skincare – Makeup and Skincare Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Best YesStyle Lip Products Under $20 I’ve Found So Far

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

A lot of affordable makeup is pretty fantastic, and I don’t spend enough time talking about it. So for May, I’m dedicating the entire month to posts about products under $20. I actually have more under $20 Yesstyle post planned that might land in June – let me know if you still want to see it in May or you’re ready for other things!

There are so many Asian beauty lip products I love that this could easily become several posts. I’ve tried a ridiculous number of tints, stains, glosses, balms, lipsticks, and blurred matte lip products at this point, but I made myself narrow this down to the under $20 lip products from YesStyle I actually reach for all the time and would repurchase first. Almost all of these are stains because they’re just so good, but I did include one everyday glossy balm. If I’m missing one of your favorites, tell me in the comments so I can try it next!

JOOCYEE Long-Lasting Glossy Rouge in Diamond Sea and Naked Tea – This formula is such an easy, moisturizing, nourishing balm that I can apply without thinking. My lips always look and feel so much better when I use these. I was honestly pleasantly surprised how much I love this formula. Diamond Sea is the shade I reach for constantly. It’s a perfect everyday cool-toned mauvey pink that has a little sparkle without being chunky or grainy. Naked Tea is warmer than I wanted it to be. I thought it would be more neutral, but on me it pulls a little orange. It’s still wearable, especially if I use one of my lip mixers underneath, but it’s not the shade I’d tell you to buy first. If I were picking one, I’d get Diamond Sea.

Judydoll Ice Watery Lip Gloss-Gen 2 in 06, 11, and 18 – I love this formula so much. It’s glossy and moisturizing when it goes on and feels so nice for hours. This is actually the product I chose to put on after retesting a bunch of these because it’s really just so good. It also leaves a real stain behind that actually lasts. The stain also matches the color of the gloss and doesn’t turn orange or pink or another color I’m not expecting.

Judydoll Ice Watery Lip Gloss-Gen 2 in 06, 11, and 18 stains

11 is the easiest everyday shade for me. It’s that perfect “my lips but better” cool-toned, slightly mauve lip that I can throw on without thinking (I’m sure you’re seeing a pattern). 18 is the brown I’d recommend first if you want an actual brown that doesn’t turn orange. It has a little bit of yellow in it in a way that works really well with my undertones, but it still stays brown instead of going Cheeto. 06 is annoyingly warm. In the listing, it looked like a perfect terracotta red, which is exactly the kind of warm shade I actually can get away with sometimes. On me, this goes pumpkin orange.

rom&nd Juicy Lasting Tint in 39 Odd Grape, plus minis in 10 Avocado, 12 Odd Mulberry, and 13 Black Berry – I’ve used rom&nd Juicy Lasting Tints on and off for years, so this is a formula I already knew I loved. It’s glossy, comfortable, easy to wear, and it leaves enough of a stain behind that it doesn’t feel pointless once the shine wears off. Like the Judydoll glosses, these stain the color you hope for (mauve, green, purple, and black respectively) instead of turning bright pink or orange for no reason. I’ve tested these on my lips, hands, and arms just to make super sure, and they all stain true to tone, which makes them especially useful for mixing.

rom&nd Juicy Lasting Tint in 39 Odd Grape, 10 Avocado, 12 Odd Mulberry, and 13 Black Berry

rom&nd Juicy Lasting Tint in 39 Odd Grape, 10 Avocado, 12 Odd Mulberry, and 13 Black Berry stains

Odd Grape is the one I bought to actually wear all the time, and I do. It’s a muted, dusty, rosy pink, which is basically the exact color I’m always trying to find in both lip products and blush. I also picked up the minis in Avocado, Black Berry, and Odd Mulberry, mostly to use as mixers. Avocado tones down lip products that are too red or that aren’t showing up well because my natural lip pigment is too red. Black Berry deepens products that are too pale or too chalky. Odd Mulberry helps when something is too orange but I don’t want to fully neutralize it with blue, so the purple tones down the yellow while leaving some of the red. The minis are $8 each, and you can usually find them on sale, which makes them worth it to me for mixing.

ETUDE Fixing Tint in 14 Rose Lilac and 15 Woody Pink – This is my favorite formula in the blurred matte lipstick/lip tint category that I’ve tried so far. I’ve tested a ridiculous number of soft matte, lip blush, blurred lip products at this point, and these are the ones I keep coming back to. You can tap on a little for a soft hint of color or build it up more, and either way it stays comfortable, looks smooth, and never gets dry or crusty. Woody Pink is a dusty rosy neutral that works really well with the mauvey beige looks I wear all the time. Rose Lilac is deeper and moodier, more of a jammy berry-plum, and it pairs especially well with berry-toned blush. Woody Pink fades into a really pretty light pink stain, while Rose Lilac leaves more of a berry tint. And the stain lasts like all the other tints/stains in this post.

