Products I Use, Love and Recommend
Products I Use, Love and Recommend
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As a professional makeup artist, I’m constantly testing new products . Some are overhyped, some are good for a reason, and a select few become staples that I reach for again and again.
The products in this list have earned a permanent spot in my routine because they deliver results, simplify me beauty routine, and consistently perform whether I am working with clients or getting myself ready.
From skincare that creates the perfect canvas for makeup to beauty products that make me feel polished with minimal effort, these are the items I find myself recommending most often.
If you’re looking to elevate your skincare and makeup without wasting money on products that don’t deliver, these are a few favorites worth trying.
1. Torriden DIVE-IN Hyaluronic Acid Serum
If you’ve ever wondered why some people’s skin looks naturally fresh, plump, and radiant before they even apply make up, hydration is usually the answer.
This amazing product has become one of my favorite skincare products because it delivers intense hydration without feeling heavy or sticky. The texture is lightweight and absorbs quickly, making it perfect for anyone who wants glowing skin without layers of rich creams. This serum helps the skin look refreshed, plump and comfortable. I especially love it for clients with dehydrated, sensitive, or mature skin because it provides moisture while still feeling incredibly light . It is also very suitable for oily or oily combination skin, and it can be worn alone as a hydrator or layered underneath a very lightweight moisturizer. I recommend using it morning and night after washing your face and before applying additional face serums or your moisturizer. I personally love dabbing a bit around my eye area, to smooth and plump the fine lines.
Why I Love It
- Lightweight, fast absorbing formula
- Creates a beautiful hydrated base for makeup
- Helps skin appear plump and refreshed
- Works well for most skin types, including sensitive skin
- Gives that coveted, healthy “glass skin” glow
Shop it here:
Torriden DIVE-IN Hyaluronic Acid Soothing Cream
If you have oily or combination skin, finding a moisturizer that hydrates without feeling heavy can be a challenge. That’s exactly why I love the Torriden DIVE-IN Hyaluronic Acid Soothing Cream.
This lightweight gel – cream moisturizer delivers hydration, while feeling virtually weightless on the skin. It absorbs quickly and completely, leaving behind, no sticky residue, heaviness, or greasy feeling. Instead, your skin feels refreshed, comfortable, and balanced.
I especially recommend this moisturizer for oily and combination skin types, as well as during the hot summer months when richer creams can feel overwhelming. It provides enough hydration to keep the skin looking healthy and comfortable while maintaining a fresh, lightweight finish.
As a makeup artist, I appreciate how beautifully it layers under makeup. Rather than sitting on top of the skin, it sinks in effortlessly, creating a smooth, hydrated canvas without adding excess shine. The result is skin that looks naturally plump – as if the hydration is coming from within rather than sitting on the surface.
If you are someone who dislikes the feeling of traditional moisturizer, but still wants hydrated, healthy – looking skin, this is one of the best lightweight options I have found.
Why I Love It
- Ideal for oily and combination skin types
- Perfect for warmer weather and humid summer days
- Lightweight gel-texture
- Absorbs with no sticky residue
- Hydrates without feeling heavy or greasy
- Creates a smooth canvas for makeup application
- Leaves skin looking naturally plump and refreshed
Shop it here:
Advanced Clinicals Hyaluronic Acid Gel Facial Mask
This is one of those hidden gems that I keep repurchasing over and over again – I am currently on my third jar.
I especially love using this mask during the colder months when my skin feels dehydrated and depleted. My favorite way to use it, is in the morning after a shower. I apply a generous layer, leave it on for about 20 minutes, rinse it off, and then follow with my regular skin care routine.
The difference in my skin is noticeable every single time. It leaves my complexion, looking plum, hydrated, and refreshed – as if the moisture is coming from within. In fact, whenever I use this mask before applying make up, I consistently receive compliments on how healthy and glowing my skin looks throughout the day.
