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#makeup
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Conference Makeup That Commands Respect

Just finished presenting at NCA, small award in hand, flight home tomorrow. While packing, I'm looking at the makeup that got me through three days of academic performance anxiety. I brought exactly what I needed and nothing more. Tom Ford 31 for morning sessions—matte browns that whisper "I know what I'm talking about" without trying too hard. The formula is unforgiving but worth it when you nail the blend. Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes saved dinner presentations; sometimes you need that flash of shimmer to remind everyone you're human, not just a research machine. Two NARS blushes came with me. Impassioned for the soft credibility of a put-together academic. Mata Hari—that bruised purple shade everyone avoids—for when I needed to look alive after five hours of conference coffee. It's deceptively wearable, like academic confidence itself. Three lipsticks: MAC See Sheer for "approachable expert," MAC Business Casual for "take me seriously," and YSL 83 layered on top when I needed to feel powerful during Q&A. Chanel base and powder because some things shouldn't be experiments when you're already performing. What's your go-to makeup when you need to feel professionally untouchable? #beauty #makeup #academiclife

Conference Makeup That Commands Respect
kyleleon

My Makeup Stopped Being a Chore

This year I figured out something embarrassing: I've been doing my makeup wrong for years. Not the technique—the mindset. I used to think good makeup meant expensive everything. Now I know it means the right base plus whatever makes you feel human. My routine became ruthlessly practical. CPB primer because my skin drinks it up. Rare Beauty under-eye brightener that never settles into fine lines. CPB foundation so sheer it looks like I just have really good skin genes. Tom Ford Honeymoon quad because every shade works and I've hit pan on three of them already. The real game-changer? NARS liquid blush. I use it everywhere—cheekbones, temples, even as eyeshadow when I'm running late. One product, whole face warmed up, five minutes flat. Jo Malone lip balm overnight turned my chronically chapped lips soft enough for any lipstick. YSL mascara because some things are just worth the repurchase. Rare Beauty highlighter because sometimes you need that lit-from-within glow even when you feel dead inside. I stopped collecting products and started using what works. My makeup bag is smaller but my face looks better. Turns out less really can be more—if you choose the right less. What's the one product that simplified your entire routine? #beauty #makeup #skincaremakeup

My Makeup Stopped Being a Chore
kyleleon

I Broke Up With Luxury Makeup

SUQQU, CPB, Chanel—I used to think expensive meant better. Then I discovered RMK and realized I've been lying to myself about what good makeup actually costs. My vanity now looks like an RMK shrine. Four eyeshadow palettes, two blush compacts, foundation, that cult-favorite lip balm in 01. Each piece under $40, each one outperforming products that cost three times more. The 10 blush everyone raves about? I get it now. It's salmon-pink powder that somehow creates light from within, like you're glowing from a perfect eight hours of sleep you definitely didn't get. The foundation shocked me most. 100L matches my yellow undertones perfectly, lasts through humid days without separating, and costs less than a fancy dinner. My $80 SUQQU foundation sits untouched now—prettier packaging, worse performance. I'm not going broke for status anymore. When something works this well for this little, why would I? That clean white matte packaging doesn't scream luxury, but it whispers quality. Sometimes that's enough. What's the best drugstore-priced discovery that replaced your luxury staple? #beauty #makeup #budgetbeauty

I Broke Up With Luxury Makeup
ericwagner

Makeup Minimalism Is All Lies

Everyone's talking about "investment beauty" now. Buy less, love more. Build a curated collection. All lies. I spent two years convincing myself I only needed my Chanel lip balm and MAC Powder Kiss. Perfect minimalist routine. Then I bought Hermès Rouge H in 85 yesterday and remembered why I don't believe in beauty minimalism anymore. The moment I opened that magnetic case—the weight, the click, the way it sits in your palm like jewelry—I knew I was fooling myself. This isn't about need. It's about the split second when you swipe on a new shade and feel different. Rouge H 85 smells like wild roses growing on Shanghai apartment walls in May. Not the seductive rose oil in Chanel Flash Coco, but something cleaner, more honest. The color is what I've been searching for without knowing it: brown-red with purple undertones, like rose petals when they're almost too dark to be beautiful. Velvet matte finish that doesn't apologize for being dramatic. Maybe investment beauty works for some people. But I'm done pretending I don't want to feel the thrill of something new against my lips, the quiet luxury of a case that closes with intention. What's the last beauty purchase that made you question your 'rules'? #beauty #makeup #luxurylipstick

Makeup Minimalism Is All Lies
Elizabeth Phillips

First Impressions: Phytosurgence — Canadian Indie Makeup

Just tried Phytosurgence for the first time—this small Canadian indie brand has been on my radar. Picked up four products: 🌿 Cream Bronzer (Shade 2 Rosy Daybreak) My favorite. A light rose-toned bronzer that’s super easy to blend, perfect for beginners. It’s sheer enough to use over a large area as blush or contour without looking heavy. They recommend using a brush for best results, and I totally agree. 🌿 Cream Blush (Limited Edition Kindle from ’23) A warm, smoky terracotta shade. Highly pigmented—go easy and build it slowly. Perfect for cozy fall and winter vibes. 🌿 Tinted Lip Balms (Two shades from ’24 limited run) Distant Depth is a soft brown that barely shows on darker lips—great for evening out lip tone. Crash Cadence has a subtle rose tint and is more pigmented. Both are lightweight, comfy, and easy to swipe on anytime—nothing dramatic, but nice for everyday. Heads up—these are handmade and only sold on their website. Packaging and finish won’t match high-end brands; expect some air bubbles or mold marks in the cream products (especially the blush and bronzer). If you’re picky about perfect packaging, maybe skip these. Overall, I’m really happy with my haul. Eye cream shadows are next on my list! Ever tried a handmade makeup brand? What was your experience? #beauty #makeup #indiebrandlove

