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Only 7 days later and there is a new post on BeautyPepTalk? Something must be wrong 😀
I decided to show you everything I love makeup-wise. (Soon you can expect a skincare favorites post.) So, these are tried and true, holy grail items I actually love and use on a daily basis. Let’s get into it!
You will notice that some categories are missing. For example, I don’t have a favorite primer. I actually own a few of them, but none of them do what I want them to. So, if you see a category missing, feel free to tell me what your holy grails are.
Foundation
Even though this is not the only foundation I use, I would say it’s my favorite, considering what you get for the amount of money you pay. We are talking about Catrice Cosmetics HD Liquid Coverage foundation, which promises up to 24 h wear time, mattifying and second skin effect.
The foundation has decent, medium to full, coverage. It is great at hiding imperfections. It is very liquidy, and I don’t think it will clog your pores like some of the heavier foundations would.
I am yet to find a better, affordable foundation.
This foundation retails for around $8. My shade is 030 Sand Beige, which is maybe a little bit too dark for me, but I think I pull it of well.
Concealer
Concealer is actually from the same line. It is the Catrice Cosmetics Liquid Camouflage high coverage concealer.
This concealer really does give you a lot of coverage, especially if you have dark undereyes. Even though I don’t really need it for covering my dark circles, I think it does an amazing job at illuminating my face. This is also the reason I can pull of a foundation that is a little bit too dark for me.
I apply it under my eyes (triangle shape), on my chin, above my lips, down the bridge of my nose and a bit on my forehead and blend it all with a makeup sponge. I really enjoy the effect it gives.
Mine is in the shade 005 Light Natural and you will pay around $3 for it.
Setting powder
I am pretty sure Tati was the first person I saw baking the undereye area. I had to try it! However, translucent powders were not readily available in Croatia at the time. So, when I found a lot of makeup for around $20, that included not only this powder, but so much more, I was extatic.
This is the Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder. It is with Jeju natural mineral and natural originated mint.
What I personally love about this product is that it sets the face beautifully, it’s great for baking and it smooths the skin. It is a Korean product, and we’ve already established that Korean products work amazingly.
5g of this product is $7, and if you buy 2, you will get the third one for free here. You can use this product for 24 months since opening, which is great, because the 5g will last you quite some time.
Bronzers
Here are two products, both on the pricier side, but I hope you don’t mind. Hoola Bronzer by Benefit is something I wasn’t too impressed with, but when I gave it another chance (or 2) and realized what the best was to use it is… I fell in love.
I love using this one for contouring. It makes the perfect shade on your cheeks, as well as your temples, forehead and around the jawline. I got the smaller size in a kit by Benefit, but you will pay $29 for the full size. You can buy it on the official Benefit site and use 2% cash back with Ebates (and get $10 as a first time user after spending $25).
I haven’t tried the lighter version, but I’m quite fair, and I don’t see how it would work as a bronzer for me, since Hoola itself is pretty light.
The second one is Betty-Lou Manizer by The Balm. This is a bronzer I fell in love with on the first swatch. Golden, shimmery and absolutely divine. I don’t actually use it as a bronzer all year round (summer is when I reach for it the most), but it is absolutely stunning as an eyeshadow! If you’re into golden, warm tones on your eyes, you will absolutely love it!
You can buy this one for $24 on The Balm website.
Blush
I am obviously a big fan of Catrice cosmetics. This is another one of their products and it’s the Catrice Cosmetics Multi Matt blush in the shade 020 La-Lavender.
It consists of 4 shades, going from lightest to darkest, which you can mix however you want. The blush is not too pigmented (which is my only complaint with Wet’n’Wild blushes, they are too pigmented, and you can end up looking like a clown real’ fast), it gives you the most gorgeous flush on the cheeks and the shade is perfect. Quite cool toned, but suits basically every makeup look.
This blush retails for around $4.5.
Highlighter
Highlighter is most people’s favorite category. Again, I have two products, where one is in the powder form, and the other one is a liquid highlighter. Both of them extremely affordable.
