Makeup Collection: Face

As I believe I have mentioned before, I tend to buy an excess of face products. This is because my skin... well, to be honest, it isn't a pretty sight most days. Lately I've calmed down on the excessive purchasing of face products (and not just because of "project minimize") and although I do have a lengthy list of products I really want to try, I will hopefully refrain from purchasing what I do not need. Although most of my collection is with me at school, there are a few items I always leave at home with the assumption that I won't bring my makeup home with me. This never happens, but as it is, I don't actually have the space for the few other products that are sitting in my acrylic storage unit at home (actually, I did an experiment and discovered that I could fit it all in a Birchbox).

I won't be reviewing things that I mention because part of the purpose of this collection post is to show you what I have so I can actually review something that has been requested. As you've probably noticed, I just review what I am using and move on to the next item. I will also link to any reviews I have already posted, so hopefully that is helpful.

Once again I am rambling and telling you more than you probably needed to know, so here is my collection!

Base Products (primer, foundation/BB cream, powder, etc):

Primer:

I am not big on using face primers. To me, they are just an added step that I have personally never thought of as necessary because I've never found one I loved. Both primers I have are sample sizes, so I really need to just use them up so it's not taking up the space. I have the Mirabella Prime (which is for face and eyes) and a sample of Lancome La Base Pro (which I got at Sephora as a 100 point perk, I believe). Both of these are silicone-based. If I ever do buy another primer, I really want to try any of the Korres primers or the Tarte BB Tinted Treatment (which is a tinted primer).

Foundation/BB Cream/Tinted Moisturizer:

Foundation has always been my favorite, yet least favorite thing to buy. I love how my skin looks with a good foundation, but the frustration of finding a foundation that matches my skin and doesn't irritate it is pure torture. That might be a slight exaggeration, but I've spent more money on foundations in my lifetime than I have spent on anything else... and I still have nothing that is perfect for my needs.

But, I digress. I currently have the L'Oreal Youth Code BB Cream in Light, Shiseido Dual Balancing Foundation in Very Light Ivory (I 00), and Clinique Acne Solutions in Fresh Alabaster (01).

Not Pictured: Estee Lauder Double Wear in Ecru and Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm in Vanilla Glow

Powder (including a powder foundation):

Powders are another thing I can't get enough of. My skin is oily and I generally like most of the powders I buy. I tend to buy pressed powders more often than loose powders because they aren't as messy and make traveling easier.

The powders I have are: NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Face Powder in Translucent, Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Cream (Light 4-5), Neutrogena SkinClearing Mineral Powder in Classic Ivory (10), Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation in Classic Ivory (10), Covergirl Clean Oil Control Pressed Powder in Classic Ivory (510), and Mario Badescu Special Healing Powder (more of a skin treatment, but it is a powder and I do use it on top of blemishes when I'm not wearing much makeup).

Not Pictured: Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder in Porcelain (110), Bare Minerals Mineral Veil, and Bare Minerals Matte foundation in Fairly Light.

Concealers:

I get lazy with concealer. I usually only use concealer under my eyes, but if I have a particularly nasty pimple or if I have an occasion where I want my skin to look great, then I will take the time to cover it up.

I think a lot of people either own or have tried MAC Studio Finish Concealer at some point (I have shade NC15). I also have Revlon Photoready Concealer in Fair (I'm not sure why I am including this because I probably have a few days worth left) and I have the Rimmel Match Perfection 2-in-1 Concealer & Highlighter in Fair (125).

