Ride or Die Tag

I’ve seen the Ride or Die tag going around, and knew that I needed to hop on that wagon. As a beauty blogger, and not even that big of a beauty blogger, I still get so many press samples and things to try. At the end of the day, even between all of the press samples, there has to be a product that you keep turning to.

If you’re not familiar with the tag, you have to choose the one product in each category that is your #1 ride or die.

Face Primer

I don’t hear people talk about this one hardly at all, but Benefit That Gal is the best. I tend to get fairly sallow when I’m not feeling well, or tired, or…any time. This eliminates that entirely. It’s very pink-toned, so if you’re already pink, it might not be for you, but for us more golden-tone girls, it pulls me more into the true-neutral category. Especially since starting my new job, this has been a lifesaver.

Foundation

I had such a hard time picking this one. I bounce through foundations pretty frequently. I keep coming back to this one though. This is the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour. It really is a lasting finish. It stays on through everything, and comes in my perfect color match. It’s affordable and available at so many different retailers. If ‘m ever travelling and caught without a foundation, it’s easy to dip in to a local drug store and pick this one up. Downsides? Bad color selection. It’s great for me, selfishly, but doesn’t do much for women of color or people of different undertones.

Concealer

My favorites concealer is the It cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye. Again, this one isn’t going to be for everyone. I find that it’s fairly greasy, but the opacity is like none other. This is the only thing I trust my undereye bags to. It also can fix up the occasional blemish, but I wouldn’t use it if I was afflicted with a lot of severe acne. If I set it well, it will last forever.

Powder

My setting powder of choice is also by Rimmel (most underrated drugstore brand), and it’s the Stay Matte powder. It works wonders in terms of keeping my makeup on all day. I don’t have oily skin, so I can’t comment on what to do about defending against oil.

Under-Eye Setting Powder

This one was a little trickier. I tried baking recently (post coming) and it was an unmitigated disaster. So, for not-baking, just setting, I like the Ofra Pressed Banana Powder. It’s not bright yellow, so it doesn’t give me that weird unnatural cast under my eyes, but it does make my eyes look brighter and more awake. It also holds down my favorite ultra-oily concealers the best of anything I’ve tried.

Bronzer

I don’t experiment with bronzer. This is one category where I take “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” very seriously. I love my Tarte Park Avenue Princess, and I’m uninterested in moving away. I’ve tried a few others, but never seriously. Because I need my Park Avenue.

Blush

I’m not a blush junkie. I know a lot of people get super jazzed about new blush, but not me. I really like the Makeup Geek Powder Blush in Covet. I love it. It’s dark and pigmented, so I use it with a light hand during low makeup days, and layer it on during heavier makeup days. Love it love it love it.

Highlight

I love a cream highlight, probably more than any pressed powder. I am all about Benefit High Beam. I’ve been using it for years, and it is one of the first high-end products that I used. I haven’t found anything that gives me that white-based glow. If you have suggestions, let me know!

False Lashes

I don’t have any of these to show you, but I love the Ardell Demi Whispies (like everyone else, I know). If you’re a lash newbie, they also come in self-adhesive so you can just stick em on. Now that I’m working with teenage girls, I have been so surprised to find out that more than half of them wear false lashes every single day. If that’s your life, I highly recommend these.

Mascara

My all-time favorite is going to be the Blinc Mascara Amplified in Black. It’s a tubing mascara, and again, I know that’s not for everyone. I love the way it lengthens and separates my lashes, and it layers so well with falsies. I’ve repurchased it three times, and love it.

Eyeshadow Palette

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette. I’ve had this since the spring and use it nearly every day. It’s beautiful, blends nicely, and smells like chocolate. Enough said, really. My favorite shades are Crème Brulee and Amaretto.

Eyeliner

Eyeliner is something that I test the most. I don’t really like the shape of my eyes, so the cat-eye flick is really important to me. The one that I always turn to is the Kat Von D Lock It Tattoo Liner in Trooper. Be careful not to get the Ink Liner, which in my opinion isn’t very good. What seals this one for me is the precise brush applicator. It makes a simple flick incredibly easy in seconds.

Lipstick

This is a tough one for me. I don’t have one brand that I go back to again and again. That said, my #1 lipstick is MAC’s Syrup. I’ve worn it at least three times a week for over a year. It’s the one I keep at work for when I decide that the lip color I put on in the morning isn’t working for me. I want to own it forever.

Liquid Lipstick

I saw some people including this category. Liquid lipstick is tricky, but I think that the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick is the best formula. I know that Stila is a little trickier to find now, but it’s really worth the hunt. Their red lipstick in Beso is the one I trust to stay on for a full day without worrying about it.

Lip Gloss

This one is a from a brand you’ve probably never heard of. I like Sothys Paris in terms of formula. It’s a French brand, and they make a beautiful pink shade called Orchidee. It does have a heavy floral smell, if that’s not your jam.

Setting Spray

I’ve tried a couple, and I don’t notice a big difference in them when it comes to longevity. I like the Nyx Dewy Setting Spray because I like the finish. It holds my makeup on well enough, but again. I have dry skin, not oily.

Perfume

Recently, I did a post about my new Bamboo perfume, which I still love. I also really like Chanel Chance de Chanel, but I don’t have a bottle of it currently. This is a fickle one, and I change it frequently.