makeup – Page 12 – Makeup and Skincare Reviews

July 2021 Favorites

July 28, 2021December 30, 2021by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

I can’t believe it’s already time to talk through my July favorites, which means we’re more than half way through 2021! I fell in love with a ton of new products this month, but as usual, I only feature products in my favorites that are true favorites that I’ve been using consistently for longer than one month. So if you don’t see something you were expecting based on how much I raved about it, you’ll likely see it in a future post. And as always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

Phytosurgence Flash Florescence Cream Shadow in Potent Petal – I have used this shadow so many times since I got it that I feel bad for neglecting my other eyeshadows. Potent Petal is described as a a soft cherry blossom pink with a slight hint of a champagne shimmer, which is perfect for my brown eyes. The formula is the perfect mix between a matte and shimmer shadow so I can use them for a more subtle day time look or build them up to something super multidimensional and impactful. It’s just so easy! I’ve frequently added the their new Flash Florescence Cream Shadow in Orchid Overload for some extra dimensional glitter, and the glitter sticks to these eyeshadows all day. I also love how much time I have to play with these to get them just where I want them on my lids, but then they dry down and stay put (even through some super intense gym sessions). I have also been loving Wild Oak (the other shade I bought), but Potent Petal is my favorite of the two.

Phytosurgence Skin Spark Blush Balm in Simmer – I have been loving the Phytosurgence blushes I got last month, but in particular the shade Simmer. It’s a beautiful bright pink that really wakes up my whole face. It blends so seamlessly and easily into the skin, leaves an impact with such little product, and stays all day. It doesn’t need to be built up but absolutely can be layered. The finish is just glowy enough without being sticky even though it has a balmy, moisturizing texture. I don’t know how they did it, but it’s basically perfect. it’s just really special, especially considering it’s only $17. If I didn’t own so much blush, I would buy more colors (definitely let me know if you want me to review any other colors though – I will grab them if you comment below with a request!).

Glossier Ultralips – I have been loving all of the shades I got – you can see more swatches and comparisons of all of them here. 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. Glossier says that the formula is so comfortable it’s like “pulling on a buttery-soft, well-loved cashmere sweater”, and I definitely agree. This is like putting on your favorite pair of sweatpants after a long day, but for your lips, and I have been using them so much.

Ultralip in Portrait, Villa, Trench, and Cachet

Farmacy Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer – I’ve been loving this in the summer because it’s incredibly lightweight but still very moisturizing. It also sinks into my skin so fast, which I really appreciate when it’s this hot and I don’t want to feel moisturizer on my face. It also layers incredibly well with my other morning skincare without causing pilling. I’m planning on picking up the Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer to try for the winter when my skin gets even drier than it is right now – let me know if you’d like a review!

NBM Cuticle Buddy – Color Expression, who does amazing nail polish reviews, totally sold me on the Cuticle Buddy. And for $35, you can get a kit that comes with a great travel nail file, the cuticle buddy, and a full 1oz of nail oil to refill your cuticle buddy with. I think this is just such an incredible value, especially considering how great the oil is. I got the orange (growth) formula which contains tangerine and sweet orange essential oils, and it smells amazing. I’ve been using this every night, and I definitely feel a difference in my nail health and strength. I’m so excited to have found these and am hoping to pick up some of the fun summer scents when they restock. As always, you can use my affiliate code with Shop NBM to get 10% off sitewide: LIFT10. Like all my reviews, everything written is my completely unbiased opinion, and I would definitely be talking about these without being an affiliate (I even wrote this before getting a code and am editing this in afterwards).

What was your favorite product this month? What would you like to see next on LiftBakeLove? Let me know in the comments below, and thanks as always for reading!

Hot Weather Favorites

July 21, 2021April 3, 2025by liftbakelove6 Comments

Now that we’re really in summer and I’ve experienced a historic heatwave, I wanted to share some of my hot weather favorites. This is a short list of the makeup and skincare that I’ve been relying on to ensure my makeup lasts all day and to improve summer skin issues. If you have requests for other product round-ups, let me know in the comments below! And as always, subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.

Fenty Eaze Drops in Shade 02 – The formula is almost entirely mask proof and sweat proof, but doesn’t look heavy at all. It has a natural finish that I can easily add dew too with something like Glossier Future Dew without effecting how long it lasts. Even walking around or working out when it’s incredibly hot, it holds up super well all day. I love that I can blend it in super quickly with my fingers, and it looks flawless – during the summer, I want things that are quick and easy, and this definitely checks all the right boxes.

