I can’t believe it’s almost September, and it’s time for another round of favorites! I As always, I’m only featuring products in my favorites that are true favorites that I’ve been using consistently for longer than a couple months. If there’s anything you were looking for a review on or a topic that you want me to cover, please let me know if the comments below! And, of course, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.
Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray – I use this very much like a Mac Fix+, but Fix+ breaks me out, so I was so excited to find this. I used to use the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist for this step, but totally ran out of it and all my back-ups and decided to try the Tower 28 instead. It works really well as a finishing, hydrating step, and I love how it smells beachy. I also love how well it melts all my makeup together to look seamless without disrupting anything and that I can use it to refresh my makeup during the day (especially if I go for a walk in 90 degree weather and then need to continue on looking professional).
Item Beauty Air Hug Concealer in 110 – This is one of my favorite base products right now. It’s amazing – hydrating, long-wearing, non-creasing, smoothing, and blendable. The shade 110 is a great match, and I can easily use it under my eyes or on my face. I actually have been using it a ton as a foundation itself, and it’s looked amazing that way. It also wears super well throughout the day without wearing off or wearing down, which I really appreciate now that I am much more out and about during the week.
Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot Eyeshadow in Soft Ochre – This is my new go-to eyeshadow primer. My one eyeshadow primer I was using before honestly stopped working (my eyeshadow would fade immediately no matter which shadow I used), and this has made a huge difference. The yellow tones are a great match for my eyelid color, and it’s also brightening enough to use as a base for anything I put on top of it. The formula is incredibly easy to work with and goes on so quick with a finger or a brush. It doesn’t crease and stays all day without fading, and my other eyeshadows don’t fade anymore either. They stick so well, stay all day, and the this base really makes them pop.
Kaja Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trio in Toasted Caramel – This is an amazing set of shimmer shadows that you can wear alone or as toppers. I last wrote about these in 2020 and honestly had kind of forgotten how amazing they are. They have a ton of different shades available, including some with mattes to make an easy 3 shadow look. I love wearing any of them all over the lid or pairing them with my other palettes to bring in some extra sparkle. The shades are super pigmented but still blendable and there’s something really special about whatever glitter is in them. I also love the packaging and how it really clicks closed, which makes it great for travel as well.
MAC Glow Play Blush in Totally Synced– This formula has been my go-to for finishing off my cheek looks because it has a really incredible blurring quality that really pulls together any look I’ve done. Because the texture feels like a cross between a powder and a cream, it adds a slight sheen like a cream and has great lasting power like a powder. I own 5 of these, but have been getting a ton of use out of Totally Synced, which is a pastel lilac shade. I find that it really helps balance a too-warm look or a too-dark look. It also just brightens up my face, so I love just using it as a last step.
What were your favorites this month? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
I recently visited family for over a week, and this is everything I brought! It actually all fit into a very small travel bag, so even though it looks like a lot, it didn’t feel like too much to me. That said, I do talk about which ones I wouldn’t have brought below because this is clearly overdoing it on eyeshadow, blush, and lip products. Thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.
Roen 75° Warm Quad – If I could pack this again, I would have only brought the 11:11 quad, but I threw this one in just in case because I love these palettes so much. I really love the Roen formula because it’s so versatile – with a finger, the shades go on incredibly pigmented and intense, but with a brush, you can create a very sophisticated wash of color. I totally could have gotten away with just one eyeshadow brush and gotten so many incredible looks with this range of shades, particularly with how many great one-and-done shades there are. I also love that these are so quick and easy to use and last all day which is super important to me when I’m travelling.
Roen 11:11 Quad – This is my favorite Roen quad of the three that I own, and it’s definitely my most used. Each shade is a perfect one-and-done on it’s own, and they are so easy and quick to use. The shade swatched farthest to the right below is my go to for adding a high impact sparkle to any eye look, whether it’s on top of the other shades in the 11:11 palette or any other eyeshadow I’ve used. It just seems to finish off any look, particularly in a world where I want people to see my eyes through a screen. They last all day on me with an eyeshadow primer, and I don’t have any issues with flaking or fall out. I definitely used this one way more than the other quad.
