I’m all about a lightly pearlized finish–the kind that adds luminosity and shine but doesn’t look frosted or metallic. I find they’re more forgiving of lip texture, lip lines, and give my lips a smoother, more voluminous appearance overall. Plus, they’re usually hydrating formulas!
I like something lightly dewy, almost hydrating, with some natural glow. I want it to look skin-like with a bit of added sheen, so I can still apply translucent powder on top without totally mattifying it.
I definitely find I reach for more moderate to intense highlighters, and if duochrome was a true finish (it’s almost like a modification on a finish, e.g duochrome satin finish, to me), I really dig duochrome highlighters.
I love a satin-to-luminous finish, so something that gives a glowing finish but doesn’t look overtly shimmery or sparkly. I find the addition of some finer shimmer ensures that it’s very easy to blend out while allowing for any manner of intense highlighters to be layered on top!
I really enjoy pearl and smooth metallics; I like shimmer that’s smooth, finer, and looks “melted” when applied to the lid.
The new MAC Starring You lipsticks! A slew of holiday eye and cheek palettes–I don’t typically keep much from the limited edition holiday palettes these days (I donate if I can) as they just aren’t worth keeping for the long-term. The only ones I keep are if I really enjoy them personally or...
Hard to say, since obviously a good deal is kept that has nothing to do with my personal preferences! That being said, I want for nothing, and I have so many fantastic products at arm’s length with the majority of it well-organized, so I’d say pretty happy! The only way to be happier would be...
If it’s a totally new formula, then I try it with and without primer (or whatever helper may be reasonable with that product type) to get an overall gauge at what longevity looks like as a standalone product and how it might be extended (if necessary). I’ll also try different application...
I like to test a foundation over a couple of weeks as I often find that a formula applies beautifully one day and looks less flattering on another day, so it’s good to see it on different days (at random) to see how consistent application is. I also like to try it without different products on...
As a reviewer, I like to test a mixture of light, medium, and darker shades across finishes to get a good, big picture overview of how the formula works out. Light shades often under-perform compared to deeper shades, just like matte finishes tend to wear super long compared to a glossier one, so...
