Hello, again!
I couldn’t wait until next week to share with you the finale in my morning routine, which is the finale of all finales: le maquillage. El maquillaje. The make-up.
There are days when I will happily wear nothing but some ByTerry’s Baume de Rose, and call it a day. However, there are other days when I feel like pulling a Rihanna/Fifth Harmony collaboration and putting in the “work, work, work, work, work.” I’m going to share with you my routine for one of these days.
So, when it’s time for make-up, I’ve usually already done my skincare routine and gotten dressed. If I feel like doing anything with my hair, I’ll have already done that, too. Doing all of this beforehand ensures that I can concentrate and have my necessary simultaneous zone-out/concentrating time.
Now, the products that I tend to prefer are products that one would consider to be higher-end, and I freely admit that. I prefer higher-end product for one reason, and one reason only: I can try…before I buy. I’m not one to waste money, and I prefer to invest in the products that I am going to use every day for the long haul. Plus, a lot of women like to break the seals on make-up in order to test it in the drugstores, and that to me is absolutely disgusting. Not only have you just forced a store to take the product off of the shelf (which reduces their profit margin), but you’ve also put your dirty finger into the product. I don’t have a ton of make-up, but what I do have does last me for a long time because I don’t need so much of it. If drugstores were to have testers, I’d never leave. With that in mind, let’s begin.
1.) PRIME
I am one of those women who firmly believes that “it’s a crime not to prime,” so the primer that I use exclusively is BECCA’s Backlit Priming Filter. It’s a magnesium-based primer that gives your make-up a “lit-from-within” kind of glow. I have to admit that I used to be one of those women who used to use a whole pump on the face. That is WAY too much. Instead, put a small dot on the four corners of your face, blend it in, and you’ll be fine.
2.) CORRECT AND CONCEAL
This step is one of the first steps that I do, and it’s important because it really sets the tone for my makeup. I usually start with COVERFX Click-Stick Corrector in Orange, and I like to pat that on my undereye area, as well as any areas with major dark spots. With the undereye correcting, I follow Bobbi Brown’s instructions and put it all the way up into the inner corners of my eye. After that, I’ll follow up with either the COVER FX Click-Stick Cream Foundation in N80 or NARS Radiant Creamy in Caramel. I will usually pat it in my undereye area with my ring finger (places the least amount of pressure on the area) until it’s seamlessly blended. I’ll usually set that with the yellow powder from Kat Von D’s Shade and Light Contour Palette.
3.) FOUNDATION AND POWDER
I usually try not to use a ton of foundation as I hate cake-face. I prefer serum foundations, as they give me the coverage without the feeling of having a bunch of stuff on my face. I usually stick to NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in ‘MACAO,’ or Juice Beauty Phyto-Pigment Flawless Serum Foundation in 29 Deep. I usually use a single drop on the four corners, and I’ll work it into my skin using an ELF Ultimate Blending Brush that I’ve dampened with Sephora Collection’s Beauty Amplifier Set and Refresh Spray. This helps to sheer out my foundation and keep it from bleeding onto clothes. If I have areas that need extra coverage, I’ll add a tiny half-dot and stipple it over the area where it’s needed.
After my foundation is finished, I’ll set it with COVER FX’s Pressed Mineral Foundation in N80 or N90. I’ll stipple it over lightly so that I’m not veering into cake-face territory.
4.) BLUSH, BRONZER, AND HIGHLIGHTER.
The first step in this trio is bronzer. I usually use a big, fluffy brush to sweep IMAN COSMETICS All-Over Bronzing Powder in ‘Afterglow’ around the perimeter of my face, as well as the cheek area. I find that’s an awesome base for my blushes. Right now, I’m loving my BECCA Cosmetics x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Blush Duo in ‘Champagne Pop/Hyacinth,’ as it really gives me that apple-cheeked look. I use the blush on the apples of my cheeks, and the highlight above my cheekbones and eyebrows.
5.) EYEBROWS
I’m not too fussy about what I use on brows, but they have to go with the face. Since they’ve been lightened, I’m simply using the darkest powder in the “Neutral” section from my Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette. I’ll use either an angled eyeliner brush or a stiff flat definer brush to brush the powder up and out into my eyebrows.
6.) EYES
I’ll start off my eyes by using MAC’s Pro-Longwear Paint Pot in Reubenesque as an eyelid primer. When I use that product, my eye makeup does not budge at all. No creasing, no smudging, nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero. After that, I’ll do a look with the same Kat von D palette I mentioned earlier, using either the Warm or Neutral sections. I tend to favor smoky eyes, even in daytime. I just use neutral colors so I’m not looking like a Bungalow 8 or Marquis reject. Once my eye makeup is done, I’ll line my eyes with Benefit’s “They’re Real” Gel Eyeliner Pen in ‘Beyond Blue.’ I’m a huge fan of a well defined line on my eyes, and that liner stays PUT. It is also the only eyeliner that does not cause an allergic reaction near my eyes. I’ll usually go over that with a blue shadow to match. I’ll also spray my smudge brush with some setting spray and dip it into that same shadow to use on my lower lashline. Since I wear glasses, this step is the key to giving me standout eyes. I’ll top everything off with a coat of Benefit’s “They’re Real” Lengthening Mascara in ‘Beyond Blue.’ I never wear Black mascara or liner, and blue wakes my eyes up.
5.) LIPS
To be honest, I’m not much of a lip person. They just happen to be there. I’ll begin with my trusty ByTerry’s Baume de Rose. After that, I’ll use a brown skin toned lip liner, usually MAC Cosmetics Lip Liner in ‘Cork,’ and I’ll use it on the outer edges. I’ll finish off with Lune + Aster’s Vitamin C + E Lip Gloss in ‘Teacher,’ which is my perfect skintone match. Don’t judge me, I’m a fan of editorial nude lips.
Looking back, I will freely admit that this is a lot of make-up. However, at this stage, I’m a working woman, and I like to put my best foot forward. I also like to have fun with how I look. I work in an office where make-up is an afterthought for many women here. This can be a blessing on the days when I’ve spent more time at the gym and I have to be at my desk in one hour, but on days when I want to look hot, I put some time into my face.
Next Post- Taking the Make-up Off :The Night Act.
The Andrea Files. 