Currently loving: End of Summer Round-up

I haven't done one of these lists of "currently ____ing" since my middle school days. However, as summer is nearly its end, I've been reflecting back on some of my beauty (an a few non-beauty) that have really been stand-outs this summer. I thought that this would make a perfect Currenly Loving list. So without further ado, here are some of the items that I am Currently Loving (Summer '13 Edition)

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint in Nude

Face

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint

This foundation has been an absolute godsend since I discovered it. It's had been really buzzed about and was said to be the oily-skin counterpart to the much loved Luminous Moisture Tint by Jouer. I, of course, had no interest in the Luminous Moisture Tint because the name itself scared me and my oily t-zone away. The Matte Moisture Tint is a whole other story. It's texture is quite thick, close to that of a BB cream. Of all the foundations and bases that I own, this is probably closest in consistency to that of the Laura Mercier Silk Cream Foundation and the Missha M Perfect Cover BB cream. Which means that it glides on smoothly and is extremely easy to blend. The coverage is medium and is about the coverage of a BB cream. Think Missha Perfect Cover. A good foundation "equivalent" for this level of coverage would be something like the Neutrogena Healthy Skin.

Perhaps the most interesting about this product is its promise of providing matte moisture. Sounds Almost like an oxymoron. Too good to be true. And it is. kind of. While the foundation does dry to a matte finish and will stay matte on my oily skin for a few hours without blotting, it is not the most moisturizing.  As most makeup and beauty experts will tell you, even oily skin gals need to moisturize properly and I found that this "moisture tint" was simply not enough moisture. My skin will feel quite tight and even itchy sometimes in the winter when I apply this to freshly washed face. I found the best results when I applied a light layer of my Aveeno Clear Complexion moisturizer (my all time favorite). Overall, this has been my go to base/foundation product because it really gives light, natural and long-lasting coverage. I talk about this product in my Top Foundations for Oily Skin video as well, so check that out if you want to know more about other Bases that I love. 

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Vitalumiere Aqua in B40

This foundation bursted onto the beauty scene a few years ago and took the beauty world by a storm. It really is an incredible foundation. I didn't believe the hype at first but when I caved and purchased this foundation, I finally understood its hype. It just gives such a light weight, natural finish. It truly looks like your skin but better. It has light to medium coverage and applies so easily with the fingers. It works well on most skin types and even with my super oily skin, it still has decent staying power due to fact that it is water based. There is a pretty noticeable scent in this foundations, as most Chanel products tend to have. However, I have not found this to break my skin out.

Blush

Revlon PhotoReady Blush in Flushed

Recently, I've been loving the cream blushes. I steered clear of them for years when I first started out in makeup but I kept hearing more and more beauty bloggers and makeup artists rave about how great they are. I guess I was scared that the application of a cream product on my cheek area where I already had lots of acne scars would ruin the foundation and concealing underneath. However, I've found that with the right cream blush and a light touch, it is possible to get that natural flushed look that cream blushes are so famous for. 

Revlon PhotoReady Blush in 200 Flushed

I love the Revlon Photoready cream blush for its bright vibrant color and for smooth texture. It is best applied with clean fingers and it has a nice cream texture that is quite dry. Unlike some the older generation of cream blushes that tend to be stickier and just creamier in texture, this one sets to an almost powdery finish. This makes the application and blending very easy because you are not pulling and tugging on your skin too much to try to blend the product. Its also great because any powder that you apply over this blush will not cling weirdly to it. The color of this blush is absolutely brilliant and looks like I just got done with a workout. It is surprisingly easy to work with and the color has the perfect amount of pigmentation for it too look natural, but not too strong on the cheeks For me, this is a year-round shade that I will using and I just love the natural flush of color that it gives. 

YSL cream blush in 2 Powdery Rose

YSL Creme Blush in Powdery Rose

Much like the Revlon Photoready, this blush has also been my go-to this summer. It is the perfect shade of neutral pink with no trace or orange or blush. It does ever so slightly lean a little be warm, but for the most part the name suits the color. It is a bit more mousse-y in texture compared to the Revlon Photoready, which is quite hard. It is softer to the touch and a bit tackier, but sets to a powder finish. I actually like applying this with an angled blush brush because I do think that since it is softer and slightly creamier, sometimes it is easy to overblend with the fingers and disturb the foundation underneath. It lasts a bit longer than the Revlon blush and is simply gorgeous for a daytime blush. 

Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base

Bronzer

Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel 

I was not a fan of this product when I first purchased this after doing tons of research and hearing rave reviews. With the amount of great reviews and the hefty price tag, I had expected this product to be gold, so I was slight disappointed when I first started using this. In fact, my initial review on this was not terribly favorable.  Since that I've really discovered the easy of this product. When applied lightly all over the face, it really warms up the complexion nicely and gives a natural bronzed look. It doesn't make my face oily and I love it on days when I am not applying any foundation but still need my face to match the rest of my self-tanned body. There's something really chic about a tanned, glowing face with no makeup. This also layers well under foundation and can be used to darken up a foundation for the summer. It can be used as a contour since it is completely matte. For paler skinned gals, this might be a tad orange to be used as an all-over bronzer, but it would still would well as a cheek bronzer. It has the same sophisticated cream texture that sets much like a foundation would. I must say that my opinion on this has really changed and I now think of this as one of my everyday essentials for the summer, whether I'm wearing makeup or not. 

Milani Liquif'Eye in Aqua

MAC Fluidline in Black Track

Eyes

MAC Fluidline in Black Track

Gel Eyeliners are a staple in any makeup collection and MAC's fluidline is one of the best ones on the market. Most brands make a gel eyeliner but some of the cheaper brands like Wet and Wild have the worst packaging for their gel liners and the product dries up within a month. I've heard good things about the Maybelline line of gel liners and they are on my list of products to try. So far, my Fluidline has be very reliable and has lasted me over a year with great performance. It applies smoothly. It's dark and it doesn't budge. 

Milani Liquif'eye in Aqua

Milani's Liquif'eye line is one of the best lines of liners in the drugstore and I love this one for the gorgeous aqua blue color. It is perfect for a summer, bright eyeliner look and goes on extremely smoothly and softly. It then sets to a budge-free finish. I do get annoyed trying to sharpen this pencil because the tip is so soft. It breaks easily while sharpening. I am on the lookout for the retractable version of this color. 

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze and Seashore Frosts

Maybelline Color Tattoo

If my obsession with cream products are not obvious yet, let me state that for the record, I love cream products. But in all seriousness, these Maybelline Color Tattoos are awesome. I don't think I've come across any bad reviews on this line (although there are a few colors that do not apply quite as smoothly). I love the lasting power of these but to get these to truly last in hot humid weather with my oily lids, I do apply a primer underneath. My favorite colors are Bad to the Bronze, Seashore Frosts, Tough as Taupe and Pomegranate Punk

Makeup Forever Aqua Brow in Ash

 Brows

Makeup Forever Aqua Brow

This is a recent purchase for me, but in just the short weeks that I've been using this, let me just say: Wow! This product is truly waterproof. I've never had a huge problem with brow products not lasting on me, but this one really just lasts and lasts. I once ran 5 miles with this on and it was still there at the end. Thats saying something. I have it in the shade Ash and it matches my dark brown hair quite well. I apply it with a angled liner brush and I use just a the tiniest dot of product to do both my brows.

Lips

YSL Volupte Sheer Candy Glossy Balm 

YSL Volupte Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal
in Succulent Pomegranate

I purchased this lipstick as a treat, knowing fully that this was a luxury, splurge purchase. I must say that it was well worth it because the color of 04 Succulent Pomegranate is absolutely gorgeous. It is a sheer bright pink color that leans red but also with some cool undertones. It is a lip product with quite a bit of slip to it and glides well onto your lips. Its not exactly long lasting due to the balmy nature of this lipstick. It has a slight sheen to it but not exactly vinyl, super high shine gloss, which I am a fan of. It also leaves a slight stain on your lips so that when it does wear off, it wears off beautifully and you're left with slightly flushed lips. Of course, like all YSL lipsticks, the packaging of this is gorgeous and it also a work of art in itself. The down side of this is of course the price and also the fact that it does not come with a lot of product. The lipstick also tends to be used up quite quickly, which is quite sad. I do plan on repurchasing this when I use this one up. 

So, those are my Top 10 products that I've been loving this summer. These products have really been staples in my makeup bag; I've used them nearly everyday that I wore makeup. I hope you enjoyed this Summer Round-up. What are some of your favorites this summer? Let me know in the comments below.