Charlotte Tilbury was ahead of its time in popularizing the concept to everyday makeup wearers that specific types of liquid highlighters could also be used as glowy primers, used alone or mixed with foundation, etc. Dupes have been released since then, but in 2023 and onward there was a boom of launches from seemingly every brand trying to make their version of the Hollywood Flawless Filter. Since I don’t use liquid highlighters enough, I professed in past reviews that I would not purchase anymore of these types of products. However, my skin became excessively drier since moving to Germany from Florida. Foundations that would normally give me a natural or slightly glowy finish were suddenly looking matte on me and staying that way all day. I want a product that gives a healthy shine to my skin so that I look less dry. Considering how much I’ve grown to enjoy Dior products, I decided to give the Forever Glow Star Filter a try when it was conveniently on sale on the Douglas website. I had a sample of the Glow Maximizer from a previous Dior order, so I’m including a review of that here as well.
The Star Filter color I purchased is 5N. This shade is a tad darker than my natural skin tone, and a little warmer, but it’s the closest match I have. I’m always in-between shades with Dior’s complexion products. 4.5W that I tried in the older formulation of the Backstage Face and Body Foundation was very much too light. I’m even between shades in their bronzer range (7 and 8) as well as powder (4 and 5). So, I always just settle for the closest one.
As seen in the picture above, no shimmer particles are visible on the skin under natural light. It just looks like it has a sheen, which is my ideal outcome. Under warm light, it has a natural, yet slightly shimmery look to it. Under white light, the shimmer is much more evident by comparison, but still quite refined. I would prefer if it looked dewy rather than shimmery in every kind of light, but I’ll take what I can get. So far so good!
Cloudy moment in front of the window versus some sun shining through.The Star Filter is the only makeup worn in both photos.
I tried this on bare skin just in the highlighter spots. Because of the shade option, it has a slightly dark cast when viewed at angles not hitting a light source, but I don’t plan to wear this without any other makeup anyway. I just wanted to see and show how this product looks in the most minimal makeup situation and test if it dries down, which it does.
The next thing I wanted to see was how it would look if used alone (one the side of the face with the yellow arrow in the photos above) versus the other half that was devoid of any foundation. The darker color was apparent. I used a small amount when taking the photo, so it didn’t look as glowy as I’ve seen it can get when more than one pump is used. It gives light coverage, which was still more pigment than I was expecting. Although it looks pretty when used this way, it’s a bit much for what I’m trying to achieve. I want specific areas to look radiant and healthy, not for every inch to look shiny as though from sweat.
When testing how this product looks as a primer underneath foundation, I chose to pair it with the Hourglass foundation because that one notoriously looks dry and unappealing in the beginning, but looks much better after several or more hours when my natural oils start producing and mixing together with it. I wanted to see if the Dior Star Filter would help me look radiant from the very start and not have to wait 2-5+ hours. Well, I could see tiny mica particles still underneath, but the foundation took the actual glow away when used on top of the Star Filter. It still looked better and less dry, but I suspected it wasn’t a necessary step, and that I could achieve what I wanted without using it all over the face, just in specific spots.
Adding the Star Filter back on top of the foundation in the typical highlighting spots confirmed again that it’s a little too dark on me. The shimmer itself isn’t too dark, just the base pigment used. From the frontal profile view, it looks a bit like a bruise on the other side of my cheek that didn’t have the Star Filter as primer under foundation, just as a highlighter over foundation. From the side profile view, as seen in the left photo below, that cast isn’t visible because light is hitting that spot and reflecting to make it look lighter. I could try mixing the foundation and Star Filter together to lighten the base color, but there’s too much coverage in both products, so I’d get a better color at the expense of diluting the glow. It would likely give me the same effect as the primer under foundation, which is not the finish I want.
Additional testing days confirmed that I could use this product as a liquid highlighter to make my skin look glowier, without putting it everywhere. However, I also realized my concealer placement was crucial because of the color depth differences and different finishes. Because my concealer is matte and the product looks shimmery, the spot where they met looked a bit harsh. So, I learned that I should add a little bit more concealer back on top to help blend the two products into each other.
I also felt that it looked better if I placed my blush on after using the Star Filter as highlighter instead of using it in the order I usually do (bronzer, blush, then highlight last). This way, the matte blush would have more of a blended gradient between the matte zone and where it turns dewy looking. I’m very glad this product dries down and can be applied with fingers or a brush (I didn’t test it with a sponge) and it blends in just fine and doesn’t disturb my makeup underneath (not even the KVD Concealer that usually breaks down quickly if other products get on it). So, as long as I wear blush and get creative with the placement of adding complexion products sparingly around the edges, the slightly darker base color isn’t as much of an issue. This product also works just fine when I add a powder highlighter on top of it, and helps hide the darker color even more.
Texture is emphasized a little bit more, but not as intensely as most other highlighters would make it.
I’ve done multiple wear tests, with one such example seen below. In that picture, at the five hour mark after sweating a lot from doing housework, the glow was just absolutely more than I wanted. It was very sweat apparent on the side where the Star Filter was used also as primer. On the other side, I was a bit less glowy. However, I didn’t mind how it looked in the areas that I used the Star Filter. The parts that had too much were from the foundation itself.
I fused two different pictures together with light shining on each side so it would be a fairer comparison.
Dior versus Charlotte Tilbury
Shade 5N from Dior compared to 6.5 from Charlotte Tilbury
I still had my mini of the Hollywood Flawless Filter in the US, but I decided to order another mini here, just to make sure my comparisons of the two were accurate. It’s a good thing I did because this was not how I remembered! For some reason, the facts got morphed in my head thinking that the Charlotte Tilbury product had a slightly metallic sheen. This is not the case! The Auric Glow Lust that I reviewed at the same time HERE is the one that had a pearly/almost metallic kind of shine. In fact, the CT product is the one that looks dewy and wet rather than shimmery. This is more of what I wanted, except that it’s too much in that direction. It’s easy with this product to overdo it and look greasy instead of glowy. In addition, the Charlotte Tilbury product dries down 70-90% depending on what products are used underneath like a dewy primer or later in the day after the foundation breaks down a little and natural oils are produced. It’s also more transfer prone than the Dior Star Filter. The Dior product sets from 90% to fully dried down on my skin with little to no transfer. This is at least how it stands based on the various combinations of products I’ve tried. It is possible that the performance could worsen in a more humid climate, in hotter temperature weather, and when using other products.
The photo above shows how I used the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter on my nose and the top of my cheekbones sparingly. I do like how it looks. Ultimately though, I prefer something that sets more. This is why I stopped using the CT product, whereas I like Dior’s and will keep using this one when I want to look less dry.
A few other things to mention is that like everything I own from Dior, the Star Filter has the signature Dior scent that smells slightly powdery, floral, and soapy. I use so little product that I usually can’t smell it in the air or when it’s on my skin. Charlotte’s just smells like makeup. The textures of both products are similar in the sense that neither one is a runny liquid. They have the consistency of acrylic paint, except that CT’s feels like it has more slip to it. The times that I’ve applied these with my fingers, Dior’s felt like applying a normal liquid foundation whereas CT’s felt like applying a cream-gel hybrid moisturizer.
For curiosity’s sake, I mixed a little of the Star Filter with a bigger portion of the Flawless Filter to see if I could lighten the 5n color that way. It worked, but it took on too much of the Flawless Filter’s consistency and remained partly dewy to the touch (though with less transfer). So, I still prefer to use Dior’s Star Filter by itself so it can set down. As long as I wear a blush with Dior’s product, the slightly darker and warmer color isn’t as much of an issue because the shimmer itself is light enough.
Dior Forever Glow Maximizer (Sample)
This product reminds me of the Star Filter in the consistency of the liquid, how it feels on the skin, how long it takes to set, and how well it blends into the skin. Where it differs is that this has more of a metallic look to it rather than the shimmer-sheen. The shade Rosy looks a bit strange to use as a highlighter on my skin tone, but it works if I pair it with a red blush like MAC’s Desert Rose or even Dior’s Rosy Glow Blush in Bronzed Glow. Rosy is also dark enough to use by itself as a shimmery blush shade, as seen in the photos above where I am not wearing another blush or highlighter with it (just bronzer).
Since I just have the sample, I’ve been limited in the amount of times I could test it (four times before this review). However, I can at least confirm that it’s similar to the Star Filter. For my own preferences and what I’m looking for (dewy looking and less like an obvious liquid highlighter), the Star Filter is a better product for me. Someone wanting a more traditional liquid highlighter that can be sheered out or used in a more impactful way that also fully sets/dries down will likely prefer the Glow Maximizer.
That’s all for today! Due to the price, I don’t think I’ll be getting more of either product. I’m just going to make do with the 5N shade rather than trying to buy 4N and just hope it won’t have the opposite problem of too light of a cast or having to deal with mixing the shades. There’s also just so much product in these bottles, more than I could ever use up, so it would feel wasteful. Since what I own is good enough to deal with my dry looking foundation problem, I can get back to my assertion that I don’t need anymore liquid highlighters after this.
I hope you enjoyed reading this review and that you’ll pop back in next week!
This is more of a showcase than a review because I’ve talked about Clionadh eyeshadows so many times on this blog and the quality is always consistent. These are the same performance, pigmentation, and shine I’ve come to expect from the brand. A few things to note is that Clionadh has a few notices on their website regarding some of the shades. Kelp Forest and The Bends may cause staining. Also, S.C.U.B.A contains silver powder so, “Avoid contact with broken or abraded skin.” It’s like one time in a thousand that I ever notice staining issues on myself from eyeshadows I’ve used (and not yet from Clionadh), but it could be because of my skintone that I don’t see it and/or that I always use primers. I figured it’s still important to relay this information.
Also, Shipwreck is the smoothest shade that I can apply directly to my eye area with my fingers. Saltwater Pearl, Fool’s Gold, and Kelp Forest are fairly smooth as well. However, S.C.U.B.A. is semi-flaky. The extremely flaky ones are The Bends, Ring of Fire, and Cephalopod, so I have to apply them with a damp brush to minimize fallout and prevent making a mess everywhere under my eyes.
Of the three eye sets above, the first set shows Saltwater Pearl whereas the second and third are The Bends in slightly different lighting.
In the picture above is Fool’s Gold and the green shade is Kelp Forest. In the picture below is Ring of Fire in the top set and Cephalopod in the bottom set. I used a matte shadow from a different brand in the crease of the Cephalopod shade.
Below is the photo of Shipwreck at various angles.
The last photos are of S.C.U.B.A.
