October Favorites!

Happy end of October!!  Such a cliche - but I seriously cannot believe how fast this month went.  September and October flew by for me.  I blame it on being so excited to share Halloween and the upcoming holidays with my favorite little girl :)  (My little one is going to be 8 months old this week.  How did that happen??)

The end of October also marks a first for me...my first YouTube video to share with my readers!  I love watching monthly favorites videos, so I figured now would be a great time to take the plunge and film one.  Besides, it's way better to see a product than to just read about it.

And onto the beauty products I've given a lot of love this month!





Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation ($12.99 at Ulta)
Love this for the great natural glow it gives your skin.  I have oily skin, but this still does great things for me.

Makeup Forever Mat Velvet+ Foundation ($36 at Sephora)
This really does stay matte on me most of the day, plus the color match (I am shade 30) is spot on.  It gives a good medium coverage but can be built up.

Beauty Blender ($19.95 at Sephora)
A ridiculously expensive makeup sponge, but I've found nothing that beats it.  When you use it damp, it applies any foundation flawlessly and keeps it looking so natural.  I've been using mine basically every day this month.

Mac Prolongwear Paint Pot in Soft Ochre ($20 on Mac's website, but I found mine at a CCO!)
This is more yellow than the cult-classic shade Painterly.  It's the same shade as Urban Decay's Primer Potion in Eden, which really works well with my skin tone.  This works very well to block out redness and even out my lids.  Paint pots do crease on me, so I layer them over Primer Potion.

Nars Bronzer in Laguna ($36 at Sephora)
I've had my Laguna bronzer for-ev-er.  It's time for it to go, and I've been working on it for months now.  I LOVE the shade, but it's a bit dark for me in the winter, and I just have so many other bronzers I want to use.  I've been using this literally every day to try to use it up!

Burberry Blush in Russett ($42 at Nordstrom)
I absolutely love this color for fall - it is the perfect peachy brown.  It's actually the same exact shade as Mac's blush in Gingerly ($21), which I learned personally when I purchased Gingerly and compared them.  I have to say - Burberry's texture and blendability win by a mile, but the price is a little hard to stomach.  (In full disclosure, I received this as a gift...I did not purchase it myself.)

Mac 222 Brush (~$20, found at a CCO)
I love this brush because it is more dense and compact than a 217.  It deposits color more precisely in my crease, and I've been using it with a 224 to build up color and define my eyes more.  Mac no longer sells the 222, but Sigma's E35 brush ($14) is basically a dupe.  The brush that comes with the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette is also very similar.

Loreal Lineur Intense Liquid Liner in Carbon Black ($7.94 at WalMart)
No liquid liner will ever replace my beloved Fluidline, but I have been reaching for this one quite a bit this month!  It is by far the easiest liquid liner to apply (I use the felt tip version, not the brush version) because the tip is just firm enough to give you a nice, straight line.  Plus, it's ultra black so you don't need to keep going over it.

NYX Setting Spray in Matte Finish ($8 at Nordstrom)
I forgot to include this in my video, but I have been absolutely loving this spray.  It's the first setting spray I've used that actually does keep my makeup in place all day, let alone keep my face from getting shiny after a few hours.  One thing I didn't expect that I was so happy to see was that this spray really keeps my eye makeup from budging.  I typically get a lot of black smudging under my eyes from mascara, but this keeps them looking perfectly clean all day.  

Formula X Polish in Ignite ($10.50 at Sephora)
Holy cow - I never expected to love a nail polish as much as this!!  I will do a full post reviewing these polishes when I grab a few more with my VIB sale coupon, but for now, suffice to say that these are AMAZING.  They wear much longer and better than typical polishes, and you absolutely don't need to topcoat them.  They're just as shiny with Seche Vite as they are without it.  These things are going to be a new addiction for me, I can feel it!!!

What are your favorites this month?  Let me know what I'm missing out on!

