I’ve tried countless neutral eyeshadow palettes, but the Natasha Denona Mini Glam Palette really stands out to me. It’s become my staple every day palette, especially because it works so well with my olive undertones without going too warm or too cool. I wanted to do a full rundown of each shade and why I love this palette so much. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here for new posts. All links in this post are affiliate links, and if you choose to shop through them, thanks for supporting the blog!
The Mini Glam palette has five shades that all work well individually as one-and-done looks or together to create various looks. Unlike other palettes that can pull too warm and orange on me, the browns actually stay brown, and the shimmers don’t end up looking like I accidentally added cheeto dust to my eye look. Because of this, the Mini Glam palette is super easy for me to throw on even when I’m running low on time. I can put together a polished look with minimal effort and without really having to think about it. I also love that I can do anything from a subtle wash of color to a cool-toned smoky eye with just this palette.
Of course, the palette is great for travel because it’s so small, and I even threw it even my backpack to take to the office one day with no issues. Some of the shades remind me of the Biba palette (I’m pretty sure Seed is actually in both), so this is a great way to get Biba palette vibes for only $27. Here are some swatches of all of the shades:
The shimmers, Golden Flesh (a gold-bronze metallic), Anjo (a gray-brown metallic), and Faye (a cool metallic champagne), all apply well with a finger or brush, though I recommend using natural fiber brushes if you can with Natasha Denona shadows in general. There’s no chunky glitter or fallout with these shades, which is another reason they’re super easy to throw on in the morning.
Seed is a creamy dark brown matte and Harlow is a creamy matte taupe that both blend easily without any patchiness. Seed is a perfect outer corner and liner color for me while Harlow is a great base and blending shade or easy one and done matte look.
Golden Flesh and Anjo both work really well for one and done looks depending on if you want to go more bronze or more taupe. They also layer beautifully together. Faye is a fantastic inner corner highlight, and I’ve also used it all over the lid for a subtle daytime look.
If you have olive skin and struggle to find truly flattering neutral tones, I highly recommend giving the Natasha Denona Mini Glam Palette a try. It has become an absolute essential in my collection and is worth every penny especially since it’s fairly affordable given the cost of other quands and quints (looking at you, new Hourglass quads).
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 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.
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.
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.
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. 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!
Typology Paris Serum Teinte – I’m still really loving this, especially for when I’m having a really dry skin day. 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 says 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. I have lots of swatches on my Typology review if you’re interested!
Melt Cosmetics Cream Blushlight in Polished and Natasha Denona Puff Paint Liquid Blush in Darya
Melt Cosmetics Cream Blushlight – I have the shade Polished, and it’s such an incredible warm pink that looks so at home on me. It has a really beautiful luminosity to it from a slight amount of shimmer that makes this really special. I only tried it because of Kackie, and now it’s my go-to blush for when I want something that has that super glowy from within blush look. It blends so effortlessly and quickly, and I just love the super thin but hydrating texture. They also have great staying power for a cream blush. I’m likely going to pick up another one during the sale because I love using it so much, even with my dozens of other cream blushes.
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 (which is exactly what Kackie said about this shade for her collection and how I knew I had to try it).
Phytosurgence Skin Spark Blush Balms and Flash Florescence Cream Shadows – Phytosurgence is yet another brand that I never would have known about until Kackie talked about them in a video. I’m so glad she did though because I’ve loved everything I’ve gotten from the brand. Phytosurgence is a small indie brand that focuses on transparent and conscious beauty, and they make high performance and affordable products. The Skin Spark Blush Balm formula (I have Fume and Simmer) impressed me from the first time I used it, and I find myself using them over and over again over my other cream blushes. 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.
The eyeshadows (I have Wild Oak and Potent Petal) are 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. I’ve frequently added a more sparkly shadow (like the ones from Phytosurgence) on top for something extra, 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).
