What beauty product do you wish everyone would try? Share!
I think I’d go with NARS Smudge Proof, as it’s just a phenomenal eyeshadow primer AND that’s something that could work for many people, regardless of skin tone!
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Laura Mercier oil-free primer. Out of all the primers I’ve tried..it keeps my foundation on the best, I can’t feel it on my skin, it doesn’t break me out, and it keeps my nose from getting shiny. Good stuff!
Yu-Be lip therapy. It’s a $5 tube of lip balm that’s miles above lip treatments that cost $20 or more. I have super dry lips and Yu-Be is the first balm I’ve found that soothes and smooths my lips without being waxy or needing 20 applications per day. The only minus (for some people) is the strong smell of camphor, but that fades after a couple minutes and doesn’t bother me.
I’m also a big fan of soaking in Epsom salts, milk & oatmeal baths, and using home-made sugar scrubs.
Hmmmm. I’m always looking for new and better lip balms. Will look into this, thanks
I’ll check it out for sure! Thanks
Hm… probably Bloom lipsticks! They’re really nice, and it’s an underappreciated brand, I think!
I would say MUFE smoky lash; nice black lengthening mascara.
Fergie Take on the Day primer / Bare Minerals READY eyeshadows
You, Christine, in particular….Suqqu eyeshadow and cheek brush and Addiction.
None! Because then they’d know my secrets :-p
Just kidding. I’d choose either Nuxe Rêve de Miel lip balm or Armani Fluidmaster primer. Both grail status for me.
Guerlain Rouge G lipstick.
I sooooooo agree with you! This has got to be the underdog among the eyeshadow primers in the market! Everyone has been so caught up in the UDPP bandwagon but I definitely think that this is way better! HG for me!
Laura mercier mineral powder!
Ill go with the Dior Skinflash illuminator! I haven’t seen a lot of people talk about it but its peachy tones makes it a better product than YSL Touch eclat for me under the eyes specially. It has a tad more coverage too!
l’Oréal infallible eyeshadows. They are sooo pigmented and buttery!
Red lipstick! Not because I want to be a pest and make everyone love my favourite lip colour, but because it seems that a lot of women I’ve talked to have been avoiding red lipstick because they’re afraid it will look wrong on them or make them look like a clown; I believed that myself for a long time. I truly believe there’s a red out there for everyone and that finding it can be very empowering and make people feel more comfortable experimenting with bolder/more unusual makeup choices. It certainly did that for me!
Totally agree with you! I just started wearing it a year ago, and while I was always used to doing bold eyes, it made me feel comfortable wearing bold lips, too.
I feel the same about nudes, LOL! There is a nude for everyone, and not every nude is “corpse”-like. I think the right nude lipstick can really balance out a look, and add a bit of sophistication.
I TOTALLY agree, Alla!
Everybody seems to have been in love with “blah beige” for soo long that I think many have forgotten or don’t realize how very flattering a red lip can be. Red is not a low-maintenance, easy-to-dash-on-and-go color, but the potential rewards are worth it. The right red can make your teeth look whiter, your skin look smoother, and your eyes more dramatic.
I think everybody should at least experiment with red.
Also, everyone should own at least one Inglot eyeshadow – they’re heavenly!
I agree with the inglot eyeshadows… they are soo good!
Can’t live without Inglot eyeshadows!
Tom Ford blush in Flush. It will never stop having that wow appeal for me and can be carried by light to dark skintones. It is similar to some Nars blushes in that it looks incredibly bright in the pan, but translates so lovely on the skin. It’s a coral, but a little more unique and I think of it as a red.orange.pink.
Well, if you’re going with NARS then I’m going with Too Faced 🙂 I wish everyone would try the Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer. Been hooked on it ever since I first tried it.
Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy! It’s just plain amazing at intensifying eyeshadows and keeping sparkles on the lids.
So it’s not just for glitter?!
I’ll have to try that. Been so happy with my coastal scents shadow works primer and soft ochre that I haven’t felt the need for another one yet. I would recommend the Nars pressed light reflecting setting powder!
Hmmm- this is a tough one. I’d say Vasanti (Canadian brand) Brighten Up Enzymatic scrub (they don’t call it a scrub – they call it something else) – every bit as good as ExfoliKate, if not better, but a fraction of the price for a whole lot more product. Also, Sephora’s Jumbo Shadow/Liner pencils and their thinner “Contour” pencil liners….both are really amazing products.
Mine is hourglass mineral veil primer. Seriously I’ve tried MANY primers. This stuff is waaaay better than anything else…on my skin at least. 🙂
How does nars smudge proof compare to the urban decay primer potion? Is it noticeably better?
