In the beauty community there's always a whirl wind of changing products. New releases come out every month (sometimes every week!). At times it can be hard to keep up with what is "fresh" and "new". However, makeup is expensive and good quality products actually last a long time. Let's show those products a little love by using them as extensively as we can!
Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE makeup and will run to the store (or website) for something that I "just can't live without" probably more often then I'm willing to admit. Especially if there's a sale, special, gift with purchase or any other thing brands and stores use to lure us into buying product...I admit, it works. I'm a sucker for makeup.
Even though this is the case, I still love playing with and enjoying some favs! I love having an arsenal of makeup that is my "go to" makeup. Makeup that just WORKS!
For products to be products that "work" for me in this way, they must be versatile.
I love having a set of products that can be used for daytime & nighttime with an easy transition from one to the other. Also, a set of products that can be used as full-face "Glam" makeup or for a more "Natural" easy going type of look.
In the picture above I have a Glam side and a more Natural side. Let's just get this outa the way...I know teal eyeshadow is not "natural" or even a natural color, but what I'm refering to is my face makeup. Its a ligher makeup and even though I did use teal on my eyes, I didn't pack on the color like I would for a full glam type of makeup. I really enjoyed this look. The teal shadow added a pop of color to the fresh, lightweight makeup look.
On the Glam side, I used the same teal eye shadow but only on the lashline as an accent color. My lid is packed with some smokey browns from the Tartlette in Bloom palette, and my base consists of a few extra contour, highlight and bronzing products which are layered for maximum effect without looking "cakey".
Both of these looks were acheived using mostly the same products. I did add a few products for the more glam side. However, all the products I used for the natural side are some of the same products just used in a more stretegic way for a more natural finish.
If you're interested in exactly what I used and how I applied my makeup for these looks, then continue below.
I list out all the makeup I used so you can match it with the layout picture and see the products I'm talking about. I also go through how I apply these products and how I use them for a Glam look vs. A more Natural look.
Natural Makeup:
Loreal True Match Lumi Foundation: I applied this with a dampened beauty spongue by Real Techniques. Dampened so it won't soak up as much product and so it will glide softly on the skin. I use swiping motions to glide the product over the skin an then a stippling motion over areas that I want more coverage (like my cheeks).
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer: I applied it only under the eyes and blended it in using the tip of my same blending spongue.
Tarte Smooth Operator setting powder: I used a very small amount of this only to set the concealer under my eyes and very lightly in my T zone. I use a small Luxi setting brush for this.
Benefit Hoolah Quickie Contour Stick: I applied a small amount to the hollows of my cheeks and blended it in using a Real Techniques bold metals contour brush.
Benefit Watts Up? Highlighting Stick: I swiped this onto the high cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and on my lids. I blended it in with my fingers.
Benefit Good Proof Eyebrow Pencil: I used this to add color and definition to my sparse brows.
Tarte, matte rose blush in Blissful: I applied this very lightly on the apples of my cheeks sweeping back towards the top of my ear.
NYX Ultimate Eyeshadow Palette, Colors: I used the 2 teal shades in this palette all over the lid concentrating the darker teal on the outer corners and the lashline and the dark peachy shade for some light definition in the upper crease.
Loreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara: I applied 2 coats to the top and 1 coat to the bottom lashes.
Soap and Glory statin nude lipstick in Nude Edition: This is a very pale nude color. I used this color just because I wanted the eyes to be the thing about this look that stood out.
Glam Makeup:
Benefit Pore-fessional Face Primer. Added product for the Glam look. So this makeup looks more flawless and lasts longer, I added this primer. I only added a small amount to my fingertips and then patted it into my skin concentrating on places where I have larger pores.
Loreal True Match Lumi Foundation. The Glam difference is in how it's applied. I applied this with an expert face brush by Real Techniques. I use circular motions around most of my face and stippling motions on areas like my cheeks and forehead where I want a little more coverage. For me, this brush gives better, more even coverage than the spongue and doesn't soak up all my product.
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. The Glam difference is in where it's applied. I applied it under the eyes in an upside down triangle shape, down the bridge of my nose, a bit on my forehead and on my cupids bow of my lips. I blended it in lightly using the tip of my blending spongue.
Tarte Smooth Operator setting powder. The Glam difference is in where it's applied. I used a small amount of this to set my whole face, concentrating the product on the center of my face. I used a small Luxi setting brush to sweep this lightly all over.
Benefit Hoola Quickie Contour Stick. The Glam difference is in where it's applied. I applied a small amount to the hollows of my cheeks, the temples of my forehead, down the sides of my nose and on the sides of my jawline and blended it in using a Real Techniques bold metals contour brush and my fingers.
Benefit Watts Up? Highlighting Stick. The Glam difference is in where it's applied. I swiped this onto the high cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and onto my cupids bow. I blended it in with my fingers.
Physicians Formula, Butter Bronzer. Added product for the Glam look. I swept some of this bronzer across my forehead and on the places where I added the contour such as the cheekbones, temples, jawline. I also swept this onto my chest area. I used a Real Techniques blush brush for bronzer.
Tarte Highlight in Exposed. Added product for Glam look. I used a smaller, flat blush brush by Luxi to sweep this poweder highlight across my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, over my cupids bow and lightly across my forehead for some additonal glow.
Benefit Good Proof Eyebrow Pencil. The Glam difference is in how much is applied. I used this to add color and definition to my sparse brows. I added more right at the bottom of the brow, drawing a line to define the brow and make it sharper.
Benefit Gimme Brow. Added product for the Glam look. I swiped some of this brow gel through my brows for added volume and to keep them in place.
Tarte, matte rose blush in Blissful. The Glam difference is in how much and where it is applied. I applied this in a few layers starting in the middle of my cheeks and sweeping back towards the top of my ear.
Tarte Sex Kitten Eyeliner. Added product for the Glam look. I lined only my upper lid with this eyeliner and then used the smudger on the end of the liner to smudge the liner into my lashline and up onto the lid a bit.
Tartlette in Bloom Palette. Added product for the Glam look. I used the shade flowerchild all over my lid and up under my browbone. I used a fluffy blending brush to sweep the shade smartypants into my crease, blending back and forth and going in a few times to build up the color. I then applied the color firecracker using the tip of my ring finger. I patted firecracker all over my eyelid but not going past the lid and into the crease.
Pixi nude eyeliner. Added product for the Glam look. I lined my lower lashline with this nude eyeliner so it can act as a base for the teal colored eyeshadow I added next.
NYX Ultimate Eyeshadow Palette, Colors. The Glam difference is in where and how it is applied. I used the 2 teal shades in this palette on the lower lashline only. I used a small detailer brush by Real Techniques and applied some of the matte lighter teal shadow first, all along my lashline over the pixi nude liner that I used as a base. Then, I went back over my lashline with the darker teal shade, concentrating it on the outer edge of my lashes and pulling into the center slightly.
Loreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara. The Glam difference is in how much you apply. I applied many layers of mascara to lengthen my lashes and build up the volume as much as possible.
Soap and Glory matte nude lipstick in Super Nude. For this look I used a darker, matte nude lipstick which complements this look more. The matte formula of lipstick also lasts longer on the lips.
I hope you all enjoy this. I hope it's helpful or inspirational to someone else who likes makeup just as much as I do.
If you don't already, you can follow me on Insta @stephykross
Thanks for stopping by! 💋
