:: Beauty Favorites : Everyday Makeup ::

Today I wanted to share a few of my everyday makeup essentials; the favorite things that I always use.
And all of these are budget friendly, with some drugstore favorites in there too!

I should preface all of this by saying that while, sure, I like makeup, I am no beauty blogger and no makeup expert. I’m somewhere between a Shailene Woodley and a Kardashian in my level of excitement/care/importance of makeup….. but I definitely am closer to the ‘less is more side of the makeup spectrum.’

For example, sure, I have a lipgloss. But it’s the same lipgloss I have had for ___ years (too ashamed…..because it’s gross…. slash proud because I haven’t lost it?!) and I wear Aquaphor as my “lipgloss” like a lunatic. I cannot breath without aquaphor. Ask my friends…. there is always a jumbo tube (or 2) in my purse at all times.I should also clarify that I wash my make up brushes as often as I wash my bras, which clearly means not even CLOSE to as often as “they” suggest. editors note : Who are these “they” anyway that think we have nothing but endless amounts of time to wash daily necessities with special cleansers by hand and lay everything out nicely to dry? Because that is a HARD NO.

So I guess what I’m saying is…. don’t even listen to me, because like my health and wellness posts, what the hell do I know?!
…. but incase you want to know what other excitement other than Aquaphor there is, see below…..

Over the years there are a few products I use that I love so much.
In case you don’t care to read the long version,
here is the short version of my top three:It Cosmetics CC+ Cream: Great foundation-ish that gives me the extra coverage and I love it for covering my melasma up a bit more. Still lightweight and lets your skin show.
Nars Bronzer in Casino: The GREATEST bronzer there ever was. Ever. Period. Done.
Maybelline Volume Express Falsies Flared Mascara : Gives great length without making my lashes chunky. Favorite drugstore mascara. I know “lifts and separates” is a bra term but I feel like it fits ….. so this is great for lifting the lash and separating them. (make sure it says “flared” because they have regular Falsies mascara to.

My usual weekday makeup routine for the past 10 years has consisted of mixing a little moisturizer with BB cream. That was always some Neutrogena drugstore moisturizer and some Maybelline drugstore BB cream. Then I’d do a swipe of undereye concealer, bronzer and mascara and be out the door.
Oh, and Aquaphor. All day long.
As I’ve ~~aged~~ matured I have added a few more things into my routine, but I like to keep it insanely simple. The main product I have added in that I like is a CC Cream (which to me is like a foundation, but much lighter). I hate heavy make up so I avoided this for a long, long time. But I am SO glad I finally tried out IT Cosmetics.

IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream – I have melasma, and have for about 4 years, so I try to be really good about hats and sunscreens on my face. But, no matter what, it still comes out. My forehead is a big area for it to present itself, and I feel like this helps give a little bit of extra coverage. I don’t use it alone – that’s still more coverage than I am used to because I like to keep it really natural, but I add a tiny pump of it to my moisturizer and BB Cream. The addition of it makes a huge difference and the tube lasts so long since I’m not caking my skin in it. On the weekends if I am going out, I’ll use a bit more. But I just mix this with the BB Cream and some moisturizer and rub it on my face with my fingers. If I’m being fancy, I will use a beauty blender, but fingers work just fine! I have the color light, which is probably the correct color for my skin, but I like to look tan (oh yes) so I bump it up with my BB Cream in a darker shade and then my bronzer in a darker shade. I use a dark color of the Maybelline BB Cream (Medium Deep). If I were wearing alone I would probably wear the color Medium!
** QVC has the full size tube on super sale! And you can send it back if you don’t like it!**

Maybelline BB Cream – LIke I said, I am probably closer to Medium (or less in the winter…..) but I mix it with moisturizer and I like to look TAN. So I wear Medium Deep. It’s very very light coverage which is what I like most about it.

Nars Bronzer in Casino – Now…. the key to all things TAN. This is my favorite beauty product in the whole wide world. Since college, when my pale pale roommate introduced me to it. Now, you may be asking, my pale friend introduced me to the darkest bronzer on the face of the planet? YES. Because it is a miracle worker and it is like Sisterhood of the Traveling Bronzer in that it will look good on ANY skin tone if you apply it correctly. Truly. Our house in college is proof. This bronzer, in Casino, would never have been presented to me by a professional make up artist…. but I’m telling you. It’s the best. I have told everyone 9,000 times when they say I look tan that it is my bronzer and I just wear a lot of it and they never believe me.