In saying that these are the Clionadh quality I’ve come to expect, they match some of the less dramatic lines. So, these aren’t as shifty as the Jewelled Multichromes nor intense and sparkly like the Glitter-Vibrants. They’re still pretty though. I truly only wanted Fool’s Gold, Cephalopod, and Shipwreck, but couldn’t buy them separately. Perhaps in the future they will be released as singles. I bought the palette on sale, but since Clionadh (at this time) doesn’t collect VAT, I was hit with a surprise 19 Euro fee that was demanded of me upon delivery to Germany, making the total more expensive than if I made the purchase to the US at full price. Thankfully my husband was home early from work because I didn’t understand what the DHL worker was asking, why he kept trying to walk away with my package, and that my husband had the exact amount in cash (the man refused to offer change back). I was still new to the whole VAT and international shipping thing, so for anyone in a similar situation, just know that there could be issues buying outside of the US and Canada.
That’s all for today! Thanks for checking this out! I hope this helps!
Ever since getting my 2015 Guerlain Météorites, I’ve been searching for some that aren’t as old to replace it. Unfortunately, no others from Guerlain have been able to fill that void. This brings me to the reason I purchased their newest Météorites, in yet another attempt to find something identical.
Well, this has certainly been the closest I’ve come! The older Météorites have an intense violet scent, whereas these new ones have been tweaked to smell of violets, sandalwood, vanilla, and musk at the same strongly lingering intensity. I prefer the original, though the new one is still okay. I don’t detect any of the vanilla, but the woody note mixed with violets is very present. Since they changed the scent anyway, I wish they toned it down so I wouldn’t smell it for so long while wearing it on my face and so the scent wouldn’t remain in my brushes either.
As for the color, Amber is subtle on my skin tone. I think going a shade lighter would have had the unfortunate effect of the pearls looking too cool for my warm undertone, and therefore ashy. The permanent Météorites have always been subtle, but my limited edition one had extra shimmer, which is the only thing I’m missing from these new ones. So, rather than using it as a highlighter, I can actually use these all over the face as intended as a finishing powder. When I think about it, I shouldn’t be searching anymore for subtle highlighters since I already have plenty I love.
When I use these Météorites, they’re impossible to detect on my camera when I take photos. I can see the slightest effect in person, and it’s pretty, but I actually prefer the sheen I get from using the Dior Powder No Powder over this one. So, once again, I think it’s time to end my search. I have other products by now that do the two functions I want, albeit separately, but have an even prettier effect than using the Guerlain product alone.
Considering this stunning packaging and having a layerable product, it’s still worth it for me to keep for the time being. However, I’m not sure that it would necessarily be worth it to others. I think perhaps this is just best for luxury lovers and not those who prioritize performance of makeup over everything else.
That’s all for today! Thank you for reading!
-Lili ❤
The only digital edits in the photos were to blur the background and remove moles which can be distracting for review purposes. The lighting in the first photo was the result of artificial light overpowering the natural light that was lacking during a cloudy and rainy day. I kept that one in this review since the tiniest of the meteorite particles were slightly more visible.
In today’s post, I’ll be talking about both base complexion products from Lisa Eldridge, but I’ll start with the process of getting the tint first.
I utilized the brand’s shade finder based on their foundation I use, which is Shade 27, and my results for the best matches were T13 and T14. Had I not used the shade finder, I would have estimated that T13 was my closest match anyway, so I purchased that one. T14 appeared too dark and too red toned, which was pretty much confirmed at a later date.
The packaging is cute and lightweight, making it great for travel. It looks more luxurious than it feels in the hand, but the price for this is lower than the foundation, so it’s perfectly acceptable to me. The consistency is very fluid and runny compared to the foundation. I understand why the directions say to shake well with every use, in addition to being able to hear an agitator/mixing ball inside the packaging.
Even though T13 was my best match, I did not expect it to be so much lighter! When I compared samples, I could see that it’s actually a hair lighter than even foundation shade 25, though the comparison photo below is between T13 and 27.
My undertone, though it can look more red in photos with incorrect lighting, is yellow that leans a little golden (basically yellow-orange but not too orange). Shade 27 in the foundation is described as having “neutral red undertones” but the actual color of the liquid is orange, which is why it still worked. Granted, it has stronger orange tones that I like, but it was my best match in the range. Shade 25 had the right undertone, but was too light. Shade 26 was too light and matched even less because it was neutral rather than golden.
In the photo above, I have the skin tint on one half of my face. In the photo next to it also above, I have the tint and foundation mixed together. The photos below were taken February 2023 when I was showing my friend what my shades looked like based on the brand’s sample card that I received with my order. Clearly 27 was the best of the bunch.
Another comparison source is on Instagram from daps_makeup who has shade 13 swatched on her neck with shades 25-28 of the foundation in comparison to her face.
Color aside, the Skin Tint wasn’t quite what I was expecting. It’s advertised as a, “fresh, luminous and light coverage tint in a feel good formula made of 78% skincare ingredients, for replenished, healthy and plumped looking skin.” Considering my dry skin issues have been exacerbated since I moved, I’m looking for some extreme hydration. The combination of luminosity and skincare sounded great, and it looks slightly hydrating on the skin when I first put it on, but once everything has been blended in and settled, my skin looks matte. I’ve tried various hydrating primers and skincare, but my skin looks barely on the cusp of being a natural finish product at most. So, that was a bit disappointing that it just wasn’t enough for my skin type. I’ve heard others that don’t have dry skin saying they loved that they were able to get a glow without greasiness, so perhaps people with normal, combination, and oily skin will especially like this skin tint. I will say, it also has a decent amount of coverage if you use more than the suggested two drops. I also had no issues with longevity.
The brand commented on my Instagram post and I spoke with a lovely rep via DMs. Essentially after seeing my photos they agreed that even if I tried another shade, T14 would be too dark for me. Although I didn’t ask for it, they offered to refund me because the tint couldn’t stretch far enough to match me, which was so nice of them to do! The Lisa Eldridge customer service team continues to be top notch!
Moving onto the foundation, I still very much like it even though it’s not completely perfect for me. I’m wearing it (built up for more coverage and not mixed with the skin tint) in the photo below.
The packaging is extremely luxe and beautiful. I wish the bottle could stand up by itself, but it has a cool shape. Although the consistency is thicker than the tint, it’s still not the thickest foundation in my collection and it’s not heavy on the skin. It has medium buildable coverage and in Florida I was able to get a natural finish, but with my bone dry skin in Germany it looks a lot closer to matte. I have to prep my skin to the max to prevent it from looking too dry. I’ve considered purchasing the Elevated Glow Highlighter as a glowy base product, but I’m not sure if or when I will. I’m still waiting to try a few other products first (such as the Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Moisture Repair Balm Serum or repurchasing the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter or Auric Glow Lust) to see if they will be enough to do the trick.
I like that neither the tint nor foundation have added fragrance.
I’ve been using the foundation on and off since July 2023 and will continue to use it, but I’m not sure what I will do with the skin tint. Perhaps I can just hold onto it in case I get lighter while here. I have tried mixing the tint and foundation together, as mentioned in the earlier section. Their consistencies are so different that it didn’t mix very well. I discovered that if I want to mix them, it’s best to put the tint all over first and then add the foundation on top afterwards. The outcome at least looks much better.
That’s all for today! I am working on another Lisa Eldridge post, but it will be focused on her lip products. Stay tuned for that within the next few weeks if you’re interested!
Haus Labs Color Fuse Talc-Free Powder Blush With Fermented Arnica in French Rosette
When Haus Labs launched their initial blushes, I purchased the shade Pomelo Peach. It looked very ashy and dry on my skin, so I ended up giving it to my friend who is lighter than me instead of reviewing it. I realize that sometimes if blush colors are unsuited for my skin tone, it can look ashier than it should be. So, I hoped that was the issue with the previous one and gave French Rosette a try. I’m so pleased with this shade! It’s a soft matte that melts well into my skin, even though it’s dry (and not a creamier feeling powder). The color is subtle, but can be built up. When built up it has just enough punch of color that it looks vibrant on my skintone without being garish. It also has good longevity. Because the previous color made such a big impact on how it looked in terms of texture on my skin, I can only recommend it with the caveat of trying it first in store.
Although I love this color, I admit this is still not a favorite formula. It blends well, but I prefer a less matte finish. It has the fermented arnica that keeps getting touted by the brand as a special ingredient, but I don’t have redness, so this isn’t a selling point for me. It also has squalane for hydration, but I don’t see it doing very much when I have experienced softer feeling and creamier powder formulas from other brands. Considering the price, I’m going to be content with this particular shade and not purchase additional ones in the future, unless Haus Labs makes a satin or shimmer finish. It’s nice, but not a necessity.
Fenty Beauty Demi’Glow Light-Diffusing Highlighter in Rich Hunnie 06
Fenty’s past highlighters tended to be far too glittery or have too large of glitter particles for my liking, so the idea of the Demi’ Glow having “superfine pearls…to give a lowkey glow” appealed to me. I have to say, this highlighter truly is smoother than their past releases and with smaller than their usual shimmer particle sizes, but it has a strong reflect. So, this highlighter is still quite intense considering the small amount of it I try to use. I like it enough to keep using it occasionally, but it’s still not for subtle-highlight lovers.
Although my highlighter arrived in perfect condition, I’ve seen photos of other people on social media receiving theirs with cracks in them. The formula seems to be fragile, just like the previous highlighters/Toast’d Swirl Bronze Shimmer Powder everyone was receiving broken despite it being a squishier formula. In fact, in the earliest promo photo, I saw a crack in the corner of one of the highlighters. That indicates how prevalent this issue is if even the brand’s marketing team had it happen to them before or during the photo shoot. Also, unlike the Toast’d Swirls, the Demi’ Glow are baked on terracotta/clay tiles.
For those who love a strong highlighter, this may be worth the price. The custom packaging is nice and these are baked products, but the intensity of the reflect reminds me of less refined products despite how fine the shimmer actually is. This is purely a perception thing, so I recognize it’s likely an unpopular opinion. The same issue that makes me like it a bit less is the same reason others would be racing to the store to buy multiples.
The shade range is great though, especially for highlighters. I have to give them that credit. And it does look pretty. It just isn’t going to be for everyone. I took the photos below on a cloudy day and the fact that it’s still so clearly visible is a testament to its radiance.
In the photos I’m wearing the Haus Labs Blush and Fenty Highlighter. The only digital edits made were to blur the background and remove some moles that I find can be distracting.
A way that I’ve found to use these and have it look more my taste is to apply the highlighter first and the blush after. That way parts of the highlighter get some extra blending and dispersing along the cheekbones.
