Growing up I was never allowed to wear make-up. That’s until a friend in highschool asked if she could put some on me during my freshman year. I’ll never forget the moment I saw what I looked like afterwards – renewed. I felt like an entirely revamped person. I was instantly hooked and had to get some myself. Eventually my mom found out and, luckily, wasn’t too upset.
Now, I absolutely love trying all kinds of makeup and experimenting with different techniques. After some time I have grown quite attached to the items that I currently use. I love them so much that I want to share with you my current favorites aka my makeup staples.
1. Tarte Cosmetics Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush – $26
This is a new addition to my collection and I absolutely fell in love with it. I love that a very little goes a long way. I can just tap the head of the brush 3x or less and there’s enough color to cover both of my cheeks! The color that is presented is a lot more intimidating than it really is when used. The pressed powder really gives you a choice in how defined and bright you wish it to be with little effort. For the price, I can see this blush lasting me for quite a long time and I like that! The title even says it is a 12-hour blush and it stays true to it! The compact itself is small and can fit nicely in the palm of your hand. It has a convenient mirror inside and is displayed nicely with a beautiful etching when first opened. [I’m not sure how long the etching lasts but it’s still there after almost a month of use. That’s pretty good!]
2. Benefit Cosmetics Boi-Ing Concealer – $20
This concealer is an industrial-strength concealer. It covers anything! I used to have a problem with my concealers when it came to using them for my dreaded under-eye circles. Not anymore with this one! I absolutely love that it doesn’t leave those unsightly creases after applying. I also like that it’s a compact concealer instead of a liquid concealer. I can easily control how much of the product I want to use and a little goes a long way! I also use this as a nice highlighter along my T-Zone.
3. Tarte Cosmetics Amazonian Clay BB Illuminating Moisturizer – $32
I recently bought this because I was looking for a nice foundation/moisturizer that would be great for humidity. After some time of research [I do love to research] I found that a lot of people enjoyed how BB Creams stayed – especially in humid places. Of course, I had to get my hands on some and try it myself. I initially wanted to try the popular BB Cream with the added primer but they were out of my shade. So I settled with the next best [only difference is that it didn’t have the added primer]. It has no unsettling smell and it is just as smooth as lotion. After applying, your skin feels and looks soft and smooth. I was shocked at how impressed I was with a BB Cream! Now I understand why people love them so much.
4. Lancôme ‘La Base Pro’ Perfecting Makeup Primer – $42
I’ve had this primer for quite sometime and it is the first one that I have liked. It is pricey but I didn’t buy it for that! I buy my moisturizers through Lancôme and they were having a sale where I ended up buying $150+ worth of product for about $80. Anyways, this primer leaves the skin feeling like velvet. As soft as velvet is – that is how it leaves your skin. It is amazing! I mainly apply this in my T-Zone but some days I like to do all over. Depends on the look I am going for and the kind of day I am feeling.
5. NARS Laguna Bronzing Powder – $36
I bought this bronzer in North Carolina at Sephora and OMG! At first test it was love. I always knew that this was a popular staple item for many women. At least, according to many magazines. Naturally, I had to [eventually] buy it. I have tan/olive skin and it can be hard to buy bronzers since most can be used as a foundation than a bronzer. This one leaves a gorgeous natural looking bronze to the cheeks. And I can actually see it when I apply it. I mainly use this as a definer, below the apples of the cheeks. It has glitter but it is quite lite. It leaves your cheeks shimmery instead of looking like a disco ball when you’re in the sunlight. And the compact that it comes in is quite large. It’s larger than the palm of my hand and has a built in mirror. Overall, I am positive this will be a staple in my make-up bag.
6. Select Cover-Up | MAC Cosmetics | NW35 – $18
I used to use this concealer for under my eyes but my skin likes to fluctuate in color. Now it is a little too dark when I would like to lighten my already dark under-eye circles. Now I use it as a definer for my dark zones on my face. Kind of like a dark highlighter. I couldn’t let it go to waste! It leaves a nice smooth finish that lasts all day. The size of the bottle would make you question why I spent $18 on it but, just like the others, a little goes a long way. So no need to cake on the product!