Happy Wednesday All! I’ve been promising this post for a while, so I’m glad I finally get to share my current beauty favorites with you. I love to go full glam any chance I get but for everyday, these are my top picks for quick and easy looks that you can use day or night. I’ve included my daily skin prep steps because, as many of us know, good skincare & beauty regimens help makeup apply more evenly. A clear and moisturized base actually allows you to wear less product while achieving a smooth & healthy skin finish.
My Must List
Skin Prep
Foreo: ‘Luna’ “Play” facial cleansing brush (top.)
-silicone brush keeps bacteria at bay & lightly exfoliates while you cleanse your skin.
Tarte Cosmetics: ‘Deep Dive’ Cleansing Gel & ‘4-in-1 setting mist.’
-full of vitamins, natural extracts & smells like citrus amazingness!
-gentle on the skin & vegan.
Stila: ‘One Step Correct Triple Swirl Helix’ Primer.’
– brightens, color corrects, adds hydration & improves skin texture.
Mac: ‘Prep + Prime’ Fix+ Mist (L.)
– hydrates your face, preps it for foundation & sets your makeup.
Foundation & Concealer
I currently have 2 favorite foundations & 3 concealers that work for my different daily needs.
Too Faced: ‘Born This Way ‘Absolute Perfection. Foundation is available at Ulta & Sephora.
-full coverage favorite.
Giorgio Armani: ‘Luminous Silk’ Foundation is available at Nordstrom & Sephora online.
-my everyday foundation.
-medium coverage.
-looks natural & luminous.
Nars: ‘Radiant’ Creamy Concealer in “Custard.”
-this color is great for olive skin tones.
Sephora: ‘Gel Serum’ Concealer in “Bright Future.” Available at Sephora.
– diminishes dark circles with it’s peachy tone.
-I apply this under my eyes first & then go in with one of the other two concealers.
Urban Decay: ‘Naked Skin’ Concealer. Available at Nordstrom, Ulta, Sephora, Macy’s & Urban Decay online.
-smooth & creamy with full coverage.
-my everyday go-to.
Brushes & Sponges
MAC: ‘Oval 6’ Brush. I purchased mine at a MAC store. Available online here.
– amazing for applying foundation & doesn’t soak up the product.
-gives an airbrushed finish. (I recommend dotting your foundation on your face and then going in with the brush.)
MAC: ‘221’ Mini Tapered Blending Brush. Available at Nordstrom.
-great for your crease & blending out shadows.
-the smaller bristle head lends to more control while applying shadow.
-great for the lower lash line too!
Real Techniques: ‘Miracle Diamond Sponge.’ Available at Ulta & Kohl’s.
-make sure to soak it under the tap & squeeze out the water before using.
-great for blending out concealer & foundation.
Eye Base & Shadow
MAC: ‘Pro Longwear’ paint pot in “Painterly.” Available at Nordstrom.
– makes my eye shadows stay all day and blend seamlessly. It dries down so it doesn’t crease on me but if you are worried add a little powder on top to set it.
L’Oreal:“Infalliable” eyeshadow in ‘Amber Rush.’ Available at Target.com.
-a must eyeshadow & it’s super affordable. Applies well with your finger and a flat shadow brush too.
Colourpop: ‘Where the Light Is’ & ‘Where the Night Is’ “Super Shock” shadow quads by YouTube sensation Kathleen Lights.
-my favorite thing about this shadow formula is that you can use your finger to pop them on your lid and then just blend them out a little with your favorite blending brush. It is so quick & easy.
-strictly sold online but are really inexpensive and they offer free shipping.
-make sure you keep the cap on tight so they don’t dry out.
(Arm Swatches L to R)
- Golden Amber -Amber Rush- by L’Oreal- super long wearing & highly pigmented.
- Metallic Rose Gold -Weenie- by Colourpop- amazing on all eye colors.
- Bronze-Blaze -by Colourpop- love it for nighttime.
- Golden Copper -Kathleenlights- by Colourpop-love mixing this color with Weenie.
- Matte Caramel -Cornelius- by Colourpop-awesome crease color.
- Creamy Beige -Painterly Paint Pot-by MAC- eye base and also great for “no make-up”make-up days.
Brows
Anastasia Beverly Hills: “Brow Definer,” “Clear Brow Gel,” & “Brow Enhancing Serum.”
“ABH is the queen of all things brows!”
– the brow definer is fool proof, pigmented yet blendable (use the spoolie end) & comes in a ton of shades.
-clear brow gel is a must to set your brows. I use this even when I don’t fill my brows in. It tames them marvelously.
-this serum has been great at conditioning my brows & also thickening the hairs to fill in sparse areas.
Eyeliner
Physician’s Formula: ‘Eye Booster’ Lash Boosting Eyeliner. Available at Target.com.
-I use the brown shade for day to day. It works great to thicken the lash line too.
-the fine tip is easy to control.
Mascara
IT Cosmetics: “Tightline”
-considered a mascara “primer” but to me it’s a lightweight, pigmented mascara that doesn’t smudge and fans out your lashes.
-fantastic for your bottom lashes & doesn’t irritate my eyes with contacts in.
Bronzer & Blush
Too Faced: ‘Chocolate Soleil’ Matte Bronzer in “Milk Chocolate.”
-this bronzer comes in 3 shades for light, medium & dark skintones.
-very finely milled & smells like chocolate because it is made with cocoa powder!
Nars: Blush in “Goulue” ( this color is a Sephora VIB Rouge exclusive)
I’ve linked all of their beautiful shades here. I have several that are amazing such as “Deep Throat,” “Amour,” & “Unlawful.”
-this blush range offers soft, blendable color with a slight sheen for a healthy glow.
Brush Must
Tarte Cosmetics: “Fan Brush” Cruelty Free
-my favorite way to apply bronzer & highlighter is with a fan brush. It looks more natural on the cheeks.
Highlighters
Hourglass: “Ambient Lighting Pallete” (L 3 swatches) is available at Nordstrom.
–Natural & Luminous. It looks great on the eyes too!
Laura Gellar: ‘Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator’ in “Gilded Honey” (R swatch.)
-this shade has High Impact & is very golden, glowy & lasts all day. There is a reason this product is a best seller at Ulta!
Tarte: ‘Amazonian’ Clay 12 hr. Highlighter in “Exposed.” (2nd from R)
-my most recent favorite. If you’re looking for a creamy & radiant everyday highlight, look no further.
Lips
Nars: ‘Audacious’ Lipsticks in the shades”Anna”&”Liv.”
-this lipstick formula is amazing! It’s opaque, creamy, comfortable & lasts through meals.
-Anna is my most worn lipstick & it’s a best seller for a reason. I always recommend this shade to people when they ask because it is so universal.
-Liv is my favorite shade for a night out. Gorgeous in the fall & winter months.
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Do you have any beauty favorites that I need to try out? Let me know! I love engaging with you guys & gals.
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Thank you so much for reading!
Stay Beautiful,
A.