Favourite Picks!
- SMINKA
- Mar 28, 2017
- 7 min read
As a beauty enthusiasts, our founder and CEO have bought beauty products from the best ones to the worst ones, but what about the favourite ones? Here is a full review of our CEO Nabila G. have to say about her favourite all time picks from daily make up to the ones she uses for occasions. We covered the interview from brows to coverage, hoping to make it easier for those who loves make up as much as she does. Let's start with Brows!
1. Brows
For the first step in applying my brows, I use Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Long-Wear Brow Pencil to fill in gaps of my brows, not necessarily fill in them completely, just some spots that needed and also defines the brow lines. It has 2 ends, 1 for the pencil, and 1 for the spoolie, it is very convenient because I won't need to buy another spoolie! The tip of the pencil itself is well-defined sharp look that makes it easier for me to apply on my brows without fear of it being smudgy or concern about alignment. Although, for some the price might be a little too high for just one brow pencil, the spoolie also tend to get ruin after a few time use. But, on the bright side, the pencil is strong and doesn't brake if you accidentally drop it. On another note, it is waterproof!
After a quick fill of the brow, I use Benefit's Gimme Brow to enhance the deep effect of the brow, it give my brow the full coverage in a very natural look. After a few years of using the product, I realised that now my brows seems more "volumed" and darker in colour (based on which colour you use, I use number 5 - Deep Brown) when not using the brow gel - apparently it's pigmented! And I like it! It is very easy to use, with its tip of a mini spoolie, just graze upon my brows and voila, nice brows! However, as easy as it gets, the price could be considered as expensive for a 3.0 g worth of brow gel - on the bright side, it lasts around 6 months or so, and it easily wear off when I get sweaty or got caught in the rain.
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2. Lashes - Mascara.
After brows, I'd continue to work on my lashes - Mascara. When choosing a mascara, I truly suggest in finding the one that is water proof, all proof, or anything proof. A non-proof mascara tend to smudge your under eyes because of sweat and it just doesn't look as good as when you first applied it. My favourite waterproof mascara is the well-known Maybelline The Magnum Volum' Express. To be honest, it is very easy on the pocket and the quality is what you'd expect it from its name - perfectly waterproof and volumes your eyelashes making it look more dense. Its wand is design to curl up your lashes and make you eyes look bigger. But, there is always drawback, because of it waterproof, it s very hard to get it remove once I'm done with my day, and sometimes too much pressure in removing it can cause irritations, I suggest in using something more oily for a remover. Oh, did I mention not to open the cap for too long? The products dries out pretty fast, so I always making sure that the cap is tightly closed. You can find them in your favourite drugstore. A tip: after using mascara, use a spoolie to get rid of the mascara excess that built up on your lashes.
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3. Eyes - Eyeshadows.
My favourite thing to explore when I'm bored - Eyeshadows. I have 3 products on my favourite picks for eyeshadows; Too Faced Shadow Insurance - it's a primer, Too Faced Natural Eyes Eyeshadow Palette and Urban Decay Naked 2 Eyeshadow Palette. Before applying my shadows, I think it is better in applying eyeshadow primer first, the Too Faced Shadow Insurance +24hr Anti-Crease is very light on my eyelids and it could be used to cover up redness because its tinted. After using it for several months and compared when not using it before, I came to the attention that my eyeshadow lasted longer, blended better and doesn't lose it colours on my lid, it really does stays there! Although, I find it to be a bit watery when being idle for a day or two, so I would need to excess the water every time I want to use it, it's a bit of a waste at some point.
After primer, my favourite eyeshadows are Too Faced Natural Eyes and Urban Decay Naked 2 palettes. Both of these palettes have nude colours and gives that natural smoky look, great for both daily use and occasions. I mostly think that the Naked 2 palette can be use a lot more than the Too Faced's because it has more colours that are darker and various in types - 9 shimmers and 4 mattes with a bonus brush, while this version of Too Faced's only has 4 shimmers and 5 mattes and no brush. But, with the Too Faced Natural Eyes you'll receive a card with 3 eyeshadow looks based on what type of the palette you bought, Natural Eyes has written tutorial for that natural look. In conclusion, for beginner I suggest in trying out the Too Faced Natural Look palette first for experimenting, then proceed your way to Urban Decay many Naked series for more colours. Overall, both are great and pretty to use!
