My Makeup Miracle Workers

Unfortunately I'm not one of those lucky girls who looks great right after rolling out of bed.  I wake up with dark circles under my eyes, red splotches, and my eyelashes pointing every which way.  In high school I put on a little Clinique powder, some eyeshadow, clear mascara and called it a day. Then my freshman year of college while  volunteering in an elementary school one of the kids asked me who had given me a black eye. I realized the zombie look wasn't the best thing to wear anymore.  I've tried many many many products over the years, but here are my top miracle workers:

Boi-ing industrial-strength concealer from Benefit ($18) -  It's lightweight, doesn't get cakey, and seriously covers the darkness.  

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation ($45) -  It's not oily, it's lightweight, and it does an AMAZING job at evening out my skin tone.  It only takes a small pump to cover my entire face. 

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer ($22)- If I need a little extra help to cover imperfections, this stuff is great.  It blends really nicely, doesn't get chunky, and stays on really well almost all day.  Plus, a teeny tiny bit goes a long way.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick ($38) - Technically this is meant for cheeks, but I use mine as eyeshadow. The shimmer is really fine, and doesn't have that glitter effect.  I find it does wonders for brightening up my eyes after a long night of work.  I've used it everyday since my senior year of high school (so for over 4 years), and it's still going strong.  It's of course also great to add a little shimmer and color on the face.

MAC Fluidline ($15) - I've tried many eyeliners, and this one lasts the longest.  I've definitely rocked the raccoon look, with brown smudged lines prominently displayed below my eyes.  I've only had Fluidline for a week now, but it's the only eyeliner I've ever used that has stayed put from morning to night.  It's also really soft, making it easy to put on with my small angle brush.

Eyelash curler.  Any similar metal one is great.  Does WONDERS for opening up eyes, making me seem more awake than I actually am.  

Nars blush in Orgasm ($27)- One of the most popular blushes in North America, and now I know why!  It gives a great sun-kissed color, with a little gold shimmer.  It's also well concentrated, so a couple sweeps of the brush adds a great color.  

For mascara I mainly use whatever waterproof mascara is cheapest.  I find that after curling my lashes, I don't really need too much mascara. And I use a light MAC sheer powder on top of my foundation and concealer to seal everything in.  Some of the products are a little pricey, but I've used both drugstore and department store brands, and these ones all last so much longer, making them worth it.  Yes, there are many steps to my process, but I've got it down to under 15 minutes now.  And hey, as the saying goes, it takes a lot of work to get that "natural" look!

xoxo,