My 5 Minute Face and GO TO Makeup Products

This post is sponsored by Nordstrom and ShopStyle.

Happy Friday, everybody! Today is going to be a little bit different over here, and I’m pumped!  It’s been several years since I’ve dedicated a full blog post to makeup, but today is the day. I felt like the start of Spring was a great time to do a bit of a makeup refresh!

I had a lot of fun doing “research” for this post. I asked friends about their favorite products, read tons of reviews (the online reviews are so helpful!), and consulted other blogger’s beauty posts…all for the purpose of narrowing down some highly recommended products that I wanted to try. In today’s post, I’ll be talking about some tried and true faves that I’ve been wearing for years and years.  I’ll also be sharing some new items that I’ve been using and loving for the last couple of months.

This first picture is overwhelming, but I promise you my make up routine isn’t complicated at all.  It’s actually shockingly simple, but I wanted one picture showing everything.  I don’t use all of these products every single day, but they are definitely in a steady rotation.  Don’t worry, I’m going to break everything down for you today and give you the information by face zones!

I’m by no means a beauty expert, and I don’t wear a ton of makeup (even though the above picture makes me look like a makeup maven! ha!), but I do know what I like and what is important to me.

*I like to appear fresh faced, but I actually want to have some good coverage.

*I never want to appear overdone.

*I like my make up application to be quick.  Unless I’m attending a special event (which is rare), I definitely want to be able to do my make up from start to finish in under 5 minutes.

I do have a couple of drugstore favorites (which would make a great follow up post!), but I’m dedicating today to all of my favorite makeup products from Nordstrom.  I purchase most of my makeup online for the convenience of course, but I also love that you always get to pick 3 products from a selection of rotating sample options when you have make up in your cart.  These samples are how I’ve found some of my very favorite products ever (I’m looking at you Dior lash primer).  Quite often when I purchase beauty products from Nordstrom, I also qualify for a Gift With Purchase offering (click HERE to see all of the current specials) which is awesome!

BONUS:  Right now there’s also a FREE MYSTERY GIFT that you will receive with your $100 beauty purchase!  (Quantities are limited, and this is with online purchases only.)

Today I’m going to walk you through my routine, and I’m of course going to share my favorite products.  I’ll let you know which products are relatively new to me, and which products are tried and true.

Want a BEFORE picture?  #ofcourseyoudo #everybodylovesabeforepic

pink and red short sleeved sweater / initial necklace / my favorite earrings

Tip:  When reading today’s post, don’t think about overhauling your whole makeup regimen. You most probably have a handful of products that you already love that really work for you.  Instead, I would encourage you to just look for 1 or 2 products that you think might want to try!  I’m so happy with the products I’ve recently added to my routine, and they make getting ready fun in the morning!

MAKEUP FOR FACE

Before we talk about the products, let’s talk about my skin.  My skin care routine is a totally different post, but I still thought it might be helpful for y’all to know a bit about my skin.

I have very normal skin.  Not too oily, not too dry.  I will experience a random break out on occasion, but they are rare.  (Please, let’s all take a moment to knock on some wood.)  I do however have some discoloration that includes both redness and brown spots, so I do have some skin issues, even though I don’t have break outs.

Here are my face favorites!

Instead of going in numerical order, I’m going to talk about these products in the order I put them on my face.  I don’t use all of these products every day, but I do rotate them.

3.  I just started using Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream last month.  This is one of the new products I added into my routine after reading about it on several blogs and in several “BEST OF” beauty articles.  Lots of users compared it to the much more expensive La Mer line, but said they preferred this product!  That was it, I was convinced I needed to try it.  Officially, it’s a cream that floods skin with moisture for a glowing complexion in a flash.  A little goes a long way with this cream, and it’s not greasy, but it is incredibly hydrating.  There is a very light rose scent to this cream, and I don’t normally care for rose, but it doesn’t bother me at all.

I use my fingertips to apply the magic cream and follow the instructions on the site. If you click the link and scroll down, you can both read the instructions and even watch a video showing how to apply this product!  It’s so interesting to watch!

I haven’t been using this cream for long, but I definitely like it enough to continue to purchase it.  It has a cult following and a large group of women that absolutely swear by it.  From reading reviews, it seems I will love it even more after extended use.