Vesca Kissed By Bronzing Powder in Santorini – I have been loving setting my cream products with powder products to make them last longer without putting setting powder everywhere. I find this creates a more satin vs matte finish, which is great for someone like me that wants to look hydrated and dewy while still having something long lasting. There are lots of powder bronzers that would work great for this, but I’ve been really loving using the Vesca bronzer. Since I just got this recently, I’ll be doing a full review of it soon – let me know if you have any questions in the comments!

Cover FX Dewy Finish Setting Spray – This spray in particular is my HG setting spray that I’ve been using for years and love. It’s alcohol-free, it really does add dewiness which I can never get enough of, and it’s so much less drying than other setting sprays I’ve tried. I always use this to finish off any makeup look, but I find it’s especially important in the summer to make everything last all day.

Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder – My skin starts feeling super congested in the summer, and I need to do a bit more than my normal chemical exfoliant routine. Because my skin is generally very dry and dehydrated, I tend towards super gentle exfoliants, especially if I’m going to use a physical exfoliant. The pineapple powder is super gentle while still being very effective. My skin always feels so much better when I use this – much less congested without any irritation. It’s only $16, and this bottle will last forever. I also love that I don’t have to worry about it expiring as quickly because of its powder format.

Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask Extreme Detoxifying Hydrator – This is my favorite mask to use when it’s been really hot out. This has been such a skin saver for me (and my husband, who also loves this mask!). It’s so hydrating and leaves my skin super soft and moisturized. If my face feels irritated from the heat, it helps my skin feel better immediately because it’s so cooling. It’s even if you keep it in the fridge, and I’ve been loving using mine straight from the fridge lately. It’s pricey but a little goes a long way, and the small jar that both my husband and I use is still going strong.

What are your hot weather favs? Let me know down in the comments below!

The 5 Products I’d Use for A Quick and Easy Full Face of Makeup

July 14, 2021April 3, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

Someone suggested I write a post about what I would use for a full face if I could only choose 5 products, and I loved that idea (thank you!!). These are the 5 products I would use to do a super quick “I have a video call starting in 5 minutes that I need to get ready for” look. I have dry skin and prefer a dewy look, so you’ll see lots of cream products and no powder. If you’d like me to do this again but focusing more on something much more sweatproof/long wearing, let me know in the comments below! And if you enjoy reading, subscribe here or follow me @liftbakelove on Instagram for updates!

Glossier Stretch Concealer – My favorite way to use this concealer is all over like a foundation, so it would absolutely be my pick to use as both a foundation/concealer. This is one of the best ways to do a full face fast since you can dot it all over your face, blend, and be done. The Stretch Concealer is my go to for this because it looks incredibly skin like, lasts all day, and provides just the right amount of coverage for me (which is light). I find the light coverage makes it blend seamlessly and wear well even without powder since it’s harder to tell where it’s worn off than with a fuller coverage product. It also feels very light weight, and everything I put on top of it looks great.

Glossier Boy Brow – My eyebrows are super thick and unruly and require a brow gel (at minimum) to look okay, so there’s no way I would skip a brow product. My choice would be Boy Brow because it deposits color (but not too much), defines the brow hairs, and has great staying power without being crunchy.

Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate cream bronzer and highlight duo in Shade 0.5

Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate duo – This might be cheating since this is a duo, but it was one of the first things that came to mind for this. I would use it as a bronzer, highlighter, and eyeshadow. The formula is a little sheer which makes it super easy to just throw on without having to be super precise, and it blends into the skin incredibly seamlessly. The bronzer shade is neutral enough to be used as more of a “brontour,” which makes it a great shade for a one and done eyeshadow look too. I normally always use an eyeshadow primer, but I found that I could use my finger to apply this to my eyes without a primer, and it worked great. Because it’s a cream product, it’ll definitely crease a bit especially without a primer, but I’m totally okay with that for this kind of look.

From left to right: blackberry, raspberry, coral, peach – brighter shades I think would be perfect for this kind of look!

Salt New York Crème Tint Pro – Because the crème tint pro functions as both a lip and a cheek product, they make for a super easy monocrhomatic look. I’ve written about these many times because they are one of my favorite cream products. I own all of the shades they make, and I love that any of them would look great paired with the Tom Ford duo. You can also use them on the eyes if you don’t mind creasing similar to the Tom Ford, and I would totally do that if I wanted to pull the look together even more. This is a great formula for a “I’m running late and need something easy” look – they blend out quickly with a brush, sponge, or fingers and never look patchy.

