How many of you are guilty of going into Target, swearing to only purchase items in your mental 'To Buy' list, only to leave with everything BUT your necessities? *Raises hand.* Often times, I find myself mindlessly 'Aisle Shopping,' perusing through items that are visually appealing. For the most part, I'm pretty good about holding off on purchasing new discoveries. I like to check out the item and then go online to read reviews from other users before going back to make the purchase.
Over the past few months, I have been dabbling with some new beauty products that I have seen referenced from magazine articles as well as reviews from
Youtube beauty gurus. Since the warmer season is approaching us, I have been looking for products that are lightweight, non-greasy, and easy to use.
Foundation
L'Oreal True Match Liquid Foundation: I have been using this foundation (#C3 - Creamy Natural) consistently for the past year and have really enjoyed it. The Precise Match formula allows one to easily build coverage and conceal skin blemishes with just a small dollop of foundation (a half to whole dime portion is more than enough for me.) I usually pair this with the
Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder to seal my foundation for the day.
Cover Girl Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation: Recently, I tried the Cover Girl 3 in 1 foundation (#810 - Classic Ivory), which combines primer, foundation, and concealer all within an application. I like the weightless of the foundation and the matte finish afterwards. However, the oxidation formula of the foundation made it a bit tricky for me to find a decent shade to match to my skin tone.
Verdict: After about a week of using the Cover Girl 3 in 1, I found myself reaching back for the L'Oreal True Match. Although the CG 3 in 1 automatically matified my foundation, reducing the need to reach for my pressed powder, the coverage is slightly lighter than what I would prefer to rely on for all day use (my longest days run about 16 hours.)
Moisturizer
Eucerin Daily Protection: I initially heard about Eucerin's Daily Protection moisturizer from Youtube beauty guru, Jen of
Frmheadtohoe. Eucerin's Daily Protection moisturizer offers generous coverage with just a small pump. I like to apply this moisturizer right after I wash my face and allow it to dry for a few minutes before apply my makeup. The biggest selling point for me was the sun protection with SPF 30. Even though I'm not directly under the sun on a daily basis, I still try to take as much precaution as possible to protect my skin from damage.
Garnier Moisture Rescue: For the past three weeks or so, I have been using Garnier's Moisture Rescue gel as a facial moisturizer. I LOVE IT! The gel is a cooling ointment that soothes the skin, similar to applying aloe, and quickly dries afterwards. The catch 22 to the Moisture Rescue is that there is no SPF protection, which on the upside, decreases the appearance of oily skin as the day progresses.
Verdict: Torn. I have been reaching for the Garnier Moisture Rescue more often than not simply because my skin feels so supple and replenished without the oiliness hours down the line. However, I opt for Eucerin when I plan to be under the sun longer than the quick transition from building to vehicle.
Eye Makeup Remover
Yes to Carrot Makeup Removing Cleanser: This makeup removing cleanser is awesome! I like the packaging in the sense that you just can easily pump a small amount of cleanser onto your cotton pad and wipe away your makeup. The coconut oil foundation makes the cream easy to use and free of scent (great to those who may be hypo-allergenic.)
Ponds Cold Cream Makeup Remover: Similar to the Garnier moisturizer, the Ponds cream is very cooling and refreshing upon application. After a couple of swipes across the eyelids, my eyeshadow, liner, and even waterproof mascara melts off onto the cotton pad! Also, the Ponds remover has a slight refreshing scent that is almost therapeutic, perfect start to unwinding after a long day. The only dislike that I have about this product is the packaging. I would like to see the remover in a pump packaging simply to reduce the risk of bringing into the cream any dirt or bacteria from our fingers.
Verdict: Torn. I enjoy both products very much and use them interchangeably. Both do a fantastic job at removing waterproof products, which is why I enjoy using the cream removers more than the facial towelettes. Keep in mind that the Pond's cream is a tad thicker in comparison to Yes to Carrot, so be mindful of your portion. If you would like to sample a cream eye makeup remover, then I would suggest trying out Pond's Cold Cream Makeup remover first as it only costs about $4-5 at Target. Yes to Carrot remover runs a bit more at around $9-10.
Lipstick
Revlon Lip Butter: Last year, there was a lip butter epidemic. Revlon Lip Butter lipsticks were in awe of beauty gurus and magazines everywhere. Wanting to see what the buzz was about, I decided to pick one up in the shade Peach Parfait. The coral tint was a perfect shade to add a hint of color for everyday wear.
Maybelline Whisper: The Maybelline Color Whisper line is fairly similar to Revlon's Lip Butter in the sense that both offer beautiful shades of color in balm-like form. I purchased a Maybelline Whisper in the shade Pink Possibilities and love wearing it on days that I feel flirty and want to add a medium-vibrant shade of pink to my look.
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Top: Maybelline Color Whisper in Pink Possibilities
Bottom: Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Pink Parfait |
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Color swatches
Top: Maybelline's Pink Possibilities
Bottom: Revlon's Pink Parfait |
Verdict: Despite the overwhelming positive raves about Revlon's Lip Butter, I personally perfer the Maybelline Color Whisper line. The Maybelline Color Whisper lipstick holds it overall shape well, moisturizers my lips for hours, and the color lingers on even after several light wipes. One thing that I do not like much about the Revlon Lip Butter lipstick is the small particles of glitter in the lipstick. The problem is not the physical appearance of the glitter, but moreso the feeling of it when applying the lipstick. The glitter presents a slightly grainy texture upon application, which in a way contradicts the 'butter' aspect of the line.
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Revlon's Lip Butter | Not sure if it's just mine, but the lip butter formula may be too soft as it easily rubs off
on the rim of the lipstick. |
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| Revlon Lip Butter | Maybelline Color Whisper |
Have you folks tried any of these products? If so, please feel free to share your thoughts/opinions on them as I'd love to hear your feedback!
