Go-To Makeup Routine

I don't wear a lot of makeup everyday.  Mostly because of my job.  I work in a hot kitchen around open flames and sweat all day, so what's the point?  But I do like to wear it when the time is right.  On work days I just throw on some mascara and call it a day.  I look dead without mascara! When I'm off work and just running errands or going to grab lunch I like to wear a little more. I use less than 10 products for this look, if you can call this a "look". This is my go-to. It doesn't even look like I'm wearing makeup. It just makes my skin look a little better and brighten my eyes a bit. Simple!

Products I used: 

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly

Urban Decay Naked Basics Pallete 

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC15

NYX HD Studio Finishing Powder

Sephora Baked Blush Duo in Tangerine Tease

NYC Sun 'n' Bronze Bronzing Powder in Montauk Bronze

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel

L'oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes

NYX Butter Gloss in Apple Strudel

I start with my eyes first. Always.  If you start with your eyes first, you can easily get rid of any product that falls away without messing up something you've already put on your face.  This trick really comes in handy when you're doing a full face of makeup. 

I prime my eyes with MAC Paint Pot in Painterly.  This is a pinkish, skin tone color that matches my skin well.  It covers up all the redness and veins in my eyelids and makes eyeshadow go on easier.  I just use my finger and apply it all over my lid.  Sometimes I skip eyeshadow completely and just use a Paint Pot.

Next I move on to my Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette.  This palette is perfect for people who don't wear much makeup and like to stick to neutral colors.  I apply the color Naked 2 all over my lid, up to my brow bone and apply the color Faint in the crease of me eyelid.  Wipe away any fall out with a tissue. 

Moving on to the face!  MAC Pro Longwear Concealer.  It's awesome.  It's a little expensive but it is totally worth it.  You'll feel much better once you just fork over the 21 dollars and get some.  It doesn't crease at all and it stays on all day.  You can use it as concealer or as eyeshadow primer.  I put a pump of it on the back of my hand and using my fingers I put some on the center of my forehead to highlight, under my eyes to cover up my dark circles, down my nose and on my Cupid's bow to highlight, on the corners of my nose (women get hormonal redness here) and in the center of my chin.  I pat it around with my fingers until it's all blended in.  I also put this on any blemishes I may have.  I almost always have some on my chin! Meh.

I set all of the concealer with a big fluffy brush using NYX Studio Finishing Powder.  This is a translucent powder that just sets the concealer in place so it doesn't move around during the day.  You can't see it or feel it.  It gets the job done!

Eyebrows are next.  I use the Anastasia Brow Wiz.  It's double sided with a spoolie and a pencil.  I just fill in my brows with the pencil just a bit so they have a nice shape.  I like to keep my natural shape but fill them in with a little color so they are bolder.  I blend everything out with the spoolie end.  My eyebrows are two completely different shapes.  I've just accepted this.  I don't try to match one to the other, it's too much trouble!  As my sister Amanda told me... They aren't twins, they're sisters!

I use NYC Sun 'n Bronze to bronze up my whole face.  I apply it in the hollows of my cheeks, the upper part of my forehead (not the whole forehead, just the outer area, leaving a gap in the middle), and a little on my jawline.  I like bronzers because they give you a nice sun kissed glow.

On the apples of my cheeks I apply a little bit of blush.  I like Sephora's Baked Bronzers.  The color I use is Tangerine Tease.  It has a lot of coral in it but it works nicely with my skin tone.  I also apply just a dab to the T-zone of my face.

Mascara! My favorite thing.  I love all different brands of mascara but the one I'm using right now is L'oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes.  I apply two coats of this.  One just isn't enough with this mascara.  I do this to my top and bottom lashes.

I top everything off with just a little bit of NYX Butter Gloss.  I use this when I want a little color.  Usually I just throw on some lip balm!

 

 

Before and after!  Doesn't seem like there are a lot of difference but there definitely are!  My eyebrows have more of a shape to them (I told you they were two different shapes!), the dark circles under my eyes are less noticeable, and the redness around my nose is less noticeable as well. Also, mascara just works miracles.  I look more awake, even though I'm almost always tired!