Put on a Pretty Face

A List of my Everyday Makeup Must-Haves

I've been a Makeup Artist for nearly 2 decades. It feels like I've done it my entire life. Which, in actuality, I kind of have. My Mother was a Makeup Artist herself and with 4 sisters, there was no shortage of beauty-related products around our house. This was especially the case for makeup.

I was probably a toddler when I received my first application of makeup. Seriously...I remember playing dress-up with my sissies and creating the most grotesque masks of makeup on each other imaginable. Fond memories, indeed.

As I grew older, my adoration for makeup never faded. However, I came to the realization early on that less is definitely more. It has always amazed me that it can take so long to apply a "natural" makeup look. Enhancing one's features slightly to appear more aesthetically pleasing is the name of the game. The aim is to look like you don't have a lot of makeup on. If you want a flawless natural face, you have to put in the time and use the right products.

I have tested and tried a lot of different makeup brands. When I say a lot, I mean damn near everyone out there and I am not exaggerating. Being in the beauty industry, I love experimenting with new and different products and I am constantly doing so. I get so excited when a package is arriving with shiny new makeup inside. Most often, I feverishly rip open the box and try it right away only to find out that I hate it! Nine times out of ten I simply do not like the product. It always looks so darn good in the pictures! The reality is, however, that there are so many factors that play into why a particular color or shade looks stunning on one person, and not so much on the next. Things like skin tone, the natural color of your lips and eyelids, eye color, even hair color can make a new lipstick or foundation look just plain wrong. Unfortunately, we all have to go through copious amounts of products to find the perfect ones.

I get asked my advice on makeup nearly every day. My everyday look is a natural one. I like a dewy youthful complexion, a rosy matte lip, eyes that look bright and rested, a naturally full looking brow, and highlighting and light contour in all the right places. I have to say, I have found the perfect products to create this look. I may stray every now and then to try out something new but I always come back to the tried and true. Below you'll find a complete list of the products that have earned a permanent spot in my makeup bag.

Foundation

Hourglass Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint $56 www.sephora.com

I have never, let me repeat...NEVER...been a foundation girl. I've always opted for a very light, glowy tinted moisturizer. But I always longed for just a tad bit more coverage to create a flawless base. I would say that this is a mix of a foundation and a tinted moisturizer. Definitely living more in the realm of a foundation, it provides solid medium coverage in a single layer and can be bumped up to full coverage with a second application. It is quite thick in texture, so a little goes a long way. I most often mix in a little pearlescent liquid highlighter to add a little more dew and thin it out a little bit. I find it is best applied with the fingers. I love the fact that it has hyaluronic acid in it. This little miracle-worker of a skincare product helps draw and keep moisture in the skin and plumps up fine lines and wrinkles. You can't go wrong with that! So I like the fact that it is treating your skin with this anti-aging ingredient while you wear it. It also contains SPF 15, which I find quite convenient in a foundation. It will leave you with a radiant finish, not shimmery or glittery, just a little lit-from-within glow.

Concealer

Cle de Peau Concealer $73 www.cledepeaubeaute.com

I have used this concealer for more than a decade. I've tried others but always come back to this one. I know it seems like a lot to spend on concealer but let me tell you, it is so worth it. The concealing power and satin finish are incomparable and it lasts a long time to boot. There are two main categories of concealer, cream and liquid. This is a cream concealer. It is thicker in consistency than a liquid but provides better coverage. I recommend applying it with your fingertips, as the warmth of your fingers will help the product melt into your skin, creating a perfect and even coverage. After applying with my fingers, I most often use a small buffing brush to blend it in, even more, resulting in an airbrush-like finish. This concealer contains SPF 25, which is absolutely amazing and not the norm for most concealers. The delicate skin around the eyes needs extra care and kindness, so this is a huge plus. This concealer works well to camouflage imperfections all over the face and can be used as a cream highlighter as well. I suggest ordering a color just one shade lighter than your skin to create a beautiful brightness around the eyes.

Highlighter

N.Y.M.P.H All Over Highlighting Powder $55 www.hudabeauty.com

As you can tell from the picture above, this highlighter is HUGE! Due to the size, it is inarguably worth the price tag. I love a highlighter when applied properly that is. Highlighting your face is not a step you should skip. It creates a youthful glow, bringing attention to areas of the face that should be accentuated and brought forward. These areas include the nose, cheekbones, cupids bow, arch of the brow, center of the forehead and chin, and inner corner of the eyes. The shade of this Huda Beauty highlighter is to die for! It's the perfect champagne color, not too light. It is very soft and blends beautifully into the skin. Apply it after your foundation and blush with a soft small brush or your fingertips.

