It's a beauty picnic here on Hello Kelcey today! I'm going to give you the low down on my beauty essentials. These are the products I use almost everyday and I swear by them. I'm not going to pretend I am an expert on makeup and beauty products, but I have been doing my own make up since high school (middle school? I don't remember the first time I wore makeup but that should have been documented), and I watch a lot of YouTube makeup tutorials. Just ask Madison, he can attest to that.
These are the only products I need for a full makeup look. I included a couple different eye liners and three of my favorite lip products to show you some variety.
First up: primers. I am a strong believer in the good primers can do. I use Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer as a base to my foundation. There are two huge benefits here: the primer fills in any fine lines on your face to allow your foundation to apply smoothly and give a more flawless coverage. Additionally, this particular primer has SPF 20 in it, so you get built in sun protection without an extra step. Totally win-win. I discovered this primer in high school while watch a Smashbox segment on QVC (I used to be addicted to QVC, don't ask; I blame my grandmother). I only recently started using this product again and am very happy I decided to go back to it. Another primer I love is the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in original. If you have ever had a problem with eye shadow creasing throughout the day, this is your solution. I like the original color because it blends right in and you can't tell it is there. If I put this on in the morning, my eye makeup stays in place all day. No more frantic checks throughout the day to make sure you don't have that awkward dark line across your lids.
Next, we have my favorite face products. This year my skin has been less than kind to me. It's probably due to all the stress of moving, the car accident, and Nora's new sleep patterns (she used to sleep through the night, now she doesn't) but my skin has been breaking out much more frequently. If I want to cover my blemished and feign a full night's sleep, these are the products I reach for. For foundation, I love Revlon ColorStay Makeup. The one I have here is for normal/dry skin. I usually buy the one for combination/oily skin but I picked this up by accident. Oops! It still works just as well and gives me great, full coverage. Lately, I've been using a damp makeup sponge to apply it. That is an attempt to not touch my face with my fingers and hopefully clear my skin, but it has been working nicely. To hide dark circles under my eyes, I use Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer. I really love the application of this product. It goes on very smooth and blends into my skin evenly. This hides dark circles really well- and instant 8 hours! To set my foundation, I reach for Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder. This powder keeps my face shine free for the whole day. It's really great because I don't have to worry about touching it up as the day goes by.
For eye shadow, I have been almost exclusively using shades from the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I know I am really late on this one, but now I totally get why everyone was obsessed with this. The color range is great, the palette has every color you would need for a pretty neutral look. Compared to the other Naked palettes, this one focuses on bronze shades, which happen to be my favorite. My go to look is Half Baked on my lids, Naked in the crease, and Virgin as my highlight. It is a super pretty look that is perfect for daytime. These eye shadows are very pigmented and go on so smoothly, this palette is definitely worth the price.
Next on the tour we have eye liners and a mascara. Besides foundation, I would say this is the most essential part of any makeup look. Sometimes when I'm running late I'll just wear foundation and mascara. I still feel put together because I'm evening my skin tone and accentuating my eyes to make them the focus. The mascara pictured here is Lancome Hypnose Drama Instant Full Body Volume Mascara. I got this as a sample in my last Sephora order and have been liking it a lot. I would not consider this my favorite mascara ever, that was a CoverGirl mascara that was discontinued a while back (tear), but I still am enjoying it. I like bold lashed and this delivers. I'm still on the hunt for my perfect mascara, preferably as less expensive one, so if you have any suggestions leave them in the comments. As for eye liner, I have two to discuss. I'm a huge advocate of the benefits of eye liner. For me, it totally transforms my whole face and just makes my eyes pop. The two kinds of eye liner I like the most are liquid and cream liners. Liquid liners must be black and cream liners must be bronze, if you're me that is. I don't really stray from those two standards. The liquid liner pictured above is L'Oreal Lineur Intense Brush Tip Liquid Eyeliner in carbon black. This is really black, just the way I like it. But make sure to shake it first! No one told me so the first time I used it, it came out thin and grey. I thought I got duped. Glad I figured it out because it is really good. The felt tip makes it easier to apply than a brush tip, in my opinion. When I wear liquid liner I like to make a winged cat eye, and this is perfect for than. Now for cream liner, I really like L'Oreal Infallible Gel Lacquer Liner 24 Hour in Bronze. Gel, cream, same thing right? I have no idea, like I said I am no expert here. My point is that you have to use a brush to apply it. I like this formulation because once you put it on, it does not budge. If you've ever used a pencil liner and had it smudge all over your face, you know what I'm talking about. No one wants to have to wonder what their face looks like after they leave the house. With this liner there is no worry. I use the bronze color because it gives me definition but is still warm and compliments my eye color.
Last, but certainly not least we have lip color. I like a bold lip, as you can probably tell. First off, I love the Revlon Color Stay Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Sweetheart. It is the best hot pink color and stays on all day because it is a stain. I usually wear this on it's own and it looks great. Next, when I'm in need of a red lip, I go for the Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Candy Apple. The color is super bright, but the formula is fairly sheer so it's not scary. I like the way this feels on the lips because it is moisturizing and not heavy. A new favorite Ijust discovered is Maybelline Color Elixir Lip Color in Mandarin Rapture. I just got this a couple of weeks ago but the first time I tried it, I knew I was hooked. First off, it's orange. I have always wanted orange lip color but never bought any. Well, I thought I did once in high school but when I got home it was watermelon colored and someone put it in the wrong slot. Such disappointment. Anyway, back to the matter at hand, this color has shimmer in it, but it's not too shimmery. The application is really nice, and it stays on for a good length of time. Highly recommended. I'm planning on going back to Ulta to get more shades. Finally, I have an honorable mention because I couldn't find it when I was taking these pictures. Maybelline Color Sensational Color Whisper Lipcolor in A Plum Prospect is perfection. The color looks a little scary in the tube, but it applies sheer and is the most gorgeous berry color. The color is buildable so you can get a bolder look if you desire. It is just so good.
Well folks, those are all my beauty essentials! If you noticed, I didn't include a favorite blush. That's because I don't have one! I'm currently using one from E.L.F. that is okay. Leave me a comment below with blush suggestions that you think I should try, or let me know what your go to products are!
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