I do like the concealers I have, but eventually I would love to try something new just because that is how I am. Besides, this blog would get quite boring if I never tried anything new. (So it totally makes sense that I'm limiting myself to 12 unnecessary beauty-related purchases this year, right? ;)

Blushes, Bronzers, and Highlighters:

I finally got two Z-palettes! One is specifically for face products and the other is for eye products. So let's give this overview in columns (so the left column will be listed from top to bottom, the middle column will be listed from top to bottom, and the right column will be listed from top to bottom). By the way, don't worry about the gunk on the bottom (from the glue that Covergirl uses for their palettes). I cleaned it off after taking pictures, of course! ;)

Left column: Benefit Bella Bamba, Benefit Dandelion, and The Balm Mary Lou-Manizer

Middle column: Covergirl Cheekers Deep Plum, Covergirl Cheekers Natural Rose, and a poor cracked blush from the Stila Garden palette.

Right column: Mark Blush in Star Glo, Mark Blush in Kitten Glow, and Mark Bronzer in Golden Glo.

Next up are my only blush singles in the original packaging. I have the MAC Mineralize Blush in Hand-Finish, which is really old and was limited edition back in 2009 (I think). I'm not proud of the fact that I am not even close to finishing it, but when it comes to powder products, I plan to keep it until it actually seems to be going bad.

I also have the NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Boho Chic. Finally, I have the Sula Natural Blush in My Little Secret.

The next products I have are all by Benefit: Posietint, High Beam, and Benetint. I got these a long time ago, but as I said for the MAC blush, until it seems to have expired, I'll probably hang on to these. I am not proud of the fact that I've struggled to even remember to use these products.

There has been a lot of buzz about the Wet N Wild products in recent years. I believe the Wet N Wild Color Icon Bronzers were released around this time last year. I only have Reserve Your Cabana because I am not a big fan of bronzer as it is, and this is really more of a highlighting product... even for my fair skin.

And finally, my blushes and bronzers that come in palettes specifically for face and eye makeup! I have the Too Faced Glamour to Go palette and the NYX Butt "Naked" Eyes palette, both of which I have talked about a lot on here.

And that is every single bit of face makeup I own. If you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them below.

November and December 2012 Empties!

I think I finished a grand total of two products during November. Rather than writing an entire post about two products, I decided to wait and see how much I could finish off in December. I finished quite a few hair products, which is good because I have too many hair products to begin with. I have also started counting sample sized products because I've accumulated quite a few samples that I would like to finish up.

Finished:

LUSH Seanik Solid Shampoo Bar: this was good, but I've found something that I like better.

LUSH Jumping Juniper Solid Shampoo Bar: this was also nice, but I want to try other clarifying shampoos

Aussie 3-Minute Miracle: the ingredients in this are honestly not too good, so I will be moving on to something else as a deep conditioner.

Evian Facial Spray: water in spray can... not much I can say about this. It was useful to have around, but I might as well buy a spray bottle and fill it with water instead.

Grandpa's Thylox Acne Treatment Soap with Sulfur (thankfully I kept the box): I ended up using this on my face and body just to finish it up. I'm glad I tried it, but I won't be repurchasing.

Bath & Body Works Paris Amour Body Splash (3 ounces): I'm working on finishing all of my Bath & Body Works body splashes because I've found a few different fragrances I prefer.

Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets: I have one more package of blotting sheets and then I am done with all of my blotting sheets, which I couldn't be more thrilled about.

L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream (Fair): Initially I loved this, but as time went on my skin began to become irritated by this, so I won't repurchase.

Olivella Daily Facial Cleansing Tissues: I thought I would love these, but they made my eyes water just as much as the Yes to Cucumbers cleansing wipes, so I have something else I want to try instead.

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes: I'm not sure why I had these, but I decided to finish them because I had them and I needed a makeup remover.

Willa Naturals Start Fresh Foaming Facial Wash: this was a basic cleanser. I liked it, but I won't purchase the full size.

Willa Naturals Clear Face Moisturizer: I liked the concept of a clear moisturizer, but it didn't work the way I had expected. I definitely won't buy the full size, but it might work for somebody with normal skin.