This is less of a review and more of a showcase for one of the three newest blush shades added to Dior’s Rosy Glow line. The color Rosewood shot to the top of my blush favorites and is the only one of the three I brought with me to Germany. The original Coral was too light for my taste, whereas Mahogany was too deep. This new Bronzed Glow shade is a lighter version of Mahogany and includes visible shimmer in the pan that not only makes this formula easier to pick up with a brush than the others, but also adds a subtle glow. The previously released shades were not flat matte, but didn’t have any shimmer that I could see. I would call Bronzed Glow the first actual satin blush. My review for the original Coral, plus Rosewood and Mahogany can be found HERE.
I didn’t pick up the new Coral shade because it doesn’t look, in my estimation, different enough from Cherry (which depending on one’s skintone, is like a deeper Rosewood). So, I stuck to buying Bronzed Glow from Dior’s website and it shipped to Germany from France. Bronzed Glow is a beautiful nude-brown red. Rosewood is still my favorite, but I’m thrilled to have this second shade. Also, this formula doesn’t swatch well, but looks beautiful on the face.
I know some people had issues with patchiness from the previous releases, but I think the added shimmer will help with that for more skin types. I personally find that as my skin is drier here than it was in Florida, the longevity of this shade is slightly shorter because there isn’t as much moisture to grip to even with liquid makeup and skincare on my face. However, it lasts long enough for me to be happy with it. I also commend Dior for finally being inclusive with this range. For once it was actually the tan and medium-dark range with less options since Berry and Mahogany came first. Now, there’s something for everyone.
This is technically a concealer and color corrector declutter post, but I didn’t have many color correctors to begin with, so I kept them both. The ELF Camo Color Corrector in Orange I use just on my face because it settles too much in areas with lines, like under my eyes. The Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Liquid Corrector in Mango (reviewed HERE) does a decent job, but it doesn’t pair well with all my concealers and it’s a touch on the light side for me, so that also partly limits how and where I can use it. The MAC Pro Palette Studio Finish Skin Corrector x 6 (shown HERE) was old, so I decluttered it.
The photo above is what my concealer collection looked like a few months prior to me moving overseas, but I have a few new concealers and additional shades within the same lines that I purchased since then and will discuss here too.
In the “You’re Falling Apart” category of concealers that I had to toss due to them being too old, I decluttered the Pat Mcgrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer in 23 (also owned 22 and 24 reviewed HERE) and Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealers in 460 and 495 (reviewed HERE). Although the Pat Mcgrath concealer was one of my favorites in terms of coverage, the shades in the MD range were too olive to look natural on me. Even if I had a better color, I admittedly had to babysit this concealer a little because it wasn’t as long lasting on me as some of my other concealers, such as Tarte Shape Tape. I still attest to it being a good concealer that I used quite a lot (about 1.5 tubes worth of product between all three shades). The Lancome concealers were decent, but I kept reaching for other things because of my desire for more coverage and a longer wear time.
The “It’s YOU, not Me” category is for concealers that looked horrible on me nearly immediately. I couldn’t get them to work no matter what powder I used with them or by switching techniques. The ones that fall into this category are the LYS Triple Fix Brightening Concealer in DG6 and Bobbi Brown Skin Full Cover Concealer in Almond. I hated them both so much that I didn’t want to review them. The irony is that the shades for both looked nice. I just couldn’t get them to last even an hour without gathering horribly in the lines under my eyes or fading in under an hour if I used the products too sparingly. Also being placed in this category is the Juvia’s Place I Am Magic Concealer (reviewed HERE). I have shade J11 which is too light for me, but the next shade would be far too dark. Color aside, I love the full coverage aspect to it, but it creases too fast and too deeply for my liking. So, it’s no surprise that all three were decluttered.
“The Incompatibles” are the concealers I’ve heard good things about that tend to be loved by others with a different skin type than mine. The ones that fit this description are the Urban Decay Quickie 24HR Full-Coverage Waterproof Concealer in 70WR, Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Luminous Matte Liquid Concealers in Crumble 7.1N and Butterscotch 7.5G (reviewed HERE), and the Ami Cole Skin-Enhancing Concealer in Medium 1 and Deep 2. With the Ami Cole one, as I told a friend, Medium 1 is really pretty and matches the lightest part of my face, but because it doesn’t 100% cover the intensity of my dark circles, I get the slight grey look to it. Because I loved the way it spread and the finish of it, I saw the potential of it being a favorite if I had a darker shade, so I ordered Deep 2. Deep 2 turned out to still be lighter than my dark circles, so it still looks “improved,” even though it’s deeper than the lighter parts of my skin. Because the foundations I reach for most are essentially matching the darker parts (not as deep as the hyperpigmentation areas), I can pull it off when I have a full face on. Medium 1 is only the tiniest bit lighter than UD’s 70NN, but because the one from UD is full coverage (and the tiniest bit warmer), Quickie doesn’t give me that slight grey look. The Ami Cole concealer has such a beautiful finish on the skin, but because it didn’t give me more than six hours of wear, I left it behind. The Quickie concealer, as much as I wanted to love it, I couldn’t get it to last on me unless I loaded up on powder which then dried out my under eyes. It didn’t look as good as Tarte Shape Tape, so there didn’t seem to be much point in keeping it. The Huda concealers also gave me issues with dryness. I found some ways around it, but then longevity was an issue. I was tempted to bring these with me, but since I liked other concealers more, it made more sense to just let them go. I think all three of these concealers in this category could be fantastic on the right person.
In the “Good Formula, Wrong Shade” category is just the Dermablend Flawless Cover Drops which is a foundation that I use as concealer, I loved how it looked when I had shade 75W, but I was unwilling to pay full price for it again since I was unable to use up even 25% of the giant bottle before it went bad. Two other times I purchased shade 72N from Ulta during a 50% off sale (Ulta still doesn’t carry the 75W shade), but it never looked as good because it was too neutral on me and didn’t have enough warmth. It got the job done and I loved how lightweight it was, but since the shade couldn’t measure up, I decided to give up on it. I currently still have 72N in my collection, but I plan to declutter it.
“You Have My Attention” is what I’m calling concealers I was unwilling to declutter because I felt there may be potential, but I hadn’t (at the time I was preparing to move) had the time to explore and test them further. In this category is the Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating and Depuffing Concealer in 40 Medium Deep Neutral and 43 Medium Deep Golden, Estee Lauder Futurist Soft Touch Brightening Skincealer in 6W, and Hourglass Cosmetics Vanish Airbrush Concealer in Maple and Umber. I had a creasing and fading issue with Haus Labs, so I left that in the US to deal with in the future. The other two concealers I brought with me and I can say that it’s shocking the EL concealer is light on me considering 6W in the foundation has been much too dark for me these past five or so years. This is a range that I definitely recommend seeing in-store if possible before purchasing.
The EL concealer has a very interesting applicator that helps get into corners, but I still have to blend it out with a brush that gets into all the corners, so having a good brush at the end of the day is more important than the shape of the tool. I give it credit for not applying a ton at once though.
The finish looks beautiful initially, but it creased horribly in the beginning and faded significantly within the first hour or two. The best I’ve been able to get it to look is using the Milk Hydro Grip Eye primer, which gives me six hours maximum before the fading is too significant for me to want to be seen in public with it. The Charlotte Tilbury pressed powder with it helps too, but it still settles more than I’m used to in my under eye lines. Without the Milk primer it’s far worse. As much as I like the finish, I’d only wear this for short outings until I can figure out a combination with powder that potentially helps it last longer. I don’t have much hope on that considering Nikki had similar issues as detailed in her review HERE. I’m close to giving up on experimenting with it since so many trials ended poorly or with such short lived results.
As for Hourglass, I’ve been able to get minimal creasing and a 7-8 hour wear time with the Huda Beauty Easy Bake loose powder, but I have to continue checking if any other powder combinations can improve the results. The best wear time I get with the concealer plus any powder is if I used the MILK Hydro Grip Eye Primer underneath. Then the concealer lasts on me at least nine hours. It could be even better, but eight hours is the minimum for my wear tests and nine hours was the maximum I was able to test it for before intentionally choosing to remove it from my face. With the MILK primer, I can get close to full coverage. Without it, I’d say I get high medium coverage.
Also, I just wanted to add that the applicators are different between the travel size and full size of the Hourglass concealer. The full-size (on the left half) has more of a curve and tapered tip. The travel size has a more common/generic shape.
Between the three concealers, the Hourglass seems to be the one with the most potential.
My Top 5 Concealers Ranked
In fifth place is the Fenty We’re Even Concealer in 385W and 410W. It’s a new one to my collection that released since I’ve been overseas. The coverage level is quite good, it has very little creasing, and while it’s not the longest lasting of the bunch, it lasts eight hours before the fading starts to be significant. At least, that’s the case when I pair it with the Charlotte Tilbury powder. Using it with other products led to way faster fading. For example, I got superb protection against creasing and full coverage results when using it on top of the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Eye Primer, but after just four hours, it looked fully worn out. So, I just have to remember to keep using it with the Charlotte Tilbury powder or any others I may discover work well with it in the future. Also, when I use it with the CT Powder, I have to still apply a lot more product than I would with other full coverage products. This isn’t to gain extra coverage. This is necessary because a thin layer, although enough to hide dark circles, will get absorbed (or broken down…whichever happens to cause the disappearing act) too quickly by my skin. Loading up the product means some will disappear, but there will be enough left to last the eight hours when paired with the right powder. If I try to use a normal amount of concealer, even with the Charlotte Tilbury powder, it will fade significantly after only five hours.
This isn’t a deal-breaker, but the Fenty packaging doesn’t allow one to stand the concealer upright. There are too many pointed edges and the only flat parts are the front and back, so it has to be stored in a laying position unless it’s stored in a container. Also, it has an interesting curve tip for distributing product.
In fourth place is Tarte Shape Tape in 35N Deep (reviewed HERE) and third place is the L’Oreal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer in 415 Honey. I still go back and forth trying to decide which of the two is truly better. They even have similarly sized packaging with near identical wands, though the applicator tip from L’Oreal is even bigger than the already large one from Tarte! Tarte’s component also has a tighter inner ring that prevents excess product from being pulled out of the tube, whereas L’Oreal’s gets a little messier.
