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Tried, Tested, Obsessed: My Holy-Grail Makeup & Skincare Picks
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items My makeup BFF list - the products I’m totally obsessed with and can’t stop recommending. If it made the cut here, trust me, it’s a keeper!
Sections
9
Contour
Eyes
Cheeks
Foundation
Primer/Setting Spray
Lips
Contour
Really good contours are hard to find. The Major Sculpt Crème Contour & Powder Bronzer Duo is. a. keeper!
*Apply with the Patrick Ta Dual-Ended Contour Brush
Color: I have an olive undertone and I wear “She’s Sculpted” - medium with warm bronze...
Major Sculpt Creme Contour & Powder Bronzer Duo - PATRICK TA | Sephora
My FAV-OR-ITE contour brush of all time! Built to pair perfectly with the Patrick Ta Sculpt Crème Contour & Powder Bronzer Duo (found in my recommendations) I have consistently used this brush for nearly two years! I love the softness of the bris...
Dual-Ended Contour Brush - PATRICK TA | Sephora
Built to pair perfectly with the Patrick Ta Sculpt Crème Contour & Powder Bronzer Duo (found in my recommendations), this is such an amazing brush for nose contour! As with the larger dual-ended Patrick Ta contour brush (also found in my recommen...
Dual Ended Precision Nose Contour Brush - PATRICK TA | Sephora
Eyes
I have high expectations when it comes to my mascara. As my grandmother always said, “If you don’t have time to apply a full face of makeup before leaving the house, at least apply mascara and lipstick.” #lipsandlashes
This mascara adds a great amo...
Exagger-eyes Volumizing and Curling Mascara - Charlotte Tilbury | Sephora
I’m typically not a fan of cream eyeshadows, however, the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Cream Eyeshadow has changed my eyeshadow game and has become my daily go-to! Great pigment. Blends easily. Super stay power.
Caviar Stick Cream Eyeshadow - Laura Mercier | Sephora
My daughter, being utterly obsessed with having the longest lashes possible, while also protecting her lashes as much as possible, swears by this mascara. After application, her lashes are so long that she has grown women asking her about her makeup ...
tarte tartelette™ XL lengthening & tubing mascara
I have to be honest. This eyeshadow was recommended to me by a well known makeup artist. For whatever reason I hesitated to purchase, then on a whim, I tossed it in the basket. And I am So. Glad. I . Did! A little goes a long way so it will last you ...
Master Mattes® Long-Wearing Cream Eyeshadow - MAKEUP BY MARIO | Sephora
False lashes aren't an every day thing for me, but I do love the opportunity to wear them! For countless years I purchased the original ‘go-to’ brand of false lashes and adhesive…never really impressed with them, but they were easy. Then, while trave...
Lilly Lashes Brush On Lash Adhesive - Lilly Lashes | Sephora
As you may have read from my Lilly Lashes Adhesive recommendation, false lashes aren't an every day thing for me, but I am always thrilled when the opportunity presents itself! For countless years I purchased the original ‘go-to’ brand of false lashe...
Dreamy Butterfl'Eyes Faux Mink Half Lashes - Lilly Lashes | Ulta Beauty
As noted on my recommendation for the Laura Mercier ‘Translucent’ loose powder for the majority of your face, the Laura Mercier ‘Tone Up Powder - Pink’ understood the assignment. I use the ‘Tone Up Powder - Pink’ to help brighten my eyes and assist w...
Translucent Loose Setting Powder - Laura Mercier | Sephora
One thing the late 40s has taught me about makeup is that the stark, dark, liquid eye liners can most definitely age your eyes if not applied correctly. Solution: change to a pigmented BLENDABLE eye liner! Recommended by the same makeup artist that s...
Master Pigment Pro™ Eyeliner Pencil - MAKEUP BY MARIO | Sephora
Cheeks
Color: Sublime Flush
I have so many friends now hooked on this blush and there’s a reason for that - it’s soooo good!
For a full face of makeup, I apply one ‘swoosh’ of the NARS Blur Blush Stick in the color Orgasm. Then I apply the Hourglass Sub...
Ambient Lighting Blush Collection - Hourglass | Sephora
I still remember when the Nars powder blush in the color Orgasm was sold out everywhere. It was promoted as a ‘universal color’ at the time and it was, in fact, such a beautiful color. Fast forward to the launch of their blur blush stick and the Orga...
The Multiple Soft Blur Blush Stick for Cheeks, Eyes and Lips - NARS | Sephora
Foundation
The perfect foundation for your 40s and 50s! Like many, the foundation I use depends on what I have planned for the day. As I have reached my late 40s, I noticed that my usual go-to daily foundation was not doing a superior job at covering sun and ag...
All Hours Longwear Natural Matte Foundation - Yves Saint Laurent | Sephora
Primer/Setting Spray
There are two different brands of primer and setting sprays that continuously prove their worth and this is one of them. Though a foundation may have all of the right ingredients to last from 8-5, a good primer and setting spray is the key! You won't...
All Nighter Waterproof Natural Finish Setting Spray with 24HR Wear - Urban Decay | Sephora
The Too Faced Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray is one of the two primers/setting sprays I will ever recommend! From hot summer 12 hour days on the baseball field in the south to competitive cheer makeup for my daughter, this pr...
Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray - Too Faced | Sephora
Lips
Such a goooooood, universal lip set! The color looks good on everyone and it goes with everything! I have continued to buy this mini set as it's the perfect size to carry in my daily handbag as well as my small handbags/clutch.
Mini Glossy Pink Lip Gloss + Lip Liner Set - Charlotte Tilbury | Sephora
Charlotte Tillbury does it again! Just like the CT liner and gloss that you'll see in my suggestions, this liner and lipstick has the most beautiful, universal color! The mini size is perfect for easy carry in your purse and it makes for an inexpensi...
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Mini Lipstick & Lip Liner Set | Sephora
Use this daily, year round! This Lanolips 101 Ointment does the absolute best job at keeping my lips hydrated (especially in the fall/winter months)! I put it on my lips before I go to bed at night and when I wake up the next morning. Even my boys as...
Lanolips 101 Ointment Multi-Balm Duo, 2-Pack
My teenage daughter put me on to this peptide lip treatment by Rhode. This is the reformulated version. I love the hydration it gives and the design makes it easy to reapply on the go. It is super glossy so I often wear it alone, but it also looks gr...
Peptide Lip Treatment Nourishing Glaze - rhode | Sephora
Brows
Y'all, take it from a girl who overplucked her brows in college as she listened to her best friend cry her eyes out over her ex-boyfriend…this is the best brow pencil there is! It's crazy how much difference the application of a brow pencil makes and...
Brow Wiz® Ultra-Slim Precision Detailing Eyebrow Pencil
Powder
Laura Mercier is, hands down, the best there is when it comes to a loose long wear powder. Being the curious one, and having a teenager who stays on top of all the new, upcoming and trending makeup products, I have tried and tested an exuberant amoun...
Translucent Loose Setting Powder - Laura Mercier | Sephora
Skincare
Finally! A skincare regimen that you can rightfully claim a major obsession over!
Enter: The holy-grail of skincare - the U Beauty Resurfacing Compound. Here's what it says it does (and guess what…it ACTUALLY DOES IT!) 1) Visibly improves the look of fine lines + wrinkles…YEP! 2) Visibly improves dullness + uneven tone…100% 3) Boosts radiance…ABSOLUTELY! 4)Refines skin texture…YES. IT. DOES! After washing my face, and before applying any other serum and/or lotion, I use the U Beauty Resurfacing Compound. It's been the perf...
Resurfacing Serum to Brighten Skin - U Beauty Resurfacing Compound
Like everything else, when I entered my late 40s, my skincare needs started to drastically change. Though I was already using a thoughtfully curated, preventative skincare, my skin was simply not having it. I tried two other promising brands before I...
Riman - Skincare Routine
STEP 1 of SKINCARE ROUTINE: When I made the switch to Riman skincare, the double cleansing nightly routine was new to me, but it makes TOTAL sense! That said, I use two (2) cleansers at night and this is the first cleanser that I use. It's super gent...
Riman - Moisture Cleansing Oil
STEP 2 of SKINCARE ROUTINE: As I mentioned in my other Riman cleanser recommendation, I double cleanse at night and this is the second cleanser that I use after the Moisture Cleansing Oil. (In the mornings, before applying makeup, I use a single clea...
Riman - Snow Enzyme Cleanser FX
STEP 3 of SKINCARE ROUTINE: Let me start by saying that initially, I did not include this booster and serum in my nightly routine as I didn't really see it as a necessity. Granted, it's truly not a “necessity”, but once I did try it and now that I ha...
Riman - Booster & Serum Duo
STEP 4 of SKINCARE ROUTINE: After using the Booster and Serum, I use this Calming Balance Gel. It's a water-based gel (which I love) and it has done wonders for not only the redness on my skin that had developed as I age, but also for the occasional ...
Riman - Calming Balance Gel
STEP 5 of SKINCARE ROUTINE: This is the final step in my skincare routine, and, if I'm honest, I don't use it every night on my face as the products that go before this step do such a great job at hydrating and moisturizing my skin. That said, I use ...
Riman - Dermatology Cream
I can't say enough good things about these Glycolic Acid Peel Pads! LOOOOOVVVVEEE! As seen from my recommendations, a majority of my skincare regimen is from Riman, but I was not happy with the Riman exfoliator. When looking for one to replace it, th...
Glycolic Acid Peel Pads with Blue Agave
I have tried sooooo many sunscreens over the years and I had yet to find one that didn't affect the wear/longevity of my makeup and/or break me out. That said, let me confess that I had completely given up on a facial sunscreen and had been going wit...
Multimodal Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 25
I have loved every one of the ampoule concentrates that I have tried from Babor, however, out of them all, the Collagen Firming ampoule is the one that I have ordered over and over again. As a bonus to your nightly skincare regimen, apply one (1) amp...
Collagen Firming Ampoule
I don't say this lightly…Spoiled Child is the absolute Queen of Collagen! With nearly 240,000 reviews, it's safe to say that I'm not the only one who believes in this liquid gold! That's because Spoiled Child deliciously delivers all the benefits tha...
E27 Extra Strength Liquid Collagen