I have very oily lids and the Original UDPP never did it for me. Or the Too Faced Shadow Insurance. The Eden UDPP did work, but it’s matte and the color of MAC’s Soft Ochre Paint Pot, which might not be everyone’s cup of tea. When I ran out of my last tube of Eden I decided to give the NARS Smudgeproof a shot, and let me tell you! Holy Grail! Never had my eyeshadows crease and it doesn’t have color, which again may or may not be someone’s fave but I prefer it. I’m not a fan of the packaging, but for the quality of the product, I’ll deal with it!
Thanks, Maddie!
I, too, have VERY oily lids that just crash UDPP, and pretty much every other primer I’ve tried.
Kat von D’s primer is bulletproof, as well!
REALLY NOW?! I must try it! I mean, pretty much all her stuff stays put really well. I wish the Lock-It Foundation just wasn’t SO heavy… *stares away in longing*.
I have to add in my thanks for your recommendation! Ive heard good things about the Nars primer but wasn’t sure if it would really work with my super oily lids. I figured it would just be like all the others, i.e. crease city after a few hours. But now I’ll definitely need to give it a shot.
Make sure you don’t put on too much though! I know from experience that many of us oily-skinned ladies sometimes overapply mattifying products in hopes of halting our oil factories, but it actually makes it worse! A light coat will do,, make sure to rub it in that crease really well! 😛
I think everyone should try:
*NYX Cosmetics: Studio Finishing Powder-Translucent Finish*
This powder sets any foundation beautifully, blurs any imperfections & controls oil for hours! I’ve tried so many powders & nothing has compared to this, yet. Plus, you can’t beat the price.
Have you tried the transparent ELF Studio High Definition Powder? Do you know if it’s comparable? I keep eyeing the NYX one you’re mentioning but I have the ELF (plus two backups) so I’ve been pushing it off.
I love the ELF powder! I haven’t compared it to the NYX powder, but I love it. I was so amazed at what a difference it made in my routine.
I wish everyone would try the Stila Hair Refresher. best dry shampoo, hands down. and it lasts for months and months!
I love dry shampoos, and I’ve never seen this one by Stila! Where do you buy it?
They used to have it at Sephora but I usually just buy it from Stila’s web site or beauty.com or amazon
Nars Smudge Proof is the one and only eyeshadow primer that makes my eyes water like crazy and turn red, not an attractive look.
Lashes and a bold lip!
A great drugstore foundation to try:
Covergirl 3 in 1 Liquid Foundation
Covergirl Queen 3 in 1 Liquid Foundation (for darker skin tones).
I find that it lasts all day, provides buildable coverage at a great price w/ a pump feature! Finally, the Queen collection has a great shade range and takes into consideration your undertones.
Dior Iconic Overcurl mascara. It’s AMAZING! I’ve been obsessed with for the past year. I get amazing volume and length with just one coat. It’s a fantastic mascara.
I am completely with you on NARS Smudge Proof base – it blows UDPP and TFSI out of the water! It’s like superglue for your eyes! I do wish they would come out with a flesh toned shade though, like UD did with Eden primer potion.
Yves Saint Laurent Radiance Powder
Perfect powder to set your foundation.
Milani eye primer, It works great on my oily eyelids and doesn’t break the bank, and The electric palette, this will bring out so much creativity that you never knew you had.
Physician’s Formula 2-in-1 Eye Booster in Ultra Black. I mean, it’s the $hit! 😛
Indie eyeshadow! Loose pigments seem scary but the learning curve is seriously easy. Then all of a sudden there’s this entire world of pigments available where complex multi-tonal shades are the norm, not the exception and duo(or multi!)chromes are pretty common. It’s amazeballs, seriously. Plus, you get to support tiny women-owned companies.
Eyelash curlers in general! They have always made such the difference for me.
As for actual product, Ardency Inn Custom Color Concentrate! It mixes with *everything*, from moisturizer to sunscreen, and can even be added to “Western” BB Creams to add coverage, or foundations that are too sheer or light.
I’d also like to see Kat von D’s line get more attention. It gets alot of negative feedback by people who don’t “like” her, as a person (which is weird, since I highly doubt any of these people have actually even met her…), and refuse to even try the products. She’s one of the few celebrities I believe actually have a hand in development, and she has actually said in the past if she wasn’t a tattoo artist, she’d like to be involved with makeup. The line is amazing, and the pricepoint is quite reasonable.
I think the products themselves have a certain “image” that is tied to her image/tv show, etc. and I think to some extent, she or the company really play on that image, for good or ill. I recently bought my very first KvD product – the Monarch eyeshadow palette – and I was actually blown away by how good it is, especially in terms of quality. I’d expected the products from KvD to be sort of cheap and harsh (texture as well as performance) and yet the shadows in this palette (and the Chrysalis one) are deliciously good quality and also very wearable for an old gal and a neutrals addict like moi! But I doubt I’d ever have looked at the KvD products had it not been for Christine’s review of those 2 palettes.
