My Top 10 Must-Have Make-Up Products

This blog post is about my 10 must-have make-up products that I rotate and switch up for 85% of my daily looks. I am by no means a make-up professional, but I have been experimenting with beauty products since the 6th grade. I think that makes me at best an intermediate make-up and beauty guru. I cringe when I think about my early efforts with smearing on eyeshadow as thick eyeliner and using that wonderful glitter eyeshadow. I’ve learned a lot in the past twenty years of what does and does not work for me in terms of make-up, and have my neutral, daily look down to a science (it takes me 10 minutes at most).

Last week I had the great joy to join my family at the beach for the first time in at least 7 or 8 years. We used to go all the time when I was a child to Ocean City, Maryland, and to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. My mom, dad, cousin Ryan, Aunt Kathy, grandma, and grandpa would all stay in one condo, and my Uncle Mike, Aunt Donna, cousins Julie, Keith, Haley, and Nick would all stay in a different place. Going in such a large group was usually great fun, because you could all do activities as one big, happy family, or break off into smaller groups to do your own thing. So imagine my excitement when my Aunt Donna said that I could come and stay over for a night or two at their house in South Bethany Beach! It felt like getting to re-live those wonderful childhood memories all over again!

Now, what does this have to do with make-up, exactly? First of all, if you would have looked in the two little make-up pouches that I brought with me, you would have seen all of these products. Secondly, now that my hair is short, I feel very self-conscious not having any make-up on. I always feel like I need at least the bare minimum to feel comfortable or even sometimes feminine. However, even when I had long hair, I liked putting on a swipe of mascara and a light-tinted moisturizer.

I saw my cousins and aunt in the mornings almost or totally make-up free (and looking gorgeous, I might add!). I felt a little weird that I still was putting make-up on, especially considering our setting, but I felt naked without it! When I woke up both mornings at the beach, I tried to get ready as fast as I could! And you know what?? It didn’t take me all that long, and I didn’t have to really put in that much effort. I didn’t feel like I was holding everybody up just because I wanted to put a little bit of make-up on…which is a good feeling!

Here are the 10 make-up products that I mix and match every day to create a natural look for myself. Most of these products (with the exception of the Bare Minerals highlighter) can be found at the drugstore. I hope you enjoy this look!

1. Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation in Classic Ivory (here)

I discovered this foundation when googling for a new foundation that works well for acne-prone and oily skin. I still get a few breakouts on my chin every now and then, and my face has a few light scars on my cheeks from when I had very bad adult acne (there’s a post about how I conquered my adult acne here). I have to be careful with what I put onto my face, because of being more prone to breakouts. I also like that this foundation smooths out the color of my complexion and takes away any shininess that I might accumulate in my T-zone.

2. NYX Gotcha Covered Concealer in Ivory (here)

I usually put my concealer on after my foundation. I know that some beauty bloggers do the opposite and do concealer first. I like to use concealer sparingly. Therefore, if I notice dark circles, scarring, or zits after I put on my foundation, I’ll use a dab of concealer on those spots and make sure to really blend it. These concealer probably works all day long. I have gone through 2 empties already since discovering it, and I don’t want or need to try any other concealers. It just works fantastically!

3. Almay Shadow Softies Eye Shadow in Hot Fudge (here)

I feel like this may be an unusual use for this eye shadow, but I use it to fill in my eyebrows. I naturally have dark brown, thick eyebrows, but I also have a few patchy spots. I wet an eyebrow brush (here is an example of one) and dip it into the eye shadow. I just trace the line of my eyebrows with it. It’s very subtle, and I bet most of the time no one would even know that I’m wearing it. I do skip this step if I am in a hurry, but find that it finishes off my look if I’m dressing up for the night.

4. Maybelline The City Mini Palette Eyeshadow in Shayla (here)

I love a good eyeshadow palette. For someone who is “intermediate” at best at make-up, palettes really help me to understand how colors will go together to create a glamorous look. The beige color is your base, the lighter gold and purple shadows are for your lid, the darker gold and brick hues are for your crease, and the black is your liner. This palette is great, because the gold tones are a little more of a daytime look for me, while the purple and brick can create a bit more drama for a night out. My eyes are blue-green with a fleck of gold, and all of these shades make my eye color pop.

Starting at the top is your base, the next two shades are the lid (the purple appears more reddish brown), the following two are crease (the brick appears a dark brown), and lastly is the liner color

5. Maybelline Master Precise All Day Liquid Eyeliner in Black (here)

Okay, so I did a liquid eyeliner review at the beginning of the summer, and this was my winner (to read the review, click here). I like liquid eyeliner pens more than the wand liquid eyeliners, because I find them easier to control. It almost feels like you are using a felt marker, and I can be very precise with it. My entire look leans towards a retro vibe, so I love a good liquid eyeliner to make a cat-eye on my upper lid. I usually don’t line my lower lids, but if I do, I use eyeshadow. Using liquid eyeliner on both top and bottom is a little too harsh for my normal daily look.

6. Maybelline New York Volum’ Express The Colossal Big Shot Washable Mascara in Blackest Black (here)

I am going to be honest…I did not know that I had so many favorites that were from Maybelline! And no, this post is NOT sponsored by Maybelline. (*gasp!*) My eyelashes are medium-length and average in terms of fullness. When I put this mascara on, my eyelashes get huge and glamorous. They look almost like false eyelashes.

7. BareMinerals Invisible Glow Powder Highlighter in Fair to Light (here)

When I first tried highlighter, I didn’t think that I would use it so often. It just gives my face a little glow that it didn’t have before! I really like using it every day on my cheeks and brow bones. The clerk who sold it to me was wearing a different highlighter from BareMinerals that made a slightly more dramatic look. I like that this is subtle, and pairs great with my bronzer.

8. Mary Kay Bronzing Powder in Dewy/Luminous (here)

I don’t wear bronzing powder every day. However, if I want to highlight my cheekbones, I use it in conjunction with the highlighting powder. I sometimes like to brush a little bit on my eyelids too. This especially looks gorgeous if I am going with a hot pink color on my lips. My Aunt Donna sells this to me, and it is the best! I’ve been using it for years!

9. Covergirl Outlast All-Day Color & Lip Gloss in Rich Caramel (here)

This lip color is just a shade darker than my natural lip color. If you want, you can just wear the lip gloss. I like how it defines my lips subtly. It also looks so great with this season’s pastel blue, yellow, and pink outfits. The color really does last all day. I’m curious to try some other colors and see if I notice any flaking. I don’t notice any with the current color that I use, but it can be a problem with brighter, more vibrant shades.

10. Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor in Seduction (here)

I wear this lipcolor so often, because it makes your lips feel velvety smooth and not slick or sticky. It adds a slight hint of nude-pink color. If I ever am reaching for a chapstick and find this instead, I swipe it on my lips. Forget my make-up bag, this lipcolor is almost always in my purse. I really need to buy more shades, because I honestly love it so much.

My Natural Look for Every Day Wear

I would love to hear from you! What are your go-to make-up products that you use all the time? It seems as though I may need to branch out from Maybelline…who knew?? LOL

Until next time…

Melissa