1.  I highly recommend using a primer for your face.  It’s amazing what a difference it makes as far as the application goes for other makeup products.  It creates the perfect palette and it really gives your other makeup staying power.  I used the regular Smashbox primer for years, but last year I switched to the Smashbox Even Skintone Primer.  This formula evens out skin tone and specifically counteracts dark spots.  Yes, please.  It says you can wear this alone, but I don’t.

After priming, it’s time for either my Charlotte Tilbury Healthy Glow (new to me!) or my NARS tinted moisturizer (that I’ve been wearing for years).

2.  When applying both of the above products, I use this Hollywood Complexion Brush.  This is a product that I recently added to my makeup bag, and I’ve never looked back. This brush is a total game changer.  I use the larger brush for applying and blending both products #4 and #5, and I use the smaller brush when blending the eye base I talk about later in the post.  The online reviews say that the combo of brushes is also great when contouring, but I wouldn’t know anything about that.  (I need to buy a Contouring for Dummies book.)

I. LOVE. THIS. BRUSH.  And although I enjoyed using a Beauty Blender for years,  I think this brush is so much better.  The bristles are densely packed, but the brush is still quite soft.  I feel like the make up goes on smoother and I’m able to use less product as well.  The brush seems to really give a flawless finish that I wasn’t getting with the blender.

5.  Go ahead and file this Healthy Glow product under MOST SURPRISING for me.  I had read tons of wonderful things about it and was amazed at the beautiful before and after pictures on the site.  I couldn’t wait to use it.

The first time I used it I was seriously confused.  The product comes out white, and I thought maybe I had purchased the wrong thing. I almost stopped applying it that first time, but I went ahead and put it all over my face (with the brush). AND THEN MAGIC HAPPENED, Y’ALL.  I looked at my face in the mirror and was legitimately amazed at the smooth finish and subtle glow.  WHAT IN THE WORLD?  Apparently there are secret pigment spheres within the product, and get this, they morph to your natural skin tone with a sun kissed glow.  It’s some sort of wizardry, and I’m a huge fan.

4.  I started using NARS Tinted Moisturizer back in 2013 during my initial make up consultation at Nordstrom, and I still love it.  I love how it looks on, and appreciate the fact that it contains SPF30. My color is Groenland.  It’s sheer, but it covers really well and just evens everything out. It has 388 near perfect reviews.  I use the large side of the brush to apply it for a wonderfully smooth finish.

6.  I don’t remember which blogger I saw talking about this MAC powder plus foundation, but she convinced me.  #shetoldmeto  I use this like a regular powder with a kabuki brush when I just want a light overall coverage, but I use the sponge applicator on well moisturized skin when I want a heavier coverage.  I was worried that this would be too heavy or cakey and settle in my lines, but it doesn’t.

I wanted to include it for those of you that don’t like liquid foundation.  This is a great option for y’all, but I definitely prefer #4 or #5.  Also, the color I ordered for myself is too light for my skin tone, so that is probably a large part of the problem.

7.  I like a bright pink blush (my shade is called “Amour”), and this one does the trick.  I love the rosy hue!  For those of you that don’t love a pink, the Nars “orgasm” shade is supposed to be a universally flattering color.

8.  I’ve used Bobbi Brown shimmer bricks for years.  This particular one was a special edition around the holidays several years ago, but you can find them all HERE.  Since I use it all over my face like a bronzer, I would typically recommend the more neutral bricks.  I think this brown/beige brick looks very pretty.  It definitely has a shimmer effect, but it’s subtle, and you don’t feel like your face is covered in glitter.  Plus, it has brown undertones instead of pinks, which I much prefer in a bronzer.  I use this bronzer brush (that I’ve had for over 6 years) to apply it.

