Daily Makeup Must-Haves

My January Favorites had a great response, so I wanted to continue the beauty trend this week and bring you my daily makeup must-haves! I use these products just about everyday, depending how much makeup I decide to wear. Almost all these products are $10 or less (and only two are $20 or more) and I got most of them from Target or drugstores, so this is a budget-friendly collection. I have been trying some new makeup recently, but these are the tried-and-true products I’ve used as long as I can remember.

I’ve gone through quite a few of my favorite mascaras over time, but the eyeshadow palettes and brushes have lasted since I bought them, and stay nearly good-as-new with routine cleaning (rubbing alcohol does the trick).

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer ($20)

Before I found this on sale for $10, I had just used concealer to prime my eyes for eyeshadow. My eyeshadow creases easily and primer almost completely prevents this, and keeps my eyeshadow looking perfect all day.

e.l.f. “Little Black Book” ($10)

Can I just point out that this palette has 48 eyeshadows for $10?! (As in, $0.20 per color!) I have this palette and an older version that’s no longer sold. I alternate between these two and the next palette. I think the quality of these eyeshadows is comparable to the “designer” brands, and as I mentioned in my last post, I’m all about finding products that work just as good, for a fraction of the price!

Urban Decay Naked Palette ($54)

Fifty dollars for an eyeshadow palette?? I know, that was my reaction, too. I got this as a Christmas gift five years ago, used it nearly every day for 2 years, and still used it weekly, and you’d never be able to tell from looking at my palette. It looks like I’ve barely used it!

This is definitely worth the money because it will seriously last you forever.  It also comes with a great eyeshadow brush (that would probably be around $20 on its own), so consider this palette an investment.

MAC Pro Longwear Fluidline in “Blacktrack” ($17)

I’ve tried almost every type of eyeliner out there, and I’m set on this one for good. This type of eyeliner is the Goldilocks (“just-right”) mix between liquid eyeliner (which was too, well, liquid, for me) and eye pencil (that smudged too easily). With all the MAC products I’ve tried, I’ve always gotten what I’ve paid for, and one of these little eyeliner pots lasts me over a year.

e.l.f. Angled Eyeliner Brush ($2.50!)

Surprisingly, I like this brush way better than a (more expensive) eyeliner brush I originally tried. This one is less than $3 and works great with the eyeliner mentioned above!

Maybelline Volume Express Mascara in “Blackest Black” ($6)

I couldn’t tell you just how many of these mascaras I’ve gone through. I always have two of these, one waterproof and one regular, and it is my absolute favorite mascara. The rubber brush lasts longer than wire brushes, and helps to separate your lashes and add volume, without getting clumpy.

Neutrogena SkinClearing Mineral Powder in “Classic Ivory” ($10)

On days when I don’t want to wear BB cream or foundation, which, I’ll admit, is just about every day, this is all I wear on my face. I keep two of these, one in my makeup drawer, and one in my school bag or purse. They have a compartment under the powder that stores the powder poof and has a mirror, so it’s great to have on hand, even just to check your makeup throughout the day.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in “Light” ($10)

When you have as many freckles as I do, foundation is kind of pointless most of the time. When I want a little more coverage, this is my go-to, and I love that it has so many benefits (moisturizes, conceals, and protects with SPF 20) and feels much lighter than foundation.

Neutrogena Shine Control Powder ($10)

I use this powder when I wear BB cream or foundation, or want to cover any extra shine on my face. This was especially handy for my prom, and it kept my face matte the whole night!

Covergirl Blush and Powder Brush ($6)

I use a similar brush as this one for both the powders I use. I don’t know that it works better than a regular powder poof, but I like it better for applying powder, and it’s easier to clean. These type of brushes are great for setting your powder on top of any other face makeup you’re wearing.

P.S. You are absolutely beautiful without makeup; God doesn’t make mistakes (1 Corinthians 3:16). I also believe than when you look good, you feel good, and confidence is everything. It’s all about being comfortable in your own skin, and realizing your beauty, regardless of how much makeup you wear!

Thanks for reading, happy weekend!!