New Makeup.

So, I'm not going to overwhelm the blog with too many makeup posts, but I got a few neat things for my birthday and felt like sharing my thoughts on the few products I've tried out this last week.

I found out that you receive a free gift from Sephora during your birthday month, so when I went in on my birthday to use the $50 gift card my dear mum got me, I was pleasantly surprised!

(These are things I use on a regular basis, and also things I've already talked about. I'm going to touch base on the few things pictured above I haven't talked about.)

First, my new Sephora Mineral Powder brush (45). $24
I knew I needed a new multi-purpose face brush, so I stood there running my hand over all of the brushes, testing them out on the back of my hand, and holding them as I would if I were to apply powder or blush to my face about a hundred times. I finally settled on this brush, and here's why: It is unbelievably soft, it's stiff, but not too stiff. It's a decent size for applying powder all over my face, but is still small enough to be precise with my blush. Ideally, I will eventually have a larger face brush and a more angled and precise blush brush, but for $24, this brush is exactly what I need it to be. It feels great in my hand and on my face, holds product very well, and applies evenly and easily. I had an old, run-down Sonia Kashuk face brush I had bought at Target years ago that I was still using daily, so this is like a smooth, soft, fluffy dream compared to the stiff, old, pokey bristles of my old brush. A new brush does wonders for even application. I love it.

Second, the Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer in "Fair". $25
I struggle with acne on the sides of my face, mainly where my hair lays against my cheeks by my ears. I have a lot of scarring as well as new breakouts every now and then. It is my problem area and I have spent a lot of time and money trying to find a concealer that was both full coverage and non-greasy. I need something that won't make me break out even more than I already am, so when I came across Tarte, which is known for its "high performance naturals", I thought I'd give their concealer a try in hopes that it would help keep my skin clear as well as cover. Well, my friends, it is a dream. A literal dream. It is nice and tacky, so it covers generously. It stays on all day. I don't need to touch it up or worry about it wearing off. It applies really easily and makes me feel so confident. I'm even starting to believe that my skin is improving from using it. It's also great under my eyes to cover up my dark circles after a no-sleep night with Dexter. Though, I have to be careful about over-applying it under my eyes and not blending it out over my cheeks because after I apply a little blush, I get these wacky "raccoon eyes" and a defined line between my blushed cheek and very fair under-eye. It's finicky, so I've had to work at applying it perfectly. I just love this concealer. I don't feel a need to look any further for a concealer that works for my skin. My next purchase will be Tarte's foundation. If it works as well for me as their concealer, I'll be over-the-moon!

Third, Benefit Brow Zings in "Dark". $30
This is actually a product I've had for a while but haven't talked about previously. I love my brow zings. Love this product so, so much. I had been using (again) a Sonia Kashuk brow pencil before I discovered the world of brow zings. So far, I haven't purchased a ton of new, professional brushes, so for now I am still using the wussy little brushes that came in the brow zing kit. They work okay, but I can't wait to get a long-handled angled brush to use for applying my brows. Now, if you've never heard of brow zings, or if you are first starting to delve into brow-shapping, let me tell you what it's all about. There is a soft, darker-hued wax that you apply on your brows first with an angled brush. It adds a bit of pigmentation, but it's main purpose is to shape your brows and get them to lay flat and organized. It "defines" your brows so that when you fill them in, you know the exact shape. I have thick brows, so I tend to use more wax than I do the powder, for some reason. I guess my brows just need a bit more taming. Next, you use the other less-angled (though I'm sure you could just continue to use the same angled brush if you have one already or are planning on purchasing one like I am) to fill in the sparse areas in your brows. I just fill the brush up a bit and work in chunks along my brow, filling in from the inside to the outside. I spent a lot of time "shaping" the inner part of my brow, making it square or round or whatever your preference might be. This kit is so perfect. I have found that well-groomed (not overly plucked or waxed drag queen brows) and shaped eyebrows can make a look. Seriously! Since I've started doing my eyebrows, I have felt loads more confident and have started embracing my thick eyebrows. I think in the future, however, I might reach for the "Medium" colored kit, just because I feel like I can't build on my brows as much because the pigment is so dark. I'd like to be able to add more sometimes, but refrain because I don't want my eyebrows coming out looking super dark or "painted on".

Lastly, the Benefit "Birthday Turn-Ons" (They're Real! Mascara and Watt's Up! Highlighter). Freebie!
Okay, so these are the "freebies" I got from Sephora on my birthday! I haven't spent a lot of time experimenting with the Watt's Up! Highlighter, but this mascara is bomb. I still think that, because I have such naturally thick and long eyelashes, cheap-o mascaras will still do the trick for me! I think this mascara would be great for someone whose eyelashes aren't naturally full or long and I've heard amazing reviews from people about how well this product has worked for them. I really love the brush on this mascara and feel like it is a lot more liquidy and not as dry and pasty as, say, Maybelline mascaras, which is nice! I know this is one of the top mascaras out there, so I'm sure if upscale mascaras are something you like to have in your arsenal, this one would fit right in! As far as the highlighter goes, I am totally new to the world of highlighting. Like, totally new. I use very light, matte fleshy-colored eyeshadows to highlight my brow bone, under my eyes, and in the inner corner of my eyes, but I've never attempted to highlight my face in other places. I do feel like this product is a bit on the greasy side, so for us naturally greasy-faced ladies, I'm not sure if this is a hit. I can see what the point is and see how it makes a difference, but it is greasy to the touch and I notice it gives me a very shiny look in the places I use it. When and if I use this in my regular beauty regiment, I will probably be sure to skip the areas on my face that tend to get greasier more quickly.

So, that's that. My makeup review for the day. But, the big kid is being a punk, and my house is beckoning me to clean it. Hope this was helpful and hopefully I will have more posts in the future.

Cheers!