What was the last holy grail product you discovered?
Laura Mercier #001 Matte Radiance! LOVE it so much!
— Christine
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Probably the Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade – a godsend for my thin brows, and once set with powder, it lasts all day and night long.
Keranique shampoo and conditioner!
Givenchy Photo Perfexion foundation. Sooo good. SPF 20, perfect dewy finish that doesn’t start turning to an oily mess and lasts all day. No primer needed. Actually matches my skin tone! Then Sephora discontinued shipping it to Canada. I now save it for special occasions only.
Pixi Glow Tonic – it changed my skin.
Unfortunately for me, a slew of LE items! And ALL with a golden vibe, too.
MAC Shaft Of Gold
ColourPop DGAF Eyeshadow
MAC x Mariah Carey All I Want lipstick
and
Laura Mercier 01 Matte (LoL!) Highlighter and 03 Bronze (not too yellow or orange).
But none are replacable as such.
The only permanent product that may be it, is rather blah: MAC Strobe Cream. But it does wonders at giving long wearing foundation back a moist appearance.
Girlactik’s Cabo Bronzer. It’s the perfect neutral tone matte bronzer that is so easy to wear and never looks overdone. A game changer!
Anastasia beverly hills dipbrow pomade!
Giorgio Armani Ecstasy Lip Lacquer!
Ettusais BB Cream! It never creases or goes streaky, even with glasses, humidity and hot weather! It’s fantastic though the shade range could be better.
The BECCA Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector!
Maybelline Falsies mascara in Waterproof
Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic is LIFE! It’s an amazing toner, fades dark spots, and smoothes out the skin. #HolyGrailStatus
YSL Touche Eclat Blur Primer
Burberry’s Fresh Glow Nude Radiance No.1 Luminous Fluid Base. I mix it with my foundation or use it as a highlighter. I love it so much that I picked up the limited edition gold cap version for both my daughter and future daughter-in-law for Christmas. I’ve noticed that every time my daughter visits the bottle gets “sampled”.
Because highlighters have been the revelation of the year for me… I’d say the Matte Radiance 01 from Laura Mercier! I had my eyes on this one since 6 months at least but couldn’t find any retailer where I live… until two weeks ago, some kind of exclusive counter in a luxurious shopping center where I live… I had some gift cards… And no more reason to resist longer !
Too Faced Born This Way foundation in Vanilla. I seriously love this!! *O*
I’ve gone on and on about my Becca primer and my beloved Revlon balm stains (they’re the new classics for a reason), but I don’t see L’Oreal getting much love around these parts. Their True Match blush is great, with bonus points for putting Cool, Warm, or Neutral right on the packaging. I wear Baby Blossom, a very pale pink. I never really wore blush before I bought this because I feel like you’re better off wearing no blush than badly-placed blush. Baby Blossom is very user-friendly and is so subtle that I don’t have to blend too much.
‘Thunderstruck’ Metal Crush Eyeshadow by Kat Von D
MUFE’s new HD foundation. It works really well for me.
Nars pressed crystal translucent powder. It’s a rediscovery. I went to repurchase and Sephora was out last year so I bought the loose powder. I recently purchased the pressed again and it truly is a must have for me. I use it to set my under eye concealer and my t zone. Even on no make up days just to control shine. Love this stuff!
NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Walkyrie
Buxom Full-On Lipstick in Brooklyn
Love Walkyrie! (Wagner in the background. Love when a lip product has a free soundtrack!)
Hi Christine,
In your review of Laura Mercier Matte Radiance powder, you compared it to the Guerlain’s holiday ball (90% dupe). Both are A+. I would like to know which product you prefer the most. Are them both HG for you ?
My latest HG is the YSL Tint in oil, #6. It’s gloss, lip tint and balm all in one. It make my lips really look like baby lips.
I prefer pressed products, so I would use Laura Mercier’s a lot more 🙂
Revlon Colorburst lacquer balm in Ingenue. Very wearable nude for anyone who has trouble finding nudes that look natural. It’s actually moisturizing, too.