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara – Something always looks a bit off until I finish a look with mascara, so I knew it would have to be one of my 5 products. The only mascara I’ve been using for awhile is this one so it was an easy choice. It makes my lashes look amazing, doesn’t smudge, and actually holds a curl. As always when I mention this mascara, if there’s a tubing mascara you love and think I should try, definitely let me know in the comments!

If I could choose a 6th product, it would be the Cover FX Dewy Finish Setting Spray. There’s a lot of cream products in this list and no setting powder, and I think adding the setting spray would go a long way for longevity. This spray in particular is my HG setting spray that I’ve been using for years and love. It’s alcohol-free, it really does add dewiness which I can never get enough of, and it’s so much less drying than other setting sprays I’ve tried. It would be a great finishing touch for this almost full face of cream products.

What would your 5 products be? Let me know down in the comments below!

2021 EMPTIES (WILL I REPURCHASE?) – PART 8

July 9, 2021April 3, 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.

Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Repair Mist – While my all-time favorite mist continues to be the Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator, this one is amazing in the morning and during the day, especially to help prevent any mask-ne. It’s lighter than the Josh Rosebrook, and I’ve really loved having both in my collection. That said, I feel I got through it a little too quickly given that it costs $59 for only 50ml (1.7oz). The Jose Rosebrook is double the amount for about half the price so I’ve been using it for all my misting, and it’s been great. If anyone has other mists I should try, please let me know in the comments!

Josie Maran Argan Oil – This is a nice oil – it sinks in pretty well, it moisturizes, it provides an occlusive layer, and it has never broken me out. That said, I love the Josie Maran Skin Dope Argan Oil + 100 mg CBD so much more and have switched back to that already. It absorbs so much faster, and I find that it actually improves my skin brightness and firmness whereas the argan oil is just a nice oil. I tend to get this as a gift with purchase, and I’ll use it when I do (if you’re a regular here, you’ll know I recently finished one of these a couple months ago), but I won’t be repurchasing.

Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil – After finishing this eyebrow pencil, I switched back to a drugstore eyebrow pencil assuming it would be the same. It absolutely wasn’t, and I found myself missing this pencil so much. It’s super easy to get a natural look without going overboard and the color blends in really well. The pigment lasts incredibly long which I’ve found is much more unique than I realized. I think the shade range is pretty great with 12 shades, and I’m glad I can find something that more closely matches my eyebrows than having to choose between a warm dark brown and black. I’m definitely repurchasing this and can’t wait to get back to it!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Eye Primer – This is my HG eyeshadow primer, and I already repurchased the large size of this. My eye lids are naturally much darker than my face so I like to use a primer that’s tinted to help even everything out and get my eyelids closer to the rest of my skin in shade. Beyond being a great color for me, this also helps my eyeshadows show up way better and last longer. I always notice a huge difference when I use this versus when I don’t. I know the large size will take me forever to get through, so I’ll look around to see what else is available then. I can’t imagine anything being better than this for me so I will likely repurchase it!

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara – This continues to be the best mascara I’ve ever used. This is my second mini of the four I got as a buy 3, get one free deal, 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 two more minis to get through after this and will definitely repurchase until an amazing tubing formula comes out that’s better than this one. Let me know if there’s any you think I should try!

I’d love to know – what have you finished lately? Like I mentioned, I have a ton more empties that I will be posting about, and not all of them are as positive as this group. Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading!

June 2021 Favorites

June 30, 2021April 3, 2025by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

I can’t believe it’s already time to talk through my June favorites, which means we’re half way through 2021! I fell in love with a ton of new products this month, but as usual, I only feature products in my favorites that are true favorites that I’ve been using consistently for longer than one month. So if you don’t see something you were expecting based on how much I raved about it, you’ll likely see it in a July or August post.

I think I’ve found my new HG lip liners – the Soft Blur Velvet Lip Liners from Em Cosmetics. The formula blends so easily so you can get a soft, blurred, and diffused look. I find that creates a much more natural look that still defines my lips and helps prevent any feathering of the lipstick I use on top. Even with how soft and lightweight they are, they are very long lasting. I have the shades Kitten, a neutral rose, and Mink, a cool brown, which both work really well with my lip color and the with my favorite lipsticks and glosses. I was heavily influenced by Jaime Paige who loves these, and she definitely was right that these are amazing.

