My Everyday Makeup Products and Routine

Throughout the years I've used different makeup products, different makeup application techniques, different styles, but for the last couple years I've settled down. I know what looks best on me, and what I feel most comfortable in. I do change up my makeup routine once in a while when I get a new product or when I try something different, but mostly the end result is the same. I don't restrict myself to use nude lipstick in the morning, and red at night, and so on. I wear whatever I feel comfortable at that moment. Yes, I might use a stronger highlighter for going out at night or more blush, but in the end I don't change dramatically.

So in this post I decided to share my everyday makeup products. I'll review some of them a little more in detail, because they are ones that I keep repurchasing over and over again, and I would recommend them to anyone.

Let me start by introducing my skin, which is normal-dryish. I don't necessary call my skin sensitive, but over the years I noticed that whenever I use liquid foundation, BB/CC/etc cream or tinted moisturizer, my skin reacts to those products. It doesn't matter what the brand is, if they are natural or not, if I'm using fingers, brush or sponge for application, my skin always gets irritated. Once I apply such product, I get red spots on my face, and my skin feels hot and itchy. To tell the truth, I was never on a mission to find such product that I could use without any discomfort, but I did try a fare share whenever I came across something interesting. I'm also not too skillful at applying liquid color products on my face, so after I found mineral makeup, I just stuck with it.

L to R: Laura Mercier Mineral Pressed Powder, Lily Lolo Pressed Mineral Bronzer,
Qtica Intense Lip Repair Balm, Honest Beauty Luminizing Powder 

L to R: Laura Mercier Mineral Pressed Powder in Real Sand,
Lily Lolo Pressed Mineral Bronzer in Miami Beach
Honest Beauty Luminizing Powder in Midnight Reflection

Left: Lily Lolo Pressed Mineral Bronzer in Miami Beach
Right: Honest Beauty Luminizing Powder in Midnight Reflection

As far as I remember, the first time I tried out Laura Mercier mineral foundation was a couple years ago. I fell in love with it right away! I have a brand new one in my photo as I finished up one today. It comes in loose and pressed form, and I've been using both. I do love both of them, but I must say I prefer Laura Mercier Pressed Mineral Powder (0.28oz/8.1g, retails $42 ) just for convenience of carrying it around. While both pressed and loose forms give me the same beautiful effect, and feel the same on the skin, the same exact colors are a tiny bit different. I'm a shade Real Sand, and the loose mineral foundation has some sparkle in it (you can't see it when on the face) while pressed mineral powder in Real Sand is more matte. They have a tiniest difference in shade too when looking at the containers, however, once on the skin, they look and feel absolutely the same. This powder gives medium to medium-full coverage, and makes the face look healthy and glowing from within. I only need to even out my skintone and hide some red spots, and it works amazing for that, but it might be not enough if you need to do more coverage.

Once my mineral foundation is on, I apply Qtica Intense Lip Repair Balm (0.5oz/15g, retails $12) on my lips and let it sit until I finish the rest of my makeup. It tastes a bit medicinal/vaseline-like, but I love how soft my lips become after using it.

Anyway, next step is contouring with LiLy Lolo Pressed Mineral Bronzer in Miami Beach (~0.3oz/9g, retails $26). I only apply it under my cheekbones, and then apply Honest Beauty Luminizing Powder in Midnight Reflection (0.35oz/10g, retails $25) on my cheekbones. Usually after this step I take a big fluffy powder brush and go over my cheeks to smooth out any lines and blend all products together. While I use Honest Beauty luminizing powder as a highlighter, I also apply it lightly under my eyes to brighten them up. It gives a fresh, glowy look without looking oily, too sparkly, too glittery, etc.

