Makeup Favourites and My Desire to Buy Things

I've always been one who loves to buy things, just for the sake of buying. Buying for myself, for others, it makes me "feel good". I always have the urge to buy things, and this is not only within cosmetics, makeup or skincare products (though they take up a BIG part). It's not that the purchases are useless, it is usually things I use or enjoy, but I certainly don't need them. 

In recent years, I started to feel burdened with the stash of makeup or skincare products that I never get to finish or use them as much as I thought I would. I realised I wasn't only wasting money but also creating waste. For the sake of the environment, my finances and also practicing minimalism - making space for what is important by reducing the unimportant. I have decided to go on a NO BUY for makeup specifically throughout this year. Other than buying refills for the things I run out, I won't be buying any unnecessary makeup. So far I have only broke it once on a mini benefit blush to make up for free shipping (bc shipping was expensive and not worth it...) for a sephora order on some skincare.

Hence, for this post I have decided to share some of the makeup favourites that I have been using diligently and have really enjoyed using. So let's get started!

I will be writing in the order of how I usually do makeup. First up - Too Faced's Born This Way Multi-use Sculpting Concealer. 

I got this in the middle of 2019 while I was looking for a concealer that I could use as a base since I was looking for something with decent coverage for spot concealing yet blending in seamlessly to my skin and this does exactly that!  This is a creamy concealer that gives medium to about high (not full) coverage. I have been using this as my foundation on areas that I need to cover up or even out my skin tone (mainly both sides of my cheeks, under eyes, around the nose area, under my lip and in between my brows on my forehead), I would just dab it over those areas and blend it out with a wet sponge. It covers up the redness on my cheeks and nose area and also evening out the darker areas around my mouth and forehead. It does cover up most of my lighter acne scars, however, I would have to go over with another thicker concealer (which I will be showing later!!) for darker scars. 

The finish is satin, and for someone with oily skin like me, it holds up pretty well at the end of the day for me. I would say that it suits my oily-dehydrated skin type very much, in any kind of weather. On hotter and more humid days, it melts and blends in very seamlessly to my skin. While on drier days, it doesn't accentuate dryness or lines, instead it still looked good. I think this is one of those product which blends in well with the the help of the warmth on your skin. One of my friend who knew I was wearing makeup once asked me if I had makeup on, she told me it looked really skin like and it didn't look like makeup to her. not gonna lie it felt good hearing that lolll I am not sure if that was because my skin was getting better as I was not getting a lot of active acne or the concealer is that good. But partly I think it is the latter, the concealer does give a very skin-like finish and I guess a downside to that is that it is unable to cover up really dark scars/ spots. Another downside to this product is that it kinda oxidises?? now this might just be the one that I have because while I was using mine, it kinda turned darker after the first few uses. I got the shade Porcelain and it was one of the lighter warm-beige toned shade. At first it was still ok and I could still use it bc the shade change wasn't noticeable. But now that the season has changed and I have gotten a bit fairer due to the lack of sunlight I am getting, there is a very noticeable shade difference, especially with my neck, it was noticeably darker than my neck so I could no longer use it for now. This is such as bummer since the product is quite pricey, if I had gotten a lighter shade, it would probably still suit me....

The consistency is something in between maybelline's fit me concealer and a cream pot concealer. Also, it comes with a doe foot applicator and if hygiene is something you mind, this might be something to consider. 

So to cover up dark spots or darker acne scars that couldn't be covered up with the concealer, I use the Canmake Colour Mixing Concealer: 

(sorry that the photos look so crappy, the lighting wasn't great these days and i tried to edit the photos too, and the product looking so beat up doesn't help either T.T i have really been using it a lot, i still wanted to show ppl how the product itself looks like so ppl can just spot them if they want to get them...)

As you can see, it is a cream type concealer with 3 different shades where you can mix them up and create your own shade or just use them as they are. There are actually two different sets (#1 light beige and #2 natural beige) of concealers and two other colour correcting ones. I got #1 which is the lighter shades for concealer. From the dents on can tell how much I have been using them and look at that middle shade which I have hit pan on. I only use this to conceal darker spots (usually flat or just a slight bump) and it works well in covering them and I think this holds up the coverage better than a lot of the other liquid type concealers, which is the main reason I have been using this so much, and forgetting about the stash of liquid concealers I own...