I’ve read actual comments, even here, like “I just don’t like her as a person, so I’ll never buy her products, even if they are wonderful.” Admittedly, had I known at the time I discovered her products they were actually manufactured by Sephora, I may have passed them up, but only because back then, the “house” brand products weren’t what they are now. I *literally* walked right into the display at Sephora Downtown Disney, which was right in line with the entrance, and just had to swatch them. It was instant love, and I walked out with the 2 original palettes, and Gypsy… It wasn’t until I got all the way home I discovered Sephora put the line out, and I was quite surprised. I’ve always been into “non-conventional” clothing & makeup, and I find she does it in a more “grown-up” way that’s not too OTT.
tarte smooth operator setting powder
Thanks for the suggestions everyone – keep them coming!
Make-up wise I’m just in love with Tarina Tarantino Eye Dream Hyperliners. I have them in several shades and I love the pigmentation, creaminess and their staying power. I haven’t used any of my other eyeliners in two years!
For skincare, I’ve had such great results with Alpha H Liquid Gold that I’d recommend it to everyone. As with everything, it may not work for everyone but it’s worth trying.
I would have to go with rouge d’armani lipstick. Nars smudge proof was one of the first eye primers I bought. I think I may have even repurchased it, but I have since found the UDPP or wet’n’wild fergie primer work better for me.
I forgot to say sunscreen! Everyone should wear it and many don’t. I keep trying to scare my teenaged nieces with the brown spots on my face, but they still don’t want to put it on.
Right on, Beka!
I used sunscreen faithfully as a young person, and I’m 50 with no spots and virtually no lines. I got hassled about being “white,” but I didn’t care then, and *really* don’t now.
Your nieces should thank you! 🙂
Younique’s Moonstruck 3D Lash Fibers, they extend your lashes and make them look like you are wearing falsies or extensions. And are so easy to wash off. I love them!
I’m totally trying this!!!
It Cosmetics Celebration Illuminating Foundation. I recently started using it but I love it!!!
Clarins Gloss Prodige, particularly in the shade “Raspberry.”
Gloss Prodige is everything a gloss should be: moisturizing, non-sticky, long-lasting for a gloss, and it smells delicious, but not overpowering. It’s on the pricey side at $20+, and I wish there were *lots* more shades, but it really is a wonderful gloss, and I think “Raspberry” would flatter lots of skin tones.
I’m NW15, and when I wear “Raspberry,” I almost feel like I don’t need any other makeup!
Lipstick Queen Medieval for sure.
I love Nars Smudge Proof. Found it by accident and immediately fell in love with it. Can’t understand why it’s not really promoted.
Younique’s Moonstruck 3D Lash Fibers. This is the next best thing to wearing false lashes – and SO much easier. I never mastered making mascara transform my pale, skimpy lashes into anything but stiff and obviously made up. This mascara/gel and fiber product makes them look luxurious and real.
Urban Decay’s 24/7 Eyeliner Pencils. They are so versatile and come in so many wonderful colors that there has to be at least one out there for everyone. They wear well (on me at least) . They are probably one of my favorite makeup staples.
Armani corrector. Everyone with severe dark circles should give it a try.
I wish everyone would try primers. They are life changing!
I didn’t understand the hoopla about primers. I”ve used sunscreen under makeup ever since the research about UVA rays causing wrinkles came out many years ago. I”d been in school for so many years prior to that, that my sun exposure has been limited to early childhhood and a few teenage sunburns, and a few summers when my kids were little and my sunscreen may not have had broad spectrum sun protection. I found the Hourglass mineral primer long before it was famous because Iwas impressed with its non chemical sunscreen. I layer moisturizer, then sunscreen and then foundation (or equivlalent). Tha’ts a lot of layers, so a primer with sunscreen seemed perfect. But the Hourglass product seems to make my face Matte. Then I read about Nars’ radiant primer with broad spectrum SPF. I ordered it from Nordstrom during their 10% off sale. I didn’t realize it was not chemical free. It does slightly sting my eyes if I’m not careful applying it, but what a difference. It makes any foundation I put on look like and HG product. I didn’t understand primers until I found this one. Agian, I wish it had a chemical free sunscreen, but I can be careful with application for such amazing results. I first wore it this June as my son’s HS graduation dawned as one of the hottest days of the year. I put it on and applied my MAC mineralize liquid foundation. My makeup lasted all day, with a brief touch up at home prior to a surprise dinner party at his favorite restaurant. When I got home that night I thought I’d look like a wet rag, but my Nars primer and my MUFE smokey eyes mascara (non waterproof) got me thru the day looking like a grad myself (I only wish!!)
I think everyone should give the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12hr. Blushes. Amazing staying power and looks so great on the cheeks. Only con is the color selection isn’t the best.