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)

A handful of products that I've been using lately...

I haven't purchased nearly as much makeup as I use to (as I haven't blogged in so long and haven't found the need to buy in excess), but I thought I'd share some of the products I've been using lately that I haven't talked about before!

Sonia Kashuk Perfecting Luminous Foundation - I purchased this on a whim at Target when I completely ran out of foundation and needed a simple every-day foundation. I wasn't expecting much, but I ended up really liking it for daily wear. The coverage is light, but buildable to a light-medium. It conceals my skin imperfections pretty well and evens out my skintone. The finish is really natural and makes my skin look slightly glowy and fresh, and it lasts all day. I'd compare it to something like L'Oreal True Match Lumi, but with a creamier BB Cream-like texture. The only downside is that the tube only has 0.06 oz (what!?) and you can't unscrew the product to scoop out any last bits of product. With daily use, I finished the bottle in barely three weeks. I will repurchase though, because I do really like it. For reference I purchased the shade Vanilla, which is good for light, warm skintones tones (around MAC NC20 coloring). If I'm around NC30, I'd go for Buff. 

MAC Prep + Prime Beauty Balm - I have still yet to find my absolute favorite BB cream, but recently I've been using this one from MAC. The coverage isn't the best, but it's buildable. If you want a solid medium coverage, you'd have to apply a good amount, and by that point, it feels a little sticky on the skin until it's set with a powder. So instead, I like adding a pump of my regular medium coverage foundation with this and it provides me natural coverage for daily wear. I'll finish the tube, but I don't think I'd repurchase. I think there cheaper alternatives out there that work better. If you use this, I'd love to know what you think of it in the comments. 

Maybelline Fit Me! Shine Free Stick Foundation - As far as foundation goes, this product isn't very good, but I use it for the sole purpose of contouring/bronzing. I purchased this stick in the shade Cappuccino, which is a really nice caramel-brown. I like buffing the product through my cheeks and around the frame of my face to give me a natural, bronzed look. It can also work good as a base for powder bronzer if you have issues with your bronzer fading quickly throughout the day. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer - I've been wanting to try this concealer for years, and I finally bought a tube along with a fresh bottle of Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation (I'll talk about that later - it was one of my top foundations until it was reformulated and with three days of use I had a face full of acne that took over a month to clear up). I guess I was a bit underwhelmed with the results, as I expected it to have full coverage, but it doesn't. It's thick, yet it's translucent, so I need an additional brightener under my eyes as the shadows under my eyes still peek through. Again, with this product I'll try finishing the tube, but I don't think I'll be repurchasing.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder - This has been my new favorite setting powder. It's really finely milled and doesn't add any color to the skin, it just softens the complexion and adds a soft glow. I use it every day with a stippling brush, and I even like using it with a beauty blender to set my under-eye concealer (you do have to be careful not to apply too much because It can stay in one spot and not move once you've blotted a load to an area). I have this powder in the shade diffused light, and it works perfectly for when I'm lighter or tan. 

Kat Von D Tattoo Eyeliner - Love this stuff! If you like Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Liner, you'll like this one too. The shape and density of the felt tip is perfect for creating a wing, and the pigment is really dark. I still like Stila a little bit better, as it's waterproof, but this one is a for sure second. Plus, I was able to find a three-pack at TJ Maxx for under $10 - was I just lucky? 

Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base - I've talked about this before on my blog, but in the past, I've only used samples from the BB counter. I finally purchased a full sized container, and I've really been enjoying using it daily under my makeup. It moisturizes my sensitive skin really well without irritating it or making it greasy, and it makes my skin look fresh and supple. It's a bit expensive, but a little goes a long way. If you feel uneasy about contaminating the product with your fingers, I'd recommend buying cosmetic spatulas from your local beauty supply store, or even eBay.

Unite Hair Products - I've been wanting to talk about this brand for months. This has been the main brand I've been using for haircare. I learned about it from the salon I go to occasionally, and Unite is the brand they use exclusively. Each time the products were used on my hair I loved the way my hair looked, smelled, and felt, so I would end up buying at least one product each time I'd get my hair done. What I love is that the shampoos are sulfate-free and the products are all free of parabens. My main favorite products are the 7 Seconds Condition Leave-in Spray, U Luxury Argan Oil and my newest favorite, the Lazer Straight Relaxing Fluid, which relaxes my hair really well prior to blowdrying. I've also used a few of their shampoos and conditioners - right now I'm using the Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner (I have very dry hair) which work really well, but it's so moisturizing that with repeated use, my hair gets a little weighed down, so I need to use a clarifying shampoo every couple of weeks. Highly recommend Unite - all of their products have great reviews on Amazon.

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer Review, Photos, Swatches!

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer ($25) is an oil and paraben free pigmented concealer that is transfer-proof and water resistant. It's described as being heavy-duty and multitasking as it not only hides dark undereye circles and blemishes, but even tattoos.

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer is available in (8) shades: 16, 18, 22, 24, 26, 28, 34 ad 36.

I received a sample of the shade 22, which is a soft beige, suitable for medium-light skin tones.

Because this concealer claims to be heavy enough to cover tattoos, I expected it to be a thick, somewhat dry consistency concealer (maybe something like the Make Up Forever Full Coverage Concealer). I was rather surprised to see that the consistency is actually pretty light (almost whipped) and very creamy. It also smooths out really well on the skin.

I'd consider it a medium coverage concealer, but it can be built to a fuller coverage when layered. One layer is never adequate coverage for me, but I like the fact that when I apply a few layers, it doesn't look heavy or unnatural. It also covers blemishes pretty well. After my foundation, I usually pat it on and then set with a powder puff.

You really don't need much, and I'd recommend starting out with less product than you think you'll need and go back to add more if necessary.

My favorite brush to apply this particular concealer is the MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush, although any standard concealer brush works fine. I sometimes like using my fingers as well, but a brush seems to provide more coverage.

The only downside I've experienced is that it makes my undereyes feel a little heavy and dry. I always moisturize my undereye area with Argan oil, so I don't have any issues with it actually making my undereyes appear dry, but it's a concealer that I can feel on my skin.

It lasts really well throughout the day with minimal to no fading.