I don't know about you, but my makeup certainly does not look as fresh at 4:00PM as it does at 10:00AM. During the day, simple tasks like walking around, eating, blinking...movement of your face in general can take a toll on your makeup. In addition, your skin will replenish oil during the day as time progresses after washing it as well as lose moisture. All of these factors can cause our makeup to cake, smudge, and fade. Thus, many women refresh their makeup throughout the day. Check out these tips for your mid-day touch up:
1. Clean up around your eye area
The most noticeable area that smear and fades is generally the eye area. Always keep some Q-tips with you to clean up around the eye area. Tackle more stubborn mascara and eyeliner smudges with Almay Oil Free Makeup Eraser Sticks ($6 at Ulta). They're basically Q-tips with a makeup remover formula in the middle of the wand. When you break it in half, the solution dispenses to one side of the Q-tip. And it doesn't leave an oil or residue behind. Even though I typically wear gel eyeliner, I keep a creamy pencil liner in my purse for any easier liner touch up.
After all that, sometimes my eyes still don't look as awake as they did in the morning. If I'm going out to dinner or something after school or work, I'll line the inner corners of my eyes with a shimmery, white eyeshadow (using a brush, wand, Q-tip, or white eyeliner pencil) and dust a light cost of the shadow under my bottom lash line to make my eyes pop and my eye makeup look sharper. It really helps counteract any darkness around the eyes (from makeup smudging or fatigue) and acts as a light-reflecting luminizer to brighten.
2. Mattify oil
When you wash your face in the morning, you rid your pores of excess oil. However, during
the day, your skill will slowly replenish that supply. By mid-day, your face may appear shinier than it was in the morning. Excess oil may also cause some foundations and powders to cake. So, keep some Palladio Oil Absorbing Rice Paper Tissues with Rice Powder ($4 at Ulta) in your purse. You don't need to invest in expensive blotting tissues because drug store ones can do the job. I really like the Palladio ones because they absorb oil really well without smearing makeup like other blotters do (make sure to pat not wipe oil from your face). Just don't overdo it...you shouldn't be blotting more than three times per day because constantly removing oil will send a signal your skin to produce more oil. Eventually, this can cause your skin to overproduce oil.
3. Wake up your complexion
To top it off, dust your face with a sheer pressed powder like the Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Pressed Finishing Powder ($34 at Sephora). The powder will help also help absorb any excess oil. I prefer a pressed powder because they are generally a more light-weight, and they're more mess-proof for easy storage in your purse and reapplication. In addition, I prefer a powder with a sheer coverage (rather than a transparent one or one with fuller coverage) and radiant finish because a slight touch of color and luminosity won't interfere too much with the makeup on your face. In fact, it can even your skin tone and give your
complexion a little lift.
For days when your complexion is looking particularly dull, gently pat a small amount of Mally Perfect Poreless Primer ($35 at Ulta) over your face before you apply the powder. I save it for certain occasions only because I don't like the fact that it contains bismuth oxychloride. But I must say that it's the only primer that I have stumbled across so far that looks okay over makeup. As a primer, it helps seal in moisture, smooth, and brighten. Mally herself claims that this is a good way to rid your face "mid-day crusties" and keep your complexion glowing.
4. Reapply
With eating, it's pretty hard to keep your lip color on all day, so don't forget to reapply it throughout the day to keep your face looking fresh. Adding an additional coat of mascara can also spruce up your look. Lastly, you may need to retouch any blemishes or dark spots that you spot cover with concealer. Slim concealer pens like the Shiseido The Makeup Corrector Pencil ($18 at Sephora) are perfect for the job. It's compact for carrying around, while the stick formula glides on easily and allows for a precise application.
5. Rehydrate
Throughout the day, your skin will lose moisture as time passes after applying your morning moisturizer. Also, many foundations work by pulling moisture from your skin, which can be dehydrating. To set your reapplied makeup and replenish your moisture supply, spritz with some Avene Thermal Spring Water ($9 on drugstore.com) over your makeup. Not only will your skin look refreshed, but it will feel refreshed too.
If you find that you have to reapply your makeup multiple times a day, you can probably take better measures to keep your makeup on. For example, try using a setting spray like the Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Spray ($29 at Sephora) to set makeup in place better than a setting powder or long-lasting foundation alone. You can also use primers to keep your mascara, eyeshadow, foundation, and lip color in place. Some really effective healthy options include:
Hopefully, these tips will help you freshen up so that you can put your best face forward every time of the day :)
What's the one makeup product women can't seem to live without? Surveys show that it is mascara. I tend to agree because a little mascara can make a huge difference. It only takes 2 minutes to apply and can really open and highlight your eyes more naturally than eyeliner or eyeshadow can.
