Ultima Beauty: June 2020

Hi Lovelies!

Today is the first installment in my new series of my "go-to" makeup.

I'll go through the different categories of makeup (foundation, concealer, nail polish, etc.) and show you which are my favorites and why.

First up is foundation!

You can watch the video counterpart of this series here

Every perfect makeup look begins with a good foundation (pun intended!)

It’s like starting a painting on a blank, smooth canvas.

You will also get a better result from any other makeup you apply to complete your face.

A nice foundation gives you the option of wearing as little or as much additional makeup (i.e. eyeshadow, blush) as it as you like.

Starting with a flawless canvas allows you much more versatility and helps your entire appearance look more put together.

There are a whole host of foundations out there all claiming to do pretty much the same thing: give you perfect coverage that looks like your own skin – only better.

Some of these foundations can cost you upwards of $30-$40.

A lot of them are very nice, do exactly what they claim, and I use them from time to time.

But you really don’t have to break the bank to a get an incredible foundation.

This brings me to my go-to foundation!

It is a drugstore brand, super affordable, and comes in wide range of shades.

It is by Almay and it is their Truly Lasting Color or TLC foundation line.

I use the shade Ivory 120 and it retails between $11-$13 for a 10 fluid ounce bottle.

If you’ve watched any of my videos or you follow me on Instagram you have probably noticed that I use this foundation in a ton of different makeup looks that I create.

It might be a little annoying to see me tag the same foundation in almost every post but there is a reason I am constantly using it: it’s fantastic!

Some quick stats on this lovely foundation:

Brand: Almay
Name of Shade: Ivory 120
Color: Pale Ivory
Finish: Natural
Formula: Liquid
Coverage: Medium
Waterproof: Yes
Lasts for: 16+ Hours
Smudges/Streaks/Runs: No/No/No

Here are few of the reason why I LOVE this foundation:

Reason # 1 - Excellent Coverage

It has buildable coverage that ranges from light to medium.

It is not heavy or so thick that you can’t see your natural skin, but it also is not too light where you can see some of the flaws and imperfections.

It is the perfect balance in coverage to leave a flawless finish without looking cakey and overdone.

Reason #2 - Comfortable Wear

It has a nice, breathable finish that leaves my skin feeling like I’m not even wearing foundation. I forget I’m wearing it sometimes because it is so light and airy. It doesn't weigh down skin or sink into lines.

Reason #3 - Long Lasting

It says it is 16 hour makeup and it really does last that long, sometimes longer.

It looks freshly applied even at the end of a long day. I've never had to reapply or touch it up part way through the day.

It also lasts well in humidity and even when exposed to water, with zero running or streaking.

Reason #4 - Easy to Apply

Not that foundation is particularly complicated to apply, but this one has a nice pump to distribute the perfect amount of product.

Maybe I’ll do a video soon on how to apply foundation, but the simplest way I apply it is to pump about a pea sized amount onto my ring finger and tap and blend it onto my face.

This liquid formula blends on so smooth; not too runny and it doesn't dry too quickly so there is no tugging or pulling on the skin.

Reason #5 - A Little Goes a Long Way

Sometimes (not all the time) when you buy the more affordable brands of foundation you end up having to use more of the product to get the coverage you want, so although it’s cheaper you need to buy it more often, so you end up paying the same amount you would have for a high end foundation anyway.

That is not the case with Almay’s TLC foundation.

I think I use the equivalent of 1 ½ to 2 full pumps of foundation and it covers my entire face.

You get so much coverage out of such a small amount of this foundation. A bottle of TLC foundation can last me 10 months to one year, and I wear it almost every day.

Reason #6 - It Doesn't Cause Breakouts

Almay is famous for their hypoallergenic products, in fact when I first started wearing eye makeup as a teenager I only used Almay products for this very reason.

I have acne prone skin so for face products to make it on to my list they can't make me breakout.

I've used this foundation for years and it has never clogged my pores or caused a breakout.

It is also oil free and doesn't irritate my skin.

Those are just a few reason why I can't get enough of this foundation and why you should check it out two.

Here are just a couple of my makeup looks using this foundation:

Full makeup tutorial here

Full Instagram post here

Honorable Mention

An honorable mention foundation is NYX Total Control Drop Foundation.

It also has great coverage and color and an affordable price.

Almay TLC foundation is my holy grail of foundations. And it isn't incredibly expensive.

This really shows that you do not always have to pay top dollar to get a fantastic product.

That is one of the reasons I started this blog.

I want to share what products are worth splurging on and which ones you should just pass on.

When I was younger I was under the illusion that the more expensive or bigger name bands always equaled better makeup.

Sometimes it does, but that is not a rule. There are many more affordable brand names that are just as good, if not better, than some of the prestige brands.

Again, you can catch my video review here

Thank you for checking out my go-to foundation!

Stay tuned for more of my go-to products by subscribing and getting posts delivered directly to your in box 😎

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Thursday, June 4, 2020

My Go-To Makeup | Foundation (AKA The Best Drugstore Foundation)