We earn commission on sales tracked from our links and codes. Thank you for your support! We earn commission from affiliate links/codes. Thank you!
What’s your secret weapon beauty product? The one that no one really knows you’re wearing but you know adds that something extra? Like finishing powders, primers, concealers, highlighters, etc.
Guerlain Mythic (or Wulong) Meteorites Pressed Powder 🙂
Thanks to Jan for today’s question! Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
Illamasqua cream blush in Zygomatic– it’s so, so subtle and natural looking but lifts my super pale skin enough that I don’t look dead.
Guerlain Meteorites Voyage Pressed Powder -mythic
& Guerlain Precious Light Rejuvenating Illuminator
this is better than ysl’s…for quick touch up,highlight or sheer conceal.
Also it has Gold pigments inside!!(but only contains 1.5ml)
I’ve gotten some nice complements when I’ve worn bronzer. And when I wear jewel tones around my eyes, though now that I have glasses frames in those colors, it’s a bit of an everyday thing for me now.
My sister gets compliments anytime she wears UD Woodstock eyeshadow.
Bobbi Brown Shimmerbrick in Pink Oyster (cheekbones, brow bone, nose bridge) or elf Undereye Setting Powder.
I bought Wulong based on your review, Temptalia! Its soooo beautiful.
🙂 I’m so happy you think so!!
There are two: the first one is using a brow pencil and a subtle off-white matte highlighter on the brow bone (even if I’m not wearing eyeshadow) to create a contrast that makes me look more ‘awake’. The second one is highlighting the cupid’s bow.
A combination of Laura Geller’s Shimmer Down Mattifying Powder with MAC’s Fix Plus.
One mattifies to reduce unwanted shine and absorb oil along the T zone. The other mysteriously makes my make-up look natural, including some dewiness that hides the unevenness of my skin. It’s hard to describe but these two together make my make-up look better and better as the day goes on.
Matte perfect primer from MUA (Makeup Academy, a British brand I believe)
It makes my makeup stay forever and it has a oil-controlling formula which really works! And it’s only four pounds, so that’s seven dollar or so..?
Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray. I got a little thing of it expecting it to be decent, but it’s fantastic for keeping makeup in place and will probably be my summertime primer.
Probably TheBalm’s Mary Lou Manizer. Whenever I wear it, someone seems to comment that I seem to be glowing! My sister in law, who is the sweetest woman in the world, was the first one to mention this a few years ago when I first got the Balmbini palette. Happily, I was able to purchase one for her too – she was SO thrilled and I was happy to share my “secret weapon” with her.
Everyone wears concealer, but concealer is my secret weapon lol
Vichy Dermablend stick concealer. 😉
Chanel Notorious.. the best shade of contour powder ever!
Guerlain Meteorites Light-Diffusing Perfecting Primer. 🙂
A yellow finishing powder (like Benefit Bluff Dust), really buffed in; a pink-toned concealer/highlighter (like Estee Lauder Brush-On Illuminator or Benefit Eye Bright) around mouth, eyes; pearlescent liquid highlighter (like Benefit High Beam) applied to cheeks before blush,
Right now, it’s my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light.
Benefit Sunbeam and The Body Shop Vitamin E Cool BB Crème
It’s actually a “Terrific Trio” from Benefit, that helps disguise the whole middle-aged droop and dark circles thing: Ooh La Lift for under eyes, EyeBright for inner/outer corners, and High Brow for under the brow arch. Those three REALLY do the trick! I also always get asked if I “got some sun,” or get told that I have “such a nice glow,” or just get overall compliments on my skin/complexion when I use TooFaced’s Pink Leopard bronzer – I think it’s just the right blend of bronze and shimmer, with a touch of pink, for me.
Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy. Sometimes it’s the only thing that divides ‘Fantastic’ from ‘Sparkling Train Wreck’.,
bwahaha! fantastic!
That pink stuff from Benefit from Confessions of a Concealaholic! Literally lifts the under eye! Makes any look stunningly flawless!
Illamasqua Gleams in “Aurora” and “Supernatural.”
These highlighters are my secret weapon to glowy skin without looking discoball-esque.
Bobbi Brown BB cream
This BB cream also gives my skin an extra boost of radiance and dewiness. I always get asked,
“Your skin is so nice! What skin care line are you using” when I wear this.
Monistat Anti-chafing Powder Gel. I use this product as a face primer. It does an excellent job at providing a smooth canvas for my makeup, as well as helping it stay in place all day. Without it, all my makeup disappears within a couple of hours.
Two things actually which work hand in hand. Eve Pearl’s concealer in light applied with a little talon concealer brush and a very very light dusting of Southern Magnolia Minerals’
Well Rested Shadow over top with a little soft fluffy brush. Banishes, absolutely banishes my awful dark circles which turn purple when I am tired and also are sunken in. Gads!
This duo takes years off my face (and believe me, I have years to take off) and never cakes or settles in lines…yup, I have those too. Stays put until I remove it.
Benefit Watt’s Up. I never skip highlighter & Watt’s Up has been my go to lately.
Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights as an all-over setting powder, with emphasis on the cheek bones!
LORAC Spotlight! AMAZING!
I keep hearing about this one. I’ll have to try it.
Well if I told everyone, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore 😀
Just kidding… For me it’s a perfume, Body by Burberry.
I mix UD naked skin with laura mercier tinted moisturizer.and also making sure my entire self is moisturized. I love the bath products i get from moon’s harvest.
My secret weapon is a great foundation primer, like Laura Mercier’s Oil-Free one or Bare Minerals Prime Time.
Kevyn Aucion Sensual Skin Enhancer – I mix a fingertip dab in with sheer foundations or BB creams to boost coverage and longevity, plus it can be used as a concealer (or a full coverage foundation if needed) and even though the pot is tiny, it lasts forever!
