I try to be cruelty-free with my cosmetics products. It’s kinda hard. It’s like, I want to use good quality, cruelty-free, affordable, versatile products. “Clean” products also tend to have botched expiry dates, but are often products with more sustainable packaging. So, I am trying my best here. Personal references for me when I want to buy new make-up or skincare (what might be on my wishlist), and to be reminded of products I already use and like. I have a lot of stuff on Pinterest which is nice and all but is also kind of limiting in that it’s so heavily visual.

Makeup masterlist

Sorted by product type and then a few subheaders:

Structure

Perhaps will contain a short blurb about my thoughts around the make-up category.

Current:

  • the product(s) I currently own and am using.

Yes:

  • has worked for me

No:

  • has not worked for me

Maybe so:

  • wishlist/products I am interested in

Concealer

Current:

  • Colourpop Pretty Fresh 90w. Good match for my skin, a smidge orange.

Yes:

  • Juvia’s Place in I think J18? A touch grey as well. Texture was nice on my skin.

No:

  • Hynt Beauty Medium Tan. Used it a while ago and it worked for shade but not for texture as much.
  • Rose Inc formula is appealing but they don’t have my shade!!!

Maybe so:

  • KVD Good Apple Concealer Medium 141. Haven’t purchased (only used sample) but is a perfect match for my skintone, a true olive leaning yellow. Probably will purchase during a year with a special occasion bc MONEY.
  • Rare Beauty 230N is a touch grey for me but olive undertones are good. Might be too drying.
  • Flower Beauty
  • Too Faced BTW
  • Kosas Revealer concealer in 5.5WO (perfect shade but controversial due to expiry issues)
  • LA Girl Pro concealer

Swatches

A hand covered in concealer swatches from Mecca

Concealer swatches from Mecca

L-R, top to bottom, except now that I am looking at this photo I don’t think my swatches match my notes and I am so confused, and below is my sad attempt at matching my swatches. Anyway, my good matches are Kosas 5.5O (long swatch on left and small swatch bottom right), Ilia SC2.75 Wasabi (R4, bottom??), and nothing else really whoops.

  • R1
    • Kosas 5.5O
  • R2
    • Morphe medium 14
    • Jouer Crème brûlée
    • Jouer honey
    • Rose Inc 090
  • R3
    • Mecca 310
    • Mecca 270 NB 250 missing but might be better lightness
    • Nars café con lèche over ginger
    • Rose Inc 060
  • R4
    • Ilia SC3 kava
    • Ilia SC2.75 wasabi
  • R5
    • Hourglass dune
    • Shiseido 301
    • TF Golden Beige
  • R6
    • UD 50NN
    • Shiseido 302
    • BareMinerals light med 2.5W
    • Laura Mercier 2.5W?????
  • Bottom right has that big splotch of RMS 33 and a small swipe of Kosas

Foundation

Current:

  • my concealer LOL

Yes:

  • tbh have not used a standout foundation that I would repurchase.

No:

  • Colourpop Pretty Fresh Tinted Moisturiser in 12w. Probably needed the shade up, but like it did work, since the coverage is light-medium.
  • Kjaer Weis in Illusion. Too orange? Which is annoying bc it’s supposed to have olive undertones. Idk, like, I got away with it, but it really is quite orange on me, and a tad dark.

Maybe so:

  • Kosas Face Oil in 5.5?
  • Kjaer Weis in a different shade?? Or one of the other formulas?
  • Flower Beauty if I can find a shade match
  • Too Faced BTW if I really need a proper foundation??

Lipstick

I want BROWNS and reds. No pinky brown nonsense, no peaches. Anything slightly pink will look super pink on me. I also don’t really like oranges/terracottas that much. Though pinks/peaches/orange-based colours work well with my complexion, they do not go with the colours of my wardrobe, which is why it is such a struggle to find good lippies.

