Friday, November 21, 2014

Holy Grail series part 1 - Face products


This is a series I have been meaning to do since i started my blog. I've been wearing makeup daily for about 5 years, and in that time I've tried many many products.In this series i will be doing separate posts for my holy grail (HG) face, eyes lips products as well as skincare and brushes. You can find my skin type & colouring in the quick stats to the right.





            


Primer
Primer for me has to smooth and hydrate my skin.  I find that they usually dont make my makeup last longer, for that i use the ELF HD powder after primer but before foundation to make it last all day, and a setting spray if necessary.
  • ELF poreless face primer - Feels really nice and smooth, does what it says. Has a eucalyptuses smell.  
  • The regular ELF primer in clear/green - doesn't tone correct but smooths and creates a nice base (Not pictured).
  • City Colour primer - Simple but effective. Cheap and smooth, evens out my skin.
Honorable mention: ELF Pore-less primer & corrective green primer.The poreless primer does a good job blurring but i prefer a primer i can use all over my face, and the green primer I don't currently have but the green will blend in clear.

Foundation
Foundation isn't something i typically repurchase as I love trying new ones, so when I do its because we have a great relationship. For me HG foundations have to be as close a match as possible, not make my skin look cakey and last well. 

  • Skin79 BB cream in Orange - I have tried the Gold, Pink and Orange and I am a fan of them all, this is just the one I currently have.  They are great on dry skin and improve my skin the more i wear them.I get them from reputable Koren eBay sellers for about $10-15, just make sure you research how to spot a fake.  
  • Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 52 -  I do prefer the healthy mix to this, but it is also nice. Packaging is really sleek and the texture blends well.
  • Boujois Healthy Mix 51 - Great yellow colour, however I dont like the packaging. I have the old version (from ozsale) which is a vaccum pump which seems to get easily stuck, and from what I can tell there is no way to open it up. 
  • Rimmel Wake me Up in Ivory - This is probably the best formulation of foundation for my skin I have tried. However if you're familiar with this foundation you probably know it pulls very orange, and is not ivory at all, so I can only wear it when I'm tanned. They did introduce a light porcelain shade but i've never been able to find it.  
  • Revlon ColourStay Whipped in Buff - This is the best colour match i have for my skin, lasts a really long time and photographs well. However it is a thick full coverage formula which I don't normally wear.
Honrable Mention: Covergirl 3 in 1 outlast - Even though this is meant for oily/combo skin I have really been enjoying this. Would include if not for the oxidizing.

Powder
I'm not typically a powder person, however i absolutely love these ELF powders. 
  • ELF HD Translucent powder - Blurs your skin so wonderfully, and wont look cakey. Can cause flashback. I love using this under my foundation to make it last all day. 
  • ELF HD under eye setting powder - Amazing. I didn't know i needed it in my life but I'm never letting it go. sets and blurs/brightens your under eyes.
  • Milani The Multitasker in Light -  A really nice underrated powder, packaging is a bit bulky. Velvet finish, can be slightly cakey on my dry skin.
  • Australis Fresh & Flawless in Natural -  This powder also blurs and leaves a velvet finish, however is only avalible in 3 shades, you can see the difference between the Milani one.

Concealer
I don't have too many blemishes or significant under eye discoloration so concealers for me are to correct my redness and brighten up my skin, and conceal the occasional hormonal pimple.
  • ELF HD tone correcting concealer - This is my favorite green correcting product. It is a minty colour and very pigmented. If i have a lot of redness I apply it all over my cheeks after primer and blend in, and apply foundation over the top to mask the green tinge.  
  • TheBalm Time Balm concealer in Light - This shade matches my skin almost perfectly, just slightly too peachy. This is my go to for blemish concealing. Quite think and has really good coverage.  
  • NYX HD concealer wand Porcelain - This is one of the only concealers actually light enough to be highlighting on me, as is yellow toned. Blends in easily.  Havent rephurcahsed yet but deffinatley will. 
Honorable mention: Maybelline Age Rewind in Fair -  Fills in any little wrinkles and blends perfectly with my skin, although it is a little pink.

Contour & bronzer
  •  TooFaced Chocolate Soleil - If you've never tried this, you really should. it smells to die for, is always smooth and can be applied with a light hand. I was not really into bronzing until I used this. I have a small mini size and Ive been using it for over a year and only have a small dent in it.  I have not tried the Milk Chocolate version yet as they are expensive, if you can get it in a kit I'd really recommend it. 
  • NYX blush in Taupe - The best cool toned contour colour for light-fair skin. However the pigment can be kind of poor and needs to be built up, it also has a tenancy to pick up any oils from your brush (So when you're building it up and re-dipping your brush in the product, the surface of the powder hardens) 
  • NYC Sunny bronzer - A really cheap alternative for a matte bronzer/contour. Does not pull too orange but would be more suitable for fair skin tones with yellow undertones.
Honorable mention: CityColour contour kit - has a great contour,highlighter and bronzer in it. 
 Highlighter
  • TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer - A HG highlighter for most it seems. Very pigmented and cute packaging, also makes a great brightening eyeshadow.Can be a little overpowering unless you use a light hand.
  • Essence Bloom me up highlighter - This is a pinky purple tone that is uncommon amongst most drugstore highlighters. 
  •  ELF studio blush in Gotta Glow -  A white gold satin matte powder with a slight gold sheen. I really like this as most highlighters come loaded with shimmer.
I much prefer almost white highlighters but I haven't found one in a single pan, typically the kind of highlighters found in contour kits.

Blush
I never used to be a blush person, while i might have over 100 lipsticks (possible many more, I'm afraid to count) I would always stick to just a couple blush shades. Incidentally, I still use the one shade i have since I started using more of a variety. You might still see that I have a preference of natural flush shades I like to use. 

  • TheBalm DownBoy - This is the one Ive been using for probably about 2 years on the daily and have only made a dent in it. It is a beautiful baby pink that gives a little flush like you've been out in the cold, and the packaging is awesome too.
  • Jordana powder blush in A touch of pink - This is more of a warm coral pink  that warms up my complexion for a change.
  • Jordana powder blush in Rose Silk - A mauvey matte pink, my second favorite shade
  • W7 Cream blush in Blush Baby - A great neutral toned pink, blends nicely
  • Milani Luminoso - I'm sure you've heard about this, if not you already own it. While it is shimmery and i stick to matte shades, it gives off a beautiful glow on any skin tone. 

Honorable mention: NYX cream blush in Natural used to be my go-to cream blush before the W7 one, it leans more pink.





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