What product has become an unexpected workhorse for you?
La Mer The Soft Fluid Foundation. I’m mad at myself for loving it because it’s got a stupidly high price point, but it works really well on my skin almost all the time–even when I’m flakier. I also find it has the right level of coverage/spreadability to combine well with illuminating products (like Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless, Natasha Denona Face Glow, AURIC Glow Lust). It lasts nice whether I set it or not, and it photographs beautifully but looks even better in person.
— Christine
MAC Veluxe Brow Liner.
I always loved teardrop shaped eyebrow pencils, they were my go-to for years. I never expected to get so good results with a classic pencil.
In a pinch I can use it as eye liner (sharpened before, off course, don’t need those face mites in my eyes, although I’m pretty sure they are on our lashes as well 😅).
And it lasts such a long time… I’m not even half through after an year… a work horse indeed.
I think I have to say it my Zoeva Caramel Melange’ eyeshadow palette.
It’s one of the few palettes that just doesn’t crease or fade and I love the shades , they really make my eyes pop.
Too Faced Shadow Insurance: After all these years, it still works the best on my oily lids. It works well with almost any shadow formula. I’ve started using it on my nose to help foundation stick to it, and it’s worked wonderfully.
ABH Love Letter Eyeshadow: I buy it as single after discovering it’s the perfect shade for filling in my brows to match my wild hair color. I could also say the entire MR palette. It’s one I always go back to.
Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette:. It’s way more versatile than it looks. Great alone as an eye palette, as a companion to colorful palettes, and it’s perfect for traveling. It has shades I can use for brows, face contour, and face highlighter, and eyeliner. I bought a backup when it was discontinued.
Two spring to mind.
First, L’Oreal Continuous Cocoa Infallible e/s in the pot. This has been my brow filler powder for at least 8 years, and yeah, I ain’t never gonna give it up!
Second one is from a brand that runs me the wrong way with their lack of inclusivity, however; that HG Dim Light is the most perfect finishing powder for my skintone that I’ve ever used. It just brings life to my face and sets my foundation or BB cream very nicely, too.
I’ve switched over to Clean Beauty products. That being said, trying to find a seriously excellent moisturizer has been a rough gig. I finally found one that I cherish…Royal Tulip Nectar from Bloom Effects. It’s an ointment to serum and it’s rich texture sinks into my skin. Oh boy is it pricey but I can’t make it without it. I apply it at night and wake up with glowingly hydrated skin.
There are a couple of unexpected beauty products that have become workhorses for me:
1. L’Oreal’s True Match foundation in porcelain rose – just when I was about to give up on finding a long wearing foundation at a reasonable price in the porcelain with pink undertones shade range, along came the extended shade range from L’Oreal. I have been wearing it consistently for the past few years and it has never let me down. The bonus is that it is often on sale too.
2. Argon Oil – ever since I tried the Physicians Formula Argon oil, after Isabella Muse reviewed it, it has done wonders for my skin. I have also used Chia seed oil and hemp oil, but come back to Argon oil as the best. Nowadays I buy The Ordinary’s Moroccan Argon oil, as it is easily available and very reasonably priced. I have even converted my twin sister to using it.
3.Rimmel’s Translucent Setting powder. After my major disappointment with that expensive Laura Mercier’s one, with a minimal amount of product in it, I tried this one and I seriously cannot tell the difference.
4. ColourPop’s Lux lipstick range – no matter how badly their eyeshadows can be, the lux lipstick range is fabulous and in particular Tea Thyme and Foolish are my stand by favourites for everyday wear. Comfortable and hydarting on the lips too.
I’m with you on the La Mer Foundation – Linen (13) is perfect for me in the winter, and it outperforms almost all other foundations I’ve tried. Other workhorses for me are the Viseart Neutral Mattes and Natasha Denona Biba palettes.
Most recent that comes to mind is the Chanel New Les Beiges foundation. While I don’t find it radiant or moisturizing it is an amazing foundation. I would say at first sight I thought the shade bd30 was too light in the bottle it ended up being a perfect winter shade for me.
My other foundations I bought at the same time were that new cle de peau And Dior glow.
I’ve been loving the les beige liquid high light pearly glow along with the Auric morganite with the slight nod going to Auric. I love both these liquid highlighters.
But everything gets complicated if you have a foundation that doesn’t dry down. I dislike having to apply foundation, powder then liquid highlight. Then sometimes a powder blush. That’s where Chanel Les beige comes in. It drys down so nicely and quickly. Has a medium coverage. And allows me to apply my concealer, powder bronzer, liquid highlight then powder blush and more highlight.
I don’t have layers of powder and goo on my face.
I’ve had an instance of the auric lifting my foundation/powder when I used a sponge leaving warrior face stripes. But a synthetic brush was fine.
The other really good finds of recent are the Bite beauty and Lancôme Idole Mascaras. They are both wonderful but Bite Beauty is thicker and more volumizing.
Terry hula tonic powder in white for under eye and blurring big pores. I first bought the pink but it’s shiny which emphasizes my wrinkles.
1. Estee Lauder Futurist Hydra rescue moisturizing foundation. I have tamped down the purchase of new foundation formulas considerably over the last couple of years concentrating on using up product I already own. This EL foundation was not available in Canada for quite some time and I was keen to try it when it did finally arrive. I was looking for replacement of IT cosmetics CC cream which I felt was too thick and too clunky and had begun to settle more into my aging skin in unattractive ways.
I am leery of moisturizing foundations in general as I find they can sit unattractively on top of my skin looking greasy and emphasizing texture and wrinkles, particularly with protracted wear. This formula is ultra lightweight and on the thinner side which I tend to prefer, and gives me medium coverage. I love the finish which has the perfect amount of dewiness without wandering into full on shine territory. I would make other foundation choices for more formal looks or for longer wear, but this one with added SPF has become an integral part of my regular wear base products. I am, of course, inbetween shades because of my more complex u/t’s.. I need to mix a bit of 1W2 which has a more olive u/t into 1N2 to achieve shade perfection; par for the course for me.
2. Dior Iconic overcurl mascara – I have long lashes which poke straight out and I hate curling my lashes. This as a base coat on upper lashes gives me lovely definition and lightly lifts my lashline.