The first thing I started out using was my Origins Checks and Balances face wash. I absolutely love this face wash. I always thought my previous face washes had gotten my skin as clean as possible until I tried this bad boy! You know the term "squeaky clean?" yeah, that totally applies here. It literally feels like if I were to rub my face, it would squeak after using this stuff. I also like that it doesn't dry out my skin like some cleansers do.
After I wash my face, I use the Origins United State toner. I should warn you now, you will see a lot of Origins products used in my skin care routines. This is because I am currently obsessed with the brand. I had a free gift with purchase situation from Macy's a few months back that had a deluxe sample of about 5 different products, and now I'm hooked. If you find that boring, don't fret, I'm sure I will find a new skin care obsession soon.
Back to the toner! I never really notice toners doing much, to be honest. Okay, I notice them doing a little. I can tell they pick up the remaining makeup that my cleanser may have missed but other than that, I'm not convinced it is a necessary step. But here I am, using a toner everyday anyway. It makes my skin feel nice after, and this one is supposed to balance out combination skin. I have always had super dry skin, but this summer I was blessed (yeah, right) with a super oily t-zone! So I started using this toner because it claimed to keep oil at bay. Well, a few months later, here we are and sure enough my oily t-zone is gone. I can't say for sure it is the toner because it may just be the change in seasons. I guess we'll have to wait for summer to solve that mystery.
Next is my moisturizer. You guessed it, more Origins. I use the Origins Gin Zing moisturizer and eye creams. I love them both. The eye cream is slightly peach toned, which helps to brighten under eye circles, and is very moisturizing without leaving my under eyes greasy. The moisturizer is white toned but is super light and has an almost gel like consistency. I was worried it may not get the job done in the dry winter months, but so far so good!
Finally, I use the Smashbox oil free face primer. I can't say too much about this product because I just bought it a couple days ago. I will say however, that you should buy the mini size, and here's why. I was at Ulta the other day and was going to buy the full size which is $36 for 1oz. Then I noticed the mini is .4oz and is only $10. I did some quick math (quick and math in the same sentence don't work for me, it probably took me five minutes to figure this out.) If you buy 3 mini primers you will be spending $30 on 1.2oz of product. If you buy the full size, you will be spending $36 on one oz. No brainer. Grabbed the mini.
On to makeup. Geez this post is getting long. I bet you didn't know you signed up to read a whole book today, huh?
For foundation I have been recently loving the Makeup Forever Mat Velvet +. I am in the shade 25. This foundation is kind of pricey, but I really love matte foundations so I wanted to try it. I had been loving the Boots no. 7 Beautifully Matte foundation but target only carries a few shades of the range, and the lightest is just too dark for me! Which is sad because it is much cheaper than the MUFE, by like $20, and I even like the Boots more, but if it doesn't match, it doesn't match!
I find the easiest way to apply a matte foundation is with a sponge. I use the Real Techniques one. It's supposedly a dupe for the beauty blender but I wouldn't know because I can't bring myself to spend $20 on a sponge. Using a sponge keeps a matte foundation from looking dry and cakey, or at least for me it does.
For concealer I have been using Revlon Photoready concealer. It isn't the best I've ever used, but the MUFE foundation is pretty full coverage so I don't need an amazing concealer to hide things. Like I said, it's okay, but I probably won't repurchase. I prefer the NYX HD concealer.
While I wait for my foundation to settle into the skin, I move onto eyes. Today I used my Naked palette and a Mac shadow. I used my naked palette because I don't reach for it as much as my Lorac Pro-Palette but with all the Naked 3 hype, it made me feel like I should bust it out and remind myself why it is so great. I used Sin all over the lid, but was careful not to get it into my crease. I don't mind shimmer on the lid, but lately I don't like anything but matte in my crease. Next, I took Mac's Haux and blended it into my crease. I love this color, its a nice mid-toned brown with a mauve undertone. I also used Hauxe on my lower lash line. I am obsessed with mauve toned shadows lately, I find it makes my hazel eyes lean more green, which I love. Finally, I took the white and cream colors from the Lorac Pro Palette and mixed them to use as my brow bone highlight.
Then I took my Rimmel Scandaleyes liner in black and lined my upper waterline. I left my lower waterline free of liner today. I used the Stila Stay All Day liquid liner to make a subtle wing. I just got this and I'm really loving it! It is so easy to make a thin line with this liner. I have been searching high and low for my perfect felt tip liner and don't know why it took me so long to try this one. It is perfection!
As for mascara, I layered my two favorites, Benefit Bad Gal Lash, and Tarte Lights Camera Lashes. I am pretty much out of BGL but the brush separates my lashes so nicely that I use that first then layer LCL on top. This pair volumizes and lengthens pretty well. Finally, I use Maybelline Lash Discovery for my lower lashes.
To finish the face, I use Mac's Careblend powder in Light Plus to set my foundation and concealer. This powder offers light coverage and really keeps my foundation set all day. Then I dust the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light all over my face. This powder helps a matte foundation from looking too flat, and gives some dimension to the face. Next I used my Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Exposed. This is the perfect neutral blush for when you are planning a bold lip. This blush also lasts all day. I then took a little of the ambient lighting powder on my ring finger and brushed it along the my cheek bone to add a subtle highlight. I used my finger to get a more concentrated application.
I filled in my brows with the Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Ash. This is one of the only brow colors I have found that doesn't have an undertone that is too red to match my brows. I also love this product because it is small enough to get a natural, yet precise application.
Finally, I used a Bite lipstick in the color Bite for Sephora or something, it's the one you get when you become a VIB Rouge. Yeah, I hit VIB Rouge last month. I have a problem...
If you stuck this post out til the end you deserve a prize. This was a very long post! If it is too long to read, let me know and I will do my best to make future posts shorter!
Thanks for stopping by and let me know in the comments what are some of your go-to holy grail products!
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