This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Oxy chapter.
There have been many external factors that have shaped me into the woman I am today. My home life. My community. The beautiful Southern Californian climate. Still, I can honestly say I would not be the woman I am at this exact moment without the help of some extremely wonderful beauty products that have made me feel confident in my personal appearance.
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner ($18 at Sephora)
Now, I am not one to splurge on makeup products, but I began to notice my $2 ELF eyeliner just wasn’t cutting it anymore. At the recommendation of a woman at Sephora whose eyeliner had been tattooed on many years ago, I chose the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. Let me just say, this is the best eyeliner I have ever used. It’s a felt tip marker, which allows for maximum controllability of line thickness. It’s almost completely smudge-proof, I only have to reapply later in the day if I am having a very long day. And, so far it’s lasted over five months so I would say it is definitely a good investment. My wing-tipped eyeliner (or “points” as my boyfriend calls it) has never looked so good!
Sephora Collection Color Lip Last ($13 at Sephora)
Here is another makeup splurge I decided to gamble on. I always feel like I’m missing something when I don’t have some kind of color on my lip. Unfortunately I am not meticulous enough to remember to reapply my lipstick throughout the day, so I need a lip color that will just gradually fade rather than leave me with a weird lip-liner look as the middle color gets wiped away. I love this lipstick because it can go on lightly or be built up for a more dramatic look. It lasts for a good amount of time and it doesn’t feel too heavy or goopy. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, I seem to have misplaced my lipstick. If I can’t find it, I might have to go buy another one, which should be indicative of how great this lipstick really is!
Maybelline’s Dream Pure BB Cream ($7.49 at Target)
This BB cream is essentially miracle cream for me. For those who don’t know, BB cream is an all-in-one cream including foundation, primer, sunblock and moisturizer. However, the special ingredient in this Maybelline BB cream is 2% salicylic acid, a substance commonly found in acne fighting products. If you suffer from severe acne, then I would definitely recommend this BB cream. Since I was 16, I have dealt with constant moderate acne with the occasional life-altering severe breakout. Even though my perception of my acne was probably much worse than the reality of it, I still felt very self-conscious, especially when I came to college. I felt like no one would want to be friends with the 18 year old with the skin of a middle-schooler. Some days my acne was so bad, I wouldn’t even want to leave my room. I’ve been using this cream everyday for about four months now and I have not had a single breakout. I don’t wear thick foundation, concealer or powder anymore unless I’m getting ready for a very special event, so pretty much never. Now I love putting on make-up because my skin feels so soft and smooth. It’s an incredible feeling to feel beautiful in your own skin. Did the cream really help clear up my acne? Maybe my skin just decided to stop throwing temper tantrums and produce sebum at an acceptable rate. Or maybe it’s Maybelline.
Now I’m not saying anyone should relate self-worth with outward appearance. I still think every woman should be able to feel beautiful and proud in her own skin, and sometimes that includes a little makeup. If I can feel gorgeous and confident for only about $40 twice a year, then I say that is money well spent.