Longcils Boncza cake mascara. It gives me the perfect amount of definition for work, but can also be built up with a little patience, and there is absolutely no smearing all day, even though I wear face oil under my tinted moisturizer
MAC Shaft of Gold highlighter, though that’s LE. For skincare I can’t live without my Paula’s Choice Lightweight Vitamin C serum… a must have for balancing, hydrating, and priming my skin!
LORAC TANtalizer Baked Bronzer. My goodness, that glow is AMAZING!!
I knew the product had existed for a while, but I never bothered to look into it.
I had bought the bronzer a couple month ago, in passing, and didn’t expect much, performance-wise.
Man, was I wrong!! Now I can’t put it down! LOL
I constantly find myself reaching for it as my everyday highlighter.
E.l.f. Sculpting Face Brush has dethroned their Contouring Brush as my Holy Grail for face contouring. It fits the curves of the face so perfectly. The next time I order, I’m definitely getting a back up.
la roche posay effaclar skincare
The Hourglass brow pencil. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum. I wear it under my moisturizer with SPF every day. We will never part!!
kat von d’s liquid lipstick in lolita! and being loving the benefit tinted brow gel, i can’t live without it!
Anastasia Brow Wiz, Too Face Better than sex mascara, Jordana’s Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara and Ardell (False Lashes) Wispies.
latest holy grail is guerlain lingerie de peau foundation & bobby brown serum concealer
My newest HG is definitely Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua in 30 Beige…my ideal formula, finish, shade, perfection for my warmer toned and dry skin type…luminous and dewy but never shiny/shimmery…a light natural finish that lasts me all day.
I know I sound like a broken record over this product, but it really has been a game-changer for me: Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30, by Paula’s Choice. In warm, humid weather, it works as a moisturizer, mattifying lotion, sun protection, and foundation primer all in one. In colder, dryer weather, all I need to do is add a little more moisturizer underneath it, and I get all the same benefits. I swear, the stuff is bloomin’ perfect for my weird, persnickety skin!
NARS Chantilly concealer, pale and high coverage? A dream come true!!
I just bought the Chantilly concealer with my VIB coupon and I’m in love too. It makes my makeup looks so much better and I haven’t had problems with it being too dry or creasing as I had heard it might be. I would also like to try to the Urban Decay Naked Skin in Fair Neutral because I’ve heard it’s another good concealer if you’re pale.
I love my Klorane dry shampoo spray. This doesn’t leave any residue and gives my significant volume as my hair is fine.
Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder!!
Shiro’s White Chocolate Frog highlighter! I don’t normally go for loose highlighters, but the finish on this blows away the balm’s Marylou, ABH Starlight, NARS Albatross and Becca’s Pearl. I still prefer MAC Lightscapade for something subtle, but the Shiro highlighter is so beautifully, radiantly glowly. Not glittery at all.
Nars Translucent Powder <3
Maybelline’s colour sensational lipstick in untainted spice. Just perfect for all seasons.
Hi Christine,
I am a bit confused, if Laura Mercier 001 Matte Radiance is a holy grail for you, how is it that there is no review of it on Temptalia or any reference to it among your favorites?
There is a review, and as the question mentions, most recent, so it wouldn’t be referenced across the site for years as I only just tried it. http://www.temptalia.com/laura-mercier-highlight-01-matte-radiance-baked-powder-review-photos-swatches
Sunday Riley Luna and Good Genes. They are on the way to my door right now 🙂
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue, Tom Ford Moodlight Illuminating Duo and Paula’s Choice Eye cream & Antioxidant serum with vitamin C
Urban Decay Perversion mascara. For me, it is truly the only mascara I have found that makes me look like I have long eyelashes (and I have tried them all!). Ironically, my other recent Holy Grail is from UD also – their concealer pencil. I used to use a Bare Minerals concealer in a compact, but the UD pencil goes on smooth for me and doesn’t cake or get patchy. Love!
Isehan Kiss Me Heroine Make Long & Curl & Super Waterproof mascara — only one I’ve found that actually holds a curl for me, and it isn’t super expensive.
MUFE artist shadows – I feel re-introduced after getting the Cyber Monday collector’s palette!
