Favorite Makeup Products as of April 2016

If you've been following this blog for a while then chances are that you have seen me rave about products I love to use. But for some reason I have never done a post discussing my favorites and staples. Although I have a lot of favorite products, I narrowed it down to these.

I apologize for the bit of wash out in the pictures, we just got new lighting in my living room and I'm still experimenting with it, trying to figure out the perfect spot/position to take my review photos. 

Concealer - Nyx HD Concealer & Benefit Fakeup

I use the shade Porcelain as well as the color correcting shades Yellow and Green. These concealers are pigmented and really creamy. They blend well and have a really good range of colors. This is the one concealer I have uses that matches my skin tone. Whenever I use the Porcelain one over the yellow under my eyes it really seems to brighten them. 

This is Fakeup in the shade light. It is an under eye concealer, when it came out a few years ago there was a lot of hype but since I have hardly hears much about it. A little goes a long way; this is a concealer surrounded by a solid moisturizer in a metal tube to soothe the under eye area. It gas a slight yellow tone to cancel out dark circles and it covers really well. 

Face Primer - Smashbox Photofinish Primer

The cult classic! It fills pores like no other and creates a wonderfully smooth surface. 

Foundation - Urban Decay Naked Skin

In the shade .5. Although this doesn't have the fullest coverage ( it is buildable however), it makes my skin look amazing! It gives me such a glow like no other foundation I have used. I appreciate that the pump dispenses a little at a time so product isn't wasted. It lasts all day and is very light weight. 

Blush - Etude House Sweet Recipe All Over Color, Milani Rose blush and Nars blush

The Etude House All Over Color in Strawberry Chiffon Cake. It is a cream to powder product that can be used as an eye-shadow, lipstick or blush. I use it as a blush; although it looks daunting in the tin it actually can apply sheerly and product can be built up. This is my go to blush when I can't decide which one to wear. 

Milani rose blush in Tea Rose. This blush is almost too pretty to touch! It is a beautiful natural rose color. It is extremely pigmented though so it is easy to over apply. This is a matte blush and look at how much product you get! 

Nars Orgasm blush - yup the cult classic with the dirty name. It truly lives up to the hype. It lasts and glides on nicely. A little goes a long way. This color is flattering on every skin tone, this is the first I recommend to friends looking to start wearing blush.

Eyeliners - Rimmel Scandal Eyes Liquid Eyeliner Pens & Urban Decay 24/7 liner

I have had these liquid liner pens for an embarrassing amount of time and they haven't dried up! I love liquid liner pens but they tend to dry up quickly - not these! They apply very well and are waterproof; they last all day!

Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Onyx - I love using this liner outside my waterline. It is very black so I tend to smudge it with a qtip to make it less harsh and set with a black eye-shadow. 

Brow Filler - Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow

In the shade Taupe. My eyebrows are so hard to find a color for. Between my hair being an odd light shade of brown and having very fair skin brow fillers tend to look too dark on me. Not only is this shade perfect for me, but it lasts all day. You only need a tiny bit of product, once you learn to use it it is a wonderful product. 

Mascara - Lashes and Cosmetics Mascara Sampler & Bare Minerals Locked & Coated

I have been reaching for these mascaras and layering them so much. They really make a difference in my lashes; I especially love layering the thickening and volumizing ones. 

This is a clear waterproof topcoat for mascara. No matter what mascara I use, I have such issues with it running even if it is a waterproof one. When I apply this top coat, however it locks in my mascara and keeps it in place. 

Powder - Elf Mineral Booster

Though it looks like it applies with color in the jar, it applies sheerily. I love how this powder feels! It is very soft and lightweight. It blends very nicely without feeling or looking cakey. It is perfect for setting my foundation. 

Contour - Elf  Cool Bronzer

This is as matte bronzer palette. I use this for contouring and the white for highlighting. The colors aren't too orangey and really make for a great contour.

Eyeshadow Primer - Urban Decay Primer Potion 

I use the shade Eden or Original! It makes my eye-shadow stay like no other primer and creates a great smooth base. 

Highlighter - Benefit High Beam, Physician's Formula Shimmer Brick and Manic Panic Dreamtone foundation

High beam is a wonderful dewy luminizing highlighter. It is creamy, blends well and lasts all day. 

This Physicians Formula product can be used as blush, eye-shadow, highlighter and bronzer. I only use the top two rows for as highlighter, it gives my skin such a beautiful bright glow. It isn't pigmented enough to use as eye-shadow and I don't bother with the bronzer rows. 

