Summer Faves and Raves: New Neutrogena Makeup (Eyeliner, Concealer, Tinted Moisturizer, Highlighter, Brow Pencil and Serum/Primer)

I could spend all day combing through the Neutrogena makeup section at the drugstore.

ALL. DAY!

Here are a few makeup items of note, which I’ve been using and liking, most of which are pretty new to the line…

Precision Liquid Eyeliner

I cut a big-@ass batch of onions with this on, and it didn’t budge, so LOVE. The felt tip is long and flexible, so if you like a little “give,” it’s perfect for carving sharp-edged lines and flicking effortless wings. It’s also intensely pigmented and a true black. Just all around lovely to line lids! I wish it came in more colors.

Available in one shade, Jet Black, which comes in a 0.013-oz. pen for $9.99.

Smokey Kohl Eyeliner

Like the black liquid liner, these creamy twist-up pencils are no joke when it comes to staying power. I’ve cried with Smokey Grey on my lash and water lines, and it didn’t move. I just wish there were an easier way to sharpen the tip…

Available in five shades, $9.99 each for a 0.004-oz. pencil.

Healthy Skin Radiant Cream Concealer

This is expensive for drugstore at nearly $15, but what you get is pretty much the equivalent of a $30 Kevyn Aucoin Supernatural concealer. Just like Supernatural, it relentlessly refrains from settling into experience lines. The medium-coverage formula is creamy, but not watery, and it has a satiny finish (no obvious disco pearl, though). Maybelline Age Rewind (a holy grail drugstore concealer!) offers more coverage; however, Neutrogena’s is thinner and easier to blend. And it’s just a tad less obvious. If you don’t want your under-eye makeup to look heavy, look no further than this. For reference, I’m an NC42 in MAC and a Honey Bronze in Estée Lauder, and I use shade Almond Medium 2 for dark circle correction because of its peachy undertone, and Toffee Medium 3 for the rest of my face.

Oh, and one last thing — this photographs fantastically well.

Available in 15 shades, $14.99 for a 0.24-oz. tube.

Healthy Skin Radiant Primer + Serum

This very sheer, pearly, peachy tinted serum is packed with peptides and Vitamin E, and it doubles as a makeup primer. If you like primers that fill in divots and basically act like spackle, this will probably bum you out, though, since its pore blurring power is minimal. I use it mainly as a lightweight, fast-absorbing moisturizing serum for pre-makeup prep, and I think my base looks lovely on top, but I don’t notice a big difference in the longevity of my base or concealer when I use it, so I’m not completely sold on its priming properties… Good if you like a very natural-looking base.

$16.99 for a 1-oz. bottle with a dropper.

Glow Primer + Serum

My combo skin likes this hyaluronic acid serum, and for straight-up hydration, it gets the job done, but like the Healthy Skin radiant Primer, I don’t think it does much to extend the life if your foundation, concealer, etc. It’s lovely, though, as an additional lightweight layer of moisture when you’re prepping for makeup or when mixed into a foundation or concealer.

$16.99 for a 1-oz. bottle with a dropper.

Protect+Tint Tinted Moisturizer

I’m baffled by how “Tan to Medium 40,” which is the shade I wear of this tinted moisturizer, is the second-to-darkest shade in this very limited range. I can’t believe this is happening in the Fenty Effect Era! This sheer tinted moisturizer has a satiny finish and feels light on my skin. It’s also very sunscreen-y smelling. It offers more coverage than the super sheer Covergirl Skin Milk, but less than the epic medium-coverage tinted moisturizer by First Aid Beauty (current holy grail), so it’s just enough to take the edge off! Something to keep in mind: this may oxidize (darken) depending on your skin tone. Tan to Medium 40 ends up looking almost a full step darker than my natural color, so I add a lighter concealer to balance it out.

Available in five shades, $9.97 for a 1.1 fl-oz. tube.

Glow On Liquid Highlighter

I kinda love this! Lunar Eclipse has a soft, glowing finish that catches the light without looking frosty or overdone.

Available in three shades; $8.97 for a 0.50-oz. tube.

Cheeky Wink Flushed Blush

This creamy, bouncy blush has a smooth, satiny finish, and it’s easy to blend. Its longevity, at least on my dry cheeks, depends on how intensely I’m sweating. On hot days, it melts right off, but during cooler weather I have no problem with the wear time. It’s probably better for milder climates, I’m guessing.

Available in two shades, $7.97 for a 0.15-oz. pan.

Nourishing Brow Pencil

This is good for quickly doing brows. The pencil’s soft, creamy consistency means that I can get a lot of product on the bare spots fast, buuuuut because the particular shade I wear, Dark Brown, is so dark (it’s borderline black), I’m always on the verge of looking like a twirly-mustachioed pirate. The attached spoolie is handy for diluting the pencil if I accidentally go overboard. Steer clear if you’re naturally heavy-handed.

Available in four shades, $8.99 for a 0.04-oz. pencil.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen