Four Favorites: August 2016

Another month has come and gone.

Even though it does not feel like it has been a month since the last time we did this, it's time for Four Favorites again! These four products are ones that I discovered for the first time this month, but all four have been used almost non-stop since their discovery. They're all so great and, for the most part, pretty affordable! Win-win.

Four Favorites: August 2016

1. Maybelline Superstay "Better Skin" Skin-Transforming Foundation

$11.99, http://www.ulta.com/superstay-better-skin-foundation?productId=xlsImpprod12651005

While not everyone agrees with me, I think that drugstore/affordable brands do foundations really well. This one, especially, performs better than many that are three times the price.

As someone with the textbook definition of "oily/combination" skin, I am always looking for the perfect foundation: looks flawless and smooth, looks like real skin while still providing good coverage, doesn't emphasize dry spots, doesn't make my t-zone super oily and shiny, doesn't break down when I do get oily...and the list goes on. While I can't say I have ever found a foundation that does absolutely everything perfectly, this one has come pretty close. It is smooth, easy to blend, and very skin-like in appearance, it is kind to dry skin and holds up fairly well on oily skin, and it lasts much longer than many other foundations do, even in the hot South Carolina summer.

Other perks:

     1. It has a pump - Oh, what a beautiful thing! So many inexpensive foundations out there do not have a pump, and it's such a pain. Pumps make for easy, clean application, less wasted product, and happier makeup lovers.

     2. It has SPF 15. This is enough SPF to get you through a normal day (when you aren't spending a ton of time in the sun), but not so much that it will give you the weird white cast on your face in photos.

     3. It is oil-free. Oily-skin girls everywhere, rejoice.

2. Soap & Glory "One Heck of a Blot" Super-Translucent Mattifying Powder

 

$16.00, http://www.ulta.com/one-heck-of-a-blot?productId=xlsImpprod13801017

Did I mention before that I get oily? As someone who is constantly battling this issue, I love a great powder that will help combat the shine, but won't look caked-on as I reapply throughout the day. This powder by Soap & Glory is one of the best I have ever tried. On my fair skin, it definitely performs as a "translucent" powder, but it may be a little light for darker skin tones. I would recommend trying out the tester product at Ulta. The sleek packaging of this product makes it ideal to carry around in my purse, and that is exactly where this one is currently living. The cherry on top is the perfectly sized mirror for on-the-go application. PLUS, it's not going to break the bank! Bravo, Soap & Glory.

3. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush - "Seduce"

 

$28.00, http://www.sephora.com/amazonian-clay-12-hour-blush-P278610?keyword=tarte%20seduce&skuId=1851443&_requestid=340315

I have been a big fan of the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blushes for a long time. However, my very favorite shade, "Exposed," was one of the only neutral/nude shades in the line. Recently, though, Tarte released a "Naughty Nudes" extension of the collection, adding several similar shades to the line. This one, "Seduce" is so great that it comes close to contesting "Exposed" for the top blush spot. They are very similar in color, so if you have "Exposed," you may not also need "Seduce," but for those who want more neutral-toned blushes, it's a great rosy-nude color. It is a tiny bit rosier and a tiny bit darker than "Exposed," but it has the same long-lasting formula and beautiful natural-looking finish. It is completely matte, leaving you room to add as much or as little sheen to your cheeks with highlighter as you might want. If you've had your eye on the "Naughty Nudes" line, this is the one I would recommend, especially for fair skin.

4. OFRA Cosmetics Lipliner - "Silk"

 

$13.00, https://www.ofracosmetics.com/products/lipliner?variant=8994543875

I don't think I have mentioned this on the blog before, but I am subscribed to one makeup subscription box, Ipsy. I'm a big fan of Ipsy, mostly because it focuses more on makeup than skincare or haircare (unlike some of the other popular subscription boxes), and it's one of the cheapest, at $10 a month. This gem, the OFRA Cosmetics Lipliner in "Silk" came in my July Ipsy bag, and I didn't think too much of it before trying it. I haven't always been a huge lipliner girl, mostly because I felt like every lipliner I had ever tried simply made my lipstick darker. This one, however, is a shade or two lighter than my natural lip color, making it the absolute perfect base for any nude or light pink lipsticks. It doesn't darken the lipstick color, but it intensifies it, and it makes it last so much longer. The formula is tacky enough to allow the lipstick to really cling to it, but not so tacky that it will bug you. I haven't tried anything else from OFRA, but this lipliner has made me want to try a lot more!