Current:

  • Flower Beauty in Blossom. Bought on a whim from CW, and it’s the perfect subtle but hydrating colour for everyday. Can literally wear in any situation.
  • Pat McGrath Mattrance? In Flesh 3. It’s super nice, but not CF. Bought secondhand off Reddit.

Yes:

  • Colourpop:
    • Cutie Fruity
    • Cherry Pickin
    • Lay over is a smidge pink for me but still works
  • Rituelle de Fille:
    • Written in Blood. It’s a really nice product and the bold blue-based red actually kinda worked for me. Didn’t lean orange, which is something I look for in a bolder red lipstick. Though it did lean a smidge too pink once worn out.
  • MAC:
    • Brick-o-la (a bit too pink tho)
    • Mocha (but too pink for personal preference right now)
    • Chilli (but too orange?)
  • Smashbox:
    • Safe word (maybe a bit too neutral)

No:

  • Bright colours in general
  • Colourpop:
    • Sike (too bright)
  • Pat McGrath:
    • Omi
    • 1993?
  • MAC:
    • Velvet Teddy and basically all the usual “this is the perfect MLBB shade from MAC” suspects

Maybe so:

  • Kosas in like all the shades hahaha
  • Colourpop
    • Thousand Percent

Colour corrector

Green

For me olive skin

Maybe so:

  • NYX Photogenic Concealer I cannot find it ANYWHERE in Australia tho
  • LA Girl Pro concealer
  • Literally nothing else??????

Peach

For undereye colour correction. Beats buying two concealers!

Maybe so:

  • LA Girl Pro concealer
  • Uh the Pixi one??
  • Idk, they’re all so expensive lol

Eyeshadow

Yes:

The autumn-toned, dark matte-heavy palette of my dreams, I present thee with my Colour Build Your Own Palette. I haven’t used it yet but I am excited to. More swatches on Imgur.

PaletteSwatchesShiny
palette-direct-sunlightswatches-direct-sunlightunswatches-direct-sunlight

Row 1

  • The Good Life (metallic dazzling green gold)
  • Archer (matte nude, very peachy on my skintone)
  • Free to Roam (matte deep terracotta)
  • 0 to 100 (matte deep brown red hue)

Row 2

  • Tea Garden (duochrome red with a green gold flip)
  • Bel Air (matte cool taupe, looks similar to Archer here but is definitely cooler in tone)
  • Fur (matte saddle brown)
  • Feathered (matte rich chocolate brown)

Row 3

  • Wishful Winking (metallic teal with an eggplant duochrome flip, SO pretty wow)
  • Trust Me (matte dusty army green)
  • I C U (matte purple brown)
  • Cloud Nine (matte plummy brown)

I also use

  • e.l.f. Bite Size in Truffle?
  • Tarte tarteist PRO to go palette

No:

I generally dislike when a palette has too many light matte shades (like, lighter than my skintone), and too many shimmer/metallic shades, since I gravitate towards matte shades. Most palettes either lean too purple or too orange. I just want brown, red, green. I like purple, but a lot of palettes are just too purple/mauve-y.

  • Too Faced Chocolate Bar
    • nice shades but too many I didn’t use
  • Juvia’s Place The Nubian
    • too orange
  • 3CE Overtake
    • too pink, but still some really nice shades
    • made me realise I like dark maroon/wine sheered out
  • Colourpop Nude Mood
    • too pink, LITERALLY A 3CE IN OVERTAKE DUPE but no one talks about it. Wake up ppl
  • Colourpop Give It To Me Straight
    • too purple/pink and too many shiny shades
  • Smashbox Cover Shot Eyeshadow Palette Golden Hour
    • too shimmery, too much of those pale mattes
  • Ciaté London Chloe Morello Pretty, Fun & Fearless Palette
    • too purple, too many light shades

Maybe so:

  • Chi Chi Cosmetics Lady Entrepreneur
  • Viseart Dark Mattes
  • Lethal Cosmetics singles
  • Eccentric Cosmetics singles