Makeup On My Mind {My Routine}

I don't know about you, but when girls talk about their favorite makeup products on their blogs - I'm always sucked in. Being that I used to be somewhat completely makeup challenged (I would need help applying eyeliner..let's be honest), I love hearing about what girls are using and how they achieve a flawless face!

Today, I thought I'd take a stab at it and share with you
my makeup routine // favorite products...

{clearly this is not the order I apply them on my face}


1. Elf's Face Primer-$6.00. I used to use PrimeTime (which comes with the Bare Minerals kit), but that bottle is expensive. Elf's face primer I LOVE..it creates the perfect base for my makeup and makes my skin so soft. The bottle doesn't last as long as it looks like it would, but for $6.00 you just can't beat it.
 Elf products can be found at your local Tar-jay.  
2. Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess-*my favorite product! Girls, I've been using this bronzer since high school. It's $30.00 and lasts me almost a full year. That's $2.50 per month. NOT too shabby! It is the BEST bronzer I've ever found and I've tried many. I use this even with my Bare Minerals bronzer because it gives such a good glow.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this stuff.
3. Bare Minerals (Original) Kit-For foundation and bronzer (along with Bronze Goddess), I use Bare Minerals. I'm not good with liquid foundation, so this suits me best. It's easy, covers my face, and looks natural. I've tried both the original and matte, but prefer the original.
4. Elf Tinted Moisturizer-$3.00. Cancel your lunch plans and go out and buy this stuff! This product works just as good as the $30.00 tinted moisturizers out there from Sephora. I swear by this product! I'm pretty sure mine is the "honey" shade. I will use it with just bronzer during the week and it's enough.
5. Benefit High Beam-*another favorite! This bottle is $26.00 but I've yet to run out of it. This product is a great way to achieve that "glow" on your cheek bones and can even be used as an eyeshadow primer! LOVE.
6. Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara-best mascara I've ever used. the end.
7. Clinique's Smoldering Plum blush-$15.00. I love Clinque's blush. It's not too expensive and it lasts forever. They have so many shades you can pick from.


As far as eyeshadow goes, I've recently found that I like MAC the best, so I will buy a couple good base colors from them that I will use daily, and then buy cheaper eyeshadows from the drugstore to use in my crease or brow bone.

The eyeshadow I use the most is
Mac - "All That Glitters"...

A couple tricks of the trade I've learned about having your makeup last longer and not breaking the bank on the products:

1. Unless it's a really important day, I typically don't wear much makeup during the weekdays on my face. I will use a little bit of bronzer, blush, eyeliner, and mascara. I save my Bare Minerals for the weekends or nights out. 

Not only is it healthy for your face to give it a "makeup break", but it also makes your makeup last longer..aka more moo lah in your pocket.

2. Spend the most money on products that make the most difference/ones that you really need (ie: foundation, bronzer, maybe some good eyeshadow), and then try and find cheaper altervatives to expensive products to help save money. I can tell you (and as you can see from above), I do this with: my face primer, makeup brushes, concealer, and tinted moisturizer.

This saves me a lot of money and most of the products I've found, work the same/or even better than the ones that cost an arm and a leg!
(My Dad would be SO proud of that statement.)


What are your favorite products?
SHARE with me!

*Word just in..if you unscrew Elf's face primer and use it that way vs. the pump then you can use it a lot longer. Supposedly the pump doesn't work too well but there is still primer left in the tube (when I had thought I had run out). Thank you Jenn!

*According to Steph and The Bargain Blonde, ELF's Facial Whip is comparable to Benefit's High Beam but only costs $1. $1 DOLLA peeps.

Husbands and boyfriends across the country
 won't be complaining with that purchase. 
Do you have any of the same makeup favorites that I do?!

Xo.