outside of my lips after seeing Lisa Eldridge show that trick as a way to naturally created a “lifted lip look”, and now I do it constantly. It just cleans everything up and makes my lips stand out more. I also reach for this if I have one tiny spot or one tiny area I want to perfect. I really like both of these concealers, but this is the one I want when I need more control. I love that Lisa has so many great shades for olive undertones (can confirm this matches my face even though my arm isn’t the same color).

Tfit Translucent Set Finishing Powder in Green – I’ve mostly been avoiding powder because my skin has been so dry and textured lately, but I keep using this anyway. It’s been my go to finishing step when my makeup looks a little off. If my complexion is looking too pink, too red, or just not quite right compared to my neck, this helps pull everything together. If something is clearly too orange, I use blue (more on that next), but if it just looks wrong and I can’t fully tell why, I use this green powder. Especially for the price, I’ve been really impressed with the texture and finish too. I tried to swatch it but it blends in so well with my skin, you can’t see anything.

Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Corrector in Blue – I still use green color corrector for redness, but blue has been the thing that helped me most with foundations and concealers that turn orange on me. I just add a tiny bit to anything that runs too warm, and it pulls it back to something that works a lot better on my skin. I also use this at the end of my complexion steps if my face is still looking too orange compared to my neck. This is one of the most useful products I added this year, and I use it almost every day.

Also, I’m working on a longer post about this, but I want to throw out there that your makeup does not have to match perfectly. It’s okay if it’s a little off, and you don’t have to spend all your time color correcting everything. But if you already have a lot of products that don’t quite work, I really like having one blue corrector I can use instead of buying even more foundations and concealers.

Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Liquid Foundation in 3W before and after adding Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Corrector in Blue

Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Liquid Foundation in 3W – This is too orange on me straight from the bottle, but the depth is right, and once I add a little blue corrector, it becomes a much better match. The formula is the reason I keep reaching for it. It sits so nicely on my skin, blends easily, and wears well all day. When I’m not actively testing something else and I just want my makeup to look good without much effort, this is the foundation I grab. I especially like it with the Tower 28 Swipe Serum Concealer in BW from my last post.

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.

Product Updates on Things You’ve Been Asking Me About

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on Product Updates on Things You’ve Been Asking Me About

I’ve had a small but growing pile of products set aside for a post about products that people have been asking about (by people, I mean about 20 of you, AND THANK YOU FOR ASKING!). I finally have enough thoughts on 5 of the products to create a post. Most of these are products I specifically bought because y’all asked me to test them. Some of these are just updates on products I’ve already talked about that people asked for an update about. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own

Vieve Modern Radiance Cream Bronzer in Light – This is probably the question I get most often: what bronzer do I use that does not turn orange on me? This is still the one I reached for since I first reviewed it last year. On my skin, it reads like a muted olive tan, so it’s warm enough to actually bronze but stays well out of the Cheeto zone. I really do think the slight green in it is part of why it works so well and blends in so smoothly on my skin. The formula is excellent too. It’s easy to pick up and blend and looks seamless on the skin. I have a lot of bronzers that are perfectly fine, but if I could only keep one, this would be it.

Vieve Modern Radiance Cream Bronzer in Light

Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Liquid Blurring Balm Setting Spray and Milani Make It Last Dewy Setting Spray – I’ve been asked a few times whether I’m still using the winners from my setting spray battle now that some time has passed, and yes, absolutely. I’m actually still using both of them almost every day. The Danessa Myricks has become more of a powder step for me than a normal setting spray. Sometimes I spray it onto a brush or puff and press it into the skin and basically use it as powder. Since it’s still been wintry here and my skin has been really dry, I’ve been reaching for it most days instead of actual powder, and I’ve been really happy with how that’s been working. Then I use the Milani as my actual final setting spray, and the combination has been working so well for me that I’ve been neglecting my powders altogether, except for one green one I’ve been testing that I’ll share more about in a week or two. I’m very glad I did that whole setting spray test, because both of these really did end up earning permanent spots in my routine.

