my glow-to base

Hi pies!

I figured my first *real* post would be about my "glow-to" base makeup look. I'm all about dewy, honey looking skin. The majority of products I use to achieve this look are from Korean brands.

Korean beauty (K-beauty) products are slowly becoming my favorite. I've always opted for natural, sunny, innocent looks that aren't too flashy. Western makeup is s l o w l y but surely switching to incorporate dewier looks, but is nowhere near my goal, which is to embody the glass skin look that is currently coveted in Korea. Don't get me wrong, I love western beauty, but I *do* find that k-beauty is where it's at when it comes to my aesthetic (not to mention k-beauty skincare products are typically dupes for expensive western staples, but more on that later).

Anyways, onto the glow!

A'Pieu - Base Maker - 102 To achieve a daily glow, I start with a bit of primer. I'm normally not the biggest fan of primers because they never seem to do anything for me...but this one by A'Pieu works wonders! This line comes in different "colors", and the blue bottle (color 102) is a white cream that looks like sunscreen when it comes out, because it practically is! It has SPF 30 and PA ++, which is common in most Korean base products.  It doesn't leave much of a white cast and does a good job of filling in pores and very fine lines. It dries down leaving the skin feeling hydrated and soft. I find that this primer works super well when using dewier products--it doesn't allow for the watery formulas to slip and slide all over my face. I love it! They don't sell this on their official site anymore, but I did find it on the website where I linked the product. 

Laneige - Cushion Concealer - 11 After priming, I go in with concealer. For this look, I spot conceal first, and this Laneige cushion is my favorite concealer right now. It comes in a "cushion" that you click up and dab on. I find that the cushion applicator allows for even, light coverage that I can control really easily. The coverage is great and the color matches my winter/early spring skintone perfectly. It stays put super well for a dewy concealer, but a little bit of powder on a finished face goes a long way to set this baby for an all day affair!

Dior - Rosy Glow- 001 Petal Blush before foundation? Whooooooda thunk it. I never used to do this, but recently I've been putting cream or powder blushes (in moderation!) on before putting my foundation on. I believe it really creates a glow from within look, and it takes away the pain of trying to blend in a powder blush on dewy, almost wet skin. This blush looks neon in the pan, but on the skin it looks like a gentle flush that looks super natural. 

Missha -  Signature Essence Cushion - 23 I wish I could put an audio clip in of a chorus singing that plays whenever someone reads this line. Recently, I've been LOVING cushion foundations, and I have many different varieties on my vanity...but this one takes the cake. This cushion is DEWY AFFFFFF!!! It is marketed to have a 12-hour-wear, which holds true and then some. This cushion lasts all day, and when its set with a bit of powder, it could wear into the night and STILL LOOK AMAZING. The glow is for real, and it smells so good--upon application, it feels and smells fresh and light and makes me feel like a million bucks. I have both shades 21 and 23, 23 is a biiiit too dark for me right now, but it is my go-to summer foundation shade. Missha is probably one of my favorite k-beauty brands (they own A'pieu, too!) right now, I love everything I've tried from them so far!

CHOSUNGAH22 - Click Click Cick Multicolor - Silky Pink This little cushion multi-stick is just like the Laneige concealer in style--it has the cushiony top and you, hence the name, click the product out. This is marketed as a multi-stick, but I only ever use it as a highlighter. There aren't any big glittery chunks, just a pretty, barely pink shift. 

Get Frecked - Freck Uhh...I would LOVE to know why anyone is still using brow pencils, toothbrushes and brow pomades, and powders and tiny brushes to draw on freckles that are bound to fade when freck exists. I have been following Freck since they put up a kickstarter for a longwear freckle product. I was hooked. I waited YEARS. It finally came out about a year ago and this little bottle has lasted me all that time. I'm almost out, but only because I use it almost every day. You apply fake freckles in groups of 3-5, dab them out with a beauty sponge, and presto! You've got long wearing freckles that look super duper real. 

SKIN79 -  Pore Raxel Sebum Control Pact This little setting powder makes my giant pores disappear completely! I put it on with the little puff that it comes with very sparingly, focusing on my t-zone. It soaks up oiliness without looking *too* matte. I mean, don't you just hate it when you're going for a true glow and you're stuck at the crossroads of to set your face vs. not setting it? Some setting powders suck all the moisture out of your skin but keep makeup put like cement, and without powder even the best foundations can crease and slide, it's just the nature of dewy products. This product saves it all and you now don't have to chose! It's my faaaavorite setting powder right now for dewy looks.

Tatcha - Luminous Dewy Skin Mist Come on. Who would ever think that a dewy base post would ever be complete without mention of this Tatcha mist. My boyfriend recently bought it for me during a trip to the casino and I don't think i've used another "setting" spray since. It leaves the skin feeling very mositurized without feeling sticky or too oily. It keeps the glow going all day long and is AMAZING to spray to fool everyone into thinking you just re-did all of your makeup and have a fresh face! This mist is a MUST HAVE for anyone who loves glow bomb looks.

What are your favorite glow-to products? Comment down below!

Love,

Mary