Drugstore Eye Favorites

When it comes to eye products, there are a lot of affordable options at the drugstore that are very comparable to high-end eye makeup in terms of quality, so you definitely don't have to break the bank when it comes to buying eye makeup.

Maybelline Color Tattoos have got to be the longest wearing cream shadows that I've tried, and I've tried a lot over the years including Chanel, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Laura Mercier, Estee Lauder, etc., and nothing compares to Maybelline longevity wise. They can be worn alone, or under other eyeshadows to enhance the pigmentation. The color I have here is Inked In Pink, which is a gorgeous pink color that I like to wear on its own during the summer time for a bright, wide-eyed look.

NYX Single Eyeshadows are great powder eyeshadows from the drusgtore that are super smooth and pigmented. These are great to play around with if you're just starting out with wearing eye makeup and want to find colors that suit you. NYX makes some great matte eyeshadow colors, which are quite hard to come by as most matte shadows from the drugstore are quite sheer. The color I have is Red Bean Pie, which is a purpley mauve color that I like to use in my crease, which looks much more interesting than the typical browns and blacks.

L'oreal Infallible Eyeshadows are a must-have from the drugstore. They are basically the exact dupes for the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Eyeshadows, considering that L'oreal owns Giorgio Armani and both of these eyeshadows are probably made in the same place. These are pressed pigments that are intensely pigmented and give your eyes this wet look when you put them on. The color I have is Bronzed Taupe, which just like its names says is a bronzy taupe color, and I often just wear this on its own because it helps to brighten and define my eyes at the same time.

Milani Shadow Eyez are another type of cream eye product that are great to use for a sheer wash of color all over the eyelids. They are super shimmery and easy to blend, and last pretty well on the eyelids. The color I have is Champagne Toast, which is a peachy champagne color that everyone needs to have in their makeup collection.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliners are super creamy, pigmented and long-lasting. The color Nude is great to use on the lower waterlines to achieve bigger and brighter eyes, and this is the only liner I find that lasts on my waterlines.

Here are the swatches:

 

Last but not the least are the Wet N Wild Palettes, which are amazing value for the money. These eyeshadows are super buttery smooth, and the pigmentation is just out of this world! I pretty much own all of their palettes and single eyeshadows, and shall I say that I like these better than my Urban Decay and Mac eyeshadows? Hard to believe right? The one I have here is called Petal Pusher, and it contains some of my favorite purples and pinks.

Here are the swatches for some of the colors in the palette:

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Current Favorites #3

  

 

So it should come as no surprise to you that I've been super loving this Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Glow in Tansoleil for the past few weeks, as I've just dedicated a whole post on cream blushes not too long ago. After loving every single product that I've tried from Kevyn Aucoin, I decided to give their cream blushes a go, and I've fallen head over heels for this. It is a beautiful coral color that dries to a dewy finish so it helps to give your face a natural glow. This just makes my face look so healthy and fresh even when I have a bad skin day. I never thought that a blush could make my skin look better, but for some reason it just does.

Here is a closer look at the product:

             

To brighten up my undereye area, I've been using the Clinique Airbrush Concealer. It is super light and moisturising, and it is one of the few undereye concealers I find that don't emphasize my fine lines. It gives me a subtle highlighted effect and makes me look more awake and fresh.

I've been trying out more face oils lately as I find that they make such a big difference to my skin, and I will do a post on them in a few days. Balance Me Radiance Oil is the one I've been really liking lately. It contains loads of good ingredients such as sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil and rosehip oil, just to name a few. This is suitable for all skin types, especially oily and acne-prone skin as the oils really help to decongest the skin and prevent any future breakouts.

To get rid of any product buildups in my hair, I've been using the Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo every other week. I find that sometimes my hair can look really dull and flat just because I use a lot of hair products in my hair, and this just helps to get rid of those nasty residues that normal shampoos can't get rid of. It is a clarifying shampoo so it is meant to be used every week at the most because it can be a bit drying on the hair. I find that this gives so much volume and shine to my hair after I use it, and I can't believe that I didn't discover this product sooner. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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My Skincare Routine: Eyes & Lips

I'm pretty low maintenance when it comes to eyes and lips, so I don't do much besides just making sure that they are moisturized and hydrated. For my nighttime eyecream, I use the Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream, which is the only eyecream I've found that truly helps with dry undereye area and fine lines. It is packed with vitamin E and other beneficial nutrients to help to keep your eye area hydrated. I've suffered from fine lines for a few years now, and I've noticed a huge reduction in my fine lines ever since I started using this.

For my daytime eye cream, I use the Lierac Instant Smoothing Gel. It has a cooling sensation when you put it on, which helps with depuffing your eyes. It dries down to a slightly tacky finish, so it also acts as a primer to help any eye makeup that you put on top adhere to your eye lids better. If you have dry skin, you can definitely use this as an eye cream and primer in one, but as I have oily eye lids I still use a primer on top just to be sure.