Glow-All Super Powder Face Palette – I really struggle with powder products because they tend to stamp on vs deposit color and blend out so it’s super easy for me to overdo. I don’t have that issue with this palette at all. The formula is so easy to work with and you don’t have to think about what you’re doing because it’s so hard to overdo it. The formula is also incredibly creamy and blurring as you can hopefully see in the swatches below. I’m so happy to have this for travel and for quick and easy looks at home. I brought it with me when we visited family for Thanksgiving, and it was great to have everything in one palette, including such different blush colors., which makes it great for travel. You can still get a pretty big brush in the pans, which I really appreciate.
Highlighter, Bronzer, and Blushes from the face palette
In my Salt New York palette I had: Salt New York Sculpt + Bronze Crème Tint Pro in Light/Medium –It blends out incredibly easily and seamlessly, feels like nothing on the skin, and looks so natural on me. It’s my favorite formula for when I need a “I’m running late and need something easy” look, which is every day right now. It blends out so quickly with a brush, sponge, or fingers and never looks patchy which is great when I’m behind on washing my brushes. This honestly might end up being the first cream color cosmetic product I hit pan on ever, and I wouldn’t be surprised.
Salt New York Crème Tint Pro Highlighter in Beige – I’ve written about my love for Salt New York’s products so many times, and it’s because it continues to be one of my favorite cream formulas that I go back to over and over again. All the Crème Tint Pros I have (and I have 21) blend out incredibly easily and seamlessly, are super lightweight, and look so at home on my skin. This is my favorite formula for when I need a “I’m running late and need something easy” look – they blend out so quickly with a brush, sponge, or fingers and never look patchy. My favorite though of all of them, if I really had to choose, would be beige. It’s just my perfect, my skin but better highlight, and it always looks absolutely amazing.
Salt New York bronzer in Light/Medium, highlighter in Beige
Kjaer Weis Blush in Blossoming – This formula has the perfect balance between blendable and long-wearing. It’s so easy to work with, create impact, and stays all day. The first time I used one of these, I was shocked to find that it was still on my cheeks after wearing makeup for over 15 hours. I love that I can just buy a refill without the extra packaging and put it in my Salt New York empty palette, and that it’s still around $30 even for a luxury product. I’ve been loving the shade Blossoming, and I think it could be my one and only blush super easily with how flattering it is for me. It’s a beautiful rosy, warm pink that is a great match with the pink and brown looks I tend to gravitate towards.
Salt New York Crème Tint Pro in Tangerine – This was part of a limited edition duo they launched for spring in 2021, and I’m so happy I grabbed it. I love using Tangerine to warm a look up when something doesn’t quite look right. I can use this to easily put together a monochromatic orange, bronzy look or adjust my blush to match my eyeshadow or lip color better. Like all Salt New York products, it’s buildable, dewy without shimmer, and super easy to blend.
Viseart Petite Pro 4 – I got this during a sale at the end of 2019, and I still reach for it all the time even with all the other eyeshadows I own now. I’m so happy I decided to get it and that I have it in my collection. It’s the perfect mix of neutrals, and I’ve loved how small and compact this is for travel so I can easily throw it into my bag and get a ton of variety. Like all Viseart shadows, these blend seamlessly with little fallout and aren’t overly glittery, so I can put together a look for work super quickly too. I love using the mattes to blend out another look that might need it, so it’s a great pairing for the Roen quads.
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Rose Gold – Like the Roen quad, I wouldn’t bring this if I could do it again because I just didn’t reach for it over all the other eyeshadow I brought. That said, I brought this because it’s just so easy to use. It’s super easy to blend and stays all day. Since it’s so small, it’s not a huge deal to have it in my beauty bag, and I pretty much always tend to add it just in case since it’s compact and I can swipe it on and quickly blend with my finger.
Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara in Brynn – No surprises here – this is my go to mascara. It makes my lashes look amazing, doesn’t smudge, and actually holds a curl. The best part is that it washes off so easily and quickly so I don’t have to bring a separate makeup remover for my mascara (which I need with some of my other ones).
