Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Which Brush Should I Use? - Part 3 of 3

Welcome to the final chapter of the series, hopefully after this you can continue your makeup journey with more knowledge than ever! Please refer to the last 2 chapters if you need a refresher! Here and Here!

This final chapter will feature brushes 25-36 from BH Cosmetics 36 pc Ultimate Brush Set.


Item 25: Angled Shadow Brush
This brush is great if you like to use powder products on your brows. I'd use this for a more natural brow look. If I wanted more dramatic brows or "brows on fleek", I would instead use an eyeliner angle brush to shape my brows.

Item 26: Blending Brush
If you do not want to buy the entire set, I strongly recommend you at least buy this brush or a few of them, so you don't have to clean brushes so often haha! This is the key to beautifully blended smoky eyes! Or the key for a beautiful blended transition shade. Basically anything you want to blend beautifully, you use this brush! THIS IS A MUST HAVE!

Item 27: Short Shadow Brush
When you see people talk about brightening the inner corner of their eye, this is a great brush for that. It's small enough to just get in that inner corner and not mess up anything else. Look at BunBun Makeup Tips site, she does a great job of highlighting the inner corner of her eye. You can really see the difference and how much it opens up the eye!


Item 28: Angled Blending Brush
This is another one of my favorite brushes, even though I only use it for 1 purpose, which is to highlight my brow bone. It does the best job of blending and highlighting the brow bone at the same time. It really helps in the shaping your brows and completes your eye makeup.

Item 29: Large Shadow Brush
Just another general brush to use when you put eyeshadow on your lid. You can wet it to get a different shade than just using it dry.


Item 30: Foundation Brush
This brush is used for cream and liquid foundation, you wouldn't use this brush with powder foundation. When I use this brush I still like to use a beauty blender to make sure my foundation is even. And if you have a wide areas to apply concealer you can also use this brush too!

Item 31: Small Blush Brush
Pretty self explanatory, use this for your blush products. It picks up a great amount of product so make sure you tap off the excess blush before applying it to your cheek bones. Remember to start lightly and build up, because if you put on too much blush, then you'll have to keep blending it out with another clean brush and some foundation powder. 

Item 32: Large Angle Blush Brush
If you want more control with your blush, you can use this brush. I personally like to use my contour powder with this brush. The angled bristles helps shape your cheekbones when contouring. I really like how it blends and defines your cheek bones at the same time. 

Item 33: Highlight & Contour Brush
This is mainly used for cream highlighters and contour. I actually do enjoy using this for powder highlighters too, its very sharp in its application when you use a powder highlighter, the product only goes on where you applied the brush. So don't overdue it!

Item 34: Duo Fiber Stippling Brush
The intention of this brush is to buff your foundation into your skin to give you that airbrush finished, but (and its a big but)I don't feel like it really works. I know Wayne Goss did an amazing tutorial of this on YouTube, but he has perfect skin already (despite what he thinks) and my pores must be too big and my skin must have too much texture to get this technique to work on me!




Item 35: Powder Brush
This is a great face brush when working with loose foundation powder. This is what you use instead of the Foundation Brush, when working with loose powder. For example, if you use Bareminerals for your foundation you would use this brush.

Item 36: Large Fan Brush
Just like you would use your small fan brush, this is the jumbo version. You can use it to apply highlight to your cheekbones or nose. Or you can use this to help removed loose shadow that has fallen on to your skin without smudging your face!


This completes the 3 part series!
I hope this helps you know what the heck some of these brushes are used for!
Have fun playing!

Glammie Love,
Bex






Thursday, September 3, 2015

New Product Review: NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick

I FINALLY got them, Glammies!  It seems like the new NYX Liquid Suede lippies have been actively avoiding me since they launched in late July.  It's mostly my fault - I totally blanked on the release date and of course they were all sold out by the time I remembered about them a week later.  It's all good though!  They recently released on Ulta.com and are still available for purchase.  So, for a little bit of background on the product, I'm going to let NYX tell y'all all about them:
Doll up your lips in plush and vibrant color! Our Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick glides on and sets into a striking matte finish. Velvety soft and waterproof, this long-lasting lippie creates a positively polished look with every swipe.
I'm in!  It's no secret that I'm in love with liquid lipsticks and I have been ever since the old school CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Lipcolor that came out in high school.  If you're a makeup junkie like me, you'll already know that NYX already has an incredibly line of matte liquid lipsticks called the Soft Matte Lip Creams, so what's the difference?  Well, the formula for these are more like the classic liquid lipsticks, in that they are supposed to be waterproof and long lasting, which the Soft Matte Lip Creams are not.  They come in 12 shades:

