This post is so long overdue, but I'm finally breaking down my makeup routine and favorite products for you! Most of these products I've used for quite some time (and many for years now), so believe me when I say I love these products and believe in them (also, none of these are gifted - they're all things I've purchased). In some categories I couldn't pick just one product, so I've shared everything I use.
Also, this is everything I use for a full face of makeup. There are many days where I leave out a few steps to get out the door quicker or to achieve a more "natural" look.
Okay...let's dive in!
Primer
I haven't always used a primer, but ever since discovering the magic that are Supergoop! SPF primers I'm hooked. I'm currently using this one, but have also used and loved this one. They both have an SPF of 40, and create a smooth surface to apply your makeup on. They're not cheap, but last for months and months (and don't break me out!).
Foundation(s)
I couldn't pick just one foundation to share with you, because there are a few I love and use for different looks! I've used the Revlon Colorstay foundation for well over a year now, and it's a great full-coverage foundation that isn't heavy or thick! It still feels lightweight but is very buildable, and it's matte without being crazy matte (ya know what I mean?). I recently purchased the Lawless "Woke Up Like This" Flawless Finish Foundation, and it's a great product too! It's full coverage (covers blemishes and hyper-pigmentation really well), but dewy, which is something I've never found before. It's also completely non-toxic! Unfortunately on its own it's a little too dewy for me for most days (oily skin is a bummer sometimes), BUT for the past several weeks I've been mixing it with my Revlon Colorstay foundation and creating my own perfect foundation! I also have to mention Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation. I haven't bought it in awhile since I found such a great drugstore foundation, but it's still my all-time favorite foundation!
Application tip: I pump my foundation onto the back of my hand then apply in little dots all over my face. Then I use this brush to stipple it into my skin. This is the best application I've found for a natural, yet full coverage look!
Concealer
I've had very dark circles since I was a little kid, and they've always been a struggle to cover. Once I tried Tarte Shape Tape a couple of years ago there was no going back! It's the best I've found to cover dark circles, plain and simple. And a tube lasts me a long, long time! I used to apply it with a blending sponge, but now I just lightly blend it in with my ring fingers.
Setting Powder
I next use setting powder to set my "wet" makeup products before moving onto powder products. I've tried a few over the years without having a diehard favorite, but I've recently been using the Lawless "Seal the Deal" Loose Setting Powder and I love it! It's another non-toxic product and is free of talc, a harmful ingredient found in most setting powders. It has a really soft, natural finish! I use the color "brightening translucent."
Brows
Next I jump to eye makeup, and first up is my brows! This is probably my favorite part of my makeup routine because I've really embraced my thick brows, and feel like a defined brow can make your whole face! My all-time favorite brow pencil is the Anastasia of Beverly Hills Brow Whiz! It adds a lot of thickness, while still looking natural and staying put all day. As an alternative I will sometimes use the L'Oreal Brow Stylist Definer, which is a great dupe. It doesn't stay put quite as well, but I still love it! I'll use it when I'm out of my Brow Whiz or if I'm not doing a full face of makeup.
Eyeshadow
I don't wear eyeshadow every day, but I do love to play around with different colors! My all-time favorite palette is this one by Tarte! The colors somehow all blend with one another in a ton of combinations and are super flattering. I also love this Tarte palette, which is slightly cooler toned. If I'm in a hurry or don't feel like doing a full-blown eyeshadow look, I'll often swipe on a bit of my Becca highlighter or one of these cream eyeshadows with my ring finger to achieve a subtle glow on my eyelids.
Eyeliner
I don't wear eyeliner every day, but when I do I almost always wear liquid liner! I recently bought this liner by W3ll People (a clean makeup brand) and really like it, so I'm planning to stick with it for now! I've always just used drugstore eyeliners and have never had any issues or a reason to go high end in this category.
