Picture Perfect Filters For The Face

It’s been many years since I first discovered makeup. The other day I tried to remember what the first piece of makeup I owned and purchased for myself was, and I couldn’t. It’s been that long. I first discovered makeup in my teenage years as a way to manage my fussy skin. I tried switching up my diet, I tried taking supplements, nothing seemed to work. So I resorted to makeup. I put all of my high hopes and expectations in the power of a great foundation, a great concealer that could blur out even the feistiest of blemishes, a little bit of contouring and highlighting and magic happened. I was literarily and figuratively glowing. My confidence and self-esteem got a boost, and my love affair with the mighty makeup commenced. I became a believer.

The quest for that perfectly flawless and almost airbrushed look is something many of us are on, more so now with social media outlets, such as YouTube and Instagram taking over the world. However, most videos we watch on YouTube are edited, most photos we see on Instagram are heavily photoshopped and run thru dozens of filters. Life has become a continuous mission for how many followers one has and how many likes a picture receives. Most of these looks we see on YouTube and Instagram speak volumes about the power of makeup. The choices out there in terms of brands and products are so abundant, that often times it becomes overwhelming to decide what to settle on.  This post is my edition of Filters for the Face, or a list of products that help me achieve that polished look without using an actual filter, or get me as close as possible to it.

Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow Sheer Foundation SPF25

Although advertised as a sheer foundation, this is a natural-looking, light to medium coverage foundation with SPF 25. It is infused with Guerlain’s signature rainbow pearl pigments in red, blue, green and gold shades that blend onto the skin to subtly correct any unevenness in skin tone and restore the radiance. The result is a more youthful-looking complexion that appears more rested, plumped and refreshed, just like baby skin. The foundation is infused with Guerlain’s signature violet fragrance and is free of parabens. I’ve been using this foundation for a little over a month now and I adore it. I love the way it feels on my face and the delicate violet scent. It has a soft-focus, non-cakey look and it lasts on me for about 6-7 hours. I use it on most days, as it’s very reminiscing of a tinted moisturizer/BB/CC cream and provides a thin layer of comfort to the skin. I will say that it’s a very glowy and dewey finish foundation, thus I would not recommend it to someone who has oily skin. There are only three shades in the range: Light, Medium and Golden, but the foundation blends beautifully and it self-adjust to most skin tones (the effect of the rainbow pearls). The packaging is not Guerlain-fancy, but I think it makes the foundation perfect to carry around in a small bag and for traveling.

Crème De La Mer Radiant Concealer SPF25

I never expected to love this concealer as much as I do. It covers and conceals beautifully, yet it creates the most stunning eye radiance. It’s very much reminiscing of the Clé de Peau concealer, one that I used to love and wear faithfully for years (don’t really know why I stopped! Too much temptation out there perhaps?). The Crème de La Mer concealer comes with a small applicator brush, but I usually just use my ring finger to pat it in under my eyes. If I have a special occasion or an event to go to, I use the Beauty Blender as a final step. What I love the most about this concealer is that although it’s very brightening, it melts onto the skin to fully cover my fine lines without exposing them or drawing attention to them. It appears to hydrate the undereye, doesn’t move around or separate and it lasts on me all day, without the need to reapply. It is oil-free which makes it perfect for those with oilier eyelids as well. The only downside is that there are three shades in this range, which I personally don’t think would work for those with deeper skin tones. It is marketed as a treatment concealer infused with marine and plant extracts to reduce the appearance of undereye puffiness, minimize fine lines, even out the skin’s appearance, camouflage dark circles and boost radiance.

Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons

The best luxury bronzer award has to go to the Guerlain Terracotta line, a cult beauty product and for a good reason! Despite having enough bronzers to last me a lifetime, this is the one product I always end up repurchasing! It creates the most beautiful natural glow, sun-kissed look, as if you spent hours tanning on the French Riviera, rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. The Four Seasons has four graduated warm matte tones, very finely milled, that work together to subtly sculpt the face, giving it definition and depth all year round (hence the name). A full-proof filter for the face! The scent is a little strong and heavy, but doesn’t linger much longer after application. The packaging is so sleek and luxurious, it has to be one of my favorites! In terms of application, I use a big fluffy brush (typically the Real Techniques Blush Brush, read my review here), swish it around all four colors and gently sweep it around the outer perimeters of my face, where the sun would naturally hit. However, the deeper tones allow for more precise contouring, if you so desire. The color lasts on the face all day, it doesn’t separate, nor does it look blotchy. Although this is not your average price for a bronzer, it does last forever (okay not forever, but a long time, with my previous one lasting for about 3 years). For a slightly more affordable option, I recommend the Guerlain Bronzing Powder.

Becca x Jaclyn Hill Skin Perfector Highlighter in Champagne Pop

This is one highlighter that really pops! The color is very eye-catching and is what really makes this product so unique and perfect for photographs! It’s a stunning light gold with a peachy sheen that gives an overall warmer look to the face. I would say it’s definitely suitable for most complexions. It is extremely pigmented, so using a light hand when applying it is strongly advised. I gently sweep it across the high points of my cheeks (aka the cheekbones), on the bridge and tip of my nose. I also like to place it on the inner corners of the eyes and under my eyebrows. Unlike a traditional pressed product, the formula is a creamy powder enriched with ultrafine luminescent pearls that absorb, reflect and refract light (a Becca signature formulation) that results in a natural, unique glow. It does not include any parabens, which is an added bonus for me. For a highlighter, it is not glittery or shiny, which often times accentuate large pores. It has a beautiful sheeny shimmery finish, which lifts the entire face with just one sweep. The skin looks radiant and uplifted, perfect for photographs!

So these are my true and tried Instagram filters for the face. Do you have any tips for achieving that picture perfect look?