As a beauty writer and enthusiast, I have a lot of makeup and skin-care products. Some are samples I received from brands while others are gifts from relatives and friends (my immediate family members have more sense than to give me any more). Most are purchases, planned or otherwise.
Every morning, it’s a struggle to pick which one to use. I am more consistent with skin care because I use the same products over and over. Makeup is more difficult. Here are the makeup and skin-care stuff from my stash that I reached for more than the others throughout this month that about to close.
PHYSIOGEL INTENSIVE CREAM
I normally use Physiogel AI as my nighttime moisturizer but I have had difficulty looking for this in months so I bought a tube of Physiogel Intensive Cream and it works just as well. If you have sensitive skin that breaks out a lot and your only concern is moisture, this is an above-average night cream. It can be a bit greasy for daytime though, so you probably need another moisturizer for that.
MAC MINERALIZE SKINFINISH NATURAL IN MEDIUM AND MEDIUM DARK
June was still too hot to wear cream or liquid foundation so most of the time, I just applied this (medium for the nose and forehead and medium dark for the rest of the face) with a sponge. This covers any minor blemishes and other imperfections and gives my face a subtle glow. Coverage is light to medium. You can layer this without fear of caking.
MAC CAREBLEND PRESSED POWDER IN MEDIUM DARK
This is another summer favorite. This offers a flatter finish compared with the MSF Natural. The coverage is also light to medium. I bought this in February and I have almost hit pan.
BOBBI BROWN LONGWEAR
EVEN FINISH COMPACT FOUNDATION IN HONEY
This was one of my two go-to foundations for summer. I couldn’t wear anything heavy or one that had to be applied with a brush or fingers. This cream foundation can be applied with a sponge. It offers medium coverage and lasts for about 68 hours despite sweating. I usually set it with loose powder.
BENEFIT BELLA BAMBA
This blush, which has since been discontinued, is a better version of the famous NARS Orgasm blush. This is more pigmented (the color is described as sheer-bright watermelon) and the shimmer is more subtle as opposed to chunky and gritty. I have two boxes of this so I should be good for two years. I don’t know what I would do once I have finished the two boxes though.
THE FACE SHOP DESIGN MY EYEBROW IN 02 (DARK BROWN)
I use this mainly because it has a spoolie at the other end but I also like it for lazy days when I just want a natural-looking brow.
Or I layer this under another product as an outline.
BENEFIT GIMME BROW
Many girls use this as a brow mascara but I know it has fiber that actually covers bald spots on your brows. I apply this after I have outlined my sparse eyebrows with a pencil or powder (usually the powder from the Benefit Brow Zings eyebrow palette).
MAC PAINT POT IN RUBENESQUE
I use this as a primer or for a sweep of color on my lids when I am lazy. It applies creamy but dries down to a powdery-matte finish. As a primer, it really makes your other eye makeup go the distance. Used alone, it brightens you eye area.
THE BODY SHOP SMOKY 2 IN 1 GEL LINER
I love that this comes with its own brush. But I love it more that the gel liner lasts for several hours on my upper lids without fading or traveling to other parts of the eye. At less than P700, this is a steal.
GERARD COSMETICS LIPSTICK IN 1995
I like supporting indie labels and Gerard Cosmetics is one of those brands. This lipstick, a darkish nude, is the result of a collaboration between Gerard Cosmetics and celebrity makeup artist and YouTuber Jaclyn Hill. It’s matte, a bit drying but tolerable and is longlasting.
The color is lovely, too. It’s a brownish nude that doesn’t give you that washed out look.
- E-mail the author at luckydinna@gmail.com.