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Beauty: Things I keep reaching for
15
items My go‑to beauty lineup, with products that have survived time and earned a place in my routine. If it’s here, it’s because it truly works for me ✨
Sections
2
Makeup
Skincare
Makeup
This stuff really holds. It’s stiff, but in a good way! Perfect if you want that laminated, lifted brow look without the appointment.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze Gel
Old but gold. Nice shine, super comfortable on the lips, and doesn’t cling to fine lines or dry spots. Easy to apply on the go, comes in beautiful shades, and every time I finish one, I buy another.
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Stix High-Shine Gloss Stick
Not as “fixing” as the name suggests. It won’t make your makeup bulletproof, but it melts everything together beautifully!
It's great if you have dry skin or dry patches, since it hydrates and helps everything look seamless.
Lately, I actually have come to like to use it before putting on makeup to prep the skin. It’s not tacky and barely gives any grip, but I do believe it helps the makeup settle better into the skin.
My only gripe: the mist still needs work.
It's great if you have dry skin or dry patches, since it hydrates and helps everything look seamless.
Lately, I actually have come to like to use it before putting on makeup to prep the skin. It’s not tacky and barely gives any grip, but I do believe it helps the makeup settle better into the skin.
My only gripe: the mist still needs work.
MAC FIX+ Setting Spray
Love at first swipe. I’d heard (even from staff) that it wasn’t worth the price for the amount, but I keep coming back to it. It’s the perfect balance: not too soft that it smudges, not too waxy that it drags. Beautiful shade range (my favorite is Na...
NUDESTIX
Cream Blush Stick
This is so GOATED. Hear me out. Even with the whole clean‑girl, low‑coverage wave, this stuff is incredible. One tiny dot with a fine brush covers imperfections like magic, even the red, inflamed, stubborn ones. I tap it on, let it set, and blend the...
NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer
This is going to sound wild as a beauty rec, BUT. How many times have you bought a “fine-mist-spray product” that just splattered droplets all over your face and ruined your makeup? My fix? A continuous fine‑mist bottle. Any brand works (but test wit...
Continuous Spray Bottle
Coverage is medium to full, it’s buildable, and a tiny dot goes a long way (honestly, the mini is enough if you’re not a heavy makeup user). The texture is creamy rather than watery, it’s never cracked on me, and while it can emphasize lines if you p...
As for the hype: I didn’t believe it either. I only tried it after loving the Soft Matte Complete Concealer, and as someone who never cared much about concealer, this one genuinely converted me. I now prefer spot‑perfecting over a full‑face foundatio...
As for the hype: I didn’t believe it either. I only tried it after loving the Soft Matte Complete Concealer, and as someone who never cared much about concealer, this one genuinely converted me. I now prefer spot‑perfecting over a full‑face foundatio...
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
This powder is a new‑in from a house we already trust, and it is ridiculously better than the classic LM loose powder. I’d been searching for a new setting powder because so many formulas have started to feel drier, cakier, or settle into my lines (a...
The Ultra-Blur finish is glorious, very finely milled, and because it’s pressed, it’s not messy. It blurs the pores (it's not a miracle on my nose, but pretty good), sets under the eyes without clinging to my lines, doesn’t make a desert out of the r...
I spent months looking at color‑correcting options. Fenty and Givenchy were strong contenders, but Fenty had lots of flashback, and the new Givenchy formula has visible glitter, which... no thanks. So I went back to basics: translucent. And that’s wh...
PS: Here I am talking about the Ultra-Blur Translucent Pressed Setting Powder (what a mouthful), the ROUND compact, not the square. The packaging is really similar to the luminous one, to the point it seems like it is the same product but repackaged.
The Ultra-Blur finish is glorious, very finely milled, and because it’s pressed, it’s not messy. It blurs the pores (it's not a miracle on my nose, but pretty good), sets under the eyes without clinging to my lines, doesn’t make a desert out of the r...
I spent months looking at color‑correcting options. Fenty and Givenchy were strong contenders, but Fenty had lots of flashback, and the new Givenchy formula has visible glitter, which... no thanks. So I went back to basics: translucent. And that’s wh...
PS: Here I am talking about the Ultra-Blur Translucent Pressed Setting Powder (what a mouthful), the ROUND compact, not the square. The packaging is really similar to the luminous one, to the point it seems like it is the same product but repackaged.
Laura Mercier Ultra-Blur Translucent Pressed Setting Powder
I’m pretty picky about foundation. I grew up wearing only tinted SPF, so I’ve never been into full‑coverage all over. And right now it feels like foundations are either heavy glam or shiny tinted serums. This one, even though it says “sheer,” is not ...
My checklist is: lightweight, not cakey, spreads easily, doesn’t cling to flaky bits, not glass‑shine but not flat‑matte, buildable, and preferably no SPF to avoid flashback. It also can’t peel over my sunscreen. It basically checks that.
