makeup favorites – Page 5 – Makeup and Skincare Reviews

May 2022 Favorites

June 2, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakelove4 Comments

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

BK Beauty 101 Contoured Foundation Brush – I will be doing a full review of all the BK Beauty brushes I have, but this one really stands out to me. It’s the perfect shape for so many things – foundation, bronzer, blush, highlighter. Because of the angle and the shape, it works so quickly for anything I’m doing. The density is perfect and doesn’t “eat up” too much product. Even though it’s large, it works so well for blush and bronzer in particular. It’s one of the first brushes I would rebuy now if I lost my collection, and that’s saying so much since I have such a large collection of brushes.

Natasha Denona Puff Paint Liquid Blush – This is a liquid blush serum that dries down but keeps its beautiful sheen – you can see how dewy it looks on my swatch above. I love using it as a finishing touch after I apply other cream blushes to add some brightness and shimmer-free shine. It never disturbs anything underneath it and is just the right amount of pigmentation to use in this way. I have it in the shade Darya, which is a bright melon color that is really unique to my collection, and I never think to reach for it, but now that I have started using it all the time, it’s become an almost daily staple.

Natasha Denona Puff Paint Liquid Blush in Darya

Glossier Ultralip in Villa – The Ultralips are a pretty pigmented tinted lip balm that has a touch more glossiness than your average balm. I love how moisturizing it is and how long lasting it is (for a lip balm texture). You can also build up the color without anything weird happening like pilling or patching. Villa is such an at home shade for me that makes it super easy to throw on, so I love using these during the day on work calls when I want something quick and easy while still taking advantage of how moisturizing these are.

Urban Decay 24/7 Moondust Eyeshadow in Space Cowboy – I own a ton of single glittery/topper type eyeshadows and love them all, but I think my absolute favorite is this one. I’ve used it on top of my eyeshadow almost every single time I’ve used my eyeshadow since I bought it, and I’m so happy with the effect it has. It’s a sheer shimmery eyeshadow that adds a wet look to any shadow without really adding any color or changing the color of the look underneath. It’s also incredibly reflective and glossy, doesn’t have any fallout, and is so easy to apply with a brush or fingers (and doesn’t require any glitter glue).

Fitglow Beauty Lip Night Serum – I love all of the Fitglow Lip Serums so much, but I have been loving the night serum. This formula is incredibly nourishing, thick, hydrating, and long-lasting, which makes it perfect for super dry winter nights. It’s honestly the best nighttime lip treatment I’ve ever tried, and I wake up consistently to hydrated and nourished lips, which I’ve never had happen in the winter before using this product. It’s quite expensive for a lip balm, but it’s really so much more than that and totally worth it for me to not have consistently dried out, chapped, painful lips.

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

I Shopped My Stash and Found 5 Products I Love But had Totally Forgotten About

May 22, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

As part of my no-buy year, I’m trying to really get to know and love my collection, and part of that is diving back into my collection to re-fall in love with products I already have (or realize they don’t work for me). These are 5 products that I recently dug back out and realized how much I love them, and I’m so excited to be getting more use out of them! And, of course, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.

Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation in Shade 4 – This is what inspired this post. I started wearing this again (honestly because I’ve had it for years and want to finish it before it expires), and I was reminded about how amazing it makes my skin look. It has exactly the the right amount of coverage (light to medium and buildable), looks glowy but not oily, and lasts all day. I was actually shocked that it lasted over 14 hours and looked exactly the same as when I applied it. I had to really build up this swatch because a light layer blended seamlessly into my skin, but as you can see, it’s definitely buildable. I’m so glad I pulled this back out!

Natasha Denona Puff Paint Liquid Blush – This is a liquid blush serum that dries down but keep its beautiful sheen – you can see how dewy it looks on my swatch above. I love using it as a finishing touch after I apply other cream blushes to add some brightness and shimmer-free shine. It never disturbs anything underneath it and is just the right amount of pigmentation to use in this way. I have it in the shade Darya, which is a bright melon color that is really unique to my collection, and I never think to reach for. But using it again – wow, I love how much it brightens up my face and how easy it is to use.