I purchased this Manic Panic Dreamtone foundation in Virgin to use to lighten foundations that were too dark to match my skin. I found that this makes a wonderful matte highlight to use when contouring! This is an absolute staple in my collection. It is creamy and pigmented; it feels lovely on my skin. 

This is a wonderful alternative to those horrid grease paints if you need whiter skin for Halloween. It doesn't make your face a stark white or chalky looking. It actually will gradually pale your skin with each layer and looks very natural if blended well. 

Eyeshadow - Urban Decay Naked 3, Colour Pop Eyeshadows

Urban Decay's naked palettes are my go to eyeshsdows; Naked 3 is my favorite. 

I freaking LOVE these shadows! I only own two but I'm dying to own more! This one is Game Face; it is a beautiful rich metallic copper color. It makes my blue eyes really pop. The shadows feel like satin, so soft and blend like butter. It is easiest to tap onto the lid with your finger and then blend with a fluffy brush. 

Setting Spray - Urban Decay All Nighter, Elf Mist & Set

All Nighter is my go to setting spray for locking in my look to last all day. 

Mist & Set I just use to set my makeup and blend it together; not necessarily to make it last. I like to spray some onto a foundation brush and buff it in over freshly applied foundation. It gets rid of any application streaks and seamlessly  airbrushes it all together. 

Lipstick - Lime Crime Velvetines

These are !y all time favorite lipsticks! They go on like a gloss but dry very matte, but don't dry out my lips. They make a wide range of colors; I also find out of any lipstick these always outlast the competition. They last through food, water and even kissing. These babies really stick! Above are my three favorite shades - Red Velvet, Pink Velvet and Utopia.

Lipstick Primer - Colour Pop Lippie Stix Primer 

This is the best lip primer I have used - I love it even more than Too Faced's lip primer. Not only will it prep your lips and extend the wear of any lipstick, but it is moisturizing as well. 

Bonus:

 Eye Cream - Mary Kay Indulge Soothe Eye Gel 

I always apply this all over my eyes before makeup. It really helps to prep and moisturize the skin.

Prep Spray - Lush Eau Roma Water

I like to use a mist before makeup to prep my skin and help to moisturize it. This one is my favorite; it's so refreshing and does moisturize as it contains lavender asmd rose water. 

Moisturizer - Instanatural Hydra Gel Cream

This us my favorite moisturizer! It is like pure water melting into my skin, it moisturizer it so well without leaving residue. It makes my skin so soft, smooth and moisturized. 

Lip Balm - My own! 

I make my own lip balm! It is the best I have ever used and it doesn't have alcohol or any harmful ingredients that dry your lips out and force your lips to become addicted to it. 

False Eyelashes - EBay! 

These days I buy most of my eyelashes on eBay. Depending on which you get, they can be as good quality as the lashes at drugstores and beauty supply stores, but way cheaper! 

Sunscreen - Neutrogena

SPF is really important to use!! When my moisturizer or foundation doesn't have SPF I apply this under my moisturizer. It is lightweight sand non sticky. It dries clear, doesn't cvlog my pores or make my skin feel gross. 

There you go! What are your favorite products? Any on my list that you use or want to try? Comment and let me know!

Xoxo

Heather Zombie 💜

Korean cosmetics

This is another post that was voted for in one of my polls a long time ago. I am so sorry that it took me forever to post! It's been sitting in my drafts for such a long time, I just never got to it! But, I do keep my word and here it is! Thank you so much to the lovely individuals that voted! I seriously love you for it ^__^. I love talking about Korean cosmetics. Their products are just so fun! I love that I am slowly seeing popular products and brands there begin to be popular here. BB creams, as well as the current popular option BB cushion originated in Korea. So did sheet face masks. Recently Sephora started carrying Tony Moly products on their website.

I am a die hard lover of Korean cosmetics and beauty products. Why? They're awesome AND they have the cutest packaging! Seriously, the packaging is so much better than American cosmetics. Right now, my favorite brand is Etude House who by far has the cutest packaging. I love all of the crazy products they have there! A popular product that seems crazy is a face mask for the lips. I also watch a lot of Korean dramas, some of the actors in these dramas use brands such as Etude House, Holika Holika, Tony Moly, Innisfree and Skin Food. I love being able to use the products that they do. Two of my favorite Korean actors/actresses, Park Shin Hye and Lee Min Ho have modeled for Etude House. The popular Korean group SHINee has also worked with Etude House.

