featured :: makeup to try

If you're a girl, then it's pretty likely that you understand the concept of the bottomless makeup bag. One day you take a look and you have twelve eyeshadows from high school and the same blush from when you were 13. I try to make it a priority to clean out my makeup stash and replace my products with new ones... who wants to put old makeup on, anyway?! 

For the past year or so, I've been using Laura Mercier mineral foundation. I used to have oily, acne prone skin in high school, and my mom always bought me MAC liquid foundation. But I figured out the liquid was clogging up my pores and making me even more acne prone, so I switched to mineral foundation. That has worked well for me the past few years. However, I wanted to attempt to switch back to liquid just to see how it would feel now that I'm an adult and my skin has changed. 

I made a trip to Target and got a few things. First, I started with Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse.

I had read some good things about this foundation and I was hoping it would live up to the hype. I tried it out as soon as I got home, and I was pleasantly surprised. It goes on smoothly and if you apply it right (more on that below), it doesn't look cakey. For my oil-prone skin, I set it with a bit of powder I already had on hand (Bare Minerals finishing powder). To get an even better finish, I use Burts Bees toner, Aveeno moisturizer, and E.L.F. face primer. These all really help the foundation not to streak or add too much buildup.

To apply the foundation, I also bought the E.L.F. Small Stippling Brush.

 This brush works well for wet and dry foundation, which is awesome. Truthfully, I didn't know how to use a stippling brush at first. But E.L.F. has a great video tutorial on their website to show you how. To apply my liquid foundation, I put a bit on the back of my hand (not too much-- otherwise I get carried away). You can always build up, so use a light hand. I dip the brush into a tiny bit of foundation and apply it to my face in a dabbing motion. To add more coverage, I use the typical sweeping or circular motion later. I find that dabbing gives a good base and blends really well.

I also wanted to try my hand at contouring, so I bought Maybelline SuperStay Concealer:

I've read that they key to this is to use a concealer that is two shades darker than your natural. I went with one just a bit darker than my skin tone, as I don't want to be super dramatic. I just wanted to see if I could create some definition. I still need to try again, but the first time I did it, I felt like I could see a difference! I think I may add more the second time around. To apply, I felt where my cheekbones were with my fingers, then added three dots of concealer right below. I blended that in a line and made sure it didn't get smeared all over my cheeks. Then I added blush on the apples of my cheeks to finish.

I would definitely recommended these three products to anyone who is looking to try new makeup without breaking the bank. I have long believed that because a product cost more, it is better quality. For some things, this is true. But the makeup industry has come a long way in terms of quality, and I think there are some great options out there for $7 that work just as well as $25.

Happy makeup-ing! 

* all images via google.