W3ll People Superpowder Brightening Powder – This was my go-to before I got the Kosas Cloud Set powder, and I started using it again just to switch it up. I love it just as much as I did before! I like to use this powder as a last step before my setting spray to clean up and brighten any areas that might need it. It’s super useful as a way to correct going too far with blush or bronzer without adding coverage or mattifying your skin. It’s been really nice to use even in conjunction with other powders because I can use this to brighten vs just set.

Vesca Lush Glow Creamy Lip Oil in Ginger Lily – I honestly completely forgot I owned this because I just have so many lip balms and oils right now. I started using it again recently, and I was reminded about how amazing it is. The formula is like the perfect combo of a lip balm, lip oil, and lip gloss. It’s super moisturizing, stays glossy for so much longer than I would have expected, and the color is just the right level of sheerness for me. I’ve found this so easy to apply throughout the day, and the color works so well with so many blush and eyeshadow combinations!

Holo Taco Glitter Polishes – This is more of a category, but I had totally forgotten about how much I love this polish formula. I used them for this tropical flower nail art and was so happy with how it turned out. Especially in the sun, the glitter formula is so sparkly and holo. I do have to do 3 coats for full coverage, but that’s very expected for glitter/jelly shades. I tend to use these glitters in the winter because they remind me of holiday time, but I will definitely need to keep using the lighter shades like Play Rose, Menchie the Cat, and Gliterally Purple more often in the spring and summer!

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

Pat McGrath Bronze Seduction Mothership Eyeshadow Palette Review

May 14, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakelove1 Comment

As part of my no-buy year, I’m trying to really get to know and love my collection, and part of that is doing more in-depth reviews of products I already have. This helps me spend more time playing with them and learning about why I like (or don’t like) certain products. For this series, I’m planning on doing a full review on each one of my palettes, starting with the ones I have from Pat McGrath. For transparency, I was able to get Bronze Seduction for $85 on sale last year, so while I know it costs $125 regularly, some of my opinions are influenced by having purchased it half off. And, of course, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.

Bronze Seduction shades are swatched and listed below from left to right top row and then left to right bottom row. For transparency, I took this after I swatched these and swirling with my fingers smoothed the shades and took away any signs of usage.

This was my third Pat McGrath palette, but the one that I’ve wanted for the longest. It’s the color story that seems perfectly made for me with the bronzes, browns, pinks and purples that go really well with brown eyes. There also aren’t any super colorful shades which makes this a great everyday palette where I can actually use almost every single shade. It has 10 shades of varying finishes including mattes, shimmers, and glitters. I didn’t have any issues with any of the shades – they were all richly pigmented, blendable, had great lasting power, and had little fall-out.

Bronze Seduction shades are listed below in order from left to right on my arm

Skinshow Divine Glow – This is one of my favorite inner corner and browbone highlight shades I own. It’s a soft golden beige with a pearl finish that just finishes off any look with a bit of brightness. The shimmer is very fine so it’s easy to use with any other eyeshadow finish without it feeling like it’s “too much.” It’s very similar to Skinshow Moon Glow in Midnight Sun and Skinshow Nude in Divine Rose, but Divine Glow is the most neutral vs the more gold or pink versions of this shade in the other palettes.

Entrapment – This is a medium-dark warm toned matte brown. Because of the warmth, it goes really well with the golds and pinks in this palette, and I appreciate that it doesn’t overlap with most of the browns I have in my collection that are natural or cool. I love using this as a softer shadow liner or to darken the inner corner just a bit. It’s incredibly smooth, pigmented, and blendable so it works really well for this because it doesn’t blend away to nothing.

Bronze Blaze – This is a light-medium golden bronzey shimmer shade. Technically, it’s a metallic shadow but I find that the shimmer isn’t very strong. I love using this as a one and done shade all over the lid or paired with the darker mattes in the outer corner. Even though I love this shade, it’s definitely not at all unique, and I wouldn’t recommend getting this palette just for this bronzey/gold shade.

Rose Gold 005– This is my favorite shade in the palette and definitely my most used. It’s a beautiful pinky bronze metallic shade that creates a really impactful look by itself. I love how shiny it is and how it’s a “sophisticated pink”. It has flecks of gold and pink in it that I find make it pair really well with my brown eyes. If you want to up the impact, you can use this shadow wet and it has a super pretty shiny, sparkly finish that I am honestly obsessed with. I would never recommend getting a palette this expensive for one shade, but now that I have it, I’m very happy with this palette just for this one.

