makeup Archives » Alina Avery

Power Lip – The Best Long-wearing Lip Colors

November 8, 2017 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

My makeup routine lately has been pretty simple and straightforward. Base, brows, lashes, lips and I’m out the door. I’ll do a bit more bronzing, concealing, or contouring here and there, but overall it’s a streamlined process. Since I’m using fewer products however, I am a bit more focused on getting the most out of them. When it comes to lip color, I like to put it on in the morning and forget about it until maybe after lunch, so a long-wearing lip is a must and these three formulas have been my go-to. They’re all kiss proof, highly pigmented, and quick and easy to apply.

NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in Slow Ride — The formula here is super thin, so it’s easy to apply a thin layer and it feels like you aren’t wearing anything. It doesn’t dry out lips and the applicator is perfect for a precise lip line. The shade is a terracotta brownish pink, which is very on trend at the moment and perfect for Fall/Winter. It’s warm toned and bold but still neutral.
YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain in 8 – Black Red Code — This is a more dramatic color and formula. It’s matte but it almost dries metallic. I find this one the most drying on my lips, but it’s still comfortable to wear all day. The shade is a deep red and I wore it to a seafood dinner and it didn’t budge ONE BIT. It also has an angled applicator which makes it easy to both line and fill in the lips.
NUDESTIX Magnetic Matte Lip Color in Blossom — This one is a bit heavier and stickier and it feels the most like you have a lip product on, but it’s 100% transfer proof. Seriously, kiss away without any worries. I don’t usually opt for lighter pinks or nudes since they tend to wash me out, but this shade is perfect for a dramatically pale nude lip. It’s like a Kim K nude on my skin tone and looks great with a heavier eye and contour. This is the easiest to apply since it’s a pencil and I’m pretty obsessed.

Swatches, left to right: NARS Powermatte in Slow Ride, YSL Tatouage in 8, NUDESTIX Magnetic Matte in Blossom:

Viseart Neutral Matte Eyeshadow Palette

November 19, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

Ok, the video streak has ended.

Instead, I offer you a review of another product I picked up during the Sephora VIB Rouge sale. I actually bought a number of things online, and two in store, but wanted to give them an honest and thorough trial before blogging them. One that’s impressed me right off the bat: The Viseart Neutral Matte Eyeshadow Palette.

It’s safe to say now that this palette and I are getting along great. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with palettes since I started getting into makeup. Originally, I was drawn in by the great value, pre-matched shades and pretty packaging. Later, I started seeing drawbacks. Palettes would be missing a key shade, so you needed other single eyeshadows or another palette to finish a look. Or some shades would get completely used up (ok, not completely, but heavily!) and others would go untouched. I’ve been a bit jaded by the palette market over the past few years, preferring to build my own MAC, Urban Decay, or Z-Palettes (the new NARS Pro Palettes are still calling my name)!

But the Viseart Palette attracted me for a number of reasons. First, it has a whole range of shades from pale cream to solid black, with plenty of both warm and cool shades in between. Second, it’s totally matte, which makes it really versatile for day/night/work/weekends. And finally, it’s gotten fantastic reviews from Anna and Christine and on Sephora.com.

The Viseart Neutral Matte Eyeshadow Palette wears a hefty price tag. Ringing in at $80 full price, it costs more than any of the Urban Decay Naked palettes, and is on par with palettes from Guerlain and YSL (but the Viseart boasts more shades). With the 20% discount however, it came down to $64 which is much more reasonable and on par for other similar palettes. Full price it’s under $7 a pan and on sale it was less than $6 so it’s about what you’d pay for a similar palette from Inglot. The packaging isn’t really all that much to write home about, but I like that you can see all of the shades even when it’s closed. It’s compact and sturdy, so I don’t feel worried about handling it, and there isn’t too much extra space between pans (or too little)! There are 12 shades in the palette, which can be used to blend, contour, or shade the eyes. You can go for a no-makeup look, using the lighter shades to conceal redness and even the tone of bare eyelids, or really go for a smoky eye using the darker shades.

My favorite looks have been: working from light to dark, blend shades into the crease with progressively smaller brushes to create a defined, sculpted eye. Or working from dark to light, apply a tiny bit of black shadow along the outer third of the lashline. Choose a lighter color and a fluffier brush and blend that out, extending to the outer half of the eye. Continue expanding and blending with lighter and lighter colors until you create a blown out wing shape for a wearable, daytime smoky eye.

