First of all, thank you to everyone for your encouraging, heartfelt comments on yesterday’s post. There was even some sweet interaction going on between commenters, and I loved seeing that!

Second of all, the winner for our Cutting Edge Stencils giveaway is:

APRIL MCLEOD!

(Check your inbox, girlie!)

Third of all…

Nope, there is no third of all, or if there is, my brain wasn’t able to hang onto it.  And that, my friends, is what happens when you have lots of kids and too little sleep.

So…yesterday, I got a bit serious and shared my heart.

And today, I’m getting very frivolous and sharing my…face.

That’s right. I thought it might be fun to talk makeup. Now, I’m certainly no expert, but I’ve done a bit of trial and error, and here are the 5 makeup items you will always find in my bag.

makeup collage

 

1.

I bought one of these VS GLOSSY Lip Sheens a while back (around Christmas, maybe?), I’ve used it practically every day since, and it’s still got a ways to go before it’s all gone. Mine is Knockout Red, and I love that I can swipe a bit on for a smidge of color or really slather it on for a bold look. Plus, since it’s not thick and sticky like most lip-glosses, I can also use it on my cheeks as blush for a pop of color.

2.

I seriously ♥ Cover Girl Lashblast Mascara. I don’t think of myself as particularly susceptible to advertising, but several of the female hosts on the Today Show were raving about it last summer when the Olympics were on (I don’t usually watch morning television), so I decided to give it a shot. And, jeepers, is that stuff fantastic! It does an amazing job of plumping without clumping and really does build on itself to give the illusion of much longer lashes than you actually have. First one I’ve found that successfully does this for me.

3.

Another Cover Girl product I love is this Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner. Because of so many years fighting (and hiding) this, I’ve become an expert at the dark, precise, lined upper lid. I buy this liner in black onyx (for my eyes) and espresso (which I use, in conjunction with the black, to fill out my brows a little). I’ve tried most other drug store brands (as well as a few department store versions) only to return to my beloved Perfect Point. Two things of note, though: 1) the smudger thingy on the end never, ever stays attached on my liners. But then, I never use it, so that’s fine with me and 2) as I was grabbing an image for my post, I glanced through the reviews, and there were lots that were raving about how this has always been their go-to liner in the past but the last several times they’ve bought it, they’ve had trouble with the tip breaking or refusing to twist up. I haven’t noticed this issue on mine yet, but it’s something to be aware of, at least.

4.

At the risk of sounding like a spokesperson for Cover Girl, I’m also a huge fan of their Simply Powder Foundation. I’ve tried more expensive versions of the whole powder/foundation combo concept and liked them but never enough to warrant paying 4 times as much for equal (or, sometimes, inferior) results. This foundation is great for girls who don’t like foundation (it always feels too heavy on my skin, and I have trouble getting it to blend evenly on my combination oily/dry skin) but need more coverage than a powder can offer.

5.

For a very stressful 6 months of my life, I was an Arbonne representative. Let’s just say that the thought of cold-calling breaks me out in a cold sweat. But I still love some of their products, especially their eye-shadows, which go on super-smooth and stay put for a nice, long while. (They also come in absolutely gorgeous—rather than garish—shades).

So, that’s me in a 5 product nutshell. It takes me about 5 minutes flat to put my everyday make up on before I run out the door, and it makes me feel so much more put together and presentable (I do not look so great in my au naturel state). 

And here’s where my plea for help comes in.

In addition to my powder/foundation, I use a little concealer stick for blemishes (because, yes, at 30-years-old, I still break out!) and dark under-eye circles. But I don’t just love the results.

So, I need to know your concealing and under-eye circle banishing secrets!

What products or tricks do you have for me? In the grand scheme of things, puffy eyes are just a speck on the back of a bit of dust on a ladybug’s wing (in a hole in the bottom of the sea). But that doesn’t mean I’ll complain about any good ideas you have!

P.S. You’ve got less than two days to jump on our ginormous giveaway bandwagon! C’mon! You know you want a Spectacular Spring Shopping Spree! (Don’t make me use more alliteration…because I will).

19 Comments

  1. I use Covergirl’s LashBlast mascara too! It’s the best, and even better? You can get it at Costco for about $11 for 3 tubes! However, it’s in a purple tube now, but from what I can tell, it’s the same thing. Yes, I did say $11 for 3 tubes!!

  2. Clinique all about eyes. The roll on one that feels wonderful to apply. I use it before bed… and I notice when I don’t!!! It’s ability to make me less puffy (yes – still getting too little sleep most nights with baby S). I’ve also been using Almay’s line smoothing concealer. It’s been OK. Better than a lot I’ve previously tried. If someone pointed me to something better that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg I’d be tempted to give it a go.

  3. Abbie, I had no idea you suffered from Trich… I had never heard of it until I read Aunie’s blog over at https://www.auniesauce.com/ .

    She talks about it a bit over there and it really has been an eye opener (pardon the pun) for me…you are right, you hide it well.