VR Fire Opal – This is a shimmery duo-chrome shade that shifts green and teal. It’s a super cool shade but I rarely use it on its own. I love using it on top of super warm shades to add some coolness, brightness, and shimmer. This shade is incredibly shiny and also works really well wet. If a look I make accidentally leans too dark, I will add a light layer of this all over the lid or just in the center to bring some lightness to the look.

Xtreme Aubergine – This is a very deep matte purple that leans slightly warm. It’s a beautiful shade for the outer corner or as eyeliner. I love how easy to blends out without losing its depth. This is much darker than the darkest matte in most of my other palettes, so I find that I pull this out if I ever want something super smoky (which is rare, but does happen). I also find that this shade stays richer than any other purple shadow I own, which really impressed me.

Guilty Pleasure – This is a warm light-medium metallic taupe, and it’s one of my favorite shades in the palette. It works so well as a one and done shade all over the lid for something super easy and not too dark (or too light) for me. It’s super smooth for a metallic shade, and I love how easy it is to get on my eyes and blend with a brush or fingers. It also pairs really well with the rest of the shades in the palette.

Disobedient – This is a deep matte brown that leans slightly warm. It’s a beautiful shade for the outer corner or as eyeliner. I love how easy to blends out without losing its depth. That said, it’s definitely not a super unique shade of brown, and while I’m glad it’s in this palette to add to looks, it’s not incredibly exciting vs some of the other shades.

Blitz Flame – This is a dark warm toned red metallic shade that is super sparkly and rich. Even though it’s very red in the pan, I find that it shows up more deep pink on me (it looks almost the same as Ruse Dusk from the Divine Rose palette despite how red it looks like it’ll be). I love using this as a base for sparkly toppers or as a way to dark the outer corner with a non-matte shade. It pairs really well for a gradient look with Rose Gold 005 or Bronze Blaze.

Astral Luna Gold – I’m glad I didn’t end up with a third Astral Solstice, which is the Astral shade in Divine Rose and Midnight Sun – the other two PMG palettes I own. That said, this shade is not for me. It shifts gold, blue, and purple, and I never use it. Like Astral Solstice, it’s beautifully sparkly and glittery and much smoother than I would have expected. It makes any base shade so incredibly bright, wet-looking, and shiny. So if you’re into a blue/purple/gold sparkle situation, you might love this!

What other palettes would you like to see an in-depth review of? Let me know in the comments below! Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

MY 5 FAVORITE PRODUCTS UNDER $50

May 11, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakelove1 Comment

As part of my no-buy year, I’m trying to really get to know and love my collection and starting a “favorite products under $X series” to help me in that process. I’ll be doing posts every month for different dollar amounts, and I’m so excited to dive into my collection in this way. This time, I’m writing about my favorite products under $50. I would love to see your favorites and recommendations for under $50 beauty products in the comments! And, of course, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.

Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick in Biscuit ($48)– I’ve included this in multiple favorites posts because I really do love and use it so much. This is one of my go-tos when I’m short on time and just need to add some color to my face without having to do a lot of work or blending. I own so many cream bronzer products, and always come back to this one as my “I just don’t want to think about it and need something that works” product. I stand by what I said in my 2020 favorites post: if I had to start my collection over, this would definitely be one of the first things I replace.

Auric Glow Lust in Morganite and Selenite ($45) – This product is my favorite for making my skin look amazing no matter what’s going on with it. Even if my skin is dull and dehydrated and not looking its best, Glow Lust will make it look glowy, smooth, and moisturized. Every time I wear it, I instantly feel more confident, especially for video meetings because Glow Lust reflects so beautifully and distracts from anything else going on. Of all of my glowy, liquid products, this is definitely my favorite of the bunch. I use it as a primer, mixed in with foundation, and as a highlighter, and it works amazingly well for all of those purposes. 2025 edit: I honestly prefer the ELF Halo Glow Liquid Filter now and would recommend that instead!

Fitglow Beauty Lip Colour Serums ($42) – I know I write about these all the time, but it’s because I truly love them, and I’m so happy I have so many of them. I use them almost every day. The formula is incredibly nourishing, thick, hydrating, and long-lasting, and I just reach for them so often especially because they work so well as toppers for more matte lipsticks or lip liners. All the shades are beautiful, and I can always find one to match my look. I’ve been really loving Halo and Regal this month in particular, but all of the shades I have get a ton of use. I have 5 full sizes and the rest are minis, and I highly recommend looking out for sales or mini sizes if you’re interested in these!

