Product Review: Battle of the Loose/Highlighting Powders & Ben Nye Products

  I've been really into the Kim Kardashian highlighting and apparently so has everyone else Certainly, she or her MUA are not the originators of this look. The drag queens have been rulers of the contouring and highlighting nation for yrs, honey but Kim's artist seems to have mastered it without making her looking so harsly dragish, I guess.
  I've experimented with my share of highlighting techniques. Some disastrous, others gorg but didn't last long.What I have found to work best for me is using a concealer that is lighter than my skin tone, accompanied with a loose powder. Using a lighter foundation could possibly work too; however, I have dark circles and creases to...well conceal lol. Without the fuller coverage of a concealer, the powder sets in my creases, and draws attention to the bags I've been cursed with @ birth :(.

The one on right is my go to. NYC's Smooth Skin Loose Power is $3-4 in most drugstores in Philly. This is my favorite because it gives a fuller coverage, smoother finish, doesn't set in my pores or creases, lasts the longest and doesn't oxide too much. However, it has to somewhat "marry" with my skin or oxide a lil before it looks natural. But that happens with any makeup.

The one on the left is one I got from a beauty supply store for around $6. Its Ruby Kisses' HD Set n Forget loose powder. I don't really care for this one too much, It dries ashy, sets in my creases and pores, doesn't give enough coverage and oxides. The only plus is the Banana color looks slightly more natural than the NYC beige.

Even in this pic, you can tell how chalky white the Ruby Kisses looks

Here's the famous Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Banana that everyone seems to rave about. I have mixed emotions about this one. I love the color, love that that it spreads easily when dusted, the overall initial look when it first goes on & the way it shows up in pictures :). However, it oxides a lil too much for my liking. Its still noticeable when the light hits it right but, it doesn't give me the coverage that I need. Gotta give it a couple more tries tho. :)

Overall, the winner is still my go to, NYC! 

Continuing on the subject of Ben Nye products, I think my new found obsession will be theater makeup. The foundations give more coverage, the shadows are more pigmented, the pricing is reasonable and the overall quality has improved over the yrs.

This baby here cake eyeliner.What I like is how pigmented it is when dipped in a mixing medium, its easy to correct with qtips before it dries and seems to last long. I used water, which is bad because it harbors germs but, it was the only thing I had :/. What I don't like is the color. I accidentally picked up charcoal which is more of a dark gray, instead of black...whomp whomp.Also, it smudges a lil too much. But its cool if that's the look you're going for.:)    

Here's me wearing Ben Nye's Banana