I’ve tried so many variations of the Medium/Deep range from Tarte: Tan Sand, Tan-Deep Sand, Deep, Deep Honey, and Deep Sand, etc. The best shade from the range for me is Deep, which is the right depth, but still not the perfect because of the undertone. The full coverage nature of it and lasting power is why I’ve repurchased specifically Deep six times between full-sizes and minis since its release. I haven’t found a way to be able to purchase it in Germany*, so it was important for me to find alternatives since concealer is the single most important piece of makeup for me. Although I wish it was a little less dry looking (the creamy version does NOT work for me), I’ve had concealers that looked way worse on me.
*UPDATE: MAY 5th, 2024: I was unable to purchase Shape Tape on previous trips, so I assumed this was still the case, but I did a google search today and saw that it’s available at the Sephora-DE website for 29 Euros.
As for the L’Oreal concealer, it’s the closest thing I ever found to looking and performing like Tarte Shape Tape. It still can look a little dry under the eyes, but the finish is slightly better than Shape Tape. It also has a tiny bit shorter of longevity results, at about a maximum of 10 hours for me if I use the right powders (and as short as 6 with the wrong skincare, powders, or other products). However, one big plus is the price difference with L’Oreal’s being way more affordable**. Tarte usually offers 50% off Shape Tape sales throughout the year, whereas you can get it at less than that at any time by getting the one from L’Oreal. For these reasons, and the tiniest bit better shade match, I believe I like the Infallible Concealer slightly more.
**UPDATE: Just wanted to clarify again that this is based on the US perspective. I was able to see the Infallible Concealer was €15.99 at smaller German websites I’m unfamiliar with, but the website I shop at more frequently, Douglas, has the price listed as €25.99 instead, making it still cheaper than Shape Tape but not hugely different since Shape Tape is €29.99 at Sephora DE.
In second place is the Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin-Caring 24H Hydrating Radiant Correcting Creamy Concealer in N390 and W420 (reviewed HERE). I only go for complete coverage concealers, but the hydrated look from this one (when paired with the right powder) is so nice that I am willing to settle for high coverage instead. I used to consider this a finicky concealer because using the same products didn’t give me consistently good results, but then I realized it was due to my under eyes and the concealer’s inability to hold up as well when the application area was oily instead of dry. On those oil producing days, I have to monitor my eyes within the first half hour to check if the creases need to be patted back out and touched back up with powder. This isn’t an everyday problem, just every once in a while when my skin decides to play games! Using the Milky Hydro Grip Eye Primer under the eyes helped extend the wear time as well. Also, since I have to set it with powder to minimize creasing, I lose a lot of that luminosity. I tested the concealer with various powders and Givenchy’s own Prisme Libre Powder was the only thing that helped my under eyes look at least more hydrated than Shape Tape. Since that initial review, I’ve tested new powders I didn’t have before, and the current best pairing is with the Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Setting Powder. The Givenchy powder gives me around eight hours of wear time (six hours on a bad day), but the Huda Powder helps it look close to a natural finish while lasting eight hours before the fading even starts! That’s without bothering to use the Milk primer. Since discovering the Huda and Givenchy power combo, this concealer was able to jump up to the number two spot.
In first place is the KVD Good Apple Concealer in Tan 167 (reviewed HERE but I also own Tan 161 and used to own Tan 173). It’s shocking that this is my new number one considering it can be troublesome too. However, when I learned the combination of this concealer with the Charlotte Tilbury matte face powder fixed the longevity issue, I haven’t had problems ever since. I get the coverage I need, the texture is lightweight, the finish is better than Shape Tape (which I consider the standard and where the bar is set), and I can get 8-12 hours of wear as long as no other products come in contact with this one, particularly emollient ones like some skincare, certain primers, and creamy blushes or highlighters. Even when using the Sephora Setting Spray, I have to reapply and repowder my concealer because it will make it suddenly crease badly. Strangely, since my own natural oils tend to not be too much of a hassle to the concealer, I don’t have to baby it as much as the Givenchy concealer. So, this one is essentially my new Shape Tape. This means it’s one that I will continually purchase (and have repurchased multiple times already).
The photo above demonstrates some of the various stages that I was testing different makeup products and practicing techniques in the weeks prior to the wedding. The very first example is what I would consider my typical amount of makeup, versus the last photo where I put in way more effort with a ton of extra steps that were necessary to create the look I envisioned for myself.
In Part 1, I explained which strategies I chose and showed the specific makeup products used. In Part 2, I’m going into greater detail listing the actual order of the steps I took. That includes all the details about the eyeshadows that I left out of the previous wedding post. I will also include photos of alternative wedding/special occasion looks in both the cold winter theme, classic looks, and a few colorful ones now that we’re in spring.
The makeup artists were upfront about either not being available on the day of the wedding or not having their own products to match me. I was a bit nervous about having to do it on my own, considering I’m just a makeup enthusiast, but many loved ones reassured me that I knew my own face better than anyone else and they were confident I could pull it off. I hope that this post will be inspiring to anyone else in a similar situation where you have an important event coming up and aren’t sure where to start or would just like to see extra ideas.
My Wedding Makeup Step-By-Step
First, I applied skincare (and this would normally include sunscreen though I skipped it), allowing ample time for everything to absorb in the skin before moving onto applying primer(s).
I then applied color correctors to the spots I have discoloration, put on the liquid contour for my nose and under the cheeks, and added liquid blush. I left them only halfway blended since the foundation would go over everything anyway as part of the underpainting technique.
I made a mixture of foundation shades and applied it to the outer perimeter of my face. The lighter foundation color, I applied to the central zone of my face.
The eye primer came next before I filled in my brows with my brow pencil of choice.
I applied my skin tone shade of concealer to my under eyes and areas of discoloration. I applied a combination of my skin tone shade and a lighter color to my under eye area again, the bridge of my nose, center of my forehead, and chin. I use the lighter concealer color alone to highlight under my eyebrows.
After setting those concealer areas with powder, I did a first round of setting spray to lock those in.
In the photo series above, I saved my eye makeup for last, but I switched the order on the day of the wedding to do the eye makeup next in case I had a mishap with eyeliner, if mascara got on the lids, etc.
1. First, I applied Viseart’s Illusion shade from the Peridot quad under my brows on top of where I laid down the lighter concealer shade.
2. Then I applied Melt’s Rubbish shade from the Rust palette in the space under the Viseart shadow, but above the crease.
3. Next was Melt’s Rust shade from the same palette tightly in the crease, not going past the previous shade.
4. I lightly added Log from Natasha Denona’s Gold Palette, building up the outer corner and moving halfway inward. I chose this placement because of my particular eye shape.
5. I then built up the depth and smokey factor in the outer v area using Xtreme Black from Pat McGrath’s Mothership III: Subversive palette.
6. I smudged the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil along the outer quarter of the lower lash line before using Deep Shade (actual name) from the same PML palette on the rest of the lower lash line.
7. I smoothed on the Nyx Glitter Primer to the empty space on my lids and applied Bronzed Mink from PML’s Bronze Bliss palette to the outer half of the lid, taking care to not cover up the dark shadows in the outer corner.
8. I added Divine Dahlia from PML’s Interstellar Icon Quad on top of Bronze Mink to tone down the warmth of that shade.
9. The next step was picking up Nude Moon from Bronze Bliss on my brush, spraying it with MAC Fix+ and applying it to the inner half of the lids.
10. I placed Skinshow Fever from Mothership III: Subversive in the inner corner, under the brow arch, and the inner third of the lower lash line for highlighting purposes.
11. For extra sparkle, I added Lunar Luxury damp from Bronze Bliss to the inner corner. I applied the waterproof eyeliner to my upper lash line, along with two coats of waterproof mascara to my upper lashes, but only one coat on my lower lashes. Had I used the Clionadh multichrome, I would have placed a small dot that was eyeliner width to the center of the upper lash line.
Going back to my base, I applied powder contour under the cheeks and along my jawline. I applied a cooler toned contour to my nose, and on top of the other contoured spots.
I applied bronzer along my forehead and slightly above the contour under my cheeks.
I used my face powder and the Beautyblender Puff to clean up a small section of my sculpting work without going too far in. Just about one inch inward from my ear.
I applied my intense highlighter to the tops of my cheekbones.
I applied the mixture of powder blushes to my cheeks.
I applied my more subtle highlighters to the top of my cheekbones again, bridge of my nose, above the brows, and any remaining product on the brush to my forehead and chin.
I used my blurring finishing powder in any areas that needed extra blending/blurring.
I lined my lips with the lip liner of choice, filled it in with liquid lipstick, and added a lighter lip product to the center of my lips. During trial sessions, I even added highlighter, but didn’t end up doing it on the wedding day.
I put the leftovers of foundation from my brush and applied it to the spots on my neck that would be seen.
I applied highlighter to my collarbones and shoulders.
Lastly, I finished up with a generous amount of setting spray to my face. Had I remembered, I would have sprayed my neck and the spots I applied body highlighter.
And that’s everything! It’s a lot of steps, but worth the time and effort for one of the most important days of my life!
Just as unexpected problems can arise on important days, unfortunately, nearly every day that I set aside free time has been a dark day. I’ve done my best to play around with artificial light, take photos during the brightest part of the day for natural light, and do some color adjusting with the photos, but I’m dealing with cloudy days constantly over here. Times like these, I miss Florida haha.
Recreation of my Wedding Makeup/Neutral Glam: Used all the products I still have on hand. Photo Setup: (1) In front of an open window on a cloudy day. (2) In a room with warm light and a second cell phone’s flashlight was lit behind the camera. (3) In front of an open window with warm white bulbs overhead.
Here are the additional looks!
Frost Queen: Milky Hydro Grip Primer and Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 10, Hourglass Cosmetics Vanish Airbrush Concealer in Maple and Umber, Chantecaille Perfect Blur Powder in Med/Deep, r.e.m. Beauty Hypernova Satin Matte Bronzer in Cocoa-Nut, REM Beauty Highlighter Topper in Miss Mars, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour), Armani Neo Nude Melting Color Balm in 60 Warm Plum and Hourglass Ambient Light Blush in At Night, ELF Instant Lift Brow Pencil in Deep Brown, Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liner, KVD Full Sleeve Mascara, Juvia’s Place Lip Liner in Brownie, Lisa Eldridge True Velvet Lip Color in Sorcery, Colourpop Hocus Pocus 2 So Glassy Lip in Boys Will Love Me, the eyeshadow shade Memory (Metallic) from the Tati Beauty Textured Neutrals Volume 1 palette, and shades Nowhere, Christmas Eve, and Snowflake from the Oden’s Eye Christmas Eve Palette. Photo Setup: In front of an open window with a warm white bulb overhead on a partly sunny day, but near sundown.