Tower 28 Concealer in BW

Tower 28 Concealer in BW – A few people asked me to review this because it is specifically supposed to work for olive undertones, and yup, it really is green. This is one of the only concealers I’ve found that actually looks like my skin tone instead of just sort of working well enough. I already liked this formula, so having a shade that actually matches me is awesome. It blends in beautifully and looks really natural on the skin, which is why you can’t really see anything in the swatch. It looks like they also have a medium olive shade, so I may end up grabbing that and mixing the two together because BW is about to be too light for me heading into the spring and summer. I really appreciate that BW is a true warm olive, and it matches me much better than any of the other shades I’ve tried so far. This is definitely my go-to winter concealer.

MAC Matte Powder Blush in Blunt (please be aware this is impossible to swatch well)

MAC Matte Powder Blush in Blunt – My friend Kackie mentioned this shade in one of her videos and was so excited for me to try it, and she was right. I finally bought it, and the color is so good. On me, it reads like a muted rosy tan-brown, and it has turned out to be one of the best everyday blush shades I own. That said, the formula is a classic matte powder blush, and I’m just not as used to working with that type of formula anymore. I would personally love this exact color in a bouncy, cushiony, hybrid blush texture. That said, I’ve especially been loving it as an eyeshadow, and it has become such an easy one-and-done matte shade.

I also went looking for contour products that actually work on my warm olive skin without adding blue based on your feedback. Totally fair to not want to mix in blue every time you use a contour product!

From right to left: ABH Contour in Halftone and Greyscale, Judydoll Liquid Contour in Warm Cocoa Brown, Westman Atelier Contour Stick in Biscuit and Coco

ABH Blur Contour Stick in Greyscale – I’m so glad they came out with this shade in their shade expansion. It isn’t that much much cooler than Halftone, but just enough to not pull orange on me like Halftone did. Greyscale reads like a true cool olive-gray contour. It actually creates shadow instead of warmth, which is exactly what I wanted. If I want a sharper, more obvious contour, this is one of the products I reach for.

Judydoll Liquid Contour in Warm Cocoa Brown – The name is a little misleading if you are expecting “warm” in the usual sense, because it’s actually just their contour for warm skin. On me, it reads very similar to Greyscale but even cooler and greener. It is perfect for actually sculpting instead of just looking like a neutral bronzer. I love that this is under $15 (it’s under $10 right now) and a really great liquid formula that’s easy to work with. It’s the most “looks like a classic contour” on me product I’ve found so far.

Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick in Coco – This one is super different from the other two. It is definitely not orange, and it is much more workable on me than Biscuit, which I kept trying to force into being a contour even though it is clearly a warm bronzer on my skin. Seriously, look how orange it is next to Coco. Coco is a really interesting shade that I can’t quite describe but it’s a rusty red brown that’s almost purple grey. It somehow still works as a contour on my face in a way that looks very natural (I’m sure Kackie can and has explained the color theory behind this since she recommended this one!). It blends beautifully into bronzer and looks great in photos. When I want a softer, more natural contour, I use Coco. When I want a more obvious sculpted look, I use Grayscale or Judydoll. Honestly happy to have all 3 from in my and hopefully I can use the other contours as bronzers as it gets warmer!

What other products or categories would you like updates on? 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.

The Rosy-Beige Makeup Look That Actually Works on My Olive Skin

Featuredby liftbakelove1 Comment on The Rosy-Beige Makeup Look That Actually Works on My Olive Skin

I have been trying to figure out the perfect beige makeup look that works on my olive skin ever since Kackie (of Kackie Reviews Beauty) did a video on beige blushes. Most of those blushes go orange on me, and I’ve been obsessed with figuring this out. After doing a ton of testing, I think I have the right products, and I wore them all together yesterday. I got so many compliments from people in person and over work calls. I actually don’t think I have ever gotten that many compliments on a makeup look before. Caveat up front that I tried to get a more rosy-beige leaning look because I know so many of you are hoping to avoid orange, and I really do think rosy-beige looks so pretty. I’m super excited to share this set of products for this kind of look, especially for spring. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Believe – Like most of these products, this is very far away from beige in the packaging, but on me it turns into a perfect soft muted beige flush that looks like it just belongs on my face. The brand describes it as a true mauve, and it has that desaturated cool-toned mauvey pink tone that ends up looking just right instead of orange. This is a pretty pigmented formula, so you don’t need that much, and 0.25oz will last forever. The formula is great – it blends easily, lasts all day, and sets down to a really nice skin like finish that isn’t too dewy. If your blush disappears on you, this is a really good one.

