Contouring and Highlighting: drugstore products

Wow I haven't done a makeup post in such a long time but I've been really busy doing other things... Ok so I've just been doing really boring makeup and stuff lately and neglecting this section but that is ok because here they are: my favorite products for HACing from the drugstore. HACing is highlighting any contouring if you didn't know. 

We've all seen those crazy photos on instagram like this one. Obviously that is unrealistic for the average day or even the average special occasion. That being said, on a day when I want to contour, I just go under my cheek bones and on my temples. Its of course up to you where you want to contour. I highlight under my eyes every day because I have the worst under eye circles and need some serious concealer and highlighting to combat that. (ps if you want to hear more about what I use to cover my dark circles I do have a post up. You can click this link here to view that)

Any way let's get on with what I use. 

This is the Fit Me foundation from Maybelline. I love this because it is a stick foundation with an oil absorbing core so it won't get greasy and will help with oily skin. They make this is about a zillion colors so find one that is darker than your skin.

Just realized that I have another Maybelline product here but I happen to really like them so there. If you haven't heard to the dark circle eraser by now, are you living under a rock?! Joking but this is a concealer buttttttt, they also make this particular shade which is a brightener. The combination of the color and the spongey tip make this perfect to highlight under the eyes. 

Finally for actual face highlighting, I use this. Its the elf shimmering facial whip. Again they make this in a few colors so find something that compliments your skin. This stuff smells amazing and has just the right amount of super-fine shimmer to add a beautiful glow to your skin. 

Favorite makeup under $10

High end makeup is great- except for the price. And drugstore make is great for the price but the quality sometimes lacks. My every day makeup routine is mostly high end but there are some drugstore products that I could not live without. Not to say that everything else from the drugstore is crap and not everything from Sephora is phenomenal. 

I swear this is the best foundation ever. Not even just the best from the drugstore. It covers to amazingly and stays on all day. I don't have very oily skin so I don't set this but it dries to a powder finish. Normally i set my makeup because I hate that stick, cakey, wet feeling that most foundations leave behind. I have never seen a foundation that sets quite like this. Every other one that claims to set to a matte, powder finish that I've tried doesn't do remotely that. This best part about this is that it looks natural. It will not cling to dry spots on skin any more than another foundation. I cannot rave about this enough. They have a huge color selection with the lighter colors ending in 5 being more warm and the ones ending in 0 being more cool. It has a pump and it is everything I could ask for. 

I love this primer. I won't bore you with the details because I have a full review of this up. Check it out by clicking the link here. If you don't feel like reading that; basically this makes your skin look so smooth that it appears to have been gone over by a real-life photoshop retouching tool. 

This is an oldy but a goody. I have been using this since I was 14 years old. It makes lining your eyes so easy. It has a rubber elongated cone shaped tip. You can get the straightest line with this. I love that it lasts all day but all it takes is a little water to remove it at night. Don't ask me how that is possible. If you are a beginner or a pro at liquid liner, pick this up. 

Finally, the one thing high end can't even compete with; mascara. Drugstore mascara is so awesome because at most, they cost like $9. High end mascaras are crazy expensive and you have to throw them out after a few months. 

I have also been purchasing Falsies since I was 15. If your eyelashes don't look amazing after a coat or two of another mascara, layer this on top. I don't love it on its own but just a simple primer underneath will do fine. This adds such great length and volume and has the perfect curved brush for getting every last lash. 

Great Lash is a staple but if you've never tried the 'lots of lashes' version, you're missing out. The brush is heart-shaped and it gives amazing definition and length to your lashes. This is one of the cheaper mascaras but it is a million times better than the original that everyone has tried. 

Finally a lash primer. This isn't something that everyone uses but totally should. There aren't too many and I think you can only find Hard Candy at walmart or online but its worth it. First of all, its called 'lash weave'. How great is that? This is a clear-white mascara with tones of little itty bitty fibers in it that cling to your lashes and make them fuller and longer. If you've never used a lash primer, try it unless you like short thin lashes.

Maybelline Baby Skin instant pore eraser review

Maybelline Baby Skin instant pore eraser is the newest and biggest thing to hit the drugstore in a while. This is a not exactly a primer but some say it is comparable to Porefessional from Benefit. I have heard mixed reviews on this product so I decided to pick it up myself.

This has been around in other countries for a while and here is the states, we have been wondering if it was real or some sick joke. Well it's real.
Baby Skin has been hard to find but I found it in Walmart for $5.94. Already its a really inexpensive alternative to other.

The first thing I noticed about this is that it's oily. This didn't bother me on my face though. However, I felt like I needed to wash my hands right after using this. It doesn't feel as bad as say cooking oil or anything like that but it still wasn't great. This does take a bit to work it onto the skin but once you do, you're left with a very smooth looking and feeling texture.

This is what it looks like if that tells you anything.I was hoping that the would feel like the Ultra Smoothing Primer from Sephora brand which is one of my favorites but it was must greasier.

I put this on mostly under my eyes and on the rest of my face, but since I don't wear foundation, I thought under my eyes would be the best test. I used this then my normal routine. I was using this more for the priming results than pore reducing results.

*photo was taken around 12:45*

This did make my under eye area look a bit smoother and some how just better than normal. It almost looked airbrushed or photoshopped(minus the really bad lines I have but that's a whole other story.) (also I didn't edit the photo at all.)

