What's in my makeup bag? - Products that I'm currently using!

What's in my makeup bag?

As a beauty blogger, I've tried so many different products over the years. At some points I had about 20 or more foundations at the same time, and was trying so many things and finishing none of them. Since my little break off from blogging, I've cut down on trying so many new things at once, and I'm finding myself repurchasing the same things over again - things that are reliable and that I love!

So, for the past several months (or more), these have been my staples!

MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation - I've gone through around 3-4 tubes of this so far, and I've been re-purchasing this foundation as soon as I run out. It has a solid medium coverage, and it's my go-to when I want my makeup to last on hours on end. It really does last me till the time I want to wash my face, and I don't find that it breaks apart or separates by the end of the night. I do prefer this over MAC's regular Pro Longwear Foundation, but I do like that one as well. ($33)

NARS Tinted Moisturizer - This is my go-to day wear foundation. The formula is creamy and moisturizing and it provides an SPF of 30, which is great for when you're out and about during the day. The coverage is light, but buildable, and evens out the skintone nicely and gives a fresh, clean look. A little expensive for a daily wearing tinted moisturizer, but for now, I'm loving it and I'm getting low on my second tube. ($44)

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer - It wasn't love at first sight with this concealer, but after using it regularly, I've grown to love it. As I'm getting older, I find it much more difficult to find a concealer that doesn't age me or give me the "tired eye" look, and I find that this one doesn't accentuate dryness or fine lines. A definite winner in my book, and one that I will repurchase as soon as I run out. ($25)

Urban Decay Naked Concealer - Along with Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer, I like adding a layer of this concealer on top before I blend the two together. These two concealers work really well as a team, and I love how light and blendable this concealer is. It's a great one if you are looking for a pigmented concealer that doesn't have the density or weight of a standard (heavy) concealer. I like using this concealer in a lighter shade to brighten my under eyes. ($28)

Beauty Blender - I can't live without my beauty blender. I use it every day to apply my concealer, and I use a separate one to set my concealer with powder. It works more beautifully than any brush. ($20)

Giorgio Armani #24 Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches!

Giorgio Armani #24 Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow

Giorgio Armani #24 Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow ($33) is a black with glistening copper and gold. When the colors mix together, it turns into a beautiful dark khaki/olive green. It's a fabulous color, and the type of shade that I gravitate towards, as it flatters my hazel eyes and warm skin really well. It's a bit of a chameleon color, as it shines differently depending on the lighting and angle. Sometimes the color looks like a glistening warm brown and other times it looks like a golden olive. In the sunlight, the golden hues really shine through. It reminds be a bit of MAC Gilt by Association Mineralize Eyeshadow, a shadow I frequently wore in the past.

I know these eyeshadows are old news, as they've been out for a couple of years and I don't hear much about them anymore, but recently, I went through my makeup stash and dug out shade #8 Champagne, and have been using it multiple times a week. Naturally, it sparked my love for this product again, and I wanted more. So, #24 became my newest addition to my makeup bag.

The texture of the eyeshadow is like a very finely milled pressed/compacted pigment. It's incredibly silky and blends effortlessly. My favorite application tool is my fingertip or an old-school sponge applicator, as they both pick up the most product and apply the product in an opaque layer. A small flat brush also works well, such as a small concealer brush. You can also dampen the brush and apply the product wet for an almost metallic finish.

Heavy swatch of #24

Swatched on my arm the color looks more brown, but on my lids it's a glistening khaki green!

Giorgio Armani #8 Champagne Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow Review, Photos and Swatches!

Giorgio Armani #8 Champagne Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow

Giorgio Armani #8 Champagne Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow ($32) is a pinked-champagne with a high metallic finish. It's a beautiful shade that can be used as a wash of color on the eyes for a quick and easy every day look, and it also looks great on the cheekbones as a highlight. I think it's a shade that can be both used at day or night, but it does sport a high metallic shine, so some might prefer it as a highlight/accent shade for the workplace rather than wearing it all over the lids.

Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadows are described as being an innovative hybrid texture that isn't a powder or a cream. If you haven't felt these yourself, they feel like an extremely finely milled pressed or compacted pigment. The silkiness of the shadow makes it almost feel like a cream, but it's most definitely a powder. What's lovely about them is that because of the smooth texture, the shadow applies smoothly like a cream, but because it's a powder, it doesn't crease like a cream eyeshadow would.