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Believe and Naming Fluffy Powder Blush in Taro

Naming Fluffy Powder Blush in Taro – Naming came out with a beige spectrum of blushes that goes from warm light beige to deep cool beige, and I’m so glad I picked one up. As a warm high-contrast olive, I figured the coolest deepest shade would be the best test, and I was right. Taro turns into the perfect everyday rosy-beige blush on me. I’ve actually been using it as a comparison point for other blushes while trying to find the right ones for this look. The formula is soft, blurring, and easy to work with. It is a little sheerer, so I have mostly been using it to set cream and liquid blushes instead of wearing it on its own. I especially love it over Believe because the two shades work so well together. And at least while I’m writing this, it’s only $12.

YSL Couture Mini Clutch in 200

YSL Couture Mini Clutch in 200 – I’ve written about this palette before, and it is still probably my favorite eyeshadow palette for my olive undertones. The shades stay rosy-beige without going orange on me, and they’re the right shades to use to make everything look cohesive with this type of blush look. The formula is also fantastic. The satin and matte shades are so smooth, easy to use, and very forgiving and blurring. The topper is beautiful, though it’s pretty sheer and I wouldn’t wear it on its own. It looks great over any of the other shades. I didn’t actually see this particular color story on Sephora, but it is currently 15% off at Nordstrom. If it turns out they’re discontinuing this one, I will definitely be picking up 400 next.

YSL Couture Mini Clutch in 200

Queen Musia Skincare Supercharged Tinted Balm in 1993  – My lips are pretty pigmented and pretty pink, so keep in mind that these lip shades are mixing with my natural lip color. For me, that means I do not actually want a lip product that is straight mauve. A cool-toned brown mixed with my natural lip color gets me to that neutral beige effect better. 1993 is just a perfect sheer rosy cool-toned brown. The formula is really nourishing, and it’s one of my favorite lip balm formulas. It also does not turn cheeto orange on me, which is obviously a huge plus for a brown balm.

Queen Musia Skincare Supercharged Tinted Balm in 1993 and Westman Atelier HydroBalm Sheer Tinted Lipstick with Peptides and Hyaluronic Acid in Soda

Westman Atelier HydroBalm Sheer Tinted Lipstick with Peptides and Hyaluronic Acid in Soda – This is the more pigmented version of that same idea. It is also a cool-toned brown, but with a lot more color payoff, so if you want something that is much more likely to actually show up brown on the lips, this is a really good choice. I will admit that Kackie just bought this for me for my birthday so I haven’t had it that long, but I’m SO HAPPY with how it looks. It’s definitely the vampier version of this lip look, but I love it so much. It’s also a little tingly so if that’ll bother you, I wouldn’t choose this one.

If you specifically want true mauve lip color recommendations, I have also been collecting those, so let me know in the comments!

Victoria Beckham Brand Review: What’s Worth It and What I’d Skip

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on Victoria Beckham Brand Review: What’s Worth It and What I’d Skip

This has been a very highly requested brand review (thank you so much for the requests – please keep them coming here or on Instagram). I’m so excited to share so many amazing products and a couple I personally would not recommend. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. As always, I’ve prioritized getting product swatches true to color so don’t pay too much attention to whatever is going on with my skin.

Posh Lipstick in Pose – This is my favorite Victoria Beckham product and the first thing I’d rebuy if I had to start over. It stays actually cool toned on me, which is absurdly hard for me to find. It’s a mid-toned mauve that never turns even a little bit orange. It’s that perfect pinky purple mauve I’m always looking for and can basically never find. The formula is lightweight and a little nourishing and dewy without being too glossy. It’s just such an easy everyday lipstick that I would buy again and again.

Posh Lipstick in Pose, Lip Definer in 02, Posh Gloss in Martini

Lip Definer in 02 – This is one of the VB products that has stayed in my rotation the longest. I just checked and I got mine in 2021 so it’s probably time for a new one, but honestly, it still works and smells perfectly fine. It’s a firmer formula that is long-wearing, and it gives me the clean definition I need to make my lips look more polished. This shade does go a bit go too orange on me so if I grab a new one, I’ll get a different shade, probably 03. This also is definitely a drier formula so I usually need to start with a little lip prep that has time sink in first.

