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Here are my top makeup recommendations by category.
Primers/Complexion Enhancers
I haven’t used it regularly for the first time as I prefer to use a multi-tasking moisturizer. Here are a few of the things I use that you can use as a primer or color enhancer.
Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Stick – This is a glowy foundation stick that I thought would be a glowy mess on the skin. It is on the emollient side but not sticky. A few readers messaged me about this and told me to use it as a primer and add a powder + concealer on top for a perfect natural glow. I tried their tips and loved the look.
One/Size of Patrick Starrr Base Thinner – I tried the Bronze base thinner after receiving a print sample and fell head over heels in love with it. It’s a very versatile product that you can use in several ways, but I like to mix it with my favorite foundations to bring them out for a more natural glow. I bought Pearlescent Pink to try. The bronze is definitely darker than my skin tone and makes me look coppery while the Pearlescent Pink looks natural.
Saie Glowy Super Gel – Another favorite of mine for dry skin or if your foundations are starting to look dry or patchy. I like to mix one pump of this with a liquid foundation to give it an extra glow.
Refy Glow and Sculpt Face Serum Primer – One of my first few favorites because it’s light weight and not heavy.
Excellent Basics
These are my top 4 in rotation from Sephora.
Dior Forever Skin Perfect Foundation Stick – This is my most worn foundation since 2024. I have to mix shades sometimes but for now 3N suits me well. Love the installation, how it fits together and the ease of the application. (PS I tried the new Forever Skin Glow Foundation formula and it’s very drying on my skin, even though it’s supposed to be “glow.”) It workshere.
It Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow Lightweight Foundation SPF 40 – This is still the best CC+ cream with SPF because it’s not cakey like most CC+ formulas.
Armani Luminous Silk Foundation – The new formula does the same for me as the original. You still love this with a naturally glowy finish that isn’t too shiny. See it workhere.
m.ph Le Skin Weightless Serum Foundation – Love this new formula. I don’t think I can really describe it as truly “weightless” as I feel it on my skin when it dies. I still like the medium natural looking installation. I’m between 150 and 170 shades (I have to mix). Demohere.
Best Concealers
I don’t always use concealer these days because I find that the foundations I use have enough coverage for me. These are my top picks from Sephora.
Prada Beauty Micro-Correcting Concealer – This is a great lightweight medium concealer. I love this under the eyes! Demo and swatcheshere.
YSL Touche Eclat Concealer Pen – This is still my favorite under eye light concealer. It has a thin formula but it is bright and shiny. It won’t cover dark circles but I really like it for brightening.
Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer – This is the best multi-tasking cream concealer. I like that it doesn’t produce any cake. It is also very long which I like.
Ilia Skin Blur Serum Concealer – This is a new formula with excellent coverage under the eyes. Not too thick but not just. It fades and prepares itself. Love the Ilia brushes and the Hourglass concealer.
Powder/Set
I’ve only been using one type of setting powder these days which is the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. I love both the Original and Talc-Free formulas. This is one of the few loose powder formulas that doesn’t appear to have a white cast on my skin.
Blushes are favorites
I have many irreverent favorites. I love trying new shades and formulas, but if I had to choose only 5 this would be my pick.
Patrick Ta Major Headlines Double-Take Crème + Powder Duo – Love the colors it has and the fact that you can layer the cream over the powder or just wear it separately. I bring at least one shade with me on the trip. Select shades are also available insmall sizes.
The Prada Touch Cream-to-Powder Soft Blur Blushes are new and I love them. These are cream blushes that dry to a beautiful satin finish. I like to put fingers. I’ve only tried Peach and Tulip so far but I love the tones and will review and review all the shades I picked up before the sale ends. (A peach in the facehereboth shades are usedhere.)
YSL Make Me Blush (powder) is my powder of choice these days. The shimmers and mattes are SO beautiful. They have a very nice silky smooth texture. If I had to choose one color, 44B Nude Lavalliere is it! Review + swatcheshere.
Armani Luminous Silk Cheek Tint is the ultimate long-wear liquid blush formula. Most other formulas don’t last long but this one dries well and lasts without looking heavy.
Rhode Pocket Blush – I think these are my favorite cream blush formulas. They are very easy to apply on the face and blend. I often bring Freckle and Piggy on trips.
Bronzer
Dior Forever Skin Bronzing Balm Stick – If you buy one cream bronzer, buy this one from Dior. Swatches of three shades here, but this is the best satin finish cream bronzer I’ve tried and I really like the colors. Not too orange, not too toned, just perfect! Swatcheshere.
Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer – This is a natural cream bronzer, very similar in concept to the Merit one stick. I love this because it looks so natural on the skin.
Merit Bronze Balm Sheer Sculpting Bronzer – I’ve been reaching for this even though at first I felt it was a little too harsh for my taste. I’ve been experimenting with light on bronzer and I think it’s too flattering on my skin to go slow.
Excellent Highlighters
Sarah Creal Today’s Highlight Peptide Balm – This is the best glowing dewy highlighter I’ve tried because it’s not sticky or tacky. Balm but smooth. Fish looks perfect and natural and makes the skin glow.
Hourglass Unreal Radiant Glow Liquid Highlighter – Just swatched these here, but a more detailed review is coming soon! This is a new formula from Hourglass and a new Highlighter Brush. The liquid highlighter is 10/10. Fish is smooth and easy to control. It’s not too frosty or shiny on the skin and dries nicely. Swatcheshere.
Dior Forever Glow Maximizer Liquid – This will be a forever favorite. If I had to choose one it would be Peachy or Nude.
Prada Light Glowing Highlighter Powder – Love this for a powder highlighter – the glow is so pretty! Swatcheshere.
Eyeshadow Loves
Natasha Denona anything is incredible, I really still love I Need a Warm and I Need a Nude (swatcheshereagainhere).
Prada Dimensions Multi-Effect Refillable Eyeshadow in 8 Pansy is my favorite palette of the year so far ( swatcheshere).
Merit Solo Shadow – Surround yourself with these images and create a kind of shadow. The top 3 picks are Vachetta, Glace and Surrealism.
For a matte palette all Mario Master Mattes Original Makeup is tied with Patrick Ta Matte Palettes (I love all the shades but Medium is my go-to).
Eyeliner/Mascara/Brow
Anastasia Brow Definer – This is a classic but I just ordered the ArchiBrow Microblade Detailing pencil and I love it, the packaging is really revolutionary and the application is very detailed / beautiful.
Glossier Boy Brow Arch Pencil – Another formula favorite but not enough product in the pencil! This was used up so quickly that I stopped repurchasing.
Tarte Tartelette Tubing XL – Still the best smokeless mascara I’ve tried.
Diorshow Overvolume Extreme Volume Waterproof – Love this new formula even more than other Dior mascara formulas.
A lipgloss
As a lip gloss lover it’s hard for me to narrow down my favorites, but I keep coming back to these five.
Dior Addict Lip Maximizer – Dior lip gloss lover for LIFE!!!!!
REFY Lip Gloss – They have the best neutral tones.
Lawless Forget Filler Gloss – Some shades are too pale for me, but I swear by Cherry Vanilla for that glossy pout.
Sarah Creal – I really like this formula and the colors. They are fresh and give the right amount of color. These are the ones I brought with me on all my trips last year.
Luscious/Oily Lips
I will spare no expense to try the latest and greatest in balms or oils.
Patrick Ta Major Moisture Tinted Lip Balm – This was a pleasant surprise for me! I love that there is a good amount of pigment in this oil. Pink Salted Caramel on the lipshere.
Summer Fridays Lip Butter – A classic I always have in my purse. Love the limited edition they launched recently.
YSL or whatever – This is the time to save! I love these but they are expensive. I really can’t get over how expensive lip products are these days. I still remember when Tom Ford launched a $50 lipstick and everyone was outraged. Now it seems that almost everything is around this price point.
Dior Lip Glow Oil – Love the new formula for that cushiony glassy finish. Swatches in this posthere.
My Travel Lipsticks
YSL Candy Glaze, but really YSL anything! I feel like they always release high quality formulas and colors. Really love the Candy Glaze in Shade 13.
Prada Monochrome Soft Matte Blur Lipstick – Still the best matte lipstick formula I’ve tried.
Dior Rouge Dior On Stage Lipstick – Iconic Rose is the best nude pink.
Gucci Glow and Care Shine Lipstick – Classic I can’t live without Sally Soft Honey or Julie Blush.
NARS Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipstick – Love this for a glossy finish.
Lip Liner
I’m testing several new lip liner formulas right now so I don’t know which one is the BEST yet. I still really love Tom Ford Beauty and Dior. I’ll keep you posted on new ones I’m testing soon!
This wraps up my makeup recommendations! I know it’s a long roundup but I wanted to cover all the categories!