Hi there!
We are delighted to introduce:
"Minimalist Beauty"- a new series starting on this blog in efforts to share tips, tricks and ideas that will hopefully assist you in creating effortless looks and ease your beauty routine without compromising on the results! *inshaAllah* :)
For the first post in this series, I want to share my everyday "fresh face" makeup routine with you :D
I divide this routine into 3 levels.
Level 1 (Super basic): Where I just want to look good enough to run out the door and work with the least amount of products.
Here are the products (used in the order mentioned):
Moisturizer: I use the Dove Intensive Cream. My favourite moisturizer I've found so far, works wonderful on dry to super dry skin.
Concealer: Concealer is a crucial step in a makeup routine especially if you don't want the full face to have coverage and only require to go over a few areas. The concealer I use is the Lancome Long Lasting softening concealer, which- I can safely say, is my favourite concealer of all-time. It's even better for on-the-go as it not only provides wonderful coverage but is also excellent at brightening as well (2-in-1!).
I use the concealer on my under-eyes to conceal darkness, and eye-lids (up till the brow) to cover discolouration. I also go over above the eyebrows and between them a little (helps in lifting and highlighting due to the brightening quality of concealer), around my nose to cancel redness, on the bridge of my nose (again, the brightening quality of the concealer helps in highlighting it), around my mouth to cover discolouration, and finally wherever else I may need coverage like on breakouts or anything like that.
Multi- purpose products are amazing at reducing the time one spends in getting ready, which is especially helpful in the mornings. In the case of this concealer, the fact that it conceals well and also brightens reduces the need to use another brightening product to bring glow to the face.
Setting Powder: Next, I set my face with the Milani Even-Tone Powder Foundation. Again, one of my favourite products. To see a full review of this product,
click here.
White/Cream eyeliner on the water line: For me, this helps wonderfully- making the eyes look more awake and refreshed. Most days, I use the Max Factor Kohl Pencil in "White". If I get a bit tanner during the summer, I use their Kohl Pencil in "Natural Glaze".
White eyeliner may be too stark for tanner and deeper beauties, hence you will find more makeup enthusiasts recommending to use a cream/nude/beige/skin-tone coloured liner like Max Factor's "Natural Glaze", so as to make it look more natural. Play around and discover which one works better for you personally. You can also change it up completely and use a black kohl pencil you love instead. Many girls love using black liner on an everyday basis to make their eyes stand out, with rest of the face being neutral/natural.
Lip balm: Finishing off this level I use a lip balm- a must for dry lips like mine. I use TBS's Vitamin E Lip Balm, again, a favourite. Click
here to read a full review.
Level 2 (Pump it up): This is where I "Pump it ("it" referring to Level 1) up" a bit- in case I have a few more minutes to spare.
Fill in brows: I fill in my brows using a brow pencil. The specific one I use is from MAC in the shade "Stud".
Filling the brows work wonders in framing the face, something I realized much later after I got into makeup. The difference it makes is just amazing.
Eye lash curler: Next, I curl my eyelashes. The eye-lash curler I use is from Mikyajy.
Transparent mascara: After curling, I coat the eye-lashes with a transparent/clear mascara. The one I use is from Essence (I got it from Shallal for around SR 35, if I remember correctly). I personally prefer clear mascara over using a black/regular mascara for daily basis. It just reduces the hassle of removing the mascara when I return home lol! Of course, you can definitely use regular mascara if that's more to your liking.
Level 3 (Full throttle): Usually
only happens when I'm in a super mood lol! Most likely when I've gotten up way ahead of time and basically just
feel like it- going all the way.
Blush: I love how a blush that is perfect for your skin-tone totally transforms your look and makes you look fresh so effortlessly. Again, this is something I learned the importance of only much later from when I got into makeup. My favourite all-time blush is the NYX powder blush in "Peach" which is what I use for this step.
Highlighter: I love face highlighters! And it is definitely a must-use product in any of my makeup routines. It may or may not be a necessity for everyone so I definitely recommend playing around with a few highlighters to see what difference it makes in your makeup look.
The highlighter I use is from Shiseido in the shade "WT905".
All done!
Some tips:
-Dividing the routine into levels helps quite a bit since I've already prioritized- I already know what products I truly need to look just presentable and don't have to fiddle with so many products especially when I'm running out of time and am in a hurry.
-As mentioned earlier, using multi-purpose products works effectively in handling lesser products and saving time.
-Another useful tip is a no-brainer: use your favourite products and/or products that work amazingly with little to no effort. Saves time again, and using products you trust will hopefully help you start your morning with less of a hassle.
-Replace and/or switch out products that you may find in this routine. Again, a no-brainer. What works for me may or may not work for you and vice versa. Someone may prefer using a foundation over using only a concealer because it attends to their needs better and they may not want a highlighter but prefer using a bronzer instead. See what works best for you and go with it! :)
Hope that helps some of you!
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| Some of the products mentioned in the post |
♥ Please share YOUR everyday makeup routines and "minimal beauty" tips in the comments. If you have a blog- write a post sharing your routine on your blog! We'd love to read! ♥
Until then, tc! :)
