Tuesday, April 18, 2017

my daily make-up routine (& a Sephora giveaway!)

It's been a hot second since I last wrote about my daily make-up routine (...so it's been like 18 months), and since quite a bit has changed (and a few things have stayed the same), today's post is all about my current make-up routine! I have this thing down to a science, and can do all of this in about ten minutes now. If I'm in a hurry, I skip the foundation and highlighter parts, but for the most part, here's what I use every day!
  1. Smashbox primer: I have larger pores, and this does a great job of "blurring" them out. Downside is that some days I need more hydration, so I sometimes use the Laura Mercier primer for those dryer days. 
  2. Hourglass foundation stick: A YouTube favorite, I started using this about four months ago and absolutely love it! I love that it's really buildable (I don't it to be super thick, so I just use a few swipes of this), that you don't have to get any foundation on your hands, and that there is such a broad selection of colors so you can really get your perfect color. I blend it out with my Beauty Blender. Highly recommend, especially if you travel a lot (no risk of spills!).
  3. Urban Decay concealer: Still one of my favorite concealers I've ever used ( I'm on my third tube now). I am curious about the Tarte Shape Tape though - everyone seems to love it!
  4. Smashbox powder: Still one of my holy grail items. I've been using this for over six years now and have no plans on changing my powder anytime soon. I use it with an It Cosmetics brush and the combo is ðŸ‘Œ
  5. Charlotte Tilbury bronzer: One of the newer pieces of my routine, I love the color and formulation of this bronzer. It's not too orange, and has good staying power without being overwhelming. This guy is a bit of a splurge for sure. I use it with this Morphe brush (which I absolutely adore!).
  6. Bobbi Brown blush: I wear the "pretty pink" color and it's the perfect amount of pink glow for every day wear. I apply it with a Sephora blush brush that I've had for years and years. 
  7. Urban Decay setting spray: As I mentioned last week, I spray this on a beauty blender, and then tap on to my skin. Have you tried this trick yet? It's one of my favorites!
  8. Becca highlighter: This is something I've owned for over a year, and continue to really enjoy. I use an Anastasia brush to apply a little on my cheek bone and nose. While I love the pretty glow this provides, it's also the first step I'll skip if I'm in a hurry. 
  9. Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow: In every day life, I just use my fingers to put a swipe of the lightest color on my lid. It brightens up my deep set eyes, and I think it provides a better foundation for my eyeliner. If I'm going somewhere special, I'll apply a bit of the darker color to my crease for added definition.
  10. Stila eyeliner: You already know this was going to be here - it's the only eyeliner I've used consistently for the past seven years or so. #holygrail
  11. Eyelash curler: One of those steps that makes such a huge difference that I never ever skip it! Eyelash curlers are the secret to longer looking fluttery lashes. 
  12. Eyebrow pencil + eyebrow gel: I have used several different methods for "applying your brows" but I really like using the brow definer pencil the most - when you apply and then use the spooley to brush it out, I think it looks a lot more natural than a pomade like the dipbrow, and it's a lot quicker to use than a powder. Combined with a clear gel, they now last all day!
  13. Eyelash primer + mascara: Saving the best (and most important!) step for last! I have been using this eyelash primer for about 18 months now, and am on my third or fourth tube of it. It makes such a difference in the thickness and volume of your eyelashes, and really makes your mascara stay put (I never have issues with flaking). I've been playing around with a few new mascaras, but my go-to is still the eye opening mascara. It does dry up quicker than others I've used, but a few drops of contact solution fixes that problem real quick, and extends the use of the tube for at least another month this way!
And that's it! It takes so much longer to write that up than to actually do it ðŸ˜‚  I did want to mention that this upcoming week is the spring VIB sale event! Here are the details:

  • VIB Rouge: 
    • April 18th - April 24th
    • 15% off with code ROUGESPRING
  • VIB:
    • April 19th - April 24th
    • 15% off with code VIBSPRING
  • Beauty Insider:
    • April 20th - April 23rd
    • 10% off with code BISPRING

Since I'm doing pretty good on my go-to products (I have a few favorites stock piled from previous sales), there are just a few things I'm going to order. I want to try  Hourglass's primer (I've read so many good things!), this CC cream from It Cosmetics, and Dior's lip scrub+ balm combo (I tried this last weekend and my lips looked amazing after!). To celebrate my five year of blogging anniversary though, I want to give one of you a little extra spending money for the sale! Enter the giveaway below - and as always, thank you for being my internet friends and loving make-up and skincare as much as I do! Giftcard will be in US dollars.