  • Stone Fox;
  • Life's A Beach;
  • Cherry Skies;
  • Soft-Spoken;
  • Orange County;
  • Sway;
  • Sandstorm;
  • Pink Lust;
  • Tea & Cookies;
  • Amethyst;
  • Kitten Heels, and finally;
  • Vintage
At $7 a pop, the price is certainly great, especially if you compare them to similar and very popular liquid lipsticks from Anastasia Beverly Hills or Kat Von D ($20.00 each).  I bought 9 of the 12 colors so that I could get a good sense of the color payoff and wear, and swatched them down below.


Overall, I would say that I like these lippies.  I'm in love with a couple of them (I'll expand on that later), but I don't feel like the entire line is a must-have.  

Let's talk about the formula first.  I did find it to be a lot more long-wearing than the Soft Matte Lip Creams, but they're still a lot more comfortable to wear than most liquid lipsticks.  Now, keep in mind that with something this long-wearing, the dry feeling on your lips is unavoidable.  With that being said, my lips didn't feel nearly as dry with these as they do with other liquid lippies, so there's a positive right there.  These did take a while to dry fully though, with some of them taking up to 5 minutes!  That's entirely too long for me to wait for my lips to set, and when they finally did, they weren't a completely matte finish.  The finish isn't a negative thing per se, but NYX did market them as so, so I was expecting a matte finish and not a satin one.  

Before I get into each individual color, I do want to put up a disclaimer: Although they are a liquid formula and thus more opaque than regular lipsticks, skin tone does need to be taken into account when looking at the color payoff.  I have a dark medium complexion with olive undertones (Mac NC35-40 depending on how tan I am), so please keep in mind that some colors may look a bit different on other people.  By the way, I didn't use a lipliner in any of these pictures, so y'all can get a sense of the true color of the lippies.

Love it or Leave it


Life's A Beach 

Life's A Beach is a true coral color.  I really didn't like the color because I felt like it looked almost neon against my skin, but it would look great on people much fairer than I am.  I found it to be really streaky in application, and I had to put on several coats to get some even color payoff.  After it set, I saw that it settled into the fine lines and was starting to patch.  LEAVE IT



Cherry Skies

This is a dark, wine red that I absolutely loved! I tend to gravitate towards these kinds of colors, so I knew that this one was a must have for me.  I didn't find it to be nearly as streaky as some others, but I did have to apply 2 coats to make the color even and opaque.  It's a great, vampy color for fall! LOVE IT



Soft-Spoken

This is a dusty pinkish brown color.  I was most excited for this particular lippie, because I felt like it would be the perfect pinky-nude color for me.  I was right!  It's hands-down my favorite out of the entire line.  I didn't have any trouble whatsoever with the application, and I was more than happy with the opaqueness and color payoff with just 1 coat.  LOVE IT



Sandstorm


Sandstorm is a true nude-brown that I had very high hopes for.  Unfortunately, the color was a little too cool and too close to my skin color for my liking.  However, I think it would be a gorgeous nude lippie for someone that's lighter than me, (I'm looking at you, Bex!)  I didn't have any problems with streakiness, but I did feel like it wasn't as opaque as Soft-Spoken.  This one is definitely a 2 coater. LOVE IT (just not on me.)