In my opinion, Korean skincare is the best skincare in the world. They have SO many products and options and even cheaper products are top notch.

So what products do I personally own and use?

I own 2 BB creams by Skin79, they make some of the best BB creams! I own the orange vital BB cream and the pink. The orange has a bit of a yellow undertone and dries matte. The pink has a bit of a grey one and leaves a more dewy finish. The pink is a tad bit dark on me so I do only wear it in the summer. I love wearing these BB creams in the summer, they both have SPF and last all day. I REALLY want their green BB cream, I hear it is even lighter than the orange and perfect for porcelain complexion girls such as myself.

I also own Holika Holika's Essential Petit BB cream. It comes in a small tube, great for travel. Great coverage, I never need to use concealer with it. It is my favorite BB at the moment.

The other Holika Holika product I own is called the Jewel Light eyeliner in Pink Topaz. It is a really shimmery light pink eyeliner. I love using it as a highlight in the corners of my eyes.

L:Plum Mousse Cake, R:Strawberry Choux

I own a good amount of Etude House products. Their blush products are my absolute favorite, the packaging is adorable and they're pigmented! First up is the Sweet Recipe collection  Lovely Cookie Blushers in Strawberry Choux, a light sort of pastel pink and Plum Mousse cake, a plummy berry
color.

Clockwise from the left: Peach Sugar Cake, Strawberry Chiffon Cake and Blueberry Cheesecake

Next are the Sweet Recipe All Over Colors  in Blueberry Cheesecake (a fuschia/purple color), Strawberry Chiffon Cake (a bright pink) and Peach Sugar Cake (a perfect pinky peach). These are meant as an all over color product for cheeks, eyes and lips. They start off as a cream but dry to a powder consistency. I love using them as blush. They're pigmented and buildable. Plus look at the tin they're packaged in! So kawaii!

Next is the Etude House Baby Mint Choux base, from their Choux base collection which are different color correctors/primers. I have the green one to balance out all of the redness in my face. I have a lot sadly. (In makeup terms - to neutralize/cancel out a color use the opposite color on the color wheel. Ex: use green for redness, yellow for purpley under eye circles). I LOVE this stuff! It has a very silky consistency and also it is a mint color. Most green color correctors are more of a warm toned pea green and don't work as well with my cool undertones. This product works PERFECTLY with them. I need to order a backup tube, as I never want to be without it.

Lastly: my Korean skincare products. I own a bunch of face masks. I have a good amount of PureTree sheet masks, they make their masks with a bunch of different fruit/plant extracts, even honey and hyaluronic acid extracts. I buy packs of 12 of them on amazon, which ends up being around $1 each. They're always super relaxing and make my skin super soft and smooth. I do need to use a moisturizer afterwards though. I always make sure to have a good amount of these around and I usually use one every week. I end up looking like Leatherface (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) when I wear them, so that is highly entertaining.

The Vanedo masks came as freebies with an order of PureTree masks. I haven't tried them yet.

Tony Moly Tomatox. YES the packaging is literally a plastic tomato. So cute! I love this face mask. It makes my skin so soft and it's fantastic for use in the summer. It smells like cucumbers (I know, go figure).

I also have a good amount of samples of Korean products to try (Korean beauty sellers/manufacturers LOVE handing out samples)

Would I use any of these products on clients?

ABSOLUTELY!! Makeup wise, I would not hesitate to use Skin 79 BB creams on a client or the Etude Choux bases. Skin 79 is considered more high end and their BB creams are pricey. I luckily know how to get mine for half price.

I always recommend the Pure Tree face masks to people and would totally tell a client to use one before they come to me to apply their makeup.

Where do I buy all of these products?

Good old Amazon and Jolse.com. With Amazon, just be cautious of who you buy from and read seller reviews to make sure you aren't getting knockoffs. Jolse is a Korean beauty online store. I have ordered from them quite a few times. They are great, I always get authentic products as well as samples and free gifts. Their customer service woman is very helpful and sweet. Their website is safe to order from. ALWAYS pay for tracking! Their tracking costs under $3 and their shipping is always free. Your order will ship from South Korea and you will need to sign for it so you want to be able to track it.

There you go my lovelies! Your guide to Korean cosmetics and some reviews from yours truly. Do any of you have experiences with Korean beauty products?? I hope this was helpful, as purchasing international beauty products can be daunting. I am personally used to it - I have ordered many fashion/beauty items from Japan, China and South Korea.

Xoxo
Moon prism power makeup!