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

Roen 11:11 Quad – This is my favorite Roen quad of the three that I own, and it’s definitely my most used. Each shade is a perfect one-and-done on it’s own, and they are so easy and quick to use. The shade swatched farthest to the right below is my go to for adding a high impact sparkle to any eye look, whether it’s on top of the other shades in the 11:11 palette or any other eyeshadow I’ve used. It just seems to finish off any look, particularly in a world where I want people to see my eyes through a screen. I also really love the Roen formula because it’s so versatile – with a finger, the shades go on incredibly pigmented and intense, but with a brush, you can create a very sophisticated wash of color. They last all day on me with an eyeshadow primer, and I don’t have any issues with flaking or fall out.

Farmacy Honey Halo Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer ($45) – This is hands down the best moisturizer I’ve tried for my super dry skin. It’s incredibly thick but still absorbs super quickly and plays well with my other nighttime skincare products. It’s been really dry even though it’s solidly Spring now, and I’m so glad I have this to keep my skin hydrated and moisturized. In particular, it’s been saving my dry skin from totally losing all its hydration overnight. I

What are your favorite products under $50? Let me know in the comments below! Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

2022 EMPTIES (WILL I REPURCHASE?) – PART 9

May 9, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

Back again with another 5 empties (fully finished products)! I have a bunch of empties this month, but, as usual, I am keeping these posts to 5 products to keep them short. As always, I’m super excited to take a good look at what I thought of the products I’ve finished and whether or not I’d buy them again. And, of course, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil – As someone with very dry skin, I really liked having such a thick and moisturizing oil as a retinol option. If I was super tired and didn’t feel like doing my full routine, I could just use this and go to bed and would wake up with skin that still looked hydrated and glowy. Even though I’ve loved and used this for year, I have found other retinol products I like more, and I don’t love that this has blue dye in it so I have to be careful about laying on a pillow right away. So, I won’t be repurchasing this.

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47 – This has been my sunscreen of choice for a couple years now since I first tried it. It’s both moisturizing and lightweight and doesn’t leave a white cast despite being an all mineral sunscreen. I love that the formula doesn’t dry out my skin or have a tint that leaves my face looking a strange color like a lot of mineral sunscreens tend to do. It doesn’t pill, it great under makeup, and also smells amazing – every time I put it on, it just cheers me up and helps me get ready to face the day. I am already using my backup.

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic – This product is supposed to “improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, loss of firmness, and brightens skin’s complexion,” and it definitely does all those things. I was actually surprised by how well it worked, and how nice my skin looked after using it entirely. That said, I’ve switched back to some of my other vitamin C serums since finishing this, and they also work great (even if just a little less well). So, I’m not going to repurchase this because it’s $169, and there’s just so many other Vitamin C serums on the market that are very effective.

Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Balm in Clear – Before I talk about why I love this, I want to say that I don’t think this is worth it at full price (or even 50% off). I was able to grab this for $12, and for me, it’s totally worth it at that price. This balm is incredibly moisturizing and imparts a glossy look to the lips without being too much. I love adding it on top of matte lipsticks to turn any lipstick into a slightly sheer/shiny product without adding anything too glossy or sticky or something that would make it wear off too quickly. All that said, I have so much lip balm right now that I definitely can’t justify replacing this yet, and I bet I’ll find things I like even more.

NBM Cuticle Buddy in Lavender– My nails have never been healthier or stronger since I starting using these, and I don’t freak out about nail breaks anymore because they grow back so fast now. I used the Lavender scent every night as I’m getting ready for bed, so I’m not surprised it’s the first one I fully finished. It’s calming and relaxing and the perfect “wind down” scent. As always, you can use my affiliate code with Shop NBM to get 10% off sitewide: LIFT10. I’m not repurchasing this one yet because I have like 10 other ones going right now, but I definitely will one day!

I’d love to know – what have you finished lately? Like I mentioned, I have a ton more empties that I will be posting about, and I’ll be sharing empties posts every other Friday all year. 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.