Pink Lust

Helloooo Barbie pink!  Although I wouldn't wear it on a regulr basis, this one is such a fun color, and incredibly bright.  Bright and opaque from the first swipe, you only need one coat for this lippie.  I did 2 for this picture because I wanted it to be hot, hot pink.  LOVE IT




Tea & Cookies

This was another disappointing one for me.  It's a light blush, baby pink color (it's advertised as pinky-nude but definitely not for my skin.)  This was another one that was incredibly patchy and streaky.  It had all the problems that I had with Life's A Beach, plus I couldn't get it to be opaque enough.  No matter how many coats I put on, I couldn't hide my natural lip color from peeking through.  LEAVE IT


Amethyst

This one is a true royal purple with a blue undertone.  Like Pink Lust, I wasn't expecting to be able to wear this color on a daily basis, but I feel like it's a fun color for those bold enough to wear purple lips.  Unlike Pink Lust, however, this one was surprisingly streaky even when I didn't apply too much pressure on the wand.  I had to put on 3 coats to even the color out.  LEAVE IT



Kitten Heels

Kitten Heels is a true, bright red with a blue undertone.  This one surprised me the most!  I don't usually like bright reds, because they tend to look orange on me, but I feel like this one stayed true to color.  It definitely had the best coverage out of the bunch and was perfectly opaque and smooth with just one application.  I'm a bright red lippie convert!  LOVE IT


Vintage

Vintage is a dark burgundy, almost plum color.  I know I'll be wearing this one quite a bit in the fall months because it has just enough brown undertone to make it bold but wearable.  This one was interesting in application though... I found this one to be streaky as well.  Luckily, it's such a dark color that it can hide all manner of sins, so it's not as obvious.  The streakiness threw me off a bit, but the color is so beautiful that I LOVE IT


Overview


Well there you have it!  Overall, I like these new NYX lippies... I just would leave some of the lighter ones on the shelf.  Do y'all have any of these?  How did y'all like them?  Let me know in the comments!

Glammie love!
~Jaz

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Which Brush Should I Use? - Part 2 of 3

This portion of the blog will feature items 13-24 and is the second part of a three part blog series.
If you missed the first part of the blog series featuring items 1-12, click HERE to view.




Pictures from BH Cosmetic Website of the 36 Ultimate Brush Set.
Item 13: Eyeliner  Smudger/ Eyeliner Smudge Brush
This is another brush I absolutely hate. It reminds me of when smoky eyes were also the popular thing to do in the early 2000's. You would use that jumbo eyeliner stick and the poke and prod your eyelids harshly to blend and smoke out the eyeliner with this tapered hard sponge brush. This is a pass, there are better smudge brushes in this kit. As you can see I am not a fan of sponge brushes when applying eye makeup! Also the "smoky eyes" look has tried to make its comeback into the spot light since Urban Decay released it's new Naked Smoky Palette. Let's face it the smoky eye look has never really left, it just isn't always featured in the spotlight.

Item 14: Round Angle Smudge Brush
I'd use this brush for smudging out the crease line, typically you would use a darker color on your crease than your lid. Since this has and angle to it, you could also use it the highlight your brow bone. I prefer to use item 28 as a highlighter to my brow bone, but if you have smaller lids than me, than this is the small version of the brush.
Item 15: Lip Brush
A lot of people swear by lip brushes, they feel more control using a brush than using the actual lipsticks tube for application. I'm old school, where as I still like applying lipstick directly from its tube. However, if you are doing lip makeup on different people, I recommend using the brush because its more hygienic.

Item 16: Concealer Brush
This brush is great to use for cream concealers. If you don't use a stick highlighter or liquid concealer wand to contour, then this is the brush you would use for application. Just make sure you conceal in an upside down triangle under your eyes and not an upside down crescent moon. That technique will brighten your face and give you a better glow. To help blend it into your skin, I do recommend using a beauty blender to make it more of a natural glow.
As featured on Makeup and Beauty Buzz Blog

For your convenience of not having to keep scrolling up I will keep featuring this image.

Pictures from BH Cosmetic Website of the 36 Ultimate Brush Set.
Item 17: Short Smudger Brush
This is my favorite type of smudge brush, because 1- its not a hard sponge and 2- the bristles really do smoke out your bottom lower lash line. And because the brush bristles are shorter and flatter it doesn't take long to blend.

Item 18: Small Concealer Brush
This is great when you want to concealer small blemishes and small discolorations such as hyperpigmentation. This brush is pretty much made to dab the concealer onto your minor problem area.

Item 19: Smudge Brush
Can you wrap your head around all these different smudge brushes yet? The great thing about having all these smudge brush options is now you can play around to see which one is your favorite, for example mine is definitely item #17. But this brush works too, I just prefer #17 because it seems to get me the results I want faster. This brush gives you more more precision, I would use this as a crease smudger than a lower lash line smudger.

