This summer has been well spent. I’ve made new friends in Austin, explored some pretty cool places, and eaten darn good food. But I’m also grateful that I’ve spent a good number of weekends traveling to Houston, Waco, and Dallas to see friends and family (and attend ALL THE WEDDINGS EVER).
Because of all my weekend getaways, I’ve become a pro at packing the absolute essentials when it comes to makeup. I aim for a polished, slightly flirty look that can go from dinner with friends to a chapel wedding. I focus on the big three: skin, eyes, and brows. (I’m not a big lipstick girl, but just throw in your favorite lip color and you’re set for the weekend!)
Skin
Since my skin is pretty decent, I don’t usually wear foundation. Also, it doesn’t help me with my goal to get better about reapplying sunscreen, so most of the time, I forego the stuff.
But on that note . . . the first goal always is to fix a week’s worth of sleep deprivation. I have the worst under eye bags ever – puffy and prune colored – so concealer is a must. After moisturizing my under-eye area (I prefer a little face oil to do this), I use an iota-amount NYX’s Gotcha Covered Concealer in 06 Golden. I pat that in with a damp sponge, making sure I get the inner corners of my eyes – this makes a world of difference in making me look awake!
If I still need a little bit of brightening after going to town with NYX, I’ll use the Glossier Stretch Concealer in Dark (here at NovelNests, we are all fiends about Glossier #NotSpon #ButWeWish). What I love about this concealer is that it’s so user-friendly – just use a clean ring finger to pat it on and you’re good to go!
Next up is blush. I LOVE BLUSH. I LOVE ALL THE BLUSH. Blush just makes me look more alive and free – like I’ve spent the morning prancing through a field of wildflowers with a hunky cowboy. In reality, I probably spent the morning having my bootcamp trainer yell at me to do “One more pushup, dammit!”
But I digress.
I’ve been favoring a glossy, melty look this summer (if you can’t beat the heat, join the heat), so I’ve been ditching powders for creams and liquids. I’ve been defaulting to two blushes this summer: Glossier Cloud Paint in Puff and Revlon’s PhotoReady Cream Blush in Nude. Both give a natural-looking flush and are easy to apply with just a few swipes of your fingers. These don’t have the longest staying-power, so I do need to touch up once or twice during the day. But that’s a low price to pay to look like I’ve been breezily prancing with a cowboy Casanova.
And there’s no contouring here – I want to look effortless! So I turn to strobing the planes of my face with Milk Makeup’s Highlighter in Lit, a pearl champagne. This highlighter imparts a subtle sheen that embodies the glossy look I’m going for. I don’t apply straight from the bullet; rather, I smear some on my fingers then press down on my cheekbones, eyelids, and Cupid’s bow.
Eyes
When I really want to amp my look, I turn to eyeliner. It makes my eyes look bigger and bolder. I’ve been using the Mally Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Liner in Midnight for a while. Smooth, long-lasting, and the blackest of blacks, this liner is a winner in my book. I have the oiliest eyelids though, so applying a primer is a must for extra hot days (I like the Urban Decay Priming Potion.)
I’m all about a big, fluttery lash. Like Ella, I love the Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara. It’s iconic for a reason.
And while I want the melty, sweaty look, I don’t want to look like a melty, sweaty raccoon. I layer the L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Waterproof Mascara over the Too Faced. (Since waterproof mascara can be pretty harsh on your lashes by itself, I recommend using a non-waterproof version first then layering a waterproof mascara to mitigate eyelash damage.) Is Lash Paradise a dupe for Better than Sex? Maybe, just maybe. Either way, it’s a good one for getting dramatic lashes!
Last step for my eyes, is to tight line. This step may be last but it’s definitely NOT LEAST. Tight lining makes the lashline look fuller so I get Bambi Eyes . . . which is all part of the master plan to look like a CAREFREE COQUETTE & PRANCER OF WILDFLOWER FIELDS. Sweaty sheen + Bambi eyes – where dem cowboys at? Anyway, my weapon of choice is NYX’s Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black Bean. How do you tight line, you ask? That’s a post for a different day . . . or go to YouTube and watch one of the millions of videos on how to do this. Either way, get yourself a good liner and go to town.
Eyebrows
Time to frame the face! My favorite is everyone’s favorite: Anastasia Brow Wiz in Granite. This stuff is SO GOOD at filling in sparse areas.
I take my time when I use Brow Wiz, but if I need to get out the door a little faster, I like using ULTA’s Brow Tint in Deep. While my NovelNests comrades like Glossier’s Boy Brow, I find that this is comparable in quality (and cheaper!). The formula is a little wetter than BB, so before use, I wipe off any excess product on the brush because it can get a little thick if I don’t. I focus this on the last half of my eyebrows which is where I need the most help. I also layer this over Brow Wiz if I want a bit of a thicker eyebrow.
And there you have it! I swipe a bit of Chapstick, Glossier’s Balm Dot Com, or Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm and I’m good to go for the weekend! Come at me, Monday, because my face is already here.
–Amanda Cordero
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