It’s not a glam foundation unless you already have fabulous skin, but for daily wear or hot days, it’s great. A bit of powder helps if you want stronger longevity.
I had fallen out of love with it for a while, but I came back, and that tells me something.
A bonus: because it's MAC, it has a nice shade range.
My checklist is: lightweight, not cakey, spreads easily, doesn’t cling to flaky bits, not glass‑shine but not flat‑matte, buildable, and preferably no SPF to avoid flashback. It also can’t peel over my sunscreen. It basically checks that.
It’s not a glam foundation unless you already have fabulous skin, but for daily wear or hot days, it’s great. A bit of powder helps if you want stronger longevity.
I had fallen out of love with it for a while, but I came back, and that tells me something.
A bonus: because it's MAC, it has a nice shade range.
MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation
Even though I’m not the biggest fan of Korean makeup formulas (with a few exceptions), this palette is one I reach for, and that’s entirely because of the color story.
I have Dusty Fog Garden, which is great for cool‑olive‑toned people, a rare find! The whole range is mapped out by color seasons. You can even find charts showing exactly where each palette falls. Some palettes in the line include shimmers, but this one doesn’t, it’s all mattes.
I wouldn’t recommend these if you want more elaborate or glam looks, it’s better suited for people who don’t want the faff and prefer a simple one‑wash eye.
The formula itself is more powdery‑dry with low‑to‑mid payoff, which isn’t my favorite, so it doesn't build much intensity and almost blends way too much (?), which makes it harder to create “zones”.
BUT for daily use or if you like softer pigment, it’s a great option, especially considering how affordable it is. It may even be worth trying just because of that.
My only real hesitation is how it performs on darker complexions. I’m fairly ghostly, and I’m afraid some shades might not show up well, unfortunately a common issue with a lot of Korean beauty.
I have Dusty Fog Garden, which is great for cool‑olive‑toned people, a rare find! The whole range is mapped out by color seasons. You can even find charts showing exactly where each palette falls. Some palettes in the line include shimmers, but this one doesn’t, it’s all mattes.
I wouldn’t recommend these if you want more elaborate or glam looks, it’s better suited for people who don’t want the faff and prefer a simple one‑wash eye.
The formula itself is more powdery‑dry with low‑to‑mid payoff, which isn’t my favorite, so it doesn't build much intensity and almost blends way too much (?), which makes it harder to create “zones”.
BUT for daily use or if you like softer pigment, it’s a great option, especially considering how affordable it is. It may even be worth trying just because of that.
My only real hesitation is how it performs on darker complexions. I’m fairly ghostly, and I’m afraid some shades might not show up well, unfortunately a common issue with a lot of Korean beauty.
rom&nd Better Than Palette eyeshadow
This is one of those products I don’t really have anything bad to say about, but I also haven’t been reaching for it much lately. This was a recurring one. I’m not sure if that’s a trend thing or just me changing the way I wear my makeup.
As a product, it’s good. It makes the skin shiny exactly where you place it, glides on easily with fingers, and dries quickly. It’s not the easiest to blend if you’re going for clean‑girl vibes, but once it sets, I never notice much transfer. In fact...
What’s been keeping me from reaching for it is the finish. It’s very highlight‑y, more metallic, and more of that classic 2016 glow we used to do. Lately, I’ve preferred using it mixed with a body moisturizer or as an all‑over face glow, rather than ...
It might be my application style, but even though I like it (and would recommend, if this is the finish and type of formula you enjoy), I’ve been reaching more for powders. Who would’ve thought.
As a product, it’s good. It makes the skin shiny exactly where you place it, glides on easily with fingers, and dries quickly. It’s not the easiest to blend if you’re going for clean‑girl vibes, but once it sets, I never notice much transfer. In fact...
What’s been keeping me from reaching for it is the finish. It’s very highlight‑y, more metallic, and more of that classic 2016 glow we used to do. Lately, I’ve preferred using it mixed with a body moisturizer or as an all‑over face glow, rather than ...
It might be my application style, but even though I like it (and would recommend, if this is the finish and type of formula you enjoy), I’ve been reaching more for powders. Who would’ve thought.
Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer
Oh… this is an interesting one. I was never a mascara girlie. Drugstore, high‑end, most formulas performed the same for me. I have thick, long lashes, but they’re also straight and never curl, and if I go for dramatic volume, they get spider‑y. Nothi...
Over time, especially with the foxy‑eye trend, I realized I like focusing product on the outer corner. But we’re past the urchin‑wand era, so where could I find similar? Well... this is not it, though, it IS a smaller and shorter plastic bristles wan...
Formula‑wise… I’m still not amazed, but it does the job, as is, it’s a nice formula that gives regular volume with good definition. It can smudge a little, but honestly most non‑crazy-waterproof mascaras do that on me, it’s just my eye shape or how m...
If you’re looking for a smaller wand, this might be the one. I even dare say I might go hunt for other formulas and keep the wand.