Three of my favorite shades have been Canelle, Cafe, and Tabac (swatched above L-R) which are the first in the top row, last in the middle row, and last in the bottom row respectively. I’ve been loving mixing the last two to create a warmer or cooler shade depending on the other makeup I’m wearing, and the first one makes a great all over lid color if I’m going for a bare faced look or even just into the crease as a transition shade.

The quality of the shadows is great, they are pigmented, smooth, blendable and buildable. I’ve been wearing them with the NARS Smudgeproof Pro Primer which has been my eye base of choice for everything for years, and I get more than 12 hours worth of wear out of them, with a bit if smudging but no creasing or fading. The colors appear true to pan when swatched.

On the downside, I probably could have replicated this palette with other shades from my collection. I have a lot of matte single shadows that I love from Laura Mericer, MAC, Inglot, and Urban Decay, as well as similar shades to these across other palettes, but it’s nice to have everything from dark to light and cool to warm in one place. I pretty much have been wearing this palette and this palette alone since I received it.

Overall, is it worth the large price tag? If you’re going to use it all of the time, appreciate professional quality cosmetics, and wear a mix of cool and warm shadows, then maybe. I’d repurchase it because I find myself getting a lot of use out of it and I love how versatile it is, but you might get the same results with a less expensive product, especially if you want to combine mattes with satin or shimmery shades.

Friday Five

November 13, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

For today’s Friday Five: Five products I keep in my purse (well, today).

I’m known for hoarding makeup in my purse and carrying it around with me everywhere. Which is crazy because 1. I never really use it, and 2. it makes my bag super heavy.

The other day I had a handbag clear out and stripped down to just the on-the-go essentials. Here’s what I kept:

First: a rollerball of Balenciaga’s Rosabotanica. I love this scent. It’s so unique and complex and sexy. I keep the rollerball for fragrance emergencies (it’s a real thing I promise) or just when I need a pick me up.
Next up, the concealer I have been loving lately, bareMinerals BareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer in Medium. This is really lightweight, like a blend between the Urban Decay Naked concealer and the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. The shade is a perfect match for my skin, meaning I can use it on blemishes or dark circles and redness, so it’s a no-brainer to carry with me for touch ups. I’ve also been wearing the BareSkin serum foundation and loving it, so more on that later!
I LOVE the Buxom Full-On Lip products, both the Lip Polishes and the Lip Creams. This one is a Lip Polish in Erin in a deluxe sample size that I recently claimed in a 500 point perk from Sephora. I pick up samples of these whenever I see them and have yet to find a shade I don’t like. They feel a bit cool and tingly but don’t burn at all, and plump gently leaving lips hydrated and radiant but not glossy or sticky. I’m a big fan. This one is also easy to put on over lipstick but looks great on its own, which is why it made the cut.
(and 5.) Finally, two products from my October Birchbox. The leaky hair serum: Number 4’s Fluoro5 Elixer Restore & Repair Oil and the Too Cool For School Dinoplatz Highlighter. The serum is perfect for working into the ends of hair to tame them, especially during the dry staticky winter weather. And the liquid highlighter is super easy to apply on the go since you don’t need a brush (or even a mirror, really). They’re the perfect size for carrying around and exactly what you need to brighten up and polish your hair and makeup on the go.

What products do you keep in your purse?

September Favorites

October 5, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

Before we get too far into October and this becomes irrelevant…

I don’t know if I’m going to do monthly favorites. It feels a little repetitive since it’s rare that I find anything life changing, but I haven’t listed my general favorites since my holy grails, so I thought now could be a good time. Here’s what I’ve been loving lately, my September favorites!

Again, the R+Co Badlands Dry Shampoo Paste. I couldn’t not include it after raving here, here, and here. Like I mentioned before, a little goes a long way to help style dry, wet, clean, or dirty hair. It’s so versatile and pretty much the only thing I’ve been putting in my hair lately.

Sticking with hair care, the Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub. This is a scrub for your hair and scalp that really does balance any oil, grease, or dryness. My scalp has always been dry and sensitive even though my hair gets greasy pretty easily, and this has really worked for me. It’s a little tricky to massage in the large salt crystals, but they eventually dissolve to create a thick, luxe lather. I use this every 2-3 times I wash my hair, and wash my hair every 2-3 days, so I end up using this a few times a month. It’s expensive ($52), but at that rate this should last me at least 6 months, which seems about right for the amount I’ve used since purchasing in August. I picked this up from BeautyHabit via Amazon, but Sephora just started carrying the brand and I’m so excited to try other products from the line, especially the temporary color masks.