From left to right: Em Cosmetics Lip Liners in Kitten and Mink

My lips are incredibly dry right now, and Finding Ferdinand Lip Balm has been so helpful. The formula is really moisturizing, lasts a long time, and is a great base underneath lipsticks. I keep one of these in my purse, and the packaging is very secure so I don’t have to worry about balm getting all over everything. I also have one with their summer flavor Orange Popsicle added to it, and I love this flavor so much. It actually tastes and smells like an orange popsicle and always makes me feel a little bit happier applying it.

I’m so glad I got the Salt New York Lilac and Tangerine Crème Tint Pro, which is a limited edition duo they launched for spring. At the time of writing this, these are still in stock and on sale. I love using Lilac to cool a look down and Tangerine to warm a look up. These are super useful to bring a look together if something looks just not quite right. I brought them with me on my trip in May so that I could easily through together a monochromatic orange or purple look or adjust my blush to match my eyeshadow or lip color better. These are super versatile, and as with all Salt New York products, the formula is beautiful – buildable, dewy without shimmer, and super easy to blend.

From top to bottom: Salt New York Crème Tint Pro in Lilac and Tangerine

It’s been super hot and dry in our Seattle apartment, and my skin has really been feeling it. The Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask Extreme Detoxifying Hydrator has been such a skin saver for me (and my husband, who also loves this mask!). It’s so hydrating and leaves my skin super soft and moisturized. If my face feels irritated from the heat, it helps my skin feel better immediately because it’s incredibly cooling even thought I don’t keep it in the fridge. It’s pricey but a little goes a long way, and my small jar that both my husband and I use is still going strong.

I don’t talk about nail polish here often, but I discovered a new favorite top coat and I needed to share it with all of you. The KBshimmer Clearly on Top Quick Dry 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.

What was your favorite product this month? What would you like to see next on LiftBakeLove? Let me know in the comments below, and thanks as always for reading!

Typology Review: Tinted Serum and Hand & Nail Serum

June 23, 2021April 3, 2025by liftbakelove3 Comments

I was incredibly intrigued when the Typology Tinted Serum was featured in Kackie Reviews Beauty’s video “Affordable Luxury Beauty Products” since I tend to skew much more expensive on the blog. I want to make sure I’m not always pricing folks out (and if you want more affordable finds, definitely let me know in the comments!). So, I grabbed the Tinted Serum foundation and Hand & Nail Serum to test. I also got the Nourishing Body Scrub which will be coming to a body scrub show down post in the future, both because I think that will be way more useful to see all in one post and because I haven’t gotten to test it long enough to give a thorough enough review.

The Tinted Serum really impressed me! It’s incredibly smoothing and lightweight while providing solid light to medium coverage (which is the coverage level I prefer for foundations). It is actually so smoothing that I got carded at dinner wearing it, and the person said “your skin is so smooth, there’s no way you’re not in your early 20s.” And I’m not in my 20s anymore at all! It wears incredibly well for how moisturizing it feels (as Kackie would say, it wears in without wearing off), and it plays well with every bronzer, blush, highlighter, and powder I’ve used with it. It also contains lots of great skincare ingredients, and my skin definitely feels way less dry at the end of the day than with other base products.

From left to right: Typology Tinted Serum in 001 and 002

The foundation is $29.90 for a 1oz bottle, and you can get a second shade for 50% off. This is pretty amazing if you’re in between shades or get lighter in the winter and darker in the summer. Getting both for less than $45 together feels like a steal compared to my favorite luxury foundation which is the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk and is $64 for 1oz). My only issue with this product is even with two shades, I can’t make a great match because they both run a bit peachy/orange for my skin tone. I’m really excited that Salt New York came out with adjusters so I can make anything lighter and more olive to match my skin (it’s hard to see in the photo below but my skin runs a bit yellow/green/even blue in undertone in real life).

From left to right: Typology Tinted Serum in 001, Glossier Skin Tint in G11, Fenty Eaze Drop in 2, Charlotte Tibury Light Wonder in 2, Typology Tinted Serum in 002

I swatched all of my light coverage foundations/skin tint products so you can see the formula differences and color comparisons. The Typology Tinted Serum 002 swatch is the best representation of how smoothing it looks on the skin vs the 01 swatch is built up a bit for color comparison. The Tinted Serum has more coverage than the Glossier Skin Tint, is much dewier than the Fenty Eaze Drop, and is more smoothing than CT Light Wonder. It actually feels like what you’d get if you had a formula that was the perfect mix of all three of these. I think it’d easy to see how much warmer the Typology products are next to the other shades. The Fenty is by far my best shade match, and I’ve been enjoying mixing it with the Tinted Serum in 001 to tone down some of the peachiness.

