Tested and Tried Vol. 1

A few weeks ago I was on the hunt for a new primer. With the warm weather upon us I felt like a new primer was needed to help keep my makeup from sliding off my face. Of course, on my Ulta trip I picked up a few more items to test.

I am constantly trying new products and looking for affordable options. Ulta is my retailer of choice because of the affordable options. I thought it would be fun to start this series to showcase different beauty products and reviews.

Let me know what you want me to test and review next!

Tested and Tried Vol. 1

Primers

I initially picked up three different primers to try. After some research and suggestions, I went with the Tula Face Filter, Essence Fresh & Fit and the ELF Jelly Pop primer.

The Tula Face Filter was something that so many of you recommended. I have tried Tula products in the past and they weren’t a good fit for me so I was nervous to try this.

I will say this was the most expensive primer I purchased at $34. I didn’t realize when purchasing but it has a slight tint to it. It’s not enough to be concerned about but I actually really like it. While I was at the lake I put this over my moisturizer and SPF to even out my skin tone.

Under makeup, I can’t tell a huge difference but I think it’s a great everyday primer. I also really like that it has a pump to keep it sanitary.

(Use promo code PINEAPPLE15 for 15% off your purchase if you want to try it)

Next up is the Essence Fresh and Fit primer. I had read where this was a dupe for the Becca First Light Primer, so for around $5 I definitely wanted to give it a try.

I really like this primer and I love the subtle glow it gives you, however, right now my skin doesn’t really need any more glow since I’m glistening from sweat (lol). I do think this primer would be perfect in the Winter or Spring though. I didn’t notice it to be too pore filling so I don’t think that’s main purpose of the primer.

Ok, this ELF Jelly Pop primer I had super low expectations. I feel like ELF products are so hit or miss so even though everyone was raving about it I went in skeptical. However, my mind was very quickly changed the first time I applied it. If you are looking for a primer that is tacky and will grip your skin and makeup this is it!

It’s supposed to be a dupe for the MILK MAKEUP Hydro Grip Primer. It’s about $10 so a little bit on the pricier side for ELF products but definitely worth it!

This is a great primer for a full face/full glam look. I’ve been using this during my photoshoots and absolutely love it. Plus it smells like watermelon candy! Also, bonus points because it has a pump.

I did try the ELF poreless putty primer and was not a fan. Even though everyone loves it there was something about it that just didn’t work out with my skin.

Other Items:

I picked up these brushes because I was just not feeling a sponge anymore and wanted to switch it up. These EcoTools 360 brushes grabbed my attention because of the price point but also because they reminded me of the Artis brushes which are really compact bristles but can be very expensive.

I love these brushes for apply foundation, cream bronzers and blushes as well as spot concealers. I will say these do not work well for undereye concealer because it tugs a little too much and is hard to blend. They do tug a little bit on when applying foundation but nothing terrible.

Overall they blend products easily and nicely while not absorbing too much products. I will say that because they are so compact the brushes need to be cleaned more frequently than others. You can see the brush on the right needs be cleaned where the two other ones are freshly washed.

Y’all know I swear by my Lash Paradise and Telescopic mascara but I saw this mascara floating around TikTok and because I like other Essence products (I love their liquid eyeliner) I thought I’d give the Lash Princess a try.

I REALLY like this mascara. It gives volume and length and is easy to apply. I really like the bristles on the brush. Buuuttt it flakes SO much! It flakes on my cheeks when I am applying and over the day it flakes so much. It’s a great option but I just can’t get past the flakiness.

Another Tula product I decided to give a whirl was the Rose Glow and Get It Brightening Eye Balm. This was not cheap but everyone raves about and wow, it lives up to the hype! It has a cooling minty feeling under the eyes that helps with puffiness and dark circles.

This is great for when you first wake up or just look tired throughout the day. You can apply under your makeup or on top of it. I’m actually very surprised by how much I like this!

(Use promo code PINEAPPLE15 for 15% off your purchase if you want to try it)

This product was recommended by one of you and I purchased the trial size because unless it just wowed me I knew it wasn’t something that was a must have for me because it wasn’t cheap.

These First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads claim to exfoliate, tone and brighten. I think they are ok, I think there are definitely better items on the market. I just didn’t feel like it did much for me and I didn’t like the film it left on my skin after using them.

I would recommend skipping this product.

I know what you’re thinking what the heck is Body Dust…same! This has a very specific use case. Essentially it’s like baby powder but I don’t love all of the ingredients in baby powder. This Megababe Body Dust is Talc-Free and Paraben-Free. It’s great to defend against sweat which is the main purpose of this product, but I LOVE using this after I apply self-tanner.

One of my biggest issues with self-tanner is the sticky gross feeling you have after applying. I just dusted this all over my body after applying self-tanner and went to bed feeling great!

If this is something you struggle with then I recommend giving this a try to make the self-tanning process a little more enjoyable!