I’m always testing out new products and building up my hoard of makeup, but I find there’s usually that one foundation, eyeliner, bronzer, etc. that sticks around in my routine for a while. Recently, I’ve noticed myself reaching for the same products, ones that I know I can rely on. Here are my recent makeup favorites that I’d recommend to anyone looking to add to their collection of makeup.

Foundation:
I’m extremely picky with foundation. For me to like a foundation, it has to look natural, last throughout the day, have decent coverage, not transfer, not cake up on the face, and meet a multitude of other standards I have. For months now, I’ve been gravitating towards the CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-In-1 Foundation. It’s a mouthful to say, but the product is amazing. It’s supposed to be a primer, concealer, and foundation in one, and I admit it meets all those claims pretty well. I just apply this, set it with powder and my foundation routine is done.

Makeup Applicator:
For years, people have been using brushes to apply foundation. I did, but now I can’t seem to go back. Recently, I’ve been using the beautyblender and the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge to apply my foundation. Both are non-disposable sponges that can be used in place of a brush, and I absolutely love them. Instead of swiping product onto the face, you dab the product on using the sponge, and it blends flawlessly, achieving a natural look. The key is to make sure to dampen the sponge before using it! The original beautyblender is what started the “sponge revolution” within the makeup industry, and now companies are coming out with all different kinds of dupes. The Real Techniques sponge is the only successful dupe I’ve discovered; I’ve even come to prefer it to the beautyblender, and it’s almost one fourth of the cost. I highly recommend picking it up and trying it out.

Primer/Base:
Recently, I’ve been using a skin base in place of a primer. Bases are popular in Korea, and I finally got my hands on one. They are basically like primers, acting as a barrier between your foundation and your skin. Bases differ in that they are usually thinner and light on the face, and they have benefits such as SPF coverage. I use the Laneige Skin Veil Base in #40 light purple. I’m not exactly sure where others can get this, but I purchased mine in a Korean skin care store in the Burlington H Mart. It makes skin soft and smooth, and the purple tint neutralizes yellow-toned skin. I would recommend it for my fellow Asian women out there.

Setting Powder:
To set my foundation, I’ve been using the It Cosmetics Celebration Foundation Illumination. It’s technically a powder foundation, but I use it lightly over my liquid products to lock them in place. It has an illuminating, softening effect that improves the look of skin. Remember, setting foundation is important to make face makeup last all day and stay matte!

Eyeliner:
It’s tough finding effective eyeliners that work with my Asian monolids. To top it off, my eyes water pretty easily. Because of these factors, most eyeliners fade, flake or smudge on me. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been using a combination of gel and liquid eyeliner to line my eyes. My favorite products to do this is using the Revlon Colorstay Creme Gel Eyeliner and the MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Liner. I’ve found that together, they are extremely smudgeproof and waterproof and survive on my eyelids. I especially like the Aqua Liner in the shade Mat Black because it’s so hard to find a waterproof liquid liner that’s not super shiny.

Lip Product:
Recently, it’s been all about matte lips in the makeup world. I got sucked into the trend, and my personal favorite lip products that help me achieve the look are the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams. They’re creamy, don’t dry out the lips and have good color payoff. My favorite is the shade Athens, which is a soft, natural nude.

Eyebrow Product:
For filling in the brows, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz is where it’s at! Anastasia has the best brow products in general, but I recently discovered the Brow Wiz. It’s a skinny dual-ended mechanical brow pencil with the product on one end and a brush on the other. The actual pencil is precise and creates natural looking strokes, defining the brows easily. The brow comb is conveniently on the other side, so all you have to do is flip the pencil over to brush through your hairs and complete the process. I’ve really been loving this brow pencil recently.

Bronzer/Contour:
One of my most favorite parts of my makeup routine is contouring. For a while now, I’ve been using the contour shade in the NYX Highlight and Contour Powder duo. It doesn’t have the best pigmentation, but I like that I can slowly build up the color. The contour shade is also very cool-toned, which creates a realistic contour compared to warmer bronzers.

Eyeshadow:
I don’t typically wear a lot of eyeshadow, unless it’s to subtly highlight my eyes, smoke out my eyeliner or have a light wash of color on the lids. Still, I often see myself grab for the BH Cosmetics It’sJudyTime Eyeshadow Palette. This palette was actually designed by one of my top favorite Youtube makeup gurus, Judy from It’sJudyTime. It’s composed of mostly neutral shades, and I simply adore all the colors. It has all the shades I need on a daily basis.