April 2022 Favorites

May 1, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

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

Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation in Melrose – I honestly think this might be my favorite foundation of all time. I’m surprised I haven’t written about it yet! The formula is so incredibly smoothing and glowy. It makes my skin look both perfected and hydrated while feeling super comfortable on the skin. I can put it on with a brush, sponge, or fingers, and it looks great. The wear time is amazing considering how lightweight it is, and it absolutely wears in instead of off. Now that we’re heading into summer, I’ve been wearing it more often even though I actually have had it since last year. I also have been relying on it whenever I travel and want something I can apply quickly with my hands.

Pat Mcgrath Divine Blush in Fleurtatious – The formula is incredibly smoothing and blurring, and it looks so beautiful on my skin. It is one of my most flattering powder blushes, and it’s the one I use when I don’t want to think about how I’m applying my blush. It lasts incredibly well, and it works great to set a cream blush if I want my look to last all day. Fleurtatious is a warm-toned light pink that works so well with the tones that I love to use, and as you can see in the swatch below, it’s just pigmented enough to show up but not too pigmented to take over a look. I’ve been reaching for this so often to finish off my looks now that we’re in Spring.

Glossier Haloscope highlighter in Quartz – I love the effect this gives when I take the time to apply it just right. It provides a natural looking subtle glow that is glitter free and looks like I just have healthy skin. Because it has a champagne colored section and a clear section, if I apply it directly to my skin, I end up with a darker streak on my cheekbones and a patch where my blush has picked up under that. So, I’ve been swirling a brush over it and applying it from the brush, and it honestly looks so great. I had written a review about how I didn’t love this because it’s a bit sticky, but now that my skin is a little less dry with the changing seasons, it seems to be working better. I’m glad I’m getting more use out of this!

Dieux Instant Angel Skin Restoring Moisturizer – The product page says that “this nourishing face cream supports and repairs skin while giving an ethereal glow,” and that is incredibly accurate. This has helped me get rid of any dry, flaky patches on my skin, and it really has makes a huge difference in hydrating my skin closer to normal. It’s also gentle enough that I can use it on my currently dry, flaky eyelids with no issues, and it soothes and moisturizing them so well and so fast. It also sits perfectly under makeup because of how fast it melts into the skin and because it imparts a bit of a glow.

Josie Maran Intensive Daily Repair Body Butter – I finally found a body butter I like more than the Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter, and it’s also from Josie Maran. I haven’t been using this as long as the other products, but I had to share. I have incredibly dry skin on my body to the point that I sometimes get itchy hives, and I haven’t had any since I started using this. It’s so incredibly nourishing, moisturizing, and honestly healing. Like the other body butters from this brand, it’s still fast absorbing and super lightweight even with how moisturizing it is. I’m so glad I have this, and it’s well worth the price (especially since Josie Maran products go on sale often).

April 2022 No-Buy Update

April 27, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakelove2 Comments

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

What’s one thing that helped this month go easier?
I spent a week in NYC and brought a super minimal bag of makeup (let me know if you’d like to know what I brought with me!). This made me realize how little I really need to get to a full face that still looks great. It was a fantastic reminder that I really do already have everything I need and more, and that anything else I get will make me use my favorite products less. Every time I think of purchasing something now, I think about whether I could get by without it for a few weeks, and the answer is always yes.

What was one thing I wanted to buy but didn’t and why?
I really wanted to get the new Patrick Ta Major Dimension II Rose Eyeshadow Palette during the Sephora sale. Every review of it makes it sound perfect, and it’s exactly the kind of color story I love. Because it’s the kind of color story I love, I realized I already have lots of eyeshadow that can create a similar look. Between the Pat McGrath Divine Rose, Natasha Denona Mini Retro, Roen 11:11, and all my singles and glitters, I can make my perfect peachy-pink or rose eye look. I definitely don’t need more eyeshadow, and I’ve had a lot of fun digging back into all these palettes.

Did I buy anything this month?
I bought one thing in the Sephora sale – Item Beauty Air Hug Clean Lightweight Full-Coverage Concealer. The Item Beauty concealer wasn’t on my radar until Kackie Reviews Beauty started talking about it, and now it’s one of my most wanted products. It sounds amazing – hydrating, long-wearing, non-creasing, smoothing, and blendable. I wasn’t going to buy it (I actually posted about why I wasn’t going to get it) but I had a gift card that would cover the cost, and I panned one of my current concealers. I’m honestly really happy I got it since it’s everything Kackie said it would be, I paid $0, and I used the gift card for something more utilitarian than another blush or eyeshadow.