Posh Gloss in Poolside and Martini – I love this formula so much. It makes my lips look smoother and more hydrated, and it’s shiny without being sticky. Poolside is the one I’d rebuy next because it’s the perfect everyday shade on me and plays so nicely with my olive undertones (I actually used it up, so I don’t have it right now and cannot swatch it). Martini is a very, very sheer glittery peach topper that’s won’t change the color of whatever you’re wearing underneath, but also looks really good on bare lips. I have a bunch of shimmery glosses and balms now and this one isn’t my favorite of the bunch, but I’m glad I tried it and the formula is still fantastic.

Matte Bronzing Brick in 01 (lighter shade, darker, shade, mixed together)

Matte Bronzing Brick in 01 – I use this constantly, which is very rare for a bronzer. The packaging is beautiful, and I love that it’s refillable, so you can keep the compact and just swap in a refill if you ever finish it. The matte finish is extra blurring on the skin without being overly dry or powdery. The undertone is ever so slightly cooler and more neutral than a lot of bronzers that end up going very orange so both tones work well for my olive undertones. It’s still warm but not too much. I use the lighter shade to blend out anything that needs blending, soften harsh edges, and bridge the gap between my cheek products and concealer, or to softly fill in hollows. Then I’ll use the deeper shade as my actual bronzer, or I’ll just mix the two together depending on the season. I also use both shades as eyeshadow all the time. It’s a great year-round bronzer because you can adjust it lighter or deeper without needing a second product, and I think it would work for a wide range of complexions too.

Lid Lustre in Tea Rose – This is the sparkly Victoria Beckham eye product I’d recommend of all the different shimmery eye products (more on the palettes later). The formula is gorgeous and really easy to apply with a finger or a brush, and you can do a light layer or build it up. Tea Rose is a perfect neutral taupe brown base with a soft plummy/pinky sheen that also has sophisticated glitters that flash pink-lilac and a little champagne/gold in different lighting. It doesn’t go orange or even all that warm, and I love it pared with the Pose lipstick. It’s a more fancy sparkle when the light hits than something like a Pat McGrath special shade, so it actually works really well for everyday. One warning though – mine isn’t super hard-pressed, and I tilted it too far once and got eyeshadow everywhere. So, just be careful!

Lid Lustre in Tea Rose, Crease-Proof Eyeshadow Stick in Pecan, Instant Brightening Waterline Pencil

Crease-Proof Eyeshadow Stick in Pecan – This is one of my favorite eyeshadow sticks, and I’m actually not a huge eyeshadow stick person. The formula is truly great. I can throw it on, blend it out quickly, and it stays all day. Pecan is a really great color that actually stays brown on me, and there’s a tiny hint of green that makes it work so well with my olive undertones. It does have a hint of warmth in it, but not in a Cheeto way. This is also one of my favorite car makeup eye products because it’s so easy to throw on without a brush, and I can wear it alone or tap on a shimmer on top with my finger.

Instant Brightening Waterline Pencil – This is so good that I got rid of my other beige/white waterline pencils. The color is so good. It’s a yellow beige that brightens without looking stark or obvious, so it reads way more natural on me. I know it’s very yellow in the swatch, but it works really well actually on my waterline. The formula is also super easy to use, comfortable on the waterline, and actually stays put. When I’m tired and want to look more awake fast (which is always), this is one of my go-tos.

Satin Kajal Liner in Cocoa, Bronze, and Olive – This is a great eyeliner formula if you want creamy application with really great staying power. You have enough time to smudge or soften it, and I actually do use the little smudger on the other side of the pencil because it works great with this formula. The liner does sets down and doesn’t migrate or turn into a mess on me. It’s easy, it layers well, and it works for tightlining. The Ravie liner is still my pick for someone who’s really bad at eyeliner (it’s me, I’m very bad at eyeliner) but if you’re a little more confident and can handle a more pigment, this is next on my list. Cocoa (dark matte brown) and Bronze (antique green/gold/bronze shimmer) are my everyday favorite easy natural shades on me. Olive is a shimmery deep black based green that’s clearly green but also is a great choice if you want to start playing around with green since it’s not a bright lime green.

