Monday, February 26, 2018

Milk Makeup Blur Liquid foundation | Review


I don't know what's come over me in the last few months, but I've become more interested in trying new foundations. It never used to be something that excited me, especially not high end foundations. But a switch flipped, and I find it fun to see if my next  holy grail product is out there waiting. 

Enter - the Milk Makeup Blur Liquid foundation. Somewhere (of course I can't recall where) I heard that this foundation is amazing. The claims I remember hearing were that it lasts all day, it makes your face look flawless, and it had nice coverage. 

I thought about this one for a while before I purchased it because it is rather spendy, ringing in at $40 for 1 oz. I waited until a Sephora VIB sale so I could get it $20 off, and then excitedly threw it in my cart and made it mine. Since the November sale, I've been using this foundation regularly, a couple times a week or so. Spoiler alert: it's become a fast favorite. But you already know this if you read through my Top 10 of 2017.

The bummer thing about the Blur Liquid is that it only comes in 16 shades. That's (sadly) a pretty average number of shades to choose from, but let's be honest, that means a bunch of you, especially on the farther ends of either spectrum, may have trouble finding something that works. I have the shade Fair, which is supposed to be for fair tones with pink undertones. 

To note: I've got normal to combination skin. I have a history of acne, but now have only minor hormonal breakouts. I prefer medium to full coverage foundations to even out my skin tone and cover up any blemishes I may have. 



The Milk Makeup Blur Liquid in Fair is just a bit too dark for my skin tone, so as you see above, I mix in a little lightener with it (see more on the lightener here) and then it's the perfect shade. That doesn't really knock off points in my book, because it still works, but again - bummer that the shade range isn't more inclusive. 

A little goes a long way, and there's a fine line to straddle; you need about a pea sized amount, maybe a little more, for complete coverage. Too much of the foundation and you risk a cakey face. It may not be a cakey-ness you realize right away either, it's that gross kind of cakey that shows it's ugliness as the day wears on - you leave the house looking fly as hell, and then catch a glimpse in the bathroom mirror and gasp in horror at your over exaggerated pores and separating foundation and wonder how things ever got this bad.... ugh.






This foundation provides medium to full coverage, depending on how you apply it. It really does give a nice, blurred look to the skin - probably not as flawlessly as a pore-filling primer would, but coupled with one it makes my skin look soft and smooth. 

I prefer to apply it with a damp BeautyBlender; admittedly, I haven't applied it using a brush because I rarely use brushes to apply my foundation nowadays. It dries down nicely, within a minute or so. I like to set it with a powder for longevity, but you could get away without one if you have skin similar to mine. 

It wears nicely throughout the day (assuming you straddle that fine line of using just enough product, like I mentioned above - a mistake I've made when first testing this out). I can throw this foundation on at 5:30 in the morning, and it still looks good at 5:30 in the evening. 

I think this foundation would work for a range of skin types, notable normal to dry skin. If you have oily skin, I think you might find this to be greasy at the end of the day. My skin looks a healthy amount of dewy at the end of the day, not enough to look oily or gross.

I really enjoy this foundation. It doesn't topple the ranks of my beloved Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 foundation, but it's a close second. These two foundations have very different price points ($40 vs. $10), so it's a good thing it didn't dethrone my drugstore favorite. 

I do intend to keep this within reach in my makeup drawer, and to grab a bottle when the Sephora VIB sales roll around (because we all know I'm cheap af) since it's weaseled its way in to my makeup-loving heart. If you tend to like the same foundations I do (these reviews may give you a closer look at my tastes - here, here, here), I'd recommend giving the Milk Makeup Blur Liquid Foundation a shot, too. 

Friday, February 2, 2018

Empties | #42

Holy moly, is my empties bin ever full! I've been plowing through all sorts of stuff, and I'm excited to share these mini reviews with you. Keep reading for purchase recommendations and reviews on alllll of this trash. 