Item 20: Small Smudge Brush
This brush is smaller and works best with powder products for exact precision to the crease for a diffused, yet controlled finish and placement. Which is the reason this brush has more of a pointed tip.

Item 21: Crease Brush
Its a good tool to use for cut creases. After you would line your eye with the liner pencil, to blend out the crease I would use the tool. As seen in the darker shade by iinala.


Pictures from BH Cosmetic Website of the 36 Ultimate Brush Set.
Item 22: Flat Shadow Brush
This is a good tool if you want to use shadow as a liner, the flat feature of this helps with the lining of your eyes.

Item 23: Round Flat Shader Brush
This one is a little confusing, because I would only use it for spot treatment of concealer but then I wouldn't use it to blend, I would have to use a sponge to blend it or a different brush. And because I can just use a small concealer brush to do the spot treatment, I wouldn't want to dirty another brush just for spotting.

Item 24: Eye shadow Brush
If you're new to make up, this is probably the one brush you recognize. Probably because any makeup set you buy will have this brush. Its known for brushing or patting down eye shadow on your lids. I've used it before to highlight the bridge and button of my nose. Its a definite brush to have in your go to makeup brush set. You may even want to stock up and have a couple of these so you don't have to wash it all the time.

Thanks for reading the second part of this blog series. I hope you find this helpful, and just remember just because I use a brush a certain way doesn't mean its the only way! Go have fun and play! Just  make sure to come back  for the last portion of the series!

Glammie Love,

Bex



Monday, July 20, 2015

Drugstore Superstars: Concealers

 Hey Glammies!  Welcome to the next installment of our Drugstore Superstar series!  This one is all about concealers.  Much like foundation, there is not one miracle concealer that is suited to everyone's needs... if there was, the company that sold it would make a killing!  So, I've broken down this post into categories, in order to help you find the best match for your needs.



Spot Concealer


For those of us with blemishes and imperfections to hide, L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Crayon Concealer ($8.95) is an absolute Godsend.  The thick, full-coverage formula is ideal for spot concealing and it's been my go-to for years (beating out all of its high-end competitors).  You may have seen it in action in my Summer Glow Makeup video tutorial, which is on our YouTube channel (if you haven't, go check the video out here!).  Its stick packaging not only makes it easy to apply, but also easy to throw in your purse for on-the-go touch-ups.  As you'll find with many other concealers, however, it's not really multi-purpose.  For instance, I would never use it for concealing under-eye circles since I find the consistency to be quite dry and because it does not blend as easily over the skin.  As with most cream products, be sure to set this product with powder if you want it to stay put on your face all day.

Under-Eye Concealer


I rarely suffer from dark circles or bags under my eyes, so I don't find myself reaching for this product as often as some others.  However, when I'm extra tired and my eyes need some help in order to perk up and look awake, I grab my Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser ($9.99).  It comes in 6 shades and does a wonderful job of neutralizing dark purple shadows cast underneath the eyes.  The liquid formula is easy to blend (especially since most people have drier under-eye areas than the rest of their face), but it doesn't skimp on coverage.  On the other hand, I'm a bit torn on the sponge applicator because, although it does a great job of blending the product, I can't imagine that it's very sanitary since you can't remove the sponge to clean it.

Brightening Concealer


With the trend of highlighting and contouring your face becoming more and more popular, concealers that also highlight and brighten your features are becoming increasingly in demand.  For the cost-conscious, there's Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highighting Concealer ($7.99).  Its gel-based formula diffuses light, illuminates your skin and blends like an absolute dream!  Unlike other products that claim to do the same thing, it doesn't come off as streaky on the skin.  I wouldn't use it to conceal blemishes, however; not only does it provide very sheer coverage, but with the illumination factor drawing light and attention to the face, it may result in the complete opposite of what you're probably going for!  In other words, it may draw attention to any problem areas, as opposed to hiding them.