ETUDE Fixing Tint in 14 Rose Lilac and 15 Woody Pink, fwee Rose Obsession Stay-Fit Lip Tint in MC03 Dusty Rose

ETUDE Fixing Tint in 14 Rose Lilac and 15 Woody Pink, fwee Rose Obsession Stay-Fit Lip Tint in MC03 Dusty Rose stains

fwee Rose Obsession Stay-Fit Lip Tint in MC03 Dusty Rose – I talked about a couple of fwee lip products in my last post about under $20 Ulta and Sephora products, but you can’t get this one at Ulta. As far as I can tell, this is one of the fwee products you have to get somewhere like YesStyle, and I’m glad I did because it’s a great formula. Even though the ETUDE is still my favorite, this is a close runner up. This is blurring and matte, but not too matte. It still has a little bit of a satin finish, so it doesn’t give me that flat, dry, powdery lip look. It feels comfortable and moisturizing, and although it’s not as nourishing as some of these other products, it doesn’t dry out my already dry lips or make them look worse. Dusty Rose is a great everyday mauve on me, although I like the tones of the Etude more. The Etude stains also last way longer (like they were still on my arm the next day longer), so if you’re looking for something that doesn’t stain as strongly, the Fwee is a great choice.

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

I Tried Moira Beauty So You Don’t Have to Guess What’s Worth Buying

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

Thank you to my friend for suggesting looking into the brand Moira! It’s now been on my list for a while because the prices are great and the product range is huge. But I wanted to know if the products were actually good. I tested bronzers, blushes, eyeshadows, and lip products to see what’s worth picking up and what’s not. I also have really liked buying Moira products from HB Beauty Bar because they seem to always be having a good sale on already affordable products, and I can grab things from other brands at the same time (not sponsored, I just really like shopping there for certain brands). In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) based on your feedback for all the products.

Moira Stay Golden Cream Bronzer & Contour in 250N – This doesn’t turn orange at all, which already puts it ahead of a lot of cream bronzers for me. I definitely would not use it as contour, but as a bronzer, it’s really great. It reminds me of the “contour” shades from other brands that I end up using as bronzer because they’re neutral enough to work on olive skin. The formula is smooth, blurring, and easy to blend, but it sets super quickly, so I’d work in small sections. Once it sets, it really stays put and stays all down. Because of that, it can get a little patchy if you don’t move fast enough when you’re blending. I’m especially excited to use this in the summer when my skin eats and then sweats off cream products because it’ll stick around all day.

Moira Stay Golden Cream Bronzer & Contour in 250N and Moira Signature Bronzer in 001 Sunkissed Honey

Moira Signature Bronzer in 001 Sunkissed Honey – This is very much a sunkissed bronzer as the name suggests, and on me, that means it turns very orange. I’ve actually ended up using it a bunch even though the color isn’t great because I just really like the way it applies. The formula is honestly great. It’s super smooth, easy to blend, and easy to build up. Compared to the cream bronzer, though, you can really see how much warmer this is. The glitter overspray also isn’t my favorite but not a big deal. Of all the affordable powder bronzers, this one is my favorite, but I think I’m going to be trying for warmer contour powders from now on.

Moira Loveheat Cream Blush in 014 I Desire You – This has a very similar formula to the cream bronzer. It’s easy to pick up, easy to blend, and not too pigmented, but not too sheer. The shade is exactly the kind of bright spring pink I like. It’s cool-toned, a little purple-lilac, and it brightens my whole face without turning warm or peachy. Like the bronzer, it dries down quickly and sets. If you want a dewy cream blush, this is not that, but if you want something that looks nice on the skin and lasts, it’s a really good option. It’s basically the Tower 28 cream blushes if they set down to a matte satin finish instead of staying dewy.

Moira Love Blur Blush in 003 Amore, 008 Sweet Whisper, 012 So Divine, and 006 Blush Kiss – I really like this formula. It’s another cream to powder, soft-focus blurring blush that if you’ve been reading, you know I’m obsessed with (and I don’t use that word lightly). Like all the best cream to powder blurring blushes, these feel super smooth, blend easily, blur the skin, and don’t look heavy or textured. They’re listed as all matte shades, but I swear most of these are slightly shimmery, which I actually really love. There’s no visible glitter but it just makes my skin look really nice.

Moira Loveheat Cream Blush in 014 I Desire You and Moira Love Blur Blush in 003 Amore, 008 Sweet Whisper, 012 So Divine, and 006 Blush Kiss

That all said, the colors are more hit or miss than the formula. 003 Amore is a pale peachy pink with a little shimmer. Based on the swatches and online images, I thought this was going to be a cool toned baby pink, but it’s definitely peachy. 008 Sweet Whisper was an even bigger disappointment because I thought it would be a mauvey red-brown terracotta, but on me it’s just orange. 012 So Divine is a perfect cool purple that turns a little pink on me and looks super at home on my skin. This is also the only one of these four that’s truly matte. 006 Blush Kiss is one I’ve used way more than I expected. It’s a bright warm pink that actually works really well and wakes up my face. I’ve loved So Divine in the cooler months and have really started using Blush Kiss more as it gets warmer.

The product images of these shades for reference

Moira Chroma Light Shadow in 002 Tempting, 005 Sugar Crush, and 013 Renegade – These are the standout product from Moira for me. If I had to pick one “run, don’t walk” product from everything I tried, it would be these. They apply well with a finger or a brush, they’re smooth, they layer easily, and they last all day on me. They’re sparkly without being chunky glitter, and I don’t get fallout. 002 Tempting is my perfect spring pinky shade that I can wear alone or as a topper to add more pink to an eye look, which I do often. 005 Sugar Crush is my everyday warm brown sparkly shade that reminds me of Urban Decay Space Cowboy and Coulourpop Ritz (yes, it’s a little orange learning, and I have a post coming up on why orange and warmth on purpose is okay even as an olive). 013 Renegade is a fun purple-pink-burgundy shifty shade that reminds me of some of the Half Magic singles I love. I’m really so happy with these, and I use them more than my much more expensive eyeshadows. Let me know if you’re interested in other shades because I will absolutely grab more to test.

Moira Supernova Glitz Shadow in 003 Starbloom – I’m a little torn on this one. From farther away, this looked surprisingly similar to Clionadh Forge. Up close, though, it looked way patchier, drier, and less smooth. It’s also way less pigmented and took a lot more building up. In the swatches, it’s 3 swatches of the Moira and one of the Clionadh. I asked my husband to choose between them on the eyes, and he immediately said that the Clionadh shadow looked way better without knowing which was which. It’s still not awful, but since it’s not actually that much less expensive than Clionadh shadows (some of their multichromes are almost $18 but some are under $10), I’d rather invest there. If you’re already placing a Moira order and want to try an accessible multichrome, these are really fun. But I also have it on good authority that Wet n Wild’s new Chameleon Chrome Collection is pretty fantastic, and the powder singles are $6.99.

Moira Angel Satin Lipstick in 003 Soft Wing – I was so excited about this shade because I love the idea of an affordable cool-toned mauve lipstick. If I sheer it out, the color is actually really pretty but the formula is just not one I can work with. It settles into lip lines, makes my lips look drier than they are, and feels super uncomfortably waxy. After about a minute of having this on, my lips felt awful. Of all the products I tried, this is the only one that I’d not recommend even trying with an order.

Moira Angel Satin Lipstick in 003 Soft Wing and Moira Velvet Air Lip Tint in 005 Mauve Moment

Moira Velvet Air Lip Tint in 005 Mauve Moment – This is the Moira lip formula I’d actually recommend. After trying the Angel Satin Lipstick, this felt immediately better. It’s smoothing, super comfortable, and made my lips look so much better even though it’s matte. It has that soft blurred tint finish, but it doesn’t grab every line or make my lips feel awful. I also really like the shade. It’s a wearable bricky terracotta on me that works pretty well, though I do wish it was an actual mauve color.

As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog and some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

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

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

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

Swatches are in the same order from left to right as the order of blushes are reviewed in the post. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) based on your feedback – thank you!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Before we get into the liquid blushes, I’m not usually a liquid blush person. Before trying these, the only liquid blush I consistently used was the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flushes. Otherwise, I almost always reach for a cream, cushion, or cream-powder blush. These really surprised me. They’re easy to blend, easy to layer, and I’ve been using them a lot either as a first blush layer or on their own when I want something quick and fresh. Swatches are in the same order from left to right as the order of blushes are reviewed in the post. Swatches are under a ring light to show true to color (photo #1) and then standard lighting to show the formula a little better (#2) based on your feedback – thank you!

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

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

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

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

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

I Built Another Sephora Cart, Then Shopped My Stash Instead

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have you shopped your stash lately, or is there a category you keep almost buying more of? As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog and some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

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

April 10, 2026by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting and Laminating Eyebrow Gel – I’ve tried so many brow gels, and nothing has ever really held my brows in place all day until this one. I’m honestly always shocked that my eyebrows stay put with this until I wash them off, with zero crunchiness, flaking, or stiffness. The hold is strong but flexible, and it actually looks natural. I wish it came in tinted shades, but even with the clear shade, it’s worth adding into my routine for the shaping and hold.

