September 21, 2011

BEAUTY: What's In My Makeup Bag


I've always had a bit of an obsession with makeup. Knowing I'll be trying a new mascara keeps me from hitting the snooze on my alarm, committing to an eyeshadow as my signature shade feels practically like a walk down the aisle and the never ending quest for the perfect shade of lipstick keeps me on my toes. I rarely find it a chore to apply (save for the occasional yoga pants-filled Sunday). While I have other stashes of occasionally worn products and a few eyeshadow palettes (including my Urban Decay Book of Shadows - thanks to my sister for "persuading" me to buy this!) here is a look at the products I keep in full reach everyday:


Face products (clockwise from top left):
CoverGirl Fresh Complexion concealer in Creamy Natural
ELF tinted moisturizer in Nude
NYC bronzer in Sunny
CoverGIrl loose powder in Translucent Light


I recently saw the light when it comes to tinted moisturizer. You guys, it's awesome! Duh. I know I'm like a lifetime late to this party, but it's moisturizing, it has SPF 15, it's light and it has a super sheer but somehow still covering and smoothing color. I tried the ELF one on a whim because it's just $3 (!) and I have definitely gotten my money's worth. I'm a convert, it's official. I always apply with a triangle sponge and I usually top it off with a sheer loose powder and a brush of bronzer across the apples of my cheeks and lightly along my jawline for definition.



Eyeshadows (clockwise from top left):
Revlon eyeshadow quad in Lavender Meadow
Revlon eyeshadow quad in Neutral Khakis
Maybelline eyeshadow quad in Emerald Smokes
CoverGirl eyeshadow quad in Dynamite Drama
Wet n Wild eyeshadow collection in Petal Pusher
Loreal eyeshadow quad in Blues
Loreal eyeshadow quad in Smokey Eyes
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Sephora eyeshadow in Aspin Summit


This might seem like kind of a lot of options for my everyday go-to makeup bag, but I can assure you that it's completely necessary. I kind of mentally set the tone for my day when I pick a look, but *spoiler alert* they all make me happy because I love color. I also occasionally use the UD primer which I find works well, but I don't usually care enough to take the time to use it regularly. Oops. This white shadow is the perfect shade and amount of pearlescent shimmer to brighten your peepers in the inner corner of your eye to hide that extra late night. This Wet n Wild purple palette is surprisingly good! I'd heard that from some reviews so I took the $3.99 gamble at Walgreen's and I kinda love it. The shadows are really smooth - almost creamy while still being power shadow. Ladies, revert back to elementary school and fall back in love with this drugstore staple for the young and cash strapped - you won't regret it!



Other Stuff (clockwise from top left):
Urband Decay 24/7 Glide On eye pencil in Lust, Bourbon & Zero
Revlon ColorStay crayon eyeliner in blackest black
Revlon ColorStay liquid eyeliner in blackest black
Sephora eyeshadow brush
Target crease brush
Wet n Wild kabuki brush
Revlon eyelash curler
ELF brozer brush
ELF eyeshadow brush
Sephora smudge eyeshadow brush
Burt's Bees lip balm
Lancome Juicy Tubes lip gloss in Pink Horizon
ELF all over face brush
Revlon Grow Luscious mascara in blackest black
CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara in very black

I've really come to love my super basic ELF eyeshadow brush ($1) and my Target crease brush ($2). I find that I reach for them more than my pricier Sephora brushes and I use them every day now, which is saying something for a girl who was all about applying makeup with my fingers up until very recently. If I've learned anything about brushes it's that there are really good ones to be found for really cheap if you look in the right places. I truly miss my Shu Uemura eyelash curler, but since they've stopped selling it in Sephora and it's a harder to get (I think you still have to buy it online in the US?) I've been trying to find a suitable comparison. Why did I have to try the holy grail of lash curlers only to have it removed from shelves in my country? I guess it's better to have loved and lost...
When it comes to lips I'm all about basic Burt's Bees lip balm with the occasional red lipstick or pinky gold lip gloss. For mascara I've been a Lash Blast addict for a while now, but I'm trying to branch out. I just bought the Grow Luscious tube and it's fine, but nothing more. 
If I have one iconic makeup element it's probably eyeliner. It's the first thing I ever experimented with and for most of my teen years I wore a lot of it (like, a lot) all around my inner eye at. all. times. I've since eased up on that but I pretty much never go a day without a full fledged liquid eyeliner cat eye. It's just fun. I've tried approximately one bajillion liquid eyeliners, always trying to decide what kind of tip I preferred (stiff or flexible? STIFF OR FLEXIBLE?!) but I was always waffling. I thought I loved the Urban Decay liquid liner, but when I tried the oh-so-simple and unassuming Revlon ColorStay liquid liner I finally found my cat eye soulmate. It's pretty cheap, the tip is short and stiff and the color is saturated (no watery gray-black here). And it stays put all day. For $5 I can't really ask for more. 

That's the detailed look inside my makeup bag and the thought process behind its curation. Thanks for taking the tour! 

I'm still in the market for the BEST in the following:
Eyelash curler (there has to be a good one out there, right?)
Classic red lip stain
Awesome mascaras

Any suggestions?

1 comment:

  1. You know that I am also a girl that never goes without an eyelash curler and recently my Shu Uemura did that thing where the the little pad splits and it starts tearing lashes out from the root. You can order one on Amazon for about $20, but I decided to be cheap and get the "higher end" black with rubberized handle curler by Trim (it was less than $3!) and honestly it works really well. I wanted it to suck on some level in order to stamp my foot like the brat I am. But at this point I think I may save the money in the future. I am also a huge fan of the Lash Blast and everytime I've strayed it hasn't been worth the adventure away. And Chanel makes the most AMAZING red lip stain in the world. It comes double ended with a lovely gloss. I found some in my roommates room one morning and put some just for fun and it remained pretty much fully applied until that night. Even through my messy type of life! Chanel stuff is very expensive but lasts forever and stands out like crazy.

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