Summer Full Face Routine

 This is the makeup routine I've been using this summer when I want a full coverage, flawless face. I find Revlon Colorstay Whipped holds up extremely well in the Midwestern summer heat and humidity. I use this routine when I've got plenty of time to put on my makeup because this uses a bunch of products and takes a decent amount of time to do.

Face

1. Spray Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray all over face
• I use this as a primer since siliconey primers don't seem to do much for me
2. Apply an thin layer of Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup in Nude 220 - does not have to be "perfect"
3. Blend out foundation with damp Beauty Blender
4. Apply NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla to imperfections on face and blend out with Beauty Blender
5. Apply Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment in Brightener in a triangle under eyes and across tops of cheeks and blend out with Beauty Blender
• this is my attempt at the Kim Kardashian highlighting technique, just a more wearable version
6. Apply Benefit Erase Paste in No. 1 in a smaller triangle under eyes and blend out with Beauty Blender
7. Apply Cover Girl + Olay Simply Ageless Eye Concealer in 215 Light Medium under eyes and Blend out with Beauty Blender
8. Pat Tarte Smooth Operator Micronized Clay Finishing Powder under eyes with Sigma F86 brush and over face with Sigma F30
• I prefer pressing in the powder to sweeping it on as I feel it can drag your face makeup around
9. Contour with MAC Emote blush and 109 brush on cheeks and ELF Flawless Concealer Brush on sides of nose
10. Bronze above contour, on temples, bridge of nose, chin, jawline and neck with MAC Pro Longwear Bronzer in Nude on Board using Sigma F40
11. Apply MAC Ripe for Love blush to cheeks with Real Techniques Blush Brush
12. Highlight cheekbones, center of forehead, down nose, Cupid's bow and chin with Physicians Formula Mineral Glow Pearls in Beige Pearl with Sigma F50 brush
• This is a really subtle highlighter which is nice for summer so I don't look greasy
13. Set with Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray

Eyes

1. Prime eyelids with Urban Decay Primer Potion
2. Cover lid with Urban Decay eye shadow in W.O.S. (from Naked Basics palette) using Sigma E55, bring into inner corners
3. Contour crease with Urban Decay eye shadow in Tease (Naked 2 palette) and an old-style Mary Kay Eye Crease brush
4. Darken outer V with Urban Decay Crave (Naked Basics palette) using the same Mary Kay brush
5. Blend with Urban Decay eye shadow in Naked 2 (Naked Basics palette) using Sigma E40
6. Highlight brow bone with Physicians Formula Beige Pear highlighter used on face using Sigma E70
7. Tightline upper lash line with Urban Decay Blackout (Naked 2 palette) using MAC 212 brush
8. Create small winged eye liner with Physicians Formula Eye Booster Pen in Ultra Black
9. Curl eyelashes with Revlon Beauty Tools ExtraCurl  Lash Curler
10. Apply Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara with Cover Girl Clump Crusher mascara wand (see Products I Would Repurchase post for explanation)
11. Line outer 3rd of lower waterline with Milani Liquid Eye eyeliner in 01 Black

Lips

1. Apply ELF Matte Lip Color in Natural to lips
2. Top with YSL Rouge Volupte in #1
3. (Optional) Top with NARS lipgloss in Chihuahua

Summer Fast Face Routine

This is the makeup routine I've been using this summer when I can't be bothered to put on three concealers, I'm running late for work or I'm not going to be outside for extended periods of time and don't need the staying power of the Revlon Colorstay Whipped. It's quicker and simpler than my full face routine and generally gets me to work on time.