Kosas Cloud Set Baked Setting & Smoothing Powder – This powder is really so amazing, and I know I posted about it super recently because I love it so much. I have it in the shade Airy, but because of how sheer it is, I’m sure Breezy or Feathery could have worked for me as well. It has a tiny bit of luminosity to it so it sets without mattifying too much, and it’s the perfect hybrid between a finishing and setting powder. I love using this for all over my face and to set all my cream products without getting rid of any of their dewiness.
Vesca Kissed By Bronzing Powder in Santorini – I have been loving setting my cream products with powder products in a matching tone to make them last longer and add a bit of coverage in those areas. I didn’t purchase this before watching Kackie talk about it, and her review helped me know that it would work for me. I find this creates a more satin finish which is great for someone like me that wants to look hydrated and dewy while still having something long lasting, especially under a mask. This Vesca bronzer is my favorite for this purpose (and also my favorite powder bronzer in general) – it’s not too orange, feels incredibly smooth and velvety, blends beautifully, smells amazing, and is such a believable bronzer on me (to borrow a Kackie phrase).
Vesca Kissed By Bronzing Powder in Santorini
Ulta Under Eye Brightener – Kackie mentioned this is a very effective dupe of my beloved Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector for $10, and she was so right. Just like the Becca one, 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 without any heaviness. It blends like a dream and the color is perfect for me. And it’s in stick form which is so much easier to use than the pot!
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.
The fall Sephora sale is starting this Friday for Rouge members and soon after for VIB and Insider members! I wanted to share my top 15 recommendations for things to pick up during the sale, focusing on products that I’ve used, loved, and repurchased over and over again with a couple of newer must haves thrown in. If there’s a product you’re considering that I didn’t mention here, feel free to ask any questions in the comments! 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.
Mini Retro Eyeshadow Palette – I wrote about this palette in my March/April 2020 favorites, and it’s still one of my favorites. It’s been such a great addition to my collection because the colors are so unique. I’m not sure I was able to capture them in my swatches here, but in person, these are so special. I love using these shades in conjunction with other palettes (especially the shimmer shades) to add some color to an otherwise neutral look or to make a really pretty and sparkly pink or a sultry green look. The shadows still feel like new even having it for almost 2 years now, and I highly recommend it instead of spending over a hundred dollars on a larger ND palette.
Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Foundation Brush – This is one of my favorite foundations brushes (and I have a lot of brushes). I find myself continually going back to it instead of any others I have. It has such a perfect shape for foundation and even concealer because the angles and edges make it super easy to get into all the contours of my face. It’s also 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.
Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Concealer Brush – Like the foundation brush, this has really densely packed bristles which I really appreciate. It’s also designed to mimic the shape of your fingertip, and I find that it makes it like I’m blending out with my finger but without losing any coverage. I use it every day with my undereye corrector, and it helps so much when I’m attempting to correct my dark circles. It also works great for spot concealing given how precise you can get with it.
Viseart Petite Pro 4 – I got this during a sale at the end of 2019, and I still reach for it all the time even with all the other eyeshadows I own now. I’m so happy I decided to get it and that I have it in my collection. It’s the perfect mix of neutrals, and I’ve loved how small and compact this is for travel and how easily it fits in my Salt New York palette when I’m at home. Like all Viseart shadows, these blend seamlessly with little fallout and aren’t overly glittery, so I can put together a look for work super quickly too. I love using the mattes to blend out another look that might need it or use the shimmers as a sophisticated topper. This a great option for anyone wanting to try out Viseart eyeshadow, especially during the sale.
Melt Cosmetics Cream Blushlight – I have the shade Polished, and it’s such an incredible warm pink that looks so at home on me. It has a really beautiful luminosity to it from a slight amount of shimmer, and it’s my go-to blush for when I want something that has that super glowy from within blush look. It blends so effortlessly and quickly, and I just love the super thin but hydrating texture. They also have great staying power for a cream blush. I’m likely going to pick up another one during the sale because I love using it so much, even with my dozens of other cream blushes.
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 below. 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.
Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder – I’ve talked about this in my favorites many times, and I still use it almost every day. It’s such a great for dry skin, and the full size really lasts forever. It looks like I’ve barely used it even though I bought it in 2019 and use it super consistently. 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. Even though I love the Kosas Cloud Set Powder (which is also a great thing to pick up during the sale), I still find myself reaching for this all the time, especially for under my eyes.
Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask – This continues to be HG face mask, and one of the only ones I use consistently. This mask warms up as you massage it into your skin, so not only does it work to deeply moisturize and calm my skin, it’s also a really great relaxing experience. It is the perfect mask to use after an exfoliating treatment or when your skin is feeling extra dry. It really is the best face mask of all time. My skin feels so smooth, hydrated, and glowy after using this. It’s my go to for when my skin is feeling stressed, irritated, overly dry, or anything else that requires help. It always comes to the rescue, and my 1.7oz jar is still going strong so it was totally worth the investment.
Nuface Mini Facial Toning Device – I know this is expensive, but it really works! This device has helped so much with my forehead wrinkles (they were so deep and now they are basically gone between this and the retinol!) and firming up my jawline and my neck. I’m so glad I invested in this now so I can keep using it on my skin for years to come. I have convinced a couple of other folks to get one and so far, they have all had good things to say too! I featured this in my year end favorites last year, and it’s still going strong and working great for me.
Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream Duo– This eye cream was sent to me to try and review, and I thought at the time “there’s no way I’m going to fall in love with a $70 eye cream.” And now, I’ve repurchased it at least four times! This is the only eye cream I’ve found that actually works to reduce wrinkles around my eyes without irritation and while still adding a ton of hydration. And this duo makes it less than $50, plus even less with the VIB discount. It’s totally worth it for me for how effective it is, and this is another product where I can really tell the difference if I switch to something else.
Ouai Scalp and Body Scrub – I got this mini as a gift with purchase, and I didn’t expect to get a lot of use out of it. It turns out that it’s the best scalp scrub I’ve ever used (and I’ve tried a lot of products like this). It works really well as a scalp scrub in that it gets out any residue or product build up that I have in my hair. What I really love about it though is that it actually hydrates as it works so I don’t have to worry about irritating my already super dry scalp. It makes my hair feel so much cleaner but without drying anything out, and it also smells amazing! I’ve already purchased the full size, but if I hadn’t, I would absolutely grab a jar now.
Necessaire The Body Wash – I have tried a ton of body washes this year and my favorite is still this one. I love the eucalyptus for when I need a mood boost and the sandalwood is great for creating a sense of calm before I head to bed. I love the packaging and the formula is perfect for my dry skin even in the winter (I posted this as one of my July favorites last year, and it was great for the summer this year too). I’m starting to run low on this one after finishing my other one, so I might pick up another one during the sale.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist – I use this as a hydrating step while I’m doing my makeup every morning, especially if things are starting to feel a little drier than I want it to be, because I set everything with my Cover FX Setting Spray. I use this very much like a Mac Fix+, but Fix+ breaks me out, so I was so excited to find this. The watermelon mist is so fine, actually hydrating, and smells amazing. I love how it melts all my makeup together to look seamless without disrupting anything.
Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask – I’ve talked about this in 3 favorites posts now because I love it so much. My last jar lasted me from before January 2020 until now, so for me, it’s 100% worth the $34 price for the jar (and I always pay less because I pick up one during the Sephora sale). I only use this mask twice a week when I use my AHA toner, and it really helps with any potential irritation that comes with using an exfoliator. It also makes a huge difference in taming the redness in my skin that I really don’t have any anymore. I will definitely be picking up another one during the sale!
Olaplex No. 3 – Every time I use this, I feel like my hair has been transformed. It feels way smoother, stronger, and shinier without being weighed down. I notice a huge difference when I don’t use this treatment, and it’s incredibly worth it to me. My hair is normally super prone to breakage, and this is one of the only products I’ve tried that actually helps with that. It also helps my hair feel way less dry than usual without making it greasy. This is one of my only true hair staples (outside of my Bumble & Bumble loves) that I continue to repurchase over and over again.
What’s on your Sephora sale wishlist? Let me know in the comments below, and let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
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.
Swatches of the Divine Rose Palette
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!
