I’ve been using make-up for over 10 years now (!!!) and it’s grown to be quite the obsession! While I still don’t consider myself a make-up expert, I love dabbling in new things and exploring new products! I feel like every time I try a new product, I improve my make-up routine and my make-up skills get even better. While I still have a ton to learn, here are some old and new products that I've truly grown to love!
Make-Up Blending Sponges
This is a newer purchase for me and already I am not sure how I survived without it! Make-up blending sponges are so so great for making any liquid foundation or BB cream look incredibly natural on the skin. I've tried multiple make-up blending sponges, including the classic Beauty Blender, but my favorite has to be the Real Techniques complexion sponge! Both the Beauty Blender and Real Techniques sponge do a wonderful job of blending in liquid make-up, however, I find the Real Techniques sponge to be much more durable than the Beauty Blender. I somehow managed to scratch my Beauty Blender while washing it out just a week or so after purchasing it which was a huge disappointment. Plus, the Real Techniques sponge is a quarter of the price of a Beauty Blender so you get more bang for your buck!
Flat Top Brushes
I love using brushes in my make-up routine but I am the worst when it comes to using brushes for the "right" function! I think that flat top brushes are supposed to be used for powder application (???) but I've always felt that my flat top brushes are awesome for both applying product and blending out harsh lines. My two favorites are my Elf Powder Brush and the flat top brushes in this Emax Design Brush Kit (I swear Amazon has everything) When I travel, it's awesome to be able to bring one brush that can apply bronzer/blush and blend it out at the same time. Although I might not be using these brushes for their labeled purposes, they are an awesome multi-purpose tool in my make-up kit!
Loreal Lineur Intense Liquid Eyeliner
I have mono-lidded eyes and every mono-lidded girl's best friend is a great liquid eyeliner! I have been using Loreal's Lineur Intense liquid eyeliner ever since I jumped on the liquid eyeliner bandwagon and it has yet to let me down! I've tried many liquid eyeliners since then but none of them have become a part of my routine as much as this one has. A lot of liquid eyeliners nowadays are felt or pen tip eyeliners and I love that this one comes with the option of a brush tip. I always add a wing to my eyeliner and it's easiest for me to use a brush to do so! On top of that, this liquid eyeliner is easy to remove and melts off with just a little bit of water. While this might be an issue if I get caught in the rain or decide to go swimming with eyeliner on, for most daysm it's actually a huge relief because I don't have to spend hours rubbing the life out of my eyes just to get my liquid eyeliner off!
Maybelline FitMe Liquid Foundation
This liquid foundation has also been a relatively recent discovery for me. I love this Maybelline FitMe Foundation because it provides a ton of coverage but doesn't look excessively greasy on the skin. I have combination skin so at times, liquid foundation can look very heavy on my skin, especially the T-zone. This foundation is awesome for my skin type because it doesn't appear too slick on the skin and dries almost completely matte so that it doesn't look like I have sheen of oil across my face!
Gel Nail Kits
I love my gel nail kit so much! It has completely change the way I do my nails and makes them look about 100 times better than they did before I got this gel manicure set. I have a Kiss set that I bought via Groupon (It looks like it's no longer available but similar one by Red Carpet: Here) and it was probably the best thing I've ever done for my nails! Before I got this set, I had gotten gel manicures in salons but always thought it seemed like an easy process that I could do at home without spending the money to get it done professionally. While it was a pretty large initial investment, (About $70-$100) it has more than paid for itself with the number of times I've used this kit. While the gel manicures don't last as long as they might if you got them done in a salon, they still last much longer than normal nail polish and and do not chip as quickly!
Colour Pop Lippie Stix
I've raved about Colour Pop multiple times on this blog but I still can't get enough of them. I absolutely love lip products and have tried a million different types of lipsticks and lip balms but I have never loved any one product as much as I love Colour Pop Lippie Stix. Not only is the staying power awesome on these, they also smells fantastic, go on the lips incredibly smoothly, and are pretty affordable at just five dollars each. Colour Pop has a ton of different shades to choose from and while I already have a nice little stash of these, I keep adding more shades to my ever-growing Colour Pop Lippie Stix wish list.
I'm constantly buying and trying new make-up so I'm sure there will constantly be new products I'm adding to my "can't live without pile"! Hopefully that means I'll be kicking some other products out as well so I don't become an excessive make-up hoarder :P
What are your can't live without products? I'd love to hear from you!
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