  • L'Oreal Vive Pro Smooth Gloss conditioner (would repurchase) - I had an old bottle of this stashed away in my bathroom closet and finally got around to finishing it up. While this might not be the first thing I'd grab from the drugstore shelf, I did enjoy it. It made my hair smooth and soft, and it didn't weigh it down. I honestly have no idea if they still make this (rarely do I shop the hair aisle because my backstock of products is embarrassingly large) but I'd recommend it if you're looking for something that'll do the trick for normal hair and you're on a budget.
  • Orlando Pita Revive Dry Shampoo (would not repurchase) - I won't say too much about this (look for it in an upcoming battle of the dry shampoos) but take this for what you will: this bottle isn't even empty, but it's going bye-bye.
  • StriVectin Hair Conditioner (would repurchase) - This stuff is really nice. It's not the most accessible or affordable, but I loved the smell and what it did for my hair. I can't say it made the biggest different in volume, as it's supposed to, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. See full review here.
  • Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque (would repurchase) - The hype is so, so real around this product. It makes my hair feel ridiculously soft, it smells nice, and it's worth splurging on.
  • StriVectin Hair Bodifying Radiance Serum (would repurchase) - If I saw this for a good deal, I'd consider picking it up again. I didn't see it working any miracles, but it added shine and it seemed to keep my hair healthy. See full review here. 
  • Reviva Labs Eye Gelee Concentrate (would repurchase) - I talked about my love for this stuff in my top 10 of 2017 post. It's made a noticeable difference in my undereye area and it's dirt cheap. I can't recommend it enough if you have dry or lined undereyes. What you see above is a sample size, and this little pot alone lasted me a few months. You definitely get your money's worth.
  • Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer (would repurchase) - I've used many a tube of this concealer, and I quite like it for my undereyes. It hides dark circles without being cakey, and it's affordable.
  • Makeup For Ever Step 1 Primer (would not purchase) - I had high hopes for this because so many people claim this is their favorite, but I really didn't care for this. It didn't do much for the longevity of my makeup, nor did it seem to make my face smoother. Glad I tried a sample before impulse purchasing this.
  • Hey Honey Day & Night Moisturizing Cream (would purchase) - I really liked this moisturizer, more for daytime than night. It's quite light, has a very subtle refreshing scent, and it didn't break me out. I'd like to get a full size of this in the future.
  • Belif Hungarian Water Essence (would not purchase) - I genuinely wanted this to do something for my ridiculously thirsty winter skin, but I can't say I noticed a difference between days I used this and days I did not.
  • GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment (would repurchase) - I really like the Glam Glow masks. I used this when my skin was acting up, and it seemed to help dry out any spots, and speed up the time it took for them to heal. It's expensive, but I like to get these samples when I can.
  • Clinique Pep-Start Moisturizer (would purchase) - This was a decent moisturizer. It did have a hint of sunscreen smell, but it wasn't overly greasy and it didn't break me out.
  • GlamGlow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer (would not purchase) - This straight up smelled like starbursts. And the scent hung around. On days I didn't wear makeup, I could smell my fruity face for hours. The illumination was just fine shimmer, and didn't add any extra glow to my face under makeup. Overall, it was a miss for me.
  • Swisspers Premium Cotton Rounds (would repurchase) - No surprise here. My favorite cotton rounds that I purchase in bulk from Costco. Good for removing eye makeup, applying toner, or removing nail polish.
  • Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel (would repurchase) - I fell in love with these. I could tell they were making a difference in the texture of my skin. I'm trying to hold out until the spring Sephora VIB sale to get a jumbo pack of these, because they're PRICEY, but I'm not sure I'll be able to wait that long.
  • Soap & Glory Clean On Me body wash (would repurchase) - I enjoy all of Soap & Glory's body washes, and this is no different. It smells nice, lathers well, and gets me clean without drying my skin out completely. 
  • Alba Botanica Firming Scrub (would not repurchase) - This was weird. You'd think a scrub with espresso and coffee beans would smell like coffee, but it didn't. It had a gross "unscented" scent. This wasn't my favorite scrub, and I'd opt for something that smells nicer in the future.

