As promised, here’s Part 2 of my skin and makeup routines!

If you missed Part 1, here’s the link to the post:

• Getting Personal #60: My Skin & Makeup Routines (Part 1)

Ready?

Here we go!

---

Makeup

Like I mentioned last week, my makeup routine is pretty simple. I’ve tried both foundation and powder over several years, and I’ve finally decided that I don’t want to use either one!

Here’s my current makeup routine, in four easy steps:

1. Blush
2. Eyeshadow
3. Eyeliner
4. Mascara

—

I remember getting introduced to Mary Kay products back when I was in middle school. Between my mom using their skin care products (She still does now!), and several friends having free facials and makeovers at sleepovers, I loved their makeup back then.

Think of a early teenage Laura Beth experimenting with shades like Cotton Candy, Lime Green, Icy Blue, and more …

Years ago, a friend started selling Mary Kay to help pay her way through college. I bought several things at that launch party that I’ve loved since:

• MK Signature Brush Set (Not seen on website)
• Sparkling Cider blush (Not seen on website)
• Cherry Blossom blush
• Ultimate Mascara

I still like a lot of what Mary Kay makes, but I don’t have a regular rep that I buy from right now. Most makeup that I’ve bought in the last year or so has actually come from the Dollar Tree, Walmart, Target, or your average drugstore (Walgreens, CVS/pharmacy, etc.)

—

Three Mary Kay items that I currently use actually came from a local Goodwill store:

• Truffle eyeshadow
• Chocolate Kiss eyeshadow
• Spun Silk eyeshadow

---

So, back to my current four-step routine. This is what I do, and use, on an almost daily basis:

1. Blush – Either Sparkling Cider or Cherry Blossom. With my skin tone, I can be liberal with Sparkling Cider, but cautious with Cherry Blossom. Too much of that, and I turn into a porcelain doll!
2. Eyeshadow – I use the Eye Definer brush for either Truffle or Chocolate Kiss, on my eyelids. I use the Eye Crease brush for Spun Silk, on the skin between my lids and my brows.
3. Eyeliner – I normally like/prefer a crayon or twist-up black eyeliner, but recently I’ve been loving my L.A. Colors liquid eyeliner. This came from my local Dollar Tree!
4. Mascara – I used a few different types of mascara from Mary Kay until it ran out. Then, in 2015, while planning my wedding, I found L’Oreal Paris Telescopic Original Mascara from Walmart.com. I loved the look so much on my wedding day, that I bought a second tube!

—

I definitely love my Mary Kay brushes, don’t get me wrong!

But, I recently found something amazing:

Wizard Wands!!

I ordered these from Storybook Cosmetics a while back, and they are awesome!

---

Makeup Tips

• Pay attention to your eye color.
  • I have hazel/green eyes, so I naturally lean toward more brown/beige/suede tones for my eyeshadow.
  • For eyeliner and mascara, I tend to go back and forth between black and dark brown. Both colors work well for me.
• Always moisturize your face before applying makeup.
  • As mentioned in Part 1, I use Enzymion and Tea Tree Toner from LUSH Handmade Cosmetics. I’ve found that this combination, right now, works the best for my skin. I highly recommend for you to research your skin and test (and re-test) until you find something that works best for you.
  • When I wear makeup (not every day), my skin still feels hydrated and fresh all day.
• Always take your makeup off before going to bed!
  • I cannot stress this enough – It’s so important. Your face will thank you.
  • This has never happened to me (knock on wood), but one of my friend’s wives got a terrible case of blepharitis (eyelid inflammation) the week of their wedding! It happened mainly because she wasn’t taking off her eye makeup before going to sleep. Lucky for her, she received prompt treatment and everything cleared up for their big day!
  • I currently use oil-free makeup wipes, but you can also make your own.
  • You can also use Coalface or Dark Angels from LUSH. I want to try one of these products next, primarily to cut down on the waste that wipes create.
• If you’re interested in learning more about makeup, I definitely recommend contacting a Mary Kay representative near you. However, two other good places to learn and explore are Ulta Beauty and Sephora. If you decide to go with either of those, I suggest going into a store. I’ve found that employees at both are not only knowledgeable, but super helpful! Sephora even has the Color IQ test, where you can find out your exact skin tones (red, yellow) and the employees will help you with specific product recommendations for lips, foundation, and concealer.
• Learn how to wash your brushes/applicators properly, and how often.
• Make sure to read expiration dates on all of your makeup. Most companies are now required to have a jar symbol with an indicator such as 6M (six months after opening), 12M (twelve months after opening), and so on. There are different recommended dates of use for different types of makeup.

---

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