It’s about time I jump on this trend, huh? Like a lot of people, watching beauty gurus test out a bunch of new makeup has an extremely satisfying effect. There’s just something about the first swatch or swipe that hits differently. Luckily, I’ve finally gathered enough products (and managed to have some self-control) to do a full face of makeup. Who’s ready for some first impressions? Start scrolling then!

Natasha Denona Bronze Eyeshadow Palette (Silk Shadow): $65 (full palette)

Up until this point, I’ve only gasped at the beauty of Natasha Denona eyeshadows. So, you can only imagine my excitement when a sample size shade was included with my recent Sephora purchase. Silk is a gorgeous bronze color with a heavy orange undertone. It’s ultra-metallic with just one swipe and comes packed with fine micro-glitter throughout. Truly the perfect Halloween shade. I’m definitely impressed with its pigment, blendability, and how it makes my green/hazel eyes pop. Excited to use it for the upcoming fall season. 

Ulta Bold Ambition Mascara: $2.62

There’s a reason this mascara is so cheap. I wouldn’t say it sucks, but it’s pretty bad. My biggest complaint is the awkward wand. It only has two rows of measly bristles on one side of the brush. Not only that, but the top comes curved which makes the application process extremely difficult. If you read my Declutter With Me (Part 4) blog from just last week, you’ll remember my hatred for pokey mascara bristles. This one fits the category all too well. Though I didn’t accidentally stab myself in the eye this time, it’s a total possibility. Despite the formula being ok, there’s just nothing user-friendly about this Ulta option. Will probably ditch immediately. 

Ulta Hydrating Face Primer: $18 (full size)

Not gonna lie, I was scared about this primer. I’m just such a Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer stan that even thinking about replacing it gives me anxiety. When I first rubbed this product onto my skin it triggered immediate concern. The formula was a lot thicker than I’m used to and even though the light coconut scent was nice, my face looked greasy. It also felt a tad heavy compared to Primerizer. Luckily, I always apply my Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen after any hydrating primer and that helped tone down the “wet” look. The heaviness did go away and surprisingly the rest of my face makeup applied nicely over top. More on that in a little bit…

Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Vanilla: $30 (full size)

This may be the most surprising product of the whole bunch. I’ve heard numerous people rave about this Nars concealer before, but it always looked like something that would work better for spot concealing. Since I never really do that, I was concerned with the effect it would have underneath my eyes. Shockingly, the results were kinda mind-blowing. I applied with my fingers, gently tapping out the concealer where my darkness is heaviest. Though I did go in with a beauty sponge, I actually liked the initial results. Since the formula is super creamy it only took me a few extra pounces to create a seamless finish. Instead of looking cakey, my under eyes looked more natural than ever. Even powder didn’t seem to mess with the formula. I am so dumb-founded by a product I probably would have never tried if I didn’t receive a sample. Hopefully the results continue to impress me with more use. 

Too Faced Totally Bananas Eyeshadow Palette: $35 (entire set)

Clearly this is not the first time I’ve dipped a brush into these eyeshadows, but it is a first for the bronzer. I also did some troubleshooting before applying this product. I used Koko Bronze from the Becca x Khloe Kardashian & Malika Haqq Bronze, Blush, & Glow Palette to gently warm up the face. Since the bronzer from this Too Faced palette has a reddish undertone, I didn’t want to apply it to just bare skin, since that would create a harsh contrast. It also would have made me look orange. (I still went a little overboard with bronzer and blush. I just wanted to be glowyyyy.) Anyway, this shade was still way too warm for my skin and probably would be, no matter how tan I am. Maybe I’ll use it as an eyeshadow one day, but as a bronzer I don’t think it will be getting much love. 

BH Cosmetics Vanilla Cream Truffle Blush Palette: $12

I’ve used the upper right blush before, but the rest were up for fair game. I decided to mix the upper right and bottom left blushes since those two are slightly more orange than the others. There was a significant amount of kickup which was kind of annoying. However, the brush was basically covered from top to bottom in pigment. Note to self: tap gently next time. The combination created a beautiful warm flush. It’s no question that I over-applied, so I did go in with a clean IT Cosmetics Foundation Brush to tone down the appearance. Once I did that, my cheeks looked like a gorgeous summer sunset. The one aspect I think this BH Cosmetics blush palette is missing happens to be a shimmer shade. All of the formulas are matte and as a glowy blush lover, I’d like to see at least one in here. Besides that, I still really like it.

Elf Glow, Gleam, Beam Highlighter Palette in Light: $10

This is another item where I’ve used a few of the shades before. For this look, I wanted a deeper highlighter to compliment the intense flush on my cheeks. I opted for the last highlighter in the second row as it seemed like the darkest. I wasn’t sure if this shade would actually be too deep for my skin-tone altogether, but I was able to get away with it. The color actually reminds me of Glo Getter from the Anastasia Beverly Hills x Nicole Guerriero Glow Kit. For some reason, the bottom row of highlighters feel very stiff when I try to dip my brush into them. I have to press a lot harder to get the right amount of pigment, but the effect is totally worth it. Absolute glowing goodness.

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Color Splash Lipstick in Beach Babe: $21

I thought I was going to like this product a lot more than I did. The lipstick claims to have a hydrating formula, but it feels very odd. It’s almost as if it’s a little too hydrating. The product seems like it’s going to slide off the lips and also emphasizes every single dry patch. I even applied my Glossier Balm Dotcom underneath this, but still no success. The color did match this look perfectly, though I feel like you could find an identical dupe in just about any lipstick range.

Final Look:

Here is everything else I used on my face in case you’re curious 🙂

• Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden
• Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette
• Essence Make Me Brow Eyebrow Gel in 03 Soft Browny Brows
• Ulta Color Correctors in Peach and Pink
• Huda Beauty Easy Bake Setting Powder in Sugar Cookie
• Becca x Khloe Kardashian & Malika Haqq Bronze, Blush, Glow Palette
• Glossier Coconut Balm Dotcom

Did any of these products intrigue you? Let me know in the comments!

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