If you've tried the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows, you've had a little taste of the Eyes to Kill Eyeshadows because the texture is so similar. The Giorgio Armani shadows are just a bit silkier/less dry. Some people inquire if these are anything like the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Eyeshadows and they aren't at all. The Illusion D'Ombre's are more-so like a cream consistency.

Although the powder is pressed down, when you touch it, the formula flakes a bit, so to reduce mess and fall-out during application, I like to use my fingers. A sponge applicator also works well. If you want to use a brush, a dense brush will work best to pick up a good amount of product for opaque coverage (such as a concealer brush or something like the Sigma E60 Shader Brush, as fluffy brushes can create some fall-out and a lighter coverage overall).

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation Review!

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation 6.5

As I mentioned in post a few weeks ago, I decided to purchase a long time lust of mine. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. At $58.00 for a 1 oz bottle, I was very reluctant to purchase it. But, I finally decided to treat myself to a bottle when the website had a 20% off promotion. I would of done a review sooner, but I had only used it a couple times because I haven't gone out at all since I started my job.. and its too expensive for daily wear. I wore it today though, to really test it out and see how I like it!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: As seen in the press, capture the glow of perfect skin with this award-winning foundation. Luminous Silk foundation is an oil-free fluid with exclusive Micro-fil technology. So weightless, it redefines foundation. Its hydrating fluid glides on seamlessly with a silky texture and all-day, buildable coverage. For all skin types.

• weightless and luminous oil-free fluid
• natural finish
• all-day sheer to moderate coverage

Application techniques:

Apply with the unique blender brush for a radiant, air-brushed finish.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation 6.5

Swatches of Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, courtesy of Karlasugar.

First of all, I didn't do much research on this product other than knowing it has a really high rating on Makeupalley. While I was waiting for it in the mail, I started to do some research. I had no idea the coverage was sheer to medium. That made me a little nervous because I never purchase sheer foundations. I always purchase buildable medium coverage foundations. They work better for me for an airbrushed look and seem to have a longer lasting power.

The way I applied this was I first prepped my face with moisturizer and then I put one pump of foundation on a clean palette. I used my MAC 187 brush and stippled it all over my face and then buffed my face in light, circular motions. Because its a light foundation, I needed a few pumps to get the desired coverage I wanted.

Thankfully, it didn't seem at all sheer to me. At the moment, my skin is fairly clear, except for a few pimples that are in the process of healing and a little redness in my cheeks. This foundation covered all of that. No redness from my pimple blemishes showed through. My skin was completely flawless. I would say the coverage is a solid medium.

The beautiful thing about this foundation is, it makes it look like I've applied an iluminating tinted moisturizer on completely perfect skin. It doesn't look like a heavy foundation. It just makes my skin appear like I have naturally good, clear skin. And I love that about this! A very natural flawless.

The color is PERFECT for me. It matches my neck to the point. I got the shade 6.5 (Tawny). For reference, I am a MAC NC37-40. A problem that I always have is finding a foundation with the right amount of yellow. If the foundation is the slightest bit pink or peachy, it will not match me. This has the perfect amount of yellow.

Here's a swatch on my hand of shade # 6.5.

Because this makes my skin look fresh and radiant, I like pairing it with a cream bronzer as opposed to a powder. The bronzer I've been pairing this foundation is my Chanel Bronze Universel, and they go together perfectly.

This foundation also claims to be dewy, but on me, it is more of a satin. I don't need much setting powder, just a little on my nose, around my frown lines and under my eyes. The staying power is wonderful, and it doesn't seem to disappear throughout the day. Only after several hours, I'll notice the tip of my nose needs touching up.

I'm definitely adding this to my list of favorite foundations. I think its perfect for days you want to do heavy eye makeup without looking like you have tons of makeup all over your face. Will definitely repurchase!

Follow up (a year later): I am still loving this foundation. A while after this review, I started using my fingers instead of a brush to apply.. and I really like the outcome. I never used my fingers to apply any foundation since I was in high school.. but one day while I was in a hurry, I put a couple of pumps in my hand and applied it quickly to my face as if I was applying moisturizer. I was surprised to see, my face looked as flawless as when I use my brush. By the end of the night, my forehead and nose get shiny.. so i do find it necessary to use a setting powder. This foundation remains a favorite.