  • Babyganics Face, Hand & Baby Wipes (would repurchase) - These are my go-to makeup table wipes. I use them to wipe swatches off, clean up my makeup desk, wipe foundation off my lips, and wipe my kid's boogery nose. Multipurpose! 
  • Ole Henriksen Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths (would repurchase) - I got suckered in to buying these because I like Ole Henriksen skincare, but I don't really like makeup wipes for removing my makeup. These were just okay - they weren't very saturated, and didn't seem to get all of my makeup off, but they smelled nice and did the trick enough.
  • Pacifica Underarm Deodorant Wipes (would not repurchase) - It's not that I didn't like these, but I did not enjoy this coconut scent. I'm not a big coconut person. I also didn't use these in place of a normal deodorant. I kept them in my work desk for days when I needed some extra help in the underarm department, and they did the trick. These dried up before I could use them all, but they sat in my desk door for more than a year. I've since repurchased them but in a different scent, and I much prefer the new scent.
  • Michael Todd Skin Defender Creme Facial Cleanser (would not repurchase) - I've read AHA face washes won't actually provide real benefit to your skin, or at least the benefits you'd expect from an AHA. I'll say I didn't notice any exfoliating benefits or reduced lines from using this, and it honestly didn't make my skin feel very clean. I wouldn't bother with this again.
  • DermaE Purifying Youth Serum (would repurchase) - I didn't notice this doing much, but I think that'd require continued use to really give it a fair shake. I like the clean ingredients, so if I saw this again, I'd consider picking it up.
  • Biore Baking Soda Pore Cleanser (would not purchase) - Baking soda in face washes was a trend for about two seconds, and I can see why it didn't stick. This didn't foam up very well, and didn't appear to clean my skin that well either. Glad I tried this in sample size before opting to get a full size.
  • Clarisonic Refreshing Gel Cleanser (would not purchase) - Another miss in the skincare department for me. To be honest, I didn't use it with my clarisonic (I've been using chemical exfoliants lately instead) but it still foamed up decently. It was kind of old, which perhaps contributed to the weird scent. I just didn't really like this.
  • OPI Nail Envy Base Coat (would repurchase) - Check out that hella old packaging! This stuff isn't a miracle worker, but it does the job.
  • It Cosmetics Superhero mascara (would repurchase) - I really liked this sample. I know sample mascaras sometimes differ from full sizes, but I'd consider getting this in the future. It added volume and length to my lashes and didn't flake. I liked the brush as well.
  • Avalon Organics Nourishing Cherry Aloe lip balm (would repuchase) - Not a lot to say about this, but it has good ingredients and it felt nice.
  • Givenchy Noir Couture mascara (would repurchase) - I'm sure this is ridiculously expensive, but I really liked it. It made my lashes look amazing (again, think volume and length), and the brush was cool. 
  • Nubian Heritage African Black Soap Toner (would not repurchase) - This felt like a glorified water. It didn't really do much of anything, and I have other toners I like far more than this one.
  • Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover (would repurchase) - Good stuff. It'll break down any stubborn waterproof eye makeup like no one's business. 
  • The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (would repurchase) - I love love love this stuff. It makes a noticeable difference in the appearance of spots on my face. I use it in the morning, and I've already got a couple extra bottles in my stash. If you're not on team The Ordinary, go  check them out because you can get quality products like this for a fraction of the cost of other skincare brands. See more about this product in my top 10 products of 2017 lineup. 
  • Origins Ginger Souffle whipped body cream (would repurchase) - I adore the scent of Origins ginger line. This body cream was nice, with the perfect amount of fragrance that would linger for hours. This body cream was lightly moisturizing, so if you have extra dry skin this might not be moisturizing enough for me.
  • Carrot + Rose Hydrating Cream (would not repurchase) - I tried using this as a face cream and it wasn't cut out for that (at least for my skin), so I used it as a hand lotion which I much preferred. It wasn't anything special, and not very hydrating.
  • L'Occitane Ultra Rich Body Lotion (would not repurchase) - I used this as a hand cream and it didn't seem to do much for my wintry dry skin. I also didn't care for the old lady type scent.
  • Replica Jazz Club perfume (would not purchase) - I did not like this scent at all. All notes sound delicious (rum, neroli, lemon, tobacco), but it didn't mesh well with me. If you like it, be prepared to spend a pretty penny because Replica fragrances come with a hefty price tag.
  • Juicy Couture Couture La La (would purchase) - I quite liked these, even though it's not the typical scent I'd go for. The notes are fruity and floral, but it was pleasant. I wouldn't shell out full price, but if I saw a rollerball for a decent deal, I'd consider it.
  • Juicy Couture perfume (would not purchase) - This I hated. It smelled disgusting. It's mostly floral, and just not at all my style. It's a common scent, but it's the farthest thing from my taste.
  • Schmidt's Oh, Christmas Tree deodorant (would not repurchase) - If you're looking for a deodorant that smells exactly like a real, pine Christmas tree, look no further. I like Schmidt's a lot, but something about this particular stick felt like I was rubbing sandpaper on my armpits which was uncomfortable. The deodorant properties were perfect though. Great natural ingredients and a nice scent.
  • LaVanila Vanilla Blackberry deodorant (would repurchase) - I adore LaVanila deodorants. The ingredients are good, no aluminum, and they work well for me. 
  • The Natural Dentist All Purpose Rinse (would repurchase) - This was a decent mouth rinse. It doesn't burn the way your typical mouthwash would. As you can see, I got it on sale, and it's close to $10 at Natural Grocers normally, and there's no way I'd pay that much for a mouth rinse. I'd get it again on sale, though!
  • Honest Toothpaste (would not repurchase) - It seems to me that Honest Company products are really hit or miss. I wasn't a fan of this toothpaste at all. It was only slightly minty and didn't leave my teeth feeling clean.

And that's a wrap! Have you tried any of these products? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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