I’ll be sharing some of my favorite “stay at home purchases” as I mentioned in my last post. Since it’s now May (already? how?), I wanted to share my favorites from March and April since I took a break last month.
I’ve tried lots of wash-off face masks, but I’ve finally discovered my holy grails, and I’m so excited to share these. The first is the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask. I’m only using it once or twice a week, so this jar will last forever, making the price much more reasonable for me. It is one of the only things I’ve found to really help my skin when it’s feeling congested or dull when an AHA toner won’t do quite enough. It smells strongly like pumpkin, so if you’re not into that, I would consider skipping this one. For me, it’s totally worth the smell for a few minutes to get clear, bright skin. Bonus – I haven’t had any acne issues since I start using it despite my not great diet and high stress levels lately.
What I use right after the pumpkin enzyme mask to deeply moisturize my skin is the Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask. This mask warms up as you massage it into your skin, so not only does it work to deeply moisturize and calm my skin , it’s also a really great relaxing experience. It is the perfect mask to use after an exfoliating treatment or just when your skin is feeling extra dry. My only regret is that I bought the small size! I know there are a bunch of folks who use this a few times a week, which I definitely want to do now that I understand how great it is, so I’m hoping I can pick it up on sale when I run out!
If you know me or have read my past posts, you know I definitely don’t need any more blush. I got more anyway because it’s one of my favorite product categories. I think I’ve featured blush in my favorites every month so far, and that probably won’t stop any time soon. I’m usually more drawn to cream and liquid blushes, so I very excited to have found a really amazing powder blush formula – the Em Cosmetics Heaven’s Glow Blush in Magic Hour. It provides a soft, glowy look without being overly pigmented so it is such an easy way to brighten up a look. I also use this to set cream and liquid blushes if I know I’ll be on video calls for 12 hours, and the color is perfect for that for a wide range of shades. It’s been beating out my favorite Nars and Hourglass blushes for my most used powder blush, and I really hope they come out with more than just the two shades they current have!
I’ve written about my love for Natasha Denona shadows before when I talked about my favorite products of 2019, but I know it’s not possible or practical for everyone to get a $129 or more palette. I’m so excited she came out with these $25 mini palettes with the same high quality formula and much more curated shadows so you only get what you need. The Mini Retro Eyeshadow Palette is a really great addition to my collection because the colors are so unique. I’m not sure I was able to capture them in my swatches here, but I’m loving the shade selection here. These are great to use in conjunction with other palettes (especially the shimmer shades) to add some color to an otherwise neutral look or to make a really pretty springy pink/green look.
I have found my perfect gloss formula, and they are only $14! The Tower 28 ShineOn Jelly Lip Glosses are beautifully sheer, moisturizing, glossy without being sticky, fairly long lasting for a gloss, play nicely with lipsticks and lip liners underneath, come in a great color selection – I could go on and on about these. I have the shades Fire and Fearless. Fire is a great spring/summer bright orange shade and Fearless is a really pretty berry, but both are sheer enough that I can wear them for my work calls or to warm up or cool down lip products underneath. I was going to splurge for a expensive lip oil during the Sephora sale, but these definitely fulfill that need for me, and I’m so happy I got these instead.
I definitely didn’t need more brushes, but Sonia G. restocked her pro face brushes, and I was so excited to grab the Face Pro and the Designer Pro. The Face Pro is the best brush I have found for a diffused contour and bronzer application and is able to create that diffused look with all of my powder bronzers. It’s really great for me to have a brush I can use without having to think about if it’s the right one for the formula. The Designer Pro is perfect for blush or highlight or targeted powder application and similar to the Face Pro, it works great with every formula I’ve tried it with. As with all her brushes, they look great after washing, there is very little shedding, and they have the right weight distribution to make using them a great experience. Of all my Sonia G. brushes so far, I would recommend these as these shapes are more unique in her line versus others, and if you’re looking for a super high quality brush for blush, bronzer, and highlighter, you can’t go wrong with these two.
What are you loving this month? Anything you want to see from me next? Let me know!
Makeup and Skincare Reviews 