First Impressions: Phytosurgence — Canadian Indie Makeup
Evonne

My Honest Take on the New Hauslabs Launch

I’ve tried almost everything from the original Hauslabs drop. The lip gloss and liquid eyeshadow were my faves. But that eyeliner? Total fail. Over $15 and not even waterproof—sweat? Bye-bye. Since Gaga stopped selling on Amazon and moved to Sephora, I hadn’t picked up anything—until recently, when I bought a few things at a concert. Price tag felt a bit steeper—$177 SGD for three items. Foundation: Really good. I’m cool olive, pretty fair—similar to beauty YouTuber Water Egg’s shade. I tried shade 30 at Sephora, half-face swatch matched perfectly. At first, it brightened a bit; after a few hours it blended seamlessly with my skin tone. Fine powder texture, no melting or patchiness even after a sweaty commute. Big thumbs up. Blush Stick: Okay, I totally misunderstood this product at first. It’s blush + a subtle dewy glow. Works well over powder, gives a nice radiance all day. Applied alone, it doesn’t blend as well; with powder, the color softens a lot. I ended up layering a deeper blush on top for more dimension. Two shades are really wearable; others are quite bold. Honestly, it’s fine but not a must-have—similar to many liquid/cream blushes I’ve tried. Packaging feels cheap, and there’s not much product inside. Value-wise, I don’t see it beating drugstore options. Lip Gloss: Picked a safe, everyday shade. More comfortable than Sephora’s glosses—no sting, and some subtle plumping. Less sticky than the OG black-tube version, which was stringy and annoying. Would repurchase but price is a little high for what it is. Glow Stick: Didn’t buy, but tested at the counter. Feels oily and likely to break down foundation—no clue how to use this properly. Powder Blush: All colors too intense for me. Not really my vibe. Highlighter Powder: Skipped buying. Touched it—texture’s too chunky and not smooth at all. Tried anything from Hauslabs lately? What’s your holy grail? #beauty #makeup #honestreview

My Honest Take on the New Hauslabs Launch
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This One Trick Made My Base Look Expensive

I stumbled on this tip by accident—and now I won’t do my base any other way. Skip the heavy moisturizer. Stick to light toner or lotion. Then—and this is the game-changer—mix 1–2 drops of your hydrating primer directly into your foundation. Blend it in your palm first, then press it into your skin with a damp puff sprayed with setting mist. Don’t drag. Just tap. Be patient. I didn’t expect much the first time, but the finish? Sheer, smooth, and zero patchiness. It looked like my skin—but better. No filter needed. I used my go-to setting spray at the end, but honestly, use what you love. This isn’t about products—it’s about how you layer. Have you ever accidentally discovered a technique that totally changed your routine? Drop it in the comments—I’m collecting! #beauty #makeup #dewybase

This One Trick Made My Base Look Expensive
Elizabeth Phillips

My Skin Always Ate My Foundation—Until Now

I used to do my whole makeup routine in 10 minutes flat. It looked efficient—but my face told another story. Flaky cheeks. Cakey chin. Patchy nose. I thought the answer was more: more serum, more moisturizer, more foundation. But it wasn’t. Turns out, my real enemy was impatience. Now I wait—let each layer sink in. I swapped heavy cream for one pump of lotion, and I treat my face like damp canvas, not soaked paper. I press product in with a dense puff, working from dry zones outward. And I use my hand as a palette, spreading foundation there first before gently transferring it to my skin. And powder? I tap it on my hand before my face. No more dust storms. Just soft, even skin. If you’ve ever watched your base break apart by lunchtime, try this. And tell me: what’s your anti-cake trick? #beauty #makeup #foundationfix

My Skin Always Ate My Foundation—Until Now
beverlymills

My Base Never Looked Clean—Until This

I used to think my face just wasn’t “built” for clean makeup looks. Comments like “Your features look 3D” made me laugh quietly—because under the makeup, my mid-face is hollow and uneven. No amount of nose contour or bronzer could fix that weird patchy shadow around my smile lines. Then I found it: powder highlighter, not for glow, but for structure. I started sweeping a soft-focus powder highlight across my apple cheeks and nose base—not to sparkle, but to even. It’s subtle. No harsh shimmer, no heavy texture. But it makes my skin look like it’s lit from inside, like I blurred something real. The best part? It’s beginner-friendly. One brush, one sweep, and my base finally looks like one smooth surface—not a map of shadows and pores. If your base never looks “clean” no matter what, try this. It changed everything for me. #beauty #makeup #basegamechanger

My Base Never Looked Clean—Until This
Evonne

10 Things I Wish I Knew About Makeup Sooner

I used to layer skincare like a 10-step K-beauty manual—until I realized: water only. Anything more made my foundation patchy AF. I now mix foundation with a bit of tone-up cream (2:1), press it in with a dry puff, and it looks like skin—blurry, fresh, not cakey. Blush goes before setting. Try it and thank me later. For stubborn dark circles: conceal → base → conceal again → translucent powder → highlighter. (Yes, highlighter. Life-changing.) Night out? Tap a shimmer shadow on top of your day look. Fingers only. You’ll look candlelit. Curl lashes, then swipe mascara from the roots. Mess up? Q-tip + micellar. Done. Glitter on the upper lid? Pure magic after dark. Try blush under your base for a flushed-from-within glow. Still struggle with contour? Face a flashlight. Light = highlight, shadow = contour. It’s foolproof. False lashes go on top of real ones. Curl together. Seal with mascara = unclockable. What’s one tiny technique that totally changed your makeup game? #beauty #makeup #makeuptipsforme

10 Things I Wish I Knew About Makeup Sooner