Hello!
I thought it would be good to do a Top 10 Summer Makeup Products list. We've had some extremely hot days and some cooler nicer days. But when it's 30C outside, I like to keep my makeup light. I don't like feeling like my face is melting off. Plus all the sweating and smudging equals hot mess. And I've been getting pimples like crazy. Probably had to do with running out of my holy grail skincare products.
I'll try to use some newer products that launched this summer. These are my most used and favourite products this summer!
Top 10 Summer Makeup Products
1. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment - 26$CAD
Every girl needs a good lip treatment. I know the price is quite steep, so I try to make my tube last as long as possible. This is hands down THE best lip treatment of all time. It's a bit mooshy but that's because it actually goes into your lips and moisturizes them. It's definitely worth a try. I was convinced. They just came out with a new colour, Tulip, which is their first pink lip balm. I can't wait to get my hands on it. They're selling it in a new set as a mini with some other minis if you're not sure which one to commit to. I just picked up the set (with Advanced Lip Therapy, Rose, and Tulip along with a mini Sugar Lip Scrub) but haven't gotten around to trying the tinted ones yet. I do love their clear formula.
2. Too Faced Lashgasm - 28$CAD
Another staple product for me is this mascara. This is my favourite mascara ever, and I've tried a lot of different ones. It doesn't add too much mascara onto your lashes, so they'll never get clumpy. The wand is made to define each lash and comb through so they don't stick together. They're not crazy voluminous, but this is a perfect day time mascara. It makes each lash look defined and long. It's light enough but still makes your lashes look sexy. It isn't waterproof but this mascara has never leaked or run on me.
3. Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm in Snow Glow - 42$CAD
For the summer, I think every girl needs a tinted moisturizer or a BB cream. I find foundation gets a little too heavy, especially in extreme heat. I like Too Faced's Tinted BB. It's light but it does have decent coverage. Of course, it won't cover severe acne or redness, but for those of you with perfect skin down to okay skin, this BB should be fine for you. My freckles show through a tiny bit which helps to make it more natural looking but it does a decent job covering up my pimples that I don't even use concealer. I use the shade Snow Glow, and there are four other shades to choose from. I find that it runs a little yellow so I have to make sure I blend it out well into my neck. I use their first BB cream, which is a liquid. I really don't like their new Air-Buffed CC Creme which is a cream version. I would stick to the original liquid one.
4. Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in 84 Accent (LE) - 48$CAD
This was a limited edition blush that came out this past Christmas. I wish it would have been permanent because my mom and I both loved it. In the pan, it looks very brown but when swatched it gives off that perfect rosy/brown neutral glow. It's perfect as an everyday blush. It's soft and light and looks very natural. I find myself using this blush more and more on a lazy day.
5. MAC Casual Color Lip and Cheek Color in For Your Amusement (LE) - 25$CAD
This blush was a limited edition product from their Playland collection from earlier this summer. I wish they would release some permanent shades as part of the Lip and Cheek colour product line :( I love the formula. It's pigmented enough that I don't have to keep layering and when I use my MAC 188 brush to apply it, I'm in heaven. I can use a light hand to apply it until I get my perfect amount on without worrying about overdoing it. Plus I can use this as a lip colour too! That's always a bonus. I've fallen in love with this colour and I've used it often since I bought it. It goes on well and it blends out smoothly. They also have a bright fuchsia pink and a bright coral red as part of the collection.
6. MAC Superslick Liquid Eye Liner in On The Hunt - 23$CAD
My mom recently introduced me to these a few months ago and I fell in love. On a hot day where I don't want to wear a ton of eye makeup, I usually opt for a cat eye. I used to use fluidline but superslick makes it so much easier!! The brush allows for a very precise application and my lines are always smooth. Lately I've been using this a lot and I just ran out :( so I've been using Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner. It's alright, but I prefer the MAC one. Mastering the cat eye is tricky if you've never done it before. Even now, I still get the random crooked eye. Superslick is super easy to take off and try again and it'll stay on all day without budging. It goes on very dark black. With practise, you'll have the perfect cat eye!
7. MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline - 19$CAD
This is my all-time favourite pencil eyeliner. It's the darkest black you could buy. It's very pigmented and has crazy staying power. It literally stays on all day and barely smudges off. It requires little to no touch ups throughout the day. One coat is good enough, you don't need to keep applying it. And you barely have to sharpen your pencil! I use this pencil literally every single day and I barely have to sharpen it, so that means that it's going to last quite a longer time than your usual eyeliner pencil. Since I discovered this pencil I haven't used any other for black.
8. Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Deep - 26$CAD
This is a new product that I've fallen in love with. It makes doing my brows a breeze. I have enough hair on my brows that I don't need to fill them in with a pencil or shadow so on a lazy day all I need is this brow gel. The medium/dark colour is perfect for me. The brush makes application easy and after two coats, my brows look perfect. I don't need to do anything else to them. This product has really made doing my eyebrows so much easier and quicker and it keeps them natural looking. My mom uses the shade light/medium and its perfect for her.
9. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade - 37$CAD
Another great product that I wished I'd discovered sooner. I've tried so many different highlighters and this one is my favourite. I like a highlighter that has a visible glow and isn't too shimmery or sparkly. I don't want it to be too noticeable, but I don't want it to be practically invisible either. And Lightscapade fits all my requirements. It's a very light highlight, which is great because I'm the palest person on the planet. If you're darker, I would suggest Soft and Gentle, which is more of a champagne colour.
10. Benefit PosieBalm - 22$CAD
This is quickly becoming a go-to tinted lip balm for me. I'm going to say right off the bat that this is not a lipgloss. It doesn't give as much colour as a gloss does. However, it is extremely moisturizing and has a touch of colour. It's great for when your lips are chapped and you still want to have some colour. I think part of why this gets so many low ratings is because people buy it thinking that it will have a lot of colour payoff and apply like it looks in the photo. It's a tinted lip balm, it won't. I have to say that I do like it for what it is. It has a rosy smell that isn't too overpowering but I can see how it can get annoying for someone that really doesn't like the scent.
BONUS:
11. Too Faced Bronzed and Poreless - 38$CAD
I'm adding in a bronzer because it is summer after all and we all like to have that "just tanned" look. I'm super pale so I needed a bronzer that was light enough for my skin and this bronzer is perfect for that. You can either lightly dust it all over your face or you can use it to contour with, since it's matte. It's also light enough that it doesn't overpower your fresh faced summer look. If you are darker toned, I would recommend trying it at the store before buying it because it might be too light for your skin. But for us pale girls, this is the perfect bronzer. It's my holy grail bronzer and its pretty obvious because I use it everyday and it's in all my tutorials.
I actually planned on doing a tutorial along with the list but I haven't had time yet. I'll get it done early this week. I'm actually interviewing at Sephora tomorrow so I've spent most of the weekend trying to figure out what my look should be. I'm so nervous but I'm so happy I got called into an interview. It's a group interview so it's my first round. I'll let you all know how it went and I'll let you know some of the questions they asked me in a future post. I'll also show you what I wore, both in makeup and clothes.
So now that I've shared my Top 10 summer makeup picks, it's your turn to shares yours! Have you discovered any new favourites this summer? Have you tried any of the products that I've listed and what did you think?
Steph xo.
Hello ladies!
I just recently published my 100th post so I want to take a moment to thank everyone for reading my blog and supporting me. Makeup was always a hobby for me, but now I've found a way to channel that creativity and turn it into something. It started as a personal record of all the makeup looks I was doing at the time and it's blossomed into something more. I want to show you that you don't have to be an expert to pull together a look. I want to show you that you are beautiful no matter what. I want to give you, my lovely readers, my honest and truthful opinion on makeup products, brands, etc. I want you to experience how much fun doing makeup can be. When you feel beautiful, you feel confident, and you can rule the world.
Also, I've moved the Facebook Like gadget for my Facebook Page onto the sidebar instead of at the bottom of every post. I finally figured out how to do it. Gosh I'm so horrible with configuring blogspot to look pretty.
So today's post isn't specifically about makeup. It's about the tools we use to put our makeup on, our trusty brushes! Oh what would we do without our brushes?? Oh, the horror! To be honest, I love my makeup brushes. They make doing the job that much easier. But sometimes, it is okay to use your fingers. I know I do.
I'll be telling you all about my favorite brushes and I know it's hard for me to stay down to 10. I'll tell you which brush and brand they are and why I like it so much. These are also staple brushes that every glamour girl should own, whether they are name brand or drugstore, you need a good set of brushes.
I use mostly MAC and Sephora Pro brushes along with a couple of others. The Sephora Pro brushes are the older generation brushes, the ones with the grey handles. They can't be purchased anymore, you can only get the new version so I will list the newer version of the brushes that I use.
This isn't in any particular order, because I do use most of these everyday and they are all necessary brushes to create a flawless look
1. MAC 217 - Blending Brush
This brush is #1 because it is extremely versatile. It's main use is to be used as a blending brush, so that means blending out foundation, like for example for a smokey effect or to blend out harsh lines. You can also use it to put shadow on the lid. I also hear of people using it to put on concealer and that it applies really well. I've also used it to apply contour down the sides of my nose. Honestly, this brush is great. It does so many things that I went and bought myself a spare, and it's my first spare brush of the same kind ever. You definitely want to have this brush in your kit, whether to do makeup professionally or for your own personal kit.
2. MAC 239 - Eye Shader Brush
This brush is fantastic for packing color onto the lid. It really does a great job of saturating the lid with color. You can also use this brush for pressing pigments onto your lid. This is the brush you need for really loading color on like crazy. I also recommend getting this brush. I used to use the Sephora Pro Medium Shadow Brush and I like this one so much more.
3. MAC 219 - Pencil Brush
This brush is great for smudging out eyeliner to create a smokey effect. I also use it to apply shadow to my lower lashline for a smokey effect. Since the bristles are nice and stiff, it's perfect for drawing in a cut-crease and smudging it out. A similar brush is the Sephora Pro Smokey Eye Brush, but it is less dense than the MAC one and it comes to a point. This brush isn't necessary for a personal kit, but I would recommend it if you are a fan of smokey eyes and/or cut-creases.
