This is what I use on an average day for my make-up, no make-up look. Yeah it looks like I use a lot of stuff just to make myself look clean-faced with minimal make-up. It’s true. And under the cosmetics, I have my toner and sunblock too!
So this came up because my pal Isis asked me about my eyeliner last week. I said I’ll do a post to list down what I use since the last time I did one was about a year ago. I use a really random mix lot so it’s mostly affordable and easily available for most people.
Here’s my list of what I’m using for my everyday face, in order of application:
1. MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPH 35FPS NC20
This has been my go-to concealer for a long time. It covers well and is in the right shade for me.
2. BAVIPHAT Secret Recipe BB Magic Girls PLUS BB CREAM Fresh for Oily Skin SPF30/PA++
I discovered this on my sister’s dresser and used it once. Fell in love with what it does for my skin and bought a tube for myself off eBay. I use this very sparingly and a small pea sized drop spreads easily to cover my entire face. I try not to use a foundation when I don’t need it. It gives my skin a chance to breathe and I do notice that as I get older, foundation can be unflattering as it accentuates my large pores and fine lines. But I do have uneven skin tone that’s starting to look sallow so at the very least, I need a BB cream to even it out.
3. MAC Select Sheer/Pressed powder NC 25
I’ve been using this for at least 10 years now and sometimes I do get darker when I stay out in the sun for a few days in a row but not enough for me to want to purchase a shade darker. Great coverage, matches my skin colour, yet doesn’t look too heavy for me. I love pressed powders for their convenience. I can’t be bothered with big brushes and loose powder even if people say it looks more “natural”. Because I don’t use foundation, I think it’s okay to be a little more heavy handed with a pressed powder.
4. BIOTHERM Play On Velvet Eye Shadow Perfect Wear 600
This was something that my sister didn’t want. It works for me and helps even out the darker colour around my eyes. Most times, it doesn’t even look like I have eye shadow on. Also, sometimes I make mistakes and smudge my eyeliner or make small stains with my mascara, I just go over the tainted area with a few strokes of this and it disappears. Or so I think.
5. SILKY GIRL Natural Brow Pencil 02 Dark Brown
My eyebrows are the ultimate crap. What’s with the hair on my head and my eyebrows? Years of torture plucking and one rather uneven eyebrow embroidery job has left me with sparse and uneven eyebrows. Luckily, I wear bangs and on most days, my eyebrow pencil does the job well enough that nobody notices. I like my brows darker as it frames my face and perks me up. I like the shade of this pencil, it’s easily available at the drugstores and it’s only a few bucks!
6. MAYBELLINE Hyper Sharp Liner
Easily the best eyeliner I’ve ever used. I’ve since bought over 10 of these! It’s like a firm felt marker with a fine tip. Very easy to use and highly pigmented. Be careful on the first 5-6 uses as it’s usually very wet and takes a while to dry.
7. MAYBELLINE The MAGNUM Volum’ Express Ultracomb Waterproof
All the black MAYBELLINE waterproof mascaras are good! I use them interchangeably especially when there is a discounted item. I like this because it’s a little comb and brushes out each eye lash.
8. MAC Well Dressed Satin Powder Blush
A light pink blush, none too overboard. I use this for day and tend to go for a dusky rose pink at night.
9. GUERLAIN Meteorites Perles Illuminating Powder – Pure Radiance 01 Teint Rose
Bought this last year at the airport duty free shop on my way back from Melbourne, Australia. It comes as a set of 2. This jar has green, white, yellow, purple and pink. The other jar which I left in Las Vegas, is mostly pink and white. I don’t know what the difference is honestly, but I use it everyday now. I swirl the brush into the jar of beads and then brush in rotating motion over my cheekbones just under my eyes, on the tip of my nose and chin. It seems to do the trick of deflecting light and making my skin less old in pictures. I notice how much more haggard and dull my skin is when I’m not using it.
10. BENEFIT Dandelion Ultra Plush lip gloss
This smells good and gives my lips this light dewy tint. Sometimes I just use it alone but most days this goes under my lipstick.
11. MAC CREMESHEEN Speed Dial
A creamy pink lipstick which is great everyday. For pictures though, I sometimes go over this colour with a deeper hot pink so that it would perk up my face. But otherwise Speed Dial is a great “natural” go to colour for me.
So what do you use? Is your everyday face as complicated? I spend about 10-12 minutes on my face – including toner and sunblock. Is that too long? How long do you take?
An Exercise In Trivial Pursuits 