Now for my face; it looked really smooth and if you don't have and skin issues that you want to cover, this would be really great for you to wear on its own.  Of course since this doesn't have color it won't do anything to help that.

I really can't explain it but in that photo, my eye area look smooth almost like I used a retouching tool in editing which i normally have to to

*taken at 9:30ish*

So, as you can see, this area looks a little less smooth. These two photos have different lighting (one natural, one taken at night with lighting) but it doesn't make that big of a difference. I can tell in person that after about 9 hours of wear my skin wasn't looking as perfect and smooth. That photoshop-in-real-life effect isn't quite as apparent though it still looks pretty good.







Overall I do like this. It makes your skin look smooth but i would suggest it for light makeup wearers or those who just want their skin to look smooth and almost perfect yet still natural. If you come across this, pick it up and try it out.

Products I've used up: review

There is something really satisfying about finishing off a product. Knowing you used every last drop makes me feel like I've done something right. I promise I'm not crazy. Maybe I am but who cares. 




1. Garnier Fructis volume extend. 

What is it? This is a dry shampoo that promises to refresh your hair and give it more volume.
Did it work? Yes. I have very long hair so getting volume in it is borderline impossible but this did a pretty good job. It transformed my dirty, greasy hair into better looking hair. 
Would I re-purchase this? For sure. This is one of the best dry shampoos I've tried. 
Would I recommend this? Yes if you have greasy hair.

4/5 stars 

2. Maybelline Baby Lips. 

What is it? A hydrating lip balm that will make you lips feel softer and more plush. 
Did it work? No. But I actually went through two of these before realizing it didn't work. I hear mixed reviews of this: people love it or hate it. I'm the latter. If you have actually dry or chapped lips, this is not going to do much.
Would I re-purchase this? Like I said, I did but that was the last chance. 
Would I recommend this? No. 

1/5 stars 

3. Maybelline Falsies Mascara

What is it? A mascara the will make your lashes look long, volumized, and fake.

Did it work? Yes and no. It doesn't make them look fake but it makes them very long and lovely overall. I like to wear this over another mascara to get the perfect look

Would I re-purchase this? Yes and I have at least 6-7 times, possibly even more. I have been using it for years.

Would I recommend this? Yes

5/5 stars 

4. Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit

What is it? A hair removal set with wax strip. You lay them down and they remove hair. 

Did it work? Not even a little. I tried this over and over again. I tried them so many ways yet each time I pulled of the strip I was in pain and only 2-3 hairs had been removed. It would probably be quicker and less painful to pluck out each hair one by one.

Would I re-purchase this? Never. 

Would I recommend this? No.

0/5 stars 

5. Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser

What is it? A gentle face wash with a makeup remover built in. 

Did it work? Yes. Quick story. I start using this almost five years ago when I have severe acne and needed a gentle wash to cope with the intense prescriptions. I don't use any makeup remover and this gets off everything even waterproof mascara. 

Would I re-purchase this? I have been for 5 years now. I've gone through countless numbers of these.

Would I recommend this? Yes

5/5 stars 

My Daily Makeup

I wanted to share with you what makeup I use almost daily. Of course on some days I may do more or less. I've linked each product if you want to purchase it.

I start with the Too Faced primed and poreless under my eyes. Next, I apply benefit erase paste under my eyes as well. I wear the shade medium. Then I go over that with bare minerals foundation in the shade golden fair. I originally bought this to be my actual foundation but it wound up being way too yellow for me. I put it to good use by using it to conceals under my eyes. I know this seems like a ton of product to put under my eyes but using the primer really makes it stay one forever and not crease. 

For my eyes, I don't always wear i shadow but if I do,  I prime with either too faced shadow insurance or urban decay eyeshadow insurance. I have both of these and they both work the same. I really just reach into my drawer and pull out one of the two. Any way I wear any shadow from the urban decay naked palette. Oh my god I've had this since it came out and I've hit pan on almost all the colors. 

Next I line my eyes with maybelline line stiletto. I always do a little wing because doesn't it just make you feel that much more powerful? This is a liquid eye liner and its the best one ever I swear. I've tried so many other from NYC, MAC, ELF, and a few from sephora and they all sucked compared to this one. It makes the most crisp, black line. 

I feel like it's really necessary to let my eyeliner dry. Otherwise, when I curl my lashes it's smudges and just no. In the mean time I fill in my brows with the Nyx auto eyebrow pencil. I use the shade taupe. It doesn't match perfectly. I swear my eyebrows are grey and I've tried ash colored brow products and whatever this one works well. 

For my face, I go all over with the Too Faced chocolate soleil bronzer  This is the most amazing bronzer ever. Interestingly enough, I've never used drugstore bronzer. I have tried all the cult faves of high end. This smells and tastes like chocolate, it's matte, it smells like chocolate, it's not too brown or too orange. Oh and IT SMELLS LIKE FRIGGIN CHOCOLATE. 

Another cult favorite that I use it the NARS orgasm/laguna duo. I miss the two and put it on the backs of my cheek bones. I hate the look of blush on the apples of my cheeks. This is seriously worth the hype. 

Finally, I curl my lashes and put on one coat of Maybelline Falsies and one coat of Maybelline great lash lots of lashes . Maybelline makes the best mascaras hands down. This combo makes my lashes long, curled, volumized, just perfect.