Playful Pinks: Milk Hydro Grip Primer, Nars Light Reflecting Foundation in MD3.3 Caracas, KVD Good Apple Concealers, Huda Faux Filter Corrector in Mango, Nars Soft Matte Advanced Perfecting Powder in High Tide, GloWish Soft Radiance Bronzing Powder in 04 Deep Tan, Dior Backstage Powder No Powder, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour), Dior Rosy Glow Blush in 012 Rosewood and Nabla Skin Glazing in Lola, Pat Mcgrath Labs Skin Fetish: Ultra Glow Highlighter in Divine Rose, Suqqu Treatment Wrapping Lip in 05, Coloured Raine Lip Liner in Decadent, Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in 05, KVD Full Sleeve Mascara, Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner, MAC Fix+, Melt’s eyeshadows from the Gemini II Palette with shades Bela, Sweetheart, Gemalas, and LX Queen, and the Rust palette with shade Antique. Devinah Cosmetics Eyeshadows in shades Empress, Pixy Stix, and Gelicide. Pat Mcgrath Labs’ eyeshadows from the Mothership III: Subversive palette in VR Pink and from the Celestial Nirvana 5 pan Palette in Nude Allure in the shades Mercurial Rose and Coral Kiss. Photo Setup: In front of an open window on a less cloudy day, but during late afternoon hours and a warm white bulb overhead.
Chocolate-Gold Glam: Milk Hydro Grip Primer, Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation in 13.5 and 14, L’Oréal Infallible Full Wear Waterproof Concealer in 415 Honey, Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder in Blondie, Gxve Beauty Check My Glow Multi-Dimensional Illuminating Highlighter in Karat Country, Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Bronzer in Terracotta, Dior Powder No Powder, Chanel Blush Lumiere Illuminating Blush Powder in Brun Roussi, ELF Instant Lift Brow Pencil in Deep Brown, MAC Macstack Mascara, One/Size Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner Pen, Palladio Waterproof Lip Pencil in Coffee, and Kaleidos Cloud Lab Lip Clay in Sienna. Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour and no contouring anywhere else). Viseart’s Illusion shade from the Peridot Quad, Deep Shade (actual name) and Gigabyte from Pat Mcgrath Labs Mothership III: Subversive, Clionadh Cometics’ shade Lux, and Devinah Cosmetics’ shade Ambrosia. Photo Setup: In front of an open window on a less cloudy day with a warm white bulb overhead.
Flower Garden: Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Triclone Skin Tech Foundation in 425 Medium Deep Neutral, Tatcha the Liquid Silk Canvas Fenty We’re Even Concealer in 410 W and 385W, Givenchy Prisme Libre Powder in 5 Popeline Mimosa, Dior Powder No Powder, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour), Victoria Beckham Matte Bronzing Brick 05 (regular contour), Gucci Bronzer in 04, MAC Glow Play Blush in Peaches N Dreams, Sephora Blush Duo in 02 Peach Blossom, Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Highlighting Duo in Tanlight, Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in 05, L’Oreal Telescopic Lift Macara, Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, Danessa Myricks Infinite Chrome Micropencil Eyeliners in Jade, Amethyst, and Lemon Quartz. Devinah Matte Eyeshadows in Courtney and Meraki, Clionadh Cosmetics Stained Glass Shadows in Mural, Patina, Quest, Noble, and Spire. Coloured Raine Lip Liner in Pine and Suqqu Sheer Matte Lipstick in 112. Photo Setup: In front of an open window with the sun poking out randomly on and off from behind the mostly cloudy sky, and a warm white bulb overhead.
Spring Purples: Milk Hydro Grip Primer, Glossier Futuredew, Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Foundation in 27, KVD Good Apple Concealers, ELF Camo Color Corrector in Orange, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish in 2 and 3, Hermès Plein Air H Trio Healthy Glow Mineral Powder, Dior Backstage Powder No Powder, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (contour), ColourPop Pressed Powder Blush in Potted and Gucci Cheeks & Eyes Powder Luminous Matte in 06 Warm Berry, Hourglass Metallic Strobe Powder in Infinite Strobe Light, Lisa Eldridge Enhance and Define Lip Pencil in Sorcery and Lisa Eldridge Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colour in Painterly, Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in 05, KVD Full Sleeve Mascara, Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner, Melt’s eyeshadows from the She’s In Parties Palette with shades Total Immortal and Last Caress. Clionadh Cosmetics Multichromes in shades UV and Tracery. Sydney Grace Eyeshadows in Dear Reader, Flannel, and Sovereign Reign. Photo Setup: (1) In front of a window on a partly sunny day. (2) Same as the first, but from the opposite direction. (3) In front of an open window on partly sunny day and a warm white bulb overhead.
That’s all for today! Thank you for stopping by! I hope you’ll click to follow or bookmark this page to come visit again!
Also, I seem to be having an issue with WordPress. For some reason, images have a hard time loading for those viewing my blog within Germany. The customer service advisors were unhelpful and the only way that even I was able to get around loading issues was to use a VPN. If you live in the US or most other countries, it should be working fine. The issue, as far as I’m aware, is a DE issue for some reason.
Since the brand’s highlighter is one of my favorite products, I was excited to see the release of their new blushes and bronzers in similar packaging with the same pattern and soft looking texture. I won’t harp on the highlighter because I reviewed it in-depth in my Best Highlighters Showcased post just a few months ago, but I wanted to at least show it again in different lighting.
Although the texture isn’t exactly the same as the new products, because it’s a shimmer that feels slightly emollient to the touch, the others are a soft matte that feel like they still have a bit of slip to them.
r.e.m. Hypernova Bronzer in Cocoa-Nut
This is the fifth shade option out of six bronzer colors. Cocoa-Nut is described as, “very deep with warm undertones.” Warmth can mean it has anything between a yellow, orange, or red undertone. In this case, it’s red and a bit warmer than looks natural on me. I can still pull off this shade if I use it sparingly, but the color does impact my enjoyment of this bronzer. It’s possible the 4th shade called Solar Storm described as, “tan with warm undertones,” might work better for me, or just as easily could be too light.
I purchased this from Selfridges because, at the time, Sephora DE only carried the four lighter shades.
I recommend using an airy brush with this because it’s quite pigmented. It blends well, but it doesn’t have the best sticking power (which shortens how long it lasts throughout the day). Although I love the soft texture and it has a natural looking finish, I prefer bronzers with a little more of a satin sheen to them. I’ve also been spoiled to own so many bronzers that have an even more effortless blend.
r.e.m. Hypernova Blushes in Jupiter Moon and Sun Pop
The blushes perform identically to the bronzers, though they have slightly less pigment. For that reason, although they are nice, I’m even less impressed. The blushes eventually become one with the skin, melting into my foundation, which looks pretty while it lasts, but it does fade as the day goes on. I love the Jupiter Moon shade because it’s in the family of reddish brown blushes, which I can pull off as long as it isn’t too red. I can list some that I still love more in terms of finish and performance such as Benefit’s Terra and Pat Mcgrath’s Paradise Venus. It’s still nice and I plan to continue using it on and off. In this case, I recommend using a medium density brush like the Sonia G Cheek Pro so that it has enough blending power while remaining buildable if you have a lighter skintone. The shade Sun Pop, however, looks ashier on my skin and even looks more powdery in the swatch. I think it has to do with the vibrancy of the pigment as it’s akin to neon/fluorescent oranges/corals. All the promo images I saw in the beginning show this shade as looking orange, but in person it’s clear to see it’s coral. To be fair though, I had a hard time capturing the color accurately on camera because it does tend to pull orange in photos.
Just like the bronzers, I’m intrigued to see if there are more out of the eight options I’d prefer on myself. However, my blush collection is too large to justify buying more and at full price. Ironically, these I bought via Sephora DE because none were available at Selfridges on launch day.
I don’t usually include so many photos of the same products, but I was unsatisfied with how the pictures turned out. Every day I attempted to take pictures was a cloudy day. So, they were either too dark or too washed out with the lights I tried to use to compensate. Below are the newest ones and most color-accurate.
You can click on any image to enlarge them.
That’s all I have for today. Thank you for reading!
There were a lot of factors to consider when it came to doing my own wedding makeup. I scoured the internet for tips and tricks, but at times the answers were contradictory. I thought I had a good plan in the beginning, but as I practiced doing multiple looks, I realized I needed to make some changes along the way.
Today, we’ll cover the things that should be decided on in advance and what I ultimately chose to do. The conclusions I came to won’t be the same for everyone since it depends on each individual’s personal tastes, skin type, skin texture, skin tone, undertone, priorities, etc.
Although I was inspired to create this post with weddings in mind, this topic is for anyone with an upcoming special event/occasion where photographs will be taken. I was not in a position where I could afford to forget something and run to grab it at the last second, so hopefully these topics will help others avoid having to make last minute decisions and purchases too.
DISCLOSURE: All makeup products in this post were purchased by me with my own money. The only affiliate links in this post are for a few of the brushes mentioned towards the end. Non-highlighted links in bold blue font (Example) are standard non-affiliate links. Links marked in bold black font with a light blue background (Example) are affiliate links. This means that I would make a commissionif purchases were made directly using my link. Whether you click to shop through them or not, I appreciate you visiting and I hope you find the information I’ve provided to be helpful!
Red – Titles/Topics, Purple – Products Used, Green – Additional Options to Consider
Deciding Between Looking Better in Person or Looking Better on Camera
We had a micro wedding (less than 25 people) and the majority of the guests were non-makeup wearers or neutral-color wearing minimalists. I was concerned with looking overly made up in person compared to the group, but also recognized that full coverage and full glam faces result in the most photogenic pictures. I would love to look as natural and fresh-faced as possible, but I think I look the prettiest with “a beat face,” so to speak. So, I decided that I ultimately would start researching ways to look best in photography since pictures last longer and can even serve to replace memories in the minds of those who see them. If it was possible, my plan was to still try and find a balance between the two goals. This balance involved using other techniques such as color-correcting so I could use less concealer and foundation to hide my skin discoloration, using underpainting techniques to have my sculpting attempts look as natural as possible and reduce the need for as much powder on the surface layer, using full-coverage makeup paired with brushes that apply less product so that I could build up to the minimum amount of makeup I needed in small layers instead of packing it on heavily all at once.
In the age of social media, it’s safe to assume the majority of people prioritize how makeup will look on camera versus how it looks in real life, as discussed on the Mixed Makeup YouTube Channel. However, this is still a question everyone has to ask themselves because the degree to which direction one leans will dictate how they have to proceed with the next steps.