Face

1. Spray Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray all over face
• I use this as a primer since siliconey primers don't seem to do much for me
2. Apply thin layer of Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup in 3.5 - does not have to be "perfect"
3. Blend out with damp Beauty Blender
4. Apply Cover Girl + Olay Simply Ageless Eye Concealer in 215 Light Medium under eyes and blend out with Beauty Blender
5. Pat Tarte Smooth Operator Micronized Clay Finishing Powder under eyes with Sigma F86 brush and over face with Sigma F30
6. Apply MAC Ripe for love blush to cheeks with Real Techniques Blush Brush
• I skip contouring and highlighting when I'm in a rush
7. Set with Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray

Eyes

1. Prime eyelids with Urban Decay Primer Potion
2. Apply Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24 Hour Cream Gel Shadow in Bad to the Bronze on eyelid  with Sigma P84 and blend into crease with Sigma E40
3. Tightline upper lash line with Urban Decay eye shadow in Crave (from Naked Basics palette) using MAC 212 brush
4. Curl lashes with Revlon Beauty Tools ExtraCurl Lash Curler
5. Apply Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara with Cover Girl Clump Crusher mascara wand (see Products I Would Repurchase post for explanation)

Lips

1. NARS lip gloss in Chihuahua OR a bright lipstick like Milani Color Statement Lipstick in 14 Rose Hip

Products I've Used Up and Will Repurchase

I've been hoarding empty product containers lately, as I planned two "Products I've Used Up"-type posts. This one is obviously going to be positive reviews of its I'm either planning to repurchase, or already have restocked. A subsequent post will follow, detailing products I used up only so I didn't feel I was wasting money by throwing them out. This post will have a decidedly smaller collection of goodies because, honestly, I try out more products I dislike than ones I like enough to buy again.

We'll start off kind of boring with Suave Natural Mineral Eucalyptus Blossom Antiperspirant/ Deodorant.

Now, I'm weird about deodorant. When I sweat, as I inevitably will, I don't want deodorant smell to emanate from my body. I want it to do it's job and keep me from smelling foul, but I don't want any other "fragrance" to come from my body either. This stuff is what I was looking for. It smells nice when applied, but you aren't reminded throughout the day that you put deodorant on in the a.m. This is probably my 4th tube (stick?) of this formulation and scent I've purchased and I've already started a new one.

Next is the One 'n Only Argan Oil Restorative Mask.

  

This was at least tube #2 of this hair mask, if not #3. I was platinum blonde for the better part of 2013 and my hair was a wreck. So bad, in fact, that I used this mask daily as a conditioned and it didn't make my hair greasy. It smells wonderful and helped keep my hair from looking like straw. The only reason I'm not running out to replace this is because my hair has gotten even drier and I've gone to using a cleansing conditioner and a deep repair mask (I'll do a post on those soon). If my hair heals a bit and I don't need as much moisture as those two newer products give me, I will definitely buy this mask again.

Sephora Triple Action Cleansing Water

Love this stuff. I initially got it as an alternative to Bioderma micellaire water that everyone online raves about. The Bioderma is a French product and hard to get ahold of in the US. I use this Sephora version it to remove my eye makeup before going in with Boscia Makeup Breakup cleansing oil to remove all traces of makeup. I'm not sure why I prefer this to relying on the oil to remove my eye makeup, but it works great and I've just bought and started using a new one.

Algenist Gentle Rejuvenating Cleanser (mini 1.5 oz size)

Holy soft skin, Batman! I bought this to use with my Clarisonic Mia2 and they really are a perfect pair. This lathers up nicely and leaves my skin feeling silky when I rinse it away. I haven't repurchased this yet because I want to jump on the Michael Todd True Organics bandwagon and give some of their cleansers a shot. If those fail me, however, it's comforting to know I have this gem to fall back on.

Last is a mascara, Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara to be exact.

The formula is what I really love about this mascara. It builds nice volume as the name would suggest, but I also find it to be lengthening as well. The color 301 Black is a super dark black, which I look for in a mascara. Now, the brush is not my favorite part of this product. I found it to clump product on my lashes. Boo. A mascara brush that is just amazing is that of the Cover Girl Clump Crusher - just not a fan of the formula on this one. So, genius that I am, I cleaned off the Cover Girl wand and stuck it in the Jordana tube. This is one of my prouder makeup moments. I'm not saying this hasn't been done before, but I'm glad I gave it a shot. The Cover Girl brush works great with the Jordana's thicker formula for beautiful, defined lashes. I can pile on layers of the mascara with this brush without fear of clumps. A match made in makeup heaven. Here's a pic of that Cover Girl wand.