Also, Edward Bess All Over Seduction in Afterglow – it melts into skin for an incredible yet subtle glow.
MAC’s pro long concealer.. I use it as an eyeshadow base.
MAC Strobe Cream – I always get so many compliments on how great my skin’s looking when I have this on.
YSL Teint Parfait in the lavender or cream color. It conceals red broken veins and overall redness but is sheer and I can either wear it alone over moisturizer or under foundation. It really helps my skin look calm and smooth.
My foundation. I’m always getting compliements on what a nice complexition I have, which to be fair I have pretty good skin because I rarely breakout, my skin is more normal to dry, and I try to take really good care of it. But I still like have “perfect skin” so I tend to wear a foundation most of the time, but everyone seems to think my natural skin is just “perfect” all on it’s own, which I guess means I do a great job blending and not putting too much on. I try out a new foundation pretty much every time I finish a bottle but right now I’m using Nars sheer glow, a covergirl one, and I have a L’Oreal mousse foundation in a paler shade. Oh I espically remember getting compliements when I wore my Mary Kay and Chanel Aqua Lemier one.
Chanel Clair Eyeliner Pencil on the waterline really perks up my semi-bloodshot eyes.
Clinique redness solutions foundation.
Boots No 7 Instant Radiance Beauty Balm to brighten my complexion and reduce the signs of stress and lack of sleep. It’s got tiny light reflecting sparkles in it, but I never look like a full-on Twilight vampire in the sun. I discovered it years ago during study abroad (because geez. every college has its own pub *and* I had to study) and adore it. It’s been though several packaging and formula changes over the years, but I still love it. I order it online through Drugstore.com’s international store. But it may be in some people’s local Targets – just not in any of mine. Also, my skin is light to medium. I don’t know that it would be great for richer skin tones. I’m in grad school, so I’m always waking up with skin stressed from too much or too little of something – too much alcohol, caffeine, stress, too little good nutrition, sleep, sunscreen. I’ve got a bunch of different “illuminators,” like NARS, BareMinerals, Benefit, Josie Maran and Paula Dorf. Boots is my fav.
Paint my face on with a real techniques foundation brush and MUFE matt velvet foundation
Buffer it in a stipping motion with the Sephoria 55 brush
Powder it with guerlain meteorites face powder
Set with mac fix plus spray
Dewey perfect skin every time…
I feel naked without perfume, I am never without a lip product, if I lost all my make up I would purchase an eyeliner but my secret weapon is Bath & Bodyworks Sweetpea Shampoo.
Ben Nye luxury powder is great for my oily skin
Sunscreen. I’ve been wearing it regularly since I was about 12, and in 3 weeks, I will be 40, yet I still look no older than 25. I have no laughlines or crowsfeet, and my skin is still taut. I also avoid the sun whenever possible, wear a hat & sunglasses, and am as diligent about moisturizers. Genetics may also play a role, but I’m not taking any chances.
As far as actual makeup goes, a line of red liquid liner just on my lashline, paired with a “nude” eye always makes people ask me what I’ve done “differently”. It’s not an obvious line, but it makes my eyes seriously pop.
Essence All About Matte, buffed over L’oreal Miracle blur, and just about any liquid foundation/TM, makes my pores practically disappear. I have drier skin, but I picked up the mattifier by mistake, and not wanting to go out of my way to return such an inexpensive product, I took a chance on trying it. I’m sooo glad I did, as it’s become HG for me.
Revlon Photoready liquid foundation is just awful for me on its own, but layered under ColorStay, it is amazing. The layer of PR keeps the CS from looking really flat & heavy, because I need to use less CS, which is also easier to blend.
Your comment about sunscreen gives me hope. I’m 24, and have only started wearing sunscreen 2 years ago. Although I will always regret not wearing it when I was younger, I’m glad I am now incredibly diligent about applying sunscreen everyday. I already have some fine lines under my eyes, but I’m hoping wearing sunscreen will slow down the aging process. 🙂
To be honest…Its my Loreal makeup remover. I would not walk out the door without using it for something! I use it on a q-tip to perfect my lipstick, to sharpen the wing of my eyeliner, to clean up mascara under my eye, and to define and correct my eyebrows after filling them in. Also, when I don’t wear foundation, I swipe a little under my blush if it didn’t go quite where I wanted it to go. So, although it’s probably not the answer most are going to give, makeup remover is definitely my beauty secret weapon. 🙂
PIXI’s Sheer Cheek Gel in Flushed…applied with with the Real Techniques by Samatha Chapman Stippling Brush. #Awesomeness -Terese Leigh
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage and Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector
Kevyn Aucoin sculpting powder and Chanel Stylo Yeux in Beryl. They are subtle enough to wear even with no other make up but the difference they make is noticeable – I suddenly have cheekbones and look wide awake!
I like to use Laura Mercier Radiance Tinted Moisturizer in a “C” shape as highlighter before I apply my foundation. It provides natural glow….no sparkle.
L’Occitane Sublime Essence is a serum that feels cool on the skin but it also gives me a matte-ish finish. I say matte-ish because it also gives radiance to my skin! Works so well with tinted moisturizer or foundation that my skin appears flawless like I was airbrushed!
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft n Gentle. Won’t go Camry like powder, and is pale enough for blue white skin. Warms me up and makes me glow!
Guerlain lipstick. The Best.
MAC Violetta lipstick. And everything from the Venomous Villians collection.
Eyebrow gel. o_o My thick brows look like a mess without it.
For me, it’s fake tan. People are so used to see me with it, that when I don’t, I look so seek.
A good night’s sleep. With or without makeup, when I get my beauty sleep I have an extra pep to my step. Try it. . 🙂