Moving on to skin care, the Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask has been on weekly rotation. It has the texture of mashed potatoes, which is kind of strange, but it’s a really lovely product. It tingles slightly but very gently and rinses clean leaving skin soft and smooth. Another pricey pick but again, a little goes a long way.

Similarly soothing and stimulating for skin, the Caudalie Beauty Elixir is one of those cult products that I never really bought into until recently. I’ve been loving using this mist as the last step in my skincare routine or to refresh throughout the day. I only bought the small size since I wasn’t sure how I was going to like it, but I’m almost out, so the big version might be in my near future.

On to makeup products, the Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara is potentially a new holy grail. It’s a deep black color and a very dramatic look, making lashes look thick and long and defined. Clinique almost always nails it when it comes to mascaras and this is no exception. It’s also pretty affordable for a high-end mascara. I’ve been reaching for it every day. I only wish it was slightly more water resistant.

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint is the perfect summer to fall transition foundation. It’s still light and sheer so your summer tan, faded as it might be, still shows through. It’s matte, but not flat, and hydrating but not heavy. I’ve been mixing it with an illuminator to hang on to summer a bit longer and have been loving the effect. I wear the shade nude.

Finally, my friend Lisa and I have been raving over the Urban Decay eyeshadows all month. I’ve been using my UD palette almost daily. The three staple shades, ABC Gum, Secret Service, and Blackout stay in the palette constantly as I use them as base shadow, eyebrow powder, and liner respectively, but the other shades rotate a bit more. Lately, I’ve been loving Solstice, my newest shade, a “Moondust” formula with pink-green duo-chrome glitter which is a lot more wearable than it sounds. I also have Freelove, a peachy-pink satin, and a Chopper, copper shimmer, in there currently.

Swatches, left to right: Chopper, Freelove, and Solstice.

What have your favorite products been this month?

Holiday Beauty Sets

September 30, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

Ok yes, it’s insane that “holiday” sets are being announced (and even released!) in September.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t wishlist the crap of them. Holiday Beauty sets have some of the coolest limited edition shades and products, usually at an incredible value. Here are my picks (so far) for this year!

First, these Guerlain Snowflake Meteorites:

Guerlain
Meteorites Perles des Neiges – $80

OMG if that’s not the most perfect winter makeup ever. Serious lust for this one. These Guerlain perles are a classic, if a little difficult to use. I think this would be the most amazing setting/finishing powder for cold weather – slightly shimmery, a bit of glow, like you’ve been out for a walk in the snow. So gorgeous.

Then, the Marc Jacobs eyeshadow palette of your dreams:

Marc Jacobs Beauty
Style Eye-Con No. 20 – Plush Eyeshadow – $99

It’s no secret I love the MJB eyeshadow formula, and this is a great value. The colors here seem a bit random (and every one of the top row is going to look exactly the same on my skin) but there’s a good variety in here in terms of colors and finishes. The price is steep but it looks like the perfect palette for traveling since you have a million different looks all in one palette (and it looks like maybe a GIANT mirror).

Next, this lust-worthy Laura Mercier Bronzer Trio:

Laura Mercier
Blush & Glow Radiant Face Trio – $58

A “matte” highlight and bronzer and a shimmery bronzer AND a travel brush?!?!??! Also, I say “matte” because Laura Mercier says “matte” but there is some obvious, if subtle shimmer in these. Which is fine by me but if you’re looking for a true matte bronzer, this isn’t it. Also I LOVE LOVE LOVE the tortoise packaging. Major heart eye emoji for this baby.

Also, this Bite Beauty Lip Set for every lip occasion ever:

Bite Beauty
Discovery Set – $55

So much variety here! The Agave Lip Mask is one of my favorites and I wore the lipstick shade from this set (Pepper) at my wedding. It’s a perfect my-lips-but-better shade for me, so a backup is always welcome. I’m fascinated by the lip wipes and the clear primer. I feel like I’d use everything in this set which isn’t super common when it comes to block busters like these.

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder and Blush motherlode:

Hourglass
Ambient Lighting Edit – $80

I’m actually not sure about this. All of these products are lovely but I’m not sure I’d want them all in the same palette. You’re going to use up the setting powders way faster than the blushes and bronzer, but this would make a great travel kit. The packaging is gorgeous and like I said, all of these products are hits in my book. Regardless, I’m happy to see more blush palettes popping up!

