Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (0. 35 oz)- $45 each
Radiant Light (left), Dim Light (right)
(middle swatch only in the ambient lighting palette)
I am in love with these ambient lighting powders from Hourglass! They have different functions and different ways to make your skin radiant and flawless. If you have to buy just one of these lighting palette I would get Dim Light. Dim Light blurs every imperfection making your skin look flawless and smooth. I use this everyday to set my makeup. This is also when you put on too much bronzer and blush, it tones it down and "erases" some of it out.
My second favorite would be Radiant Light, this gives you a subtle warm golden glow to your face without having to use any bronzer. I bought the Ambient Lighting Palette first to try Radiant Light, Dim Light, and Incandescent Light which is exclusive to the palette and not sold separately. I fell in love with Dim Light and Radiant Light that's why I bought the full size individually. I most of the time use Dim Light all over my face, and use Radiant Light on the sides of my face to give it a little warmth.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Palette- $56
This palette is great for traveling, very compact, and you get to try three Ambient Lighting Powders in one.
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder (1 oz)- $37
I bought this translucent setting powder because I fell in love with the demonstration that they did with this on my training. If you go to Sephora swatch a pretty visible lipstick on the back of your hand and set it well with this powder. You would realize that the lipstick wouldn't move anywhere even if you try to smudge it and move it around, even when I washed my hands throughout the day there were still some left over on my hand. It can easily be removed with some makeup wipes. I would say this is the best setting powder that I've tried so far, it doesn't leave a white cast like the Make Up Forever HD Microfinish Powder. A little goes a long way, this whole tub will last you for a really long time.
Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray (4 oz.)- $30
I love this product because it makes sure that my makeup stays on all day and all night. I also love Deslick from Urban Decay especially during the summer because it controls the oil even though I have combination skin.
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (0.22 oz)- $29 each
Custard(left), Ginger (right)
I bought Custard (lighter) and Ginger (closer to my skin tome). This concealer is awesome! It's really blendable, light weight, and it covers my dark circles well and any blemishes. I make a little triangle on my under eyes and tap on it with my beauty blender, just makes sure you cover the inner and the outer eye to hide all the darkness.
Benefit Hoola Bronzer (0.28 0z)- $28 / Benefit Rockateur Blush (0.17 0z)- $28 each
I am late on the bandwagon to try Benefit's Hoola Bronzer, it is really great for contouring. That's really all I can say about it, it does it job well.
I also bought Benefit's Rockateur Blush which is a rose-gold/peachy color, which is the only color that I prefer to put on my cheeks because it gives you a really nice glow. This one from Benefit though is a little light for my skin, I can barely see it, and I build it up a little bit more, and it gives me a really subtle glow. This would be great for people who have lighter skin tone that me.
Benefit Porefessional Face Primer (0.75 oz)- $31, Cover FX Oil-Free Foundation(1 oz)- $40, Kat Von D Lock-it Tattoo Foundation- $34, Nars Sheer Glow Foundation (1 oz)- $45
If you have big pores and you want your makeup to go on evenly and smooth on your face, you need to try Benefit's Porefessional Primer, it really diminishes fine lines and pores, and it's really smooth. I prefer this face primer that silicone ones, because it feels a little nicer and lighter.
If you haven't tried Cover FX Foundation you should, because it's natural and it contains vitamins and antioxidants like Tarte. Cover FX is comparable to Mac Studio Fix Foundation's performance without you breaking out and without all the chemicals in it. Cover FX is full coverage, lightweight, oil-free, and natural. If you drop by Sephora ask to get color matched and get a sample of this foundation. My shade is N60, this is really blendable and a little goes a long way. This has a dewy finish.
Kat Von D Lock-it Tattoo Foundation is also amazing, it gives you full coverage, it gives a satin finish, and you really need a little bit for the whole face. When I first tried this foundation out I was amazed of how flawless my skin looked.
My go to foundation has been Nars Sheer Glow Foundation it gives a medium to full coverage, and it also makes my skin look healthy. This is dewy and makes your skin glow. My shade is in Syracuse. I just love how natural and pretty this makes my face look! Nars suggests that you use your fingers for their foundations and concealers because the warmth of the fingers gives it a better finish. This foundation doesn't come with the pump so I bought it, and even though they suggest to use your hands to apply, I apply my foundations with Sephora Collection #55 Pro Airbrush Brush.
Sephora Collection Microsmooth Baked Blush Duo- $17
Tea Rose (left), Tangerine Tease (right)
I love these blushes from Sephora, they're a little bit more affordable and they are highly pigmented. These are so blendable and easy to apply. Be careful of dropping them because the gratis that I got broke :(
Kat Von D Everlasting Bronzer/ Blush (0.25 oz)- $25 each
Shady Business I Bronzer (left), Essex Blush (center), Heartbreaker Blush (right)
These Kat Von D blushes and bronzers are so pigmented that you really have to be careful using them! I've been having a hard time applying Heartbreaker on my cheeks because it doesn't apply evenly and it looks like I always put on too much. Heartbreaker is really a pretty color but I think I'm going to return it because it's just so hard to apply and I never get it even. I'm keeping Shady Business I and Essex though, these are a little bit easier to apply just because the colors are less vibrant. I apply Shady Business I on the sides of my face or sometimes on my cheek or all over the face for a warm glow. I love Essex Blush! this also has a peachy/rose gold glow that I love.
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer in Medium Deep (0.35 oz)- $30
First of all I love how this smells like chocolate that I always get excited to contour my face! This product is made with real cocoa powder, and this has been my go to contour powder than my Hoola Bronzer. I use the Sephora Collection #74 Pro Contour Brush. I apply in in the hollows of my cheeks and just go 2-3 inches down, try keep it as far from your mouth as possible, because contouring is mainly on the hollows of the cheeks and also near the ears.
