BEAUTY | A Face Full of First Impressions

With my recent trip to the US and the inevitable haul that came from it, I found myself with a lot of products I'd never used before! Like the title suggests, today's post is a face full of first impressions . Basically I'm putting some new stuff on my face, and then telling you all what I think about it!

Benefit's The POREfessional

I didn't want to give into the POREfessional hype, I mean, no primer is THAT good, or worth the €34 price tag. While I'm not going to retract my initial reluctance - I'm not that easily swayed, I do see why people like it. It is silicone-based, so it leaves velvety-soft skin in it's wake! Don't make my mistake of using it with a water-based foundation though! A little bit goes a long way, so a travel size does the job. I'm still unsure how I feel about The POREfessional, maybe it's one of those products that grows on you!

L'Oreal Paris True Match Foundation in W5 Sand Beige

Look at the US packaging for True Match.. Adorable! It was love at first application with this foundation. I never stray from my Fit Me for fear of the unknown, but I was so surprised by how much I loved it! This is another much hyped about product, and it's well deserved. True Match is a lightweight, water based foundation. The coverage is sheer to medium, and is definitely buildable! There's a huge colour range, going from Warm to Neutral to Cool. It's super long lasting too! The only problem I have is the lack of a pump makes application a little messy, but that's nothing to lose sleep over really!

Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer in Medium Light

Hard Candy was a relatively unknown brand to until recently, when I saw a couple beauty vloggers mention their Glamoflauge concealer. They used to be a higher end brand, sold in the likes of Sephora, but can now be found on the shelves in Walmart! Glamoflauge is a heavy coverage, blendable concealer, perfect for covering pesky dark circles! I got mine in the shade Medium Light, and it's great for highlighting! It's pretty heavy duty, so I used an ELF Flawless Concealer Brush to buff it out! 

ELF Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder Duo in St. Lucia

I had high hopes for this duo. It's been compared to the NARS Laguna/Orgasm duo, and while I don't really see the likeness in the formulas, the packaging is a perfect dupe. The blush is not for me, it's a little too shimmery and pink for me. I prefer a more subtle blush! The bronzer is not bad, I personally wouldn't use it for contouring, as advertised. It could work for regular bronzing though! For $3 though, it feels wrong to complain! 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Dark Brown

I have a confession.. This is not my actual first impression of the Dipbrow. I got too excited, and couldn't wait to try it. Can you blame me really? Karma came back to bite me though, because I hated how my brows turned out. Eek! I might have been a bit heavy handed, my eyebrows looked like giant, almost-black slugs. Not ideal! After a mild panic, and some advice from a friend in the know, the slug crisis was averted! All you need is a dip of the brush in the product to shape the brow, and another to fill them in. I would advise to brush off some of the excess on the lid before going to work, it helps a lot! I've begun to wonder what my life was like before the Dipbrow came into it. What were my brows like? Oh, it's a scary thought! 

Maybelline The Nudes Palette

I'd heard lots of mixed reviews about this palette, which meant I really wasn't sure what I was expecting from it. I really like it! We all know I'm a sucker for neutral shadows, so I was bound to like a palette called The Nudes! There's a great range of browns, golds, nudes, and blacks that day and nighttime looks are fully achievable for everyone! The palette can be split into duos, trios and quads, with suggestions on what looks  can be created! The shadows themselves have great staying power. I wore them for over 12 hours, without primer, and my look was still intact at the end of the day!  

Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion Mascara in Very Black 

I need all the help I can get in the lash department, mine are kinda stumpy and flat. LashBlast Fusion lengthens and volumizes, which I love, because it means you can actually see my lashes! It holds the curl well too, which is a bonus! I like that it doesn't clump, and it really separates the lashes LashBlast Fusion has ticked all the boxes on my mascara checklist! 

NYX Retractable Eyeliner in Black

A standard black liner really! It goes on smoothly, and it's very opaque. All the things you need from your eyeliner! I love these kinds of liners, because they're softer, and not as harsh as a pencil! 

LORAC PRO Matte Lip Color in Merlot

Matte lips are my jam, there is nothing I love more in life! Like Hard Candy, Lorac is a relatively new brand to me, I'd heard of them, just never tried out their stuff. The PRo Matte Lip Colors come in a range of colours from nude to vibrant violet, and everything in between! While you'd know you're wearing a matte shade, the formula isn't overly drying. The tip also allows for easy shaping, and shading in. The color payoff isn't super opaque, but buildable. I have to say, there isn't anything I don't like about this product, the formula is great, the packaging is sleek, and Merlot is a perfect fall shade!  

Have you tried any of these products? What were your first impressions? 

Until next time, 

Elle x 

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