Rephr Lash Curler – I’ve tired so many lash curlers over this years, but this one is by far my favorite. It feels my eye shape really well without pinching. It gets all of my lashes including the corners and my lashes actually curl. Right now, you can buy this for $17, and it’s so worth it especially at that price.
Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation in Melrose – I honestly think this might be my favorite foundation of all time. The formula is so incredibly smoothing and glowy. It makes my skin look both perfected and hydrated while feeling super comfortable on the skin. I can put it on with a brush, sponge, or fingers, and it looks great. The wear time is amazing considering how lightweight it is, and it absolutely wears in instead of off. It’s super easy to apply with my hands, which is one of the reasons I love using it when I travel.
Ulta Under Eye Brightener – I have super dark undereye and can’t get away without a corrector, and I’m so happy to have discovered this one. It’s about $10 and a very effective dupe of my beloved Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector. Just like the Becca one, this corrector works so well for correcting my super dark circles and helps hydrate my super dry under eyes for whatever concealer goes on top without any heaviness. It blends like a dream and the color is perfect for me. And it’s in stick form which is so much easier to use than the pot, especially when traveling!
Ilia True Skin Serum Concealer in Arrowroot – I have been loving this concealer ever since I got it. It has a very hydrating feel and finish without being too glossy or dewy. It’s light to medium coverage which matches with the coverage level I prefer for my foundations. Despite being so hydrating, it’s long-wearing and non-creasing throughout the day. It’s also incredibly blendable and easy to work with. I can use it under my eyes, for spot concealing, or all over as a light coverage foundation, which makes it a great option to have in my travel bag.
Glossier Future Dew – This continues to be one of my favorite products, and is one of the only things I consistently use every day in my makeup routine. It provides such an amazing glossy, hydrating base that makes me look like I drank enough water (and if you know me, you know I have never had enough water). It works beautifully with any foundation, concealer, and powder combo I put on top of it and makes them look way better on my skin – no dry patches, no clinging, no flatness.
Cover FX Dewy Finish Setting Spray – Honestly, this isn’t my favorite anymore, but I have this mini, and I’d love to finish it. It’s still a great option for keeping my makeup looking great all day without drying out my skin. It’s alcohol-free and doesn’t dry out my skin. Mostly, I brought this one because it’s in such a small container. Similarly, the Cover FX mini powder I have is a totally fine powder, and it’s just the one I bring because I have it and it’s so small.
Rose Inc Brow Renew in Clear – I have giant, thick brows that look overdone super quickly, and I honestly didn’t realize how much a clear brow gel could make them look put together and “done” without overwhelming my face. It doesn’t feel crunchy or sticky but has great staying power like the rest of these products. Because of my big brows, the applicator is also perfect for me vs the usual tiny brow applicators. It makes applying this so fast and easy to get my brows into shape, and this travel size is perfect for not taking up too much space.
Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil – Because of a sparse area I have in one of my brows, I never skip this step, so I had to include both this and a brow gel in my travel bag. I love this pencil because it goes on so quickly and naturally and the size makes it perfect to fill areas in fast but not overdo it. And unlike other pencils, it stays all day, so I don’t end up with a hole in my brow by the end of the day.
Fitglow Beauty Lip Colour Serums in Halo, Dahlia, Juice, and Nudie – I know I write about these all the time, but it’s because I truly love them, and I’m so happy I have so many of them. I use them almost every day and couldn’t choose just one to bring with me. The formula is incredibly nourishing, thick, hydrating, and long-lasting, and I just reach for them so often especially because they work so well as toppers for more matte lipsticks or lip liners. I brought four of the minis I have to give me as much variety as I would want without taking up barely any space. This gave me an amazing range of colors and brightness levels to choose from.