Get All The Face Products Here:

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MAKEUP FOR EYES

I learned years ago that when applying makeup that you are supposed to start with your eyes. That way, if your eye makeup creates a mess, you can clean it up without messing up your other makeup.  It makes perfect sense to me, but it’s just not the way I do things.  I do my face, move on to my eyes, and then finish up with my lips.  #whatcanisay #imarebel

1.  Do you wear eye base?  If you’re like me, you might not have even heard of it.  What in the heck is eye base and why does anybody need it?  Well, after trying it several years ago, I immediately knew that I needed it. I used an Urban Decay version for awhile, but now I use this Trish McEvoy product. This eye base evens out my skin tone and the discoloration and redness on my eyelids, provides a great base for my eye shadow, helps the shadow go on without any creasing, and enables it to stay on all day.  It is quite a product.  And I’m not the only that loves it, it has 316 almost perfect 5 star reviews.  My color is “bare”, and it can be used alone without eye shadow if you wish.  You can apply it with your fingertips, but I use the small angled brush head on the brush I talked about under face products.

7.  For years and years I used the Urban Decay Naked Palette, but after that was discontinued, I started using this Anastastia Soft Glam palette.  I stumbled upon this particular product when the Gibson team sent it to me in the fun box that helped us announce the Gibson Glam collection!  Now, I’m not adventurous with eye shadow at all, so I’m always wearing just 1 shadow that is some shade of neutral.  I do rotate between different neutral shades (cream, soft pink, a creamy brown, you get the idea), but that’s as crazy as I get.  Because of this I don’t really need a palette, but for some reason I always use a palette.  I guess I always dream of learning how to really do eye shadow.

2.  My eyebrows are quite full, so I never used to use an eyebrow pencil.  I just didn’t think I needed one.  However, when I got my make up done at the Nodstrom make up counter all those years ago, the consultant used this one on me, and I loved the results. The little brush on the end does a very nice job of blending the color into my brows.  If you read the reviews, it seems as if it’s a total lifesaver for people that have very sparse eyebrows.  There are even a couple of reviews from people that are cancer survivors that say that it’s an “amazing product”, which is obviously a great endorsement.  Several reviewers also mentioned “no sharpening needed”, which is great.  It has 103 almost perfect 5 star reviews.

3.  This eye brightener stick is another one of the new products I tried out.  I use it to quickly and easily brighten the inner corner of my eye and highlight my brow bone.  This is one of the products I added to the rotation a couple of months ago after reading all of the reviews.  It takes like 20 seconds to apply, and it opens and brightens my eyes.  I absolutely love it.

4.  This liquid eyeliner is one of my tried and true products that I cannot live without. It is by far my favorite eyeliner product I’ve ever used, and I can’t imagine ever switching.  I use a soft grey called “alloy” because the black is too stark for me.  It glides on SO easily, and it stays on with no smudging during the day.  Now, don’t let the “liquid” title scare you.  It is like a very fine tip marker that you just easily glide on for a very clean line, and you can decide if you want a thin or a thick line.  It doesn’t skip, it doesn’t smudge (it really does stay all day), and it’s so easy.  I can apply it in 1 stroke using only one hand!  No need to pull the eye taught or anything!

5.  I mentioned that this Dior Lash Extender was one of the products I discovered through a Nordstrom sample a couple of years ago with one of my orders.  AND NOW I SWEAR BY IT.  I sweep it on my lashes right before I put on my mascara.  It both lengthens and plumps my lashes with white fibers, but they don’t fall off into my eyes.  It’s pretty magical.  It goes on white, so you do have to wear mascara over it, but the white doesn’t show through after the mascara goes on.  I do one eye with the lash extender and then the mascara before moving to the other eye.  I’ve found that my results are best when the mascara goes on before this product dries.

6.  If you’ve followed me for awhile, you know that a mascara that I absolutely love has been very difficult for me to find.  I always like one for a bit, and then I end up changing to try another one.  This is the mascara I’m using right now, and I’m very happy with the results and do feel like it coats my lashes well (without any clumping!), but I can’t promise that I won’t try a different one when this tube runs out.

Get All of My Eye Products Here:

Another eye product definitely worth mentioning is this lash enhancing serum. Click HERE and scroll down to see my sister’s jaw dropping results.  She was very consistent with applying the serum to her lashes each night, and her results were amazing.  She continues to use it and swear by it.  I had good results too, but I wasn’t as consistent as she was with application.

