As much as I enjoy beauty rituals and taking time for myself, the reality is that almost half of the time, I rush out of the house with minimal makeup and barely brushed hair. However, I still manage to put some color on my face and give the illusion that 20 minutes before I was actually not tucked in bed, sleeping soundly. My secret weapon? Makeup sticks.
First of all, nifty makeup sticks have the advantage of being easy to use and foolproof, even for klutzes or Edward Scissorhands. Packaged in twist-up tubes, there’s no risk of spillage since they come in a cream form. Also, they are smooth and blend like a charm. Brushes are optional which also saves some time, you can either directly apply from the tube onto the skin or apply it on your finger and just dab it on needed areas. Being great multi-taskers, makeup sticks work on cheeks, lips and eyes. I’m assuming that those fond of those infamous 5-minute makeup challenges on YouTube would feel let down to see one product do all the work, but for makeup minimalists, this is simply fantastic. Having oily skin, I was initially sceptical of using cream sticks, but the lasting power is quite good – especially on cheeks and lips – because the stick applies almost like cream-to-powder. As an eyeshadow, I do need to do a few quick touch-ups during the day, which is not an issue since makeup sticks are light enough to keep around in a purse.
Vapour Organic beauty, W3ll People, and Au Naturale are my go-to brands for makeup sticks. They are complementary as they all have their own little plus. Vapour Beauty and W3ll People offer a large variety of colors, from neutral to bold tones and with different finishes (from matte to luminous). Au Naturale has some unique shades of blushes (including a vibrant purple) and highlighters, which are absolutely gorgeous.
I currently have on rotation :
W3ll People color stick n°4 in “Bronzed rose”
Vapour Beauty Aura multi-use classic “Charm”
Au Naturale organic creme highlighter stick “rose gold”
Their application is versatile: I love to apply the Bio-Brightener following the strobing technique: on my forehead, cheekbones, nose, but also as a brightening eyeshadow all over my lids and even on top of my lipstick. The result is a holy glow, yet remaining natural-looking and appropriate for work. For more color, I can also mix it with Au Naturale’s pretty rose gold highlighter, which I apply on my cheeks and eyelids. Vapour Aura multi-use “Charm” is a beautiful carmine-free peach pink, and works on cheeks, (this is how it looks on me here), but also on eyelids for a warm-toned look. I also like to use it on the lips but since it has an almost cream-to-powder finish, it might feel a bit drying. However, a coat of lip balm will quickly solve the problem. W3ll People color stick 4 “Bronzed rose” contains a fair amount of shimmer and feels dryer compared to the others, which is why it fares well as an eyeshadow. It also looks fantastic on the cheeks for a bronze sheen.
What are your thoughts on makeup sticks?
2 Comments
I love a make-up stick and have a few in my make-up kit. I highly rate the W3ll People Narcissist Foundation Stick. I am also using Vapour Organic Beauty’s Solar Translucent Bronzer. I have a sample of W3ll People’s Universalist Stick and love it. It’s the best lip and cheek product I’ve used. I really want to try the W3ll People’s Bio Brightener too…x
Hard to wrong with those two brands, I think you’ll love the Bio brightener! xx