Fitglow Beauty Lip Night Serum – This formula is incredibly nourishing, thick, hydrating, and long-lasting, which makes it perfect for my only lip balm or clear lip gloss I bring. It’s honestly the best nighttime lip treatment I’ve ever tried, and I wake up consistently to hydrated and nourished lips, which I’ve never had happen in the winter before using this product. I now always have one of these with me wherever I go.
Glossier Ultralip in Villa and Trench – The Ultralips are a pretty pigmented tinted lip balm that has a touch more glossiness than your average balm. I love how moisturizing it is and how long lasting it is (for a lip balm texture). You can also build up the color without anything weird happening like pilling or patching. Villa is such an at home shade for me that makes it super easy to throw on, and Trench is such a great browny nude for me that has enough yellow to balance out all the pink in my lips. If I had to pack again, I’d probably just bring the Fitglow Lip Serums but I do really love these too.
Futurelipstick Luxe Shine in Nothing Nude– This formula is really high shine and super smoothing, and I find myself reaching for it so much more than my other lipsticks. It’s surprisingly nourishing and hydrating for such a pigmented lipstick – it has the finish of a lipstick and the formula of a hydrating lip balm. I have the shade Nothing Nude which is a cool rosy brown. This is one of my go-tos, and it’s so small, I figured I would bring it. I definitely didn’t need all these lip products but I ended up wearing this one quite often.
Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil in Wherever Walnut – I actually have so many different lip liners, and this is still the only one I use when I’m traveling. The formula is creamy without being slippery and helps define my lips without drying them out. I particularly like this color because it adds depth to my lighter colors and helps retain the shape for darker colors. It’s super neutral and so it doesn’t conflict with almost any look I want to do, which makes it great if I only want to bring one. This mini is also tiny, so it doesn’t take up really any space.
MAC Glow Play Blush in Totally Synced– This formula has been my go-to for finishing off my cheek looks because it has a really incredible blurring quality that really pulls together any look I’ve done. Because the texture feels like a cross between a powder and a cream, it adds a slight sheen like a cream and has great lasting power like a powder. I own 5 of these, but I brought Totally Synced, which is a pastel lilac shade. I find that it really helps balance a too-warm look or a too-dark look. I probably didn’t need to bring this given the other blushes, but I find having a bright cool shade like this really helpful.
What are your go-tos while traveling? Do you also end up bringing too much but because it fits into a small bag it feels okay? Let me know in the comments below! Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
I can’t believe April is already over, and it’s time for another round of favorites! As always, I’m only featuring products in my favorites that are true favorites that I’ve been using consistently for longer than a couple months. If there’s anything you were looking for a review on or a topic that you want me to cover, please let me know if the comments below! And, of course, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts.
Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation in Melrose – I honestly think this might be my favorite foundation of all time. I’m surprised I haven’t written about it yet! The formula is so incredibly smoothing and glowy. It makes my skin look both perfected and hydrated while feeling super comfortable on the skin. I can put it on with a brush, sponge, or fingers, and it looks great. The wear time is amazing considering how lightweight it is, and it absolutely wears in instead of off. Now that we’re heading into summer, I’ve been wearing it more often even though I actually have had it since last year. I also have been relying on it whenever I travel and want something I can apply quickly with my hands.
Pat Mcgrath Divine Blush in Fleurtatious – The formula is incredibly smoothing and blurring, and it looks so beautiful on my skin. It is one of my most flattering powder blushes, and it’s the one I use when I don’t want to think about how I’m applying my blush. It lasts incredibly well, and it works great to set a cream blush if I want my look to last all day. Fleurtatious is a warm-toned light pink that works so well with the tones that I love to use, and as you can see in the swatch below, it’s just pigmented enough to show up but not too pigmented to take over a look. I’ve been reaching for this so often to finish off my looks now that we’re in Spring.
Glossier Haloscope highlighter in Quartz – I love the effect this gives when I take the time to apply it just right. It provides a natural looking subtle glow that is glitter free and looks like I just have healthy skin. Because it has a champagne colored section and a clear section, if I apply it directly to my skin, I end up with a darker streak on my cheekbones and a patch where my blush has picked up under that. So, I’ve been swirling a brush over it and applying it from the brush, and it honestly looks so great. I had written a review about how I didn’t love this because it’s a bit sticky, but now that my skin is a little less dry with the changing seasons, it seems to be working better. I’m glad I’m getting more use out of this!
