Happy Monday everyone!
Doing some Spring cleaning starting with the makeup. Hello, where else would I begin? Here are some of the things I’m using right now:
For heavy coverage I use the #310 FITme! Shine Free Foundation by Maybelline. It covers very well and it’s creamy, not dry like a lot of twist stick applicators for foundation. I use this when I don’t want to go through so many steps. I just place small daubs around my dark spots and then blend them out with a large brush (kabuki brush)
But for a full coverage face here are my steps: First start with a clean face and moisturize. I like to use Olay Dark Spot serum as my base because it goes on clear and it leave the face very smooth without settling into fine lines. I use a tinted moisturizer by L'oreal called Skin Illuminator that’s part of their Youth Code line. It had a very subtle tint and it has spf in it already. The tint is activated once you start working it on your skin so don’t be disappointed when you first squeeze the product on your hand, it appears white like any other moisturizer! I then use Stila Color Corrector on problem areas like around my chin I have funny shadows and around my neck and nose. I use the large brush (kabuki brush) again to blend these things so that everything is even. I come back over the color corrector with Lumi Cushion foundation #W3 OR I do Loreal’s BB Cream called Magic Skin Beautifier. It depends on how much coverage I want. Again, blend this with a wide brush, even though the Lumi Cushion comes with an applicator I always get hard lines where the round puff has been pressed on my skin. I don’t set it with traditional powder. I like to have a glow so I do use a bronzer and a powder blush. I’ve used all sorts of brands and types from pressed powders to loose powders and creams, Bare minerals and Estee Lauder and all types of drugstore brands but I am loving the Wet’n’Wild line “Center Stage” by Fergie. I know it’s super cheap but I love the baked bronzer and blush, they remind me of Urban Decay but a more generous product size. To contour around my hairline and my cheekbones I use the Rose Gold Goddess color and for the cheeks and nose I like using the Rose Champagne Glow. To apply both I use a flat brush and then I blend with a round brush.
For problem skin (mine!) I like the feel of Almay Clear Complexion Concealer. It fights breakouts and it goes on smooth. Again, I use this sparingly and then I blend it with a larger brush. At the beginning and end of the day I always steam my face with the ConAir Facial Sauna. It’s only about $20 on Amazon and it came with a little rotating brush for everyday cleansing. To steam your face everyday may seem like a lot but my skin loves to absorb everything so the steam is really the only way to get all the gunk out.
I do still do the Biore Clear Pore Strips maybe every other week or 2x a month because there is some tough hard waxy dirt lodged in my pores around my mouth and chin at times. I shouldn’t be buying lipsticks anymore!
I just keep buying the same three colors. I have a vibrant red and a nude by Rimmel. I often reach for a nude lip by Rimmel called “Nude Delight” #700. But if I just want some gloss I do the Neutrogena Moistureshine Lip Soother in a very pale pink. After I shower I usually use this product: derma-e Skin Lighten Natural Fade cream. It’s a bit rich so I don’t use too much of it. But I do get dark shadows around my chin and mouth because of my thyroid disease (Hashimoto's Thyroiditis). Between washes, on my hair I really love the Klorane Dry Shampoo. I’ve been washing my hair in reverse: conditioner first and then Shampoo. It’s really helped my scalp and my hair has more volume. I also feel like it’s healthier since it’s not being weighed down so much by product. To color correct my brass from my last blonde experiment, I looked on the web and found one lavender gel cream to get the brass out. But it was like $50. I also had a trim and asked my stylist and they wanted about $60 to color correct. Okay fine no thanks! Instead I found that Feria is making some pale colors now in their line, and I bought a very light shimmery lavender dye. It got my brass out and my hair is really irridescent in natural sunlight.
EYES! I love doing my eye makeup, but it honestly seems like a waste when I have to put my glasses on over it. But in any case, I usually don’t leave my face without some liner. I’ve been using Bareminerals Round the Clock Waterproof Eyeliners (I have four colors). But if I’m feeling artsy I like using the Rimmel Gel Liner #001 Black. I apply with a short stiff brush right at the edge of my lashes. My favorite mascara right now is Covergirl Supersizer. It’s got a weird applicator brush that looks like little spikes on a stick. I start at the base of my lashes and sort of wiggle the brush back and forth while rotating the brush at the same time to get an even layer. But it is waterproof and especially during allergy season this one’s a keeper!
I use Covergirl Bombshell Shine Shadow on my inner eye, just a smidge. The eyeshadow I love right now are by Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 hour Pure Pigment. I use a nude shadow that covers well with a bit of shimmer to it, it also saves me some steps because I don’t like doing a darker color in my eye crease. It just gets caked in there by the end of the day no matter what! So there’s my “I LOVE THIS” List of products I’m using right now. I did order a fiber lash mascara (I forget the brand) and a Chanel liquid Foundation but I’m still waiting on them to arrive. I’ll let you know all about them when they get here! In the meantime, you can stalk me on social media. I’m most active on Instagram.