Color Correcting Concealer


I don't usually advocate the use of color correcting concealers for casual makeup users since they can be difficult to work with and because it takes practice to properly apply them.  However, if you have some skin issues that will not be covered up by regular, flesh-toned concealer, NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer Jar ($5.00) is for you!  Here's a quick crash course on which colors do what:
  • If you want to conceal yellow discoloration (such as sallow complexions or yellow bruising), go for a lavender concealer;
  • If you want to conceal redness, go for a green concealer;
  • If you want to conceal purple discoloration (such as dark circles or scarring), go for a yellow concealer; and
  • If you want to conceal deep purple or blue discoloration and you have a deeper skin tone, go for an orange concealer.  (My fellow Glammie, Bex, mentioned this technique in her 1 Product, Multiple Uses blog post.)
This product is incredibly full-coverage and long-lasting, and a little goes a long, long way.  Just dab the product on your problem areas, layer your regular foundation over it and say goodbye to your hard-to-conceal spots!  These also come in more traditional flesh-colored tones for those of you that want a high-impact, full-coverage concealer that matches your skin tone.  Since they are so thick and high-coverage, it's not a consistency that I enjoy using all over my face, as they tend to make me look cakey, which is something I try to avoid as much as humanly possible!  Nevertheless, they have their place, so if your skin has any of problems that I mentioned above, you should give this product a whirl.

All-Purpose Concealer


Now, I know that I mentioned before I started this list that there isn't a concealer that is suited for everyone's needs, but bear with me.  The NYX HD Photogenic Concealer Wand is my absolute favorite drugstore concealer, and I have my freelance makeup kit stocked with every single shade.  It does a great job of concealing my blemishes and blends effortlessly under my eyes, and the lighter shades highlight my face perfectly.  Why on earth do I have this entire list of products if I use it for everything, then?  Because, as mentioned before, I don't really suffer from a great deal of face discoloration (especially after I put on foundation.)  This product has a light to medium coverage, which is all I really need, but some people might need more.

So, there they are, my concealer superstars from the drugstore!  If you want to check out the other blog posts from this series, click here.  Stay tuned for the next installment: Bronzers!

Glammie love!
~Jaz

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Which Brush Should I Use? - Part 1 of 3

"What is that brush used for?" That  is one of the biggest questions to ponder as you increase your skills in perfecting your makeup application. Some brushes have multiple uses, and some you may not use at all! Makeup is a form of art, and like most art, application is based on personal preference.

When contour was first established everyone was doing it in a certain way and from those basic guidelines different variations of contour took place. Some new questions arose "do I use cream, do I use powder" and then of course the question of  "which brush do I use to apply it?"

Did you ever give up on doing contour because you weren't sure how to apply it. Or feel as if you're not good enough at applying your own make up? Honey, It's not your fault! It may be your brush's fault. Maybe your brush is too old, maybe it needs a good cleaning as seen in our latest YouTube video.


Or you could possibly be using the wrong brush and another brush would give you the results you dreamed of! If you're wanting a starter kit that will give you the options to learn the art of make up application without breaking the bank. I recommend BH Cosmetics 36 Ultimate Brush Set. It offers a range of different face and eye brushes at a price in the $30 dollar range!

For starters, lets break down what you get. This portion of the blog will feature items 1-12 and is the first part of a three part blog series.

Picture from BH Cosmetic Website of the 36 Ultimate Brush Set
Item 1: Eyebrow Brush
Its funny how this is considered and eyebrow brush, because I would also use part of this for my eyelashes. I personally call it a dual lash and brow brush. The "brush" part of this is used for grooming and shaping brows, I have sparse brows so this tool really does nothing for me but if you got some wild brows this may help brush it so your hairs go all in the same direction. The "comb" is a great tool to help when your mascara clumps together. Because no one likes tarantula legs for eyelashes!

Item 2: Spoolie Brush.
It looks like a mascara wand, but instead of using this for mascara, I use this as my brush comb instead of item 1's brush. I love Anastasia Beverly Hills products for my sparse brows, and their brow wiz comes with one end as a spoolie brush, so I rarely use this tool from the BH set.

