Summer Beauty Products: 2015 Edition

This summer (and every summer really) I have been keeping things very simple when it comes to makeup.  I have super oily skin that just goes buckwild come Summer so there is absolutely no point in piling a bunch of products on my face.  Regardless of the product, I find myself blotting maybe 2-3 times per day.  I'm not a huge fan of touching up midday or using powders because it's just adding more fuel to the fire.  At the beginning of the day my skin feels fresh and lightweight but by the end of the day it feels like I have 2 masks on and one is the mask that Michael wore while killing.  Yes, the life of an Oily Skin girl is not the business AT ALL.  So on to the products...

For my base, I started using First Aid Beauty's Oil-Free Mattifying Gel.  The day I picked this up, I was actually in the store to purchase the NARS Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer.  Since First Aid Beauty has been faithful when it comes to skincare, I decided to try their product instead.  Also, when choosing a base I like to find one that has multiple purposes.  The less products I have to pile on my face, the better!  If I have to use a separate moisturizer, separate primer, separate oil control product... It's NOT happening.  The FAB Mattifying Gel states it will hydrate, remove excess oil and minimize the appearance of pores.  So, I definitely appreciated the multitasking promised.  When applied, it feels really lightweight on the skin and absorbs pretty fast leaving your skin feeling smooth and ready for foundation.

Finding the right foundation has not been easy for me this summer.  I started using the new NARS All Day Luminous Foundation back in March/April but it doesn't wear well on oily skin and with the heat it's a hot ass mess.  So, although I pushed through the beginning of the Summer wearing it, I wasn't happy and was vigorously looking for something new.  Well, up pops Make Up Forever's new Ultra HD Foundation and I fall head over heels.  It is not geared towards "oily skin" but I'm making it work by using base products that help with my oil.  One thing I like about this foundation is that it doesn't break down and separate as I become oily like the NARS foundation did.  I can easily pat off the excess oil and keep it moving.  It also provides the perfect amount of coverage, I would say Medium Buildable Coverage, and dries down to a very fine powder finish that looks airbrushed on the skin.

Trial Sizes received with order... SOOO cute!

Prior to finding the FAB Mattifying Gel, I placed an order for Skindinavia's Oil Controlling Primer Spray and Finishing Spray.  I watched a few videos on YouTube with people raving about these products, I mean going to bat for them.  So, of course I was sucked in and purchased them.  Well, they aren't as great as I expected!  I still get oily and I have not noticed a big difference.  In fact, I used it with the NARS foundation and it didn't do anything to help extend the staying power of that product at all.  I still use both sprays, the primer after the FAB Gel but before the foundation and the Finishing Spray at the very end of my routine.  I mean, I did pay for them so I might as well use them up but never again.  Stupid YouTube LMAO.

For Blush, I have been addicted to the Urban Decay Afterglow Blushes.  I purchased two in the shades Bang and BitterSweet.  Bang is vibrant red-orange perfect for sun kissed skin and BitterSweet is a bright purple shade.  But be careful because these blushes are very pigmented!  I start with a very light hand and build up to the intensity I desire.  Starting too heavy will have Bang looking clownish and BitterSweet looking dirty/muddy.  Out of these two, I have been wearing BitterSweet the most as I've just been lazy and reaching for the exact same products day after day.

On my lips, one product is currently playing the favorite and that is my YSL Glossy Stain in #108 Violine Out of Control.  I purchased this product months ago and it has remained my absolutely favorite shade to wear since!  It's sort of a bright lavender shade and looks soooo beautiful on the lips especially paired with the BitterSweet blush from Urban Decay.  UGH... I'm like obsessed with this pairing!

So these are the items I have been reaching for this Summer. Obviously there are other products I'm wearing daily but they aren't anything special to devote a section to.  For mascara, I've been switching between L'oreal's Voluminous Lashes in Carbon Black and L'oreal's Telescopic Mascara.  For Concealer, I've been reaching for either Urban Decay's Naked Concealer (on rough mornings) or Rimmel's Match Perfection Concealer in Medium.  The Rimmel is actually a decent lightweight concealer for under the eyes that deserves a lot more recognition than it gets!  That's it really.  I do contour my cheeks and forehead occasionally using a Bronzing Powder from Bobbi Brown but it's not something that I do regularly.

There's always something new coming out but truthfully my routine is so basic that once I find products that work well, I just stick with those products for a while.  If I am looking for something new, it's usually Foundation or Blush as the seasons change.  I've done Get Ready With Me videos on YouTube but since my regimen is so simple and I don't change products frequently, I find doing these types of videos over and over again redundant.  I'm not here to bore you, promise.  LOL.  But, if you do want to see a video using my Summer Beauty Products just let me know below.  XOXOMCS