Expired:

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Lash Growth Serum: this was nice, but I would go through phases when using it. After of owning it for about a year, I decided it was time to let go and admit to myself that I'd never finish it.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara: I loved this mascara. Everything about it was perfect, in my opinion. It lengthened my lashes, didn't flake, and application was a breeze. I'm not sure if I will repurchase this or not, though. I'd have to look at the ingredients, but once I finish the mascaras I currently own, I want to try something from the Physicians Formula Organic Wear mascara line (they have four now!)

Rimmel Volume Accelerator: I loved Rimmel's Lash Accelerator mascara, but I hated the Volume Accelerator... the formula was clumpy, the brush was just big and ineffective. I won't be repurchasing this.

Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes: I know that Maybelline Great Lash is one of those "love it or hate it, but most people hate it" mascaras, but I'm always willing to give the different versions a chance. I really liked this one because the brush/applicator was great, but the ingredients aren't quite so nice, so I probably won't be repurchasing it.

Maybelline Great Lash Big: and this was a version of Great Lash that I didn't love. It was difficult to separate my lashes, so once I was finished applying my mascara, it looked like I had about six eyelashes on each eye. Not a pretty look.

Samples:

Nexxus Pro-Mend Split End Treatment Shampoo, Nexxus Pro-Mend Split End Binding Conditioner, and Nexxus Pro-Mend Targeted Leave-in Treatment Creme: these were nice products, but the shampoo is not sulfate free and the ingredients overall are not the best, so I won't be purchasing the full size.

LiQWD Silk Professional Deep Conditioning Treatment: just another deep conditioner to me. I am trying some homemade deep conditioner recipes, so I'm not buying the full size.

Benefit Stay Don't Stray: this took a long time for me to finish. It's not my favorite primer, so I won't be purchasing the full size.

Derma E Tea Tree & E Antiseptic Cream: this was pretty nice. I might purchase this somewhere down the line, but not right away, since I'm not sure if it will truly be necessary for my skin care routine (less is more, trust me).

Lulu Organics Lavender & Clary Sage Hair Powder: just a dry shampoo, it smelled nice but it wasn't life changing... I've decided that I will probably never like dry shampoo and I will be one of those people stuck washing my hair every day just because I hate how my unwashed hair feels.

Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream: I really liked this, but the color is a little too dark and I could tell it was. I don't think anybody else did, but I also happened to use up the entire sample during Christmas break, so my family probably wouldn't have noticed/cared anyway. I may or may not purchase the full size. I'll keep the bottle as a reminder that I did like this, but I've got enough base products to finish as it is.

Overall I'm very pleased with myself for finishing as much as I have. I can only hope that I manage to finish half as much in the next few months

Foundation/Face Routine: September 2012!

As some readers may know, I have been working to finish my Almay Clear Complexion makeup so I could work to finish some other foundations. Well, it finally happened, so now my routine is different! However, I haven't technically posted a foundation/face routine on my blog before, so some of the products I had been using with my Almay foundation varied day by day. Since I'm trying to finish some products up, I'm sticking to the same products on most days just so I can finish things up product by product.

Now, if you're new to my blog, here is some information about my skin type: I have combination-oily acne-prone skin with hyperpigmentation. My skin gets drier in the winter and I generally do not use foundation primer because I haven't found one that actually worked for my skin. I used to be a big fan of medium to full coverage foundation, but lately I've really enjoyed products with light to medium coverage and if I add concealer if I really need it.