But the market is so saturated with mascara products these days. How do you narrow down your options? First, I like to start by focusing on paraben and sulfate-free products (like the product recommendations below). In general, try to look for smudge-proof formulas. Save water-proof formulas for the beach because they often peel or clump easily. Many mascara formulas are similar, so it's really all about the brush. Different brushes serve different functions. Most women with normal lashes are looking to boost lash definition. Fine toothed comb brushes like the Juice Beauty Lash Defining Mascara ($19 at Ulta) can help sweep lashes upwards, while depositing clump-free color onto lashes that won't transfer to skin or stick lashes together. Volumized lashes can offer a slightly more dramatic look. I absolutely love the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! ($19 at Sephora), and it is definitely a fan favorite. It is "clinically proven to increase the appearance of lash volume by 424%," and the natural formula is very gentle on lashes. Overall, I like the mascara's light, soft feel and natural look.
For those of you with sensitive eyes...try Almay's mascaras, which are hypoallergenic and ophthalmologist recommended for contact lens wearers. I especially like the Almay One Coat Triple Effect Mascara ($8 in drugstores). Almay is an affordable and effective brand with products for people with sensitive skin and eyes, and their mascara is no exception. They make specific lengthening, thickening, volumizing, etc. mascaras, but the One Coat Triple Effect is a very general mascara product. It builds, extends, and sculpts lashes in one simple sweep.
For those of you who prefer waterproof products...try the bareMinerals Flawless Definition Waterproof Mascara ($18 at Ulta). The formula is waterproof, but it is not as sticky or flaky as many other waterproof products, while the fine bristles help brush lashes upwards and allow you to easily reach all of your lashes. With beautiful shades like Ripe Plum and Espresso, you had definitely a color that goes with any look.
For those of you with sparse lashes...try a thickening formula like the Jane Iredale Longest Lash Thickening and Lengthening Mascara ($33 on dermstore.com). The large brush adds a lot of color with each sweep (you only need 2 coats) while separating lashes. Like all Jane Iredale products, this mascara is good for your lashes too. A good tar-free mascara is hard to find, but this is one of them. Also, it contains seaweed to condition and fortify lashes.
For those of you with short lashes...try a lengthening formula like the Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara ($8 at Ulta). I didn't think that the fatter brush on this mascara was going to work well for lengthening, but it's actually really nice! Since my eyelashes are pretty short, this is usually my go-to mascara. The formula glides on really smoothly, and the brush makes for a neat and full application. This product comes in multiple shades, but my personal fave is the Black Shimmer. The "shimmer" is very subtle, but really adds a sparkle to the eyes.
And don't forget about your lower lashes to complete the look. Since they're smaller, they can be harder to reach. If coating the lower lashes is tough for you, invest in the Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara ($10 at Sephora). The short brush is designed for reaching all of those lower lashes, and the formula removes easily when exposed to warm water.
Make sure you curl your lashes BEFORE you put on your mascara. Curling them with mascara on can make your lashes brittle and cause them to stick to the curler. My personal favorite curlers are the Shiseido Eyelash Curler ($18 at Sephora) and the Laura Mercier Eyelash Curler ($16 at department stores), which has a cushy pad that prevents pinching and unique compact shape for travel. Also, heating your curler with a blow dryer helps your curler curl (just be careful not to burn yourself because the metal will get hot). You can even buy heated curlers like the Sephora Heated Eyelash Curler ($17 at Sephora). If you have lashes like mine that don't curl very easily, you can use a brush with a curved wand like the Buxom Sculpted Lash Mascara ($19 at Sephora) in addition to curling your lashes. As the name implies, the S-shaped wand will help sculpt and shape lashes more effectively than a straight brush. Many drugstore brands make a product with a curved wand, but I like the Buxom one because of the ultra fine brush bristles and the vitamin-rich formula.
Another way to improve your mascara wear is by applying a primer first. This will hold the mascara onto your lashes for a longer period of time and prevent smudging, flaking, and fading. Like your hair, your lashes can get brittle after being coated with mascara day after day. Primers can also protect your lashes from mascara. The Tarte MultiplEYE Clinically Proven Natural Lash Enhancing Primer ($22 at Sephora) is a natural option that nourishes and conditions lashes with HydroPlant peptide to help them naturally appear longer and fuller.
The nice thing about mascara is that there are many great options for wallet-friendly prices. So, picking up your favorite mascara from the nearest drugstore can be a guilt-free treat. After all, there's nothing more elegant than luscious lashes!
What is your favorite mascara?
My birthday is right around the corner. Like a true beauty addict, I can't help but think about my beauty routine as a 21-year-old, as I reflect back through the past year. I figured I would share my daily beauty routine and the products that I use with you.
[Disclaimer: don't be alarmed by how many products I use on a daily basis]
Morning Skincare:
Makeup
Shower
Evening Skincare
Weekly Rituals
For days when your complexion is looking particularly dull, gently pat a small amount of Mally Perfect Poreless Primer ($35 at Ulta) over your face before you apply the powder. I save it for certain occasions only because I don't like the fact that it contains bismuth oxychloride. But I must say that it's the only primer that I have stumbled across so far that looks okay over makeup. As a primer, it helps seal in moisture, smooth, and brighten. Mally herself claims that this is a good way to rid your face "mid-day crusties" and keep your complexion glowing.
