skincare – Page 2 – Makeup and Skincare Reviews

I Tested 11 MAC Blushes on Olive Skin and Found the Grungy Blush Adjuster I Didn’t Know I Needed

I specifically bought the newer MAC powder blushes and one of the Strobe Beam Liquid Blushes because I wanted to see how the current MAC blush lineup works on olive skin. Are the pinks actually pink? Are the “plummy” shades actually plum? Do the deeper, more interesting colors stay nuanced, or do they turn into the same warm peachy-orange situation I’m always trying to avoid?

I also already owned five Glow Play blushes from years ago that I’m reviewing in this post because I wanted to put everything in one place. These aren’t the reason I’m doing this post, but they ended up being useful because they showed me how much my blush preferences have changed. I also have a couple of the new MAC bronzers, but I’m saving those for a bigger olive undertone bronzer deep dive. Let me know if you want that post sooner rather than later!

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.

Skinfinish Colourstruck Blush in Desert Rose, Velvet Teddy, Antique Velvet, and Film Noir Buff – The newer Skinfinish Colourstruck blushes are buildable, blendable, matte powder blushes. They’re super hard to swatch, but they do work really well on the face. Compared with the older MAC matte blush formula, these pick up more easily, blend better, and look smoother on the skin. I still reach for cream, liquid, or bouncy hybrid formulas much more often, but these are solid for a traditional matte blush formula.

Skinfinish Colourstruck Blush in Desert Rose, Velvet Teddy, Antique Velvet, and Film Noir Buff and Matte Powder Blush in Blunt

Desert Rose is a very pretty light pink. It’s easy, brightening, and it doesn’t turn aggressively orange on me. I have other bright pinks where I prefer the formula, but I still grab this as a finishing touch when my face needs a little more life.

Velvet Teddy is described as a deep-toned beige, but on me this is pink. Where’s the beige? It’s slightly deeper and more grounded than Desert Rose, with a little more warmth. It can go orangey on me, but not enough to be Cheeto dust, and it’s still really pretty when I’m going for a pink look, especially in the summer.

I bought Antique Velvet because Kackie bought it, and I wanted to see what it would do. On me, this is less soft purple veil like in the online swatches and more weird bronze with the slightest hint of plum. As a one-and-done eyeshadow, it’s actually really pretty. As a blush, it’s interesting but not one I’d recommend if you’re a skin twin unless you’ve really been looking for this kind of shade.

Film Noir Buff is the shade I’ve used the most, and if I were only keeping one matte blush from this collection, it would be this one. It’s a deep plummy purple-brown, and alone it can actually look a little too cool, grey, and deep on me, which almost never happens. As a blush mixer, this is a keep forever shade. I have so many blushes that looked like they were going to be muted, beige, plum, nude, or purple, and then turned orange on my face. Film Noir Buff pulls them back toward something more beigey, brown, a little purple, and way more wearable.

NARS Infatuated vs NARS Infatuated mixed with Film Noir Buff

The one that made me the most excited about Film Noir Buff is NARS Infatuated. It looks like it should be a deep plummy purple and is described as a “deep plumberry”, and on me it’s just orange. I keep trying to make it work so I keep it around, and it’s always still orange. BUT! When I layer Film Noir Buff with it, I finally get the beigey rosy brown blush I’ve always wanted. I’ve mixed Film Noir Buff with so many blushes at this point, and it’s really so perfect for that.

Matte Powder Blush in Blunt – I didn’t realize until writing this that the old MAC matte powder blushes are discontinued, so Blunt is mostly here as a comparison point. It’s a muted rosy tan/brown that gives me an easy everyday blush look that’s not orange. That said, the formula isn’t amazing relative to what we have now. Compared with the newer Skinfinish Colourstruck blushes, Blunt looks and feels drier, flatter, and less blurring. I’m still keeping it because I love the color, and I’ve used it as an eyeshadow all the time. If anyone has a good Blunt replacement, especially in a bouncy, cushiony, cream to powder texture, please let me know!

