Step by Step: My Everyday Makeup!

Hi!  I've gotten a few requests for how I do my makeup so here we go!

I just want to preface this by saying I'm not a beauty blogger ect. (and there are some SERIOUSLY amazing ones out there that I'm in awe of!!)

I've never taken makeup classes or anything it's just sort of what I've learned from trial and error over the years.  So I just wanted to share with you dolls how I'm doing my makeup right now :)

Bath & Body Works anti-bac, Clear Eyes Maximum Redness Relief, SK-ii Essential Power Cream, Smashbox Photo Finish Light, Carmex Lip Balm

Ok let's get started!

So for me "prep" is REALLY important.  Especially now that I'm 30 (eeps!) I definitely feel like my age is catching up to my skin ect more these days then ever before.

Step 1. Hand Sanitize  (I'm a germaphobe.)  

Step 2. Eye Drops

Step 3. Moisturize

Step 4. Prime

Step 5. Lip Balm (doing it at the being moisturizes your lips so that at the end your lipstick glides on a lot smoother.)

A dime sized amount of Primer and then I dot it basically in my T-Zone (in other words wherever I have giant pores lol!)

MUFU HD Foundation & BeautyBlender

Step 6: Foundation.  

The BeautyBlender has COMPLETELY transformed my life.  I actually resisted getting it for like I think a good year even though I kept seeing/hearing about it on blogs/vlogs/magazines.. because I'm an old fart and and don't like change.  But a girlfriend actually gave it to me as a birthday gift and let me just tell you it's AMAZING!  I use to always use a foundation brush and would get these awful streaks but no more!

Also since you're actually suppose to use it wet I always take it to the bathroom and squeeze some baby soap in it and give it a few good squeezes before I put on my foundation so it's basically "clean" every time I use it.  Definitely cleaning it more then when I used foundation brushes lol.

Also because you use it wet I found that one good pump of foundation is all I need whereas before I would probably use at least 2 pumps if not more.  Which usually leads to really cakey looking skin. Bleh!

I basically dot it in the same places that I dotted my primer. 

And from there on out I blend outwards and dab dab dab! 

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat

Step 7: "Concealer" 

The reason for the quotation marks is because the YSL Touche Eclat I think is really more of a "brightener" and less of a concealer.  It reflects light so that it basically "tricks" the eye from seeing the dark shadows ect. Versus a real concealer that is actually truly concealing.

I use it it in area's wherever there are dark shadows - if you need help finding them I always tilt my head slightly forward and look directly in the mirror and the shadows on your face will become very apparent.

And then just use the BeautyBlender again to blend it all into your foundation.  Also make sure when you're doing concealer to dab do not rub it in.

Too Faced in Chocolate Soleil

Step 8: Bronzer

I like to use a non sparkly bronzer for face contouring.

(And my face needs it as I basically have a wide flat pancake face lol.) 

For the sake of showing you guys how I do my bronzer/blush I was a little more heavy handed then usual. But don't worry all of this just gets blended out later on :)

I use the "E-3" formation.  Start at the temples swoop down to the hallows of your cheek and then on to your jawline.

Nars Deep Throat

Step 9: Blush

For reference the right side has blush on and the left side doesn't.  I apply it in a sweeping motion on my apples and into where I bronze.

Here you can see quite distinctively where my blush and bronzer are and then I blend the two of them together.

Benefit Glam Girl Palette

Step 10: Eyeshadow

A nude neutral shimmery color and sweep it all over my eyelids.

And then a darker purple/grey/taupe color underneath my eyelid line.

For reference the right hand eye has the shimmer nude and purple shadows on already.

Step 11: Eyeliner

I start by drawling a line in the middle my eyelid and then extend it further past my eyes.  (Btw I don't waterline/tightline because my eyes are small and I think it make my eyes look even smaller)

After that I draw a tiny line on the corner of my outer eye that connects with the end of the first line creating a sort of triangle.

And then I fill it in for a cat eye.

Maybelline eyebrow pencil in Med Brown

Step 12: Eyebrows

As for my eyebrows.. let's just say they are a constant work in progress! 

I wouldn't say I necessarily LOVE LOVE my brows now but I think I'm getting the hang of it more and more these days.

And as proof I dug up some photos of my early 20's

Let's call this the "Best of Brows" 

(OBVIOUSLY sarcastic lol)

YIKES!!!  

So as you can see I didn't just have ONE type of bad brows.. I had several bahahaha... not to mention bad eye shadow.. bad eyeliner.. bad foundation.. ect.

Ok and with that little detour down memory lane this concludes how I do my everyday makeup.

Stay tune for Part 2 - Taking my Everyday makeup to Night time makeup!

Disclosure - All of these are my own products (except for the Benefit palette which was gifted to me by American Express) and I am not being reimbursed for this in any way shape or form. Cha Cha Cha!

LIFE.

Went to Hermes to exchange the Christmas gift Hubs got me.  I held out on returning for awhile because I really didn't want to exchange it.  I was obsessed with the color and I know he put a lot of thought into picking it out but it was sadly too big for me!!!  However when we went to exchange it.. I might have also found something else that I liked on top of my exchange lol. 

#ReallyHasNoOneToBlameButHimself

New Hermes goodies.. and when we were leaving the super sweet SA tied this Hermes cloth wrap bracelet around my wrist!!!