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4. Lips - Lipstick
Lipstick colours could make me a bit overwhelmed, from reds to nudes - really, I want to buy it all! My picks for lipstick is the perfect nude colour from Smashbox - also my favourite brand after NARS! The Smashbox's Be Legendary Lipstick is what caught my eyes from the first time I see it, the colour that can be used for both occasions and every day activity - nude enough for day-to-day use but also pretty enough to be used in an occasions that needs a natural look. My personal favourite colour is Safe Word, a dark pink almost brown colour that give your lips a natural colour. But, it doesn't stick too long. Usually, after I eat or drink, the colour tends to fade off and I need to re-apply it several times.
If you are not a lipstick but are a tinted lip balm kind of person, I suggest you try on the Benefit's Bene Balm. This lip balm moustrize my lips while giving it a tinted red colour, so no more chipped lips being applied with lipstick! It has that signature Benefit packaging that's all cute and warm with its undoubted quality. The Bene Balm projected as the lip balm that gives your lips a red rosy colour, it believed to give you that sexy feeling - well, it does! But, because of it being a lip balm, it tend to get smudged and goes out my lip line, making it red all over, maybe use it in a small amount? - but nevertheless, I love it.
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5. Cheeks - Blush & Highlight
I know the right blush and highlight is required in giving you the flawless and glowing look. My favourite blush is from Maybelline, the Fit Me Blush with the colour Medium Nude, naturally, I know the blushes that are so much better than this one, but honestly, this one stick - and it comes with a tiny brush! The Fit Me blush is truly oil free and stay true to its colour - not copying ads, it really does! After a 5 hour occasion, the colour stays and does not fade. And its shimmer texture gives my cheek glows that doesn't need too much effort. But, as I continue to use it, I realised that I need to apply several times to make it look more pigmented.
After the blush, I continue on giving my cheeks highlights. Of course I know the Anastasia Beverly Hills highlighter is off the roof, but honestly, I am more in love with Benefit High Beam Highlighter, truly beams your cheeks! It is easy to apply, like all liquid highlighter, dot dot dot and blend! I think it's great for those who are new to highlighter, practice yourself with this one. However, every now and then, I would need to apply it in several coats to get the glow that I wanted. Nevertheless, still my favourite!
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6. Face - Coverage
Before everything else, I tend to focus on my face first - primer, concealer and foundation.
Starts with the primer, the first time I bought Hourglass' Veil Mineral Primer I felt flawless. The primer is oil free so it doesn't make your face shine and make it the matte that I've always wanted - also make your foundation stays on its place. When applied, it is soft on the face, nothing too heavy, perfectly soft and light. I don't need to use it too much and it covered my face completely. It ease up the wrinkles, seriously, it's really in there! Honestly, I can't think of any drawback except it's being too expensive - but, it's worth it!
After primer, I use foundation first then concealer, so the concealer would cover a lot more. The Maybelline Fit Me Stick Foundation, I found it convenient and easy to use. With its shine-free it really stands out my highlighter and blush, it also covers up very nicely and last a very good amount of time, imagine an occasions from 3 PM to 8 PM, and it stays there! But, I also found it prone to damage, because of it being a stick foundation, whenever being scratched or being used too much on a certain direction, a little bit of the foundation came off or sticks to its wall - so that's a waste. Also a tip, when choosing a foundation make sure it is slightly brighter than your skin and try it on your face, not your hands.
The last is concealer, another Maybelline product that I found very satisfying. The Maybelline Instant Age Rewind, truly age rewinder. When I apply it on my under eye wrinkles, it goes into the skin perfectly, it blended perfectly too. My dark circles' gone after 2 coats and I look instantly fresher than before. But, as long as I have used this, after letting it sit for 5-10 minutes, I can see how it built up under the eyes and I would need to blend it again so that it wouldn't look built up, smudgy and evenly blended. Nevertheless, I would definitely say it is my favourite!
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We thank our founder and CEO for this insight and review! Now it's time for us to pack our bags and continue to shop these products, au revoir!
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