And finally, this Peter Thomas Roth trio of adorable mascaras:

Peter Thomas Roth
Lashes To Die For™ Mascara Trio – $45

This mascara is actually amazing. I’ve used a few tubes of it over the years and am always pleased with the results. It may or may not actually make your lashes longer and stronger, but it’s a great mascara in general. Thick and lush lashes without clumping! A trio of smaller sizes is actually genius because you’ll never use up a whole tube before it expires or dries out. This way you can keep two sealed and pristine while you fall in love with the first one. Love it.

Do you have your eye on any limited edition products for holiday? I’m dying to see what comes out as part of the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani collab.

September Birchbox 2015

September 11, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

I used to work at Birchbox. Which was really cool but also it kind of ruined the experience of getting a Birchbox. I knew way ahead of time what the product assortment was for the month and even what was going to be in my box. The delight was still there, but the surprise was lacking.

Since I left back in May it’s been a lot more exciting to get a monthly box. If you don’t know, Birchbox is a beauty ecommerce website that also has a subscription sample service where you can get 5 deluxe samples sent to you in a pretty box every month. You can review those samples for points and redeem those points towards full size products. I recently did a fairly large order with my points, so a Birchbox haul coming soon!

Want to see what was in this month’s box?

The box theme is “Better Together” and celebrates Birchbox’s 5 year anniversary and of course the subscribers that made that possible. This isn’t my favorite of the themed boxes from this year, but I do love that all of the boxes have been designed instead of the old kraft brown (are those collectors editions now?)

On to the samples!

POP Beauty POP Portfolio Eyeshadow – Sugar Plum. Full size $26.

I’m happy about this. The shades aren’t too outrageous and I’ve actually gotten a POP eyeshadow trio in my Birchbox before but it was shattered when it arrived, so I’m looking forward to actually getting to try out the formulas. The full size has 36 shades, so it’s a great value.

amika Bombsell Blowout Spray. Full size $24.

I’m all about the round brush blowout right now. I’m finally getting into teaching myself how to do it and the results aren’t half bad! Looking forward to trying out this spray. I’ve received the amika Dry Shampoo in a previous box and love the way it smells and it works amazingly well, so high hopes for this!

dr. brandt pores no more cleaner. Full size $35.

Meh. I’ve tried this cleanser before, but not through Birchbox. I find it a bit too harsh for my skin. It’s a good size and value though so I can’t say I’m unhappy.

100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream. Full size $25.

Caffeine is supposed to have some benefits for your skin. I’m not sure how effective it is when applied topically, though. I’m interested in this being natural and the sample is a good size too.

Harvey Prince Eau So Divine. Full size $26-55.

As far as fragrance samples go, this one is a larger size and has a spray nozzle so that’s a plus. The scent is very feminine and a bit summery, so not sure how much I’ll wear it now that the weather is cooling down. I don’t think I’d shell out for the full size but the sample is nice!

What do you think of my box?

The Summer of Strobe

August 21, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

Strobing. So hot right now.

If you haven’t heard (I’m sure you’ve heard), “strobing” is using intense highlight to contour the face, rather than trying to blend a darker color and create a shadow. Instead of creating depth, you create height and volume (yes we’re still talking about skin, not hair) by extreme highlighting.

While this is a great look for photos, strobing, like contouring, is not the most natural look in real life. My preference to interpret this trend, is to layer products to build up to an intensity you’re comfortable with. Here’s a list of my favorite products to get there:

An illuminating primer – It’s going under your foundation, so it’ll give you a super subtle glow. It’s taking you one step closer to the strobed look and is super fast and easy. A thin layer all over the face will catch the light where the light hits you but blend into your natural skin everywhere else. I like Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base and the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Radiance. You can stop there or continue to…
A reflective liquid – Think Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector or Armani Fluid Sheer. These formulas are super light and can be mixed in with your foundation to kick up the dew a notch or tapped lightly into the high points of the skin. I find liquids like these the most versatile and buildable.
A cream highlight – I usually skip this step to be honest, but if you really wanted to amp up the shine, grab something like MAC Cream Color Base or Becca SSP Poured.
Subtly glowing blush – Now is not the time for a matte blush. It may seem over the top, but a blush with a bit of a gleam will blend into your highlight and give you less of an overly highlighted look and more of a glow. Try my all time favorite, Becca Gypsy, or Clinique Cheek Pop (my faves are Pansy Pop and Nude Pop)!
A powder sheen – I wore Nars Dual Intensity Blush in Jubilation for my wedding, the peach side as a blush and an extra layer of the gold half as a highlight. I thought it looked amazing in photos. I still reach for it on days where I really want to look bright and awake. Also from Nars, Albatross is an amazing gold.