EDIT - Just wanted to clarify because I've gotten some e-mails asking about the silk tie bracelet. It was actually a freebie so I'm not entirely sure if they actually sell this item or the name of it I'm so sorry! I do know people sometimes purchase the Twilly Scarf and tie it around the wrist.  

I LOVEEEE Turkish food!!  

Never had as much Turkish food as I've had since we've been living in Germany.. it's so nommy. Need to try Turkish food in Turkey!

This kid is always sleeping.

And this one is always curious!

Funny convo ensured because of this btw..

Me: Look two headed doggy!!

The Hubs: Oh nice like an "Argyle"

Me:  ..... A what?

The Hubs: An Argyle.

Me: .... Umm a Chimera?

The Hubs: Ohhh right right yeah a Chimera.

::Silence::

The Hubs: But you know there is a mythical beast called an "Argyle"

Me: umm no.

The Hubs: NO REALLY THERE IS.

Me: No.

The Hubs: I'm going to look it up on Wikipedia tonight.

Later in the evening.

Me: So did you ever look up the "mythical beast" called "Argyle"?

The Hubs: Yeah...... Wikipedia showed me a picture of a sweater.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

My thoughts exactly :p

A Cuties, One whole wheat English Muffin split in half w/ lean ham & an over easy egg, Peanut Butter, half a banana & honey on the other half of the English Muffin.

When the Hub works late and says he's just gonna grab something this is what happens lol!

Spoiled fur babies. 

And my brand spankin' new pink weights!

My (sad) attempt to rectify the fact that whenever I wave at anyone my upper arms also wave at them. 

AHAHAHAH.

Squid, BiBimBap, KimChee Chigae, Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken Wings

                       Been living in (faux) leather & (faux) fur vests w/ red lips this winter season!

                                                           Taco night at home! :)

Honestly homemade guac makes all the difference in the world (Thanks to Lauren over at L Dot C Dot for the recipe... and I like to mix in one tbsp of low fat sour cream because it makes it SUPER rich and creamy)!! 

We had taco's with steakchicken but they were cooking on the stove top when I snapped this shot and forgot to take another picture afterwards lol.

And yes that's broccoli... I literally try and sneak broccoli into EVERYTHING we eat.  It's low in calories, has a TON of nutrients, heart healthy and loads of fiber (i.e. SUPER filling - I try to eat between 2-4 cups of broccoli everyday.) 

Took a few months for my paperwork to go through but I'm now working at the Hubs clinic and a legit Red Cross volunteer. WOOT! 

I've been going to the clinic 3x a week for the last few months in a row so the Hubs thought I should just make it official lol!!

Excited because I haven't been able to work in awhile because we've gone from San Fran -> Texas -> Germany -> Texas -> Washington DC -> Germany in less than 3 years.  Essentially my life has boiled down to packing, unpacking, packing, unpacking x 2098234098234 :p

          BTW how awesome is my badge photo have you ever seen someone as excited as me. 

AHAHAHAHA.

                                                      #legit #excited #cheesin

Tomato Soup w/ Fish, Shrimp & Calamari, Salmon & Potatoes

One of The Hubs co-workers gave him these Russian chocolate wafers and they are INSANELY DELICIOUS!  I almost never eat any type of packaged sweets (mostly because they're usually severely lacking in nutrients and are usually really high in calories) however I ate 5 of these in one sitting.

#ThereGoesMyNewYearsResolution #FurSonStaringMeDown

Mini Drugstore haul!

Eos Summer lip balm collection - Watermelon, Strawberry Sorbet, Pomegranate Raspberry and Summer Fruit.

Rimmel shimmer eye-shadow pens in gold and silver but I actually plan on using them to line my lower eyelids.

And my favorite Wet n' Wild H20 Eyeliner (so cheap and doesn't budge at all!!) but this time I was "adventurous" and purchased in Espresso.  I've always purchased either in Ultra Black (which I use at night) and Black Brown (which I use in the day but truthfully it's way more black than brown lol.)  I feel that brown eyeliner is less harsh "looking" especially in the daytime.  Big deal for me since I've been using black and ONLY black for the last 10 years since I started wearing eyeliner lol!!

The Hubs made a pizza (complete with obscenely over sized meatballs lol!) from scratch!  

The Hubs cooks like once a year so it's a BIG deal in our house when he does.  We usually eat my cooking 4-5x a week because the Hubs is really busy with work (the Chief of his department) and school (he's pursuing his 2nd post graduate degree, an MPH at UC Berkeley #poudwifey :)

My princess :)

Adore her to pieces!!

Lychee Spritzer, Mango Lassi, Beef, Chicken & Shrimp Stir Fry, Deep Fried Duck w/ Tikki Masala Sauce & Summer Rolls

Camembert & Tomatoes over Potato Latkas

Melted Camembert w/ fresh tomatoes over fried potatoes what's not to love?!

Tagliatelle Pasta w/ Salmon & Aglio Et Olio (Olive Oil & Garlic)

My Heart <3

Nutella Profiterales

#FTW #winning

Discovered a Russian grocer near our apartment! 

Freaked out because they had Xia Long Bao's ie. one of my ALL time favorite things in the world to eat!!!

We also picked up some Pierogi's excited to try them.. especially since we can't read Russian at all.. and I really have no idea what the fillings are muhahaha.. should be interesting :p!