    Hoping it has improved since you wrote that blog post back in 2012, xx

  4. I am convinced I have the world’s darkest circles under my eyes. As a teen I was oblivious until one church party changed everything. We had to bring baby pics, set them all out, and see if people could guess who was who. Everyone picked the right one for me and I was so surprised. They let me in on a little secret….those dark circles gave me away! I had those circles from birth!!! So I use all about eyes from Clinique every night. I use Clinque line smoothing concealer to hide those suckers. I just started using even better eyes from clinique but it’s too early to tell. It is a dark circle corrector that’s supposed to reduce dark circles by 30%. hey, I’ll try anything to diminish these ding dang things!!

  5. I use Benefit Oh La Lift. It has a nice texture and it reflects light off my dark circles. I only use Mac concealer, it’s well worth the price mine has lasted me a year so far.

  6. My all time favorite is Revlon’s Photoready Eye Primer + Brightener. I have really bad under eye circles and this does the trick. Try to stay away from the thick cream concealers under the eyes as they do tend to crease. And always pat the product into your skin. #1 to be gentle and #2 smearing just wipes it all off. Cover Girl has an Olay product for the under eye area that is supposed to be good for this too 🙂

  7. The NYX Concealer in a Jar ($5 at my local Target) works wonders on my under eye circles! I usually apply it by gently patting it onto my under eyes moving from the center to the outer corners. The warmth of your fingers should make it go on more smoothly. Another great drug store concealer is the Maybelline Fit Me concealer ($7 at my Target). This is my preferred concealer for blemishes because it is quite easily applied with my ring finger and provides great coverage.

  8. Bare Minerals foundations is great, without clogging pores and feels light on the skin, I am 43 year old mom with 2 kids and even I break out from time to time, best overall concealer I can’t live without has to be Boi-ing by Benefit, best concealer for me but it is a bit pricey, worth every penny for me, covers dark circles great and blemishes 🙂

  9. Green concealer for red spots and yellow concealer for under eye circles- because opposites on the color wheel neutralize each other. I use physicians formula concealer, they have a sick with green on one side and skin tone on the other. Foundation first then you just dab on the colored concealer and then put the regular concealer on top. I am almost 30 and break out like a teenager- this is the only thing that covers the redness completely. I don’t get under eye circles, but the same method applies- the yellow will neutralize the purple of the under eye circles.

  10. I use Bare Minerals Concealer, it’s liquid, it looks like a lip gloss whith the little sponge at the end. I also use Bare Minerals powder foundation, I love it, it looks very natural and it really does a GREAT job with out clogging your pores! I like that you go to their store and they’ll help you find the shade that works best for you!

  11. I use mineral powder foundation and I use the same product with a concealer brush under my eyes. Perfect color match. If you want a cream concealer, Arbonne is the best that I’ve used.

  12. As a makeup artist, I am big fan of BOI-ING under eye concealer by Benefit. For mascara, I am always on the hunt for good coverage that looks natural, making my eyes “pop” without being clumpy. I’ve recently discovered that Sephora makes a great mascara that does just that! For a cheaper version, Loreal used to make a Natural version of their mascara, but I’ve had a hard time finding it. Overall face makeup…I like quick & easy, but full coverage. MAC studio fix was always my go-to because it was a powder/base in one. In the past year, I have ventured out and tried Bare Minerals which I am really digging as well. I use the matte version as I have oily skin and I like that it tends to give my skin more of a glow than MAC, but I still equally love both products.

  13. I have raccoon eyes..not only do I have undereye circles, I have dark lids. I have not found a concealer that I love. But I have learned that the trick is to go 2 shades lighter than your skin color (depending on the severity of the darkness). And to always highlight the inner corners of your eyes as it will give the appearance of more rested, bigger (I have small eyes, so this really does wonders on me), beautiful eyes that are ready to take on the day. Hope it helps!

  14. LOVE Lash Blast!! Found it a year ago and I don’t have too many days that I go without it. Other than that, I am not going to be helpful since I make all my other makeup(except concealer and I can’t find a favorite either).

  15. I use Clinique’s All About Eyes (the gel version) for under-eye circles and puffiness. I use it in the morning before makeup and at night if my eyes are looking particularly tired. It seems to smooth out crow’s feet too! It’s a bit spendy but I use it sparingly so it lasts.

    For concealer, I have always (like since middle school) used Cover Girl’s little stubby stick concealer. They recently changed the name to something like CG Smoothers but it’s the same stuff. It’s inexpensive and lasts forever!

  16. I love your look, Abby. You have always looked so natural. I wear very minimal makeup especially here in Suriname where it is hot, hot, hot! But, I’d like to remember the powder/foundation combo to buy this summer when I get back home. Help me remember, ok? My 40 year old skin isn’t what it used to be. sigh. Let’s just say it all together – “sun damage”
    –Jen P

  17. THANK YOU!!! 😀 I was so excited when I got your email!! I have never won a giveaway before, so that fact makes this one all the more special. 🙂

    And I have no other recommendation for make-up other than Mary Kay. My makeup collection is almost everything Mary Kay, and their concealers have always done an excellent job on my skin.

  18. Benefit, ooh la lift, for under eyes. It is pink, so it color corrects and it has caffeine so it tightens.

I love hearing from you guys!