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

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

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

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

The Complexion Products I Keep Reaching For

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Product Updates on Things You’ve Been Asking Me About

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Featuredby liftbakelove1 Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dry, Textured, Eczema-Prone Skin’s Been Freaking Out: What’s Helping the Most

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

My skin has been going through it this winter. It’s been extremely dry along with weird texture and a couple of eczema flare-ups. I know it’s probably because of lack of sleep, super cold dry weather, and did I mention lack of sleep? I have had to really baby my skin but to health, but now it’s actually looking pretty great. These are the products that have made the biggest difference. In this post, all links are affiliate links (thank you for your support!), but all opinions are my own.

Versed Gentle Pore Clearing Serum – I have a bunch of gentle acid toner type products, and a lot of them still end up irritating my skin just because of the state it’s in. This is one of the only ones that’s actually gentle on me. I use it a couple nights a week to lightly exfoliate and smooth texture and haven’t had any irritation. This has been my go-to chemical exfoliator when I want my skin to look less rough and textured but don’t want to risk making things worse.

Prequel Half and Half Fluid Moisturizer – I love Prequel products, and I use them constantly (I honestly think I own almost all of them). This one has been making the biggest difference for me right now in my morning routine. It’s the most lightweight and hydrating liquid moisturizers I’ve ever used. It gives a dewy, radiant skin look that actually lasts for a long time, and it doesn’t irritate my skin at all. I’ve been using it every day since it came out, and I think I’m on my third bottle. I notice a big difference in how my skin feels during the day when I skip this, and I’ll keep buying it again and again.

Prequel Barrier Therapy Skin Protectant Cream – This is my go-to nighttime product when my skin is itchy, super dry, and eczema-prone (all of which has been happening a lot lately). It’s specifically made to help with irritation and itchiness due to dryness and eczema flare-ups, and it absolutely delivers. It really helps calm those things down. I’m on my second tube, and it’s a giant tube so I can use it on my face, on my body, everywhere. My husband has also been using it because he’s eczema-prone, and it has really helped him a lot. This is another one that I’ll keep repurchasing and might pick up the rich version to try next.

Experiment Super Saturated Serum – I’ve also fallen in love with Experiment skincare, and this is the first product of theirs I tried. I now own all of them except for the cleanser. I’m more than halfway through the serum, and I’m absolutely going to buy more. It gives my skin so much more hydration, and I notice a huge difference when I skip it in how moisturized and healthy my skin feels. I definitely feel like my skin has also been in better shape since I started using this. Plus, it’s refillable.

Experiment Molecular Mesh Moisturizer – I have so many moisturizers to work through right now, but this is easily one of the best moisturizers I’ve ever used. I’m going to run out and repurchase before I can even try some of the others because I keep going back to it. I can use it in the daytime, and I can use it at nighttime. I’ve even used it as a primer and mid-day. It makes a huge difference for my skin but it’s also lightweight enough that I can layer it with all these other products with no issue. I can really tell when I’m not using it. It just makes my skin feel so much better and more moisturized. The combination of this and the Barrier Support Serum has been doing a lot of heavy lifting for me lately.

Hint Cuticle Oils in the White Rice and Peach Boba scents – This isn’t really skincare, but I’m including it because this time of year my hands get absolutely wrecked, and I absolutely love using cuticle oils to make my nails and hands feel better. Hint just came out with their Lunar New Year oils. The packaging is so cute, but more importantly the scents are incredible. White Rice and Peach Boba are the first two full-size pens I bought because I love them so much. I usually buy the sample packs so I can compare scents and recommend them (I’m an affiliate, use greenfriend for 10% off at Hint) so grabbing full size pens is a big step for the collection I have at this point. I’ve been using these pretty religiously to keep my hands and nails healthy, and they’ve been amazing.

Byoma Bio-Collagen Radiance Facial Mask – I recently got this and I’ve only used it twice so I’m adding it in at the end. To be fair, twice is saying a lot because I’m not great at using masks. I own a bunch and a lot of them just sit around. But my skin has been so dull and dry that I wanted something that could help and give me that bouncy, glass skin look. This promises to be transformative and is under $20 so I figured it was worth a try. You leave it on for 20–30 minutes and then peel it off so I’ve been throwing it on right after I put my toddler to bed. The first time I used it, I was genuinely shocked. My skin felt softer, looked glassy, and felt more moisturized right away. I used it again the next day and my skin just felt and looked incredible. I know this has gone kind of viral lately, and it lives up to the hype for me.

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

Tag: skincare

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