On days where you are short on time, what are your must-haves for a quick makeup application?
Here are my top five must-have cosmetics at the moment:
1 // Tinted Moisturizer: Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer in bliss.
2 // Concealer: Cle de Peau concealer in ivory. (Homechild has dark under-eye circles. Concealer is a non-negotiable.)
3 // Bronzer: Guerlain bronzing powder in 03. If I must choose, I’d opt for bronzer over blush, though I usually layer both. I love this Guerlain formula. It goes on very naturally and is less about achieving a sunkissed look than it is about achieving a kind of healthy balance with my complexion — I apply it on my cheekbones, the tip of my nose, and along my hairline. Also, one palette lasts a REALLY long time; the formula is excellent and I’ve never had an issue with the bronzer cracking and dissolving everywhere, which seemed to happen consistently back when I was a Nars Laguna girl.
4 // Mascara: It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara. I freaking love this mascara. I was a Diorshow gal for about a decade, but I’ve fully converted to this formula. It’s thick, goopy, dramatic, and yet I feel as though it separates the lashes. I love a dramatic lashline. The only mascara I’ve ever found that makes me feel like I’m wearing false lashes.
5 // Lip Color: Fresh lip treatment in sugar rose. Just the best. Moisturizing and deposits the lightest slick of tint-enhancing color.
The above are MUSTS on a daily basis. Three other products I use most days aside the above: Smashbox Always Sharp Eyeliner (the easiest eyeliner to apply — I usually wear it in brown for daytime, which somehow brings out the blue in my eyes), Chantecaille HD Perfecting Powder (this stuff is pure magic: you literally cannot see it when it’s on, but it balances and glow-ifies (???) your skin), and RMS Living Luminizer, a clear balm that adds just the right amount of glimmer and glow to your skin.
For skincare, my current regimen, which I’ve been perfecting for the last two years and am extremely pleased with (and I apply the products in this order):
1 // Cleanser: Tata Harper Regenerating Skin Cleanser. Gently exfoliates and smells like a fresh squeezed grapefruit. So refreshing and toning.
2 // Serum: Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum. Smells like a heady bouquet of flowers and brings life to my skin — it has completely evened out my complexion. An amazing product.
3 // Eye cream: It Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Brightening Cream. I’m constantly playing around with eye creams. I’m into this one at the moment — it has a kind of whipped consistency, glides into the skin, and does actually brighten the undereye area. I alternate between more affordable eye creams (also love Ole Henriksen’s Banana Bright Eye Cream in this category) and La Mer’s eye concentrate. I go in and out of seasons of being adamant about using La Mer and wanting to test more wallet-friendly formulas.
4 // SPF: La Roche Posay Ultra-Light Mineral Sunscreen Fluid. Virtually scentless, glides on, and offers incredible protection. Easy to layer under other products and leaves no white residue!
5 // Moisturizer: Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb. As with eye cream, I tend to vacillate between La Mer and more affordable versions when it comes to moisturizers. I fell hard for Belif’s formula this winter when my skin was super-dry: it boasts a gel-like consistency that seriously hydrates skin.
I will also usually spritz on Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir at some point in this routine — sometimes on my just-cleaned skin, sometimes after I’ve applied my makeup.
What about you? Share your top fives pls and thank you — I always get good recommendations on beauty products from my Magpie Tribe.
P.S. A lot of these products are permanently showcased in my “Best of Everything: Beauty” roundup. And, ICYMI: my favorite beauty products under $50.
P.P.S. I still stand by my love of all of the products listed here, with the possible upgrade of my handheld steamer to the Rowenta I bought earlier this year. I still think the Joy Mangano one is an excellent, inexpensive pick and easy to travel with/use, but I did find that the interior molded and eventually it just puttered out. The Rowenta is more powerful and better-made, but then there’s the tradeoff of price. Both are good picks!
P.P.P.S. My favorite sleepwear for children.
You got me hooked on the Aqua Bomb face cream – it’s a dream! My daily routine is VERY minimal – Juice Beauty’s mineral tinted sunscreen in sand (their darkest shade) mixed with Glossier Skin Tint in deep, Supergoop’s eyelid sunscreen on my lids and in the corners of my eyes to make me look more awake, and a quick fill-in of my eyebrows if I’m feeling ambitious.