What’s a product I rediscovered by having to shop my stash?
One of my favorite rediscoveries is the Mac Soft & Gentle Highlighter. The makeup artist for my wedding back in 2019 used the Mac powder on me, and it looked so amazing in the pictures that I went out and bought it as soon as I found out what it was. It gives the perfect amount of sheen without being glittery, and I find that it’s very hard for me to use too much. I had totally forgotten about it and decided to start using it again, and I love how it looks on top of all my cream cheek products.

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

KACKIE (REVIEWS BEAUTY) MADE ME BUY IT in 2021 (PART 3)

April 21, 2022by liftbakelove1 Comment

Kackie has one of my favorite beauty channels to watch – so much so that it’s part of my morning routine Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays when she posts new videos, and I can’t imagine it any other way. What makes her stand out for me is that she actually reviews products rather than fawning over new releases. She covers textures, colors, formulation, packaging, etc. in depth, usually with comparisons to similar products you might already have. She has what she refers to as an encyclopedic knowledge of products, and I think that’s why I find her reviews so helpful. Kackie goes out of her way to give the most pertinent information to help viewers decide why something might or might not work for them and what they should know about the product when making a purchasing decision. For that reason, almost everything I’ve gotten because of her recommending it has become a fast favorite and something I wish I had bought sooner. Because I’m on a no-buy in 2022, I rounded up all the products Kackie made me buy in 2021 since my last “Kackie made me buy it” post. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

Lisa Eldridge Liquid Lurex Eyeshadow in Angelica and Bianca – I absolutely love this eyeshadow. This formula is so quick and easy to use. It’s almost like a mousse and feels halfway between a cream and a liquid. I’ve tried using a brush and fingers, with and without a primer, and applying directly from the doe-foot and from my hand – nothing I tried didn’t work out amazingly. The formula doesn’t crease and looks exactly the same all day. I tested it on a 17-hour makeup day, and it honestly could have just been applied. I’ve used it as one sheer layer, a thicker application, and layered on top of itself, and it looked great all three ways. I love how I have enough time to play with it and blend it out however I want before it sets down. They’re also some of the more spangly eyeshadows I’ve ever used, which may be the thing I love about them the most. Angelica is a rosy bronze that is the absolute perfect shade for me – I feel like I’ve been hunting for this color for years, and here it is. Bianca is a warm, purply-pink that really makes my brown eyes pop.

Tower 28 Beauty BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush in Happy Hour – This is one of the dewiest blushes I own – it’s super pretty on dry skin. The formula of these is incredibly easy to use and blends out super quickly. It does leave a slight stickiness that isn’t always my favorite, especially if I know I’m going to be wearing a mask. This is described as a warm toned pink, but I find it pulls very peachy-orange on me. Because of that, I haven’t used it that much since we’ve been in the winter months, and I’m excited to use it more in the summer. Of all the blushes Kackie has “made me buy,” I think this is my least favorite, but that’s just because she sets the bar so high with all the other blush recommendations.

Em Cosmetics So Soft Blush – I knew I would love these the first time Kackie described the texture of these – they’re everything I look for in a cream blush. The So Soft formula is incredibly soft and creamy (like the name implies), and that makes it so easy and quick to apply. It blends so seamlessly into the skin without disappearing. It’s actually one of the longest wearing cream blushes I own despite being so blendable. I have the shades Lychee (warm melon), Venetian Rose (vinatge rose), and Pearl Tea (brownish nude), and I get lots of use out of all the shades.

ABH Dewy Set Setting Spray – The Cover FX Dewy Finish Setting Spray had been my favorite for years, but I like this even better. It does just the right amount of dewiness and sets my makeup while still leaving everything skin-like and flexible. I love how this makes my makeup look after everything is said and done and how it provides great lasting power without drying out my skin (in fact, I think it adds another layer of hydration). It’s also less expensive than similar options, like the Hourglass Setting Spray Kackie says it’s a dupe of, so I’m very excited this has come into my makeup routine.

Kosas AirBrow – Kackie convinced me to try this over, and I’m so glad I did! It finally unseated Glossier Boy Browhich I had been using for years. It tints and fills in the brows so quickly and easily without overdoing it or over applying the gel. It doesn’t get crunchy or hard and stays in place all day. I prefer it to the Boy Brow because it’s a bit thicker so it lasts longer and keeps my brows exactly where I want them all day.

