Concealers, foundations, and mascaras…oh my!

LORAC just created a super cool new concealer called Double Feature. It’s a dual sided wand that has a full coverage stick concealer on one side, an illuminating cream in the middle for those pesky under-eye circles, and a blender ball on the end. I was in love with this for a week until I found out that the stick wasn’t oil-free (hello, oil slick here). I will still wear it occasionally but for now it’s not an every day concealer for me. My favorite will continue to be The Balm TimeBalm concealer with vitamins A, C, E and has anti-wrinkle properties. Great coverage, my pot has lasted nearly a year, and it’s only $17.

I get asked a lot about what foundations I like and I can never really give a straight answer because I’m more of a tinted moisturizer girl. I like sheer coverage and just don’t like how foundation feels on my skin. That said, I do LOVE Makeup Forever’s new HD foundation. You’re probably thinking…HD…foundation? Yes, my friends, this brand partnered with the creators of HD technology to create a foundation that would be both stunning in HD filming and in real life…because what’s more high def then being face to face with someone? I do admittedly love the coverage. You can go sheer by “wetting” your brush with a bit of primer or build the coverage up. It doesn’t feel heavy at all and it seems to work with most skin types.

Another burning question is always about primers. FYI: primers are designed to hold your makeup in place longer, make your makeup go on smoother, fill in fine lines, wrinkles, and large pores and also create a barrier between foundation and the skin. Personally, primers are not for me today. Most contain dimethicone, which my skin happens to be sensitive to. The ones that I will use on occasion (that are dimethicone free, oil free and are water based) are: the new Makeup Forever HD primer in number 5 (brightens fair skin), Benefit That Gal (brightens), and Laura Mercier Oil Free Primer. 

If I had a penny for every time someone asked what my fave mascara is, I’d be a millionaire. My all time fave is Fresh Supernova. It gives a bit of length and volume without being clumpy. I do admit to not being a mascara girl by any means. I’d rather go without because I dislike taking it off at the end of the day. Supernova is fairly easy to remove as is my other fave Too Faced Lash Injection Pin Point. It creates water resistant tubes around your lashes that will last all day without flaking or smudging, hydrates your lashes and removes easily with warm water. I’m also really like Tarte’s Lash Hugger as well. The outside is made of recycled aluminum and the formula is full of skin-friendly ingredients. It wears amazingly well, too. I put it on one day before work at 9 and it was still on (and smudge-free) until 2am.

I also have to give a nod to the newest mascara on the market, the innovative Givenchy Phenomin’eyes. Instead of the typical mascara wand, the brush is a ball. It’s able to get to the very root of your lashes and creates maximum volume and length. I honestly thought this was over-hyped and over-rated before I got to finally try it out. OMG. It’s pretty good shizzz. And remember: I don’t even like mascara!