Essentials for an everyday makeup look
Life is busy, and we’ve all got a lot going on! Spending hours on an overdramatic or intricate makeup look daily is not the best way to maximize your use out of the 24 hours a day. You want to leave the house every day looking and feeling your best, but not at the cost of being late! Spending buckets of cash on an overflowing makeup kit is a money pit too. Do you really need the latest gadgets and “super stay” products, or will a few high-quality items do the trick? We think so!
If you’re looking for a simple, easy-to-create look with a few hard-working products, then you’ve come to the right place. You don’t need a slew of face makeup products, just a few well-chosen ride-or-die ones. If you have these products in your arsenal and our failure-proof routine to follow, you’ll be looking your best in no time flat.
Start With Skincare
No amount of makeup, no matter how high quality or well applied, will camouflage skin that is not well looked after. If you don’t start with skincare and keep up with it every day, there’s no chance your everyday makeup look will be flawless. You need to cleanse, tone, exfoliate, moisturize and apply SPF every single day, no matter what. Also, drink as much water as possible to keep your skin moisturized from within!
The Products
- Skin
You don’t need shelf upon shelf of serums and elixirs, just these basics. Firstly, you need a primer. This acts as a barrier between your skin and the rest of the makeup to keep everything on your face smooth all day. Primers can be color correcting, smoothing, or pore minimizing; there are many different options. Next, you’ll need a foundation or BB cream if you feel that you want to wear a base product over your skin. Foundations can be full coverage or minimal, and BB creams are essentially tinted moisturizers that offer a very suitable level of coverage. If you have dark circles that you want to camouflage or blemishes that you need to correct, you’ll need a concealer.
Color products for your skin include contour and blush. A contour stick or powder is the perfect tool if you need to do a little face shaping. Contour products can be brushed or stippled to shape your face to your liking. Blush is also available in a stick, liquid, or powder form. This is to be applied to the apples of your cheeks for a more youthful look or just underneath your cheekbones for a natural-looking flush. If you dab or lightly brush the blush product over the bridge of your nose, you can create a sunkissed “just got back from vacation” glow.
Lastly, but certainly not least, comes highlighter. A natural look means no drama, just feature enhancement, so steer clear of glittery or unnatural colors. The highlighter comes in a stick, liquid, and powder form and should only be brushed or dabbed on the parts of your face that the light catches naturally. Cheekbones, the tip of the nose, the cupid’s bow, the inner corners of the eyes, and so on. Start small and build the product if you need to.
An optional extra that we love is a setting spray. Spritz lightly over your entire face before mascara to set all the products together for long-lasting wear.
- Eyes
We can take or leave eye color and liner. It’s unnecessary, but it can be fun if you’re looking for a pop of color! Mascara, however, is non-negotiable. Brown is more natural-looking than black, but very few companies make brown mascaras anymore. After a quick curl with a lash curler heated up (gently) by a hairdryer, add a couple of swipes to your top and bottom lashes. Wait a full 2 minutes between coats to let the previous coat dry.
Your brows help to frame your face, so fill them in if they need a little extra color or depth. Brush-on gels and colors are all over the market and help fix your brow in place for all-day fluffiness.
- Lips
For everyday wear, you don’t need dramatic colors. We advise using a tinted lip stain or moisturizer for a natural-looking wash of color instead of the full-color many lipsticks provide. If you don’t want any color at all, keep a tube of your favorite chapstick handy to keep your pout looking naturally moisturized and kissable. Lip liner is unnecessary unless you wear a dark color or a gloss that may bleed off your lips and seep into the little creases in your skin, creating an unpleasant smudged look.
Wrap-Up
These products are the most basic of basics you’ll need to create a look suitable for everyday wear. It’s quick, and simple, and always brings out the best in your natural features.
