I Let Milk Makeup Take Over My Makeup Bag for a Week

I’m usually skeptical of glow primers because too many leave my face looking too greasy and dewy, but this one strikes the right balance. I wore it under foundation on a long summer day, and instead of an obvious shimmer, it gave my skin a lit-from-within glow that still looked like me. The gel formula is infused with light-reflecting pearls, niacinamide to help brighten over time and blue agave extract to help grip makeup for all-day wear. My favorite part is that it layers beautifully under foundation without pilling or feeling sticky.

• Shade: 11 and 12
• Key Ingredients: Tri-Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, blue agave extract

If you love the long-lasting finish of the original Hydro Grip Primer, think of this as its skin-loving counterpart. This lightweight gel tint delivers sheer-to-light, buildable coverage that evens out redness and discoloration while letting your natural skin show through. The gel formula is infused with triple-powered hyaluronic acid for hydration, niacinamide to help brighten and smooth over time and blue agave extract to help the tint grip to skin for longer wear. My only gripe? If I’m dealing with post-breakout marks or want full coverage, I still need to spot-conceal, since the coverage is on the sheer side.

• Shade: 8.5
• Key Ingredients: Tri-Hyaluronic acid, blue agave extract

The biggest learning curve with this concealer is the packaging. The click-up stick dispenses product one way, so it’s easy to squeeze out more than you intended if you’re not careful. Once I got the hang of it, though, I found myself reaching for it again and again to cover the redness around my nose and a few post-breakout marks. It delivers medium, buildable coverage with a naturally dewy finish while packing in skincare ingredients like triple-powered hyaluronic acid for hydration, a skin barrier-strengthening complex, blue agave extract to help prevent creasing and peptides to help soften the look of fine lines.

• Shade: Spritz

The first thing that struck me about this stain is the pigment. One swipe delivers a vibrant flush, so a little truly goes a long way. I was expecting a sheer, barely-there stain, but instead got a deep red color that blended beautifully into my skin and lasted for a little over five hours. The cooling jelly stick felt refreshing on a 85 degree day, while vegan collagen, aloe and seawater help keep skin feeling hydrated and comfortable. I recommend beginners work one cheek at a time. Because it’s a stain, it sets quickly, so you’ll want to blend it out before moving on to the other side.

When I first saw these, I couldn’t help but laugh. Yes, they’re technically rolling papers, but for me they’re blotting papers first and foremost. Unlike powders, they don’t add another layer of product, so my makeup still looks like skin, just less reflective. The reusable aluminum case is also a nice upgrade from the flimsy paper booklets that inevitably get crushed at the bottom of my summer bag. It’s a quirky concept, sure, but as someone who’d rather blot than keep piling on powder throughout the day, these papers from the throwback collection are cool with me.

I’m a tubing mascara girl at my core. I’ve tried just about every formula out there because I refuse to deal with raccoon eyes. That’s why I was so excited to discover that the High Roll Tubing Mascara didn’t disappoint. It gives me the long, lifted lashes I want without clumping, and it stays put all day, even when I’m sweating, crying (we’ve all been there!) or rubbing my eyes. Instead of scrubbing my lashes raw, the little tubes slide right off with warm water.

• Shade: Grind

I’ve accepted that I’m probably never going to wake up with those fluffy, laminated brows I see all over TikTok. Mine are a little sparse, a little patchy and in need of some encouragement. But that’s ok, because this brow gel has tiny fibers that latch onto each hair, making my brows look fuller without crossing into Sharpie territory. Best of all, they stay put without getting super crunchy, so I can run my finger through them and not feel like I’m touching a pipe cleaner.

I still remember when everyone had a tiny star stamped under their eye in 2016—and I’m thrilled it’s back. The Milk Makeup Tattoo Stamp is pure beauty nostalgia in the best way. One press leaves behind a crisp, water-resistant star that stays put until you’re ready to wash it off, making it perfect for concerts, festivals or just pretending it’s the Tumblr era again. Infused with vitamin E and sunflower seed oil, it’s gentle on skin, but the real appeal is that it reminds us makeup is supposed to be fun.

While I usually prefer a finer, more cloud-like mist, there’s something to be said for this setting spray’s wider pattern; especially when I don’t have time to meticulously mist every angle of my face. A few quick spritzes coat everything in seconds, taking my makeup from powdery to glass-like. It never leaves my skin feeling dry or tight, and I haven’t experienced any pilling, even when layering it over skincare, primer and foundation.