Must Try Beauty Products

Girl Time

After hearing so many good things about these products – from both YouTube beauty gurus and online reviews – I compiled a list of beauty products that I must try. I’ve decided that once I purchase these items, I’ll do first impressions and reviews as well! Keep a lookout for those soon! My budget-friendly self is just waiting for Ulta’s next sale.

1. L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation I’ve been looking for a new liquid foundation that would live up to my Revlon ColorStay foundation, but always find myself going back to it. This Pro-Matte foundation is described as a Lightweight and creamy, foundation that goes on smooth with a demi-matte finish that lasts up to 24 hours (not that I’d ever wear foundation for 24 hours)—hiding imperfections for a smooth, clear complexion. The fact that it’s matte is what initially drew me in, since my face can get as oily as fried chicken.

2. L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Spray & Set Makeup Extender Setting Spray I used to use the Urban Decay De-Slick setting spray, but found it to be a little too costly. When I heard that this is comparable to the UD one, I knew I had to try it, especially with it costing half the price. This setting spray is described as a Lightweight, oil free setting spray that locks in your total makeup look, Face, Eyes, and Lips, preventing color from smudging or settling into fine lines for all-day staying power.

3. L’Oreal RevitaLift Triple Power Eye Treatment I’ve been on the hunt for an eye cream for a while now and this one seems to be one of the best drugstore ones. I’ve always heard that you should start treating your skin while you’re young before anything even happens. I wear eye makeup almost every day, so with the process of taking off my makeup, I feel that it would be best to start using an eye cream to prevent any signs of skin tugging! This claims to Repair Wrinkles. Reduce Bags. Lift Eye Area.

4. L’Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector Serum Concentrate As with the eye cream, I want to prevent before anything happens to keep my skin looking healthy. I’ve also been looking for a serum that would minimize my pores and even out my skin tone. My pores are pretty huge, which is a big contributor to my super oily skin. This serum is described as a Luxurious serum that visibly improves skin quality working on uneven skin with visible pores and fine lines. It visibly corrects skin by tightening pores and revealing petal-soft skin texture.

5. NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette I first heard of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit and was lusting over it, but didn’t want to spend $40 on it. Then this baby popped up for a fraction of the price and I fell in love. One of my favorite parts of doing my makeup is contouring and I feel that this palette would be a great addition to my collection. I’m not one of those crazy face sculptors by any means, but I feel that this would help take it to another level. Plus, it’s refillable!

6. L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Powder Can you tell that I’m really eager to try out this Infallible face line? I always set my liquid foundation with a light powder to really lock in my foundation, control oil, and give my face a smooth finish. This powder claims to Absorb excess oil and reduce shine on the skin’s surface for up to 16 hours. It creates the perfect matte finish. The pro look of longwear.

The Guide to Makeup Expiration Dates

Girl Time

You may not think about the expiration of your makeup as much as you do about your food, but keeping track of your makeup expiration dates are just as important. As much as you don’t want to part with your favorite lipstick or eyeliner, there comes a time where you have to toss them out to prevent infections and breakouts.

Mascara – 3 to 4 months

This is probably the makeup product you should pay the most attention to. As your brush is taken in and out of the tube, it brings in any bacteria collected along the way. Any lingering bacteria can cause serious itchiness, redness, and infections. When the mascara starts smelling something like gasoline, it’s time to toss it!

Liquid Eyeliner – 6 months

As with mascara, eyeliner is applied near a sensitive area and is extra prone to bacteria because of it’s liquid form. Pencil eyeliner can last a little longer (up to 1 year) than liquid especially if it is sharpened on the regular.

Liquid Foundation – 6 to 12 months

Since liquid foundation is water based, it collects bacteria easily. When it starts smelling off or changes color, that’s when the formula has turned bad. Keep foundations away from moist environments (like the bathroom) and away from heat (vents or windows), which can speed up spoiling.

Concealer – 1 year

As with liquid foundation, when the color starts to shift and the formula starts to separate, it’s time to get rid of it. Powder/stick concealers can last a little longer (up to 2 years).

Powder, Eye shadow, & Blush – 2 years

You can start telling when these products are going bad when they become more dry and flakey. To prolong their life, clean your makeup brushes on the regular (at least twice a month) to prevent bacteria growth and prevent the oil from your face from transferring to these items. Although these products are dry and don’t contain water, the moisture from your foundation or moisturizer can cling to your brushes and transfer to your makeup as well.

Lipstick – 2 years

Although lipstick doesn’t contain any water, it’s best to get rid of your lipstick after 2 years because they’re repeatedly exposed to your mouth area. When your lipstick changes texture by drying out and becomes hard to spread, you know it’s time to say goodbye. If you’re a lip gloss user, they don’t last as long as lipstick and you should toss them out after 1 year. You can tell when it starts to separate or become extra sticky and goopy.

Added bonus: Nail Polish – 1 to 2 years

You know it’s time to part with it if the polish becomes extra thick or has separated in to layers and doesn’t blend easily after a quick shake. To increase the longevity of the polish, purchase a nail polish thinner from your local drugstore in the beauty aisle!

Beauty Faves: 2014

Girl Time

As 2014 came to a close, I decided I wanted to dedicate my first Girl Time post to my favorite beauty products of the past year. I highly recommend any of these products to anyone that is either new to makeup and beauty products or have been using them for a long time, like myself!

