my makeup routine.

Hey my lovies. So here is my daily/special occasion  makeup routine. Daily, it takes less than 5 minutes. Special occasion- under 12. I use a lot of products, but minimal amounts of each.

1.      Primer. I only use this on special occasions or when I go to work all day and then immediately out on the town. It really makes a huge difference in keeping your makeup FRESH the entire day. Smashbox and Sephora brand are all I’ve tried and I love them.
2.      Concealer. I have quite a few different brands I’ve been experimenting with. I recently purchased Neutrogena 3 in 1 under eye concealer and I’m loving that it depuffs (a little, feels nice) and has SPF 20 in it! It also blends nicely with your skin. After applying a very small amount, I  use a dab of Physician’s Formula concealer twins  in cream (blemishes) and yellow (under eyes). It’s just the best at hiding those bags and dark circles. Lightly layering allows me to protect this sensitive skin from sun, wake my eyes up, and hide what creams just can’t do.
3.      Foundation. Merle Norman foundation powder is like perfecting potion. You can make it heavy (apply with damp sponge) or light (dry sponge). If you’re going for everyday flawless but still able to see your skin (learn to love your freckles) then this stuff can’t be beat for $25.  For special occasions I’m a fan of Smashbox. It’s got minerals in it which literally make your skin glow.
4.     Bronzer and blush. Love me some Smashbox bronzer. Physian's formula has SO MANY great bronzers as well. I do just a little on the jawbone and a dab of blush on the cheekbones.  Mac blush in Sunbasque is AWESOME; however I found Covergirl cheekers blush in Golden Pink is quite similar and VERY cheap.
5.    Brows. One of the first makeup lessons I learned was to shape your eyebrows before doing the rest of your brows to create a "frame." I just brush them with ELF clear mascara and that does the trick. For special occasions I will fill them in with Smashbox brow kit which has a wax in it to keep them in place.  
6.     Eyelids. Daily- I don't wear eyeshadow at all. But sometimes I like a little bit of Covergirl in Mink over my lids.  For special occasions I'll use a palate from Smashbox.

7.     Eyeliner.Covergirl perfect blend pencil is the best. You can make it precise or smudgy. And once you put it on- it's not moving. I use it in black, brow and blue.

8.    Mascara. L'Oreal Voluminous Lash. That is all. I've tried what seems like hundreds and I always go back to this baby.

9.     Lipstick. As you can see, I own a ton of Maybelline (good starter lipstick) and Revlon (great inexpensive stuff). Boot’s #7 brand can be found at Target and is a good choice for really bold pigments such as RED and PINK.

I keep my brushes in a champagne glass.This keeps them organized and keeps them upright so they keep their shape.

Peace&love,

kat