The Hand & Nail Serum also really impressed me. I honestly wasn’t expecting much, but I figured it was worth trying for only $12.90. I have incredibly weak nails that break seemingly for no reason and have never found anything that really improves them. I also have such dry hands that they itch and crack regardless of what time of year it is. While hand creams help, they don’t do enough for my hands to feel normal. I’ve been using this serum about once a day since I’ve gotten it, and my nails have literally never looked this good or grown so long without breaking. I had to actually file my nails down because they don’t even break at the gym while I’m lifting! My hands also look and feel normal even if I forget to use hand cream, which I’ve never experienced before. I’m honestly so thankful I found this product and am planning to never be without it (which is going to be pretty easy since a little goes such a long way, I doubt I’ll have to replace it any time soon).

What products have you found lately that have really impressed you? What brands or products do you want to see reviewed next? Let me know in the comments! As always, thank you so much for reading!

The 5 Makeup Products I missed the most while I was gone for a month

June 9, 2021June 9, 2021by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

Like I mentioned in my last post, I recently took a month long trip to the East Coast and brought a pared down routine. I tried really hard to bring only what I needed, and there were a bunch of things I left at home and really missed. I was so excited to be reunited with these makeup products this last week and never want to be without them in the future!

I didn’t realize how much I loved the Auric Glow Lust until I didn’t have it for a month. This product is so versatile – I can use it by itself in lieu of foundation, as a primer, mixed in with my foundation, as a highlighter, and any combination of those methods. It gives both a super smooth and glowy effect to the skin, which is something I can’t find with any other product. It’s a really special product that I missed having and being able to use to liven up, brighten, and blur any look that needs it.

I didn’t bring any powder blushes, but I wish I had brought just one – which would have been the the Em Cosmetics Heaven’s Glow Blush in Magic Hour. Because it gives such a soft, glowy look without being overly pigmented, it’s a really easy way product to use to brighten up a look that’s coming off a little dull or flat. This is my go-to for setting cream and liquid blushes, particularly if I know I need my makeup to last all day for video calls or running around a city. This color matches so many of my cream blushes and adds just the right hint of bright pink without changing the overall look too much. I just got this formula in the shade Venetian Rose – let me know if it’s like a review!

Swatches of the 75° Warm , 11:11, and 52° Cool Roen Quads

I bought a mini-palette that I made of single powder eyeshadows, but I so wish I had brought my Roen quads instead. I really love the Roen formula because it’s so versatile – with a finger, the shades go on incredibly pigmented and intense, but with a brush, you can create a very sophisticated wash of color. I totally could have gotten away with just one eyeshadow brush and gotten so many incredible looks with this range of shades, particularly with how many great one-and-done shades there are. I also love that these are so quick and easy to use and last all day which is super important to me when I’m travelling. If I had to pick one, I probably would have gone with the 11:11 but I would have loved to have them all.

I bought my IT Cosmetics CC Cream for foundation because I’m trying to use it up, but it ended up being too full coverage and not as long wearing as I would have liked. The Fenty Eaze Drop would have been a much better choice. The formula is almost entirely mask proof and sweat proof, and it would have been much better for me given all the walking we did outside in the hot weather. It also looks way more natural on my skin while still providing coverage. I love that is blends super quick and easily with fingers which means I wouldn’t have needed a foundation brush, and the packaging would have taken up such little space. Definitely bringing this the next time I travel!

I’ve gushed about the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate cream bronzer and highlight duo so many times, and I definitely missed it when I was travelling. It has such amazing formula that blends like a dream, looks natural, and still makes an impact. I love how they are both a little sheer which makes it super easy to just throw on without having to be super precise, and it blends into the skin so seamlessly. I love that this has both a bronzer and highlighter in one and that the bronzer shade is neutral enough to be used as more of a “brontour.” I’ve been using it everyday since I got back, and I’m so happy to have it back in my life.

What are your must-haves when you travel? What do you want to see next here on LiftBakeLove? Let me know in the comments!

New Products I’m Loving

March 14, 2021March 2, 2022by liftbakelove7 Comments

There’s some new products that I’ve recently gotten that I really wanted to share because I love them so much! It isn’t quite time for March favorites, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable including these yet as I aim to test things for at least a few weeks if not months because I deem them a favorite, so I wanted to make a separate post. You likely won’t see these again until April when I’ve had more time to thoroughly test them, but I hope these quick hits of new products is still helpful.