The first one is Wet’n’Wild Megaglo Highlighting powder in Precious Petals. People went crazy when it came to Croatia, and it was out of stock all the time. So, when I finally saw it in stock, without thinking, I grabbed it and never looked back. This highlighter has a gorgeous golden tone, with shimmers that are on the chunkier side. However, when I spray my face with a setting spray, and it all blends together, this highlighter is stunning.
The second one is Essence Midnight Masquerade liquid skin illuminator. I was thinking whether to include this one or not, since it’s no longer available, but I truly use it a lot. It has a cooler undertone, and is pink, rather than gold. However, it gives such an amazing glow to the skin, and looks stunning. I would definitely suggest you give liquid highlighters a try. I’ve heard Nyx ones are great!
Brows
Another category with two products in it. The first product is BrowSatin by Maybelline New York. I have to say, I am very far from a brow expert, and this is the area I feel the most insecure about. I usually just fill my brows in, because they are quite light and not too thick, and drool over those Instagram eyebrows everyone seems to be doing with ease.
I am yet to try pomades for eyebrows, but I do believe I am ready for that step. However, for now, this duo-sided eyebrow pencil in the shade Dark Blonde will have to do. This one retails for around $4-5.
The one I honestly and truly enjoy is Make Me Brow by Essence Cosmetics. I have already written about it, testing whether it’s a dupe for Gimme Brow by Benefit. You have to check that post out! To this day, it is the most viewed post on my blog. This gel mascara for the brows in the shade 01 blondy brows gives you the effect of more brow hairs and makes them neater!
You definitely have to try it, because I think that for the price, this is one of the best brow mascaras out there. The price is between $3 and $4. How does it get better than that?
Eyeshadow primer
I have to say, Makeup Revolution is an amazing brand, with some true gems among their products. Over the years, I’ve tried some of their products, and there definitely have been some hits and misses. This one is definitely a hit.
Makeup Revolution Focus & Fix Eye primer is a product that is definitely going to make your eye look last. However, it also evens out your eyelids, and even conceals some of the redness or veinyness you might have. The eyeshadow sticks to it perfectly, and doesn’t crease or budge!
You can buy it for around $3.5 on TAM beauty.
Mono eyeshadow
I have always been a huge eyeshadow palette fan. I always thought mono shadows are too fussy, not practical and totally inconvenient. That is, until I tried my very first MakeupGeek eyeshadow.
This is MakeupGeek pressed eyeshadow pan in Roulette. I bought it on BeautyBay for around $6. You can find loads of stunning shades, both mattes and shimmers. The pigmentation is amazing, it acts great when wet and I can’t wait to get some more of these!
Eyeshadow palette
Like I said, I am more of a fan of palettes. Everything is in one place, they are easier to handle and give you a range of colors in one place.
This is Urban Decay Vice4 palette, which was limited edition, but as soon as I saw the colors and swatches, I knew I had to have it. Yes, it’s quite old, but I’m never giving this one up.
These shades are so pigmented, amazing to work with and sooo stunning. I definitely think that Urban Decay are kings of eyeshadows. If you haven’t tried them and saw how blendable, pigmented and amazing they are, definitely check them out. Also, I believe some of these shades are still available as monos. So, my favorites are: Bones (amazing highlight), Bitter (gorgeous warm toned crease shade- matt), Fast-ball (pinky-orange shimmery shade), Grasshopper (beautiful grass green glittery shade), Flame (probably my favorite in the palette- amazing orange glittery shade), 1985 (fuchsia shade) and Delete (darker brown, for the outer v). If you want to see swatches and a more in-depth review, you can find it here.
The Urban Decay palettes are usually around $54, some less, some more.
Eyeliner pencils
Ever since I tried my first liquid eyeliner, I have forgotten about pencils almost completely. Until I found these Misslyn intense color liners. The first one I bought was the green one, in the shade 141 evergreen. When I saw how pigmented and pretty this one was, I bought two more. One is a yellow-gold one in the shade 240 (I lost the sticker, so I’m not sure what the name is) and the other one is coppery in the shade 113 devine revelation.