Strobe Beam Liquid Blush in Plummy Bare – I picked up one of the Strobe Beam Liquid Blushes because I’d heard so many good things about the formula, and Plummy Bare seemed like the safest shade for me. I wear plum, berry, blackberry, and purple blush all the time. But Plummy Bare isn’t really that. In the comparison swatch, it’s the first shade, and next to my actual berry/plum blushes, you can see how red it is. It’s a super pretty cool toned deep red, almost like a muted wine shade (it’s described as a deep cherry wine, and I think I expected more cherry). If that’s what you want, it’s beautiful. I just expected something more plum, blackberry, or bright berry.

I do really like the formula. It’s pigmented, a little glowy, and easy to blend. Because this shade is deeper and more intense, I put a little on the back of my hand first, pick it up with a brush, and then tap it onto the cheeks instead of dotting it straight onto my face. It blends nicely, but a little goes a long way.

Strobe Beam Liquid Blush in Plummy Bare, Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Faith, Glow Recipe Dewy Flush Berry Flush, Sacheu Liquid Blush in I’m Bold

If you want an actual plumberry blush, I’d rather use Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Faith or Glow Recipe Dewy Flush Berry Flush. Berry Flush still has redness to it, but because it sheers out, it reads more berry on me. If you want something brighter and pinker but still with that blue purple tone, Sacheu Liquid Blush in I’m Bold is closer.

Glow Play Blush in Grand, So Natural, True Harmony, Blush Please, and Totally Synced – I already owned all five of these blushes, and most of them are at least four years old, if not older (so keep in mind that they are probably somewhat expired). When I first bought them, I loved them. At the time, this bouncy, cushiony blush texture felt much less common, and the formula was so much easier and more forgiving than a traditional matte powder blush. But now this kind of formula is everywhere, and my shade preferences are completely different. Pulling these back out made me realize that most of the shades I own are way warmer than I want.

Grand is a pretty pink, but on me it can go corally orange really fast. There are so many cool toned pinks out now that don’t lean coral that I never reach for this one anymore even though it’s definitely one of my most used from over the years.

So Natural is coral on me in a “why does that look so weird on my skin” kind of way. If you’re looking for a super easy to wear coral, this is pretty, but it’s definitely not what I’m going for anymore.

True Harmony is a really pretty rosy brown in some lighting, but it can also go orange on me. I like the idea of this shade more than I like wearing it now, and I always put it on expecting it to work and then it’s just a little too warm.

Blush Please is another pink that also has that coral-orange shift I’m trying to avoid. It’s less corally than Grand, which actually makes it less useful because at least Grand is something I specifically use for bright, summery, pinky warm looks, whereas Blush Please is just…fine. I will say if you’re not olive, this is such a perfect everyday pink blush. I’ve used it on my friends for their wedding makeup, and it’s been great every time.

Totally Synced is the only one of these I’m considering keeping. It’s a cool toned lavender lilac, and I still use it all the time to brighten up a look or add a little pop of color. This kind of shade used to feel hard to find, and even though now I own a bunch of blushes in this general color family, I don’t think I can let Totally Synced go.

As always, all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

I’ve Been Hunting for Grungy and Fun Lip Products, and MAC Had Them the Whole Time

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

I’ve been testing a lot of lip products because I’m always looking for shades that are interesting, a little grungy, and not secretly orange. A shade can be described as cool nude, mauve, taupe, plum, brown, berry, or purple, and then somehow it turns into a warm peachy/orange on my face. So I keep buying blue glosses, purple adjusters, cool browns, blackberry lipsticks, and anything that looks like it might help me get the lip color I wanted in the first place.

It turns out MAC has actual blue, purple, blackened, grungy, makeup artisty colors, which I love. But they also have easy everyday shades that actually stay the color they’re supposed to be on me. Cool pinks that don’t turn coral. Mauves that don’t turn peach. Browns that don’t go orange. Glosses that add shine without warming everything up too much. *I did also grab some really cool and interesting lip products from Yesstyle that y’all recommended so more reviews coming soon.

