May Beauty favourites

Over the last month and a half I’ve tried out a few cult beauty products and by chance, came across a few other things I ended up really loving! These are my picks for April/May. Have you tried any of these? Let me know your favourite alternatives or if you have any tips for using these products too!

Reviewing: Lights, Camera, Lashes! Tarte Mascara, Hourglass Veil Primer, Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder, NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, Smashbox Photo Finish Primer and Oval Makeup Brushes.

Lights, Camera, Lashes! Tarte Mascara - Review

This was an impulse buy in a Sephora order I recently made. Absolutely no regrets! This worked so well on my lashes - they were so long, people commented on them in public! I always look for a mascara that can add length without crazy volume. I find that volume mascaras are too heavy and black on my eyes, especially if I’m just wearing it to work! The mascara does remain a little wet after applying, this makes it a little easier to build the layers though! This Tarte mascara washed off easily with just water and it never irritated my eyes, bonus!

The packaging is a super cool purple scaly fabric, stitched along the outside with a weird hem. I actually found these edges helped to keep my grip on the mascara. I always hate dropping a mascara wand and quickly praying it doesn’t hit my clothes or land flat on the carpet! The wand itself it quite long, and the bristles vary from long in the centre to short at the end mainly for the lower lash line and inner lashes. 

I have had this product since 27th of March 2017 and right now (Mid May) it is starting to clump when I apply it. I wish this product would last at least three months longer before clumping, it’s definitely one of the best lengthening mascaras I’ve used. I might repurchase in a travel size. 

Hourglass Veil Primer - Review, 9/10!

I came across this product while doing some research at work and mentally bookmarked this product from Mecca. I walked in store a day later and purchased the travel size for $26! I wanted to buy the travel size to give the product a fair go, I felt as though a sample might be too minimal for a proper test. 

I’ve applied it after moisturiser and before Esteé Lauder DoubleWear and found it works like a charm! I normally use the Mecca Soft Focus Primer and I feel like this is more “pore-filling” and gives my skin a very even texture. I’ve been wearing this every day to work, and I’ve gone out after a full day in the office (and after a crazy photoshoot day) without having to reapply! I think I’ll be purchasing the full size when my travel size runs out! 

The primer does feel a little strange though, similar to Benefits Poreless Primer but smoother? The smell isn’t anything to be bothered by, and the packaging is so simple and sweet. It gets my tick of approval for having a pump on the bottle and not being in a squeeze tube! This is definitely my favourite product in this post!

Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder - Trial

I bought this in a Benefit ‘Do The Hoola’ Beyond Bronze Kit ($59) on Sephora to try a few things before purchasing anything full size. It came with a little contouring brush and is just bigger than a 50 cent piece. I have found this product hard to blend at the moment, but the shade might be a little dark for me. 

I do love the texture and the formula, it doesn’t smell nasty and is a lovely matte finish. I loved using this bronzer in the crease of my eyelids, around my forehead and jawline for definition! Once I get my hands on a lighter shade I’ll review it!

NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation - Trial

I’m going to be completely honest, I bought this because I heard so many amazing things about it. I seriously just can’t get it to work for my skin! I think I need to try it with different primers and I’m sure I’ll be fine. It didn’t seem to stay on very well with the Smashbox Primer or with the Mecca Soft Focus primer - which has worked with everything for me so far!

I used the shade Ceylan for my skin tone. The foundation rubbed away on my nose and built up in areas that I didn’t know were dry.  I’m going to be persistent with it though, I’m not giving up yet! I’m thinking the consistency and the coverage issues might be because I have a lighter shade. Sometimes I find that darker shades have better coverage. I will try applying with a beauty blender and I’ll report back, I’m gonna make this work!

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer - Review

It was strange getting used to the texture of this primer after using the Mecca primer for so long! It’s a velvety texture, but it doesn’t feel suffocating or pore clogging. I found that it worked well on my smile lines, but didn’t help makeup to stay on during the day. My foundation rubbed and peeled off? Is that normal?

The best thing about this, I didn’t feel my skin became oily too quickly. Late afternoon my face is normally less-matte anyway, so I didn’t judge the primer on this. The consistency was thick, but was easily spread over my whole face with just the smallest blob of primer!! It definitely disguised my pores and some finer lines. 

So far I’ve used this primer with Esteé Lauder Double Wear, and the Bars Sheer Glow Foundation.

Oval Makeup Brushes - Review

I first picked these up on eBay when the internet was going a little crazy about them. I've actually used these for a few months now and I’m finding it hard to go back to using any other brush for foundation application!

These brushes cover such a large area in one sweep. This can be good and bad depending on your foundation. I use Esteé Lauder DoubleWear and I find I never have streaks no matter how I apply It - unless I completely miss a patch! I’ve loved this little beauty trend and I think I’ll stay on the bandwagon to vouch for these a little while longer.

My skin type:

Combination - Dry cheeks/ around spots, oilier T-Zone area. Non-sensitive skin, but sensitive eyes to perfumes/bright lights.