My mother always told me that makeup does not make a woman, but it is the woman who makes the makeup stand out. Personally, I think those are wise words to tell a middle school girl that is trying to completely cover her face in red lipstick. However, I never judge anyone for the amount of makeup they choose to wear.
I will say that I am a person that rarely wears makeup; it is not for a lack of trying, but I have never received compliments from wearing a lot of makeup. I have, however, received many compliments when I am wearing my usual minimal makeup.
On the rare occasion that I do wear a full-face of makeup, I usually fall into the camp of doing a very “natural look.” As someone with minimal time to consistently do my makeup, I have narrowed my routine down to the essentials. These essentials help keep my skin happy and healthy, as well as cover up any blemishes that may be on my skin.
moisturizer
I just started implementing this into my routine, but it does wonders! I recently started using a travel size sample of The Drunk Elephant moisturizer, and my skin suddenly looks much more shiny. The level of shine and moisture on my skin has definitely made my skin feel more hydrated throughout the day and helped with the dry spots on my skin. I highly recommend implementing moisturizer if you have dry or medium types of skin. If you have oily skin, I would suggest proceeding with extreme caution in case it causes a break out. For my oily skinned girls, a water-based moisturizer is probably the best to use as breakouts can be caused by too much oil or not enough hydration.
sunscreen
As a woman with very pale skin, I absolutely recommend having sunscreen! Not only will this provide a nice base for your makeup, it also is an excellent preventative measure for skin cancer and melanin inconsistencies on the face. Every person should have a good sunscreen that is not too oily to go on their skin everyday, even when the sun isn’t out. To the girls with SPF in their foundations, I’m talking to you too. Personally, I am a fan of Supergoop. Each person will have their own specific sunscreen fit for their skin type, which is part of the fun in finding skin-care products. If you still aren’t sure what sunscreen would be best for you, here is a three question quiz to get you started.
concealer
I have learned from experience that less is definitely more. And by less, I mean finding a concealer that matches your skin tone and not using a lot of it because it is expensive. My favorite concealer that I have ever tried is definitely Nars. This lightweight concealer is the best because I do not have to apply much to cover blemishes, and it doesn’t even feel like I am wearing makeup when it is on.
eyeliner
Hear me out, eyeliner really makes your eyes pop without having to do much else. I have recently started getting into wearing eyeliner and my eyes have never looked better. Beyond the boldness that eyeliner provides my eyes, it is also the perfect way to force me to not take a nap or rub my eyes throughout the day lest I ruin my perfectly winged eyeliner. I am a big fan of the liquid eyeliner from Anastasia Beverly Hills, but I will say that you have to work up to this point by using pencil and pen liners first.
mascara
A friend of mine freshman year of college once told me that a good mascara can make up for any other products that you would consider wearing. I didn’t understand it then since I was not a fan of mascara, but over the years I have come to see the error of my ways and the wisdom in hers. Especially considering that my lashes are blonde on the ends, meaning that you cannot see them at their full length, mascara suddenly makes my eyelashes much longer and my eyelashes more visible. Personally, my favorite mascara is the Clinique Zero Gravity. This mascara not only makes my lashes longer, but it lifts my lashes and does not weigh them down. I cannot emphasize enough how much I love this mascara.
lip balm
Everyone loves lip balm during the fall. In the season of chapped lips and wind whipping across the skin, keeping your skin and lips moisturized is key in maintaining this “natural” look. While moisturization works for the skin, I highly recommend using a lip balm to keep lips from being chapped. There is also an “Almost Lipstick” by Clinique that will enhance your natural lip color and give it the same glow as chapstick if you are looking for something a bit fancy for date nights. Find a lip balm that moisturizes, smells good and may be slightly tinted.
Makeup should always be a personal decision as to how much and when it is worn. While this list is not exhaustive of all the amazing palettes and colors available, it is a wonderful place to start with the essentials that I keep on hand at all times. Enjoy the beautiful fall weather and keep up with your makeup self-care with these wonderful essentials.