As a makeup artist, I also recommend it to my brides with dry or dehydrated skin, especially on the morning of their wedding. It’s become a staple in my skincare routine because it helps create the perfect canvas for makeup.
I also appreciate how gentle it is. With soothing ingredients like aloe vera and chamomile, it works beautifully on sensitive skin and can even be used comfortably around the eye area without irritation.
Why I love it:
- I am currently on my third jar
- My go to treatment for dehydrated winter skin
- Leaves skin looking plump and refreshed
- Creates a beautiful base for makeup
- Gentle enough for sensitive skin
- Contains soothing aloe vera and chamomile
Shop it here:
L’Oreal Paris Age Perfect Midnight Cream
This is my fourth jar of this moisturizer, and it has become my go to reach night cream – especially when I am using retinol, tretinoin, or any type of chemical exfoliate in my routine.
I love using it at night because it truly helps support and strengthen my skin barrier. The Shea butter texture feels comforting and nourishing and I always wake up with skin that looks calmer, more even, and noticeably more radiant. My pores look smaller, my complexion looks smoother, and my skin just feels balanced again.
It’s one of those creams that gives me that reset effect overnight.
I also really enjoy the gentle sense – it’s soft and nostalgic for me, almost like my mom’s moisturizer growing up. That said, if you’re sensitive to fragrance, this might not be the best option for you, even though the scent is pleasant and not overpowering.
Why I Love It:
- This is my fourth re-purchased jar
- Perfect night cream on using retinol or exfoliating acids
- Helps strengthen and support the skin barrier
- Wake up to skin looking calm, radiant and even
- Soften the appearance of fine lines overtime
- Rich texture, feels nourishing and comforting
Shop it here:
Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
If you never tried a cleansing oil, you MUST try this one !
This is one product I reach for every time I wear make up or just sunscreen. Compared to many cleansing oils I’ve used in the past, this one feels noticeably lighter and more refined in texture. It almost feels like the oil molecules are very fine and delicate on my skin, which makes it glide effortlessly and breakdown makeup much faster than most cleansing oils I’ve tried.
It has a very pleasant, subtle scent, and a smooth texture that feels calming . What really stands out to me is how quickly it melts through makeup – foundation, SPF, long wear products, waterproof mascara and eyeliner, everything dissolves with very little effort.
The way I use this cleansing oil is very intentional, especially when I’ve been wearing a full face of make up. I always start with my hair pulled back so my skin is fully exposed. I take one full pump (sometimes more depending on how much makeup I’m wearing) and I applied directly on completely dry skin.
Using my fingertips, I massage it in circular motions all over my face, focusing on areas where makeup tends to sit longer. I make sure I really work it into the skin so everything starts breaking down properly.
For the eye area, I let the oil sit on my lashes for a moment while I continue massaging the rest of my face. This gives it time to start dissolving mascara and eyeliner. Then with my eyes closed, I gently rubbed my lashes back-and-forth between my fingers until I feel the mascara completely melting away.
Once everything is fully dissolved, I slowly add lukewarm water to emulsify the oil. It turns into a milky texture, which helps lift away all the make up and impurities. I continue rinsing until my skin feels completely clean, soft, and refreshed. Please note, this is not a typical oil – it’s designed to break down, makeup, sunscreen, and impurities effortlessly, but what makes a difference is how it responds to water. Once you start rinsing, the water dissolves it, so there is no oil residue left on the skin.
Because of that, I personally don’t feel the need to double cleanse when I use it. It rinses off cleanly and leaves the skin feeling soft, hydrated, and balance, rather than stripped or coated.
Say goodbye to eye makeup removers, cotton pads, cleansing wipes, and all the extra steps you normally need to take off your make up. This is a true one–and–done cleansing step for me.
