I’ve always felt as though my makeup routine was a bit off. A little to much of this not enough of that. Until now! I am so excited I truly feel like i’ve got it on lock down. And this summer has been really good for my skin. One because my skincare routine has been rocking it and therefore giving me a great base, but two because I’ve spent more time learning about the products as opposed to just guessing blindly and coming out disappointed. 

My skin was very oily in younger days and now I’ve come to a nice balance. I have noticed a bit more dryness in the winter months though. Considering I live in Moorhead, MN a few hours from the Canadian border my winters are pretty dry and cold! So it’s safe to say dry skin is to be expected. 

The Products

I’ve listed all of the products I use for my daily look in the order that I apply them. 

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Primer // A few months ago I went on a search for a good primer and I wanted one that was not only good for darker skin aka didn’t leave me with a white look and I wanted something that had sunscreen in it. This fit the bill and now that I’ve been using it for a few months now I can tell you I’m never switch products again! This is a chemical sunscreen but it’s also SPF 40 water and sweat resistant, has clean chemical sunscreen actives, is reef safe, and vegan with no synthetic fragrances. It doesn’t smell like anything which I love, and in the summer which is bug season who wants to have a trail of bees following them? Certainly not me! I also make sure I start with a good base by following a very specific skincare routine. I’ve tried forgoing skincare and it did not end well…check out those results here.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation // Okay I am going to admit something here… I have just tried Estee lauder foundation for the first time this year. I know for all my southern mamas who’ve known about and loved this amazing foundation for a while now please don’t judge me too harshly. I’ve always seen this brand as an “old lady” brand. I had never even given it a shot. Before Covid I walked into an Ulta frustrated and ready to try anything. I spied the plethora of shades and chatted up a saleswoman about the different finishes and I also had read in a Southern Living mag that this foundation was the best kept secret of many southern women. Given my admiration for the southern belles and their makeup finesse I figured I should at least try such a long touted foundation. And Oh My Goodness… why on this green earth I waited so long is beyond me. It slid on like a silky butter and I was immediately in love! I always try on foundation on bare unprimed skin to ensure I can really feel the product. I also use only my fingers for that first application for the same reason. Long story short I am now a die hard fan of this product.  My winter shade is 4N1 Shell Beige which I’m wearing in the photo above, I should have gone up a shade darker for summer but considering my sunscreen use I’ve been able to make it work by simply using a bit more bronzer than usual. During my daily routine I use still use my fingers to apply it and then blend it using my foundation brush.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess // This bronzer is another odd ball for me. I had always previously thought that tan women shouldn’t use bronzer. I mean… I’m already brown right?! True, I am, but that doesn’t mean I can’t use bronzer and you should too! For the longest time I had tried and failed at contouring and I finally just gave up and figured I would forever have a flat face after applying foundation. Then this beauty came along and I learned otherwise. a few swishes here and there and all of a sudden there was contour in all the right places and it didn’t feel forced. I’m currently using shade 02 Medium. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush Mini // Full Size // This blush came to be by accident. I was head over heels for a BareMinerals blush. That product was recently discontinued. So, I decided to give this one a try. With the rave reviews on Sephora which is my go-to I figured it had to be a sure fire bet. I purchased it in captivating. I’ve noticed that if I use a heavy hand it gets to be a bit darker and cherry tinted than I’d prefer, but given a gentle hand this blush has proven to be a great replacement for my previous blush.

BareMinerals Brow Master // I’m currently using the Brown Master to fill in my brows. I am not in love with the pencil application style so when I purchased this item I bought it in a shade lighter than what my mom and the cosmetic saleswoman recommended. Why? Because I didn’t want to have such a bold brow. Now if any of you know me you KNOW I love me some brow makeup! It’s my favorite product by far. I’m currently using cocoa. Later during my eyeshadow phase of my application I sharpen the edges of my fill with eyeshadow because using only one shade on my brows doesn’t feel like enough. I also don’t want a harsh filler. So, I use this to fill and then use a darker eyeshadow to frame.

Urban Decay Eyeliner // This is the perfect pencil based eyeliner. It’s Urban Decay so you know it’s cruelty free. It also glides on like butter, which I know for many women can be a great deterrent. I personally don’t mind a little eye tug for the sake of beauty, but with this liner it’s not a worry. I use shade demolition. I used to always use black but I’ve found over the years that a dark chocolaty brown is much better and give that subtle contrast between my lid and my lashes which creates a smoky effect without needing to actually create a full smoky eye. 

Tarte Opening Act Lash Primer Full Size // Travel Size // This is another one of those products that I thought I didn’t need. I’d seen a few other bloggers rave about it and I’d though they were exaggerating. I figured I’d give it a try and see. Well, let me tell you! …I am very pleased with the results. I thought it wasn’t doing anything at first, I almost didn’t continue using it after the first few applications. There may have been a learning curve I was unaware of… I’m not sure, but one day I decided (after a month of use) to skip it to save time. It made a huge difference. My lashes looked thin and weak. I immediately regretted not giving them their daily coat. I will typically make two passes with this along each “section” of my eyelashes (inner, center, and outer corner). I also don’t bother with my eyelash curler when I use this product. Maybe I’ll bring that lovely number back in and see if the wow factor is magnified. Either way this is definitely maintaining a place in my makeup bag. 

BareMinerals Lashtopia Mascara // I love this mascara. It’s big and thick and coats my lashes well. It feels like those larger wands that drugstore brands have and reminds me of the Dior Show mascara that I used to love so much, but something about this one just feels easy. I have also learned that after two pregnancies and all the hormone changes that my eyes have become highly sensitive which has made all BareMineral products more appealing. 

E.L.F. Costmetics Eyeshadow Palatte // When I first bought this palette I wasn’t looking for an inexpensive brand. I was simply trying to get a shadow without shimmer or sparkle. This fit the bill and I absolutely adore it because it lacks shimmer and doesn’t irritate my eyes. Win-win! Oh, and I bought the palette shade called Mad for Matte.

Have you tried any of these products? How do you like them? Do you agree with me or are you loving something else you think I should try out? Let me know in the comments section! If you’re loving my content don’t forget to subscribe and follow!

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