Mascara
I've found a drugstore primer + mascara combo that I haven't strayed from in over a year now! I use this primer on the front, then back, then front of my lashes, and then use this mascara! I apply on the front, then pull through the back, then do two more coats on the front. This mascara keeps my lashes nicely separated, while also adding length and volume! On the occasion that I want even more volume, I'll add a couple of coats of this mascara on top.
Application tip: applying my primer and mascara through the back of my lashes makes a huge difference! I learned this tip through Courtney of Bring Your Own Beauty.
Contour Bronzer
I'm on my second Benefit Hoola Bronzer, and I love how easy it is to contour with! It's matte and cool-toned, which recreates the look of a shadow or natural contour. The packaging could definitely be improved, but the product is so good that I deal with it (hah). I use this brush to lightly contour my cheekbones, and then use the thin brush it comes with to contour the sides of my nose.
Glow/Warmth Bronzer
This may be high maintenance, but I use a second bronzer to a) blend out my contour and b) add warmth and a bit of tan to my face! You may have seen on my Instagram Stories that I recently bought a new compact of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Global Glow to replace my old one that was 3.5 years old. Yes, you read that right - it lasts forever! I use this brush to dust it along my hairline, as well as to lightly blend out my contour.
Blush
I got a Tarte Amazonian Clay blush for free for my birthday in 2017 and haven't looked back. I now have two colors ("paaartay" and "exposed") that I rotate depending on the time of year, and I absolutely love them both! This is by far my favorite blush I've ever used.
Highlighter
My friends Jo and Brianna talked me into splurging on the Becca Pressed Highlighter about a year and a half ago and I'm so glad I did! Not only does it give you a beautiful, subtle glow, but a little goes a long way! I still have a ton of product left, so I feel like this was a good investment. I use the color "opal."
Setting Spray
I am a late adopter to setting sprays (as in the last few months), but am now a believer! I recently picked up the Mac Fix+ setting spray that several friends raved about to me, and it really does make a difference in my makeup! It helps my makeup to last longer and to have a nicer finish.
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I hope you found this post helpful and found a few new products to try! I'd like to experiment with some mini tutorials on my IG Stories and IGTV channel - so let me know if you'd be interested in seeing something like that and if you have any specific requests!
Also, this is everything I use for a full face of makeup. There are many days where I leave out a few steps to get out the door quicker or to achieve a more "natural" look.
Okay...let's dive in!
Primer
I haven't always used a primer, but ever since discovering the magic that are Supergoop! SPF primers I'm hooked. I'm currently using this one, but have also used and loved this one. They both have an SPF of 40, and create a smooth surface to apply your makeup on. They're not cheap, but last for months and months (and don't break me out!).
Foundation(s)
I couldn't pick just one foundation to share with you, because there are a few I love and use for different looks! I've used the Revlon Colorstay foundation for well over a year now, and it's a great full-coverage foundation that isn't heavy or thick! It still feels lightweight but is very buildable, and it's matte without being crazy matte (ya know what I mean?). I recently purchased the Lawless "Woke Up Like This" Flawless Finish Foundation, and it's a great product too! It's full coverage (covers blemishes and hyper-pigmentation really well), but dewy, which is something I've never found before. It's also completely non-toxic! Unfortunately on its own it's a little too dewy for me for most days (oily skin is a bummer sometimes), BUT for the past several weeks I've been mixing it with my Revlon Colorstay foundation and creating my own perfect foundation! I also have to mention Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation. I haven't bought it in awhile since I found such a great drugstore foundation, but it's still my all-time favorite foundation!
Application tip: I pump my foundation onto the back of my hand then apply in little dots all over my face. Then I use this brush to stipple it into my skin. This is the best application I've found for a natural, yet full coverage look!
Concealer
I've had very dark circles since I was a little kid, and they've always been a struggle to cover. Once I tried Tarte Shape Tape a couple of years ago there was no going back! It's the best I've found to cover dark circles, plain and simple. And a tube lasts me a long, long time! I used to apply it with a blending sponge, but now I just lightly blend it in with my ring fingers.