Item 3: Small Fan Brush
Here is one of those wonderful brushes that I use for different applications. I would say that the number one reason this brush is used for is for clean up. For example, when using powder eye shadow for a smoky eye where there are little specs of black, gray, or other dark colors that fall out. If you don't use shadow shields to catch the fall out then your catching these specs onto your skin. And if you use your fingers to brush the eye shadow specs away you may actually smudge the flecks and give yourself a black streak. Not cute! This small fan brush is perfect for brushing away those specs without smudging. Another use for this fan brush is for light application of powder products such as  contour or highlight. I love using a matte grey eye shadow and casting a "shadow" to make my face appear less round than it is (foodie girl problems)! It helps blend the shadow without casting harsh lines on your face. The same goes for highlighting on top of your cheek bones, it creates the glow without it being overpowering. Keep this brush as part of your go to set!
Item 4: Shadow Sponge Brush
Throw this sh*t away!
You have so many brushes in this kit to achieve what you need. Stop trying to use this product sucking sponge! However, if you're against throwing away something that you paid for, give this to your little niece or daughter so she can play with it!
For your convenience of not having to keep scrolling up I will keep featuring this image.

Picture from BH Cosmetic Website of the 36 Ultimate Brush Set
Item 5: Eyeliner Brush
Pretty self explanatory, one of the few eyeliner brushes that is provided in this set. If you're starting out, I would recommend trying this brush with your gel eyeliner. This is a good brush to help you get started on learning how to wing out your eyeliner. Just try to get as close to your eyelash line as possible. And if you get blank spaces you can always go over it again, also known as tight lining, with the brush again or an eyeliner pencil. Another use for this brush is to help line your eye shadow to do a cut crease. Which is a harder look to do for a novice, definitely have to take it slow and steady to create the look.

Item 6: Angled Liner Brush
Another one of the eyeliner brushes in this set, its great for those of you have more experience with winging out your eyeliner or wanting to go a little thicker of a liner line. But this is another brush with dual purpose. You can also use this to line your brows.
As the picture tutorial shows, the angled liner brush is featured in both pictures 3 and 6. As you can see, the angle liner brush is used for shaping the brows. This picture tutorial was done by one of the most talented makeup artists out there, Vegas_Nay! Who features her work and lots of other Makeup Artists on her Instagram page.

Item 7: Rounded Liner Brush
Since the BH set  has given you a few liner brushes, I wouldn't use this for my eyes, I'd use this to blend in my lipsticks or liquid lipsticks. This would help blend colors together without giving it a color block appearance. When you see the word ombré, think of it as a gradient of colors. Typically the most common examples are when you have that darker color on the outside and the lighter color in the inside. But that's is not always the case. For instance in this picture by Beauty Inside you see the darker color is in the inside and it fades into a neutral color. This was done with using a rounded liner brush to give her that porcelain doll look, which is very popular Asian Beauty trend.




Item 8: Bent Eyeliner Brush

This would be an eyeliner brush again. This is great for the inner corners of your eyes. Sometimes if you're not careful with the regular liner brush you may smudge your eyeliner. The bent feature helps get into that tiny crevice and help with your precision. Don't worry if you don't get it right the first time or 100th time, no matter how many times I've done eyeliner, I still mess up. Your eyeliner can sense your fear!
Picture from BH Cosmetic Website of the 36 Ultimate Brush Set
Item 9: Small Smudge Brush
I bet, you're at this point where you didn't think there were this many brushes for doing your makeup. Even sometimes I can feel overwhelmed. But sometimes its a great thing about having so many brushes, especially when you can't find one, then you can make due with another. For this brush, its a good one to smoke out or blend your lower lash line. So if your eyeliner application is too much just blend it out, or put powder on the brush and also blend it out for a nice blended lower lash line.

Item 10 & 11: Small Angled Liner Brush and Small Rounded Liner Brush
See descriptions for items 6&7. Its the same idea just smaller for better precision.

Item 12: Flat Liner Brush
I would like to concluded with the flat liner brush. You can use this as another eyeliner brush, but I prefer to use this as the highlighter/concealer component of doing my brows.

As referring to Vegas_Nay's brow tutorial picture again, you can see the flat liner brush as picture 8 and 9.

Just remember there's not one right way to use your brushes, the best thing you can do is play around until you discover the best purpose for the brush. Keep your eyes out for the next installment of this blog series! Where I will cover even more of the different types of brushes!

