NYX Professional Makeup

I initially purchased the the loose finishing powder, but grew tired of how messy it was to use. I purchased the mini size of this pressed version, to try it out, and soon after purchased the full size. I use this to set my foundation, which this does a great job at. While this can be slightly drying in the winter, this really sops up the shine in my t-zone during the warmer months, and creates a matte finish, without being the slightest bit cakey. This powder is very finely milled, and feels so lightweight on. This makes my skin look smooth and matte, without the cakey look a lot of pressed powders have. This does not add a white cast on my NW20 (fair/light, neutral skintone), but does have a slight brightening effect, which I think is flattering. Cons would be, $10 is a lot for a drugstore powder, especially considering the compact does not even come with a mirror or applicator. This contains more powder (8 grams) than the loose version (6 grams) for the same price, and is much less messy, so I will probably never go back to the loose powder. Would repurchase!

I am trying to find a good primer that works with my skin - and one that isn't slippy silicone based would be great! I ordered this from Ulta. I have to say that this does feel "hydrating" when applying, but once it gets tacky on the skin and dries, it's not so hydrating. I'd say It's more of a gripping primer than hydrating. I applied just a little - let it set - and then went in with my regular foundation mixture with a damp sponge, and this didn't look very hydrating after application. It grabs the foundation - and helps it stay put (as a good primer will) but I found this made my foundation look very "cakey". I'm still going to test this out for the rest of the week, maybe I used too much foundation, I'm not sure. It also made my nose very oily by the middle of the day - and I still needed to blot overall, but the makeup is staying put (not so much transfer when blotting). My face also felt tacky/heavy to the touch after applying my foundation, again - I want to test throughout the week and see if this was my fault, or truly is the primer. I use very lightweight foundations (bourjois serum/UD Stay Naked/Loreal Fresh Wear mixed barely a half pump if that of each) and normally they apply and dry instantly on my skin. Further testing is needed, but compared to the ELF Glow Up Primer serum which I just got and tried as well, this isn't hydrating like a serum would be. Once everything was applied, had dry spots in my flake-prone areas, which is how I knew this wasn't all that hydrating.

Most cool nudes make me look, well, kinda zombie-ish. This one doesn't! It's great for a muted look but still has the barest hint of pink to liven up my lips. Really creamy formula, too -- it has a sort of satin-matte finish that's very comfortable to wear and is easy to touch up. These are a seriously underrated part of NYX's lip products.