When I’m putting a full face on, I love Wander Beauty’s liquid foundation (blended with a fluffy powder brush for an airbrushed look), which is literally the best foundation EVER. I also apply LXMI’s illuminator in the prettiest pink shade, mascara (either Glossier, Milk’s Kush mascara, or Wander Beauty’s new mascara in the gold tube), and a dab of concealer under my eyes (Laura Geller’s Baked concealer in sand).
Hi!! I’ve heard you rave about the Wander beauty foundation in the past and think I will try it postpartum when my complexion assumes a corpse-like pallor and tinted moisturizer just won’t cut it — ha! Thanks for the rec. xxx
I just started using the living luminizer and love it! I am moving toward “clean products” even though I know the science is kind of out, but really liking lilylolo big lash mascara!
Absolutely LOVE living luminizer as well! xx
Love this! I’m not a huge makeup wear-er… so in terms of daily makeup, it’s a neutral-ish eyeshadow (currently Trish McEvoy’s), tightline my upper eyelids (also Trish McEvoy right now), and brow powder (I actually use a Nars eyeshadow for this), then a swipe of Fresh’s sugar lip treatment. No mascara – I feel like I always end up rubbing my eyes and it smears everywhere!
Then in terms of skincare – Estee Lauder’s Advance Night Repair, eye cream (currently Korres), moisturizer/sunscreen from La Roche-Posay, and then a spritz of rose face water. Oh, and a good hand cream – right now it’s VOYA (I looove their products).
I’m going to have to check out this rice polish! I’m intrigued!
Thanks for this roundup — going to check out that hand cream in particular! I am currently using one by Ritual, which smells like cherry blossom heaven, but always like to switch things up. xx
Top five.. here goes.. SKII essence, Verso super 8 retinol eye serum, environ cquence 4 serum, laroche posey sunscreen, Chanel CC cream. If I can break rules and add 3 more Mac snob lipstick, environ needle roller and Rhonda Allison cucumber mist.
UM a cucumber mist?! Sounds like heaven. Thanks for the tip! xx
Thank you for this wonderful blog! I’m a fellow NW DC girl and I love reading your thoughtful commentary on a daily basis.
You must try the rice polish — I have to admit that I purchased it after reading that Meghan Markle uses this and I was not disappointed. I find their products generally to be incredibly well made and worth the cost! The rice polish also lasts forever. I’ve had mine since Christmas and barely made a dent in it.
Oh thank you! You are so sweet. So glad you’ve found me!
Anything good enough for royalty is good enough for me – ha! Definitely going to try this rice polish; Markle has amazing skin!
xx
Not a huge makeup person, but my 3 go-to’s are:
1) Tata Harper cream blush
2) Mascara with a plastic wand (Covergirl lash blast and Glossier are current favorites)
3) Under eye concealer (Currently using Makeup Forever but looking for other options that last a long time and aren’t crazy expensive)
Skincare:
1) Tata Harper resurfacing mask
2) Super Goop tinted mineral sunscreen
3) Tata Harper nutrient face oil
4) Tata Harper hydrating floral essence (wish this wasn’t so expensive!)
5) Bobbi Brown night cream (has a really delicious black tea smell)
6) Tacha rice polish
Ooo, some of these were totally new to me — Tatcha rice polish?! I’m officially intrigued! — and others have been on my radar for months and months (Tata Harper’s cream blush). Thanks for this gorgeous roundup. Just added a bunch of these to my wishlist.
xx
I am so bad with makeup — I really usually just wear mascara (currently on Glossier Lash Slick, though I’m not SUCH a fan, and am looking for a replacement when this tube runs out…) and a tinted lip balm/gloss/stick — currently using/loving Olio e Osso #3. That’s it! Haha. I should probably think about upping my game, now that I’m about to turn 35… eek!
I am intrigued by that Belif moisturizer, as I’m sure I’ve told you before … adding it to my Sephora list! You turned me on to the La Roche Posay Sunscreen Fluid, which I use daily and love. My dermatologist loves it, too!
xx
Well, you’ve got the basics covered! I could not live without mascara!!
xx
I can relate, MK. The older I get, the less I enjoy wearing make-up – but the more obsessed I become with skin care. My money goes to derma-planing facials! I really love Kiehl’s ultra facial moisturizer mixed with PCA Skin weightless spf 45. I highly recommend Ilia after midnight mascara. I was skeptical of an all-natural mascara, but I’m really loving it.
!! Adding that mascara to my list…I will try basically any/every mascara on the market.
xx
Amy, thanks so much for the mascara rec! I have been trying to be better about buying natural beauty/skincare products, and I love this endorsement. Definitely going to try the Ilia next!