Here are all the bullet lipsticks together just so you can see the formulas and colors all together in both lightings.

Lustreglass Sheer-Shine Lipstick in Alone Time, Signature Move, and Succumb to Plum – This is my favorite MAC lip formula and the one I reach for the most overall. It’s balmy and glossy, but it still gives enough color that it feels like a real lipstick. It’s easy to throw on, it makes my lips look better, and it wears surprisingly well for something this comfortable. I also recently compared Alone Time to the Clé de Peau Cocoa Dahlia lipstick, and they were shockingly close. So if you want that sheer, balmy, shiny, expensive feeling lipstick effect, I would absolutely look at MAC Lustreglass before spending $70 on Clé de Peau.

Alone Time is the best mauvey brown I’ve found. It stays mauve on me instead of turning orange, even in different lighting, and it has that grungy tan mauve quality I’m always looking for. This is one of the MAC lip products I reach for the most. Signature Move is similar to Alone Time, but a little more brown and a little warmer. It has more red in it, and it can lean slightly more orange by comparison, though it’s still very wearable. I like it, but if I were only choosing one, I’d choose Alone Time. Succumb to Plum a deep, saturated cool plum that actually stays cool toned. It’s the boldest of the Lustreglass shades I have, but the formula keeps it glossy and soft enough to wear all the time. This is the one I reach for when I want something darker, more blackberry, and more interesting without going all the way to black lipstick.

M·A·Cximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Pink Peppermint and Tilted Denim and M·A·Cximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Caviar – These are my go to adjuster shades. I use them less as traditional lipsticks because they’re really amazing problem solvers. If a lipstick is too orange, too yellow, too bright, too dark or too light, or just not quite right on me, these are the shades I start tapping on top.

The M·A·Cximal Sleek Satin formula feels like the most traditional lipstick formula of all of these. It’s full coverage, very pigmented, and comfortable, with a little bit of shine so it doesn’t look flat. It’s not as balmy or glossy as Lustreglass, but it gives much more opacity. Caviar is in the M·A·Cximal Silky Matte formula, so it’s flatter and more matte than Pink Peppermint and Tilted Denim. In the swatches, you can see the satin shades have a little bit of shine, while Caviar is much more matte.

Pink Peppermint is described as a dusty lavender, but on me it reads more like a cool pink with a little purple in it. I use this all the time to transition lipsticks that are too yellow, too orange, or too dark. It’s my quick fix shade when I don’t want to do a whole mixing experiment, because it makes almost everything look better.

Tilted Denim is blue, but it has some lavender/periwinkle tones in it, so it works really well as a cooling adjuster. When I have a lipstick where I like the general tone but it pulls too orange, especially with reds, I can tap on a little Tilted Denim and mix it in. It’s not an everyday lipstick shade on its own for me, but as an adjuster it’s so incredibly useful.

Caviar is a black with some green/blue/olive in it, and I use it when something is too bright or needs more depth. A tiny amount tapped in can make a lipstick look cooler, moodier, and more like the deep blackberry, purple, blackened lip colors I’m always trying to find. I also like wearing it lightly with gloss over top because it gives that sheer blackened lip effect without needing a separate lipstick.

M·A·Cximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Smoked Purple and Mehr and Powder Kiss Hazy Matte Lipstick in Good For You – These are the matte lipsticks I wear as actual lipsticks. MAC has a lot of matte lipstick formulas, and these three feel very different. As I mentioned with Caviar, the M·A·Cximal Silky Matte formula is matte, full coverage, and almost drying. For some reason, Mehr formula feels creamier and more traditional satin lipstick that just dries down a little matte than Smoked Purple and Caviar, maybe because it’s a mini. Either way, I’m not sure I agree with their description that these are “creamy” but they are a comfortable matte. The Powder Kiss Hazy Matte formula gives a very soft, blurred, diffused effect that’s really trending right now without being too drying.

