MY FAVORITE MAKEUP PRODUCTS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE

Today’s Friday Favorites post is going to be all about beauty. I’m sharing with all of you my favorite makeup products, and the best part is, they are affordable. But, before we start talking about my makeup products, let’s talk about the misunderstanding from yesterday’s post. It was almost midnight when I finished yesterday’s post, and I was so sleepy that I went to bed without proof-reading the post. When I woke up, messages that weren’t happy about me not going to show the Nordstrom items that just came in on the blog were already coming in. I had to laugh because “I” knew that wasn’t what I meant, but it wasn’t precisely worded correctly in the post. I went in and corrected the post so that everyone would know that I will show those items, but it will be tomorrow. Instagram stories is an easy platform to show try-on sessions since it is video-based, and I can do that in a matter of minutes, versus the hours that it takes to do something similar on the blog. I think that I might do an “Instagram tutorial” post soon because Instagram is a handy tool that you will love once you get the hang of it. But, that is for another day…today, it is all about beauty and makeup.

I love makeup products, and I love trying new brands and different products. There are a few makeup products that I keep going back to, so I’ll call them my tried and true favorites. As fall gets nearer, I am already noticing that I want to change up my color palette, and go more toward the browns and mauve shades. I am starting to say goodbye to my brighter pinks and welcoming the other colors.

Tarte Highlighter Palette

I’ve become a huge fan of Tarte products. I’ve always loved their eyeshadows palettes (you’ll see them below), and now, I’m finding that I also am loving some of their other products.

Every time I post a video on stories, I will get messages asking me what the product that I am using in the corners of my eye is. That product would be this skin twinkle lighting palette vol. II. I use the first two highlighters in the corners of my eyes to make them look bright, and I use these also right under my brow bone. The other two highlighters will go on my cheekbones for a little extra highlight in that area. 

I use the Sigma E45 tapered brush to apply my highlights, and I’ve used this brush for years!

Lipstick

Most of you probably know that I prefer lip stains over regular lipstick. I am lazy and I don’t like having to reapply lipsticks, and I don’t want my lipstick coming off on my coffee cup, etc. I just started using this Matte lipstick by Maybelline. It stays on all day, doesn’t rub off, and comes in lots of gorgeous colors. Now, since this is matte, it is dry, and a lot of us don’t like our lips to be dry. After I apply the lip stain and it dries, I will then apply a lip color topcoat by CoverGirl. This moisturizes the lips and keeps them from feeling so dry. However, it doesn’t affect the staying capabilities of the lip stain.

Mascara

I love mascaras from Benefit. Right now, I am using Roller Lash, but I also love They’re Real and BADGal Bang equally as well, and they all have a free gift with purchase. These mascaras don’t flake, and they remove reasonably easy. I don’t care for waterproof mascaras because they are so hard to remove, and I feel like they damage my eyelashes.

Eyeshadow Palettes

I have been using these three eyeshadow palettes almost exclusively. I am a huge fan of these eyeshadows, and I love that the palettes have a range of colors that are what I like to apply.

My newest addition is the Maneater palette. I have been using it for the past two weeks, and I love this palette for fall.

Look at these gorgeous colors. The smitten kitten is a great blush color, and I love the kitten me and pawsitive colors for my neutral eye look.

Ignore the dusty fingerprints; these are well-used palettes. Lol! The Tarteist Pro Amazonian Clay Palette has the most colors, and as you can tell, I love brown and burgundy for my eyeshadow colors. The palette beside the Tarteist Pro is the Tarte Amazonian Clay Palette, the Tarte in Bloom palette is on the far right, and the smallest palette is the Maneater Eye and Cheek palette.

Magic Eraser Makeup Remover

The Makeup Eraser is an excellent product for you, but it is a better product to give as a present. My daughter bought this for me for Christmas one year, and I was skeptical. How can a cloth take off makeup using just water??? It does work! However, mine was a gorgeous turquoise blue, notice that I said WAS. I suggest buying the black so that mascara residue doesn’t drive you nuts as it does me. The only other gripe that I have is, these microfiber cloths have a way of getting hairs stuck in the fibers, and I always have to pluck them out.

Makeup Mirror

Right now, I have a double-sided makeup mirror that has a pitiful light ring. It is 1x on one side, and it is 10x magnification on the other side. I use the 10x magnification for plucking stray eyebrow hairs or applying lip stain in really dark colors. I want to make sure that I stay in the lines that I need to be in. Mine is super old, so I ordered the RIKI mirror from the Nordstrom sale that everyone is raving over. To me, it is costly for a mirror, so it better really knock my socks off, or it will be heading back to Nordstrom. Here is a double-sided mirror from Amazon that runs around 30.00. The mirror has sold out already on Nordstrom, but here it is at Amazon if you are curious like me.

Foundation

Foundation is not the right word, but I know that it is the description that you would understand the best. I’ve not used a true foundation or cc cream for over two years. When R+F announced Radiant Defense Perfecting Liquid, I was horribly underwhelmed. I had been using IT CC Cream + Illumination for a long time, and I loved the product. I tried the Radiant Defense, and it was so different from what I was used to using, that after two weeks, I decided to go back to It Cosmetics. That was a bad mistake on my part. What I had initially thought was lightweight coverage when I was using It Cosmetics, was horribly thick to me once I had gotten used to Radiant Defense. It is very sheer and lightweight, non-cosmogenic (won’t clog pores), and it is skincare that just looks like makeup. So, it is good for your skin instead of just covering up your skin. I use different colors at different times of the year, but right now, I am combining Honey and Sand to get the color that I want. Of course, I also use the R+F brush that comes with a great case to protect the bristles. Message me if you are interested in the Radiant Defense Perfecting Liquid and the R+F brush.

Concealer

Everyone raves about Tarte Shape Tape concealer. But, I found that it creased when applied under my eyes, and I was not a huge fan. I thought that it was just me, but I figured out that others were also having that same problem. So, I tried the Creaseless Concealer, and the problem was solved. I use the light sand color, and I also blend the product in with a wet beauty sponge. This is a great set for this product because it comes with a full-size concealer and also three mini products for you to try at the same price as the concealer by itself.

Blush

Once again, a Tarte product. Lol! I like a blush palette since I can mix the colors to get the perfect color for me. I use the first two colors more for summer, and then I will use the second and third colors for fall. The last color will be used as a contour or bronzing color for me. This Life of the Party blush clutch is cute, it comes with a mirror, and the blushes can be removed, making the case a real clutch. There are slots for credit cards, a little cash, and it is large enough to hold my iPhone 11 Pro Max. The blushes are in a magnetic case so that they won’t fall out of the clutch.

Eyeliner

I’ve been using this waterproof clay pot shadow eyeliner for a long time. I like that it is waterproof since I place it on my waterline as well as on my eye like a regular eyeliner. I use black, but for some reason, that color is not on the website. They have a deep merlot or cabernet color that looks pretty, but I’ve not tried either of them.

I apply the gel eyeliner with this flat definer brush by Sigma. I am a huge fan of Sigma brushes, and I have a large set of them. The brush is only 15.00, and it is well worth the money. I’ve had my brush for over five years, and it is still in great shape.

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To God Goes The Glory!

James 1:7-8

⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. ⁸ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.