I have already written about all of these, so you can find more information on them and swatches in this post.
For one of these pencils you’ll pay around $2.5.
Liquid eyeliner
I don’t remember the last time I used an eyeliner other than this one. It is the Alverde Naturkosmetik black eyeliner. It’s really black, matte and easy to work with. I don’t even remember how many of these have I bought.
I am probably going to try other eyeliners, but I am sure I will keep coming back to this one.
The best thing about it? It’s a natural product. You can find it in DM drugstores for around $3.
Mascara
Another category with two products in it. However, this one is a little bit different, since it’s a dupe. At least from what I think and from what I’ve noticed about the two.
On the left is Benefit They’re Real! mascara. This is a travel size, from the same kit I got the Hoola bronzer in. This mascara is something I actually saw difference with. Like I’ve mentioned in my last post, I don’t need much from a mascara, since my lashes are naturally curled, long and pretty voluminous. However, with this mascara, they were especially elongated, and beautifully separated. Basically each hair was standing on its own.
However, I recently got a PR package from DM Hrvatska drugstore, with this Trend It Up Pop Lashes mascara, which I couldn’t help but notice was quite similar. The brush is rubbery, just like on the Benefit one, the formula is just the right consistency, and it gives my lashes everything I need.
This is the only mascara I might reconsider re-buying They’re Real over. Now I’m thinking, maybe I don’t need it anymore. How is that even possible? Benefit retails for $24, and I can’t find the price for Pop Lashes mascara, but I know it’s well over 50% less than that.
Liquid lipsticks
Without a doubt, I will say that I’ve never tried better liquid lipsticks than ColourPop. Because I’ve heard that Ultra Matte Lips are too drying and uncomfortable, I decided to go for all Ultra Satin Lips.
I have 5 mini lipsticks, which I bought in a kit in order to try as much as possible. They are: Mess Around, Toolips, Dopey, Magic Wand and Stud.
I also have one full size, which is Femme.
The only complaint I have is the face that the color of the tube doesn’t match the color of the actual color. It’s not a huge problem, though, since I wear and love all of them! They are comfortable on the lips, not drying, and most importantly, last a long time!
If you want to see swatches, you can visit my ColourPop Brand Review post.
Lipsticks
As far as lipsticks go, I’ve never been too keen on wearing lipsticks, until I got my first MAC lipstick. That is when I really fell in love with them and my collection is slowly growing.
I wish I could say that all lipsticks are great, but I do have a cheaper and a more expensive version for you.
As you can see, on the left are all of my MAC lipsticks. I really do think that they are amazing quality, their shade range is amazing, as well as different finishes they have. Once again, I think my favorite finish is satin, but I really don’t mind any of them. My MAC lipsticks are: Brave, Modesty and Myth.
A very good alternative is, once again, Trend It Up, from DM. This new brand seems to have it all, both great products and great prices. This lipstick is Ultra Matte Lipstick in the shade 410. It’s not heavy on the lips, and lasts a very decent amount of time on your lips.
Fixing spray
I have bought my first fixing spray in London, exactly two years ago. It was this Makeup Revolution Pro Fix Amazing Makeup Fixing Spray. (If you want to know what else I got in London, you can check out my London haul.) If I’m not mistaken, I paid exactly two pounds for this one (I may be totally wrong). Now it’s anywhere from 5 to 5 pounds 80. You can find it on TAM Beauty, or Superdrug.
When I first tried it, I thought… Well, if the cheap one is this good, I wonder what do the expensive ones do.
Spoiler alert! Nothing. I’ve tried different fixing sprays, and none of them work as good as this one in my opinion. Of course, I still have to try Fix+ by MAC, but until then, I am sticking to this one. It works both all over your face or for wetting your eyeshadows. Truly amazing!
And that’s it for this post! What are your favorite products from these categories? Do you have some I haven’t mentioned? Do you hate some of those I have? Let me know!
Thank you for reading!
See you soon x
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