TikTok Beauty: An Honest Review of Drugstore Faves
The smile on my face was obscured by my paper mask when I entered my local Ulta.
Picture it, a girl on a mission searching aisles high and low for powders, lip glosses, and liners for almost two hours. TikTok has been my go-to for product reviews and suggestions, so I decided to pick up a couple of items that piqued my interest in the app. It has been a month since I picked them up, and I have strong feelings about these products, so here is my review.
Colourpop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Acid Tinted Moisturizer
Shade: Medium Dark 14W
The consistency of this tinted moisturizer is light, but applied is cakey. Dewy? Yes. Sheer to medium coverage? Absolutely. However, it highlights the texture around my cheeks, even with a primer underneath. I wanted to love this as an alternative to my Nars tinted moisturizer, but, alas, not in the stars. It is a no for me.
L.A. Girl Pro.Conceal Concealer
Shade: Light Tan GC960
I am not sure how I missed picking up this cult-fav concealer before, but I see what all the hype is about with makeup lovers. The medium to full coverage concealer does not cake and comes in with a wide range of shades for almost every skin tone. I am going to buy more shades, brb.
E.L.F. Halo Glow Setting Powder
Shade: Medium
HOLY FREAKING COW!! This powder is chef's kiss and more. Finely milled, and leaves a lit-from-within glow to the skin. The shimmer is microscopic, which means no large pieces of glitter. I cannot get enough of this powder and have been using it non-stop since I purchased it. Arguably better than the Laura Mercier version, I am sticking with this one.
E.L.F. Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow
Shade: Mermaid Shimmy
A beautiful green and silver glitter eyeshadow that rivals my modest Stila collection. I have been using it since I got it, and it is a glam addition to my winged liner. Buildable and dries down quickly, which can be a problem blending out. As a topper, it is a must!
Shade: Holo-glam
Speaking of glitter, Euphoria is back on air with season two, which means new makeup inspiration. Now is the time to play around with this affordable alternative to the cult-favorite Lemonhead LA glitters. This cream does not flake and is relatively buildable to a certain point. For $5, it is a fun addition for nights out with cocktails.
Colourpop So Juicy Plumping Gloss
Shade: Princess Cut
You usually cannot go wrong with a clear lip gloss, but this is not plumping at all. There is a soothing peppermint tingle, but that is where it stops. No plumped lips, and I had somewhat high hopes for it. For a regular lip gloss, this is a no for me. I would try the E.L.F. one to save some bucks.
Essence Volume Booster Lash Primer
An alternative to Lancome’s Cils Booster, and goes with the Essence’s Lash Princess mascara, a cult-favorite on Tik Tok. However, when I tried the primer with other mascara brands, it left them clumpy and gross. It is decent if you use an Essence mascara with it, but why is it so limiting? I will not repurchase whatsoever.
Shade: Yogurt
Everyone is doing the highlighting trick with the shade Milk, but Yogurt is great to use if you have a medium to dark skin tone. It is gorgeous on the eyes and leaves a subtle sheen. Eyes look wide awake even if you are running on little sleep and three Americanos, just an example. A new essential in my bag going forward.
Shade: Peekaboo Neutral
The drugstore dupe to Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk lip pencil is cute for sure. NYX is coming hard with the lip liners, and this shade is a welcome addition to any collection. I do not own the original Pillow Talk lip liner, but I can say that it will do the trick for a fuller pout. At the moment, my go-to lip combo is Peekaboo with Colourpop’s Lux Velvet Lip in Honey Pie. Too cute!