Glow-All Super Powder Face Palette – I really struggle with powder products because they tend to stamp on vs deposit color and blend out so it’s super easy for me to overdo. I knew based on Kackie’s description I would have no issues with this formula, and she was right! It’s so easy to work with and you don’t have to think about what you’re doing because it’s so hard to overdo it. The formula is also incredibly creamy and blurring as you can hopefully see in the swatches below. I’m so happy to have this for travel and for quick and easy looks at home. I brought it with me when we visited family for Thanksgiving, and it was great to have everything in one palette, including such different blush colors. You can still get a pretty big brush in the pans, which I really appreciate. The palette is $17.13, and I’m loving it so much more than my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit – Sculpture Unlocked palette which was $58.

highlighter, bronzer, and blushes from the face palette

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

Beauty Pie Seamless Foundation Buffing Brush – This brush is really densely packed which ensures it maintains the level of coverage of any product I’m using it with. It also never creates any streaks and cleans really well even with consistently using it with liquid products. While this brush is amazing for foundation, I actually love it even more for cream blush. It blends every formula so seamlessly and quickly and is my go-to for when I’ve overdone my blush and need to blend everything together quickly because of its size. This brush is under $10 and feels similar to my much more expensive synthetic brushes. I now totally understand why Kackie said in her review that she wanted tons of these in her collection.

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.

PAT MCGRATH Divine Rose MOTHERSHIP EYESHADOW PALETTE REVIEW

April 17, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakelove1 Comment

As part of my no-buy year, I’m trying to really get to know and love my collection, and part of that is doing more in-depth reviews of products I already have. This helps me spend more time playing with them and learning about why I like (or don’t like) certain products. For this series, I’m planning on doing a full review on each one of my palettes, starting with the ones I have from Pat McGrath. For transparency, I was able to get Divine Rose for $85 on sale last year, so while I know it costs $125 regularly, some of my opinions are influenced by having purchased it half off. And, of course, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.

Divine Rose shades are swatched and listed below from left to right top row and then left to right bottom row. For transparency, I took this after I swatched these and swirling with my fingers smoothed the shades and took away any signs of usage.

This was my first Pat McGrath palette and the one that made me fall in love with her eyeshadow formulas. That said, it’s definitely my least used compared to Midnight Sun and Bronze Seduction (review coming soon). I find that it doesn’t have as many rosy shades as I was expecting but they do still work really well with brown eyes. There also aren’t any super colorful shades which makes this a great everyday palette where I can actually use every single shade. It has 10 shades of varying finishes including mattes, shimmers, and glitters. I didn’t have any issues with any of the shades – they were all richly pigmented, blendable, had great lasting power, and had little fall-out.

Divine Rose shades are listed below in order from left to right on my arm

Skinshow Nude – This is one of my favorite inner corner and browbone highlight shades I own. It’s a soft golden beige with a pearl finish that just finishes off any look with a bit of brightness. The shimmer is very fine so it’s easy to use with any other eyeshadow finish without it feeling like it’s “too much.” It’s very similar to Skinshow Moon Glow in Midnight Sun except Skinshow Nude is more golden whereas Skinshow Moon Glow is more pink.

Velouria – This is a beautiful medium-dark mauve shade. I love using this in my crease no matter what kind of look I’m doing because it just works so well with my olive skin and brown eyes. It’s incredibly smooth, pigmented, and blendable so it works really well as a crease shade.

Sable Bronze – This is a light brown bronzey shimmer shade. Technically, it’s a metallic shadow but I find that the shimmer isn’t very strong. I love using this as a one and done shade all over the lid or paired with the darker mattes in the outer corner. Even though I love this shade, it’s definitely not at all unique, and I wouldn’t recommend getting this palette just for the bronzey shades like this one.

Refined Gold 002 – This is a warm gold metallic shade that is quite bright. I love using this in the middle of my eyelid to brighten up a look or add something really shiny, which this is. By itself, I find that it’s a bit too true gold for me, but it does pair really well with the rest of the shades in the palette.

Iridescent Pink 003 – This is a shimmery duo-chrome shade that shifts beige and pink. It’s a super cool shade but I rarely use it on its own. I love using it on top of bronzey shades to add some pink brightness and shimmer. If a look I make accidentally leans too dark, I will add this all over the lid to bright some lightness to the look.