Smoked Purple is a gorgeous deep cool purple that actually stays purple on me with no orange at all. If I want a true dramatic deep purple lip, this is the one. Mehr is a classic for a reason. It’s a really easy cool toned pink with a bit of blue in it, and it actually stays cool on me. Good For You is a cool toned brown that stays brown instead of turning orange, which makes it basically the perfect 90s brown lipstick for me.

Powder Kiss Lip + Cheek Mousse in It’s Personal, Velvet Teddy, and Rekindled – This is one of my favorite soft focus, blurring matte liquid formulas. It works well on lips and cheeks for a super quick and easy monochromatic look. It has such a pretty diffused finish without feeling dry or reminding me of a flat liquid lipstick. It’s much softer and easier to wear than the liquid lipsticks of yesteryear.

It’s Personal really surprised me. Everyone said it was the perfect light beigey pink nude, and even though it’s described as cool, I assumed it would somehow still turn orange on me. But it actually stays a really pretty light beigey pink. In very warm light, it can go more beigey brown, but it never turns into that bright neon orange Cheeto dust I hate. Especially if you’re a fair olive and want an easy nude in this formula, this is the one I’d absolutely recommend.

Velvet Teddy is a super easy to throw on cool toned pink. It’s simple, flattering, and very wearable, especially if you like having a dependable muted pink around. It doesn’t go orange, it doesn’t feel too warm, and it’s just pretty.

Rekindled is a dark purple brown, and it definitely brings more drama. It’s grungy, moody, and really pretty, especially if you like deeper lip colors or have more contrast. I wouldn’t call it the easiest everyday shade (you can see in the swatches I had a little trouble getting it to blend cleanly), but if you want a purple brown that’s grungy and still pretty, this is great. Just be a little careful applying – I’d recommend putting some on the back of your hand and then using a brush.

Lipglass Cushion High-Pigment Lip Oil in Yum Yum and Dressed To Dazzle – This formula is so, so good. It has solid pigment payoff without being too much for a gloss, it’s high shine, and even though it’s described as a lip oil, it feels more like a cushiony liquid lip balm. It’s comfortable, moisturizing, and glossy without being sticky. Both shades I have also have these pretty iridescent sparkles running through them, but they’re still smooth instead of obvious gritty glitter. I’ve used both of these a ton already even when I was trying to test other things (oops!). I’m honestly about to buy Pulse and Mauvement as I’m looking at the listing for these so let me know if you want me to report back!

Yum Yum is a classic cool toned pink with a purpley blue sparkle, and it’s so easy to wear. I like it on its own, but I also use it to top off lipsticks that are a little off, especially if I want to cool them down slightly or brighten them up without changing them too much. It’s pretty, fun, and one of those glosses I can throw on without thinking. Dressed To Dazzle is described as a taupe lilac with iridescent pearls, but on me it reads more like a rosy brown than a lilac. That said, it’s beautiful and extremely wearable. If I want an easy beige-y glossy lip, this is the one I reach for all the time.

Lipglass Cushion High-Pigment Lip Oil in Yum Yum and Dressed To Dazzle and Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick in Violet Beta and Nova

Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick in Violet Beta and Nova – These are the other glossy balm type products I have from MAC, and I mostly bought them because they come in fun colors that actually stay that color. Instead of using a clear balm or clear gloss for moisture and shine, I like being able to add a little purple or blue to tone down lip colors that pull too yellow, too orange, or too warm. As a very green olive person, it’s one of the things that I’m always looking for more of.

Violet Beta actually looks purple. I can wear it alone because I like cool toned lips, but it’s also useful layered over lipsticks that need a little cooling down. It adds shine and moisture while also making other colors more wearable for me. Nova really does show up blue and doesn’t turn pink or do anything weird – it’s just blue. Like Violet Beta, I can wear it alone, but I mostly like having it as a glossy blue adjuster instead of reaching for a clear balm. It’s great when something is too yellow or orange and I want to shift it cooler without doing a full lipstick mixing situation.

