Best of Beauty 2013: Makeup Part 1

Now we're on to the real good stuff. Makeup has always been my biggest weakness and I can already tell that this list is going to be huge.. so we're gonna have to make this Makeup - Part 1!

Face Primer: Benefit Porefessional

I have never been that big on face primers before as they've all either broken me out or just felt plain disgusting on the skin, but this has really changed my opinion on them. It feels silky and light on the face and really does create a smooth canvas for foundation. Applying this is now a regular step in my everyday routine, and I certainly notice on the days that I don't use it!

BB Cream: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector for Oily/Combination Skin

Until I finally caved in and bought this, I had never had any luck with BB Creams. They always just looked weird on my skin, and never provided enough coverage. Some didn't even blend out nicely. This however is completely different, it blends effortlessly, has great coverage and lasts all day on the skin without looking weird or melting off. Definitely the best BB Cream I have tried thus far, and will no doubt be using it a lot this summer.

Foundation: Maybelline New York Fit Me Foundation Stick

Now I literally have only had this for a few weeks, but I am already hooked on this! I absolutely love the matte finish, which isn't actually too matte - it just looks like skin, but better! It also wears really well and lasts all day, and that's without even really setting it. The colour I have (115) will probably end up being too pale for me by the end of summer, but I can always warm it up with a bronzer. Otherwise though, this can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned!

Face Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte

I actually can't believe I waited so long before buying this, what was I thinking?? This stuff is amazing. Doesn't look cakey at all, and because I have it in the Translucent shade I don't have to worry about adding colour anytime I need to touch up - which to be honest, isn't very often with this! Definitely recommend buying it from ASOS if you are in New Zealand though, it's a fraction of the price.

Blush: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in "Thankful"

This blush is absolutely beautiful! The colour is amazing, and the payoff is fantastic! It is so pigmented that a little goes a long way. And it really does last 12 hours, it seems to stay put right up until you want it to go away. I want to collect them all!

Bronzer: Bourjois Bronzing Powder

I now understand why this is such a popular bronzer, it's beautiful on the skin! I'm not a huge fan of the scent, but luckily for me it doesn't last long after applying it. It has a very subtle shimmer in it, so subtle in fact that it tends to look matte on the skin - which I prefer, especially since I use this predominantly for contouring. Love it as an all over bronzer too... I just love it in general!

Highlighter: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

Hands up if you saw that one coming, hahaha. I'm pretty sure anyone who was lucky enough to get one of these palettes hasn't stopped using it since! I absolutely adore it and use mine everyday - whether it be to set my undereye concealer, as an actual cheekbone highlight, to add a bronze glow or as an all over setting powder. It's probably my favourite thing that I purchased this year to be honest. Love it!

Look out for part 2!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Maybelline New York Fit Me Foundation Stick

Stick it to the shine and enhance your sun-kissed skin this summer with Maybelline New York's Fit Me Foundation Stick.

This lightweight gel foundation stick uses a powder core to instantly dissolve excess oil, blending with your skintone for a natural, matte finish. Easy to apply and great on the go, it is one-step perfection for flawless, shine-free skin.

I am a huge fan of natural looking foundations. To me the perfect foundation is one that looks like your own skin, but better.
Having oily skin can make it a bit difficult to find one though, as a lot of sheer/medium coverage foundations have a dewy finish which can tend to slide off my face if I don't set them with a lot of powder. 

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Stick is great, because it actually has a matte finish - I don't even need to set it for it to last all day. The coverage is also pretty good, more on the medium side - and best of all, it is so fast and easy to apply!

It literally only takes a few swipes of the product, and then I blend it out with a Real Techniques buffing brush and it's done! How simple is that?

Here's a couple photos of me wearing it, you may recognise them from Instagram:

Overall, I am very impressed with this foundation and have been using it everyday. My only complaint is that I find stick foundations tend to run out faster than liquid ones  - but with a RRP of $22.99 NZD, I still think it's pretty good value for money.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo