It has been quite a while since I shared some of my favorite beauty products. After working in cosmetic sales and artistry for the past few years, I have skillfully navigated the land of luxury makeup and skincare. Through trial and error, I have discovered what's worth the splurge and what can be better substituted at your local drugstore. Here are a few of the products that I have been recently loving:
- Lancome My Parisian Pastels Shimmer Cube: An adorably packaged product with a unique design. Can be used as highlighter, blush, eyeshadow or finishing powder.
- OPI Hello Kitty and New Orleans Collections: My favorite brand of polish delivers once again with a wide range of beautiful colors including Kitty White (a shimmering white with a silvery finish), Charmmy & Sugar (a standout shade of metallic pale pink with sparkles), She's A Bad Muffuletta! (a strawberry red with pink undertones), Rich Girls & Po-Boys (a beautiful, boyish shade of blue that's somehow still very feminine).
- Clarins Lip Oil (01 Honey), Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm, & Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector (07 Toffee Pink Shimmer): I've been fixated with keeping my lips hydrated with oil, balm and a moisturizing product. The newest shade from the Instant Light collection is my favorite out of all of them- the most beautifully natural shade of pink.
- YSL Gypsy Opale Face Palette: The dynamite packaging is what sold me but the product itself keeps me reaching for more. A wonderful color correcting finishing powder.
- Shiseido Future Solution Night Cream: A steep price tag but worth every penny. The Future Solution range of skincare products has been my guilty pleasure for several years. It truly keeps fine lines in-check and hydrates beyond belief.
- Bioderma Cleansing Water: Many brands are attempting to knock off this cult-favorite product (Simple, Garnier, etc...) that was once only available for purchase in Europe but thanks to sites like Beautylish, Bioderma is accessible to the masses and at a fantastic price. Nothing beats the original! Perfect for dry, sensitive skin. Takes makeup off and leaves the skin clean.
- ColourPop Eyeshadows: This brand has been one of my favorite discoveries. I adore everything about their range- affordable, cutting edge, on-trend, fun and good quality. I love all of their products but every girl needs to own at least one of their eyeshadows.
- Tarte Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer (Ivory): I don't like to wear heavy foundation and prefer light coverage on my face. This BB/tinted moisturizer hybrid is phenomenal at delivering just enough hydration and coverage to even out my complexion without masking my natural skin beneath.
- Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer (Fair): I have tried plenty of high-end concealers but this drugstore find is still my favorite. I recently turned 30 but am just now starting to need coverage under the eyes. This concealer has been a go-to.
- Etude House Sheet Masks: A few times a year (when the Korean beauty site offers sales and free shipping), I place an order for my favorite Asian cosmetic items. These sheet masks are affordable and a wonderful addition to your skincare routine.
- Estee Lauder Double Wear Eyeliner (Gold): My eyeliner collection is obscene. There are a lot of terrific pencil liners on the market but this formula and color from Estee Lauder has been my favorite.
- Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water: I thought this was a gimmick when I first purchased it. "Diamond water? Riiight." It turns out that this primer is everything. If you have dry skin that rejects foundation, this formula will agree with anything you place on top of it. It helps with the application of your makeup but more importantly, it truly prolongs its wear-time. If they ever discontinue this baby, I will be buying a lifetime supply.
- Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream: This is terrific for day or night and a must-have before prepping for concealer.
- Lancome Miracle Cushion Compact Foundation (Alternate: L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation): My love for Asian-inspired skincare and beauty products has found its way into my foundation routine. When I need a bit more coverage than a BB cream or tinted moisturizer, I reach for these. They're still light-medium coverage and very comfortable on the skin. The downside? You don't get a lot of product for what you pay but the finish is gorgeous.
- Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Eyeshadow Palette: Too Faced is one of my favorite brands- so feminine, fun and flirty. I have so many of their products and love of all of them. If Peggy Bundy ever designed an eyeshadow palette, it might look like this.
- Clinique Cheek Pop Blush (Nude Pop): I'm not much of a Clinique girl but this blush's cutesy floral and acrylic packaging lured me in. The formula and shade is also incredible.
- Chanel Nail Polish (683 Sunrise Trip): From the Spring 2016 LA Sunrise Collection, this shade looks nearly black in the bottle but on the nail, it's an original shade of royal purple with navy undertones. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect, bright, neutral-yet-wearable, neon purple (that's not asking too much is it?) but this shade will be fine until that polish is
discoveredinvented.