Glammie Love,
Bex

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Drugstore Superstars: Foundations


I'm a huge fan of drugstore foundations!  While I feel like some products on the drugstore market are lacking when compared to their higher-end counterparts, I don't find that to be the case for foundations.  However, because the range of products out there is so amazing, writing a blog about the best drugstore foundations is tough; it really is a matter of taste.  For instance, some people prefer very light coverage while others tend to go for something heavier.  Likewise, one person might prefer a dewy finish while another opts for a matte finish (with some people going for something in between).  Lastly, there are powder-lovers and then those who prefer cream.  While there are literally hundreds of variations out there, I've tried my best to narrow it down to the best in the biz, as well as highlighting those products that are the most accessible.  So, without further ado, here are my drugstore foundation superstars!

Liquid Foundations


Liquid foundations are the most popular type of foundation.  When used well, they can mimic flawless, airbrushed skin, but when used improperly, they can tend to look cakey and fake.  Although they are typically recommended for people with dry to normal skin, which doesn't describe me, it's my favorite type of foundation.

Light Coverage: Maybelline Fit Me Foundation ($7.99)


Like the majority of liquid foundations on this list, there are two different formulas for this foundation: Matte + Poreless (geared towards people with normal to oily skin) and Dewy + Smooth (geared towards people with dry to normal skin).  This product has a nice range of colors (sixteen shades), so it shouldn't be too hard to find something to match your skin tone.  I find that, even though it's advertised as a medium coverage foundation, it's quite sheer.  Of course, that contributes to it feeling very natural and lightweight on the skin, but it doesn't do too well with concealing blemishes, which is why I tend to favor other products over it.  However, if you don't have anything major to conceal and would just like to even out your skin and fix some light discoloration, this is the perfect fit for you!  (Haha... no pun intended!)  On a regular day, I find that it will give me a good 4-5 hours' worth of wear before I have to touch up (keep in mind that my skin is oily and breaks down makeup faster than people with drier skin).

Medium Coverage: L'Oreal True Match ($10.95-$12.95)


Well, hello there, holy grail item!  There's a reason why this foundation has won tons of beauty awards - it's that good!  L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Makeup has been a part of my life since I was a teenager buying makeup at the grocery store.  It was amazing to me then, and it has stood the test of time because I still still think it's amazing.  The color range is fantastic (thirty-three shades!) and is divided into three categories: cool, neutral, and warm undertones.  It has a satin finish, which means that it is somewhere in between matte and dewy, so it looks very natural on the skin.  Bottom line, while it's not exactly weightless, it doesn't feel heavy on your skin.  As y'all know, I have oily skin, so I do feel like I need to set this one with powder to keep my oiliness at bay, or else blot throughout the day.  In an effort to expand the line, True Match Lumi has been added to the True Match family, and fans with dry skin rejoiced!  While there aren't as many options with this one (twelve shades), it's still just as blendable as the original, but this time, with a beautiful dewy finish.  True Match has medium coverage, but I find that it builds pretty well to cover problem areas.  I can get a good 6 hours' worth of wear with it until I have to touch up.

Full Coverage: Revlon Colorstay Makeup ($10.39)


I'm a big fan of Revlon's Colorstay collection (as you'll see when I continue on in this series), and the foundation is no exception.  Like the others, it has a formula for Combination/Oily Skin, as well as one for Normal/Dry Skin.  The shade range is pretty great, with twenty shades for the Combination/Oily and twelve shades for the Normal/Dry.  What I love most about this foundation is the coverage.  It provides the fullest coverage of any foundation on this list, without feeling super heavy on the skin.  I've never tested the 24 hour wear guarantee of this product (mainly because I don't feel like it's good for your skin to keep makeup on for 24 hours), but I can attest that it is very long-wearing; this is the one that keeps me matte the longest.

BB Cream: Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream ($7.44)


For the days that you don't want to put on a full face of makeup, there's BB Cream.  Since being introduced into the market a few years ago, Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream has been my ultimate go-to in the summer, when I feel like eyeliner and lip gloss is all that my face can keep on in the Texas heat.  It has sheer coverage, so I definitely need to use a concealer with it when I have blemishes, but it's the only BB Cream on the drugstore market with enough coverage that I feel comfortable wearing it on its own.  It's light, comfortable and hydrating while providing some coverage, as well as, best of all, SPF 30.  There aren't very many colors in this line (only five shades), but that's the name of the game with BB Creams.  I find that it's blendable enough, however, so that most people will be able to make it work.

