Over the holiday break, I had the chance to experiment with a lot of makeup items. I noticed that the freedom to play around eventually narrowed down my selection. As the decade reached another beginning, I reached for certain products repeatedly, knowing they deliver great results regardless if I have an hour to prepare or just 10 minutes.
I then carried over these beauty picks to my every day work routine. Their easy-to-use nature doesn’t compromise the quality they give. I found this routine gets me a compliment and looks good after a long day.
No foundation
Applying foundation and going through a multi-step base routine can take too much time. Also, piling on products when you’re in a rush usually produces a cakey result as you don’t have enough time to blend.
Instead, I streamlined my base with the Fenty Beauty Match Stix Trio. My chosen trio is Tan 300. I go over my dark spots and under-eye area with the Fenty Beauty Match Stix in Caramel. It acts as an eraser to all your imperfections.
I then draw on a bit of contour with the shade Truffle. There’s no rhyme or reason to the lines I make, I just follow my cheekbones, create small lines along my hairline, and define my nose line. These lines don’t need to be perfect, nor do you need to go over the mentioned areas more than once. Time-saving genius!
I like how Truffle can be used as that perfect brown eyeshadow to add a little dimension to your peepers. Use your ring finger to pick up the product and pat it on your eyelid.
Rum is a Shimmer Stick that gives a gold-bronze sheen and with the stick packaging, makes it dummy-proof. I simply drag it across the tops of my cheeks and the middle of my nose for that skin-finish highlight. Like Truffle, you can also use it as a cream eyeshadow.
I blend all three of these tones together with the It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush #7. The fluffy end diffuses the harsh lines without absorbing too much of the product. You can also use it to apply your powder. (Currently using the Ellana Cosmetics Loose Mineral Foundation in Hazelnut). The micro end is perfect to blend under the eyes and for spot correcting.
For brows, I like the feathery yet full look delivered by the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Gel. It’s what you reach for when you don’t want to fill in your brows one gel strand stroke at a time. This pigmented formula creates full brows with just one pass and is waterproof so your brows don’t move. The tapered end also helps you concentrate the pigment where you need it.
Princess products
After a spritz of the Urban Decay All-Nighter Spray, I also use the Ellana Cosmetics Glass Skin Glow Cooling Facial Mist. I use it even though I have oily skin because it stays true to its name: You get that glass skin effect without looking like a greasy mess. Combined, these two makeup sprays may seem excessive but they enhance how your beat looks effortless and natural.
For lips, the downfall during busy days is how they are always dry and flaky. My hero product right now is the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick. Unlike other moisturizing lip products that can take time to sink in, the effect is instantaneous.
You also don’t need multiple swipes to achieve soft and hydrated puckers. The formula doesn’t feel thick either so I don’t know how exactly it gives you luscious lips no matter how cracked they were at first. One review on the website is accurate “Be careful, you’ll become ADDICTED.”
Though you need to re-apply in the late afternoon especially when you’ve been in a cold room, it’s still perhaps the best lip balm I’ve tried. (The name also guarantees eight hours anyway.) Bonus points for the SPF 15 protection. The price is steep for a balm—around PHP1,200—but I’m crazy enough to consider repurchasing it.
Maybe.
I’ll let you know in the coming days. In the beauty world, there are a million alternatives waiting to be tried and tested!
Photo courtesy of @badgalriri
