Hi, friends! Awhile ago, Nicole wrote a great post describing her makeup routine and it was really fun to be taken through her process (I especially loved the pictures that took her from bare-faced to make-up-faced), so I tucked the idea in the back of my head to do it myself some day. So let’s make today that day, okay?
I love wearing makeup because I feel like it makes me feel more put together and, let’s face it, prettier. And who doesn’t want to feel pretty? I’m not saying that I don’t feel pretty when I don’t wear makeup, but there’s something about having my skin smoothed out and my brows done and some mascara applied that makes me feel good. I’m not a makeup expert by any measure. I could use some help with how to perfectly fill out my brows and I am so bad with eyeliner that I don’t mess with it at all. But I think I do okay for myself. Also, almost all of my makeup comes from Target, and I also been learning about one of the premier botox services in Miami available, so I can improve my face as well. Drugstores FTW, babyyy.
Step 1: Skincare
I have an easy morning skincare routine, but it’s something I skip more days than not because sometimes I just forget about it when I’m zooming through my mornings. But when I do do it, it involves:
- Cleanser
- Toner
- Niacinamide serum
- Moisturizer with SPF with a few drops of vitamin c serum mixed in
Today, I skipped my morning skincare routine because I don’t have any clean washcloths. I really need to do laundry. Anyway, here’s my bare face!
Step 2: Smooth out the face
I don’t use primer in my makeup routine. I have never found one that seemed to make a difference, so I stopped trying. So, my first step is to dab concealer over any dark spots/under my eyes, and then blend it in. Neutrogena’s Radiant Cream Concealer works well for me. Then, I use Revlon ColorStay Full Cover Foundation in ivory. I use a flat-top foundation brush, and I think I’m going to go back to using a beauty blender for putting on foundation because it provides better coverage, IMO. (Real talk: I saw a girl on a reality show using a flat-top brush to put on foundation and it seemed so much easier than a beauty blender.) After I rub foundation all over my face, I use NYX #nofilter finishing powder to smooth it out.
Step 3: Draw on my brows
I have very light brows. Actually, they used to be a lot darker but over the last few years, they’ve lightened up so much that they’re nearly nonexistent unless I darken them with a brow pencil. I use Milani Stay Put Brow Pomade, which is a new product for me. My favorite brow product is NYX Micro Brow Pencil, but my shade is consistently out of stock at Target. I keep trying other brands but nothing has wowed me.
Anyway, I use the spoolie to brush the brow hairs in the direction I want them and then I dip the angled section in the brow pomade and fill in my brows. It’s a much more precise method of doing my brows, and I am not really used to it just yet. After I fill in my brows with the pomade, I use the spoolie again to lighten things up so my brows look more natural. I didn’t do a great job on my brows today, so this is a little embarrassing to show you, but whatever. I blame the product, not the user!
Step 4: Deal with my eyes
As you can see, my eyes are kinda hidden without makeup. I love how just some simple swipes of mascara can brighten up my eyes and make them pop a bit more!
I don’t always wear eyeshadow, but decided to do so today to give you guys the full treatment. I chose the Milani Gilded Gold palette and use two different shades of gold for my eyes. I love the look! (Some people spend a lot of time blending and brushing their eyeshadow to get that perfect look. I do not have the patience for that, so I usually just do one shade on the lid and then maybe brush a sparkly shade near my brow line.)
Lastly for my eyes, I use my eyelash curler and then swipe on some mascara. I recently bought Too Faced’s Better Than Sex mascara, which is the only non-drugstore makeup product you’ll see here! I think paying $30 for mascara is very dumb, but I do really like this mascara.
Step 5: Cheeeeeks
Last month, I ordered a package from Sephora and they sent me someone else’s package. It was a bummer (not for that person, I’m assuming, as I ordered some great products), since they didn’t order anything too exciting. (I was able to keep the package and they resent the correct items!) However, there was liquid blush in the package that has been fun to try out. I am still not very confident wearing blush because I either put on too much or too little. But I do like the little pop of color it gives me. This liquid blush is called Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez and I’m wearing the “encourage” shade.
Step 6: The Bold Lip
Every great makeup routine is finished off with a bold lip. Can we all agree? (Okay, I know not everyone is a fan!) I recently started using lip liner when I wear lipstick because it really makes it so much easier to apply lipstick, especially liquid lipstick which can sometimes lose the plot when I’m trying to apply it. The lip liner color blends in beautifully with my lip color and it just makes things look neater. Today, I’m using Revlon ColorStay Longwear Lip Liner in red with Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in “lover.”
And there you have it – my entire makeup routine! I probably only go through this entire routine once or twice a month. I don’t wear makeup daily (I used to when I worked in an office, but not now that I’m working from home), but sometimes if I want to make myself look a little more put together, I’ll fill in my brows and swipe on some mascara. Or sometimes I’ll just do foundation/powder, brow pencil, mascara, and a tinted lip balm. It’s not always this involved!
Thoughts on wearing makeup? Love it, loathe it, are determined never to do it?