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47 – My favorite sunscreen of all time, Krave Beauty’s The Beet Shield, is still sold out, and I’m almost out of my current sunscreen. I decided to give this a try since it’s a favorite of so many people with dry skin. They weren’t wrong – it’s both moisturizing and lightweight and doesn’t leave a white cast despite being an all mineral sunscreen. I’m so excited to have a higher SPF product now that it’s finally getting nice outside. I’m even more excited to have one that 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.

PSA Skin The Most – I recently wrote about how I stopped buying hyaluronic acid serums because they tend to either not do anything or are actively destructive for my skin. So when Allies of Skin sent this to me (PSA is their sister brand), I expected to hate it or at least feel indifferent about it. I was so wrong! This really made a huge difference for my skin in a way I never expected. I’ve used it with slightly damp skin right after showering with a tiny amount of moisturizer on top and been able to wait hours before using anything else. This is actually game changer for me – usually I need to really think about when I shower at night because I need to do my whole skincare routine after to avoid my skin getting dry and dehydrated. Then, I worry about what to do after taking a walk, doing yoga, or eating dinner if I’ve already done my routine – do I start all over or hope it’s fine? With this product, I can shower whenever and do the rest of my skincare routine whenever I want! And of course, even though I was gifted this, all opinions are 100% my own, and I am absolutely buying this with my own money whenever I run out.

Dew Wet Balm (left) and Finding Ferdinand Lipstick (right)

Danessa Myricks Dew Wet Balm in Rosewater – I’ve been obsessed with the idea of owning the Super Loaded Tinted Cream Highlighter from Westman Atelier for however long it has existed. But every time I thought about getting it, I just couldn’t do it – it’s $75 and apparently full of glitter which just isn’t for me. Then, I discovered the Dew Wet Balm in Rosewater for $22 and decided that this could be the perfect thing to get instead. And I was right! It’s the perfect texture that’s balmy without being sticky. It picks up from the pan so easily, blends out fast, and dries down to a gorgeous sheen that doesn’t budge. It also imparts a beautiful touch of rosiness to add to any blush I’m already using. It’s not full of glitter, it’s not $75, and I’m so happy I found it.

Finding Ferdinand Custom Lipstick – I’ve been having so much fun playing around with the custom lipstick maker on this site – you can literally make any color that has a hex code for only $30 (for comparison, Bite Lip Lab charges $60 per lipstick though you do get to meet with a consultant in-person or on Zoom). And the one that I ended up getting is a beautiful color that matches so well with my favorite lip liner in the shade Kackie. It also adds some springy brightness and sheen to any of my other lipsticks without needing to go straight to a gloss, which I’m so pleased with. This is also possibly my favorite lipstick formula – it’s somehow sheer, impactful, moisturizing, and long-lasting all at the same time. And the packaging feels so luxurious! If I am ever able to pan a few lipsticks, I know exactly where I’m going to get some new ones.

Shop Miss A Super Soft Wonder Blender – I cannot believe I was spending $20 regularly on Beauty Blenders when these were an option. They get so big once you’ve wet them, and they have an amazingly soft texture. And they are still firm enough to avoid soaking up a ton of makeup and blend products seamlessly. I have tried many Beauty Blender dupes and makeup sponges, but none of them have as great as this one. At $1.55 per sponge, I am never going back!

I do everything I can on this blog to give thorough reviews of products that I’ve tested for at least a month or two (if not years), but I couldn’t keep these five to myself! Do you want to see more early impressions of products or should I stick to reviews of products I’ve had longer to try? Let me know!

January 2021 Favorites

January 31, 2021September 29, 2021by liftbakelove1 Comment

The theme of this month (like most of 2020) was “I’m tired and don’t want to do anything but still want to look awake at work.” It was dark and rainy outside, too much news reading happening, and I didn’t have the patience for anything that wasn’t easy.

I fell in love with two new skincare products from Allies of Skin, which also makes my favorite retinol product. The first is their Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser – the first cleanser I’ve ever used that doesn’t require putting on moisturizer immediately afterwards. It creates such a luxurious cleansing experience, like you are cleaning your skin with silk. And while it really does clean, it also leaves your skin feeling hydrated. I have a lot of cleansers I love, but I think this may be my new all time favorite.

