5 Products Perfect for Zoom Call Breakdowns

I think it's safe to say that no one is really looking or feeling their best. What's worse? Webcams are really unflattering. I feel like I look like a red, blotchy Keebler Elf on all my Zoom calls and I'm not alone in that sentiment. I mean, the Keebler Elf thing might be a little "me" specific, but the point stands. Plus, Taurus Season means retail therapy is now an extreme sport, so here are some of my favorite products for defeating web cam woes.

1. Smashbox Studio Skin Full Coverage 24 Hour Foundation

There's something truly otherworldly about this product. Otherworldly as in, I think they harnessed some serious power not of this earth to make this foundation. This is as full coverage as house paint, as lightweight as a butterfly sleeping gently on your cheek, and as matte as a kindergartener's hands after playing with sidewalk chalk. Plus, a little goes a long way. I've run out of my Fenty Beauty, my Too Faced, and my Flesh Thickstick foundations completely. I was using white face paint to conceal my undereyes at one point. I just had to break out the big guns. It had to be done.

2. NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer

I know this product is kind of a.....mixed bag. For some reason, everyone has a different reaction to how it feels or looks. But let me tell you something: it's about as high coverage as it gets, baby. A lot of people say it's a heavy formula, but my undereye bags are way heavier. Others say it's not a true matte, but I disagree AND I think a little sexy glow is needed at this point. This is like Bye Bye Undereye but in a little pot, mattifying, and a lot more user-friendly. I don't know, I just think we all can agree that no one on a WFH schedule has gone to sleep before 3 AM and it's showing.

3. Besame Cosmetics Vanilla Lightening Powder

I've been very vocal about my....general distaste for face powders on the Internet. It's common knowledge that I think they're all the same 4 ingredients overpriced and overhyped. Not Miss Besame. To be honest? I thought it was a gimmick product at first, but I love gimmicky stuff because I'm essentially a toddler and like shiny cute packaging. This is the only brightening loose powder I've felt comfortable enough to TRAVEL with, and the only one that works for touchups throughout the day. And yes, once your skin gets oily around 4 hours after that first powder, no matter how hard you try, you're gonna look chunky with a traditional loose powder formula reapplication. But Besame said, "Shiny noses, be gone!" Unfortunately, I lost mine on the Amtrak in March but if anyone would like to donate in my time of need, please don't hesitate to reach out.

4. Dr Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment

It has become physically impossible for me to shut up about this product. I know that no one really wants to do a full face of foundation for a 35 minute Zoom call with 15 other people where your time spend muted and off screen. But this is not what you think it is. When you open the jar, the product is green. Then when you apply to your face, the product literally changes color to match your skintone and mask redness. I'm not kidding. It's like a CC Cream but if God swallowed it, vomited it up, swallowed it again, and rebirthed it. Disgusting visual, I know. But it's so perfect.

5. The Saem Iceland Hydrating Eye Stick

Again with the undereyes. We now have so much time to sleep, I don't know why everyone looks like a corpse and/or Twilight cast member. I used this a lot when I was in college because 1. I was broke and you can get it at CVS and 2. because I didn't really know anything about eye cream. And lets get one thing clear: this is not an eye cream. If you're looking for anti-aging, go for Tatcha instead. But if you're like me and literally everyone else whose diet is now comprised of sodium-heavy Lean Cuisines, this is amazing for depuffing and works as a great primer/base for concealer. Thank you, CVS for this little treasure. We love to see it.