March Beauty Review: Dermablend Powder, Bang Beauty Blush, Tarte Shape Tape, Dose of Colors Matte Liquid Lipstick, and Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Plus

So, one of the things I  would like to feature monthly on my blog is a review of some of my favorite beauty finds or products (whether new favorites or tried and true standbys).  Since it is March, and we are heading into spring, here are some of my favorite products for the month! 

Products are linked up at the end of the post!

DERMABLEND LOOSE SETTING POWDER

Back after the New Year, I  received an email from Ulta sharing that the Dermablend Loose Setting Powder was on sale.  This intrigued me.  I  knew that a loose setting powder was needed to set your make up and contour for the day, but I  worried that the "baking" strategy would lead to breakouts for me, so when I  heard the name "Dermablend," I decided that I needed to do some research.  Dermablend is a make-up line known for covering up skin conditions and that the make-up is made for skin problems, whether it is acne, scars, or extremely sensitive skin, so I    figured that their products HAD to be breakout proof.

Although I missed the Ulta sale, the last time I  was at Ulta, I picked this up to try it.  I  have sensitive, combination skin, so I'm always worried about a reaction that leads to itchiness or a major breakout (which is generally an acne cyst).  Reading about this product indicated that it was non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic, and hypo-allergenic, which means that it does not lead to breakouts, does not clog pores, and does not cause an allergic reaction.  Knowing that, I had to try it.  And I am so glad I did!

When you use this powder, it is quite a different concept, as you are "baking" or setting your make-up.  You are piling on the powder, allowing it to "bake" or set the make-up, and then buffing it off.  I  have never done this before.  I  was concerned buffing the powder would remove the make-up, but the make-up was definitely set and did not budge.  The buffing removed the excess, allowing the natural skin tone to shine through.  I    learned that if I let it bake too long, I  often felt the translucent tone of the make-up would make my skin look too pale.  The Dermablend website says to let it set for two minutes, and that really does appear to be the magic number.  Regardless, even if you let it bake too long, the powder wears off, yet the make-up stays in place. Before you try it, definitely watch the tutorial on the website. I've linked it below this post.  

This really has to be one of the better powders out there, as my make-up pretty much stayed in place all day.  Don't expect any powder to be a miracle worker--after all, I'm not exchanging my oily yet dry combination skin for better skin!  But after wearing it all day for multiple days during different times of the month, this stands the test for a full day at work.  I  still need to powder my make-up during the day at work, but even when the oil starts to appear, I feel like my make-up is still in place, unlike previously, where my face would get oily, the make-up would slide off, and my contour was basically gone.  Even if I don't get to powder my face during a busy day at work,  my make-up still looks better than with other products.  

I  still need to freshen up my face make-up after work and before dinner, but my make-up looks so much better after a long day at work than it used to.  On top of that, I  have not had an allergic reaction or an adverse skin reaction after using it, which leads to verification of their claims of hypo-allergenic, non-comedogenic, and non-acnegenic.

If you are looking to bake or set your make up, I  would highly recommend this product!

Bang Beauty Blush in Smoked Peach

One of my favorite things about subscribing to Ipsy is not only getting to try a ton of new products, but I also love trying some indie, up and coming make-up lines that you cannot always find in store.

In my February bag, I received blush by Bang Beauty in Smoked Peach.  As you probably have read in my blog, I get nervous about trying some new face products due to my fears of break-outs; however, I've been lucky with Ipsy, as I've had no adverse reactions to any of their products and the colors they have chosen for my skin tone are generally really good.  So I  was not too hesitant to try out this blush.

I  really like this blush.  It's a beautiful pinky-peach tone and is perfect for spring.  It brightens up my face and gives a soft pretty glow.  It is super blendable, pigmented, and lasts all day.  I  would say the blush color is definitely on par with the Nars Orgasm blush color.  Highly recommend! 

Tarte Shape Tape Concealer

Just like the Dermablend Loose Setting Powder, the Tarte Shape Tape is also one of the Holy Grail products of make-up artists and beauty bloggers everywhere.  When my concealer was discontinued, I  started to do my research on new concealers.  This continually came up as one of the current top concealers available.

And were those reviews correct.  This concealer is by far one of the best concealers I   have ever tried.  It offers great, blendable coverage without being too thick or cake-y.  I  have been using this for a few months now and have not had any adverse reactions or breakouts.  I  love the coverage and one of the favorite parts of my make-up routine is to blend this with my Beauty Blender.  

I    highly recommend--it is great for all skin types.  It does not dry out, stick to dry skin, or create oily skin or breakouts.  This will be one of my go-to favorites in my make-up bag for a long time to come.  

Dose of Colors Matte Liquid Lipstick

I  received one of the Christmas gift sets for Dose of Colors this past holiday season.  I  have been consistently using these lip colors over the course of the past few months, and I  absolutely love them.  I  generally use matte lip colors, as I  think they tend to stay in place, do not bleed, and it's easier to wear bold colors without having them look too messy,  as it would with a gloss or lipstick.  If I feel like the color is too matte, I  do sometimes add a quick pop of lip gloss on the center of my lips.   My favorite lines of matte lip color have been Stila and NYX (and I still love them!), but I will add these to my favorites too!

In my gift set, I received soft, nude, and natural colors, which included Warm & Fuzzy, Let's Cuddle, and Lazy Daisy.  I'm so glad that these were not limited holiday edition colors, as I can now purchase them again!  The color is so pigmented and beautiful, and the lip color goes on so smoothly and does not bleed.  It stays on all day, and even though the lip color is matte, it does not dry out my lips.  I always wear chapstick under my matte lip colors (and any lip color)to prevent this, especially as my lips tend to dry out very quickly, so I'm not sure how drying it would be without it, but I have tried other matte colors with chapstick underneath, and my lips were still super scaly at the end of the day.  Ihave not had a problem with that with this line.  I    absolutely love this line and am definitely purchasing again!

BIG SEXY HAIR ROOT PUMP PLUS

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw on my Instastories that I  was shopping for some new hair products.  I  have fine, silky hair, but I  have a lot of it, so I'm always looking for something that lifts my hair at the roots but does not dry it out or make it too flyaway.  This is a tall order, as I  have found that volumizing products typically do those two things to my hair.

On a whim, I decided to try this.  I  just put it on my roots, and although it's a spray mousse you can spray into your hair, I  just spray it into the palm of my hand and put it throughout my roots (on damp hair).  Don't just put it on the top of your head or the top roots--make sure you got all of them, especially on the sides and the underside of your hair.

After using some of my other tried and true favorites on the rest of my hair, I  blowdried it and styled.  What a difference this makes!  I  actually feel like I    have great hair days all time now.  :).