The second is their Molecular Saviour Probiotics Repair Mist. While my all-time favorite mist continues to be the Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator, this one is amazing for helping prevent any mask-ne and to use inn the morning as an extra glow-booster (along with all the other glow-boosting products I use). I also love the packaging and mister, whereas I’ve actually depotted the Hydrating Accelerator into another bottle. I know this, and all Allies of Skin products, are very pricey, but I have found all the ones I’ve tried to be incredibly effective. They also almost always have a sale, including right now!

I know I just mentioned this in my 2020 Makeup Favorites post but the Glossier Future Dew continues to be one of my favorite products. It’s one of the only things I consistently use every day in my makeup routine, and it works beautifully with any foundation, concealer, and powder combo I put on top of it. It continues to be the most amazing glossy, hydrating base that makes me look like I drank enough water (and if you know me, you know I have never had enough water).

I also mentioned the Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick in my 2020 Makeup Favorites, but it really is a favorite. When I was short on time and just needed to add some color to my face without needing to do a lot of work or blending, this was my go to. I own many cream bronzer products, and I kept falling back on this one as my “I just don’t want to think about it” 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.

I had not planned on buying the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit – Sculpture Unlocked palette, especially because it is $58, and we all know I don’t really use powder products or need any more of them. Then, I saw it on sale for $35 and decided to grab it, and I honestly have no regrets. It’s so quick and easy because the powders are so finely milled and blend so seamlessly into my skin (see swatches below). I can do a full face is about a minute, which has been fantastic. If you don’t need a full palette (or can’t find a version for your skin tone which is likely because Hourglass really needs to do a better job at making sure these work for all skin tones), I would recommend getting a mini version of the product you want. They make minis of most of their powder products, and they last forever.

Swatches from top to bottom of the highlighter, blush, bronzer, and finishing powder in natural light.

What was your favorite product this month? What would you like to see next on LiftBakeLove? Let me know in the comments below!

2020 Makeup Favorites

December 20, 2020January 3, 2021by liftbakelove2 Comments

I get frequently asked for makeup and skincare recommendations, and I’m super excited to put them all in one place – again! I did this last year, and it’s been really fun to look back and see what’s still a favorite (turns out, a lot of things) and what was newly discovered this year. There’s a lot more in the skincare category since 2020 was…let’s just say a good year for staying inside and self-care, so I’ll be doing a separate skincare post so this doesn’t get too long. I would love see your favorites and recommendations for 2021 in the comments!

Some quick notes before I get into it – I have super dry skin, and I tend towards a very glowy, natural look. I will be mostly focused on cream products this year (even though I still love the powder products I used last year!) since I was inside all the time with dry air due to…2020.

Primer: Glossier Futuredew
Like last year, I tried a bunch of different primers this year and something finally overtook my long time favorite which was the Too Faced Hangover Primer. Futuredew is the most amazing glossy, hydrating base for any foundation. I also used it on no makeup days (which I had a lot of this year) just to make my skin look more hydrated and glowy. I already bought a backup because I love it so much.

Foundation: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation and Glossier Skin Tint
Luminous Silk is still a favorite — it has just the right amount of coverage (medium), looks glowy but not oily, and lasts all day. For me, it is definitely worth the splurge. I didn’t have a lot of days when I needed that much coverage though, so I generally stuck to the Glossier Skin Tint for that perfect “my skin but better” look.

Concealer: Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector
This continues be the game changing product for me and is one of the only products I actually panned in 2020. This corrector works so well for correcting my super dark circles and helps hydrate my super dry under eyes for whatever concealer goes on top.

As last year, the search continues for the perfect concealer to go over top of it, although I still love the Hourglass Vanish Concealer (heavier coverage) and Glossier Stretch (lighter coverage) concealers that I reviewed this year. Stay tuned for more concealer reviews in 2021!

Powder: Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder
This one is the same as last year, and I’m not surprised! This is the perfect powder for dry skin, and the full size does last forever. It looks like I’ve barely used it even though I bought it in 2019. If you don’t want to splurge for the full size and don’t use a lot of powder, you can totally get away with using the travel size for over a year in my experience. I don’t see myself finding a better powder in 2021 and am glad to have found such a staple product.

Contour: Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick
This product is one of my standout discoveries in 2020. It is the perfect color and texture for a natural looking contour. I also love the packaging – it feels super luxe with the magnetic closure, and I really appreciate having a stick for a quick makeup look. If I had to start my collection over, this would definitely be one of the first things I replace.

Bronzer: Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate and Salt New York Crème Tint Pro
Two new favorites for this year – both are cream products that give a super natural look in about 2 seconds. They are super blendable and easy to build up to the opacity I want. I actually think the colors and formulas are pretty similar so if you want to not spend way too much on the Tom Ford, I would definitely recommend getting the Salt New York.

