This week, I wanted to talk about makeup. Before kids, I LOVED makeup. I had a lot of books on makeup application, I tried all different kinds of things, I even wanted to be a makeup artist. My favorite brand was Mac Cosmetics and I had all kinds of eye shadows, blushes, bronzers, and lip sticks. You could always see me walking around with a smokey eye or a red lip. Nowadays, I have a much simpler life, at least in terms of makeup and style. While I still love to experiment with different styles, I just don’t have the time for it to be a daily thing. And because of that, I’ve had to whittle down my supply to a few basics. Makeup goes bad after a certain amount of time, so as much as I love that navy blue shadow, I just don’t have a need for it. My rule now is that I’m only allowed one blush and I have to use it until it runs out. The same with lip gloss and lipstick. I have one eye palette that I use and it’s a simple one. I had a huge one from Sephora, but I didn’t use all of the colors and I ran out of the more neutral ones quickly which is why I have the one I mention below. Take a look!

I used the actual things from my bag, so they look a little worn – whoops!! Anyway, this isn’t absolutely EVERYTHING but it’s what I use almost daily. I try to keep my routine simple because most of the time, I’m just going to the store or the library. It’s nice because I can add a thing here or there and make myself look a little more polished. I can also take something away if I’m in a hurry or a baby is crying. And yes, there are days where I don’t wear any makeup and that’s okay too!

1. Bobbi Brown BB Cream – I use bb cream instead of full on foundation because it’s lighter. Bobbi Brown’s version gives a good amount of coverage but still feels good on my face.
2. Clinique All About Eyes Concealer – I ONLY use this under my eyes. It’s great because it’s very light, in terms of how it feels on your skin, and because of that, it doesn’t settle in the crease in your eyes. It also stays on a long time which is surprising. I used to use a heavier cream there (Mac Cosmetics), but I like this one a lot better.
3. Bobbi Brown Face Touch Up Stick – yes, I use two different concealers. This is better for blemishes and darker areas on your face. It’s a little heavier and I have it in a darker color. It stays on well too!
4. Clinique Bronzer – I don’t always put on bronzer just because it’s an easy step to skip when I’m in a hurry. This is a nice bronzer though and looks very natural.
5. Clinique Powder – I put this on after all of the above to set everything and hope it stays all day long 🙂
6. Smash box Powder Blush – I just have a basic pink because it looks good on my skin in all seasons. I love a peach as well, so maybe next time, I’ll get that instead.
7. Naked2 Basic Eye Palette – These are basic browns, but there are enough choices for me to have a day face, an evening face, etc. I used to have tons of colors, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve really tried to limit my choices to make things easier when getting ready. I miss all of my options, but most of the time, eh, I have poop on my pants, so…
8. NARS Liquid Liner in brown – I don’t love this liner so I don’t really recommend it but it’s the one I have, so I’m using it.
9. Clinique Mascara – Clinique has the best mascara that I’ve tried and I’ve tried  A LOT.
10. Clinique Long Last Glosswear – they have LOTS of colors. I just use a basic pink but I love it. My favorite lip gloss is Prrr from Mac Cosmetics so I’ll go back to that next time. The Mac one lasts forever and these are in a close second.

My next beauty post will be about my actual beauty routine and if I can get it together, maybe I’ll actually do a video tutorial. In the meantime, let me know what’s in your bag! Do you use other things than what I’ve listed? Maybe a primer? A different type of eye liner? I’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!