Best Products for Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, trust me, I feel your pain. Sometimes all the blotting in the world can’t help you out and it’s just one big shine fest with makeup sliding off your face. Pretty picture, I know. But in my oily skin travels, I have found a few products that seem to improve the situation and keep me matte.

1. Bare Minerals Matte Loose Powder

Ilove this powder. It’s designed to work well with oily skin, it has medium coverage and its’ formula doesn’t break me out. Although it doesn’t keep me matte all day, I can usually go about 4 – 5 hours without blotting and it even seems to boost the clarity and overall texture of my skin. I’ve tried plenty of other powders, but I always find myself reaching for this one. I pair it with just concealer or even liquid foundation if I need extra coverage.

2. Benefit POREfessional Primer

This primer is a godsend. Not only does it completely smooth out my skin, it also reduces shine. When I wear this under my makeup, blotting can be pushed off for an extra few hours and makeup application is a dream. I really like it because even though it offers a matte finish, it doesn’t accentuate or cause dry patches at all. The one thing I will say about this is that is has silicone in it, so I don’t like to wear it every single day for fear of clogged pores. You gotta let your skin breathe sometimes, ya know?

3. Clinique Advanced Concealer

This was such a lucky find. I was in search of an oil-free concealer and I’d used Clinique’s products before, so I figured I’d give it a shot. Wow. It’s a completely matte concealer, doesn’t crease, has amazing coverage and it’s extremely smooth and blendable. The only reason it’s not my all-time favorite is because it does highlight and cause dryness. But if you rarely get dry patches, you NEED this in your life. Seriously.

4. Beauty Blender

I actually use the Real Techniques version of the beauty blender. But if you’re a liquid foundation kind of gal, try applying it with a damp beauty blender. It offers smoother, fuller coverage and somehow mattifies almost any foundation I’ve tried. It’s like magic.

What are your favorite products for oily skin? I’d love to try some new ones!

How To Get Longer Eyelashes

I’ve always had naturally long lashes. I consider them a gift when I’m applying makeup and a curse when the little rascals fall directly into my eyes. But I stand before you today – a mascara connoisseur – proud to say that I’ve found what I believe to be the best mascara combination on this side of the beauty blogosphere. Oh – and did I mention you can find them all at the drugstore? *Swoon*

Step 1: L’Oreal’s Voluminous Mascara

This little love plumps your lashes and provides a natural-looking boost that gets them headed in the right direction. Your lashes will look fuller and thicker in just a couple of swipes. Apply 2 – 3 coats all over your eyelashes.

Step 2: CoverGirl’s Clump Crusher Mascara by LashBlast

Wait about 20 seconds for the L’Oreal coat to set (you don’t want it to be dry, just a bit tacky) and then apply 3 coats. This mascara actually makes me giddy. We’re having a love affair, she and I. She’ll separate and lengthen your lashes smoothly and easily, leaving NO clumps behind. None.

Step 3: Maybelline’s The Rocket Volum’ Express Mascara

Again, wait about 20 seconds for the last coats to set and then apply 2 coats of this to the outer corners of your lashes. It will bring further volume to the edges, while simultaneously blending the look together. It ends up creating a “flick” or cat-eye effect without any eyeliner at all.

Step 4: Bat your lashes at every guy that walks by. Actually, don’t. That’s awkward. Bat them at yourself in the mirror instead.

I’d love to know which mascaras have worked best for you guys. I might try switching one out if you have suggestions!

Tarte’s Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Full Coverage Foundation Review

 

 

I figured I’d start out the beauty section by talking about a product that’s near and dear to me. Ah yes – it’s Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Foundation and it’s beautiful. Just look at it, people.

Why I Tried It

I first tried this foundation about a year and half ago when I had acne scarring that I wanted covered. I was drawn to it because it was full coverage and oil-free, so I knew it wouldn’t break me out any more than I already had been. It also claimed to give a satin-matte finish, which is exactly what I needed for my annoyingly oily skin.

Why I Love It

I remember the relief I felt went I first applied this with my fingertips because it was so smooth and it had such great coverage. I had been struggling with acne for about a year and although my complexion had started to clear, I was always left with unsightly post-acne marks that I could never quite seem to cover. This foundation blurred my acne marks perfectly and fit my skin tone to a T (I’m a fair-neutral tone, so I went with “Fair Beige”).

One thing I particularly love about this foundation (and Tarte’s line in general) is that it’s something I don’t feel guilty about putting on my skin. There are many foundations out there that I can’t wait to wash off at night, but this foundation is made with vitamins and minerals to boost your complexion instead of chemicals and oils that can harm it.

Drawbacks

It doesn’t necessarily keep me matte all day; a bit of shine usually pokes through within a couple of hours. To be honest, though, most products that can keep me matte also end up causing dryness and flaking that I find to be much more unflattering that a bit of shine that can be blotted away.

In It For The Long Haul, Baby

All in all, I absolutely adore this foundation. It doesn’t cause breakouts, it wears very nicely, it seems to balance my skin, and it’s true to its full-coverage claims.

Let me know if you’ve tried this product and how it worked for you!