Current Makeup Menu #4

I was meant to be on a makeup spending ban for 3 months from the end of January, but it all collapsed at the halfway mark when Anastasia Beverly Hills released the Amrezy highlighter. Before I spectacularly caved (because the purchases didn't just stop at the highlighter), I'd been trying to content myself with my already overstuffed makeup collection. My current favourites include rediscovered gems in my stash, as well as a new concealer that seemed to be in every single Best of 2017 video I watched.

Benefit That Gal Brightening Face Primer
This mini was in the First Class Flirts travel set purchased in September 2015, and I've been trying to use it up as it's too good just to let expire in my makeup drawers. It's a pearlescent pink with a lightweight moisturiser feel that provides a brightening, smoothing effect. The scent is also a pleasantly fruity one that makes it enjoyable to apply in the mornings on top of my moisturiser but before makeup. I like that the skin enhancement effect is more subtle and not achieved through overwhelming shimmer particles that can leave you looking like a greaseball. It imparts more of a soft focus, pearly glow that lifts the complexion. I get very minimal pilling with this (occasionally a tiny bit near my chin if I rub a touch too enthusiastically), but generally it absorbs into the skin with no issues. Best of all, to my surprise, the full size product contains 11g compared with the 7.5g in the mini. The full size also has some weird gluestick-with-a-sponge-tip packaging, whereas the mini is a simple squeezy tube. I definitely know which one I prefer, especially for what I paid.

Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette
Previously featured in my April 2015 Favourites, I've been using this almost daily and my appreciation only grows. As more and more eyeshadow palettes are released and the market becomes completely saturated, I'm beginning to feel nostalgia for a simpler time, when a major palette release from a brand would conjure genuine hype — because the product was actually good. Semi-Sweet has all you need ... those gorgeous light-to-medium neutral mattes (Nougat, Mousse, Peanut Butter, Puddin'), beautiful shimmers in pewter, copper and gilded peach, darker, high performing matte and shimmer shades to deepen your looks (Licorice, Truffled, Hot Fudge, Cocoa Chili), a pop of colour, big highlight and cream matte pans, and an angelic glitter top coat. The only downside is some of the darker shades do have A LOT of fallout, but if you do the eyes first then wipe the mess away with some Bioderma on a cotton pad, it's not a big deal. Bonus points: smells positively edible.

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso
I don't love this 100% on its own (I find it a bit too light for my skin tone and the colour is too much of a pale orange as opposed to a more flattering, summery coral), but I find it adds a gorgeous goldy-peachy sheen on top of a darker blush that's applied first. Somewhat like a shimmery blush topper, if you will. The texture is beautifully smooth and the powder blends out effortlessly with my Wayne Goss Brush 14.

Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush in Rose Coup de Foudre
Speaking of darker colours to apply with Milani Luminoso, the one I've been pairing it with lately is Bourjois Rose Coup de Foudre. It's darker and more pink than Luminoso, but still has that same gold thread running through it that perks up and beautifies the complexion. The only problem is the entire surface of the blush regularly seals, so I periodically have to run a cotton bud across the dome to loosen the pigment. I also use a slightly stiffer brush (at least compared with the long-haired and floppy Wayne Goss Brush 14) in the form of my Zoeva Luxe Sheer Cheek Brush to apply it.

NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Medium 1 Custard
I adore the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, and every blogger under the sun put the Soft Matte Concealer on their yearly favourites, so I was convinced I needed the Soft Matte Concealer in my life. I purchased mine for $44 from Mecca Maxima with little hesitation. It hasn't disappointed. While I'm not totally convinced it is better than the Radiant Creamy Concealer, it's up there among the best concealers I've tried. It's been living in my handbag for daily late afternoon touch ups when my foundation is losing its staying power and sliding off my face. It's a drier, higher coverage, longer lasting formula than Radiant Creamy Concealer, and hence I find targeted to more oily/combination skin. However, it still blends really easily with the fingers, sinks into the skin, and the shade match is good, albeit slightly too light if I go in a bit too heavily around areas of redness I want to even out. You get 6.2g of product which should last an eternity, as you only need a tiny amount each time.

Benefit Posie Tint
These Benefit liquid tints are underrated in my opinion. Posie Tint is one of the more forgiving ones (compared with the other two I have, Cha Cha Tint and Benetint), in that it's not too difficult to work with, doesn't last 4 days on your skin after showering and scrubbing, and has some blendability. I really want Lollitint, because I'm actually obsessed with all things orchid. That's right, I'm still into the Pantone Colour of the Year 2014, people.