Eyes

L’Oreal Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner – Carbon Black This has been my absolute favorite liquid liner ever since I started using it in high school. The felt tip applicator makes it super easy to glide along your lash line and draw a winged cat eye. The carbon black gives you a rich, pigmented black color to give your eyes that perfect frame. I always get compliments on my eyeliner when I use this!
L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara 2X – Carbon Black For the longest time, I’ve used the L’Oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black Waterproof and always went back to that one when I tried different mascaras because they never lived up to it. Recently, I picked up the Telescopic mascara and I instantly fell in love! I finally found a mascara that I like more (or just as much) than my Voluminous. The brush is a lot different, but once you get the hang of it, the formula is awesome and gives you long, beautiful lashes!
Urban Decay Primer Potion When using any eye makeup on your lids, you should definitely apply a primer beforehand. With my oily face, comes oily eyelids, so this primer has been a staple for me for as long as I can remember. It keeps your makeup in place and brings out the pigment of your eye shadow even more! This tube might be a little pricey, but a little goes a long way.
Urban Decay Naked Basics Ever since I got this eye shadow palette for Christmas 2013, I’ve used it for my every day look. It is so convenient and the colors in it make it so easy to create a nice daytime look or a nice night look. You could create a subtle smoky eye or darken it by adding one color. The eye shadows are so smooth and aren’t chalky at all. They’re very pigmented and the warm colors work really well with people with a fair to medium skin tone. With its compact size, throw it in your bag and you’re ready to travel!
Anatasia Dipbrow Pomade Filling in your brows, especially if they’re sparse like mine, is essential to completing your look. Your brows are what frames your face and could change the way your face looks. Dipbrow is a gel-like formula so is a little more trickier to use if you don’t have the proper handling. This has become one of my favorites because it applies on smoothly and stays on all day. With the right color (go two shades lighter if you’re hair is dark & two shades darker if your hair is light) you can achieve a natural looking brow.

Face

Revlon ColorStay – Combo/Oily Skin This has been my all-time favorite foundation ever since I started using it for the past 6ish years. I’ve tried many other foundations, both drugstore and high-end, and none of them trump this one. The formula goes on smoothly and spreads nicely (with the proper brush of course – more on that later). It gives you nice coverage without having your face feel too heavy or look cake-y. It doesn’t make my face extra oily than it already is, which is a major plus.
e.l.f. Studio Powder Brush With a liquid foundation, you need the perfect brush to apply it to your face. This brush is pretty darn close. It is SO soft (if you wash it regularly – which you should! I clearly need to wash mine) and picks up a good amount of the product. I first use a stippling motion to apply the foundation to my face and then use circular motion to buff it out. This brush ends up giving you an airbrushed look and doesn’t look streaky at all. Even better, it’s only $3!
NYX Blotting Powder After doing some research for a finishing powder that would help control the shine on my face and keep my makeup in place, I came across this powder. Using a finishing powder is also important because it provides a smooth surface for you to apply your bronzer and blush. It makes a huge difference because it helps you blend easier and not look splotchy. This powder controls my oil longer than other powders I’ve tried, so it’s a winner in my books! This powder is a little on the pricey side, so I suggest getting it when it’s on sale at Ulta and using a coupon on top of that!
NYX Matte Bronzer – Medium Using a matte bronzer gives you a more natural look and doesn’t attract unflattering lights that you would if you used a shimmery bronzer. This formula applies very nicely and blends really well. The color isn’t orange at all and doesn’t make you look muddy. I use this to contour my face and to add some color to my fair skin. Contouring can really make a difference and adds dimension to your face!

Lips

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick – Airy Fairy This is my go-to everyday lipstick. It’s the perfect mauve/pink shade to pull my everyday look together. Since my main emphasis is my eye makeup, this lipstick is a great subtle color that doesn’t make me look like a clown. The texture is very creamy and goes on smooth. The coverage is opaque, which is perfect to tone down my naturally pigmented lips.
NYX Matte Lipsticks I’ve been on the hunt for a matte lipstick that wouldn’t dry out my lips or emphasis the lines on my lips. This is the ultimate winner. The colors are opaque and the staying power is awesome! For a matte lipstick, the texture is very smooth and creamy, so they don’t drag your lips when applying. Since it is a matte lipstick, I suggest exfoliating and moisturizing your lips beforehand!

Hair

Tresemme Keratin Smooth Heat Protection Shine Spray This is definitely a staple to have if you put any heat on your hair because it protects your hair from drying out or breaking. I used to use the original formula without the keratin, but after trying this version, I’m never going back! The keratin definitely makes a difference and leaves your hair smooth and shiny.
Tresemme 24 Hour Body Mousse Ever since I cut my hair shorter, I’ve been using this mousse on my roots before blow-drying my hair upside down. My hair is very thin and lacks volume, so this mousse helps add some body and holds it pretty well. It doesn’t make my hair stiff or “crunchy” feeling.
Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave-In Conditioning Cream After towel drying my hair, I put a nickel size amount in my hair, except the roots. This contains argan oil, so it leaves your hair smooth and controls frizz! My hair is naturally dry from all the damage I’ve done to it in the past, so products like this are a lifesaver!