Psych! This is totally another makeup routine, but I’m gonna be basic & hit you up with my faves anyways! I almost exclusively only try new products when they are recommended to me by someone I trust, (granted it looks good on said person) so I’m going to share my tried-and-true faves with you!

To be 100% transparent, I rarely find a reason to put on makeup these days. I’ve stayed “home” with Warner since he was born, (almost 7 months, where has the time gone?!) and typically wake up, thrown my hair in a top knot, and hang out in my jammies all day. When I do have an opportunity to go out, I LOVE to put on makeup and do my hair! I’ve finally found products that I’m wild about and that makes the process even more fun. Aside from eyeshadow and lipstick, I typically do not really stray from my favorites, although I do have a drugstore option and a more luxury option for most products because some events just aren’t worth the good stuff! I’ll stick to my more luxury items today & I’ll do a drugstore routine post another time. I also have a pre-makeup skincare routine I’ll talk about at a different time as well.

Some of my favorite products!

First, I start with either Smashbox Photo Finish or Benefit Pore-fessional primer; I prefer the texture of the Smashbox, but both do their job well. I know a lot of women don’t use primer, and I didn’t until last year, but it makes SUCH a difference with the texture of my skin! A little goes a long way and it just sort of fills in my wrinkles/pores before I apply foundation.

My Estée Lauder Double Wear foundation is absolutely the product I rave about the most. My mother-in-love got me hooked on it right before our wedding in 2013 and I’ve used it ever since. It’s a little pricey, but a bottle typically lasts me close to 6 months, even when I’m working and wearing makeup 5 days a week! It is a full coverage, buildable foundation and doesn’t feel oily or heavy. It makes my uneven skin tone flawless and doesn’t appear cake-y! This is a MUST HAVE!

Ever heard that saying “the bags under my eyes are Dior”? This is absolutely not the case with me- these bags are K-Mart, at best! I honestly never used an under-eye concealer until after I got pregnant. During the first trimester, I started to develop melasma (dark spots. Yes, let’s all eye roll together) underneath my eyes and I was so self conscious of them. My MIL let me use her Mary Kay Undereye Corrector and Perfecting Concealer and I got hooked, as it made such a difference. While my melasma nearly went away after Warner was born, the new mom life has left me with dark circles under my sleep interrupted eyes, so I continue to use it! After I apply my foundation & concealer and I’m looking like a pore-less, bag-less goddess, I use this Makeup Forever HD MicroFinish Powder. I love how it gives my face a matte finish & gives me a nice, clean canvas for the rest of my routine!

This next product I have had for probably over 3 years. It’s technically a blush, but I purchased an extra dark color & use it to contour! It’s MAC Powder Blush in Blunt Matte. I use a thick brush and blend it across my forehead, over my cheekbones, & right below my jaw to give the effect that I’m not carrying an extra 7 lbs in my chin area.

I received this blush as a free gift with a big online purchase from Ulta & have since fallen in love with it! It is tarte Amazonian clay 12-hour blush in “paaarty” and it totally lives up to its name! It’s the perfect pink for any occasion & just gives my cheeks a rosy glow! Sometimes I use highlighter, sometimes I don’t! I couldn’t honestly take it or leave it most of the time, but I do have the Flash Illuminator from the Estée Edit (by Estée Lauder) that I am fond of when I want a little shimmer!

If you haven’t noticed, I typically stick to matte products to avoid looking shiny! This Makeup Forever “Mist & Fix” locks my makeup in place & adds the perfect amount of dewiness to my, at this stage, matte face! It’s probably mostly overpriced tap water, but I’m not gonna test that theory out, so holla at your girl if tap water in a spray bottle works just as well!

Another product I absolutely swear by is the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion! I’ve used tons of different eyeshadows with it & the primer ensures that I don’t get that thick buildup of shadow above my lid or creases in the fine lines. I use the color Minor Sin & just apply with my finger.

I’ll be honest, I’m pretty decent at doing makeup, but I’ve always kind of sucked at eyeshadow. I stick to light colors because I overdo it every single time I try to do a Smokey look & my hands have no idea how to blend. The Naked3 pallete by Urban Decay gives me life, but I’ve never ventured to the last 2 colors for fear of looking like I’d just been in a bar fight. (The colors are called Darkside & Blackheart, to give y’all a visual of what I’m talking about!) My Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade expired over 2 years ago, but I haven’t gotten an eyebrow infection or broken out yet, so I’m gonna keep using it until I become a millionaire and can waste stuff that still works like the Queen I’m meant to be. I went all out and even bought the applicator brush that went with it & I recommended it even though it’s unreasonably priced.

I’ll keep the eyeliner portion short. I’ve worn a cat eye since I was 15 & I’ve tried, like, 387 liquid eyeliners and Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner is the best, by far. I am here for it & probably won’t stray from this for awhile.

Mascara, as we are all aware, is made from bat poo. I’m not up for spending too much of Jordan’s hard-earned money on that, especially when I’ve found the best for under $8. It’s L’Oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black & if you only take one thing from this post, it needs to be this product! As my friends & followers are aware, I LIVE for a good lipstick, especially a red! I’m typically a MAC lipstick gal, with some Kylie lip kits thrown in, but I’ll be frank & let you all know I have a newfound addiction to Lipsense. My BFF, Haylee Bonnie, started selling it & the fact that I can smother Warner in kisses without it leaving a mark had me sold.

This is what I wore last night for a birthday celebration: Lipsense- 1 Layer Fly Girl, 2 Layers of Napa, and Glossy Gloss!

If you made it through that entire post, I applaud you, as I realize now that it got way too wordy & most people prefer the pictures anyways. Let me know if you’re interested in an Instagram Live makeup video & I will show you how I turn my sleepy dragon face into something more presentable.

Let me know if you have questions on applications, colors, etc. & let me know your top makeup faves! I love a good recommendation & that’s really the only reason I try anything new these days! Thanks for reading & loving me, friends! Love & sass, Sarah