Jillian Dempsey Summer Makeup Picks (review & swatches)
I feel like a lot of us here share the same sentiment: summer is the worst time of year to be wearing a full face of makeup if you live in an area where the temps get into the high 80s and up. Personally, I skip foundation on most days, and not in a braggy sort of way, like “look at me, my skin’s so perfect I don’t need foundation.” As much as I’d love to wear some to even out my complexion, a combination of heat, humidity and my combo skin ensures that everything melts off, or at the very least, looks absolutely horrible after the first hour outside. So yeah, those no-foundation days are definitely not by choice. With that said, light eye and cheek makeup are always my go-to, and that’s pretty much what I chose to try from Jillian Dempsey’s summer collection.
Jillian Dempsey is a namesake brand started by a professional makeup artist Jillian Dempsey [a wife to actor Patrick Dempsey], who is most known for working with young Hollywood actresses Leslie Mann, Jennifer Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst, and Kristen Stewart, to name a few. Jillian believes that makeup shouldn’t be too complicated and prefers a lived-in, effortless look. When she decided to finally launch her own line, Dempsey knew that every item had to be intentional and she clearly stuck with that resolution. At this time, Jillian Dempsey offers a highly curated and pared down selection and hand selects organic and natural ingredients for her products to ensure they’re not just easy to use but also offer superior performance and feel great on the skin.
Jillian Dempsey Khôl Eyeliner ($20) comes in four shades, and I got to try Rich Brown, which turned out to be the perfect match. This shade of brown looks very natural and not as contrasted as black and works well with my eye color. The pencil even has a handy smudger on the opposite end to help create an effortless smoky eye effect. I loved the formula, too: it’s waterproof, very soft, doesn’t tug on the eyelid, and doesn’t seem to transfer on my upper lid throughout the day. This eyeliner was the first product that Jillian created for her line and to this day it continues being one of her bestsellers!
Ingredients: hydrogenated jojoba oil, mica, caprylic/capric triglyceride, hydrogenated vegetable oil, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, canola oil, sclerocarya birrea seed oil, candelilla cera (wax), glyceryl caprylate, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) cera (wax), tocopherol, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, ascorbyl palmitate, iron oxides (ci 77491, ci 77499)
Jillian Dempsey Cheek Tint ($24) comes in six vegan shades, and I got to try Petal, a soft peachy coral, and Rosy, a bright peony pink. While I really like both of them, I’m partial to Petal because it can be hard to find a blush for fair skin that doesn’t look too intense. Petal offers the perfect pop of color to liven up the complexion while remaining understated and I never had to blend it into the oblivion, which is my main issue with most blushes. The formula is great for ca cream blush! At first, the blushes feel a bit balmy, but this makes them easy to apply and spread on the cheeks. Once the oils and butters absorb – this can take a few minutes – the color will actually stay on the skin throughout the day. I tested it in 90-degree weather when we went to the zoo with my little niece. My face was shiny from heat and sweat, but the color somehow survived, and stayed put even after I dabbed my face with a napkin to refresh.
Ingredients: ricinus communis (castor) seed oil*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil*, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*, persea gratissima (avocado) oil*, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed wax, shorea robusta resin, rhus verniciflua peel wax, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax*, bambusa arundinacea (bamboo) stem extract, silica, zea mays (corn) starch*, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter*, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter) fruit*, tocopherol, phenethyl alcohol, ethylhexylglycerin. May contain: mica, titanium dioxide ci 77891, iron oxide (ci77499, ci77491, ci77492), red 7 ci 15850, red 28 ci 45410, yellow 5 ci 19140
Jillian Dempsey Lid Tint ($24) comes in eight vegan shades, and here I’m featuring colorless Dew and Peach, that looks just like its name! Here’s a product that left me with mixed feelings. While I liked Dew and used it as my highlighter, I couldn’t tell if it was caking or separating because it was colorless. By the way, the dewy effect it gives looks great – very healthy and glass skin-like! 10/10 would recommend, if that’s your thing. On the contrary, Peach didn’t do well on my oily, hooded eyelids, despite my best efforts. I tried it alone, over primer, and even with setting powder on top – it always creased after a couple hours of wear, which is a shame because the color is gorgeous. I feel like if the formula was a little drier it would work better.
Ingredients: helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil*, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil*, triisostearyl citrate, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter*, zea mays (corn) starch*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed wax, shorea robusta resin, rhus verniciflua peel wax, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)*, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*, rosa canina (rosehip) seed oil*, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf*, salvia officinalis (sage) leaf*, phenethyl alcohol, ethylhexylglycerin, tocopherol. May contain: mica, titanium dioxide ci 77891, iron oxide (ci 77499, ci 77492, ci 77491)
I hope you enjoyed this quick review of Jillian Dempsey makeup offerings! I had a lot of fun trying these and have found several products that I keep reaching for over and over this summer, namely the Dew Lid Tint, Petal Cheek Tint, and the eye pencil. I appreciate Jillian’s lazy girl approach to beauty, because most of the time that’s the makeup style I prefer as well – something quick and flattering, just enough to enhance my favorite features.
Jillian Dempsey makeup is available at Credo Beauty, Violet Grey, and on Amazon.
What’s your laziest makeup routine? Would you try any of these? Let me know in the comments!