The main thing to know is that these are definitely tingly and plumping. That sensation doesn’t bother me personally, but I would skip these if you hate plumping glosses or if your lips are dry and sensitive.

Lip Pencil in Whirl – I’m including this mostly for completeness because it’s the only MAC lip liner I have. I swatched it next to the other lip liners I reach for most (in this order): Merit Brownstone, Merit Bauhaus, Maybelline Gone Greige, Thrive Kackie, Glossier Buff, Ravie Almond, and Ravie Mocha.

Lip Pencil in Whirl, Merit Brownstone, Merit Bauhaus, Maybelline Gone Greige, Thrive Kackie, Glossier Buff, Ravie Almond, and Ravie Mocha

Next to those, Whirl is much pinker. If you collect grungy brown, rusty beige, cool contour, or purple lip liners and you want something that reads more like a true pink, Whirl is your girl. I tend to prefer cooler browns because they actually add shape to my lips, so this one wasn’t quite what I wanted. I thought it would be deeper and more contoury because it’s described as a “dirty rose”, but on me, it’s just pink.

The formula is fine and very much in line with a classic lip pencil. If MAC lip liners are on sale and you already know you want a shade, I don’t think it’s bad. But personally, the Merit lip liner formula is still my favorite because it’s easier to use, blends out nicely, sets, and doesn’t get as dry as some traditional liners. If I lost Whirl, I wouldn’t replace it, but if I lost my Merit lip liners, I absolutely would.

What fun lip products should I check out? As always, all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

I’ve Been Collecting Cream Blonzers for Olive Skin, Because I Want My Summer Makeup to Be Really, Really Easy

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

Summer makeup is all about looking like you spent more time on your face than you actually did. When it’s this hot outside (90s F here), I’m trying to use as few products as possible. Since I know myself and that I’m still going to use some kind of tinted sunscreen/skin tin and/or concealer, a brow product, and mascara, I need everything else to be super minimal. I want one product that can do almost everything else: cheeks, forehead, and lips too.

That’s where cream blonzers make so much sense to me, and I’ve been super into them lately. I want a single cream product that adds color, warmth, shape, and a slightly more alive look without making me think too hard. The problem, as always, is that a lot of bronzy blush products go very orange on me. My olive skin turns “warm and sun-kissed” into “why does it look like I put Cheeto dust all over my face” very quickly. I pulled together four cream blonzers I’ve been using for my minimal, too-hot-for-anything-else summer face. I don’t know why I haven’t seen more people talk about this category, because this is exactly what I want from summer makeup.

Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick in Coco – This is the one I would tell the green friends to look at first. Coco is annoying to describe because it’s not just brown, pink, purple, or tan. It’s kind of all of those things at once. It has this rosy purple-brown tone that works as a contour, but it has enough of the rosy/warm shift of color that I can blend it higher into the blush/bronzer area and not feel like I’m wearing a gray stripe on my face.

On me, this is the perfect olive skin version of the cream blonzer idea. It gives me some sculpting because it is cooler and more muted, but it still gives a faded, sun-kissed, slightly reddish warmth without turning orange. The formula is also beautiful. It blends easily, sits down well, and looks smooth on the skin. It also lasts very well. The only thing that keeps this from being my ultimate go to is that this is the least dewy and least comfy on the lips (it’s not supposed to be because it’s not a lip and cheek product, but I’m team use products how you want unless they come with warning).

Lisa Eldridge Velatura Balm Dewy Lip and Cheek Stick in Cinnamon Bun – This is the one I reach for the most. The color is not quite as perfect for me as Coco, but it goes on so easily, and no effort is the name of the game when it’s hot out and you’re trying to do 5 minute makeup in your car.

