Finding my makeup basics has taken me a few years and a lotttt of experimentation. I started wearing makeup in high school, but honestly had no idea what I was doing and figured it out by trial and error. Oh, so much error. There are so many products out there, and it can be so overwhelming! My main take away? If you want a quality look, you need a quality product. Of course we all have varying budgets we can and want to spend on things like makeup. For me personally, quality makeup is an investment!
I definitely don’t wear makeup every day – I often like to take a few days a week to focus solely on my skin. When I do wear makeup though, these are my tried and true, go-to products that I swear by!
Foundation
My major pet peeve with foundation is when you can see it. Like when there’s a clear line between foundation and skin. Ew! While that has a lot to do with blending, the product itself needs to be light and creamy to get my vote. I only recently found this Too Faced foundation with a friend who’s a fellow skincare/makeup junkie, and it has been amazing! I love that it isn’t cakey at all, and looks really natural. It blends into my skin really easily too, and never feels heavy.
You guys, the makeup gods blessed us with this concealer. I’ve been using it for years and years, and you will never not find this in my makeup bag. It’s an absolute must in my book! I actually bought it once on a total whim when I was at Nordstrom to buy shoes, and it was the best impulse purchase I’ve ever made! I use this concealer under my eyes as a brightener, and on my eyelids as a primer. It is magic, people. Baby kept you up all night? This concealer has got your back!
I pretty much have two criteria for eye shadows. They need to go on easily, and stay put. That’s it. But surprisingly I’ve tried a ton of eye shadows that seem to not quite hit the mark. A good friend gave me a cle de peau quad to try a few months ago, and it instantly became my new favorite! My favorite quads right now are pewter veil and golden lace.
Mascara and concealer are my two make up essentials. If nothing else, those are the two things I have on pretty much at all times. I love this Guerlain mascara because it elongates my lashes without making them clumpy (the worst!). I also really love that I can do extra coats if I want a more dramatic look for date night (again, without clumping!). Also, it smells good! I tell this to all my friends and they look at me like I’m insane until they smell it, and then they agree! Obviously that’s not a requirement for mascara, but it’s definitely a plus! Another added bonus is that it comes of really easily when I was my face, and doesn’t even require makeup remover. That’s major points in my book.
So lipstick is definitely a new obsession of mine. I honestly used to be kind of afraid of it because I had only tried poor quality lippies that (surprise) didn’t look good. Once I learned that lesson, I discovered that lipstick can be your best friend, and I’m quickly becoming obsessed. My very favorite lipstick is from Guerlain. It goes on so smoothly, and stays put for hours! I love how it’s a quick and simple way to elevate my look. I also really like that this lipstick case has a little mirror in it, so it’s super easy to reapply.
This month’s winner is Shannon (read_shannon@hotmail.com)! Congratulations, you won your choice of a $50 Ulta or $50 Nordstrom gift card! Email me at kirsten.bell@thiscelebratedlife.com to claim your prize.
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