• Moisturizer: Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer with SPF 15. This moisturizer does have fine shimmer in it, but it's not noticeable on my face because I only need half a pump on my skin. People with drier skin might need a full pump. I don't use a separate sunscreen.
• Treatment: Mario Badescu Drying Cream. I apply a thin layer on any active breakouts and my makeup has never looked any different than it does when I don't use it.
• "Foundation": Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream. This doesn't last as long on my face as my Almay foundation, but the color match is better and the coverage is just a bit lower. I will be using this BB cream until I finish it. The only complaint I have is the price... $39 for one fluid ounce. If I ever repurchase this, it will be a while before I do because there are so many other BB creams out there to try!
• Concealer: Revlon Photoready. This has SPF 20 and I use it on the dark circles under my eyes and on any bigger breakouts on my face. I used to love this concealer, but now I just categorize it as "average" because it does the job, but it also creases a bit.
• Powder: Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Compact Powder Foundation. This sets my makeup and gives me a bit of added coverage. I actually switch between this powder foundation and the ELF Mineral Blemish Powder. 
• Blush: Benefit Bella Bamba. It took me a while to figure out to use this without having bright cheeks. I use a stippling brush instead of a regular blush brush. Overall I don't love this, but I did get it in the "Big 10" set that came out last year, so I want to use it up before I move on to the next blush.
• Highlight: Benefit Dandelion. This is a brightening face powder so I use it on my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, and on my chin. 

What products do you use for your foundation/face routine?

The Summer Series: Lips

The third and final part of the "Summer Series" is lips! I have always taken a minimalist approach when it comes to lip products because I just think it is a bit of a hassle to reapply products throughout the day. That being said, I love lip balms, tinted lip balms, and lip stains. They're all perfect for summer.

Posietint and Benetint (by Benefit, $29) are great because as I have mentioned before, they are lip and cheek stains. I like the colors of these two, but if you prefer corals/oranges, Chachatint will work too.

Maybelline's Baby Lips lip balms are great for summer because they have SPF 20 in them, they are less than $5 at drugstores, and they're sold in four sheer colors (of course, this doesn't include the two clear balms in the collection). I have Cherry Me (a sheer berry/red) and Peppermint (clear). My only complaint about Cherry Me is that on my lips and in swatches it looks nothing like it does in the tube. Regardless of that, I still like the way it makes my lips look... it just isn't what I expected.

The final product recommendation I have for summer is the new Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (I have the shade Honey). It's pretty moisturizing and it lasts a couple of hours on my lips (I never believe the "Lasts for X hours" hype...)

Hopefully my Summer Series has been helpful. I enjoyed looking through my collection and finding products that I would personally use for summer and sharing them on this blog. So, that leaves one more thing: what are YOUR top products for summer?

Swatches: Benefit Posietint, Benefit Benetint, Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey

The Summer Series: Eyes

In the summer months, I don't like to wear much eye makeup because I have oily eyelids. When I do wear eye makeup, I try to make sure it is longwearing and very simple. I also think it's fun to add a pop of color here and there, but I can honestly say that most of my collection is neutrals... which means I should probably consider investing in a nice palette with some fun colors, eh? But I digress... this isn't a post about makeup products I want. This is all about the eye makeup products I do wear/will wear during the summer!

I always wear a primer or base under my shadows, especially in the summer when it is hot and humid. I've tried a few throughout the years and in all honesty, I haven't found one I really dislike. I know some people are very picky about their eye primers, but for the most part I've had reasonable luck with the primers I've tried (aside from the L'Oreal one I tried years ago, but I don't even have it anymore. The three eyeshadow primers I use most often are Benefit Stay Don't Stray, Urban Decay Primer Potion, and Too Faced Shadow Insurance. 

I got Benefit Stay Don't Stray in their Big 10 set for Christmas this past year - the full size costs $26. The great thing about this is that it comes in a nude shade that slightly covers the veins in my eyelids, but I don't like the price. 

Probably the best known eyeshadow primer is Urban Decay Primer Potion. It costs $20 for a full sized tube and comes in four shades (Original - a sheer nude, Eden - a matte nude, Sin - a shimmery champagne, and Greed - a shimmery yellow gold). It works wonders for my oily eyelids and has been in a more convenient packaging than what is shown below for at least a year now. I haven't actually tried Eden, Sin, or Greed, (I only have the original) but I am definitely interested in trying them in the future.