Cinnamon Bun is sheerer than Coco, as well as warmer, redder, and glossier. It is less sculpting and more “I went outside and got a little flushed.” It gives me a glossy red-brown wash of color that makes it look like I actually slept and drank water (I didn’t), and it works really well on both lips and cheeks. I can put it on without overthinking placement, blend it with my fingers, and end up looking better in about 20 seconds. I really do love this formula (I have 4 shades and might just grab the 5th one for an in-depth review at this point). It’s also absolutely the best of these as a lip product.

That all said, the biggest downside for this one is wear time. It doesn’t last as long as the other three on me, but for quick summer makeup, that’s not a huge issue, and it just looks so pretty.

Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick in Coco, Lisa Eldridge Velatura Balm Dewy Lip and Cheek Stick in Cinnamon Bun, Haus Labs Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Cinnamon, Versed Everything Balm Complexion Color in Canyon

Haus Labs Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Cinnamon – This was the first product that made me fall in love with the whole cream blonzer category, so I still have a soft spot for it. Glassy Cinnamon is the warmest one here and the closest to orange in the swatch, but blended out it turns into a really pretty terracotta brown. On my skin, it gives more warm bronzy blush than anything close to contour, so I like it best when I want the look to very sun-kissed.

The formula is great. It blends easily, lasts pretty well, sits down nicely, and works well over other products. I have three of these and use them all the time. I’m just more hesitant to recommend this specific shade to green friends because it has the highest chance of pulling orange of everything in this post.

Versed Everything Balm Complexion Color in Canyon – This is the most affordable by far and also the one I’d get if you want your look to lean more blushy than bronzy. Canyon is the closest to a regular blush because it has so much more pink in it, but it still gives that soft sun-touched effect. It’s not as sculpting as Coco or as rusty as Cinnamon Bun, but it’s the least likely of these to go orange. It also really makes my skin look so pretty in a very effortless way. The formula blends seamlessly, sets down much better than I expected from this kind of balm format, and works well on the cheeks and the lips.

Because it’s so much pinker, I like this the least on my forehead compared to the others, but none of these are perfect. I’m hoping this helped you pick one if you were in the market because you definitely don’t need all four of these! But I would love more muted red/rosy browns, red-browns, purple-browns, and not-orange bronzy blushes personally if y’all have any recommendations for ones you love!

As always, some products may have been gifted, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

I Bought Too Much From the Marc Jacobs Beauty Relaunch So You Don’t Have To

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

I very rarely buy this much from one brand all at once. Usually, I build up to a brand review over time. I’ll buy one thing, use it for months, buy another thing, keep testing, and then eventually write the review once I feel like I have enough real experience to give y’all a “real person wearing this in real life all day” review. That is one of the things I really care about here. I never want to swatch something once and call it a review. I want to know what happens when I do my makeup in the car, when I put something on at 5 a.m. and need it to last until 11 p.m., when I’m chasing my toddler, when I’m trying to get ready quickly, when I’m doing a long workout, and all the other normal life things that make makeup behave very differently than it does in a perfect first impression scenario.

All to say, I know these products just launched, and I would normally take way more time with them. But so many of you wanted to know what was worth buying, which shades were olive-friendly, which formulas were good, and whether the relaunch was worth the wait, so here we are. I bought everything myself, and I did buy more than I normally would because of the questions I got on Substack (thank you for all the questions and feedback!).

One note on the packaging before we get into the products: across the board, the packaging is very fun. These feel like little art pieces, and if I had a smaller collection or displayed my makeup, I would probably love having them out. As someone with a lot of makeup and not enough storage, they feel super bulky. They’re harder to store because they’re all interesting shapes and not flat, compact products, which also doesn’t make them easy travel products. They’re also much lighter than I expected. I’m not mad about that because heavy luxury packaging is not always the easiest to use, especially if you have any dexterity issues. But I was expecting the blushes and lipsticks to feel weightier in the hand and less drugstore-weight.

And with all of that, here is my review of a bunch of the new Marc Jacobs products, starting with the products I’m super excited to keep using, then moving into the ones I can take or leave, and ending with the one that honestly makes me mad.