Satin Kajal Liner in Cocoa, Bronze, and Olive and Contour Stylus in Marble 

Contour Stylus in Marble – This one works, but it’s too expensive for what it is and way too warm to be a good contour for olive undertones. On the positive side, the packaging is super nice, like all Victoria Beckham products. Even though it looks like it might be a little dark at first, it blends out really well and can look natural on my high contrast complexion as a bronzer. That said, I don’t really love the super skinny precise contour stick format. The formula also feels a little dry and a little sticky on me. If you love a precise contour stick and you love the brand, you might enjoy it but this is not the one I would tell you to run out and buy. I will be doing a contour update super soon with your recommendations!

Eye Wardrobe Multi-Finish Eyeshadow Palette in Orchid (first four), Bordeaux (middle four), and Cocoa (last four)

Eye Wardrobe Multi-Finish Eyeshadow Palette in Orchid, Bordeaux, and Cocoa – These are my regret purchases, which I’m very sorry to report. The compact is super luxurious, the refill system is easy (I got one compact and 3 refills), and the formulas are genuinely fantastic. The mattes are silky, easy to blend, and not overly pigmented. The satins and shimmers are beautiful too, and I have no complaints about performance. My problem is the colors do not work for me. Orchid (supposed to be purple) goes brown-orange on me. Bordeaux is straight up orange, including the shade that should read more burgundy. Cocoa went gray-green on me, which I normally wouldn’t mind, except it’s gray-green that still goes orange, and it just doesn’t look right. The light matte in this one is also just Cheeto on me. Every time I use one of these, I have to grab another product to fix it or I end up wiping it off and trying again. If you struggle with shadows not looking like the pan on your skin, I wouldn’t recommend these. For the price, I’d personally grab a YSL Quad every 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.

The Best Contours for Olive Skin (as long as you don’t mind adding blue)

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on The Best Contours for Olive Skin (as long as you don’t mind adding blue)

If you have olive skin, you’ve probably run into this problem. A contour looks like it will be cool enough to make a realistic shadow until you blend it out. Then, it turns into bronzer. On me, most contours pull warm the second they hit my skin and do not read like a shadow at all, no matter how much the brand promises “these are actual cool tones this time!” So, I wanted to do a full breakdown of how I make any contour work for me, and the ones I recommend.  In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.

What I’ve been doing to make all my contours work for me is add a tiny bit of blue. Blue cancels out orange, so it takes a contour that reads warm and makes it a little more of a grey, shadowy color. In my swatches below, the left side is the contour on its own. The right side is the same contour with a touch of blue added. The difference is not huge (trust me, I know how nuanced the difference is for some of them), but on my face it is the difference between something being a bronzer and a believable contour. Some of these start out better than others, so you can see the blue doesn’t do as much, and that’s one of the reasons I like those better.

These are in same order of the swatches from top to bottom:
Make Up For Ever Artist Color Crayon in Endless Cacao – Color wise, this is the coolest one on its own out of the ones I’ve tried. With a touch of blue, it becomes a really good true contour tone for me. I just do not love the formula. It goes on fine, but it feels a little dry especially as it dries down, and it also manages to blend out into almost nothing. I layered it up a bunch in the swatch so you can see the color, but you can also see the texture on the left shows every dry spot on that part of my arm. I really wanted to love it because the undertone is pretty good, but I don’t reach for it much. I also don’t love the packaging. I don’t love this for a contour because the stick is so chunky, and I don’t like traveling with it because I worry the cap could pop off. I’m still glad I tried it, but it is not a staple for me.

Dior Forever Skin Contour in 01 Light – This is one I reach for constantly, even though the tone is not perfect on me straight from the stick. With a tiny touch of blue, it becomes a really believable contour, and then I can use the same product as is as a bronzer over top. That’s my favorite way to use it, and I do that quite often. The formula is big the reason I keep coming back to it. It is genuinely one of the easiest cream contour sticks to use. It blends quickly, it is forgiving, and I don’t have to think too hard about it. I also love the packaging. It feels sturdy and travel friendly, and it’s the kind of product I actually feel good throwing in a bag. I also think if you’re not very olive undertoned, it’ll work great as a contour as is (based on what I’ve heard from my not-green friends).