Why I Love It:
- Replaces eye make up removers, wipes, and cotton pads
- one – step makeup removal solution
- breaks down waterproof make up and SPF easily
- emulsifies cleanly with water – no residue left behind
- leaf skin, soft, hydrated, and balanced
- gentle on the skin barrier
- great for oily, normal, combination ,dry, very dry skin
Shop it here:
L’Oreal Extensionist Mascara I Lash Extension Effect
If you’re looking for an affordable drugstore mascara that delivers a lash extension effect, this one is my top Amazon beauty finds. This mascara is designed to lengthen, volumize, and lift the lashes, creating an eye opening effect.
What I love about this mascara is that it never clumps, doesn’t flake, and stays in place all day without smudging. It wears beautifully from morning to night, making it reliable for both every day wear and long events
The brush features small, precise, bristles that allow for a clean, controlled application, helping separate each lash as you apply. It truly gives the effect of stretching and lengthening the lashes by a few millimeters, creating that natural lash extension look without needing falsies.
it’s also buildable, so we can keep it soft and natural for every day make up or lay it for a more dramatic, voluminous lash affect, depending on the look you want
Why I Love It:
- No smudging, flaking
- Stays true black through the entire day
- It is a washable formula
- Comes in waterproof formula as well
- It comes in the prettiest brown shade
- The small brush allows precise application and helps build volume
Shop it here:
TIRTIR Waterism Tinted Lip Gloss I Long-Lasting Non-Sticky Korean Lip Tint
This is one of those products I genuinely find fun to use and recommend. What I love most is how well the shade range is curated – you get a beautiful balance of warm, neutral, cool tones, rosy shades, pinks and natural nude colors that feel wearable and flattering across different skin tones.
This is a lip oil with a sheer tint, which makes it perfect for creating that soft, healthy, effortless lip look that so many of my clients ask for. It enhances the lip without overpowering the rest of the make up making it ideal for events, but also every day natural beauty looks.
One of the best part is how it wears throughout the day. As the oil fades, it lives behind a natural stain, which adds a subtle long wear color without needing constant application. This makes it specially useful for weddings and long events where makeup needs to last, but still feels lightweight, not drying. This is a great alternative to long wear, matte lipsticks, if you are the kind of girl that likes to apply a lipgloss over it for some hydration and shine.
I also really appreciate the size. It’s compact and easy to carry in a small bag or bridal touchup kit, which means it actually gets used up instead of sitting, forgotten in a makeup bag. On top of that, the price point is very accessible, which makes it easy to stock in multiple shades for clients or personal use.
Overall this is one of my favorite products to reach for when I want something effortless, flattering, and reliable.
Why I love it:
- Fun, effortless, versatile
- Wide shade range
- Hydration + longevity
- Wearable sheer texture
Shop it here:
Revlon ColorStay Multi-Liner I Multi-Use Creamy Lip, Eye & Face Liner
This is one of my most versatile products in my kit. While it can be used on the eyes, lips, and face, what keeps me reaching for it is it’s incredible longevity. The formula is long wearing, transfer resistant, and holds up beautifully throughout the day, making it a product I frequently use on my brides.
The texture is creamy and easy to work with, allowing plenty of time to blend before it sets. One feature I love is the build in brush on the opposite end. I use it constantly to soften eyeliner, diffuse edges, and create a more natural finish. I find this a very thoughtful addition that makes this product even more versatile.
Another stand out feature is the shade range. The collection includes a wide range of browns that work across a variety of skin tones. You will find everything from neutral, warm and cool browns to mauve-toned , plumy and apricot browns – I find this last shade irresistible on my redhead clients with warm coloring.
Beyond eyes and lips, I also love using this liner to create realistic-looking freckles and subtle facial definition, such as eye or nose contouring.
One of the reasons I continue to re-purchase this liner is that I go through eyeliners very quickly in my professional make up kit. As a makeup artist, I need products that perform well without constantly driving up my supply costs, and this liner delivers on both quality and value.
Why I love it:
- Creamy texture and longevity
- Great shape range
- Can be used on eyes face and lips
- Amazing price point
Shop it here:
Hope you are enjoying these as much as I do !! Stay tuned for more !
Warmly,
Laura