Xtreme Mahogany – This is a deep matte brown that leans warm. It’s a beautiful shade for the outer corner or as eyeliner. I love how easy to blends out without losing its depth. This is much warmer than the darkest matte in the Midnight Sun Palette, so I find that I pull this out if I end up with a warmer look from either palette. I also find that this shade stays richer than other dark browns I own, which makes it more unique than I expected it would be.

Love Lace – This is a warm medium-dark metallic taupe, and it’s one of my favorite shades in the palette. It works so well as a one and done shade all over the lid for something more dramatic than Sable Bronze. It’s super smooth for a metallic shade, and I love how easy it is to get on my eyes and blend with a brush or fingers.

Rose Dusk – This is a rosy plum shimmer shade that has a beautiful sheen. It’s also of my favorite shades in the palette, and my go-to if I want an actual rosy look. I think this might be my most used shade in the palette because I love deep pinky eye looks that don’t pull red. It also pairs really well with the mattes in the palette for a more complex look.

VR Rose Venus – This is the other shimmery duo-chrome shade in the palette, and it’s much darker. It has a strong pink base and an even stronger gold shift. I think this shade is beautiful, but I haven’t yet had an occasion to really get a ton of use of it. I can’t wait to play with it more!

Astral Solstice – This might be one of my favorite shadows of all time and is hands down my favorite eyeshadow topper in my collection. This shade is a warm beige that is incredibly sparkly and shiny and is sheer enough to go over lots of base shades. Whenever an eye look is feeling lackluster, I can throw this shade on top, and it immediately feels incredibly special. I’m glad I love this shade as much as I do because I actually own it in two palettes now (this one and Midnight Sun) so keep in mind that this is one that been repeated across Mothership palettes.

2022 EMPTIES (WILL I REPURCHASE?) – PART 7

April 8, 2022April 1, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

Back again with another 5 empties (fully finished products)! As usual, I am keeping these posts to 5 products to keep them short even though I’ve finished more than these. As always, I’m super excited to take a good look at what I thought of the products I’ve finished and whether or not I’d buy them again. And, of course, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.

Dermadoctor Lotion for Dry Rough Bumpy Skin + Keratosis Pilaris with 10% AHAs + PHAs – This honestly didn’t do anything for my KP so I’m glad that I got the travel size. It was hydrating and sunk in quickly but didn’t do much of anything else. It also didn’t have a fragrance. I won’t be repurchasing this and will be trying some of the similar products from First Aid Beauty instead.

KBshimmer Clearly on Top Quick Dry – This top coat is incredible and only $6. It dries so fast, doesn’t cause shrinkage, and is super shiny. I can do a full manicure in less than 30 minutes and go about my day, including going the gym, with no issues. I also have way fewer chips than normal, and my nails last way longer than with other top coats. With how affordable this is, I’m so impressed and can’t imagine going back to more expensive top coats when this works even better than they do. After I finished this, I bought the big refill bottle so I’d never be without this topcoat.

Farmacy Honey Halo Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer (repeat empty) – This is the best moisturizer I’ve tried for my super dry skin. It’s incredibly thick but still absorbs super quickly and plays well with my other night time skincare products. Usually by this time of year, my skin starts to get flaky and itchy because it’s so dry, but I’ve had no issues since I’ve been using this. It’s honestly been saving my dry skin from totally losing all its hydration overnight. I have a few backups of the jumbo version, so I won’t be buying this gain for a long time, but I will absolutely repurchase again when I’m out.

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara in Brynn (repeat empty) – This continues to be the best mascara I’ve ever used. I’ve moved on to one of the four minis I have, and I still love it. It makes my lashes look amazing, doesn’t smudge, and actually holds a curl. The best part is that it washes off so easily and quickly. I still have more minis to get through after this and will definitely repurchase until an amazing tubing formula comes out that’s better than this one.

Trader Joe’s Ultra Moisturizing Hand Cream – My husband wanted to include this empty this week and in his words: This hand cream is incredibly thick and feels luxurious. The formula was moisturizing and made my hands feel hydrated. My only issue with this was it was slightly on the oily side and took a few minutes to sink it. He would absolutely repurchase it and already has.

Tag: makeup favorites