Makeup routine

I'm excited to share my everyday makeup routine with you guys tonight! I haven't done a post on my routine since I graduated college almost 3 years ago. My routine has definitely changed, and matured. I no longer use my hands to apply makeup, and I don't use spit to clean off mistakes. Haha! You can watch the old video for kicks and giggles, but if you're interested in my current routine... read below! I've picked up several tips and tricks over the past few years, but I'm definitely not a makeup guru. I stick to this routine 98% of the time. I've been experimenting a tiny bit more, but this is what I feel comfortable wearing most everyday.

I follow a pretty basic skincare routine at night and I don't do anything in the morning. First, I apply a coat of Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Primer. Then, I apply foundation. I upgraded to Make Up For Ever's Professional HD Foundation. A saleswoman recommended it (and helped me learn a few tricks) at Sephora one time and I've used it ever since. I use a foundation brush (see below) to apply it. I focus mostly under my eyes, nose, chin and forehead. Be sure to blend into your neck too so you don't have a noticeable line. 

Sephora saleswoman also told me to apply under-eye concealer after you've applied foundation. I don't have a huge problem with under-eye circles, especially since using Clinique's All About Eyes Cream, but I still like to cover up what is there. I use a smaller concealer brush to apply Make Up For Ever's Full Cover Extreme Camouflage Cream. I bought a tiny tube a year ago and I still have some left. It lasts forever!

I'm not a huge bronzer girl, or a fan of looking "tan" in general. I embrace pale with rosy cheeks. So I stray away from bronzer, but my skin needed something. I really like NYX Cosmetic's Illuminator in Chaotic. I use a giant powder brush to lightly apply this to my entire face for a flushed look. 

After getting an overall color to my face, I apply NYX Cosmetic's Powder Blush using a blush brush. I love rosy cheeks, so naturally their Rose Garden color worked really well for my skintone. I always start at the "apple" of my cheek and brush toward my temples for an even look on both sides. 

Being a naturally curly haired girl, I tend to also have wild eyebrows sometimes. I use my eyebrow brush every morning to tame them down a bit. I like this dual one as well, because it unclumps mascara on the other side.

One thing I'm new to recently is eyebrow pencils. Now that I've started using one, I don't know I ever didn't use one before! Seriously. I use NYX Cosmetic's Push-Up Bra for your Eyebrow pencil. It's a one color fits all, which I really like. I use the brow pencil throughout my eyebrows to give them an even look. I've been trying to tweeze and have my eyebrows waxed less for a more full look recently, and this pencil helps during the "growing out" stage. The other side is a highlighter which you can use right under the brow to push them up a bit.

I'm a huge fan of black liquid liner. I have been ever since I started this blog and I can't imagine not ever using it! I always go for the darkest black I can find. Normally I use Maybelline's Line Stiletto in Blackest Black. I still swear by this product. It's so easy to apply a great line and it stays on all day. I also tried NYX Cosmetic's The Curve which gives you a really nice ergonomic shape to easily apply a line. The only huge difference I noticed on this one is that you can apply a really thin line, which is nice for a different look. I usually like to wear a thicker line, so I'll apply this one twice. For mascara, I use Maybelline's Lash Stiletto in their blackest black.

I'm not a huge daily lipstick/gloss gal. Most days I'm reaching into my purse for my Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm. My lips get chapped so easily and this is a lifesaver. But when I do go for lipstick, my absolute favorite is Maybelline's Color Sensational Lipcolor, the lipsticks in the square red tubes. My three must-have colors are Very Cherry (bright red), Fuchsia Fever (bright pink) and Coral Crush (a perfect coral color). If I'm going to go lipstick, I'm going to go bold. If not, I'll go for a gloss. I really like Artistry's Lip Gloss in Fresh Pink from their new Enchanted Garden Collection.

That's my everyday makeup routine! It usually takes me about 10 minutes in the mornings, or 20 minutes if I'm really going all out for a night on the town. I hope this helped you in some way! I'm definitely getting more excited about makeup recently and am branching out a bit. I'll have a couple of fun spring makeup tutorials coming soon on the blog, so stay tuned!