After Choosing to Prioritize How One Looks on Camera…
When I do a full-face in the type of soft tones that are typical of bridal makeup, I don’t feel satisfied with my appearance. So, looking natural was less of an option for me. In addition, if I wanted things like blush to be seen on camera, I had to get comfortable packing on way more than usual because blush gets washed out so easily. As described by Kackie of Kackie Reviews Beauty, the key is applying makeup in a way to add more dimension that the camera can pick up even when pulled back. I had to practice applying more than usual, taking pictures, and then adding more and photographing that to learn how much would actually be needed on the day. Blush, highlighter, and eyeshadows were the things I had to work on amplifying dramatically in order to get photos I was satisfied with (at least on my own camera).
One of the first big decisions I had to make was deciding what finish I wanted for my skin. A matte base with strategically placed glow seems to be the consensus for what photographs the best. However, I did not anticipate the climate when I chose what products to bring with me when I moved overseas. The products that looked the best on camera for me in Florida were extra dry looking on me in Germany and I didn’t bring my dewier foundations because I have them in my darker summer shade. This led me to buy a new foundation (N°1 DE CHANEL Revitalizing Foundation), the only one that mimicked the appearance of natural oils peaking through my face, and it remained that way through the end of the night. It basically looked like a natural-finish foundation on my dry skin. I used the Glossier Futuredew, to ramp up the glow in typical places I highlight, the MILK Hydro Grip primer for hydration and lasting power, and the Benefit Porefessional Hydrating primer in my T-zone for a smoothing effect without a silicone texture. I have all three of these products in minis (and a travel container).
I did have the Nars Light Reflecting Foundation with me, but my research scared me away from using it. Since Nars is an artist brand, I always assumed their products looked fantastic on professional cameras, but I kept coming across warnings against using too many light reflecting products. Considering how dark it is in Germany, I knew the chances of flash being used was high, so I didn’t want to look crazy on other people’s cameras either (even though Nars’ foundation is supposed to be photo-friendly and produce no flashback, but I didn’t know if that would still be the case if paired with other light reflecting products). So, I didn’t use that one just to be safe. Skipping it turned out to be necessary because I tried using it in strategic spots and it still wasn’t luminous enough for my liking while not in Florida. Lisa Eldridge was one example of someone who discussed light reflecting products in flash photography and Pete Coco Photography cautioned against using shimmers in studio settings, but I saw more mentions of light reflection from various articles and blogs.
For those curious, the top foundations I wanted to use if the climate was more like Florida would have been the Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Foundation or Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation (this one only starts to look good for me if oils break through and my skin is prepped for maximum hydration including using a facial oil). The Lisa Eldridge foundation is extremely similar looking to the Chanel one I opted for, but without as much luminosity. I also own two lighter coverage products that make my skin look beautiful in person: the Fenty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint in Shade 18 and the Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum in Shade 100. I was looking for high coverage, but if I had to recommend another option it would be the one from Fenty. I normally dislike their foundations, but this newer one finally agrees with my dry skin. The Rose Inc one unfortunately can come off extra warm colored on camera. Sometimes I look orange in photos even though I don’t in person. It’s also random when it happens as well. I’m not sure if it’s some interaction with a specific product I might sometimes pair with it. So, that’s why I don’t recommend that one.
Deciding On the Color Scheme and Undertones of the Makeup
I had quite the dilemma trying to figure out what colors I wanted to use as a person with warm undertones who was planning to wear cool toned accessories and have blue and purple flowers in my bouquet. I like wearing eyeshadow that matches what I’m wearing in some way, whether it’s clothing, a purse, jewelry, etc but I never like how cool toned eyeshadows look on me as much as warmer ones. At the same time, I didn’t want the winter aesthetic I planned for my look to clash with my natural warmth and make me look extra warm by comparison. I did a test run using my go-to makeup and just switching to a cool toned blush, but I didn’t like the outcome. My second solution was to wear neutral makeup to bridge the two types of looks, but after doing another test run, I just didn’t feel my makeup was as pretty as it usually would be.
Experts say that although anyone can wear any color they want, we tend to find shades in our undertone to look prettiest on ourselves. For instance, Lisa Eldridge says it’s nice to match the wedding scheme/theme, but not if it’s against your coloring. Ultimately, I felt that if I didn’t wear the kind of shades that were natural for me, I would have regrets looking back at pictures thinking my everyday makeup looked somehow better than what I chose for my own wedding.
Many makeup artists recommend trying to look like an enhanced version of yourself, and not looking like someone else. This concept is what helped me solidify the decision to use warm tones, just ones that didn’t veer too far off from neutrals. This idea of trying to look like myself also had me wondering how I could possibly incorporate a pop of color into my look because that’s “me” too. Even when I’m on a nude colors kick, I still end up popping on a multichrome or some other colorful indie brand’s eyeshadow. Considering the wedding colors were blue, purple, and ivory/cream/whitish (we couldn’t really nail that one down), I thought it might be a good idea to add a blue-purple multichrome into the eye look. I really wanted for it to be one from Clionadh Cosmetics like Etched or Spire, since it’s my favorite brand, but the reason I love theirs is how intensely they stand out. In this situation, every technique and position I tried to place the multichrome was just too much.
Because all my other makeup was in natural tones, my eyes were instantly drawn to the spot with the multichrome and stole attention from the rest of the look. Eventually, I was recommend by someone on Instagram to try putting the tiniest dot in the center. This worked in low light in a very pretty way, but the second actual lights hit my eyes, it was still too much for what I wanted. Ultimately, as much as incorporating color into my looks is something I’m known for doing, I wanted something classic and timeless for my wedding. So, I decided to go back to the neutral glam idea for eyeshadows and using my slightly warm tones of makeup for everything else. My blush was still a mix of everything. I used a liquid blush and then ended up using powders on top further into the makeup process. For those curious, it was three shades from MAC: a whisper amount of Breath of Plum for a slight cool-toned wintery cheek look, a normal amount of Pinch Me as the main color and a natural looking pink on me, and the tiniest bit of Burnt Pepper to add a little more warmth that compliments my undertone and depth of my skin color.
The eyeshadows I ended up going with were mainly from Pat Mcgrath Labs. I intend to do a part 2 to this post, which I can hopefully complete and upload within a few weeks. In there, I’ll post more details on the step-by-step process.
Making Sure Base Techniques are Down Pat
After using my various primers, the next step for me was to color correct the areas of hyperpigmentation. Most of the time, I don’t bother with color correcting because I prefer to just lean on full coverage concealers for that job. However, I wanted to avoid my base makeup looking heavy, since I knew I would be putting more layers of product than usual. I only had two options with me: the E.L.F. Camo Color Corrector in Orange and the Huda Beauty #Fauxfilter Color Corrector in Mango. Although I prefer Huda’s on a regular basis, the ELF one worked better with the KVD concealer, as well as me wanting more intense color-correcting from using a darker color.
I would normally recommend using a color-corrector under the eyes too for those who have intense dark circles like I do. In my particular case though, I already know the ELF formula creases/gathers like mad in areas with lines, which is why I only use it in smoother areas of my face. So, I had no choice but to skip that step on myself. For those that don’t have discoloration issues like I do, color-correcting is not a necessary step. The most coverage one can achieve using the least amount of products is better, so if you can skip it, then please skip it. Ultimately, even I would have skipped this step, but I tested out how my makeup looked with color correcting versus going without it and the results spoke for themselves. I decided it was a step worth doing because I wanted as close to a flawless base as possible.
Although I settled on a foundation, the color match wasn’t as spot-on as I hoped, considering it was a bit more orange rather than yellow/golden and just slightly darker. I had purchased shade BD121, so my only other option was to buy BD91 to mix with it. The brand makes shade BD111, but it’s exclusive to the Chanel website and was sold out. Thankfully, using a ratio of roughly 2 parts BD121 to 1 part BD91 gave me a better color match. At least, that’s the mixture I used on the outer perimeter of my face and then used BD91 by itself in the central part of my face for a more natural gradient of color. My foundation application did not come first immediately after priming and color correcting though.
The other technique I wanted to utilize was under-painting. I have a naturally round face, besides it being chubby. Trying to create a chiseled look is by nature going to be easier for those with a clearly visible bone structure. Although I still have slight indent in my cheek area, I have an undefined jawline made weaker by having a rounder face. There’s only so much one can do to make a believable contour on a face like mine. One of the most believable options, if done correctly, is underpainting: to do the contouring and highlighting as a cream or liquid step first before applying foundation on top (and following it up with powder products afterwards too). Funnily enough, I learned about this technique about ten years ago when under eye concealers weren’t full coverage enough for me. I don’t think it’s necessary to do a full-face of underpainting like you see in TikTok and around social media as a fad, only the specific areas that need extra help to again minimize product usage. So, I bought the darkest shade of the most affordable foundation I could get my hands on (that I knew would work well). This was the Sephora Best Skin Ever Foundation in 68N. I would have preferred for it to be cool-toned, but “cool” shades in the darkest colors tend to be red instead of blue-grey so I figured neutral would be good enough. I could have used a concealer as well, but considering how much I spent on those Chanel foundations (even though they were discounted), I wanted to save as much money as possible. I could have also tried to use an actual cream contour, but I figured using a foundation would look even more natural on the skin and potentially blend better as cream contours can sometimes be too emollient. The 68N shade worked well enough for my cheekbone and jaw area, but since my nose is a lot more yellow than brown, it looked a little more red in that spot that I like. So, I just had to apply the product even more sparingly and make sure to use more greys when I contoured with powder later.
Besides applying contour, I also used a Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush sample of Joy as an underlayer of blush to help ensure longevity for the whole day. Plus, this particular shade is bright without being overly vibrant, which tends to work well for me. Using this underneath wasn’t overkill when I used the MAC blushes later. In fact, I still had room to go heavier with my blush.
After the liquid blush is when I would apply my foundations. I think some people recommend doing highlighting with concealer (product several shades lighter to bring those areas forward and not the shimmery type of highlighter) underneath foundation, but the KVD Good Apple Concealer formula that I used can sometimes melt/fade away with other products. The foundation on top of this one would have been covered up too completely, so I applied the mixture after foundation. I could have tried to use a different concealer for underpainting, but I was running out of time and just wanted to stick to what I knew. I began practicing applying the makeup on an off nearly two months before the wedding (with more consistent daily testing in the final three weeks). It’s not useful to test out all new products at once, since it would be too hard to tell which products were interacting badly with others, or were only working well depending on what it was paired with. I could only test a few combinations at a time. So, even the two months wasn’t as much time as I thought. In retrospect, three months would have been ideal for me.