 

As always, everything in this post is my honest personal opinion.  No affiliate links were used.  I have not accepted any consideration for sharing these items with you.  Unless indicated otherwise, all products were purchased by me with my own money.

Mommy Makeup Monday: Pressed Powder Foundations

On Mondays, I share a tip, product or tutorial that will help you look polished and put-together quickly and with minimal effort.  You definitely don't have to be a rushed mom to benefit from these posts...anyone who needs to be out-the-door fast (and who doesn't?!) can appreciate Mommy Makeup Mondays!

Today's topic is a quick and easy way to hide imperfections, discoloration, and even out your skintone.  For years, I have sworn by powder foundations as the secret to making your skin look nice in less than a minute.  I'm not talking about the good old "buff swirl tap" ...whatever... that bareMinerals claims will change your world.  (Personally, I'm not a fan.  I don't get enough coverage, it takes too long, and it makes a giant mess of my vanity.)  I have always used pressed powder foundations, not loose powders.

It is important to know that powder generally looks and works best with oily/combination skin, as it helps keep shine at bay.  If you have dry skin, I would recommend a BB or CC cream or a tinted moisturizer instead of a powder foundation.  (My picks: Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, or Garnier Skin Perfecter BB Cream.  More to come in future posts!)

The pressed powder that has been my Holy Grail quick and easy foundation for close to 10 years is the Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation ($27.00).  It comes with a cosmetic sponge, but I have always applied mine with a kabuki-style brush.  I am currently using the Sigma F45 buffer brush, which I think is a steal at $24.00.  (The comparable Mac 182 buffer brush is $53.00!)  I swirl my brush around the compact and buff the powder into my skin using circular motions.  I apply more to my T-zone, which gets oily faster, and just blend into my cheeks without using more product.  It takes mess less than 1 minute to perfect my skin.  This foundation gives great coverage with a matte finish.  Bonus: it comes in 40 shades!  

     

(I hit pan on mine a long time ago!)

Recently, I have been using Burberry's Sheer Luminous Compact Foundation ($55.00).  This has replaced my Mac Studio Fix for now, but at the price point, I can't say I would repurchase, especially given that it is about half the size of Mac's foundation.  (In full disclosure, the Burberry foundation was gifted to me from my sister.)  The coverage is slightly more sheer (which you would expect given the name) but can be built up to leave your skin looking absolutely flawless.  It is scented; Mac's is not.  It also has a matte finish, and on me, will last longer than Mac's foundation before I need to reapply.  The Burberry packaging absolutely emphasizes that this is a luxury foundation.  It is mirrored metal with the classic Burberry check print, heavy, and has a magnetic closure.  If you're due to receive a gift or just want to treat yourself, definitely try this one out!

  

(I've hit pan on this one, too!)

While these two are definitely my picks for powder foundation, there are plenty of other options on the market, as well.  bareMinerals' Ready Foundation ($29.00) is much better than their loose foundation, in my opinion.  Their shade range is more limited than Mac (20 shades, compared to Mac's 40), but the product is good.  Benefit Hello Flawless ($34.00) is also a great product, but only comes in 9 shades, and is half the size of Mac's foundation.  Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder ($59.00) is the most expensive, but also the largest product.  It only comes in 6 shades.

If you're shopping at the drugstore, Cover Girl makes TRUblend Pressed Powder ($8.99), which would be a good way to try this type of product without the high price point.  This powder is more sheer though, and more comparable to Mac's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural.  

If you find yourself rushing your makeup application or leaving the house with none on because you don't have time, I definitely recommend trying a pressed powder foundation.  They provide excellent coverage quickly and easily.  

Have you found any other methods of perfecting your skin that take mere minutes?  I'd love to hear your suggestions!  Have you tried pressed powder foundations?   Do you love or hate them?

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you enjoyed :)

As always, everything in this post is my honest personal opinion.  No affiliate links were used.  I have not accepted any consideration for sharing these items with you.  Unless indicated otherwise, all products were purchased by me with my own money.