I have been a big fan of makeup and beauty products going back as far as I can remember. I always wanted to break my parent’s no makeup rule when I was younger and couldn’t wait to hit the age of OK where I could start wearing simple things. While I certainly don’t wear it daily, when I am feeling down, going out, or just bored — makeup and beauty products are my indulgence, happiness, and pick-me-ups.
Makeup and beauty products can get expensive, quickly. With that in mind, if I could only choose 7 products to have in my makeup bag, which ones would I choose? It wasn’t easy, but I’ve narrowed it down:
1. Contour powder
Gone are the days of wishing I had more pronounced cheekbones or a smaller chin thanks to contour powder. Using shades and a contour brush you can make your nose smaller, eliminate the double chin, pop out your cheekbones, and change the shape of your face (without any major surgery!). It’s not something I wear everyday, but it’s a must-have when I’ve got somewhere important to be.
2. Candy Yum-Yum by MAC Cosmetics
I have been searching all over the place for my “signature” lip shade and since I found it, I never want to let it go. Candy Yum-Yum is a bright matte pink that has amazing coverage and doesn’t look cheap like some pinks tend to do. I love how it makes my lips pop and yet doesn’t overshadow my eyes — and it’s totally me!
3. Eyelash curler
Okay, so prepare yourself for an eye-roll, but I’ve got long eyelashes and sometimes it makes wearing eye glasses or sun glasses uncomfortable. Before I discovered the awesomeness of eyelash curlers, I would put on my glasses, blink and feel my lashes scrape along the lenses. I have no idea what took me so long in understanding the purpose of the eyelash curlers (naturally, not only are my lashes long, but curled too – don’t hate me), but once I started using one, the lashes no longer scrape along the lenses. It’s a must-have for sure.
4. Coconut oil
Since I can only choose 7 products, this one is the multi-tasking extraordinaire! I use coconut oil all day for a variety of different things and there’s no list without this product on it. Not something many would traditionally consider a “beauty product”, but it does more than you may realize!
5. Top coat nail polish
I am a big nail polish fan and I’ve always got my toes done and often my fingers are as well. I have a growing collection, but if I could choose just one nail polish, I would get a top-quality top coat. Not only does it help your nails appear healthy and shiny, it ‘s amazing at reducing nail chips and I always feel prettier with polish!
6. BB Cream
Just over a year or two ago I went BB cream and won’t ever go back. I have never been a fan of foundation because it’s so thick and heavy and the color correcting concealers (while they work well) don’t help with the heavy feeling on my face. Enter in BB Cream and I’ve got all I wanted out of coverage, without all the thickness. It takes care of the blemishes, evens out my skin tone and, provides great coverage without feeling thick and heavy!
7. Sunscreen
You put on sunscreen everyday, right? If not — you must start! There are a lot of foundations and BB Creams now that have sun coverage built-in, but it’s a must have for your skin! I don’t leave home without it on my face, neck, and hands and I know that when I look back at an older age, I will be very thankful that I did!
Photo credit: adapted from Trostle/Flickr
:: What beauty products do you consider your “must-haves”? Share in the comments! ::