I tried to take arm swatch photos of the products alone and layered, but my amateur photo skills combined with the subtlety of some of these shades made it hard to capture. You’ll have to settle for a selfie instead, I guess!

(Pores by #nofilter)

Better Together

June 12, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

I’ve introduced a number of new products to my routine over the past few weeks. I’ve been absent from blogging (I’m so sorry!) but not from beauty, obviously. I’ve noticed that while my new go-to products work great on their own, sometimes you hit a combination where it seems like two (or sometimes three) products were meant to be used together. Here are a few of the best combinations I’ve found.

The Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Mist in Light is new to my stash, as is the Real Techniques Bold Metals Arched Powder Brush. Both of these cost more than I originally wanted to pay for them, but I love them so much that they’re so worth it. I picked up the bronzer first and would originally spray it directly onto the high points of my face and then blend in with a fluffy powder brush, which worked fine. But the paddle shape of this powder brush along with the synthetic bristles means that it can both precisely apply product and blend it out so it looks incredibly natural. The bronzer is waterproof and toned just right to give the appearance of a weekend trip to the beach without looking heavy or orange. I spray it onto the tip of the brush and then apply it to the backs of my cheekbones, top of my forehead, and bridge of my nose.

I’ve loved the Sunday Riley Effortless Tinted Primer since I discovered it this past winter. It was literally the skin savior of my Christmas Ski Trip. It’s amazing worn alone for the slopes or the beach, when you want to even out your skin tone but you don’t want heavy makeup. It’s a dewy finish and the whole Sunday Riley line has so many great ingredients for your skin. Lately I’ve been paring it with a new find, the Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Gel Cream. This tinted moisturizer has an amazing texture, and is barely tinted. I love layering these two sheer products for the perfect buildable coverage. They melt together and into the skin so it seems like you aren’t wearing anything, you just have perfect skin. Finally, I’ve been incorporating a pump of the Armani Fluid Sheer in #3 for a subtle summer glow.

I have been trying to get my hands on the Surratt Beauty Relevee Lash Curler for years. I was so pumped when they announced they would be selling Surratt at Sephora.com and immediately signed up to be alerted when the curler came back in stock. Sadly, it’s still not available on the website, but miraculously, right before I left NYC, I popped into the Sephora at Union Square and they had TWO curlers in stock. I immediately purchased one and haven’t looked back. It really is all that they say it is. I’ve found that following up with the Estee Lauder Little Black Primer really holds the curl in place and my lashes look long and dark and my eyes look wide open all day long. Since I’ve been wearing glasses a lot more often, I’ve found that dramatic lashes really go a long way to making sure my eyes still pop behind heavy frames.

What product combinations have you found work for you?

Products I’ll Repurchase Until I Die

March 31, 2015 by Alina Avery 3 Comments

I mentioned in my previous Kiehl’s Haul that the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser is my favorite cleanser ever. And it is. I thought I’d do a little rundown of products I feel similarly passionate about.

1) Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat, $4.99 on Amazon for .5 oz.

Okay, just now creating that link I realized how much cheaper this is on Amazon than Duane Reade and now I’m kicking myself for ever paying more for it, especially since I’ve gone through like, 5 bottles since I discovered it a few years ago. It dries out quickly and gets thick easily, but honestly, I don’t mind replacing it often because it’s such a lifesaver. I do my own manicures19 times out of 20, and it’s because of this stuff that I’m able to do so. It smooths polish to a professional finish in literally a minute or less. I also find that it’s super long lasting and chip resistant. You do have to be careful because it will shrink the underlying polish if it’s still too wet, but for someone who is impatient like me, Seche Vite is a dream come true.

2) Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser, $19.50 for 5 oz., $10 for 2.5 oz.

The whole Ultra Facial line is pretty great. The toner has a more substantial consistency than other toners, a bit thicker, which feels like it’s doing more than just wetting your face with water. The moisturizing cream has an almost gel texture, but it soaks into skin and really does moisturize for 24 hours. But it’s the cleanser that stands out. It checks all of the major requirements: non-stripping, makeup removing, nicely foaming, clean rinsing, gentle, and effective. Your face feels actually clean afterwards, but not tight or flaky, and without any weird residue or build up. It doesn’t have any fancy claims or technology, but I always feel like those anti-aging ingredients are better left to serums and creams that stay on your skin for longer than 60 seconds. For cleansers, all I want is something that will get the job done quickly and prep skin for other products. People rave about Cetaphil and other inexpensive gentle cleansers, but I never feel like those actually get my skin clean. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser is the perfect balance.