L to R: 100% Pure Long Last Brows, 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Eye Brow Powder Gel,
Sante Eyebrow Pencil

L to R: 100% Pure Long Last Brows in Blonde,
100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Eye Brow Powder Gel in Taupe
Sante Eyebrow Pencil in Blonde

L to R: 100% Pure Long Last Brows in Blonde,
100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Eye Brow Powder Gel in Taupe,
Sante Eyebrow Pencil in Blonde

Next step is eyebrows. I rarely have bad eyebrow days, but this step in not one that I love. No matter that I do it everyday, I still can't always make my eyebrows look identical, and I don't like that. Yet I love my eyebrow products! I've been using 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Eye Brow Powder Gel in Taupe (0.10oz/3g, retails $20) for as long as I can remember. I went pot after pot after pot. It might seem like a small amount, but you only need a tiny bit for your eyebrows, and this product last for months (6+ months for me when used daily). Sante Eyebrow Pencil in Blonde (0.049oz/1.4g, retails $15) is not so long lasting, but I love it nonetheless.I grab for the pencil when I'm in a rush or when I'm just too lazy. It gives great results, but since I have to sharpen it after each use (or every second use), it doesn't last long (1-2 months for me when used daily). Since I'm already crazy for 100% Pure eyebrow product, I've been eyeing 100% Pure Long Last Brows in Blonde (0.16oz/4.5g, retails $25) ever since it went on the market. When comparing the two, I'd go for powder gel as long last brows have a creamier texture, and I find it harder to work with. Also the color is a bit darker, and comes out more bold, so I usually use it when I'm going out or when I want to accentuate my eyebrows, and keep the rest of my makeup light and minimal.

L to R: Dior Diorshow Maximizer 3D Triple Volume Plumping Lash Primer,
Giorgio Armani Black Ecstasy Mascara,
Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascare, and eyelash curler

As for eyelashes, I love big, bold lashes (not sticky and clumpy) though many days I go without mascara. I have somewhat sensitive eyes, and while most mascaras don't give me problems, most eyeshadows do, and that's the reason I barely ever use eyeshadows. Usually I will apply eyeshadow when going out or in most cases I will use my bronzer as eyeshadow. I also included an eyelash curler, which I use almost every time when I apply mascara. This one I got off ebay for a couple of dollars. While there are so many different eyelash curlers out there, this one works great on my eye shape. So back to mascaras... After curling my lashes, I apply Dior Diorshow Maximizer 3D Triple Volume Plumping Lash Primer (0.33oz/10ml, retails $29.50). If I'm really in a hurry, I will skip this step, but otherwise I use this lash primer, and I see the difference in how my eyelashes look. It's not a dramatic difference, but it's big enough for me, because I'm on my third tube of this goodness. When it comes to mascara, I like the ones that give big, defined, separated, volumized lashes. Currently I have two mascaras: Giorgio Armani Black Ecstasy (0.33oz/10ml, retails $32) and Stila Huge Extreme Lash (0.44oz/13ml, retails $23). Both of them give me what I want, but Stila really packs up that mascara and gives full on doll lashes while Giorgio Armani is a bit more natural, yet still gives very full looking lashes. I go for Stila for evenings while I tend to reach out for Giorgio Armani during the day. The lash primer and mascaras are in sample/mini sizes in my photo, but they last me for full 3-4 months until I get new ones.    
  

L to R: Greenland Lip Balm in Passion Fruit,
Honest Beauty Lip Crayon in Marsala Kiss,
Algenist Splash Hydrating Setting Mist

Remember when I talked about Qtica lip balm? Well, it should still be on my lips when I come to this step, and what I do with it, is I use it as lip scrub. Instead of just wiping it down. I use towel, and remove lip balm from my lips in circular motion. This way my lips are hydrated, soft, and free of any dead skin, which makes any lip product application go on smoothly. While my lips are already prepared for lisptick/lip gloss, I like to dab a tiniest amount of a lighter lip balm on my lips and blot excess off. Now my lips are really ready for any product I choose to apply. I have a bunch of lipsticks and lip glosses. Very often I'll wear lipstick alone or with lip gloss on top. I used to prefer lip glosses, and had only a few of lipsticks, but now it's the opposite. I've mentioned specific products under the photo, but I have many more that I love and use daily. However, Algenist Splash Hydrating Setting Mist (4oz,/120ml, retails $35) needs to be mentioned again. I spray it all over my face once I'm done with my make up. I also use it throughout the day to refresh my face no matter if I wear makeup or not. I love that the bottle is graded, which makes it easy to see how fast it's being used. This is probably the longest lasting spray I've ever owned, and it's been filled to the very top, so during a month that I use it, I've used up just a little bit. The only downside for me is that the smell is really strong, and while it's nice, it's too overpowering.  

Well, applying my everyday makeup seems so quick and easy, but this post looks very long. I hope you find something useful in it, and maybe find new products to try. 

E♡