Daily Makeup Routine

Lacy showed you her favorite beauty picks, and I, of course, wanted to tag along.  I'm showing you my makeup routine!  This is pretty much what I do with my face on a daily basis.  I like a pretty light coverage, partly because I don't like not being able to touch my face or my eyes throughout the day.  But more importantly, I'm pretty lazy in the makeup department.  I mean, don't get me wrong; I definitely get into those makeup moods where I mess around for an hour trying on different eyeliners, shadows, and lipsticks.  But on a daily basis, I want something easy and light.  Plus, on the days when I do the full thing - the concealer, foundation, eyeliner, mascara, eye shadow, blush, lipstick... - I usually just end up feeling like I look like a 10 year old who just got permission to play in her mother's makeup bag for the first time.

So here goes!

There's the line up.  I can apply all these products in about five minutes or less, which is basically my ideal way to go with makeup.  A quick getting-ready routine means I have more time to make my breakfast and lunch, and maybe even get some reading time in.

Firstly, concealer.

I used to use a concealer stick that is so old that any kind of branding on the package has completely worn off.  Which obviously means that I didn't use it that often.  This bottle of Almay smart shade concealer in light/pale probably won't last me as long because I've begun to use it daily!  I picked this up after getting a Target coupon for $4 off.  Otherwise, I'd never pick up something I'd consider so pricey (It's only $7.50, I'm just a cheapskate.)  I only need a tiny dot of product (see photo above) to cover any and all blemishes.  The product blends in flawlessly, and I can't even feel it on my skin.  And the coverage is excellent!  I'm in love.

Next up, foundation.

But... not really foundation.  I can't handle heavy things on my skin, so tinted moisturizer is basically heaven for me.  I use a small dot of L'Oreal BB Cream with a half pump of L'Oreal Magic Lumi Primer, mix it a bit with my fingertips, and smooth it all over my face, concentrating mostly across my cheeks and T-zone.  The Lumi primer gives a faint but really pretty shimmer, and the BB cream gives a smooth finish.  I used to just quickly tap my face with powder, but this takes basically the same amount of time with a much longer-lasting and prettier coverage.

Once the overall face is taken care of, I focus on eyes.

I'm a black liner and mascara kind of girl.  I've tried brown before, and I always feel like it doesn't pop enough and fades quickly (although, the fading thing could have more to do with the cheap liners I'm using.)  I love the Sephora nano eyeliner.  It goes on smoothly and doesn't fade off throughout the day. I just line the outer corners of my eyes on both top and bottom.  I'm not sure when I started doing this, or why, but it's become a bit of a habit now.  This method means that I don't end up with liner in my creases by the middle of the day.  Win.

For mascara, I've used the classic green-and-pink-tube Covergirl mascara for as long as I've been wearing makeup.  However, I got roped into a Mary Kay party, and won a tube of their Lash Love mascara.  And I've kind of fallen head over heels for it.  This sample tube is nearly gone, and I need to locate a new tube asap.  The mascara goes on thick without being clumpy, separates my eyelashes beautifully, and wears well throughout the day.  My only complaint is that, by the end of the day, I have noticed a bit of flaking.  It also doesn't wash off quite as well as my Covergirl standby.  Those complaints are pretty minor, though.  In the below photo, you may notice that I only have mascara on my top lashes.  This is another thing I do because I'm a bit lazy.  But I also think that it gives my eyes a more open look.  And bonus, I don't end up with black smears under my eyes when I start to get tired at the end of the day!

Once the eyes are done, it's time for a bit of blush.

I scheduled a Nordstrom counter make-up date with my Little Sister Ariel, and of course, they tell you you have to spend $50 in makeup when that's done.  This NARS 'The Multiple' stick was one of the things they used on me, and I ended up loving, so it was a bit of a splurge.  This shade is Portofino.  I use it strictly for my cheeks, but it can be used as shadow and lipstick as well.  It has a nice soft shimmer that I really like.  I put a few dabs onto my cheekbones, and use my fingers to smudge/smooth it out.

And that's it!  My typical beauty routine.  The whole thing will take you less time to do than it has taken you to read this post (sorry about that...)  I tend to shop the cheap makeup aisles (E.L.F., N.Y.C., and Wet n' Wild, anyone?), but in writing this post, I've discovered that all my actual favorites are... not those brands.  So, it turns out it quality is better than a cheap price tag in the long run.  Who knew?

Here's the finished look:

I just smear on one of about a million lipsticks, balms, or glosses I have floating around my purse and house; whichever one I'm in the mood for that day.  Pretty much any color works with this minimalist look!  The one I've got on above is Fiore by Borghese (a sample I got through a Beauty Bar subscription nearly two years ago.)  It's much darker in person than it is in that link picture, by the way.  And it's super long lasting and a great natural color, but, warning, also a bit sticky.

Done!  Now it's your turn.  Share your beauty favorites or beauty routine!  Even if I'm not a huge makeup person, I still love to read other people's routines.  Weird.