Legally Bronze Talc-Free Blurring Powder Bronzer in 10 Light and 20 Light Medium – The bronzer in Light Medium is easily my favorite thing I bought from the Marc Jacobs Beauty relaunch, no question. I originally bought Light because I figured Fair would be too fair for me, and then I was chatting with people on Substack and someone mentioned that Light Medium was the perfect bronzer color, so obviously I had to know and bought that one too. They were right.

The formula is really great. It’s buildable, blurring, and easy to throw on. It’s not so sheer that I have to work forever to see it, but it’s not so pigmented that I’m scared of it, and it blends out easily without looking patchy. Light is honestly pretty orange on me. It’s not horrible, and it doesn’t look terrible once it’s blended out because the formula is so good, but it’s not the bronzer color I was hoping for.

Legally Bronze Talc-Free Blurring Powder Bronzer in 10 Light and 20 Light Medium vs Gucci 01 bronzer

Light Medium though – I am not exaggerating when I say I have considered getting rid of almost every other powder bronzer I own because this is what I always wanted bronzer to look like on me. It has this rosy brown tan thing going on, but in certain light there’s also a slightly green, olive-friendly undertone that makes it look like it was made for my skin. It gives me warmth without turning orange even a little bit. I swatched it next to some of my other favorite bronzers (shown here next to the Gucci 01 classic for reference), and hopefully you can see how special it is. Most bronzers on me either go too orange or too pink or otherwise don’t look like bronzer is supposed to look on my skin. they look closer to blush. Light Medium actually looks like bronzer on me.

I’ve worn Light Medium every day since I got it, and this is the product from the relaunch I would buy again immediately. If you have similar undertones to me but you’re paler, I’d look at Fair before Light. If you’re a light-medium olive who struggles with bronzers turning orange, Light Medium is really, really special.

Born Star Cream-to-Powder Long-Wear Eyeshadow in Serving – This is the next product I loved, and mostly because of the formula. It goes on super easily with a finger or a brush, doesn’t need a ton of building, and stayed on me all day without creasing, even without primer. It’s such a great one-and-done eyeshadow because it gives enough impact to look like I did something special without a ton of effort.

The shade isn’t what I expected based on the swatches online, but it’s still really pretty. Serving ends up being an everyday warm brown on me, but not too warm. I’m a little disappointed it isn’t pinker, but the good news is that it doesn’t go copper or Cheeto dust on me. It also has a little bit of a mauve undertone, which makes it work really well with the berry, mauve, and rosy blushes I tend to wear. It has a bit of a blue reflect but it’s not super strong.

Born Star Cream-to-Powder Long-Wear Eyeshadow in Serving vs Half Magic Single Eyeshadow in Blushing Lizard

If you want something similar but a little cooler and more pink, I’d look at the Half Magic Single Eyeshadow in Blushing Lizard. Blushing Lizard is also sparklier, much less expensive, and has a stronger reflect. Serving is smoother and more everyday to me, while Blushing Lizard gives you more obvious sparkle and dimension. I’m very happy I bought this, and I would buy more shades because the formula is great. I just don’t think there are many other colors I actually need, especially with the eyeshadows I already own. I’ve also heard a lot of the other neutral shades run warmer than this, and Serving is already pretty warm on me.

Money Shot Multi-Use Illuminating Gel Highlighter – This is lower in the ranking not because I don’t love it, but because I really wouldn’t tell everyone to run out and buy it. The formula is awesome. Even though it’s a gel, it actually sets down and stays all day. I was worried it would stay tacky or move around, but it wears way better than I expected. It works exceptionally well tapped over another eyeshadow as a topper.

