EMPTIES; Drugstore Complexion • Vicki Duong

This reoccurring category features cosmetics I liked enough to use up, but did I like it enough to repurchase? I also haven’t posted an Empties in a while and this photos are old AF. I really should be posting these every other week just to get through them but I’m not going to because I am bad at blogger.

Items featured in this post are L’oreal Magic Perfecting Base, Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation, Maybelline Better Skin Foundation, Revlon ColorStay Full Coverage Concealer, Maybelline FitMe Concealer and NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray.

L’oreal Magic Perfecting Base

The search for a drugstore primer continues. While I find lots of other complexion products from the drugstore that I think are better than some luxury brands, primer is not really one of them. While this L’oreal primer provides a smooth canvas it was very thick and I had to rub the product between my hands a considerable amount to melt it down. I also don’t love primer in a jar as I feel it is a bit unsanitary to continue to dip my finger into the product.

Would I repurchase? Probably not. L’oreal tends to be on the pricier side when it comes to drugstore pricing and I just didn’t care for how annoying the packaging is. The product itself is decent, however I could skip it.

Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer

I wear Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation in 3W1 Tawny and I bought the foundation in 05 Warm Beige.

A YouTube beauty blogger favourite, The Milani Conceal + Perfect foundation was high on my list of must tries and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. The coverage is definitely full coverage and dries down to a demi-matte. Called the Conceal + Perfect this foundation aims to be foundation meets concealer. Because I am always trying out new foundations and always have about a dozen bottles on the go it is rare for me to finish an entire bottle.

Would I repurchase? Without a doubt, yes! Like I said, I am always trying out new foundations so at this time I don’t necessarily need this foundation in my collection however if something ever happened to my entire makeup collection and I had to replace all of my makeup this would be my choice matte finish foundation.

Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation

In comparison to the last foundation I posted, this is a dewy finish. This Maybelline foundation is also hydrating and oil free and I loved how seamlessly it applied. It was medium to full coverage and layered nicely with a brush or a sponge. If I remember correctly it also had a fantastic shade range.

Would I repurchase it? I sure fucking would, but I am pretty sure those bastards at Maybelline discontinued it. Why did they do it? Maybe because life isn’t fair and I wasn’t meant to have intensely beautiful lush skin. If the Milani is my choice drugstore matte finish, the Better Skin would be my choice drugstore dewy finish.

Revlon Colorstay Concealer

This feels like a throwback product for me. I used the Revlon ColorStay concealer for years when I was in high school (this was even the formula I used to use as a lip colour, how’s that for retro and all around bad?) It’s really full coverage and can get cakey easily. It does not layer under powder well and I found it separated around my nose almost instantly.

Would I repurchase it? I can’t believe I repurchased this product for years. It is not very good. It’s very paste-like and does not apply easily plus it does not layer nicely with other products. Definitely not repurchasing.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

Let me start off by saying that I know that this product has a shit shade range but they’ve added at least 5 additional shades since I last checked and I can only assume that they will be adding more. This Maybelline concealer applies so nicely. The formula is spreadable without being watery plus it’s always on sale. Double score.

Would I repurchase? Yup, and I have! Like I said, it’s always on sale at Shoppers for about $5 and it’s a great drugstore concealer. Coverage is on the medium side and I use it for brightening my under eye area and not for spot concealing.

NYX Cosmetics Matte Finish Setting Spray

NYX Cosmetics has two setting sprays available, matte and dewy, and I’ve used both of them. It does a great job at setting your makeup, however I don’t think there is a difference between the matte and dewy finish. The spray is decent, however it can spray more like water than a mist, especially when the bottle is running low. I like that this bottle is considerably smaller than most other setting sprays usually come in making it ideal for on the go.

Would I repurchase? It’s not my favourite setting spray, but it does the trick and I’ve purchased many in the past few years. I tend to buy it often since it’s often on sale but only then.

L’oreal Magic Perfecting Base

Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer

Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation

Revlon Colorstay Concealer

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

NYX Cosmetics Matte Finish Setting Spray

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