Dieux Instant Angel Skin Restoring Moisturizer – The product page says that “this nourishing face cream supports and repairs skin while giving an ethereal glow,” and that is incredibly accurate. This has helped me get rid of any dry, flaky patches on my skin, and it really has makes a huge difference in hydrating my skin closer to normal. It’s also gentle enough that I can use it on my currently dry, flaky eyelids with no issues, and it soothes and moisturizing them so well and so fast. It also sits perfectly under makeup because of how fast it melts into the skin and because it imparts a bit of a glow.
Josie Maran Intensive Daily Repair Body Butter – I finally found a body butter I like more than the Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter, and it’s also from Josie Maran. I haven’t been using this as long as the other products, but I had to share. I have incredibly dry skin on my body to the point that I sometimes get itchy hives, and I haven’t had any since I started using this. It’s so incredibly nourishing, moisturizing, and honestly healing. Like the other body butters from this brand, it’s still fast absorbing and super lightweight even with how moisturizing it is. I’m so glad I have this, and it’s well worth the price (especially since Josie Maran products go on sale often).
What were your favorites this month? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
Kackie has one of my favorite beauty channels to watch – so much so that it’s part of my morning routine Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays when she posts new videos, and I can’t imagine it any other way. What makes her stand out for me is that she actually reviews products rather than fawning over new releases. She covers textures, colors, formulation, packaging, etc. in depth, usually with comparisons to similar products you might already have. She has what she refers to as an encyclopedic knowledge of products, and I think that’s why I find her reviews so helpful. Kackie goes out of her way to give the most pertinent information to help viewers decide why something might or might not work for them and what they should know about the product when making a purchasing decision. For that reason, almost everything I’ve gotten because of her recommending it has become a fast favorite and something I wish I had bought sooner. Because I’m on a no-buy in 2022, I rounded up all the products Kackie made me buy in 2021 since my last “Kackie made me buy it” post. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!
Lisa Eldridge Liquid Lurex Eyeshadow in Angelica and Bianca – I absolutely love this eyeshadow. This formula is so quick and easy to use. It’s almost like a mousse and feels halfway between a cream and a liquid. I’ve tried using a brush and fingers, with and without a primer, and applying directly from the doe-foot and from my hand – nothing I tried didn’t work out amazingly. The formula doesn’t crease and looks exactly the same all day. I tested it on a 17-hour makeup day, and it honestly could have just been applied. I’ve used it as one sheer layer, a thicker application, and layered on top of itself, and it looked great all three ways. I love how I have enough time to play with it and blend it out however I want before it sets down. They’re also some of the more spangly eyeshadows I’ve ever used, which may be the thing I love about them the most. Angelica is a rosy bronze that is the absolute perfect shade for me – I feel like I’ve been hunting for this color for years, and here it is. Bianca is a warm, purply-pink that really makes my brown eyes pop.
Angelica (left) and Bianca (right)
Tower 28 Beauty BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush in Happy Hour – This is one of the dewiest blushes I own – it’s super pretty on dry skin. The formula of these is incredibly easy to use and blends out super quickly. It does leave a slight stickiness that isn’t always my favorite, especially if I know I’m going to be wearing a mask. This is described as a warm toned pink, but I find it pulls very peachy-orange on me. Because of that, I haven’t used it that much since we’ve been in the winter months, and I’m excited to use it more in the summer. Of all the blushes Kackie has “made me buy,” I think this is my least favorite, but that’s just because she sets the bar so high with all the other blush recommendations.
Pat Mcgrath Divine Blush in Fleurtatious – The formula is incredibly smoothing and blurring, and it looks so beautiful on my skin. It is one of my most flattering powder blushes, and it’s the one I use when I don’t want to think about how I’m applying my blush. It lasts incredibly well, and it works great to set a cream blush if I want my look to last all day. Fleurtatious is a warm-toned light pink that works so well with the tones that I love to use, and as you can see in the swatch below, it’s just pigmented enough to show up but not too pigmented to take over a look.