The theme of this sections is to make sure the base techniques are nailed. Part of that was my realization that in all the bridal makeup photos I liked, they really utilized highlighting for color in addition to the glow factor. However, I’ve never liked an overly brightened under eye on myself. When I was younger without so many lines to worry about drawing attention to, that was a different story. So, I had to think about what’s more natural for myself and my style rather than just sticking to the template of instructions on how most people do wedding makeup. I thought perhaps I could use my typical Tan 167 all over and apply my new Tan 161 (this specific shade was on sale which is why I chose this one for my highlight option) on top in strategic spots to highlight with, but I didn’t like the outcome. It was still too stark of a contrast for me to be comfortable with no matter how great it could have potentially looked on camera. What worked best for me was applying my near skin-tone shade 167 and then using a combination of 167 and 161 mixed together as the highlighting concealer color on top. The transition was more natural, which I ended up liking a lot better than using 161 alone (though I did use 161 alone to highlight my brow bone area). I then set my concealer with the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder in either Medium (which I bought in the travel size) or a combination of Medium plus my usual shade in Tan. I tested out plenty of different powders and the one that worked the best to keep the KVD concealer creasing the least and not fading at the end of the night was this Charlotte Tilbury powder. The Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder was a close second since it worked so well with other concealers I was testing at the time (Fenty We’re Even Concealer and L’Oréal Infallible Full Wear Concealer). However, the results of the KVD and CT combo won out.
I would normally use the back of my hand as a spot to mix shades, but since I wanted to have leftover mixtures reserved on the side for touch-ups, I started to wish for a makeup mixing palette or plate. Since I didn’t bring any with me and didn’t want to buy one, I used the top lid of the Charlotte Tilbury Cream Bronzer compact (pictured in the foundation photo above). It has a surface that’s easy to wipe down with a makeup wipe or makeup eraser cloth. Also, when I mixed with my brushes, I got too much product on the bristles, so I started using the brush handle to mix shades and then wiped off the handle onto my microfiber cloth. That way, I’m able to pick up smaller amounts of product with the bristles and even switch to a smaller brush for spot applications where needed.
Securing the base is important, but so is recognizing whether the recommended techniques have to be tweaked to your specific preferences and what makes you the most comfortable. It’s okay if you hate contouring to skip doing it. It’s okay to go with a sheer coverage foundation and then just use concealer in areas that require more coverage. The most important thing to do is to practice techniques as much as possible before the wedding or special event if you’re doing your own makeup. Sometimes products don’t perform the way we remember them and the last thing you want is to discover that on an important day. You want to thoroughly test your full look in every step in order to make sure you can replicate the same results every time, in every type of lighting, and in every weather scenario.
To Bake or Not to Bake, Setting Spray vs Fix+
Continuing the theme of getting used to wearing more makeup that usual and utilizing techniques I normally don’t, I had to decide whether or not to utilize the baking technique. Since I already narrowed down my concealer, it was just a matter of doing a wear test all day to see if my makeup looked better with or without baking. As it turned out, with my products and my skin type, baking really wasn’t necessary, or at least not in the traditional sense of loading a ton of powder on and then dusting it away after five minutes or so. I ended up not even needing to powder my whole face since I was utilizing setting sprays too.
My process was applying my concealer to my under eyes and face area before using my normal brush to powder-set those spots. As the days were counting down to the wedding, I started to utilize more skincare such as using the Lisa Eldridge Skin Enhancing Treatment Cleanser as a mask, which made my skin more hydrated and strangely enough need more setting powder under my eyes. So, after setting my concealer I would wait until I noticed creasing before patting the creases back out with my Sonia G Jumbo Concealer Brush, and then using the Charlotte Tilbury powder with my Beautyblender Power Pocket Puff to lightly apply a thin layer in the areas I highlighted with the concealer mixture (skipping hyperpigmentation areas that didn’t need extra powder) and also slightly under my contour to sharpen those spots and “clean them up.” The puff still came in handy because some days during the trials it was even necessary to go as far as to spray the silicone side of the BB puff with setting spray, press that into the concealer creases, reapply a little more concealer, and then set it with powder using the velour side of the puff. This was during the trial days I started using different skincare that I should have been testing much earlier in the process. So, this is all I need in terms of baking, but those that have combo or oily skin will probably need to take additional steps to lock the makeup into place. The puff also comes in handy while on-the-go. Instead of me needing a face powder brush and an under-eye powder setting brush (plus technically I could use other areas of the puff for other types of powder products), I just needed this on hand in the “Emergency Bride Kit” for touch-ups.
After I apply my liquid and cream layers, I set my face with setting spray, finish applying all my powder products, and then set my face again. I tested a few sprays before I moved, but the only one I brought with me was the One/Size On ‘Til Dawn Waterproof Setting Spray. I had the mini size and as I started testing, I got paranoid that I would end up using it all before the wedding and it’s not available for purchase in Germany. So, I ended up buying the Sephora Makeup Setting Spray for my trial runs. What I like more about the Sephora spray, besides the lower price, is that it’s unscented. The One/Size spray has a slightly floral, but not overwhelming smell.
I’ve tested both of the waterproof claims by splashing water on my face and have seen how the water rolls off my face without leaving streaks in my makeup. In terms of making things transfer-proof, that wasn’t the case with One/Size unless I just wasn’t using enough of it. The Sephora Spray only seemed to make my makeup transfer-proof that was in lighter layers and on lighter makeup days. It didn’t seem to work with a full face of everything. I haven’t tested the One/Size spray in the same scenario of a lighter makeup day, so perhaps they are equal. On my actual wedding day, I still stuck with using the One/Size product. We ended up doing a second day of photos, so the picture below shows what I looked like by the end of the night. On my wedding night, I got home at nearly 3 am, so I don’t have a photo for that. All things considered, I think it held up pretty well. It rained on the actual wedding day, but my makeup didn’t budge. I just transferred some of my nose contour onto my husband’s nose. I had to wipe it off him a few times, but it didn’t transfer any further after that.
I always use MAC Fix+ if I want to dampen my shimmer eyeshadows. It can make the face look hydrated, which is what I need, but sometimes it can cause makeup to not last quite as long and break down a little faster. So, I was too scared to use it on my face (nor did I have the time to test it with everything), so I just used it for my eyelid shades. At one point during my trials, I tested spritzing my highlighters with setting spray and my sample of Fix+ to see if I could intensify the look without leaving a stripe on my face. I ended up deciding to just skip that step as the Charlotte Tilbury Face Architect Glow Glide Highlighter worked well enough as a base highlighter. Others might prefer using a liquid highlighter, but powder products are always easier for me and I was planning to do a technical enough makeup application, so I’d accept easier options wherever possible. Throughout the practice days, I used some combination of multiple other highlighters shown below. On the actual day, I ended up sticking to just Charlotte Tilbury by adding the Pillow Talk Multi-Glow highlighter and I used the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Highlighting Duo on my shoulders and collarbone. Since I ended up wearing a faux fur shawl/stole and my hair was down, that final step ended up being pointless. It couldn’t be seen on my body. I also forgot to spray setting spray to those spots on my body afterwards, which could have potentially helped lock the highlighter into place.
Although I didn’t end up glowing as intensely as the models in the inspiration photos I procured from Google, seen below, I was still happy with my makeup choices. I applied highlighter to my brow arch, slightly above the brows on either side of the forehead, one specific spot on the bridge of my nose that I build up with contour and another spot lower down, and the tops of my cheekbones.
I mentioned earlier that I used the underpainting technique to contour. Then I used the powder contour in the Kaleidos Symphony Trio for more depth. It’s not grey toned enough to give an actual shadowed effect, so I added a mix of Feel + Real from my Hindash Beautopsy Palette to create the shadowing for my jawline, under the cheekbones, and nose contour. I didn’t use the Kaleidos powder on my nose, only Hindash’s product because I didn’t want it to be overkill in person.
When it came to bronzer, I was dead set on using the Hermès Plein Air H Trio Healthy Glow Mineral Powder because it’s the highest quality powder one that I own. However, in test photos I kept feeling like I was looking too warm toned. With a few days to spare, I tried some of my other top powders like the Glowish Soft Radiance Bronzer Powder, but that one was too red toned. Ultimately, the one best suited for my undertone is the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun Kissed Glow Bronzer in Tan. Even though it’s a cream product, it went next to and slightly on top of my powder contour with no issues. This meant that my bronzer was going to be natural looking in person and likely too subtle to see much of it on camera, but it was a better alternative for me than having my face pull too orange.
I finished my face with my Dior Face & Body Powder No Powder. It blurs imperfections and helps blend the makeup seamlessly into each other. I didn’t use it all over my face, just in key areas that I wanted to touch up. If I had a sparkle-free version of Ambient Lighting Finishing Powder from Hourglass in my shade, I would have considered using that instead or in conjunction with the Dior product. Finishing powders can do wonders for a makeup look, but be sure to test in photos whether the sheen might or might not be too reflective for flash photography!
Waterproof Tests are Required
I’ve always hated waterproof mascaras because of what a pain they are to remove, but I was so certain I would need one for the wedding. I have plenty of favorite mascaras, but according to customer reviews I’ve seen online, apparently getting a waterproof version doesn’t mean it will perform as well as the normal formula. Some of the most beloved mid-range and high end mascaras have terrible reviews for their waterproof counterparts. So, I decided to try exploring the higher rated drugstore waterproof mascaras that I was familiar with in the original form. In my testing, the L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise gave volume, but not as much length and was prone to clumping. The L’Oréal Bambi Eye Mascara gave length, but not much volume. I was debating whether or not to try using both, but it ended up not being necessary because I got the results I wanted from the Essence Lash Princess Waterproof Mascara.
Another alternative I considered was the KVD Beauty Full Sleeve Long + Defined Tubing Mascara. I love the length and volume of that one, and in theory tubing mascaras aren’t supposed to come off easily unless under warm water. While the KVD one seems to be harder to remove than other mascaras with regular temperature water, it can still be done. So, I didn’t want to risk a circumstance where I would have even the slightest chance of having my mascara come off. So, I stuck with using the Essence mascara.
When it comes to using eyeliner, I have a few that are supposed to be waterproof (Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner and One/Size Point Made 24-hr Liquid Eyeliner pen), but they aren’t as effective when my eyelids get too oily. I’ve always had great results from Sephora’s waterproof liners, so I purchased the Sephora Collection Hot Line Brush Tip Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. It definitely did the job. I didn’t end up crying, but there was a bit of rain and both the mascara and eyeliner held up completely all day and night.