CC Cream: Covergirl + Olay CC Tone Rehab Foundation ($13.99)


While I may have neglected it when I was younger, proper skincare has become quite important to me. Covergirl + Olay Tone Rehab Foundation's whipped consistency feels almost too thick for a CC Cream, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's incredibly lightweight on the skin and that, although it has light coverage, it's not nearly as sheer as a BB Cream.  With fourteen shades, it has an incredibly large range of colors for a CC Cream.  The only drawback is the scent... while not exactly unpleasant, I really try to stay away from products with perfumes as they irritate may people with sensitive skin.
 Maybe it's because the tone and evenness I was used to seeing in my skin had started to fade, or because my skin is now rebelling with age (hooray adult acne!), but I've become obsessed with trying to restore my skin to its former glory.  That's why I've been very intrigued by the idea of CC Cream.  Somewhere between skincare and foundation, the main difference between CC and BB cream is that CC Cream not only hydrates and protects, but it is also supposed to correct discoloration and reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles.  The

Honorable Mention: L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation ($12.99)


Since this is my personal list of favorites, I feel like I would be amiss if I didn't mention my current favorite drugstore foundation.  The L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte hasn't been on the market for too long, but as soon as it went on sale, I snatched up a bottle for myself.  It's almost weightless on the skin, and it's oil-free, which means that the wear doesn't change over the course of the day.  It's a demi-matte finish, so even though I don't feel like I look shiny, it still looks like skin (something that matte formulations tend to ignore).  The only reason why it didn't unseat the other foundations on this list, is because it has a limited shade range of only twelve colors.  I find this somewhat frustrating because I'm between two shades, which I have to mix to get my perfect shade.

Powder Foundations


Powder foundation is the easiest type of foundation to apply, and it tends to stay put in hot weather, which makes it the perfect summer staple!  Powder foundation is also very versatile; you can opt for sheerer coverage by applying it with a brush, or you can go for fuller coverage by applying with a sponge.  Although not necessarily ideal for people with dry skin, as the powder tends to cling to dry patches, a good moisturizer should be able to correct that.  I have two drugstore options.

Pressed Powder: L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Powder ($10.95)


L'Oreal's True Match Line is seriously the gold standard in drugstore face makeup.  I've already mentioned their liquid foundation, and the powder foundation is just as amazing!  The formulation in this powder is so creamy and soft that it hardly feels like powder at all, and (like the name states) it blends onto your skin like an absolute dream.  Like the liquid foundation, the color range for these powders is unparalleled, with thirty-three shades from which to choose.  There's no doubt that you can find a shade that matches you!

Loose Powder: L'Oreal True Match Mineral ($15.25)


Remember what I said about the True Match line?  The L'Oreal True Match Mineral Powder can't be beat.  Although they have a reputation as being messy, I find that loose powders usually provide the most natural looking finish to the skin, as blending is part of the application.  It doesn't come in as many colors as the pressed foundation (twelve shades), but it has a wider selection than any of its competitors.  Mineral makeup has become somewhat of a must-have for those with sensitive skin, as well as those who are looking for coverage but trying to avoid clogged pores.  I love that this product has a brush attached to the lid, so it's easy to apply and pop into your purse to do touch-ups on the go (something that is usually pretty difficult to do with most loose powders).

So, there you have it: my drugstore foundation superstars!  As with the primer post, below is a handy little chart to find out which foundation best suits your needs.

Oily Skin
Dry Skin
Light Coverage
Medium Coverage
Full Coverage
Skin Correcting
Fit Me (Matte)
X
X
Fit Me (Dewy)
X
X
True Match Lumi
X
X
True Match Liquid
X
X
Colorstay (Oily)
X
X
Colorstay (Dry)
X
X
Dream Fresh
X
X
X
Tone Rehab
X
X
X
X
Pro-Matte
X
X
True Match Pressed
X
X
X
Mineral
X
X
X
X

Glammie Love!
~Jaz