Ok ladies, I know there are a million beauty products out there that promise to do this or that. It’s mind-boggling, frustrating, and expensive. Nobody wants to take their hard-earned money and buy an expensive foundation or blush that just isn’t working as promised.
Luckily for y’all, I have a serious makeup addiction. I have been in the trenches of the finest makeup stores around and spent a small fortune on this stuff. In fact, I could have probably already retired in the Caribbean by now if it wasn’t for makeup. On my journey, I’ve found some really amazing products and some that aren’t so amazing. But now, I’m here to show you the ones that are! The top ten makeup must-haves that are worth every pretty penny for your pretty face!
After this post be sure to look for my next post on my Top 10 Skincare Must Haves, coming soon! After all, taking care of the skin you have is the most important thing you can do to make your makeup look beautiful!
My tried and true Top 10 Makeup Must Haves!
You can’t paint a wall without primer right? You shouldn’t do it to your face either! Start with this amazing primer from Smashbox to create the perfect canvas for your foundation. In short, primary helps even things out. It fills in pores and fine lines and even helps your foundation do its job better by creating an invisible veil between your skin and your foundation. That means that when you use primer, you’re already beginning to hide any dark spots and acne before you can even say concealer! This, my friends, means less work for you.
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These color correctors are my latest discovery. And girls, I’m sure I’m glad I found them! You use them over your primer and under your foundation. Just apply a small amount over any trouble spots and, after you put your foundation on, voila! It’s like the trouble spots never existed! They come in different shades for different concerns.
They work by using the color wheel method. For example, if your face tends to have a lot of redness (or a big surprise pimple), you go opposite on the color wheel and cover the red with green corrector! For dark spots and under-eye circles you use a light pink/peach color! They look a little crazy on their own but don’t worry! As soon as you apply your foundation over the corrector it all evens out just beautifully!
Stila also has a nice palette with all of the color correction colors in one spot. I haven’t tried this palette out yet but I would love it! It’s called Stila Correct and Perfect All in One Color Correcting Palette.
I’ll start by saying this foundation is full coverage. It may not be necessary for everyday use if you don’t have skin problems. But, if you’re like me and have the whole Pandora’s box full of skin issues (I’m talking adult acne, redness, huge pores, dark spots from pregnancy, and just aging in general), this foundation is a lifesaver.
If you have decent skin this foundation is still wonderful for special occasions and dates! They weren’t kidding when they said full coverage so a little goes a long way. It creates the perfect finish to apply the rest of your makeup, imperfection free!
I can’t say enough about this cute little egg-shaped, pink sponge. Really, this thing is revolutionary. It is a sponge-like material, but doesn’t absorb makeup into the sponge so you get more bang for your buck. I use it to apply foundation, concealer, and blend in any contouring. You use it by tapping, not smearing, your foundation over your face. A necessity for any woman using primer and correctors.
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You first wet the sponge and squeeze out any excess water, dip the large dome end in your foundation (which I keep a small amount ready on the back of my hand) and blot it in even sections all over your face, then just go nuts tapping the blender all over your face to blend the foundation. You can use the smaller pointed end to get coverage around the eye area.
Seriously, it’s that simple. But I’ve never gotten a finish this pretty and smooth from my hands, sponge or brush. I will never apply foundation without this thing again! Honestly y’all, if you get nothing off of this list but one thing, this should be it.
The name of the concealer pretty much sums up what it does. I love it and so will you. Apply a small amount to your troubled areas right over foundation. Just don’t forget to blend using the beauty blender!
Full browse are in. They make you look more youthful and healthy. This pencil is great. It goes on smoothly, unlike a regular pencil, and you can literally just draw the “hairs” wherever the brows need some oomph! Plus, this stick requires no sharpening and comes with a little brow comb at the end for combing unruly brows into place and then blending in the color. I seriously keep two of these on hand at all times. Because if I run out of one I consider this an emergency and that is unacceptable!
Get this kit and get ready to say hello to your perfectly sculpted “new” cheekbones, a thinner looking face if you want, a better jawline, and the closest thing to a nose job you can get without ever going under the knife! What I like about this kit is the different color options available for different skin tones. I also love that it’s super easy to apply and blend exactly where you want it.
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This easy to apply liner is perfect for making your eyes pop! It goes on smooth with a velvety finish which makes it ideal to work with.
I recently just fell in love with this beautiful highlighter. Hard. The champagne color is perfect for blending into just about any makeup look. I’m pretty fair skinned so it might be too light for darker skin tones. Luckily they have different shades to suit everyone! Just use a brush to sweep across the top of your cheeks for higher cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose to hide any bumps, and a small bit right over the arch of each brow for a quick brow lift!
I have a ton of other products I’m totally in love with but I’m going to end the list with a true must have. Makeup brushes are everything. Invest in a few (you don’t need a ton) of quality makeup brushes to get the most out of your makeup. My personal favorites are the Mac brushes.
You don’t have to go crazy and get them all at once. But maybe start by slowly replacing your so-so brushes with quality brushes, 1 or 2 at a time. For example, if you get a fab new blush go ahead and treat yourself to a quality blush brush and you’ll never look back. I can’t tell you how many girlfriends I have that you use the same brush for face powder, blush, and bronzer! No no no! This is unacceptable, ladies! You will never be able to create the beautiful looks you see without the right brushes!
Well, there you have it! My top 10 makeup must-haves! Has anyone else tried and loved these products? Or have your own must-haves for us to try?! I’d love to hear what you ladies love!
Lastly, I know it can be confusing to learn how to highlight and contour, use a beauty blender, or figure out color correctors! And yes, there is a right way and a wrong way to apply concealer. Well, all makeup for that matter! If you have questions or would like a video tutorial let us know! We like to give people what they want!
Now, my pretties, go and have a fabulous, fun day!
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