I've been enjoying Posietint worked into the cheeks for a pretty, youthful flush that isn't too cool-toned and doesn't immediately draw attention to the red in my face as pinks tend to do. I also love it on the lips (dabbed on with the fingers over slightly moisturised lips for a fresher, less "done" look) for a long lasting, truly kiss-proof pout. Full review with how it looks like on my cheek here, where you can also see what a pristine bottle looks like before everything scratched off in the ensuing 3.5 years.

l-r: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard, NARS Soft Matte Concealer in Custard, Bourjois Rose Coup de Foudre, Milani Luminoso, Benefit Posietint

US Drugstore Makeup Haul

While I've become increasingly drawn to high end makeup, without a doubt there are gems out there that are very reasonably priced but not necessarily inferior in quality. It's been more than 2 years since my last BeautyJoint haul, and I was feeling the itch to try some more affordable makeup from the US. Naturally, being an avid consumer of beauty-related blogs and YouTube videos, my order consisted mainly of hyped American drugstore products that I didn't have already.

Milani Color Statement Moisture Matte Lipsticks in Matte Innocence and Matte Blissful
Oops ... I did it again. That's right, more lipstick. On the plus side, at least there aren't any pinks in here. (I'm characterising Matte Blissful as a purple, okay.) I was absolutely hooked on these two specific shades after watching this lip swatch video from KathleenLights. Getting my hands on them was the driving motivation behind my entire BeautyJoint order.

l-r: Matte Innocence, Matte Blissful

l-r: Matte Innocence (worn with balm underneath), Matte Blissful

l-r: Milani Matte Innocence, Revlon Complex, Rimmel Notting Hill Nude, NARS Biscayne Park, Revlon Soft Nude

Matte Innocence is a pale pinky nude. Prior research warned me of its relative sheerness and tendency to highlight every dry patch on the lips. It definitely does that, but I forgive a multitude of sins due to the colour. While I have a few similar shades, Matte Innocence leans more pink than peach, red or brown. Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Complex and Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Notting Hill Nude are more orange. NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Biscayne Park is the darkest and surprisingly, most red (I remember it to be such a basic beige). Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in Soft Nude is the lightest and peachier.

l-r: Milani Matte Blissful, Australis Lun-dun, Revlon Berry Haute, Chi Chi Bring It On

Matte Blissful was my "had to have". To say I'm a sucker for these purply-pinks is an understatement. I love the brightened, warm tone in this. It has a creamier texture and is more opaque in coverage and forgiving on the lips than Matte Innocence. Australis Velourlips Matte Lip Cream in Lun-dun (one of my favourite lip product discoveries of late) is very similar, slightly darker and less pink. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Berry Haute is much darker, more of a grape colour. Chi Chi Viva La Diva Matte Lipstick in Bring It On is cooler-toned, more lavender.

Milani Luminoso

Milani Baked Powder Blush in Luminoso (05)
As lauded as this blush is in the drugstore makeup world, I deliberately avoided purchasing it for the longest time because I was convinced I had too many similar products (NARS Deep Throat, NARS Luster, Bourjois Rose Coup de Foudre, Benefit Sugarbomb, BYS Coral, the list goes on). But two things wore me down. First was NikkieTutorials obsessing over it lately. Second was Karima McKimmie of Shameless Fripperies obsessing over it a few months ago (and only watching those videos recently). Add to that KathleenLights naming Luminoso as "top 3" out of all the blushes she owns, and no more could I resist.

I'm so glad I added this to my cart as it's lived up to the hype for me. I actually think it's sufficiently different to the peachy/coral blushes in my collection in that it's more of a lighter orange than anything with a red bent. The shimmer is also what it's renowned for: more of an illuminating sheen, very fine and not glittery or chunky in any way. The packaging seems excessively bulky to me (could've done without the bottom compartment with the mini brush), but the product is hard to fault.

L.A. Girl Pro Conceal High Definition Concealer in Creamy Beige
As I recently learned the hard way with the purchase of Clarins Instant Concealer, the single most important aspect of any foundation or concealer is the shade match. Thankfully, Creamy Beige matches me fairly well (I'd guess I'm somewhere between NC20 and NC25). As some people have mentioned on MakeupAlley, there's grains in this. I don't know if it's a batch or formulation issue, but I'm definitely not the only one affected. The granules kind of melt upon contact with the skin and disappear, but it's still troubling they exist in the first place. I dislike the brush applicator, but I suppose it's functional enough. Having said all that, for $3 USD ($4), this is incredible value. The concealer blends into the skin smoothly, doesn't transfer or move around too much once it's applied, has good coverage and a natural, satin finish.

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara in Black (301)
This is one of the most hyped drugstore mascaras I know of and I was curious to see how it performed on my tragic Asian lashes. I'm not convinced by the volumising claims, but this is good at defining, separating and lengthening. It's on the wet side, but nothing too difficult to work with. I don't get excessive smearing or smudging (though I avoid using it on my lower lash line as it's not waterproof), or clumping. It's very black which is always a big plus. For $3.59 USD ($4.70), there's not much to complain about.