4. Stila #28 Smudgepot Brush
This double-ended brush is my favorite gel eyeliner brush of all time. On one end you have a smudge brush, the MAC 214 is a good alternative, and on the other end you have a liner brush, the MAC 209 being an alternative to that. I love using this type of brush to apply my gel eyeliner, like my MAC Fluidlines. I feel like it does a very precise job, more so than an angled liner brush. And the smudge brush on the other end comes in handy for doing a smokey eye! I also use it to apply a touch of highlight to the inner corners of the eye. I recommend getting this brush, it makes eyeliner application such a breeze!
5. Sephora Pro #10 Crease Brush
I personally don't use this brush in my crease because it's a little too big (I have small eyes and not a whole lot of space between my crease and my eyebrow) so I use this to apply my highlight shade on my eyes instead. For a sheerer highlight, this brush works perfectly and it blends everything out nicely. A similar brush is MAC 224. I recommend getting this brush because it does come in handy either for the crease or for a highlight.
6. Sephora Pro #44 Stippling Brush
I love this brush for applying flawless foundation. By using a stippling motion, you don't get the streaks that you would normally get using a standard foundation brush. This gives you a much more airbrushed looking finish and you use less product than if you used the standard brush. This is my go-to foundation brush, I use it daily. I cannot think of a better foundation brush than this one (well, maybe MAC but I haven't tried theirs yet!). I definitely recommend getting this brush, it will make foundation application a total breeze!
7. MAC 168 Large Angled Contour Brush
This is a great brush for applying powder contour and bronzer. It's not as large as the name suggests, it's quite small actually. It fits in the hollows of the cheeks perfectly and it's so easy to contour with this brush. It really makes application super easy and fast. It's the best contouring brush ever. If you're into bronzer and contouring, definitely get this brush. You could also use it to apply blush if you wanted to.
8. Too Faced Powder Pouf Brush
This brush is so pretty and so soft. It's perfect for applying powder blush to the cheeks and blending it into the contour. It applies very well and is really precise. I also use it to apply highlight powder onto the cheekbones. I recommend getting this brush or the MAC Contour Brush, whichever brush you feel most comfortable with and that suits your needs.
9. Makeup Forever HD Kabuki Brush
This is such a super soft and dense brush, making it perfect to apply powder to the face. It does a great job of applying powder evenly and thoroughly all over the face. It's also fantastic for blending out harsh lines on the face and for blending out colors (like sheering them a bit) and also for blending two colors together so they seemlessly transition from one into the other. I definitely recommend getting this brush, or a kabuki in general, they are way more than just powder brushes.
10. Sephora Pro #22 Angled Liner Brush
Last but not least every girl needs an angled liner brush. Whether it's to apply gel liner, powder as an eyeliner or applying color to your brows, you'll most likely use it for something. I also use it to define a cut-crease so that you get a super precise line. Everyone needs this brush in their kit. The MAC 266 is a good alternative to this brush.
Here are a few bonuses:
11. Sephora Pro #81 Lip Brush
I don't often use lip brushes on myself personally, but if you have a lipgloss palette where you need to use a brush, this is it. For your purse makeup kit, get the MAC 316, which has a cover included with it so you won't have to worry about it getting your purse all dirty. Again, it's not a necessary brush unless you love lipstick and lipgloss palettes.
12. Sephora Pro #45 Concealer Brush
I like using a concealer brush, but it's not the end of the world if you don't. You can use the MAC 217 or your fingers. But if you do like using a brush, it's super precise and gets into the nooks and crannies of your inner eye. It's also great for highlighting around your brows and your lips. I would recommend getting this.
So these are the main brushes that you need for your personal brush collection. Of course, I'm not telling you to go out and buy every single brush on this list. Over time, you will accumulate them. I find that the best way to start out a brush collection is to buy one or two brush sets. Right now is the best time to buy because many brands put out a lot of brush sets during the holiday season. Your best bet is buying either a MAC or Sephora brush set. I recommend buying your eye and face brush sets separately because you get more and you don't end up with doubles when you're just starting your set.
I don't want to tell you which brushes you should buy first, everyone has different tastes and styles of putting on makeup. Buy whichever brushes you feel that you need the most. The best quality brush sets on Sephora's site start at around 70$CAD. There's a lot to choose from, so just ask Santa for your favorite one. For the longest time I was using a Sephora Collection Travel Brush set with my trusty MAC 217. For at least 2 years I would look at this amazing brush set on Sephora's website. It was their Pro brush set. 15 brushes and a makeup belt. 360$CAD. I knew I would never get it at that price. Then something awesome happened. Sephora decided to revamp their Pro Brush line and release a newer edition. So the price went down to 270$CAD, then to 180$CAD and then finally to 100$CAD which I of course had to jump on and lucky I did because the day after I placed my order, they were forever sold out. So be patient. It might take a while to get your brush set together and get some good deals, but you'll be so happy when you finally do get it.
What is your all-time favorite brush? What is your favorite brand for makeup brushes?
Steph xo.
