Happy Monday!
I took a teensy bit of a blog break for a week and a half. Partially because the winter blues have hit me so hard and I’m feeling a little uninspired and desperate for a tropical getaway. And because I’m in the midst of some personal life changes that I needed time to process. Thank goodness daylight savings is next month. I feel like being able to leave work without it being pitch black outside will help breathe some life back into me!
Today, I’m back with another makeup post. Specifically for the girl not really into makeup. So if you wear it just for work or for photos or feel like you have to throw a little something on every now and then and even for the girl newly into makeup that’s just trying things out, I’m sharing some basic makeup essentials.
Basic Makeup Essentials:
K-beauty strikes again. This product is incredible and the absolute essential for the girl not into makeup, but who still wants/needs makeup. It comes in three shades, fair, medium to tan and their newest one which is caramel. It’s basically a white cc cream that adjusts to your skin tone when you apply it. Which is wild, but incredible. Especially if you have anxiety about picking the right foundation shade like I do. Since this is a cc creme, it’s not going to look super cakey and makeup like on your face. It really looks like you just have flawless, radiant skin. You guys know I take my skincare very seriously so for the most part I have pretty clear skin. But, I really struggle with redness and even though this is light, it really does help cover my redness. I apply this with my fingers like moisturizer and it’s just incredible.
Under Eye Brightening Corrector
For those days where you just look a little too tired. This product really helps conceal that and helps brighten under the eyes. You can apply this before concealer to really help get rid of dark circles or even wear it by itself. I’ve applied this alone with no concealer and then locked it in with translucent powder and I really like how bright and awake they made my eyes look.
I think we can all agree that we struggle with dark under eye circles. I really like this concealer because it not only covers dark circles, but the formula also has anti aging properties and sunscreen. It’s also feels lightweight and is easy to blend out so you don’t get the cakey feeling or look. You can pick up your shade and lightly apply some under your eyes and blend it out to conceal or you can pick one shade lighter and apply under your eyes to not only conceal but to highlight and brighten your face.
Such a staple in any makeup bag. Whether you use a cc creme, a bb creme, a tinted moisturizer or full on foundation, you have to set your makeup. I have oily skin so it’s essential for me to set my whole face, but even if you have dry skin, you need to set certain areas to ensure they don’t move like around your nose, your mouth, your forehead and under your eyes. Like the name suggests, its a translucent powder so it does not have any color. It’s not concealing anything, it’s just locking in your makeup and smoothing everything out. I’m currently using this one, which is okay, but I swear by this cult favorite one.
This product smells like summer! Bronzer is another product that can be scary if you’re new to makeup. When I first started, I wouldn’t approach bronzer with a ten foot pole. But, now it’s become such a staple for me and my favorite product to apply. I really like this one because it’s light and natural and you can really build it up rather than it applying heavy off the bat. It used to be available in only one shade, which was “bronzer,” but now it’s available in multiple shades so you can really pick which one goes with your skin tone and your comfort level.
Don’t let the mix of colors scare you! This blush just gives you a natural flush. It also has a bit of shimmer in it which I find nice. Most highlighters these days are super blinding because that’s the current beauty trend. But, if you’re going for a simple and easy makeup look, a blinding highlighter doesn’t really go with that look. This blush adds that natural flush and natural glow.
I used to be a die hard Benefit fan when I first started getting into makeup. I think their packaging is so fun and they make some really great staple products. It honestly used to be my goal to own every single product they sold! Girl Meets Pearl is a liquid highlighter, which sounds scary, but I promise you it is not. You twist it and some product comes out on top. You take your ring finger and dab it into the product and then pat it onto the high points of your cheekbone to blend it out. You can wear this over makeup and even by itself because it adds the most natural and prettiest glow.
Eyeshadow can seem super scary if you’re new to makeup. But, I think having at least one go-to palette is essential. I really like this one because the colors are warm brown tones which most people feel comfortable with. I think there is also a nice combination of light to dark brown shades and a selection of shimmer shades so you can really play around depending on your comfort level.
My absolute favorite lip product that I suggest to absolutely everyone. This is similar to a liquid lip, but it doesn’t really dry down so you don’t get that super drying feeling on your lips. But, it also stays on pretty much all day. Perfection is my personal favorite color because it’s a dusty rose color that gives you the “your lips but better” look.
I like to think of this as “adult lip balm with some color”. It moisturizes your lips and even has sunscreen so it protects them as well. When I was younger, I went to an outside concert and was so sunburnt at the end of it and my lips were so swollen for like a week. I couldn’t figure out why and then I realized my lips had gotten sunburnt too! So I love that this has sunscreen in it. It comes in a variety of colors, but my personal favorite is the rose. The colors are pretty sheer, but you can for sure build it up a bit. It gives you that “just ate a red popsicle” kind of effect, but there is also a sheer one if the color isn’t for you.
If I was stuck on a deserted island and could only bring one thing, it would probably be mascara. It’s such an essential to me and I wear it even when I have no makeup on. This one is by far my favorite and I have repurchased it multiple times. I really like how they lengthen and add volume. The formula isn’t too wet or too dry and it’s also not too clumpy or too fine. It’s just the perfect middle ground and it makes your lashes look amazing.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed today’s basic makeup essentials post.
And thank you for putting up with me during my small blog break!
Have a great week!
So many good products! I need to pick up the under eye concealer and the eye shadow palette on my next trip to Sephora!
Rachel
http://www.hello-her.com
ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS STILL SCARE ME (well concealer and that stuff). I’ve been going with a tinted moisturizer, Becca highlighter, and some blush. And thank god for my lash extensions LOL Also just splurged on the Tom Ford glow drops!
The Champagne Edit
The CC creams are great for regular days out. Never really tried any concealers, though. Usually, it’s lips and eyebrows and I’m out the door. I tried doing eyeshadows and failed. Is it okay to just use one color at a time? I’m scared of blending it wrong.
A perfect makeup starter kit. I still remember how I used to search this kind of list when I was a beginner. Really helpful for the newbies.