New Beauty Products

Hey y’all!

I have been trying some new beauty products/tools lately and thought I would do a review on some of them. Forewarning: this post might be a little lengthy but I want to make sure I tell you as much as I can about why I love or don’t love the product. Plus, I’m saving my new favorite/holy grail/can’t live without it item until the very end so you should at least read that.

Let’s start with this Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water. I was so excited to try this but unfortunately, I am not a fan. I tried it as a primer, didn’t like it. Tried it as a finishing spray, didn’t compare to my Urban Decay setting spray so, I didn’t like it. I even tried it as a makeup refresher and still didn’t like it. The main thing I didn’t like when trying this product all these different ways was I just didn’t see a difference. This one will probably be making its way back to the store. However, if you have used it and loved it I am open to tips to sway me.

The next product is Sephora Collection Cushion Glossy Eyeliner. I have seen these cushion eyeliner pots a lot recently and have wanted to try them. This one is nice because it comes with a brush and the price is good. It goes on great and stays all day. I also find it extremely easy to do a cat eye with it. The reviews online said the brush became hard and hurt when applying. I agree with the review, but to fix the problem, I just rinse the excess product off the brush after each use.

Let’s talk about lipstick. If you know me, you know lipstick is kind of my thing. During Ulta’s 21 days of beauty Urban Decay Cosmetics Sheer Revolution Lipstick, were half price making them a steal at $11. I typically go for matte because I like the way matte stays on longer. I think the key when buying anything new is to know what you are buying. I knew these were sheer so I wasn’t expecting them to stay all day. While I may have to reapply a couple times a day, I really love these. They pack a good punch of color and don’t dry out my lips. (That’s a big plus with any formula of lipstick in my book!) If you follow me on instagram, you have probably seen me talk about my “new favorite lipstick” which is Ladyflower. I also got F-Bomb, which is a great red color.

This next product was a very new formula for me. Eyelash primer. I would say next to lipstick eyelashes are a big deal for me. I have really blonde lashes so I sometimes don’t feel like a real person without mascara. (And a lot of it for that matter.) I have seen a lot of other bloggers talk about primers and what a difference they make so I thought I would give one a try. Clinique makes one of my favorite mascaras so I decided to try their primer. I can really notice a difference. I typically use 2-3 different mascaras applying 3-4 coats total. With this, I can use my favorite mascara, apply 1 maybe 2 coats, and get the same great effect. It makes my lashes extremely full which I LOVE!

Next, I have not 1 but 2 foundations to review. One I absolutely love and the other I just feel so-so about. Let’s start with the one I love. I decided to try Estee Lauder Double Wear after seeing a TON of other bloggers rave about it. It’s a medium to full coverage, which I normally avoid because of the Florida heat and because I’m more of a light to medium coverage kind of gal but this one I actually like. I definitely have to blend it well but as long as I do, I think it gives great coverage without being too heavy. It also still looks pretty great at 6pm after work. 

The other foundation I recently tried is the CLINIQUE Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer. This one I am not the biggest fan of. It’s also a medium to full coverage. (Again, I like light to medium coverage and the makeup counter girls always try to talk me out of the medium to full coverage but I NEVER listen. Maybe next time.) The main thing I don’t like about this is the bottle. It’s hard to get out and I can’t ever tell if I’m shaking it up before I apply it. It’s also very thick which can make it hard to blend. I had chalked this one up to a complete loss until I recently found my Holy Grail product. (Here’s a little hint it obviously helps with foundation.)

Lastly, let’s talk about tools. I recently discovered Real Techniques brushes and let me tell y’all I love them. I’m not one to spend a lot of money on brushes (shocking because I definitely don’t fell that way about makeup) and these are great quality for a GREAT price. I have the Stippling Brush , which I love for my double wear foundation. It really gives the airbrush look/finish, which I love. I also picked up the Sculpting Brush for my contour. I’ve been looking for the perfect contour brush for a while now (not about dropping $55 on the NARS ita brush although, I was almost there) and this one has been pretty great. It’s not to stiff which makes it easy to blend and its super soft which is always a plus when it comes to makeup brushes.

And finally without further ado my new favorite/holy grail/ can’t live without item is the Miracle Complexion Sponge by Real Techniques (aka a beauty blender). I know these are nothing new but I have been putting off buying one for a couple reasons. I finally decided to give one a try and I am so glad I did. It gives me the perfect airbrush look with ANY foundation (even that Clinique one I’m not crazy about) and the one by real techniques is a fraction of the cost of the real one. I also love it for applying my concealer. I feel like helps it not settle into the creases. Seriously RUN to your nearest Ulta and pick one up.

(All the Real Techniques brushes at Ulta are currently BOGO 50% off!!!!!)

I hope y’all enjoyed this review. If you have any questions about these products or any other products I use please feel free to leave them in the comments or shoot me an email at fashionablylateblonde@gmail.com

I appreciate you stopping by and I hope you have a great weekend!