To be honest, I was never the biggest fan of using drugstore foundations.
One, I never found my shade. Because I'm very intentional about where I spend my money and who I support, if a brand didn't carry my shade, I assumed I'm not the customer they had in mind and I'll keep it moving. Two, shopping for makeup is enough work in itself. Although I save a lot of money shopping at the drugstore, I didn't want the hassle of finding the closest shades to my complexion and then have to mix it every time I want to use it.
I'm glad to say the beauty industry is making progress and my last drugstore visit was different from all the others. I'm also happy to see more black-owned beauty brands in the drugstore. They understand the struggle and they're consistently looking for change beyond financial motives. So, if you're thinking about picking up a few drugstore foundations, here are my thoughts based on my four selections.
BLK OPL True Color Pore Perfecting Liquid Foundation
BLK OPL's True Color Pore Perfecting Liquid Foundation is a medium coverage foundation that minimizes the appearance of your pores with a matte finish.
Shade:
520 Hazelnut
Price:
$10.93+
My Thoughts:
This foundation is a perfect match for my skin complexion! Although this is just a light to medium coverage foundation, the pore perfecting element makes it seem like your face has more coverage. I also have combination/normal skin, but this foundation is perfect for all skin types. It gives the right amount of hydration for those with dry skin and its oil-free ingredients caters to those with oily skin. Lastly, the application is pretty easy — just pump and blend.
Yay or Nay:
Yay!
Revlon PhotoReady Insta-Filter Foundation
The Revlon PhotoReady Insta-Filter foundation is a medium buildable foundation with a built-in beauty blender so you can easily apply your makeup with everything you need in one product.
Shade:
450 Mocha
Price:
$13.97+
My Thoughts:
This was the most expensive from my foundation haul and the one I liked the least. Revlon's Insta-Filter foundation only came in three dark shades: caramel, cappuccino, and mocha — the range is not enough. The sponge was not as soft as I hoped, in fact, my face felt irritated from all the blending. I also thought the foundation was a bit ashy on my skin and had a few creases around my eyes.
Yay or Nay:
Nay.
L’Oreal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation Makeup
L'Oreal's True Match foundation is a light to medium coverage foundation with SPF (select shades) that gives you a natural finish.
Shade:
Deep golden (warm)
Price:
$8.86+
My Thoughts:
This foundation is supposed to match your skin's undertone and I think it did a pretty good job with that. My skin looked more vibrant and polished. The only thing I didn't like about this foundation is the wide opening. So you have to be really careful when applying it to your Beautyblender or foundation brush.
Yay or Nay:
Yay!
Black Radiance Color Perfect Liquid Makeup
The Black Radiance Color Perfect liquid makeup is a full coverage foundation with a satin finish to enhance your natural skin tone.
Shade:
Brownie
Price:
$3.87+
My Thoughts:
This is pretty good foundation, especially for the price point! I never spent less than $5 on a foundation. It is a buildable full coverage foundation with a satin finish. When I used it on my dark spots, it didn't cover it completely, but you'd have to be pretty close to see it. I know if I used a color corrector, it will be completely hidden. I love that the foundation doesn't feel heavy or look caked up on my face. Lastly, the application is pretty easy — it comes with a spatula so that I can easily apply the product to my face!
Yay or Nay:
Yay! Girl, it works and it's less than $5!
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I've always had a love-hate relationship with wigs. Sometimes, I struggle to get them to lay flat and don't get me started with the bonding glue process. So when it comes to wearing wigs, I like to keep it nice and breezy around this b--- (word to Katt Williams), especially in the summertime.
That's why I jumped at the chance to try these three versatile wigs from Luvme Hair. Each one offers a unique look and is surprisingly low maintenance, which aligns perfectly with my philosophy that wearing wigs should make life easier. Let’s dive into the three styles below.
Headband Wig
Courtesy
This was the first wig I tried on, and I instantly fell in love with it. So much so that it took me weeks to even consider trying the other two. I’m partial to colored hair, especially blonds, browns, and reds, so I was skeptical about the jet black hair. However, I think the color, combined with the curl pattern, worked surprisingly well for me.
One of the things I really liked about this wig was that I didn’t have to braid my hair down first. I could simply throw it over a low ponytail, which is the epitome of a low-maintenance style. The headband has combs inside and velcro on the ends, ensuring a secure fit.
Half Wig
Courtesy
I had never worn a half wig before, so I faced some challenges. I cornrowed the bottom half of my hair where the wig would sit, but I believe this made it more difficult to use the combs. It might just be me though. I straightened the top part of my hair to blend it with the wig, which looked cute for about five minutes.
Firstly, I have a brown/blonde color mix on the ends of my hair, and the half wig is black. So, I had to hide some of the color (I didn’t have time to dye the wig). Secondly, straightening my hair myself is always a hassle because it never lasts long. Add to that the summer humidity, and you get a hot mess. Despite all this, I managed to get some cute pictures before things got out of control, and that’s all that matters, right?
Would I consider this a low-maintenance hair style? Yes and no. I think it’s unrealistic for me during the summer, especially since I enjoy summer activities. However, when the weather cools down, I’ll definitely rock it, dyed, of course.
Bob
Courtesy
Now, this is the wig I was nervous about. I never had a bob and I didn't think I would like it. But once I put bobiana on, my mind instantly changed. I finally understood why the gworls rave about the bob so much. It was giving boss. It was giving grown woman. It was giving the bob means business. Iykyk. It was the ultimate statement.
I will say when I first put it on, one side of my wig just would not lay flat. It took some trial and error, but I finally managed to get it to look good. With the bob, I highly recommend braiding your hair down first as small as you can so it can lay as flat as possible. I really liked the ash blonde color, which is perfect for summer. The length also makes it a great low-maintenance style for the season, so you don't have to worry about the hair making your neck sweaty.
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