Benefits Gimme grow, finally a product that defines but ooks natural on my full brows!!
Probably Kevyn Aucoin’s The Sculpting Powder in Medium, Anastasia Brow Wiz, or Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt. I could list more but those are the most recent.
It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores
Bobbi Brown concealer and corrector in cream and liquid form.
NARS Velvet matte lip pencil in Cruella! I’m in love! It’s my new go to Red
Becca shimmering skin perfector in Champagne Pop & Anastasia BH illuminator in Starlight keep me glowing
MAC lipstick LE All I Want
Maybelline Brow Satin – cheap & easy to use pencil on one end, powder on the other. Luv luv luv !!!
I finally found a good moisturizer for dry, sensitive, rosacea skin that keeps my skin moist all day, even with makeup applied. It has most definitely reduced the redness in my face, both overall redness and toned down the red broken veins. It is creamy and moisturizing without being greasy or itchy. It is by First Aid Beauty and it’s called Ultra Moisturizing Cream. A 6oz jar is only $30!!! A far cry in price from my beloved Creme de la Mer. I received a sample at Sephora and tried it and so I went back and bought the jar. I also got the oatmeal mask and face wash in $5 size so I will try those this weekend. The also make a sleeping cream which I will get a sample of next time I visit Sephora.
I finally got around to trying the sculpting cream and candlelight cream in the Kevyn Aucoin Contour Book Vol. 2, and I *love* them, especially for this time of year when my skin isn’t so oily, even starts to get a bit dehydrated. The cream highlight is a bit more subtle and less shimmery than the powder, which is fine with me, and the cream contour is very easy to work with, goes on my fair/light skin with more subtlety than the contour powder and needs less blending (I apply with the Hourglass foundation/blush brush). They work beautifully with my MUFE cream blush, so I’m getting more use from that, too. So pleased I bought Vol. 2 even though I still had plenty of product in Vol. 1, because now I have these lovely cream products, too!
There have actually been a few HGs I’ve discovered in 2015 (it was a great year for products, imho)… but the stand-out products for me are Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Cream and Tatcha’s dewy skin mist. These 2 little guys are saving my skin this winter!
Kat Von D lock it tattoo foundation!
Vise art eye shadow palettes. Finally something that doesn’t turn all murky taupe-purple on me! I still have fading issues but it’s so nice to see actual colors on my eyes for once.
Sephora Collection Microsmooth Powder Foundation. It’s easily the best foundation I’ve ever used of any powder OR liquid foundation. It’s easy to apply, looks extremely natural, and lasts all day on me with no touch ups! I love it!
I’ve found 2 products within the last few months that I use non stop, Bumble and Bumble leave in conditioner (invisible oil line) and the new Josie Maran highlight (powder formula) absolutely perfect for everyday use!
Cotz tinted SPF40, it’s amazing for oily skin esp when I use powder on top
Definitely Revlon Colorstay Foundation. Well, I didn’t discover it recently, I actually discover it to be my HG beauty products long time ago. But the reason why I chose it is because with those many varieties of foundation from makeup brands, whether it’s high end or drugstore, that I owned and tried, I seem to reach it every now and then as my go-to foundation in many occasions (grocery shopping, family dinner, even went to wedding party once) and that’s the only foundation that I had repurchased more than five times.
Can I cheat and do three? Viseart neutral matt, MAC orb, and Estée Lauder double wear light in 2.
My latest HG product is Guerlain Météorites in 03 Medium! ?
Marc Jacobs’ lip crème lipsticks. They are so creamy and vibrant that they are worth every penny. I can’t stop raving about them.
I’m madly in love with all my Viseart palettes. And surprisingly, I cannot stay away from the UD x Gwen Stefani eyeshadow palette. I thought I’d made a mistake in buying it because so many reviews said the palette was boring. But I’m IN LOVE!!!!
La Femme blushes! Never again will I pay more than 3.50 for a blush. Don’t be fooled by the price, these blushes are absolutely amazing. They’re long lasting and pigmented! So glad I stumbled across this brand. It’s blush heaven!