Over time, especially with the foxy‑eye trend, I realized I like focusing product on the outer corner. But we’re past the urchin‑wand era, so where could I find similar? Well... this is not it, though, it IS a smaller and shorter plastic bristles wan...
Formula‑wise… I’m still not amazed, but it does the job, as is, it’s a nice formula that gives regular volume with good definition. It can smudge a little, but honestly most non‑crazy-waterproof mascaras do that on me, it’s just my eye shape or how m...
If you’re looking for a smaller wand, this might be the one. I even dare say I might go hunt for other formulas and keep the wand.
KIKO Maxi Mod Mascara
Skincare
Looking for a nighttime moisturizer? I've got you covered!
I went without this for a while and was having a moisturizer identity crisis, nothing felt *that* good. After a few rounds of trying new things, I realized this one was the best all along. I swear by it. I don’t know what’s in it, but it works.
It’s thick and sets quickly, so you don’t have a ton of time to spread it. Because it dries fast, you do need to be a tad bit generous (I wish I could say “a little goes a long way,” but that’s not quite true). It leaves the slightest film (barely no...
Under makeup, though? Not for me. I know a lot of people rave about using it that way, but it’s peeled on me so many times that I gave up. For nighttime, it’s unbeatable. For daytime makeup prep, I’d skip it.
I went without this for a while and was having a moisturizer identity crisis, nothing felt *that* good. After a few rounds of trying new things, I realized this one was the best all along. I swear by it. I don’t know what’s in it, but it works.
It’s thick and sets quickly, so you don’t have a ton of time to spread it. Because it dries fast, you do need to be a tad bit generous (I wish I could say “a little goes a long way,” but that’s not quite true). It leaves the slightest film (barely no...
Under makeup, though? Not for me. I know a lot of people rave about using it that way, but it’s peeled on me so many times that I gave up. For nighttime, it’s unbeatable. For daytime makeup prep, I’d skip it.
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5
Let’s talk unsung heroes. THIS one. It’s so common you barely notice it on the shelf, but I’ve probably repurchased it for almost 10 years. Not the white “med‑repair,” not the fruity ones, not the exfoliating ones, but the dark blue packaging one. Th...
It really locks in moisture all night. It’s on the heavier side and can leave a slight whitish cast if you apply a lot, but it works! and at a super affordable price. It doesn’t taste like much, barely has fragrance, just safe and simple.
If you’re tired of Carmex, Vaseline, or those overly waxy balms that disappear in an hour, this is the one I recommend. Has been on my bedside table for years, it ends, I buy another one, there hasn't been any other to replace this one cost-benefit-w...
It really locks in moisture all night. It’s on the heavier side and can leave a slight whitish cast if you apply a lot, but it works! and at a super affordable price. It doesn’t taste like much, barely has fragrance, just safe and simple.
If you’re tired of Carmex, Vaseline, or those overly waxy balms that disappear in an hour, this is the one I recommend. Has been on my bedside table for years, it ends, I buy another one, there hasn't been any other to replace this one cost-benefit-w...
NIVEA Moisturizing Lip Balm
This is a great replacement if you can’t find the La Roche‑Posay one. They’re similar but not the same, yet I can use them interchangeably, in the same way and for the same purpose: as a hydration‑boosting, repairing layer on top of my regular moistu...
Where this one really shines is tight skin. You know when dryness gets to the point where your face feels tight? This cream is great for that. It’s more on the oily side, so it’s more forgiving when applied on its own and has a better “a little goes ...
Because it’s oilier, you’ll feel more tackiness, especially right after applying. Give it about 15 minutes, and it settles.
I wouldn’t recommend it under makeup, but in my opinion it’s still more forgiving than LRP's.
- Cicaplast can make makeup peel;
- Cicabio can make makeup slide;
If your skin is extremely dry, it might just soak it up, but I’d still say none are excellent at that.
My preferred method is using plenty at night. It’s a heavier formula that pumps in moisture, stays gentle, and is completely fragrance‑free. Another plus is that I usually find it at a better price point. If you like creams in the Cica-family, I’d re...
Where this one really shines is tight skin. You know when dryness gets to the point where your face feels tight? This cream is great for that. It’s more on the oily side, so it’s more forgiving when applied on its own and has a better “a little goes ...
Because it’s oilier, you’ll feel more tackiness, especially right after applying. Give it about 15 minutes, and it settles.
I wouldn’t recommend it under makeup, but in my opinion it’s still more forgiving than LRP's.
- Cicaplast can make makeup peel;
- Cicabio can make makeup slide;
If your skin is extremely dry, it might just soak it up, but I’d still say none are excellent at that.
My preferred method is using plenty at night. It’s a heavier formula that pumps in moisture, stays gentle, and is completely fragrance‑free. Another plus is that I usually find it at a better price point. If you like creams in the Cica-family, I’d re...
Bioderma Cicabio Crème+ Ultra-Repairing Soothing Cream