My Holy Grails

When I mentioned to one of my friends I was starting a blog, she asked me if I can do a makeup post. I started a blog content list and made a note of it. I decided I'm going to write about my holy grail products. The makeup industry is enormous, and I wanted to start small.

I usually do a photo shoot for my posts. I decided not to do that this time around. I didn't want to go to a department store, buy all new products, take photos and return them. I've been in the beauty industry, and those products wouldn't go back on the shelves, and rightly so. The products either go in the garbage or are recycled, and I didn't want to contribute to that. I will be using stock photos, so the photos don't belong to me. 

I have dry skin. The products I use work for my skin. I decided to write about primers. Why use a primer? I feel like a great base is key to a great makeup application. You can put anything on top after giving your skin some hydration, sunscreen and barrier from the foundation. 

I used to work for a well-known makeup company. The number one question I used to get is, are you biased to one brand? My answer would always be no. I feel that many companies make great products. I like to try them out for myself to see if they work for me or not. I want to make my own opinion about things in general, even if others rave about it. 

I start my prep with bare and clean skin. Then, I protect my skin with Alumier Sheer Hydration Broad Spectrum SPF 40. Sun protection is essential every day, regardless of the weather or time of year. More about Alumier products coming soon.

I apply the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base. This primer smooths, plumps and preps skin for makeup—the performance of a primer with the cushion of a moisturizer.

Now I can't do my makeup without this product. Next, I use the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer (cruelty-free and vegan). This clear face primer gel smoothes skin and blurs. It was developed for set makeup, so it's perfect for photoshoots ladies. I can't say enough about this product. 

I don't do this step daily. Instead, I use it on a date night or when I'm attending events. I love the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. This is another primer that extends the wear of foundation for a great complexion. It feels airy, silky, and a cloud-like texture on the skin. 

I have used many eye primers, and I found MAC Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base works well. In addition, I discovered I have oily lids, and this works best for them. The primer keeps eye makeup looking fresh and vibrant all day. Extends the wear of eye shadow up to 24 hours, prevents creasing, and bringing out the hues. 

I can't forget about lips. I can't say enough great things about MAC Prep + Prime Lip. This is a colour-free base to wear under lipstick. It adds light moisture, smoothes and refines the lips. Improve the appearance of applied lip products. If you wear red lipstick, this is perfect for that.

Lastly, to finish everything off is MAC Prep + Prime Fix +. A lightweight mist of water packed with vitamins and minerals, infused with a blend of green tea, chamomile and cucumber to gently soothe and refresh the skin. It gives an instant boost of hydration while delivering a soft sheen to refresh and finish makeup. It can be used with other products, improves the wear of makeup, or moisturize and soothe tired skin.  

Wow, that was a lot, you must be thinking. Of course, I'm not telling you to go out there and purchase all these. Start small, ask for samples, see if these work, and let me know what you think. If anything, this is for fun and to educate you on what I use.  I hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for the read. I appreciate you visiting. 

Avril xx