Blush

Nars Blush in Orgasm $30 www.sephora.com

I adore blush! There is something about a perfectly rosy cheek that is so pretty and youthful-looking. Don't get me wrong, it can be quite clownish if over-applied. I get asked about my blush shade a lot. I have been using the Nars Orgasm Blush forever. It is such a pretty peachy pink shade with just a touch of shimmer, that works well on all skin tones. Honestly, I really don't feel the need to try other blushes, this one is so perfect. The secret to applying blush properly is to apply just a small amount on the apple of the cheek and then blend baby blend! If you want that just came from the gym, naturally flushed look you have to blend and make sure you don't leave any harsh lines.

Brows

Hourglass Arch Brow Micro Sculpting Pencil $28 www.sephora.com

The eyes are the windows to the soul and, in the land of makeup, brows are the frames. Filling in and defining the brow shape is of the utmost importance. Do not skip this step! A beautifully shaped brow can make or break your overall makeup look. It draws attention to the eye area, giving you an instant eye lift. Brow enhancers come in different formulations which include powders, pencils, waxes, etc. I was a fan of powder for many many years but more recently discovered this brow pencil by Hourglass. The size of the tip itself is smaller than most and comes in a rectangular shape, which allows you to apply tiny sharp strokes where needed to fill in and shape up your brows. Natural-looking brown shades can be difficult to find as many contain too much red or grey. A little known fact is that brunettes should choose a shade two shades lighter than their hair and blondes should go with one two shades darker. This has been proven to be the most aesthetically pleasing look. I am a very dark brunette and the soft brunette shade in this pencil is perfect. I will say that these pencils do not last long, of course, this depends on how much you like to fill in your brows, so I usually order two or three at a time so I don't run out.

Mascara Primer

Lancome Cils Booster XL Mascara Primer $26.50 www.sephora.com

The amount of people that don't use a primer before applying their mascara is always surprising to me. This primer, my friends, makes a huge difference in the volume, length, and overall separation of the lashes when applied immediately before your mascara. In Lancome's consumer study, 93% of their test group saw more length, 92% saw more volume, and 85% saw more curl. Pretty impressive and from my personal experience very true. This formula also conditions your lashes, which is a nice perk. I apply it right before my mascara. You'll want to work quickly to ensure it is still wet when you apply your mascara.

Mascara

Huda Beauty Legit Lashes Mascara $27 www.hudabeauty.com

Mascaras are a dime a dozen these days. So many formulas promising extreme length, thickness, and curl without delivering on these claims. Makeup companies promise a "false lash effect". This is so funny to me. Did you know that most if not all of those gorgeous models featured in fancy magazine ads for mascara are actually wearing false lashes? False advertising indeed. Let's be real for a second, no mascara is going to look like you have a set of false lashes on. The mascara that I have found to come the closest is this relatively new Legit Lashes Mascara by Huda Beauty. The pigment is as black as you can get. This is very important to me as a lot of other formulas I've found to leave a dull finish, almost greyish black. This is uber black. It is also two formulas in one. This dual-ended tube contains a volumizing side and a lengthening side. I most often use the volumizing side alone because I already have naturally long lashes. However, if you want length and curl, the other side really delivers. This mascara gives me super thick gorgeously separated lashes. Huda suggests using both formulas starting with the volumizing side. Oh, and here's a tip, do not let the mascara dry in between applications, this only leads to clumping.

Lipstick

Jouer Long-Wear Lip Creme in Blush $19 www.sephora.com

If there is one singular makeup product I am asked most often about, it would be my lipstick. I LOVE lipstick. As someone who does not have a natural rosy color to my lips, lipstick is a must. Matte lips are my favorite. It can be hard to find a formula that doesn't dry your lips out or crack into little lipstick shards on your lips after an hour of wear. Finding the right shade of lipstick can also be a difficult task. Depending on the undertone of your skin, you'll want to go with either a warm or cool color palette. I tend to go for a warmer shade like this one by Jouer. It is the perfect warm rosy neutral pink. I stopped wearing nudes a while ago since most make me look like I should be laying in a morgue somewhere. You all know what I'm talking about! I love a red lip too but for a pretty natural everyday look, this is the ticket. I find this color, blush, to go with practically everything I wear. As an avid matte lipstick wearer, my only other suggestions would be to exfoliate your lips once a week and wear a conditioning balm to bed. This will ensure a smooth palette upon which to paint your gloriously matte pout.

The finished look!

Well, there you have it! My list of everyday makeup must-haves. I think you'll enjoy these products immensely. Have fun and experiment with different looks. That is, after all, what makeup is all about!

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