I wouldn't use really suggest using this on areas where your skin is peeling (like an active acne) bc even though it can give you the coverage, it might accentuate the skin peeling. But I think this will skin work fine for the undereyes. 

This and the too faced concealer are the only two things I have been using for my base. 

Next up is an eye shadow palette I have been wanting to get since its release and finally had to chance to get it while I was in Seoul last July, which is the I'M MEME I'm Hidden Card Palette in 002 Love Card💗

One of the main reason I was so eager to get this since it's release was because of the shade range, it is totally my cup of tea. It has mainly neutrals, some dried rose-pinks and a warm orange shade. And they are all matte shades, plus it comes with a really pretty plight pink-beige-toned blush!!! When I first saw this palette I knew I was gonna get a lot of use of out this palette, especially for everyday looks. I would also use the darkest shade in this palette as eyeliner, to give it a softer look overall. The only problem for some people is that this palette doesn't have any shimmer or glitter shade. But if you are someone who likes matte and neutrals with some warm-toned orange or muted pinks, you would love this palette too.  This is for sure the most practical and versatile eye shadow palettes I own. Can I mention the blush again, like it is just uh-mazingggg, it just suits any look. 

Moving on to the eyebrows, I have two very similar products: Innisfree's Skinny Brow Pencil in #5 Midnight Espresso Brown and Benefit's Precisely My Brow Pencil in Cool Grey.

*had to tap one side of the innisfree one cos the plastic broke

 

I used to use the Innisfree Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Grey but I wanted to achieve a softer looking brow so I went to get their Skinny Brow Pencil in store. I got shade #5 Midnight Expresso Brown which was the closest I could find to something grey in the store (not knowing that they actually have another shade closer to grey after I searched for it online minutes ago @@, called Early Morning Dew Ash Brown). I was actually quite satisfied with the Innisfree Skinny Brow Pencil other than the shade cos I  find it too dark for my liking. So I went ahead and got the Benefit one in grey...... which makes my heart aches a bit every time I use it, it is so expensive for a brow pencil tbh. 

The difference between the two is not that big, I find the Innisfree one waxier than Benefit's, while some might prefer drier formula so that it gives better control but I am fine with either, they work the same for me. If I knew that there was a grey shade that I wanted for the Innisfree one, I might not even get the Benefit one really. But back to my point, both of these eyebrow pencil are really good for creating that soft brows since the fine tip allows you to create really soft and precise strokes. In terms of longevity, they fair well, I mean they can still get rubbed off if you sweat or get oily, just like most eyebrow pencils. 

What's more saddening is that, the innisfree one comes with 0.8g of product while benefit's only has 0.08g.... oh my money. 

I have been more into blusher recently, like a year ago, I would rarely wear them. This time I have a few favourites for this section. The Romand Better Than Cheek in Tangerine Chip and the Nudestix Nudies All Over Face Colour in Sweet Peach Peony and Sunkissed. 

Let me first talk about the Romand Blush, it is a VERY GOOD QUALITY blush! It is the kind of blush that lifts up the overall mood of your face whenever you use it. It can be used very subtly or built-up to a stronger, more vibrant look. You know how some powder blushers can look powdery and just kind of sit on top of your skin and some even accentuate your flaws or pores. This does none of that, in fact I feel like it kind of blurs them and soften up that area. 

Look at this, so prettayyy!!!! (they have more shades now)

As for the Nudestix ones, as I've slightly mentioned before that some powder blushers can look powdery and un-natural, that's what made me turn to liquid or cream type blushers. The Nudestix ones are really easy to blend and the colour pay off is just as nice. Sweet Peach Peony is from the Nudies Bloom range while Sunkissed is from the Nudies Matte All-Over Bronze Color range (bronzer range i guess?). Sweet Peach Peony from the Bloom range (i assume that's the blusher range) has a more dewy finish whereas Sunkissed (from the bronzer range) has a satin finish. I actually got this duo from a three-piece-set which includes a highlight which I don't use very often. I didn't get the full sized ones as I was very torned between these two shades while I was at sephora hovering over the Nudestix counter and they didn't have this trio set in store so I ended up getting them online. So glad I got this trio because not only I got to try more shades, the full size ones are also very expensive (haha broke). 

If you like cream blushers, I would really recommend going to sephora (or wherever you prefer) to try out all the different shades and pick the ones you like. The full size ones come with a brush at one end and they're so much bigger 😂. I got the minis and they don't come with brushes so I blend them with my fingers. 

