For those of you who live outside of New England, you may be unaware of the wonderful wintertime weather that's graced our little corner of the universe in the past few months. Luckily we've managed to avoid (so far, anyway) a blizzard of last year's epic proportions, but have had quite a few nasty little snowstorms that have ruined evening plans and made commuting a general nightmare. This past Wednesday brought one of said snowstorms, which was bad enough to result in my having a legitimate snow day. In my adult life, such events are few and far between. I took advantage of my unexpected free time to finish a book, drink tea, and make some progress on the blog to-do list.
Among my many productive activities, I gave my entire beauty product collection (samples included) a once over to get rid of old things, crappy things, and generally anything that was only taking up space. Not only was it totally overdue and necessary, it was also somewhat relaxing and fun. Something about cleaning and organizing makes me feel so zen.
The next morning I was back to right back to the grind. Feeling a bit inspired (and well rested), I decided to give you a little peek into my morning makeup routine and share with you the products that I'm currently using on a regular basis.
I promise, I am not always this chipper looking at 7:00 in the morning, but after 24 hours of peaceful, snowed-in bliss I was in an abnormally pleasant mood. I also had just finished a cup of coffee. So there's that. (Sidenote, I absolutely adore that mug. My best friend Brittney gifted it to me, and it's probably my most favorite in my giant mug collection.)
Starting with a clean and well-moisturized face, I use a buffing brush to apply a mixture of Dr. Jart's Black Label Detox BB Cream and NARS Illuminator in Orgasm. The illuminator adds just a bit of an all-over glow to my skin. To amp up the radiance even more, I bring Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder into the mix. I've been addicted to my Ambient Lighting Palette since I splurged on it this fall, but if you were unable to get your hands on one, the shades Dim Light and Mood Light could be used to create a similar effect. Using my Real Techniques Setting Brush I dust Incandescent Light (or Mood Light, as a substitute) over the tops of my cheek bones, bridge of my nose, and other forward features to add a subtle highlight. Then, using an angled blush brush, I sweep Dim light into the hollows of my cheeks and around the edges of my face to add subtle contour. To add a pop of color, I've rotated my Bare Minerals Vintage Peach Blush back into the daily lineup. It's a really beautiful shimmering peachy-pink color that reminds me of springtime. I chose an equally bright and warm-weather inspired color for my lips - Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Coral Blossom.
For my brows, I've been all about Chella lately. I define and fill in spare areas with my Dazzling Dark Brown Eyebrow Color Pencil and add a bit of highlight under the brow and in the inner corners of my eyes with my beloved Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil. A few swipes of Anastasia Clear Brow Gel keeps everything in place.
For my eyes, I always start off with primer. My Holy Grail of eye primers is the NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base. Any complexion can use it, and it keeps shadows and liners bright and smudge-free the entire day. Speaking of shadows, I have A LOT of shadow palettes, but the good old everyday standby has always been my Urban Decay Naked Palette. For this look I applied the color Sidecar all over the lower lid, blending a little bit of Sin toward the inner corner. I then applied Buck into the crease and used a blending brush to soften any harsh edges. Urban Decay also takes the cake with Pencil liners. I used the 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Demolition to line my upper lashes. I find a dark, matte brown to be a little easier to wear during the daytime than black. To finish up my eyes I've been test driving the Hourglass Film Noir Full-Spectrum Mascara in Onyx. I can't say that it's my favorite formula ever. Maybe my sample is a little old, but it feels a bit dry to me. The skinny brush also helps to create a more natural, defined look.
So there you have it, a neutral look for everyday wear. You could easily trim this down to the essentials if you're more of a makeup minimalist, or glam it up for a night out. I'd love to hear about your favorite everyday makeup items, so please feel free to share!