Target Real Techniques Powder Brush – These brushes from Target are SO SOFT and apply everything smoothly and lightly. They are a total steal and hold up so well despite being shoved into my makeup bag every day. Can’t recommend them enough.

Maybelline Falsies (Flared version) Mascara – I love, love this mascara. I like the look of long and full lashes – no chunks, no thickening. This works great to get a lot of lashes but long thin ones – there’s nothing I hate more on my eyes than chunky mascara. Mascara is one of the few products I will replace regularly, like they suggest.
I also use Rodan and Fields Lash Boost and it is A GAME CHANGER. Made my non existant eyelashes something that dare I say had elicited compliments.Maybelline Under Eye Concealer – I never wore concealer until right before I got married – yikes. The REAL dreamy undereye concealer was Marc Jacobs Concealer and I LOVED IT but I just don’t feel the need to spend money on that when this is good enough. I buy this at the grocery store and a tube lasts me a lot longer than I probably should use it for. I wear color 20-Sand.

Mally Eyeshadow Roller – This eyeshadow roller is a fun addition and something different to use than my Nudes shadow pallet (the cheaper version of the Naked pallet). You can buy them individually or bundled. What I like about them is that you can apply it easily with no tool, and that you can layer it for as light or as heavy of a look as you like, and can smudge it with your finger for the desired look too.

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I’ve been looking for a new moisturizer to use, do any of you have any good recommendations?
I used the Supergoop SPF primer in Arizona and loved it so I am thinking that may be the one to go with?!
Feel free to send any makeup favorites my way!!

Comments

Marychris says: June 19, 2018 at 11:06 am

I love the Colleen Rothschild sheer renewal moisturizer. It is very moisturizing but doesn’t worsen my very oily skin problem. It sinks into the skin perfectly!
- TheSarcasticBlonde says: June 20, 2018 at 9:33 am
  
  Thanks so much! I need to look into that it sounds great and I’ve heard great things about her products
Sarah says: June 19, 2018 at 10:51 pm

I love the Neutrogena gel cream! It’s amazing!! https://www.ulta.com/hydro-boost-gel-cream?productId=xlsImpprod12041837
- TheSarcasticBlonde says: June 20, 2018 at 9:34 am
  
  Thanks Sarah! Great budget friendly option – so glad you like it!!!
Lauren Dietrich says: June 20, 2018 at 8:29 am

It’s so expensive but I’m obsessed with the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream. I really did notice a change in my skin after I started using it. Hoping my 60 year old self will thank my 30 year old self for the splurge!
- Stacie says: June 20, 2018 at 9:11 am
  
  I have been wanting to try the magic cream as well! I have to say, I’ve started using some of the “beauty” products from Trader Joes. They have an awesome lightweight hyaluronic acid serum for moisturizing and a tea tree oil face wash that is perfect for summer. I want to go back and pick up their oil-free basic moisturizer – it has a lot of great reviews for being no fuss. I love me some makeup for date nights but I have to say…you gave me a light bulb moment. I didn’t care for the CC cream even though everyone “swears” by it – but I didn’t think to dilute it! This morning for my running around town makeup, I mixed some of my Elta MD sunscreen with one of my favorite foundations and boom, lightweight, tinted sunscreen. Duh. It’s like my arsenal of makeup just doubled. I feel dumb. Great idea — and for someone who also loves lip product, you have got to try Dr. Dan’s Cortibalm, you can find it on Amazon. It’s life changing.
  - TheSarcasticBlonde says: June 20, 2018 at 9:40 am
    
    I have heard the same thing about Trader Joe’s recently from a friend actually!!! I may need to pickup their hyaluronic acid serum – might as well try budget friendly first. I have the hardest time trying to decide what to spend my money on and what not to, because you never know what will work for your skin or not!
    Oh YES I never use the CC by itself – always mix with moisturizer!!! So glad you like it that way! And yes my products last SO much longer because the moisturizer is added in there!!
    Thanks for your suggestions Stacie!
- TheSarcasticBlonde says: June 20, 2018 at 9:35 am
  
  I feel like I need to wrap my head around the fact that sometimes things are expensive because THEY WORK. haha. Your 60 year old self will say you made the right choice I’m sure – I know people love her products! thanks Lauren!!!