Are you as fascinated by infomercials as I am? If I catch one in progress, it’s hard to tear me away- especially when it’s for cosmetics. I was watching one for IT Cosmetics a few weeks back where they were comparing their foundation coverage to another brand’s by smearing it on the side of an orange because the fruit’s uneven texture mimics our skin’s. Tell me that’s not completely intoxicating. Just me? Is this thing on? Anyway it was awesome and made me excited to rip into the packages they sent over to see what the hype was all about. With no citrus on hand, I used my own face to try out their latest and greatest in the search of something to jazz up my lifeless complexion.
I get so much skincare that I’m like a kid on Christmas whenever some color arrives at my door, and it had been a long time since I’ve gotten such a fun and vibrant shadow palette to play around with. Superhero (best name!) is an awesome mix of mauvey-greys, rusty neutrals, base shades, and liners. The colors are long wearing, blendable, and easy to wear. It’s a well thought out mix of colors so that there aren’t unused shades left out in the cold.
That Heavenly Luxe No-Tug Dual Eyeshadow Brush #5 $24 is a mouthful to say, and you probably won’t remember the name but that’s ok. All you really need to know is how it makes applying a powder liner a complete snap. If you’re one of those people who never really caught on to drawing on a decent line, this is the best brush I’ve tried to get it straight in a really simple way. The liner side is more plush than most so it grabs onto a good amount of shadow and lays it down in a perfect line. Just make some dashes that connect across your upper lid and you’ll have a liner look that takes just seconds to create. The other side of the brush has a pretty unique shape that can apply a cream shadow, base color and even fits perfectly into the crease. This brush is all you need for your whole shadow routine if you were looking to simplify. It really is that good.
Then they sent me this awesome line up you see below which are exclusive to Sephora. It’s a hard-working brunch that cater to specific skin concerns giving some pretty great results.
Anti-Aging Armour Super Smart Skin-Perfecting Beauty Fluid SPF 50+ $38 (Um, what’s with the crazy long names I’ll never remember?) This foundation has a luminous quality that makes skin look so pretty that I forget it also has some serious sun protection. It’s a light fluid that absorbs right in but gives a gorgeous, natural, glowy look while still covering small (and not so small) imperfections. It’s so beautiful and so easy to blend in taking just seconds with my fingertips while leaving behind a slightly hydrated feel that looks so natural even in the daylight. It was really watery when I first opened it, but I’ve since learned to shake the life out of it before applying which brings it back to a fluid-like consistency. Just to be clear- it’s not full coverage, just good coverage especially for how light and breathable it feels which is a fine trade off for everything it has to offer.
Bye Bye Under Eye Illumination Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer $24: So little of this concealer is required to completely knock out dark circles that I literally might have half a tube left on my death bed. It’s that concentrated (and that amazing.) It’s maybe the most concentrated formula I’ve ever used and one of the most effective. It’s creamy and easy to blend and the tiniest amount not only covers darkness, but makes the under eye area look so fresh and awake. I went a little nuts the first few times and put way too much on so it creased, but I’ve since scaled back and started setting it with some powder after tons of blending and I’m getting a much better result. As far as color, I’m typically a light or light/medium but the medium is the one that works for me so grab a shade deeper than you normally would to get the best match.
3-in-1 Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm $38: A pre-cleanse skin melt like this one is essential in removing makeup and dirt. I’m a toner freak so I can see on that dirty cotton pad which cleansing methods work and which don’t, and going without this first step always yields dirty results. Once you remove it, it’s designed to leave behind a softening serum to hydrate so you don’t have that tight, dry feeling so many get after cleansing. I like how easily it cuts makeup (even mascara) but because I’m breakout-prone I like a squeaky clean feeling after I cleanse so the leave-behind is totally lost on me, but for my girls who are always looking for more moisture, this ensures you’re never left feeling stripped.
Bye Bye Pores Primer $38: A blurring primer is a girl’s best friend when your skin isn’t looking its best, and one of the few things that can actually make pores appear smaller. It also fills in fine lines making them look less obvious and gives foundation a nice smooth canvas to better cling to. It works for all skin types because it isn’t a ‘moisturizer’ so you can work it in with your existing routine.
Bye Bye Under Eye Eye Cream $48: This one does it all- brightens darkness, de-puffs, and tackles fine lines. It has a light, whipped consistency to it that feels great on the skin and absorbs quickly. I liked the feel of the cream overall, but didn’t see a drastic difference in anything beyond hydration in the few weeks I’ve been using it.
Bye Bye Lines Serum $58: Look for some instant blurring and brightening from this light lotion, but its effects are seen in just a few weeks. Peptides, Caviar Extract, vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, B5, B7, B9 and CoQ10 and Hydrolyzed Collagen to renew and energize dull skin. It not only tackles signs of tired, aged skin, but it also has some optical blurring technology to make skin look brighter right away. It’s formulated for all skin types and feels completely weightless on so you can smooth it under (or instead of) your daily moisturizer. The instant boost to the complexion is pretty impressive and it works to improve the overall look of skin over time. This was a stand-out among the skincare for me and something that made my skin look great (and didn’t break me out.)
Heavenly Skin CC+™ Skin-Perfecting Brush #702 $48: If there’s one thing about this line you can count on, it’s the brushes. This one is a breakthrough because it somehow infused antioxidants, silk, peptides, and niacin all into the actual hair. The feel of this brush is incredibly soft which helps to buff makeup into the skin so completely that it looks almost airbrushed. I tried half of my face with my Beauty Blender, and half using this and I could see a difference in the surface of my skin where the brush blended it in more completely so it didn’t separate or look obvious during the day. It has also done the best job of buffing in mineral foundation which is always tricky since so many brushes don’t work the powder into the skin enough which leaves a chalky, unblended look. I don’t know if the vitamins and peptides wash off when you wash the brush (assuming not, otherwise what a waste, right?), but even if that were the case, the cut and precision of the brush make it worth a go.