Em Cosmetics So Soft Blush – I knew I would love these the first time Kackie described the texture of these – they’re everything I look for in a cream blush. The So Soft formula is incredibly soft and creamy (like the name implies), and that makes it so easy and quick to apply. It blends so seamlessly into the skin without disappearing. It’s actually one of the longest wearing cream blushes I own despite being so blendable. I have the shades Lychee (warm melon), Venetian Rose (vinatge rose), and Pearl Tea (brownish nude), and I get lots of use out of all the shades.
ABH Dewy Set Setting Spray – The Cover FX Dewy Finish Setting Spray had been my favorite for years, but I like this even better. It does just the right amount of dewiness and sets my makeup while still leaving everything skin-like and flexible. I love how this makes my makeup look after everything is said and done and how it provides great lasting power without drying out my skin (in fact, I think it adds another layer of hydration). It’s also less expensive than similar options, like the Hourglass Setting Spray Kackie says it’s a dupe of, so I’m very excited this has come into my makeup routine.
Tower 28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation in Melrose – I honestly think this might be my favorite foundation of all time. I’m surprised I haven’t written about it yet! The formula is so incredibly smoothing and glowy. It makes my skin look both perfected and hydrated while feeling super comfortable on the skin. I can put it on with a brush, sponge, or fingers, and it looks great. The wear time is amazing considering how lightweight it is, and it absolutely wears in instead of off. I’m so happy I decided to grab this!
Kosas AirBrow – Kackie convinced me to try this over, and I’m so glad I did! It finally unseated Glossier Boy Browhich I had been using for years. It tints and fills in the brows so quickly and easily without overdoing it or over applying the gel. It doesn’t get crunchy or hard and stays in place all day. I prefer it to the Boy Brow because it’s a bit thicker so it lasts longer and keeps my brows exactly where I want them all day.
Glow-All Super Powder Face Palette – I really struggle with powder products because they tend to stamp on vs deposit color and blend out so it’s super easy for me to overdo. I knew based on Kackie’s description I would have no issues with this formula, and she was right! It’s so easy to work with and you don’t have to think about what you’re doing because it’s so hard to overdo it. The formula is also incredibly creamy and blurring as you can hopefully see in the swatches below. I’m so happy to have this for travel and for quick and easy looks at home. I brought it with me when we visited family for Thanksgiving, and it was great to have everything in one palette, including such different blush colors. You can still get a pretty big brush in the pans, which I really appreciate. The palette is $17.13, and I’m loving it so much more than my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit – Sculpture Unlocked palette which was $58.
highlighter, bronzer, and blushes from the face palette
Beauty Pie Triple Beauty Luminizing Wand – This blends so easily and quickly and creates a sophisticated glow without glitter. It’s a perfect wash of light-catching pigment and is also blurring. It looks great as a finishing touch to any look I’ve used it in, and I love that it looks great on the cheeks, brow bone, inner corner, or anywhere else I want it to go. I can apply it straight from the wand or use my fingers or a brush and it works great. It only comes in one shade but I think this shade would work for a lot of people because it’s so sheer. Compared to $38 for the Charlotte Tilbury version of this, it’s incredible that this only costs $9.18. I honestly would’ve thought this was a luxury product down to the packaging, and I can’t believe it’s less than $10.
Beauty Pie Seamless Foundation Buffing Brush – This brush is really densely packed which ensures it maintains the level of coverage of any product I’m using it with. It also never creates any streaks and cleans really well even with consistently using it with liquid products. While this brush is amazing for foundation, I actually love it even more for cream blush. It blends every formula so seamlessly and quickly and is my go-to for when I’ve overdone my blush and need to blend everything together quickly because of its size. This brush is under $10 and feels similar to my much more expensive synthetic brushes. I now totally understandwhy Kackie said in her review that she wanted tons of these in her collection.
Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.
