Ever since having a few part time jobs in the beauty and skincare industries several years back (Origins, Estee Lauder, Bath and Body Works), I’ve been a sucker for make-up and all beauty products in general. When make-up is part of your dress code for your job, you start not only playing around with different looks, but you try out TONS of different products. As a result, I developed some favorite ones over the years that I happily recommend to friends and any one else who wants some ideas!
Let’s keep it simple – here’s a list and why I like them!
BLUSH: Nars blush in “Orgasm”
Read any beauty magazine “Best-of” list and this one is always the winner…. and I agree! It’s a pinky-peachy shade that works on EVERY one. Seriously – everybody looks good in this color. And it has just the littlest bit of shimmer in it to make your skin glow. Fabulous is the best word to describe it.
MASCARA: Estee Lauder Mascara – Double Wear and Sumptuous
Before my stint working for Estee Lauder a few years ago, I had a different fave mascara, which I still think is great. (Diorshow was my previous favorite.) BUT after working for Estee, I changed my tune and I am 100% loyal to their mascara. (My lashes are long, but very light in color – practically invisible without mascara.) The Double Wear stays on ALL day and makes my lashes pop. I use it as my normal go-to daily mascara. If I want waterproof, I go with their water-proof Sumptuous. This stuff stays on and the ONLY time I’ve noticed it slightly smudging is after a couple hours in the ocean. Otherwise, it holds up to my sweaty, oily skin like a true pro. But if you use it, you need a heavy duty oil-based eye make-up remover, ’cause this stuff isn’t coming off any other way.
FOUNDATION: Maybelline Super Stay Make-up
Okay, I’ve got some skin issues – acne scars and melasma. (Melasma is caused by a combination of hormones and UV exposure, resulting in dark patches on the face.) So for me, foundation is essential in helping my skin tone look more even. I love this foundation because it provides fuller coverage, but goes on feeling light. And it doesn’t cause break-outs. Plus, a little bit goes a LONG way. Through normal wear, it lasts all day, too.
CONCEALER: Make Up Forever – Full Cover
LOVE this concealer. It does a great job of helping out with those acne scars that I just mentioned above. Plus, it works great on my under-eye circles. (I’ve always had dark circles under my eyes – my baby pics are testimony to that.) A little bit goes a long way, and I use a concealer brush to help me apply it sparingly. It’s waterproof too, so it lasts and lasts.
EYELINER: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eyepencil
So many great colors to play with! And this liner is waterproof! It’s also really smooth, so it goes on without grabbing at your lids.
EYEBROW PENCIL: Origins Fill In The Blanks – for Blondes
I have really light eyebrows. Like, you can hardly see them. But it really makes your eyes pop if you use a pencil and give yourself some eyebrows. However, as a blonde, you want something that doesn’t look too dark, or something a brunette would use. Origins makes great eyebrow pencils and their one for blondes is fabulous. Helps me give some definition to my brows in a great natural way. Love.
FACE SERUM: Ole Henriksen Truth Serum
Ever since Origins discontinued their Youthtopia face serum, I’d been trying out different kinds to see if I liked any enough to take its place. And so many times I was disappointed UNTIL I tried out this one. It’s a serum rich in Vitamin C, so it works to even your skin tone (again, helping with my melasma and acne marks) PLUS I feel like this actually helped when it came to clearing up my skin. After about a month of using it, I noticed that I had fewer break outs and an almost complete stop to the really bad cystic acne I had been dealing with. Knock on wood, but it seems to have worked wonders.
FACE MOISTURIZER: Origins Youthtopia (Night) and Starting Over Oil Free (Day)
Origins skin care products are excellent. After working there, I really got to learn the benefits to the various products and I got hooked on a lot of what the line had to offer. I want to moisturize my skin, but I always need something that will not break me out. I’ve been so super happy with the Origins products. (I still wish they hadn’t discontinued my favorite serum though!!!! grrr…)
EYE MAKEUP REMOVER: Lancome BI FACIL Double Action Eye Makeup Remover
If you’re going to wear a real heavy duty waterproof mascara, regular makeup remover just won’t do. Even my favorite Ponds Facial Wipes are no match for my Sumptuous Waterproof Mascara. This remover from Lancome works. It works damn well. It’s oil based and melts that make up right off.
Other stuff….. those up there are the biggies, but I’ve been playing around with other stuff that is worth mentioning.
I’m really liking all the new hair oils out there now. Anything from argan oil to keratin oil to macadamia oil. These new oils add much needed moisture to dry hair, and they do it without being heavy. I have baby-fine hair (I’ve always been jealous of people with thick hair) and I need something that keeps my ends from getting fried without giving me totally flat hair. I don’t have a favorite just yet – been trying out a lot of them, but I’m really liking them all so far. When your hair is fine, it has more of a tendency to break. Plus heat styling, highlighting, sun, and swimming make hair prone to breakage as well. I’m taking extra hair oil on my upcoming trip to use after all the beach time I’ll be logging. (Last summer, my hair was totally fried after all that sun and salt water.)
I also recently got some hair chalk to have some fun with. A few years ago, I did funky highlights a couple summers in a row. (Hot pink, turquoise.) They were semi-permanent and lasted several weeks to a few months depending on the color. But lately I haven’t been doing it. And I miss it. (I can’t tell you how much I wish I could rock out some awesome pink hair on a regular basis. But I think it would kind of hinder me on the audition circuit.) But now you can buy special chalk to streak your hair with, and it just washes out when you get it wet. So if I want some pink highlights for hitting the dance club, I can streak in some of the chalk before going out, then wash it out the next day. Totally cool. (Yes, I bought pink, but you can get other colors too.)
There’s also one more thing that is totally awesome and I recommend you have – Instant Mineral SPF by Peter Thomas Roth. It’s a powder – that comes in a self contained brush applicator. The powder itself is SPF 30. So, you know those times where you don’t want to mess up your make-up by rubbing sunscreen on your face – but you really want SOMETHING to help you out. Just brush this powder on! Right on top of your make-up. And when you’re a fine-haired girl, you always have to worry about getting sunburn on your scalp where you part your hair. I actually brush this on to my part – right on to my head – and it helps to keep my scalp from burning. Excellent!
Hope I’ve been able to give you some fun ideas. Till next time!
(Just a few of my Urban Decay eye-liners… Haha – and of course I pick a day to talk about make-up when I’m not wearing a lot of it – on my way to a pool party!)