Since I wear a lot of waterproof mascaras which can be a bit harsh on my lashes, I find that it's really important to take care of my lashes as well. Canmake Lash Care Essence was rated as one of the best selling makeup items in Japan so that's why I decided to give it a try. It contains several types of botanical ingredients which help to nourish your lashes overnight. I've noticed that my lashes look longer and fuller since I started using this.

To exfoliate my lips, I use the Lush Lip Scrub, which is just a typical sugar scrub. There are other ones on the market but this is just what I have on hand. After I've exfoliated, I usually will slather on a thick layer of Dior Creme De Rose Lipbalm, which is a product that's totally worth all the hypes around it. It is packed with vitamin E, essential oils and shea butter, and it is an absolute savior for dry and cracked lips. It just feels so luxurious on the lips and doesn't leave a greasy residue- best lip balm ever! I sometimes also put this on top of my lipsticks which helps to make my lips look fuller and plumper.

If I'm in a hurry in the morning, I usually will slather on the Korres Lip Butter in Pomegranate, which just gives my lips a slightly coral tint. These keep my lips hydrated throughout the day and they also come with several other colors, including a clear one that you can use overnight. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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My Current Obsession: Cream Shadows

  

I know it's not too long ago when I wrote a post about my obsession with cream blushes, but I just can't seem to get enough of these cream products. Cream products are great for the summer because they adhere to the face better than powder products; they also give your face a beautiful sheen that makes you look fresh and glowing. Cream shadows are especially great for those lazy days where you just want to have a bit of color on your eyes and be ready to head out the door. They can be worn alone or underneath other shadows to prolong the wear of your eyeshadows as well as intensify the color.

Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Orchid is a beautiful metallic lilac color that is creamy and long-lasting. It is such an unique shade of purple that won't make you look like you've just been punched in the eye, and is great for a pop of color on your lids.

Clinique Chubby Stick for Eyes in Ample Amber is a warm bronzy color that is super easy to wear and works to both brighten and define your eyes. It is quite buildable so I usually swipe a sheer layer all over my lids and intensify the color in my crease to add depth to my eyes.

I almost cried when I had to pay the hefty $36 price tag for the Chanel Illusion D'ombre in Emerveille, but I just couldn't resist a gorgeous warm peachy champagne color. It is great for everyday and looks stunning on the eyes.

For a more affordable option, check out the Maybelline Color Tattoos. They're super creamy and long-lasting, and come with a wide range of colors. Barely Branded is a metallic beige color that I like to use under other shadows to make them pop. Once it's on my eyes, it won't budge anywhere, and it also makes my eyeshadows and eyeliners stay on all day.

Make Up Forever Aqua Creams and Aqua Shadows are essentially the same product except that one's in a pot and one's in a stick form. I find that the aqua shadows are little bit drier in formula than the aqua creams, but they're both super long-lasting and waterproof. #13 and #28E are both shimmery champagne colors, but #28E is probably a little warmer in tone. They're both great for everyday natural, effortless makeup and are must-haves for the summer.

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My Skincare Routine: Acne Treatment

These three products are what I alternate between when I'm actively breaking out. I've tried out many acne treatment products over the years, including a few prescription ones, and these three are what work the best for my skin. I find that it's really important to switch up your acne treatment products every once in a while because your skin can get used to one product and the product will lose its effectiveness overtime, so it's just better to have a few products on-hand to alternate between.

La Roche Posay Efflar Duo contains a combination of benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and LHA to help to refine the texture of your skin, unclog pores, as well as treat and prevent any future breakouts. When you first use this, you will notice your skin getting worse and breaking more as this product stimulates faster cell turnover and will bring out the acne that's deep down in your skin to the surface, which eventually leads to clearer skin. I usually will use this all over my T-zone during the nighttime, and this truly helps to create more perfect skin overtime.

For spot treatment, I use the OXY10 10% benzoyl peroxide, which is the typical ingredient used to treat acne. Benzoyl peroxide is anti-bacterial and can be a bit harsh and drying on the skin, so if you're just starting out with benzyl peroxide, definitely use the 2.5% or 5% formula. I believe 10% is the highest percentage that you can find for over-the-counter acne treatments. This is a product that I know I can trust and depend on; it dries up my pimples over night, but you definitely have to wear a sunscreen during the day when you are using this because otherwise it will cause redness and scarring.

Another spot treatment that I use is Lush Grease Lightning, which I alternate with the OXY10. This is a much gentler yet still effective acne treatment. It contains natural ingredients such as tea tree oil and thyme, and I find that this one won't cause redness or scarring that the OXY10 can sometimes cause. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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