Category: #makeup

My Favorite Blushes!

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I have a weakness for blush. As you’ll soon find out, my favorite shade to wear is a very warm toned, peachy-pink. I find these are very complimentary to my olive skin tone and usually match the bronzey makeup looks I do on a regular basis. In my opinion, blush brightens my overall look and provides a natural flush of color to my cheeks that I otherwise do not have. I don’t go a day without it because I feel that it marries my bronzer and highlight together, filling in any gaps of bare skin. Even my “no-makeup” makeup looks incorporate blush application. I think it’s one of the easiest ways to look more awake too! By providing this flush of color, you will liven your complexion and create a youthful glow.
 


I’ve tried out so many blushes, ranging from inexpensive to very high end. I really think I’ve pinpointed my favorite formulas based on smoothness of application, pigmentation and longevity. By far, the best blushes I’ve tried and own are the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes. These babies are in a league of their own! I’ve never found a blush that’s anywhere close to as good as these are. They apply softly on the cheeks and the color does not fade throughout the day! Tarte advertises that they’re a “12-hour wear” formula, but these have definitely lasted on my skin for much longer! It’s really rare that every blush shade in a brands collection is equally as amazing and these truly are! I have no doubt that any color you choose will be your new favorite! I started wearing these blushes five years ago and they are still the ones I keep repurchasing to this day! Here are my absolute favorite shades that I would categorize as must-haves! 

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush, $28. Top Row Shades: “Peaceful” and “Natural Beauty” Bottom Row Shades: “Tipsy” and “Glisten”


  

The next blushes that I love are from Too Faced! The Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting 16-Hour Blushes are really nice! Very pigmented and apply super evenly on the skin. I personally think the formula is more on the sheer side, which is nice if you prefer to build up color in a natural way. I definitely stand behind the claim that these last for 16 hours! I do think they start to fade after that point, unlike the Tarte blushes! Also I’m obsessed with the packaging of these blushes because they remind me of Polly Pocket, so cute! The next blush I have from Too Faced is their Sweetheart Perfect Flush Blush! These boxed blushes are also in adorable packaging that holds the beautiful, baked, ombré blush inside. I think this color is so pretty when I swirl my brush to pick up all three colors at once. The formula has fine gold shimmer throughout and shows up on the cheeks as a subtle glow that’s perfect for summer! Although Too Faced doesn’t advertise this as a long-lasting blush, this particular color held up for an entire work day on my skin and did not lose any vibrancy over time. I highly recommend you check out the other shades in the range because they have something for every skin tone! 

Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting 16-Hour Blush, $26. In the shade: “I Will Always Love You.” Too Faced Sweetheart Perfect Flush Blush, $30. In the shade: “Sparkling Bellini.”


Lastly I wanted to include the Becca Afterglow Palette, which can be found exclusively at Ulta. I found this palette was a great way to try some of Becca’s Mineral Blushes as well as their Shimmering Skin Perfectors! I already owned the white-gold highlight in the palette called “Moonstone” and use it to achieve an intense icy glow on the tops of my cheekbones. The Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in “Rose Gold” and “Topaz” are more of a blush topper for me personally! I apply these on top of the blush I’m wearing to give me an all-over illuminated glow. The Mineral Blush in “Wild Honey” and the Mineral Blush in “Flowerchild” are absolutely stunning! Both are extremely different in color, but equally as gorgeous. My personal favorite is “Wild Honey” because it’s unique to any other shade of blush own and is universal enough to match any makeup look! The Becca Mineral Blushes in this palette sadly only last about 6-8 hours on me before I feel like I need to reapply, but with that said, the smooth texture and pigmentation on these products outweigh any cons. I’m so excited to try more of these colors and put them to the test during the Spring and Summer months! 

Becca Afterglow Palette, $39.50. The blushes and highlight in the palette are in the shades: Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in “Moonstone.” Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in “Rose Gold.” Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in “Topaz.” Mineral Blush in “Wild Honey.” Mineral Blush in “Flowerchild.”


I hope I gave you some good suggestions on different brands of blushes to try! I know a lot of the shades are similar, but these peachy-pink tones are my favorite to wear! Let me know your favorite blushes because I’m always willing to step out of my comfort zone and try new ones! Thanks for reading! 

L’Oreal Glam Bronze Bronzer

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This gloomy weather has been making me crave Summer. Since I can’t naturally achieve my desired tan, glowy skin at the moment, I decided to cope the best way I know how and buy a new bronzer. Whenever I walk into any drugstore, I always check out the new makeup collections displayed in the front. I noticed L’Oreal’s new products for Summer right away because they were in sparkly orange packaging. Once I examined the new “Glam Bronze Bronzer Summer Collection,” I noticed there were three different shades in the range to suit light, medium and dark skin tones. I chose the shade “Glam Bronze Medium” because the shade was uniquely the perfect mix between a cool and warm toned brown. I also could see that there was visible gold shimmer on the pan, but I personally like my bronzers to have a sheen to them! Especially in the summertime for an added healthy glow to the skin!     

Glam Bronze Bronzer Summer Collection, Glam Bronze Medium, $14.99.


    

So now onto the actual review of the product! I’ve only been testing it for about a week, so these opinions are based on my first impressions! Beginning with the packaging, I really feel like for drugstore it’s pretty solid! It doesn’t feel super luxurious, but I also don’t think it’s flimsy like some other drugstore packaging can be. I think the size of the bronzer is amazing! The pan is huge so you can fit any sized brush into the product. Sometimes I like to use a large powder brush to lightly sweep bronzer all over my face for a natural, non-contoured effect, so pan size is important!   

Such a beautiful woven pattern stamped onto the bronzer. Love the attention to detail, L’Oreal!


    

The consistency of the bronzer is really different, in a good way! It feels like a hybrid between cream and powder. When swatched, this bronzer feels super silky on the skin, which is nice because most powder bronzers can be slightly chalky and have a lot of fallout. This bronzer is very evenly pigmented and doesn’t transfer the visible glitter that is on the pan, onto your face. I have a feeling it is an overspray and once I use the entire top layer of this product, a satin bronzer will be underneath! Overall this bronzer applies in a really natural way once on the skin. I believe the unique silky texture forces this product to blend in with your skin without any harsh likes. Once finished applying this bronzer, it truly just looks like a natural tan. 


As far as the longevity of this product, it lasted throughout an entire work day for me. This time lapse included applying at 7:00 am and arriving home at 6:00 pm. I would say once it was 8-9:00pm, I noticed it was broken up and patchy around my forehead. This is probably due to this area of my face falling victim to oiliness! Other than that, the product lasted nicely throughout my entire day! I did find that setting my entire face with a makeup setting spray (I use Urban Decay All-Nighter) did extend the wear time of this bronzer, but it honestly does that with any bronzer that I wear. 

   

I think this bronzer is perfect for someone who enjoys a neutral bronze shade. One that isn’t too warm and orange-based, or too cool with a gray undertone. It really looks so natural on the skin and melts in with the rest of your face products seamlessly. At $14.99, it is pricey for drugstore, but L’Oreal tends to be. I think with the amount of product you receive, the price can be justified! Again, you can usually find good deals on L’Oreal and other drugstore brands if you research what weekly sales are happening in your area, so try to get an added discount if you can! I would definitely repurchase this product and it’s now my new favorite bronzer from the drugstore. Also let me know if you would like to see a post about all my favorite drugstore and high-end bronzers! I think I have quite the collection and variety so it could help you find your next bronzer obsession! Thanks for reading!