Highlight: Daniel Sandler Watercolor Liquid Highlighter and Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
I couldn’t resist getting this set after watching Kackie Reviews Beauty rave about it, and while I love all four products, the highlighter is definitely a stand out. I can’t even really explain it, but it gives this ethereal, natural, glowing effect while actually drying down. It takes a little bit of work to get used to how liquidy it is, but it’s so worth it.

The HFF is still one of the most amazing products I’ve ever tried. I mix it into my primer or foundation for an all-over glow, put it under my eyes under my corrector/concealer if I need more brightening and coverage there, and use it on as a liquid highlighter. It works well in every way I’ve tried, and I get tons of compliments every time I use it.

Blush: Salt New York Crème Tint Pro
This was the year of blushes for me – I got 16 new ones this year, even though we all know I already had way too many before 2020 started. That said, I have no regrets and love all the blushes I got this year. My favorite ones are the Salt New York Crème Tint Pro of course, but especially the new shade in Spice, which is the perfect color, and I don’t know how Kiki keeps making the perfect colors. I have all of the shades of the blush and love to mix and match colors to make my perfect shade for that day.

The Salt New York blushes and one highlighter come together in one perfect blush palette.

As I reviewed this year, I am also obsessed with the Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in Petal for the perfect quick “I promise I am getting sleep” look and the Fenty Cheeks Out Freestyle Blush in Petal Poppin and Rose Latte for the “I have totally been outside this year” look, even though we all know both of those things are a lie.

Eyeshadow: Natasha Denona Biba Palette
The Biba Palette is still my favorite palette of all time, and as last year, I absolutely would buy it again. I’m going to copy over what I said last year because it’s all still true. It is the perfect mix of warm, neutral, and cool tones with the right amount of shimmers. The formula is amazing, and if I could only have one palette, it would be this one.

A new discovery for this year that I love but haven’t used enough to call a favorite is the Pat McGrath Divine Rose Palette. I love that the colors are neutral but still interesting, the special shades are incredible, and the formula is amazing. I love that I can use the top shade as a topper for any other shadow and make it look super special.

Brows: Glossier Boy Brow
This is the best brow gel of all time. It deposits color, but not too much, defines the brow hairs, but not too much, and has staying power, but not too much. It’s just perfect and another thing I already have a back up of.

Mascara: Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara
This is hands down the best mascara I’ve ever used, and I’m actually upset I didn’t get it sooner. 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’m never going back to a non-tubing mascara again and bought enough of these to last me until 2022.

Lip liner: Thrive Causemetics Lip Filler Long-Wearing + Plumping Lip Liner in Kackie
One of my other favorite discoveries for 2020 was this lip liner. I don’t know how Kackie did it, but this is the most perfect shade for me. I can put any gloss or lipstick over top of it, and it looks great. The formula also manages to be creamy, not drying, and have great staying power. I’m not sure any lip liner will ever beat this one for a favorite in the future.

Lip gloss: Em Cosmetics Lip Cushion in Magic Hour
I still love the Em Cosmetics lip glosses, but their lip cushion totally knocked it out of the park this year. The Em Cosmetics Lip Cushion in Magic Hour is so easy to swipe on and completely brightens up my face. It’s also super moisturizing and hands down the best tinted lip balm I’ve ever tried. I love keeping it on my desk to have it handy at all times, and if we had anywhere to go, this would 100% be my purse lip product.

Lipstick: Bite Beauty Lip Lap Custom Lipsticks
While I am still obsessed with the Lisa Eldridge Velvet Mattes, my pick has to be my Bite custom lipsticks again. I got two more this year (sheer versions of shades I got for my wedding), and they are such a great formula. I love how easy it is to throw them on and brighten up my whole face, which isn’t surprising because I made sure they were the perfect colors for me.

One of my new sheer lipsticks, and then my other 3 custom lipsticks in the satin finish.

Setting spray: Cover FX Dewy Finish Setting Spray
The Cover FX spray is still my top setting spray spot for keeping my makeup looking great all day without drying out my skin. It’s alcohol-free, and I find that has helped a ton with my skin feeling less dry throughout the day. I am likely just going to keep rebuying this unless something incredible comes out that I end up trying.

I’m looking forward to seeing how different my 2021 favorites are from my 2020 list and hoping I get more use out of everything by actually getting to go places in 2021!

Tag: makeup