Next up *****drumrollsssss****** the lips!!!👄👄👄

Four lip products I have been using the most:

• Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer
• Chifure Lipstick Y in 651 Beige
• Mac Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy
• Romand Juicy Lasting Tint in #8 Apple Brown 

Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb:

What do I have to say, just look at this, it's so pretty, that's why I bought it. I really don't have much to say about this one, other than it being pretty really. I mean it does what it says, it's a lip universal lip gloss and I really it fits its title. If you're scared of it being sticky, I mean it's a lip gloss not a matte lipstick or lip tint, there is definitely some stickiness to it but it's not  overly sticky. It has shimmers that isn't off putting or over the top when you apply it onto your lips, it gives the right amount of shine a lip gloss should have. I like to apply a thin layer of this over a lipstick or lip tint if I want something glossy. But bear in mind that it doesn't act like a clear gloss and does have a tinnnnny bit of colour to it, just tiny bit of beige. 

Chifure Y lipstick:

I actually came across this lipstick in store at Aeon Pharmacy (something like that?? i dont remember) while I was just browsing. I remember how this shade just caught my eyes while I was looking at this brand that I have never heard of. So after seeing it, I just straight up did some research on the brand and their lipsticks. Not to my surprise, there wasn't a lot of review for the lipstick. But something made me really want to get this lipstick so the next time I went looking for another branch of the store at another mall to get this. 

This reminded me of the Colourpop Blotted Lipsticks which I lost one of my favourite shades T.T 

The texture is just like that. It gives a matte finish but the texture creamy enough to smoothly glide over your lips and the colour pay-off isn't strong. I really enjoy using lipsticks like that so it made it like it even more >.< The shade I got is a muted orangey-beige colour which is the kind that suits my skin tone a lot, especially with light makeup. I think it would look great with some smokey eyes too. 

Mac Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy:

This one here has quite a story to it, there is another reason to it being featured here. Lemme just talk about the lipstick itself first then I will go into the story. Velvet Teddy, which is a famous MLBB shade in the Mac matte lipstick range. I'm sorry that the swatch is only showing up a dried rose-pink but it actually has a more warm-beige tone to it. Just like any other matte mac lipstick, it is a decent matte lipstick?😅 I mean it isn't drying, it is good with layering and the colour pay off is what it looks like on the tube. ok so now onto the story since I don't have much to talk about the lipstick. So, I have been telling my friend that I wanted to get this shade cos I think it will suit me a lot, like I think I would always mention this shade whenever we talk about mac? lolll idky I didn't get this for myself, like even my first mac lipstick was taupe and not this, why?? idk So my friend got me this for my birthday and  bc my reaction (as per her words) when I receive the gift was not good, she thought I didn't like the gift. But I told her I did and I think she didn't believe me cos maybe my reaction was not what she hoped for?? and she actually hold a grudge bc of it hahahaha SO NOW I AM PUTTING THIS HERE SO YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH I LIKE IT are you satisfied?

No, actually aside from that I actually do use this a lot. Like I would use it as a base or just by itself, bc I think the shade is a real MLBB for me. Cos I have previously bought a lot of (what others claimed as) MLBB shades but didn't look that MLBB on me? So the lesson is that whatever suits you will look good on you and whatever doesn't doesn't lol. sounds simple but yeah I was that idiot...

Romand Juicy Lasting Tint in #8 Apple Brown:

ok another product from Romand (i love Romand I will be sharing more about Romand in my next post too hahaha you can't stop me). 

The Juicy Lasting tint is a range of lipt tints with a slightly glossy finish, that wears off but the tint stays as you can see. I actually had to refrain myself to getting just one shade bc I was really into the finish it gives. So I picked an orangy-red-brick shade. It is kind of vibrant but also slightly muted compared to other shades. I would usually only apply this in the centre of my lips and smack my lips together to mush it all over my lips, but you can do a full lip too if you like but I just prefer this way more for myself. So yeah, it is a watery tint with a slight glossy finish and leaves a beautiful tint as it wears off, along with some artificial candy fruit taste. I feels fine to layer this on top of another lipstick too but as as well as how it sits on bare lips but that also depends on the lipstick you layer over too.

So,,,,, thank you for reading if you did. 

Since I have managed to stop my urge from impulse buying and buying makeup in general, I will be making a post of the makeup that really caught my eyes and made me want to almost break my promise. So see you in the next post!!