What's in my Everyday Makeup Bag?

Hey Beauty Bees,

With my first official post back into blogging I thought I would share how my makeup routine has changed over the last couple years! I can not say that I exactly have a daily routine as each day and its activities require different amounts of makeup. Instead of a clear cut makeup routine, I thought I could share the products that I have been keeping in my "everyday" makeup bag. Instead of the massive amounts of makeup that I have stored in my vanity, these essential products live in a makeup bag  on top my vanity for easy access. Fair warning, this post may be a little long as I will be going into detail and giving a mini review of each product and how I use it.

Now before I get into the actual makeup products, I thought I should mention the tools that I use. I own many different brushes; however, my favorites come from mostly three brands: It Cosmetics, Real Techniques and Coastal Scents. Shown above are the ones I reach for the most such as my big fluffy Real Techniques powder brush (farthest left) which I use for applying my face powder and my contour and blush brushes (third and fourth from the left) which are both from It Cosmetics. Beyond brushes, my go to tool is my Beauty Blender! In the photo above is a blending sponge that is actually from the Sephora store brand but works just as well and is one third the price. Whenever I am between Beauty blenders and have not had time to replace it, I reach for this sponge instead!

Primer - Benefit Cosmetics Pore-fessional - For primers I tend to switch them up all the time because I feel that most of them all do the same thing! Currently I am using the Benefit Cosmetics one because I received a sample of it in a Sephora order. It works well at giving my skin a good base layer to put my foundation on.

Foundation - Covergirl Outlast All-Day Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation in Buff Beige - I have been using Covergirl foundations for years and have had a really hard time switching to a different brand. My thinking is that if you find a product that works and the shade is right, why change it! This foundation has the right amount of coverage without feeling too heavy or cake-y. I also really like that it has added SPF in it because I tend to forget to apply sunscreen on my face.

Concealer - Cover Fx Cream Concealer in X-Light - This concealer was actually specifically picked out for me by the lovely ladies at Sephora when I was struggling to find the best concealer. I mostly use it to cover up any redness I tend to get around my nose and to hide any blemishes I may have at the moment. It is a thick formula, but blends out nicely.

Powder - Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder in Buff Beige - This is another product that I have been using for years! This powder is my absolute favorite and it pairs well with my foundation to give myself a flawless base. I always apply it with my big fluffy powder brush to set my foundation and concealer.

Eyebrow Pencil - It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Brow Pencil in Universal Taupe - This product is really great! One end is an easy to use brow pencil and the other is a spoolie. I always start by running the spoolie through my brows to see where needs filling in and then run the pencil through with short strokes. For someone who is a rookie at doing brows like me, this product makes it easy to tend to my brows without worry.

Setting Spray - Urban Decay De-Slick Makeup Setting Spray - I find setting sprays essential for days that I plan on having a long day, especially long days that I am planning on wearing makeup. Urban Decay makes a range of setting sprays but their De-Slick line is great for users with oily skin like myself. A few sprays all over my face keeps me from looking shiny as well as keeping my makeup from melting off during hot summer days. You can use it before applying makeup, after your are finished and even hours later if you need to freshen up your makeup.

Blush - Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush in Paaarty & Stila Custom Color Blush in Self-Adjusting Coral - I love the different looks that these two blushes give me. The Tarte blush is more natural looking on my cheeks and gives me just a slight flush. The Stila blush is a more vibrant pink which I reach for when I want my blush to really stand out. Both formulas are really great and blend very well.

Bronzer - Ulta Contour Kit - I will admit I am still a beginner when it comes to contouring so I have been using this Ulta contour kit which comes with a booklet that details exactly which colors to use together and where exactly to put them on the face. I tend to stick to the left three shades as I have a fair skin tone; however, the highlight on the top right is super pretty and I use it as well from time to time.

Highlight - Elf Illuminating Palette - Whenever I am not using the highlights from my contour kit, I like to swap in some of the highlights from this ELF palette. These are super pigmented and have a beautiful shimmer to them. Also, considering this palette only cost $3, I am surprised how well the highlight lasts throughout the day. If you are just getting into the highlight game, I highly suggest trying this palette out before splurging on a more expensive one.

Eye Shadow - Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette - Up until recently I kept reaching for my Urban Decay Naked palette but I now find myself moving towards the pink-y nudes of the Naked 3. This palette can make a ton of different looks from an easy day look to a smoky night eye. My favorite shades in this palette are Dust, Burnout, Buzz and Darkside.

Eyeliner - Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Liner in Sumatra - This is my absolutely favorite eyeliner ever! To start off, the cap sharpens the eyeliner for you so like the name suggests, it is always sharp! Anybody who wears eyeliner daily knows how much easier it is to apply when you have a sharp point. The color of this liner is also really pretty. This brown shade is perfect for an everyday look and pairs well with the shades of eye shadow from the Naked 3 palette.

Mascara - Benefit They're Real Mascara - This product is actually an old favorite. I have tried and loved all of Benefit's mascaras but I always go back to the They're Real one because it makes my lashes look their fullest and longest.

Chapsticks - EOS Visibly Soft Coconut Milk Lip Balm & Nivea Milk and Honey Lip Care - Out of this entire list of products, even if I am going for a no makeup day, I still always use chapsticks. I love the packaging of the EOS lip balms and their flavors make reapplying a treat. The Nivea lip products are definitely more moisturizing but from time to time they can feel a bit thick, which is why I grab them more in the drying winter months.

Liquid Lipstick - Tarte Tarteist Lip Paint in Birthday Suit & NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm - I do not wear lipstick often but when I do I prefer liquid lipsticks. They are easier to apply and they seem to last longer. The Tarteist lip paint is a pink-y nude and the NYX lip cream is a more natural nude. Both are super pretty colors and finish off pretty much any look I am going for.

Lip gloss - Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lip gloss in Spark Plug - This lip gloss I actually got for free for my birthday by being part of Bare Minerals rewards program. The consistency is great by not being too sticky and the color is beautiful.

And that is it! Everything I keep in my everyday makeup bag. I hope you enjoyed and thank you for sticking through this longer post. Leave me any feedback you have in the comments below and let me know if there are any topics you would like for me to write more about!  Also, check out some of my older posts that I have done in the past, there links are archived to your right. 

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