My everyday simple makeup routine

I’ve always loved makeup. I think it’s so fun to get creative with and enhance our unique features ♡ My first job was at Ulta, where I learned so much about the beauty industry. Over the years, I have tried tons of different products, gone through multiple makeup phases, and I finally feel like I’ve arrived at a simple routine that works well for me. I thought I would share it here!

The ‘no-makeup’ makeup look is what I go for day to day. This routine takes me ten minutes at the most. Here are my favorite products in order of application. There have been a bunch of sales at Ulta and Sephora, so maybe you can snag some of these if you need new products to try!

This is the finished look (without foundation)!

1. Foundation

I only wear foundation for special events or a night out. On a daily basis, I start with concealer, so you can scroll down if you want to skip this step. These are my foundation suggestions:

Makeup Forever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation: This is a classic. Medium coverage, looks great in photos.

Urban Decay Stay Naked Foundation: This is one of my favorites that I’ve used for years. It’s more liquidy, lighter coverage, and super buildable.

Elta MD Tinted Moisturizer: This is my go-to in the summer because it has SPF 40, which I’m all about, since I get so sunburned. This makes my skin look dewy and gives a nice glow under the rest of my makeup. I watched a video of Kourtney Kardashian’s makeup routine, and she uses this, so it must be good.

I use my hands to apply Elta MD, but for the others I use the IT Cosmetics foundation brush and it works great. I put a pump of foundation on the back of my hand and use the brush to blend it in.

2. Concealer

Cover FX Power Play Concealer

Finding the perfect concealer has been my biggest struggle with makeup. I have tried a ton of different kinds, and this is by FAR the best I have ever used. It lasts all day, doesn’t smudge, gives good coverage, yet feels dewy and light. I’ve tried Tarte’s famous Shape Tape, and Power Play works way better for me- it’s not as heavy and blends better.

Cover FX has a bunch of color options separated by neutral, golden, and pink undertones, and medium, light, and deep shades. I wear N Medium 1, and I’m pretty fair. Typically, I’d recommend going into Ulta or Sephora to get color matched, but the Cover FX website has a quiz to help you find your shade on the page I linked!

I apply my concealer in little triangles under my eyes, dab a bit on my eyelids, and any excess on problem areas I want to cover. I wet a Real Techniques Mini Miracle Complexion Sponge to blend it all in, then blend any excess around my face. This gives me the right amount of coverage without wearing a full foundation.

3. Powder

Cover FX Perfect Setting Powder

This stuff is also awesome. I love Cover FX—their products are vegan, cruelty free, and made with clean ingredients. This powder is light, sets my makeup all day, and perfectly smooths my skin. Mine is a translucent shade, which I don’t think they sell anymore. You can choose the light or dark shade, which I’m sure work equally well.

4. Bronzer

Hoola by Benefit

The ole faithful of bronzers. Since I started wearing makeup, I’ve never used a bronzer besides this one. It’s matte and natural, adding just the right amount of tan contour to my face. I get into how I contour further in this post.

I use a highlighter brush to apply this. Mine is so old I don’t know the brand, but I think this would be a good one for you.

5. Blush

Sephora Golden Hour – shade: Dusk

My best friend gave me this, and I am obsessed. I literally put it all over my face. I use a blush brush to put it on the apples of my cheeks. Next, I use my finger to dab it on my eyelids as shadow and the tip of my nose for highlight. So versatile!

Cloud Paint by Glossier – shade: Puff

Everyone was raving about this and it looked so pretty on my friend, I had to try it. It comes in a tiny tube, but a little goes a LONG way on your face. Perfect to enhance your dewy look and add happy color to your face!

6. Highlighter

Becca Opal Glow on the Go Kit

This little set is perfect. For some reason, I could only find it on Amazon. Becca is the best highlighter out there. I love the shade opal for my pink undertone, but if you’re more golden, I recommend the shade ‘champagne pop’. For all-out glow, dab the liquid stick on the highest points of your face, blend with your finger, then top it with the matching powder using a highlighting brush. You’ll look beautiful. I get more into how to highlight later in the post!

7. Mascara

For my eyes so far— I used a bit of concealer to neutralize the lids and then used my Sephora Golden Hour as shadow. I add a generous amount of mascara to my upper and lower lashes, and I’m done!

My favorite drugstore mascara: Maybelline Megaplush – adds length and volume, but keeps my lashes looking and feeling ‘soft’, if that makes sense.

My favorite higher end mascara: Benefit’s Bad Gal Bang. This stuff is better than Too Faced’s Better than Sex mascara, which is super popular. It never dries out and truly adds a bang to your lashes.

 

Other thoughts/tips:

Contouring:

Contouring can be daunting. My suggestions: bronzer should go on the lowest parts of your face to add depth and warmth- top of the forehead, underneath cheekbones, and under jawline.  If you think of your face as having different elevations, bronzer should go in the valleys and highlighter should go on the high peaks. Apply bronzer with a brush in a ‘3’ motion starting from the top of your forehead, sweeping under your cheekbone, and underneath your jawline. You don’t want to have a bronzed face and lighter neck. It’s important to blend well.

Highlighter:

Highlighter should be applied to the highest parts of your face to catch the light: cheekbones, bridge of the nose, browbones, and cupid’s bow (right above the middle of your upper lip). I dab my liquid highlighter on my cheekbones and out to the side a bit. Feel your own cheekbone to gauge where to apply yours. Add a bit to the tip of your nose, browbones, and cupid’s bow for extra glow!

Eyeliner:

I’m personally not a fan of eyeliner. For me, it makes my eyes look smaller and too dark. For my super fair skin, I think black eyeliner is just too harsh.

If you can rock eyeliner, good for you! Some of my friends look so good with the definition. A softer option is to use a small eyeshadow brush and apply a brown or black eyeshadow along the upper lash line.

Eyebrows:

I just use a gel to keep my brows in place. I like the look of brushing them upwards and setting them. I use NYX’s Tinted Brow Mascara in blonde. Any clear mascara will work. I’ve also heard amazing things about Glossier’s Boy Brow, it’s a tinted gel.

That’s all for now, I hope this was helpful! Let me know your go-to products, I love to try new ones!

Lots of love,
Brenna