The collegiettes that contribute to The Beauty School blog for Her Campus are all about hair, makeup and beauty. Since it’s always exciting to get the inside scoop about their favorite products, styles and routines, sneaking a peek inside of their makeup bags can reveal firsthand what products they use to look fabulous and beautiful. All products shown are personal favorites selected by the specific girl of the week, and all opinions expressed are 100% their own.
Some girls collect shoes, some girls collect handbags and some girls collect makeup. To be honest, I collect all three, but nothing gets me as excited as when I open a brand new lipstick or eye shadow palette. Over the years my makeup collection has expanded and is now bordering on excessive:
It’s always a challenge to figure out which products to bring to college, but I think I finally have it down to a science. I’ve rounded up my desert island makeup picks – so scroll down to check out my all-time favorites!
Set the Mood
I always spritz on a bit of perfume before I do my makeup – it makes me feel fresh and awake and gets me in the mood to get girly. My favorite scent is Chanel Chance Eau FraÎche; it’s woody and citrusy with a hint of floral.
A Flawless Face
Primer is your best friend if you want your makeup to stay on all day (especially if you have combination/oily skin like me!). I love the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer for my face and the cult classic Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original for my eyelids and lower lash line to prevent creasing.
Think of your face as a painting: before you start applying any color, you need to even out your canvas. I prefer not to use a full coverage foundation unless it’s a special occasion, so on a day-to-day basis I stick with a tinted moisturizer; I love the Tarte’s Smooth Operator Tinted Moisturizer in Agent 02. It evens out my skin tone without looking caked on or clogging my pores.
Since I use a tinted moisturizer, I have to use a bit more concealer. I start with my Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Peach in the inner corners and under my eyes; the salmon color counteracts any dark circles. I then use a liquid concealer around my nose and the corners of my mouth to even out any pigmentation. My all-time favorite liquid concealer is the Almay Clear Complexion Concealer in Light. But, if I have any pimples or breakouts, I go in with my heavy-duty Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer in SC-3 with a detail brush.
For my cheeks, I actually like to contour with MAC Powder Blush in Harmony. I’m super pale and I often find that bronzers are too brown or orange, which can look muddy against fair skin. This taupe shade is perfect for creating a realistic contour. I then apply a pop of color with my Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Rude.
My skin can get oily, so I always powder my face to set my makeup and keep it fresh using my Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Translucent; great to throw in your handbag for on-the-go touchups!
The Eyes Have It
Now that we have a flawless base, it’s time to move on to the windows of our soul. I start by defining and slightly darkening my eyebrows using the e.l.f. Studio Eyebrow Kit in Medium. I like to use the gel first to push my brows into place and then the powder to add shape and thickness.
My go-to eye colors are bronze and copper shades, so I usually start with a cream shadow, like my Maybelline Eye Studio 24HR Color Tattoo (Bad to the Bronze) all over the lid and along my lower lash line. I then set the cream product and add more depth with a powder shadow. My two current favorites are Woodwinked and Cranberry eye shadows, both by MAC. The formula is great and the colors are perfect for Autumn/Winter.
My eyeliner routine changes daily, but I always use my Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Nude on my lower waterline to open up my eyes and make me look more awake. I don’t have a go-to liner product so I thought I’d give you my favorite gel, liquid and pencil eyeliners. For gel, it has to be MAC Fluidline Gel Eyeliner in Blacktrack (a classic). I’ve just recently purchased the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Black and I absolutely love it for creating a crisp wing. Finally, the one I reach for most often is my Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Brown; it’s so easy to blend out for a smoky look.
I never used to curl my eyelashes but once I did, I never looked back; it makes your eyes look more awake and gives you that flirty look. I use the Revlon Extra Curl Lash Curler followed by a few coats of my Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies Mascara in Blackest Black on my top and bottom lashes.
Read My Lips
Last, but certainly not least, the lips. What I wear on my lips changes depending on my mood, but I typically stay within the berry and plum family. If I’m going to class and want a hint of color I’ll throw on my Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie. If I want a deeper berry color I’ll grab my absolute favorite lipstick in the whole wide world, my Maybelline Color Sensational Lipcolor in Blissful Berry. If I’m going out at night or just want to amp up my look, I usually opt for the classic MAC Ruby Woo.
These are my go-to everyday products that I know work well for me. It may seem like an involved routine, but doing my makeup in the morning is super relaxing for me and gives me a chance to think about and plan my day. Almost all makeup products can be built up to achieve a more dramatic look or used with a lighter hand to achieve a subtler, softer look – it’s all about learning what looks suit your face and what shades flatter your complexion. Once you know what looks good, buying makeup not only becomes significantly less stressful, it also becomes fun (and, clearly, completely addicting)!
By the way, I’m wearing Urban Outfitters Basics Collection Nail Polish in Gotta Have It in the pictures!