The least expensive of the three is Too Faced Shadow Insurance, which costs $18. It is offered in Original (a sheer nude), Lemon Drop (yellow to cover discoloration), Candlelight (what I have pictured below in a sample size, it's a shimmery light gold), and Glitter Glue (colorless, specifically created for loose glitters and pigments). I wear candlelight on its own sometimes and I think it has a very nice effect. I definitely plan on buying the full sized tube of it when I'm out of the sample, but so little product is needed that I'll be working on this tube for a while (since I alternate primers).

I also included the Covergirl Intense ShadowBlast primer and eyeshadow, but for some reason I didn't take a picture of it with the other primers. I have the shade Beige Blaze and it costs around $9 at drugstores.

I always like to wear neutral eyeshadows, so my favorite palette of all time for that is the NYX Champagne & Caviar palette (I think it has since been renamed to Caviar and Bubbles, but I haven't seen that one in person so I can't say for sure). It has ten colors that work with my skin tone and I can just throw it in my makeup bag without worrying about having the right colors for a complete eye look. It also only costs $10 and there are several different palettes, so if these colors don't excite you then there just might be a palette with colors that do.

I still adore my Maybelline Color Tattoos. They give me a no-brainer look. The only problem is that without a primer, they actually do crease a little on very hot days. Regardless of that, I still love them and I still love the price! $6-8 a piece is great for the quality of these products. As I said in my review, I just wish they would release more colors.

Finding an eyeliner that won't smudge on me has been quite the challenge. Even the Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliners smudge... in fact, they usually do within the hour. I like the Revlon ColorStay eyeliners a lot. I used to have one in black, but the lid broke in my makeup bag and I haven't gotten around to repurchasing it. Anyway, these don't smudge on me and there are quite a few fun colors. I have Teal and Charcoal and these are about $8 at Ulta. I will say that these eyeliners run on the dry side, but I never have a problem with application or lasting power, so they are great for summer.

Before this year, I have never really found a liquid eyeliner I liked. Brush applicators give me thick lines that look unappealing, so the fact that the Covergirl Lineblast 24 Hour Eyeliner has even stayed in my makeup collection this long is pretty amazing. It only comes in black and brown, but it has a felt tip applicator, it lasts all day, and the pen itself hasn't dried out. It also applies very smoothly and I can really control the thickness of the line. I believe this costs around $8 and it has been worth every penny.

When it comes to mascara, I tend to stick with Maybelline and Covergirl because I think both brands offer great mascaras. The new Maybelline Mega Plush (Volum' Express) is a mousse/gel formula with a big brush that tapers at the end. I find it gives me a natural look and it doesn't clump. Another advantage to this is that although it is new, the waterproof version came out with the washable version (I'm not a fan of waterproof mascara). I bought this at Target for about $7 and I'm pleased with the results. The only problem I have with this mascara is that it does flake a tiny bit by the end of the day, but it doesn't give me raccoon eyes.

The thing about eye makeup is that there are so many products available that it would be difficult for me to cover every single thing that is great for summer. What I choose to use this summer is just my opinion and other people also have valid opinions. That being said, I hope I've been helpful!

The Summer Series: Face

Summer is right around the corner! I have oily skin, so of course the fewer layers I have on my skin, the better. This is especially the case in the summer. Part one of my new summer series is focused on face products!

In the past, I've relied on tinted moisturizers or powder foundations during the summer. This year I've been trying out different BB creams and I'm pretty impressed. I have yet to try an Asian BB cream, but I might do so because I hear they are better than the Western BB creams that have been released. As many people already know, BB cream stands for blemish balm, beauty balm, or beblesh balm. I will link to a more complete history of BB creams at the end of my post because so many other people have written about it and have been using authentic BB creams for a long time. Now, back to face products!