Setting Powder
I next use setting powder to set my "wet" makeup products before moving onto powder products. I've tried a few over the years without having a diehard favorite, but I've recently been using the Lawless "Seal the Deal" Loose Setting Powder and I love it! It's another non-toxic product and is free of talc, a harmful ingredient found in most setting powders. It has a really soft, natural finish! I use the color "brightening translucent."
Brows
Next I jump to eye makeup, and first up is my brows! This is probably my favorite part of my makeup routine because I've really embraced my thick brows, and feel like a defined brow can make your whole face! My all-time favorite brow pencil is the Anastasia of Beverly Hills Brow Whiz! It adds a lot of thickness, while still looking natural and staying put all day. As an alternative I will sometimes use the L'Oreal Brow Stylist Definer, which is a great dupe. It doesn't stay put quite as well, but I still love it! I'll use it when I'm out of my Brow Whiz or if I'm not doing a full face of makeup.
Eyeshadow
I don't wear eyeshadow every day, but I do love to play around with different colors! My all-time favorite palette is this one by Tarte! The colors somehow all blend with one another in a ton of combinations and are super flattering. I also love this Tarte palette, which is slightly cooler toned. If I'm in a hurry or don't feel like doing a full-blown eyeshadow look, I'll often swipe on a bit of my Becca highlighter or one of these cream eyeshadows with my ring finger to achieve a subtle glow on my eyelids.
Eyeliner
I don't wear eyeliner every day, but when I do I almost always wear liquid liner! I recently bought this liner by W3ll People (a clean makeup brand) and really like it, so I'm planning to stick with it for now! I've always just used drugstore eyeliners and have never had any issues or a reason to go high end in this category.
Mascara
I've found a drugstore primer + mascara combo that I haven't strayed from in over a year now! I use this primer on the front, then back, then front of my lashes, and then use this mascara! I apply on the front, then pull through the back, then do two more coats on the front. This mascara keeps my lashes nicely separated, while also adding length and volume! On the occasion that I want even more volume, I'll add a couple of coats of this mascara on top.
Application tip: applying my primer and mascara through the back of my lashes makes a huge difference! I learned this tip through Courtney of Bring Your Own Beauty.
Contour Bronzer
I'm on my second Benefit Hoola Bronzer, and I love how easy it is to contour with! It's matte and cool-toned, which recreates the look of a shadow or natural contour. The packaging could definitely be improved, but the product is so good that I deal with it (hah). I use this brush to lightly contour my cheekbones, and then use the thin brush it comes with to contour the sides of my nose.
Glow/Warmth Bronzer
This may be high maintenance, but I use a second bronzer to a) blend out my contour and b) add warmth and a bit of tan to my face! You may have seen on my Instagram Stories that I recently bought a new compact of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Global Glow to replace my old one that was 3.5 years old. Yes, you read that right - it lasts forever! I use this brush to dust it along my hairline, as well as to lightly blend out my contour.
Blush
I got a Tarte Amazonian Clay blush for free for my birthday in 2017 and haven't looked back. I now have two colors ("paaartay" and "exposed") that I rotate depending on the time of year, and I absolutely love them both! This is by far my favorite blush I've ever used.
Highlighter
My friends Jo and Brianna talked me into splurging on the Becca Pressed Highlighter about a year and a half ago and I'm so glad I did! Not only does it give you a beautiful, subtle glow, but a little goes a long way! I still have a ton of product left, so I feel like this was a good investment. I use the color "opal."
Setting Spray
I am a late adopter to setting sprays (as in the last few months), but am now a believer! I recently picked up the Mac Fix+ setting spray that several friends raved about to me, and it really does make a difference in my makeup! It helps my makeup to last longer and to have a nicer finish.
-------
I hope you found this post helpful and found a few new products to try! I'd like to experiment with some mini tutorials on my IG Stories and IGTV channel - so let me know if you'd be interested in seeing something like that and if you have any specific requests!