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Contour in Gentle – This looks so cool and grey/taupe on the website swatches and nothing like it looks on me. This is a great example of a contour being technically correct but still super warm on me. That said, I really like this formula. It’s super easy to throw on and blend, and it’s more forgiving than the blushes. It’s not nearly as pigmented, and you don’t have to worry about going overboard right away. It also mixes really well with the LA Girl blue corrector. The undertone shift looks smooth and even, and it wears really well throughout the day. The only reason I’m not raving about it is because I like the next one even more and I reach for that one first almost every time. I still love this one, and I would still recommend it.

SACHEU Contour STAY-N in 01 Giving Sass – This one is my favorite. If I had to keep only one liquid contour, and honestly maybe one overall, it would probably be this one. It is so easy to dot on, it blends fast, and it stays on extremely well, which is exactly what you want from a product called STAY-N. It also works perfectly with the blue trick. I can do targeted contour with a little bit of blue mixed in, then go back in and use it as is on top where I want warmth. It ends up functioning the same way the Dior does for me which I love. Of all of these, this is the one I have used the most by far and would repurchase. This is also one I travel with a lot because the applicator makes it so easy to just dot and blend. It’s one of my favorite options if you specifically want a contour wand situation.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Smooth Blur Contour Stick in Half Tone – This is the one I can most easily use as contour by itself without it looking weird on my skin. I think it is because it has a little green in it, which works great for me. The formula is perfectly good, and I have no complaints. It applies well, blends easily, and it does what it’s supposed to do. I personally like the creaminess and blendability of the Dior stick a little better, but this is still very workable. The main thing to know is that if you apply too much, you can see it start to turn into bronzer. The edges can get warmer, and it stops reading like a shadow. I’m really glad to have tried this one, but it’s not my top pick. *I did just notice they added more shades, and I bet greyscale might actually work really well for me. Let me know if you want me to try it!

Victoria Beckham Beauty Contour Stylus in Marble – This one works, but it’s not exciting to me, and it’s too expensive for what it is. On the positive side, the packaging is super nice, like most Victoria Beckham products. Even though it looks like it might be a little dark at first, it blends out really well and can look natural on my high contrast complexion. That said, I don’t like the super skinny precise contour stick format (just as much as I don’t love how chunky the Make Up For Ever is). The formula also feels a little dry and a little sticky on me. If you love a precise contour stick and you love the brand, you might enjoy it. If you’re shopping specifically for the best contour for olive skin, which I assume you are if you’re reading this, this is not the one I would tell you to run out and buy.

Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick in Biscuit – This has been one of my favorite brontours for years, and it still is. On me, it has always leaned more a little bronzer than true contour, but it is one of those products that looks good every time as a stand-in for both. Like the ABH, it has a touch of green in it that makes it work really well with my skin. I can add a little bit of blue and do the contour and bronzer thing with it, and it works well, but I do usually use this as a brontour when I’m running low on sleep and time. I love the packaging, and I love the formula. It is so effortless to use. This is the one I reach for when I am trying to get ready really quick, and I just want to throw something on and know it is going to look good. They just added new shades of this one, and I’m thinking of trying Coco if that would be helpful!

LA Girl Pro.Conceal Color Corrector and Makeup Forever Artist Cream Color in Matte Cobalt

The two blue mixers I’ve tried are the Makeup Forever Artist Cream Color in Matte Cobalt and LA Girl Pro.Conceal Color Corrector in Blue:
I bought the Makeup Forever Artist Cream Color in Matte Cobalt specifically to mix with cream contours. It does work, but you have to work fast since this dries down quickly and matte. It is super pigmented and it can be a little hard to blend, which you can see in the swatches (although it’s easier for this purpose because it doesn’t move around as much as a liquid would). The best way I have found to use it is to apply my contour to my face first, then tap the tiniest amount of Matte Cobalt on top, then mix as I blend. That gives me the undertone shift I want without fighting the formula as much. Because it’s not meant for this, it’s very easy to end up with too much blue, and I wouldn’t recommend it for this purpose.
My second mixer is LA Girl Pro.Conceal Color Corrector in blue, and this is super easy to use even though it’s a liquid. It blends like a normal concealer, it mixes so easily, and it is what I use for liquid contours. I can mix it on the back of my hand with them, and it stays workable long enough to adjust the ratio. If you are buying one blue corrector for this trick, I would just get the LA Girl. It does exactly what you need, and it’s only $6.

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.