Three items I personally recommend are the Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream, the MAC Studio Moisture Tint Tinted Moisturizer, and the Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm. Neither of the BB creams I mention are even close to what I've heard authentic BB creams are like. Apparently the ones I'm mentioning are much more like tinted moisturizers because they do not possess the skin-helping benefits of typical BB creams.

The Smashbox BB cream is probably my favorite face product at the moment. The shade "Fair" is light enough for my very fair skin and it has medium coverage (it also comes in five shades). It is a 5-in-1 product: it moisturizes, primes your skin, perfects your skin, protects your skin from the sun (SPF 35!), and controls oil. It's quite pricey though - $39 for a 1 ounce tube. I have oily skin and I definitely recommend this for other people with oily skin.

The MAC Studio Moisture Tint comes in seven shades and has light to medium coverage... it has more coverage than other tinted moisturizers I have used. It also has SPF 15, which isn't much, but it is better than none. A tube of this costs $30 for 1.3 fluid ounces, so while it is a tad expensive for what it is, it is definitely worth at least getting a sample from the MAC counter. This product is great for normal to dry skin, but it's probably not ideal for somebody with very oily skin (like myself). I actually use this more in the winter, but I know people who love it for the summer.

The Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm was featured in my April Favorites post. I still adore this product because it has light coverage and it gives me a nice glow. The lightest color is a tad too dark for me, but it doesn't look orange. This product comes in four shades and costs $32 for a 1.5 ounce tube, which is a nice value for what it is. It also only has an SPF of 20 and has some light shimmers to it, but when the product is on my face I don't see any shimmer. This can also be used as a primer under foundation.

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream in Fair, MAC Studio Moisture Tint in Light, and Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm in Vanilla Glow

I don't own a great concealer I can use on my face, but I do have the Revlon PhotoReady concealer, which I use under my eyes. It doesn't cake for me and it has an SPF of 20. It has a little more coverage than my Rimmel concealer, so I've been using this one more often. This can be found at drugstores for $8-10 and comes in 6 shades.

Revlon PhotoReady Concealer in Fair

Urban Decay's De Slick Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray is a product I highly recommend for somebody with oily skin. I didn't expect much when I purchased this because most products I've used in the past just make my skin oilier. I only have the miniature bottle of this, but when I run out I plan on buying the full size (which costs $29). I actually save this for days I know I'll be in a hotter environment for a long period of time because it is expensive for what it is.

Urban Decay De Slick Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray

I don't wear many cheek products because I'm still experimenting with colors and figuring out what really looks good on me, but one thing I have found that I love is the Revlon PhotoReady Sculpting Palette. There are four different palettes from this line and I have it in "Pink" and I am impressed. These cost $10-14 at drugstores. If you already have a favorite blush, then I recommend either Benefit High Beam ($26) or the Maybelline Summer Glow Luminous Glow (I have it in Blissful Pink, but there is a yellowish shade as well - these are $6-8 at drugstores). Both give me a healthy glow without looking like a disco ball. The final cheek product I have to recommend is Benefit Posietint ($29). It lasts all day for me and for those who don't like pinks, there is also the classic red Benetint and the new mango Chachatint.

I honestly do not have any bronzers to recommend because every bronzer I have tried is the wrong color for my skin and I personally don't feel the need to even bother with bronzer. 

Revlon PhotoReady Sculpting Blush Palette (Pink), Benefit High Beam, Benefit Posietint, Maybelline Blissful Pink

I think the fewest layers possible is still very important, but I also think that if at all necessary, a good face powder can make a difference. I love (and have loved) Maybelline Dream Matte Powder for years. It was the first powder I purchased nearly four years ago (back then it has at least 10 shades, but it doesn't offer much coverage so Maybelline now offers this powder in four shades and I believe this wonderful powder costs $6-8). Another great pressed powder is NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Face Powder. It's translucent and only costs $3!

Now, as for an explanation to what a BB cream is, I think Musings of a Muse distinguishes the difference between a BB cream and a tinted moisturizer quite nicely.