3) StriVectin-AR™ Advanced Retinol Day Treatment with Broad Spectrum SPF 30, $99 for 1.7 oz.

Yes, okay, this is expensive. Too expensive. Confession: I originally picked it up hugely discounted from a Birchbox employee sale because it was a good value and I’ve liked StriVectin products in the past. I didn’t expect to get hooked. To me, it’s worth the full price since I use it in the morning as a 1) serum, 2) moisturizer, 3) spf, and 4) primer. All in one. If I were to buy 4 products to do the same job as this one, it would definitely cost more than $99. It also does amazing things for my skin. It’s been clearer, smoother, and glowing. I have gotten more compliments on my skin since starting to use this in January than probably ever in my life. Even my husband asked what I was doing differently. One tube has lasted me over two months with daily (generous) use. Also here’s a tip: If I squeeze out too much in my early morning, pre-coffee, stupor, I put what’s left on the backs of my hands. My mom always says that you can tell someone’s age by checking out their hands, so a little extra anti-aging boost there can’t hurt. Seriously, an incredible product.

4) Becca Mineral Blush in Gypsy, $32 for .2 oz.

Described as “ballerina pink”, this blush is my holy grail. The slightly lavender tones do something with my skin tone to make it look naturally and innocently flushed. It also has a golden sheen that makes it work as a blush and a highlight in one. I never have to worry about putting on too much since it blends out so easily and it’s both pigmented enough and light enough to work for a large spectrum of skin tones. The formula itself is very soft, so you will kick up a good amount of powder when you go in with your brush. I know that bothers some people, but I don’t mind it. I bought this for the first time about a year ago and it hasn’t left the rotation. If the one in the photo looks brand new, that’s because it is. My original is shattered beyond repair, too embarasing for photos, but I continue to use it even though I bought a brand new one weeks ago, simply because I can’t bear to waste it. It’s that good.

Daily “Foundation” Routine

March 30, 2015 by Alina Avery 1 Comment

I haven’t worn an actual foundation in months.

Lately, I’ve preferred to create my own skin perfecting combination of products in the morning. It’s not an exact science, but the strategy is to really look at my skin, decide what it needs to look its best given its current starting state, and do that.

Depending on if I’ve self tanned, or am suffering a breakout, or dryness or discoloration, I’ll mix together various products to try to balance and perfect my skin. A typical formula looks like:

1 part tinted moisturizer or BB cream

This is where you get your skin-loving benefits. Depending on how my skin is looking (dull, broken out, tired, etc) I’ll choose something different. They’re supposed to treat skin issues instead of just cover them up. Maybe it’s a placebo effect, but I find that it works for me! I love the Armani Luminessence CC Cream, shade 4, for illuminating and glowing, the Guerlain Terracotta Healthy Skin, in nude, for smoothing and perfecting, and the Kiehl’s BB Cream, in light, for evening skin tone and clarifying.

1 part liquid concealer

This is the ingredient that gives you extra coverage and turns your tinted moisturizer into more of a foundation. While they definitely provide skincare benefits, TMs don’t always cover blemishes and uneven tone unless you build them up, which kind of defeats the purpose in my opinion, so adding a bit of concealer in there takes it to another level. My picks are the Armani Maestro Eraser, shade 3, (Sorry mine looks a bit grubby here! I do use it just about everyday…) and the Clarins Instant Concealer, shade 2, both because they have lightweight, fluid, super soft textures and provide great coverage with skincare benefits.

1 part illuminater or mattifier

I reach for the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal when I’m paler (please excuse it’s naked appearance in the photo, the cap broke!) , Armani Fluid Sheer #3 when I’m a bit more tanned, and sprinkle in a bit of W3LL PEOPLE Altruist Powder, shade 15, when I want to be a bit more matte.

I mix them together with my index finger on the back of my hand, then use that finger to apply to my face, starting with the areas where I have the most trouble: blemishes, under eyes, redness. Then I take a damp beautyblender and bounce and blend it in to my whole face. Then I’ll apply a bit more concealer to spots if I need it, but I don’t usually need to, and then set it all with a translucent powder.

It does take a bit longer than just applying foundation as usual, but I find that it looks amazing and is worth the extra effort. It’s also super easy!

P.S. If you’re curious, my nail polish here is Dior Lady!