I’ll be sharing some of my favorite “stay at home purchases” as I mentioned in my last post. Since it’s now May (already? how?), I wanted to share my favorites from March and April since I took a break last month.
I’ve tried lots of wash-off face masks, but I’ve finally discovered my holy grails, and I’m so excited to share these. The first is the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask. I’m only using it once or twice a week, so this jar will last forever, making the price much more reasonable for me. It is one of the only things I’ve found to really help my skin when it’s feeling congested or dull when an AHA toner won’t do quite enough. It smells strongly like pumpkin, so if you’re not into that, I would consider skipping this one. For me, it’s totally worth the smell for a few minutes to get clear, bright skin. Bonus – I haven’t had any acne issues since I start using it despite my not great diet and high stress levels lately.
What I use right after the pumpkin enzyme mask to deeply moisturize my skin is the Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask. This mask warms up as you massage it into your skin, so not only does it work to deeply moisturize and calm my skin , it’s also a really great relaxing experience. It is the perfect mask to use after an exfoliating treatment or just when your skin is feeling extra dry. My only regret is that I bought the small size! I know there are a bunch of folks who use this a few times a week, which I definitely want to do now that I understand how great it is, so I’m hoping I can pick it up on sale when I run out!
If you know me or have read my past posts, you know I definitely don’t need any more blush. I got more anyway because it’s one of my favorite product categories. I think I’ve featured blush in my favorites every month so far, and that probably won’t stop any time soon. I’m usually more drawn to cream and liquid blushes, so I very excited to have found a really amazing powder blush formula – the Em Cosmetics Heaven’s Glow Blush in Magic Hour. It provides a soft, glowy look without being overly pigmented so it is such an easy way to brighten up a look. I also use this to set cream and liquid blushes if I know I’ll be on video calls for 12 hours, and the color is perfect for that for a wide range of shades. It’s been beating out my favorite Nars and Hourglass blushes for my most used powder blush, and I really hope they come out with more than just the two shades they current have!
I’ve written about my love for Natasha Denona shadows before when I talked about my favorite products of 2019, but I know it’s not possible or practical for everyone to get a $129 or more palette. I’m so excited she came out with these $25 mini palettes with the same high quality formula and much more curated shadows so you only get what you need. The Mini Retro Eyeshadow Palette is a really great addition to my collection because the colors are so unique. I’m not sure I was able to capture them in my swatches here, but I’m loving the shade selection here. These are great to use in conjunction with other palettes (especially the shimmer shades) to add some color to an otherwise neutral look or to make a really pretty springy pink/green look.
I have found my perfect gloss formula, and they are only $14! The Tower 28 ShineOn Jelly Lip Glosses are beautifully sheer, moisturizing, glossy without being sticky, fairly long lasting for a gloss, play nicely with lipsticks and lip liners underneath, come in a great color selection – I could go on and on about these. I have the shades Fire and Fearless. Fire is a great spring/summer bright orange shade and Fearless is a really pretty berry, but both are sheer enough that I can wear them for my work calls or to warm up or cool down lip products underneath. I was going to splurge for a expensive lip oil during the Sephora sale, but these definitely fulfill that need for me, and I’m so happy I got these instead.
I definitely didn’t need more brushes, but Sonia G. restocked her pro face brushes, and I was so excited to grab the Face Pro and the Designer Pro. The Face Pro is the best brush I have found for a diffused contour and bronzer application and is able to create that diffused look with all of my powder bronzers. It’s really great for me to have a brush I can use without having to think about if it’s the right one for the formula. The Designer Pro is perfect for blush or highlight or targeted powder application and similar to the Face Pro, it works great with every formula I’ve tried it with. As with all her brushes, they look great after washing, there is very little shedding, and they have the right weight distribution to make using them a great experience. Of all my Sonia G. brushes so far, I would recommend these as these shapes are more unique in her line versus others, and if you’re looking for a super high quality brush for blush, bronzer, and highlighter, you can’t go wrong with these two.
What are you loving this month? Anything you want to see from me next? Let me know!
LiftBakelove 