I wouldn’t use it all over the eye on its own. When I put it directly on my lid without primer or another shadow underneath, it looked a little patchy and pooled in some places. It just wasn’t as smooth as I wanted it to be. Over something else, though, it’s perfect. The color/effect is exactly why I love it. I love a super sparkly eyeshadow so much, and this is right up there with my favorites. It’s very sparkly, cool-toned, and has this blue-purple-green reflect that is basically the sparkle of my dreams. In person, the blue comes through much more than it does in photos. The blue reflect helps cut anything too peachy or warm, and it gives that bright, shiny sparkle I’m always hoping for.

I did also use it as a face highlighter, and I think it’s really fun if you’re a person who likes a very sparkly cheek and has an occasion for that. I’m not into that kind of look, so for me, this is really an eyeshadow topper. I’m really happy I got this, but I completely understand that a blue sparkly gel highlight situation is not for everyone.

Joystick Buildable Cream Blush Stick in Last Word and Self Centered – I can really take or leave these. The formula is really pretty, balmy, sheer, and easy-to-build up. The finish looks nice when I first put it on. The problem is that my face eats these so fast. On me, they last maybe an hour, even if I set them with a powder blush, which is disappointing.

I’m still happy I picked up Last Word. It’s a cool purple that actually stays purple on me, which is weirdly hard to find for green friends. A lot of purple blushes end up looking pink once they’re on my face, but this actually adds purple, so it works really well when I want to cool down a blush look or dial back some yellow without using a purple powder. Sometimes I just really don’t want to add more powder and want to bump up the dewiness of a look instead, and this is perfect for that.

Joystick Buildable Cream Blush Stick in Last Word and Self Centered

Self Centered is fine, butit’s warmer than I expected and not as mauve as I wanted. On me, it’s more of a terracotta/bricky learning mauve, which is pretty, but also very much something I already own in formulas I like much more. I also think the formula Last Word is smoother and easier to work with, while Self Centered looks a little patchier on me. I’m keeping Last Word because the color is really useful for me, but I’d skip Self Centered unless that warmer bricky shade is really missing from your collection.

Heart On Long-Lasting Soft Shine Lipstick in Eat It Up – This one is so frustrating. The formula is beautiful. It feels balmy and nourishing, swipes on easily, and looks smooth on the lips. It is comfortable and wearable in every way I want this kind of lipstick to be. And the color is perfect.

I swatched Eat It Up against MAC Alone Time, Victoria Beckham Pose, Ravie Zinnia, Ravie Dahlia, Merit Bespoke, Merit Archival, Merit 1990, Merit Slip, Bite Beauty Pepper, Bite Beauty Chai, Givenchy 16 Nude Boisé, Lisa Eldridge Toasted, Westman Atelier Soda, Westman Atelier Onyx, Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Blush Balm Lip Tint in 90s Kiss, YSL Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick in 15 Showcasing Nude, MAC Pink Peppermint, MAC Signature Move, MAC Velvet Teddy, MAC It’s Personal, and Queen of Musia Becky Sharp, and nothing was quite the same.

Eat It Up is the shade all along the arm vertically

On my olive skin, it reads like a muted, desaturated, grungy mauve that doesn’t go anywhere near orange. It is so good. So why am I so mad? I will never get over how this lipstick tastes. The fragrance is there, but it’s not horrible. At first I thought I could handle it. But the longer I had it on, the more I felt like it just wasn’t worth it. The taste lingered in a way that was really not okay. I was still updating friends hours later after taking it off because my mouth had a terrible aftertaste. I truly can’t remember even noticing the way a lipstick tasted this much ever before.

I also have it on good authority that there are other people who could not handle the taste either (hi fellow support group members!!). If you can handle it, I’m so jealous, and please enjoy the fantastic shades. I’m still glad I got to compare it because the shade really is harder to dupe than I expected, but I still don’t think I’d recommend it unless you are truly not bothered by this specific lip product taste. I’m going to keep hunting for a dupe.

What products should I test next? As always, all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored. I bought everything in this post myself.

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

Featuredby liftbakeloveLeave a Comment

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.

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 liftbakelove2 Comments

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.

Tag: skincare

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