I hadn't purchased any makeup in a while, and I've had quite the list of products I wanted to try and things I was running out of, so I took a trip to Sephora and Ulta and got some exciting new things!

FOR YOUR FACE

First things first: primers. I got two travel sizes of Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primers, one colorless and one color correcting. The color correcting formula really helps balance out the redness on my skin, and both help my foundation stay on extraordinarily well. A little goes a long way, and it really helps smooth out and soften your skin without getting oily.

Next up: foundations. I got two new ones, NARS Sheer Glow in Montblanc and Sephora 10HR Wear Perfection in Light Delicate Beige.

The NARS foundation blends so beautifully and is really buildable, so the coverage is really up to you. The only thing I regret is that it doesn't have a pump, it's just an open top. You can purchase one to add onto it and I opted out of it at the time, but I might go back and get one just because I think it'll help me use less product and make it last a little longer.

The Sephora foundation is great for my skin; it doesn't stick to any dry patches and definitely lasts all day. I will say though that the skin ID system Sephora uses matched me with a much darker and yellower foundation than I could ever wear. I'm super pink and usually use the lightest color foundation available, so we had to test quite a few to finally get to a color that matched my skin. But once we did, it worked out well, so it was all worth it in the end. I will say though to not be afraid of telling the employees what you know about your skin! You know your face better than anyone, and it can definitely help you find your perfect match faster.

And lastly, highlighter. I got Too Faced Candlelight Glow Highlighting Powder Duo, and I love it. I have very fair skin, and this adds the perfect glow to my cheekbones without being overly glittery. It looks really natural and reflects light so well. A little goes a long way, so don't be too heavy-handed with it, but it works well on the cheeks as well as on your brow bone and the inner corners of your eyes.

FOR YOUR EYES

I only got one new eye product, Too Faced Shadow Insurance Candlelight Primer. I meant to get the Champagne color but ended up with Candlelight. Too Faced's Shadow Insurance line is incredible; it's like a magnet for your eye shadow and never, ever creases or emphasizes any lines. The Candlelight color is a shimmery gold, and honestly works well alone as a base shadow. Talk about a great lazy day product. That being said, if you just want to use it as a primer, it's easily covered up by whatever eye shadow you want to put on over top of it. Highly recommend! When this runs out, I'm eager to try the Champagne color–it has a little more pink in it, which is great for me.

FOR YOUR LIPS

I got three new lip products this trip–which honestly is me showing restraint. I love love love trying out new lip colors, and I always want to try all the colors available. But for this haul, I got the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lovesick, Sephora Luster Matte Long-Wear Lip Color in Petal, and Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Blackberry Sorbet.

Clearly, I'm on a liquid lipstick kick, and I love these colors. I have several Sephora lip products, and they've exceeded a lot of my expectations in terms of having great staying power and pigmentation, and not transferring onto everything my lips touch. The Petal color is the perfect pinky-nude for my lips, and the Blackberry Sorbet is a great dark fall berry color. Love them both!

The Kat Von D liquid lipstick was a little disappointing, if only because it's been so incredibly hyped up recently. I found it to be more drying than other matte lipsticks I've tried, and the color didn't last as long as I wish it had. The color and pigmentation is gorgeous, however, so I do love it–I just have to make sure to keep an eye on it to make sure it stays on all day. This color did make me feel a bit like Kylie Jenner at the beginning of the day, which I kind of liked–take that for what you will!

FOR ALL OVER

Last but not least, I got some brushes. I'm still super hesitant when it comes to the nicer, more expensive brushes, because I'm not an expert on my favorite kinds of brushes or the best ones to get. (If you have any must-have recommendations, please let me know!) I tend to stick to the Real Techniques brush line because they're inexpensive but still of great quality. They never shed and they're dense enough to hold and distribute product without absorbing it into the brush. This time around, I got the Core Collection Brush Set, an Angled Foundation Brush, and a Setting Brush. They've proven valuable additions to my makeup routine and are all great for a variety of purposes, which I love.

Let me know what new things I should try or what products to get next time! What are some of your new faves or all-time holy grail products?

Published by Alexandra Adams in Fashion, Hauls, Lifestyle, Makeup