For the tiny spot I wanted to smudge on my outer lower lash lines, I used the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil. I don’t find them to be as waterproof as my other liners, but I can’t get the smudge effect with those, so this was my best option. One thing I should have considered was getting colorful eyeliners to put on my lower lash line instead of regular eyeshadows. It’s possible I could have still ended up with a mess if I had actually gotten teary-eyed. I lucked out, but that might be something to consider.
I’d like to note here that another option for waterproof eyeliners could be those false lashes eyeliner pens. I went back and forth debating whether or not I wanted to wear fake lashes for the wedding. They look amazing on camera, but they are an absolute nuisance for me to wear, especially for an extended period of time. My eye shape, with my super rounded upper lash line, doesn’t hold onto even extreme lash glues very well. Within an hour max, either the inner or outer corner will lift up. The majority of lashes are too short (in width) for my eyes because I need extra length to account for the higher degree angle of the rounded curve of my eye. If I want to rock a half-lash, I have to use 3/4 length lashes. Then, even if I put the eyelashes properly on my lash line, I can still see them in my field of vision. I still thought that if I practiced putting them on enough times, I could make them work. I also heard of the recommendation to cut the lashes into 3 pieces (also from Mixed Makeup) instead of 2. Since splitting them in half never worked for my eye shape, I was willing to give smaller ones a try. My lashes ended up looking like the Cynthia doll’s hairline from Rugrats! Even when I tried to use the pieces just on the outer lash line, it was so hard to get them to look even since I don’t have perfectly symmetrical eyes. Plus, it’s my inner lashes that need the most help, but it would look just as strange if I had lashes there and nowhere else.
Ultimately, for all the hassle it would cause me on the wedding day, I decided to skip the false lashes. I figured I could just try to cheat the look with more coats of mascara and extending the eyeliner out a bit more. This trick worked well enough for my satisfaction. From all the trials though, I did figure out that the House of Lashes Lash & Dash Glue Liner pen makes for a tough to remove waterproof liner even without putting lashes on top of it.
Brow products are never exciting to me, so I almost forgot to mention that the brow product I used is the Benefit Precisely, My Brow PencilWaterproof Eyebrow Definer in shade 5. Although I don’t recall if I’ve purposely tested the waterproof claims, I know from experience that I’ve never had my brows run or smudge when using this product, so I didn’t think twice about using it on the day.
The last waterproof or transfer-proof thing to consider is the lip product. I’m sure most spouses-to-be would be grateful not to have lipstick transfer onto them. However, I didn’t go that route because my lips were in too poor of condition, even with using masks. There are some great waterproof lip liners that I could have used to cover the entirety of my lips instead of opting for a liquid lipstick, but I decided I didn’t want to go that route either.
My lip combination was to use the Coloured Raine Botanical Collection Lip Liner in the shade Decadent. It’s darker than my natural lip line to give me a slight shaping effect. I consider it a transfer-resistant product, but it only claims to be long-wearing. I then filled the insides with the Lisa Eldridge Velveteen Liquid Lip Colour in Muse. This isn’t like most liquid lipsticks that dry out the skin like crazy, but that also means it’s a low-transfer product rather than transfer-proof or even transfer-resistant. The brand claims it’s “smudge-proof and budge-proof,” but that hasn’t been my experience. The final step for slight shine is from using my Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last very long, but I wanted a little bit of shimmer and a slightly creamy look to the center of my lips. My husband hates lip gloss or any kind of sticky balmy product on my lips (which makes keeping them conditioned even more of an uphill battle). So, for his sake, I held off on using any gloss products until later in the night.
Many makeup artists commented that having some color and shine on the lips looks beautiful on camera. For that reason, I wanted to make sure I carried the Pat Mcgrath Lip Gloss in Bronze Temptation in my makeup touchup kit. On the second day of taking photos (because the weather was bad), I didn’t bother with the other products and just applied this gloss.
I chose the other three products because their tones of pink looked so complimentary with my blush. My PML lip gloss shade is a warm toned one, so that was something easy to carry with me to warm up the look if I wanted. The other lip product I considered swapping out instead of Lisa Eldridge’s was the Kaleidos Cloud Lab Lip Clay in Sienna. That shade went very well with my skin tone, but looked almost too natural. I wanted more of an impact since I don’t often wear colored lip products and usually stick to clear or slightly tinted glosses and balms. The Kaleidos product is also long-wearing and not completely transfer-proof.
Considering the amount of kissing throughout the day and night, the transfer onto my husband’s lips was minimal. It also helps that I was wearing pinks that weren’t ultra vibrant. Food was the culprit that removed most of my lip products.
Tools and Extra Makeup Helpers
I mentioned the MAC Fix+ as something I always have on hand, but another one is the Nyx Glitter Primer to help make my shimmer eyeshadows pop and better adhere to my lids. For any mistakes that need to be cleaned up, I have Q-tips, but for more precise spots I like to use these tiny fine point cotton buds from MyKitCo called the My Small ‘On Point’ Buds. I dip them in a little micellar water, which my tried and true is the Bioderma Sensibio H2O. These are the types of things that are easy to forget when getting ready, that is, until they’re needed.
For my touch-up bag, I kept my skin-tone matching concealer and brush, the BB puff, the travel size mini CT powder, and the lip gloss. I was also gifted a slim compact with a magnifying mirror. I didn’t end up doing any makeup touch ups at all on the wedding day, but it’s nice to have things on hand in case there is an accident. Other random products in my Emergency Bride Kit were bobby pins, safety pins, band-aids, ibuprofen and pain meds (in case my back decided to act up which thankfully weren’t needed), hand lotion because of the constant dryness on my knuckles in this weather and taking pictures up close of the rings, eye drops with a backup pair of contacts, and tissues.
The photo above shows all the brushes I used on the wedding photo days!
Sonia G Mini Booster – Used for darker eyeshadow shades on the outer corner. Needed a small size blender brush for precision and for it to be not too dense to build up the color slowly. Mizuho MB123 – For applying the transition matte eyeshadows. Smashbox Double-Ended Smudger Brush -Used to apply shadows to the lower lash line, smudging the UD liner with the rubber side, applying the shimmer highlight shades to the brow arch and inner corner. Wayne Goss 08 – Applying concealer under the brows and to clean up any other spots around the eye makeup. Sonia G T4 – Extra blending to the eye look with no product on the brush plus blending out the nose contour. Sonia G T2 – Applying/stamping powder nose contour. Real Techniques Brightening Concealer – Used on the first day used to apply highlighter on the collarbone and shoulders, but the next was was used to set my under eye concealer with powder. Bisyodo B-ES-08 Eye Shadow – Was intended to apply the Clionadh multichrome. Real Techniques Setting – My usual under eye setting powder brush. MS-4 Mai Sakura Eyeshadow – Brush to apply shimmers to the lids prior to using my finger afterwards to build up eyeshadow in strategic spots.
Sonia G Jumbo Concealer – My holy grail concealer brush because it gets the most coverage by packing on a lot of product at once, but it can still smooth things out. Amazon Brush? – Used to apply eyeshadow primer to the lids and touch up concealer in other places. Chikuhodo FO-2 – Used to apply the Dior Powder No Powder. Eihodo WP PC-1 PUFF Makie Powder Brush Goldfish – Used to stamp on foundation mainly on the outer perimeter and over under-painted creams and liquids. The denseness and surface area size help with quick blending if needed and also aid in giving maximum coverage from not soaking up as much product. OdensEye Blush – Used to whip across the face the lighter shade of foundation. Functions like a stippling brush. Sonia G Soft Cheek – Applied powder blushes lightly, which was needed since I was building up three shades. Patrick Ta Contour – Applied the CT cream bronzer and is a holy grail product for sculpting around my face. Bisyodo CH-HC – Used to apply highlighter to the face in a light non-concentrated way, but without being dispersed in too wide of an area. Sephora Concealer Pro Concealer #71 – Used to apply liquid contour (the deep foundation shade) around the face. The angle of the brush was helpful, but technically many other brushes could have been used. Eihodo Outlet 153 Highlighting/Blush – Used to apply the contour shades from the Hindash Beautopsy palette over the areas that already had the Kaleidos contour. Was very useful for it’s small size considering the shape of the Beautopsy pans. Wayne Goss F3 – Used to lightly apply the Kaleidos Symphony Trio contour under the cheekbones and along the jawline. Sonia G Mini Base Keyaki Version – Used to apply the Rare Beauty liquid blush for under-painting. Bisyodo B-F-05 Perfect Fit – Intended to apply powder bronzer in a slightly concentrated amount under the cheekbones, but I used it instead to do slightly more blending to the contour areas. Sonia G Jumbo Bronzer – Intended to apply a lighter application of powder bronzer around the forehead, though on the actual wedding day I changed plans and opted for a cream bronzer instead.
Using the correct tool for the job is extremely important. To make things easier, I started narrowing my collection down ahead of time so that I wouldn’t be wasting time digging around looking for specific brushes. I knew which one (or ones) I wanted for each specific type of makeup. This came from practicing those makeup looks as often as I did. The backup brushes I also had on hand, but didn’t end up using, are in the photo below.
Another very important tip is to make sure the brushes are clean or “clean enough” before the big day. Gunked up old product on brushes can effect the performance of the makeup. Things can be harder to blend, not be color accurate, not apply as smoothly or in the right amounts.
All this being said, and for all the effort and planning I did…the funny thing is that I don’t have up-close shots of my face! The photos below are the best I’ve been able to produce. We couldn’t get a professional photographer in time and a coworker of the family graciously offered to take pictures on her high quality camera for us. The pictures were often dark or on some setting I’m not sure what (I’m not very knowledgeable about photography myself). My focus was to apply makeup in a way that would stand out at far distances, and it’s a good thing I did because most of the pictures were taken from father back and the quality dips when trying to zoom in closer. I have some wedding photos that I ended up liking or loving after tweaking them a little, so I’m happy about that. However, I don’t have ones for blog usage that specifically showcase the makeup except the two below. Sorry about that! I had too much on my mind to really think about how the pictures would turn out after a while.
Like I mentioned in the eyeshadow section, I plan to post a Part 2 with step-by-step details on how I completed my wedding look. Over the next few weeks, I plan to create a few alternative makeup looks as well. I hoped to get it finished sooner, but I got bronchitis and was feeling sick for over a week. Then, I took two weeks off of blogging to finish the wedding planning. Unfortunately, we all got Covid immediately after that, which put me out for a while too. And now, since the beginning of March and for the next eight weeks I’m taking an intensive course so I can get A1 certification in German language, as is required for me to have in this moving process. So, my usual Monday postings will likely be interrupted again. I’ll be back as soon as I can!
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