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MAKE UP FOR LIPS

7.  During cold months, I sometimes deal with dry lips, especially if I’m wearing lipstick a lot.  This lip conditioner fixes the problem within just a handful of applications.  It’s super conditioning, isn’t sticky, and does a fabulous job of hydrating and locking in moisture.  The reviews are fantastic.  Even people with real problem lips rave about this product.

8.  Rose Salve is a lip balm that Shay introduced me to several years ago.  It’s an incredible value at only $5.5o for this container, and it does a great job of moisturizing my lips.  I put it on every single night before bed.  It also has a pink tint and a pretty sheen when on, so you could wear it when out and about on it’s own.  And here’s a tip for you, it works wonders on cracked elbows too!

3.  This Mac lip liner is the only lip liner I use.  I don’t wear it every single time I put on lipstick, but I do wear it with all 3 colors that I’m about to highlight.  The color is “soar”, and it seems to go just fine with all of my lipsticks.  It draws a nice even line, and although I don’t have this issue, other reviewers report that it does help with the feathering that sometimes happens with certain lipsticks.

4.  Fashion Icon is my go to lipstick and has been for at least 5 years now.  It’s a pretty sparkly plum/berry color (although it looks much darker on the site). I wear it 90% of the time that I wear lipstick.

5.  Sometime last year I realized I needed to up my lipstick game a bit, so I set out to find a couple of new colors.  I knew that I wanted a great nude, and Pillow Talk is the nude I settled on after reading several articles on “the best nude”.  It has really pretty soft pink undertones. It’s a matte lipstick, which I normally don’t like, but it’s not drying.  And I always wear a gloss on top, so even thought it’s matte, the gloss I layer on top gives me the shiny lip that I prefer.

6.  Ruby Woo is a red lipstick that I found last year when I was looking for a bright red lip color before July 4th.  I went in to the store to buy this so I could consult with one of the Nordstrom beauty experts, and without hesitation, she told me Ruby Woo was the best universal red they had.  Ruby Woo is supposed to look great on all types of skin tones and with all different hair colors.  It’s definitely a blue red, which is great, because I don’t love a red that leans orange.  Click HERE to see it on me in lots of different festive July 4th outfits last year.

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I love a shiny lip, so glosses are my jam.  For many years, Fashion Icon lipstick was the only lipstick I owned and wore, and I only mixed it up with the colors of glosses I would wear on top.  I have tons of glosses, and I love tons of glosses, but these are my two favorites right now.

1.    MAC lip glass in “Love Child” is gorgeous.  Mac lip glasses are high gloss and give a glass like finish, hence the name “lip glass”.  Love Child is highly pigmented and very shiny, so it can definitely be worn on it’s own, which I often do.  But it also looks great layered over different lipstick colors.  It lasts several hours, it’s not sticky, and it’s just plain pretty.  There are so many gorgeous colors to choose from with this product!

2.  My sister introduced me to Clarins lip comfort oil when we were at the ranch once, and I bought it the day we got home.  I wear “Honey”.  It glides on so smooth and provides just a hint of subtly sparkly color.

Get The Lip Products Here:

That’s it for the products, ladies!

So……………drum roll please……………..it’s time for an AFTER picture!

Isn’t it amazing the difference that 5 minutes and some great products can make? I definitely feel more confident after completing my quick little routine!

I took these pictures outside, in natural light, with no filters.  #obviously

I feel like my skin is bright, my cheeks are perfectly rosy, my eyes are nicely defined, my lips have great color and are shiny, and you can even see the difference in my brows (a result of this product).

I don’t look overly made up, but I definitely look fresh, right?

pink and red short sleeved sweater / my favorite earrings

And here’s a side by side of me with my 3 different lipstick colors, all of the other makeup is the same. Which is your favorite lipstick color?

a plum-berry shade called Fashion Icon/ a neutral shade called Pillow Talk/ a red shade called Ruby Woo

WHEW!

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to all of you who made it through this post!  I hope it was helpful and that you found a couple of new products you would like to try! And a huge THANK YOU to Nordstrom and ShopStyle for sponsoring this post.

Don’t forget to take advantage of all the GIFTS WITH PURCHASE opportunities happening right now!  And while supplies last, there is also a MYSTERY GIFT with a $100 beauty purchase.

Have a wonderful weekend with your people!

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