Friday Favorites – Make-up Edition + $500 Amazon Giveaway

I’ll say it right now. I’m not a very good makeup blogger. In fact, there are many days of the week where I don’t even bother to put on makeup. I have never attempted things like contouring, cat eye eyeliner or even doing my own smokey eye. My makeup routine is pretty minimal, but I still love trying out different products to find new favorites. In fact, even though I’m not crazy into makeup, I’m still really picky about the products I use. Today I’m sharing a few new favorites that passed the test in my book.

Note: This post contains affiliate links

One of the most fun things about blogging is getting on PR mailing lists. Every now and then, I’ll receive unexpected packages in the mail from various companies. It is like Christmas because I never know what will be inside of them. Yes, there are occasionally items that I’d never use in my wildest dreams. But I do stumble upon new favorites that are worth sharing with you. Many of you have probably seen me open these packages on my Instagram Stories, so it was long overdue to give you guys a little feedback.

I wrote a post all the way back in 2016 with some of my favorite makeup items. I went back to look it up and I’m shocked to find out I still use about 90% of these. Click here to check it out.

A couple of the items I’m talking about today were gifted from Urban Decay, NYX and Lancome. I’ve sorted through a ton of products that I felt a little ehhhh about to come up with a few new favorites. These are honest opinions coming from a non-expert like myself. Just because thing are free doesn’t always mean they are good. Isn’t that the truth!?

1. Let’s start with the Eye and Face Palette by Urban Decay. I’ve always heard great things about Urban Decay palettes. The colors are fabulous and the packaging is about as good as it gets – this one even has a removable mirror. I personally love this set because it comes with eye shadows, blushes and highlighters all in one. It isn’t the cheapest palette out there, but at least you are getting several different items for that price and the colors are gorgeous.
2. Now onto a concealer by NYX. In my mind, a concealer is meant to do one job – hide imperfections. This one does just that for a whopping $5. I’ve been using the CW05 shade which is a great match to my skin. If you are looking for a new concealer at a super affordable price, give this one a try.
3. I’m grouping a couple different lip glosses into one bucket. I was able to try a few of the Lancome L’Absolu Sheers and Velvet glosses and I’m a big fan. The sheers are just that – sheer. The velvet glosses are a heavier matte gloss that truly lasts for hours and hours. My favorite colors are 321,378 and 222. I also got the chance to try out the Urban Decay High Fi Shine glosses. These come in a wide variety of crazy and not-so-crazy colors, but they are all gorgeous on. I’ll admit, the colors of these don’t last as long as the Lancome velvet glosses, but they smell really good and are beautiful when first applied. I love the colors Snitch and Big Bang, which are both in the hot pink family.
4. As far as eyeliner goes, I’ve been using a $5 Covergirl eyeliner since high school. I’ve never found anything else that could even compete with it, so I’ve stuck with my drug store tried and true favorite for decades. However, the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil is a serious contender for a new favorite. It glides on amazingly smooth and stays put just how I like it. It also comes in a wide variety of colors, but basic black is more my style.
5. Finally, I’m going to end with the only item on this list I actually paid for myself. I found the NYX Double Stacked mascara set on super sale at Target one day, right when I couldn’t take using my dry mascara at home anymore. I bought it not knowing anything about the little white tube. As it turns out, the black tube is just like any normal mascara. However, the white tube contains tiny fibers that can be used to lengthen and thicken your lashes. Essentially, it is a mascara tube filled with fuzz. It sounds super weird, but if you apply one layer of black mascara, a layer of the fuzz, and then a second layer of black, your lashes will look AMAZING. I was shocked at how well it works and how easy it was to apply. The best part is the price – you get both for only $15. Still cheaper than the designer mascaras I’ve loved in the past.

Has anyone tried any of these products? Feel free to message me for more details.

Now onto the good stuff – the $500 Amazon giveaway. See below for details on how to enter. Happy Friday, friends!

This giveaway is brought to you by the wonderful influencers below! Enter by performing the actions listed in the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $500 Amazon E-Gift Card!

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