My 7 Staple Makeup Products

Hey everybody,

Today I’m talking about my seven classic/staple/ go-to/ holy grail/ everyday little wingmen. Yes these are my favorite makeup products that I just can’t live without! Lucky number seven I suppose. Whatever it is, these bad boys do not disappoint.  I have already written about most of them at one time or another but I wanted to have them all in one place to give them the appreciation they deserve. 😉 I swear by each and every one and wanted to share what they are and why I love ’em in the hopes that you guys can benefit from them too! So let’s get down to it:

1. Nars blush in Orgasm

This is my all-time, no competition whatsoever, fa.vor.ite. blush.  It is the perfect dark, rich pink to eventuate your skin.  This blush instantly livens up your face with just a tiny bit on the apples of the cheeks and has just the right amount of shimmer in it.  It works on all skin tones and has a particular glamour on tan skin.  I honestly think if you wear nothing else on your face, just a little of this blush gives an instant highlight to the cheek and changes your whole look.

2. Loreal Telescopic Mascara

I have been using this mascara for a while and I really love it- no clumps, it’s little comb-like brush reaches every lash, and it doesn’t flake.  I’m not necessarily as die hard about it as I am other products on my list, but it gets the job done well and is a great-working cheap alternative to high end mascaras.  I have really long lashes so it’s hard to find mascaras that don’t clump my lashes together and this one does not.

Sidenote>> I firmly believe in throwing out your mascara every three months. I’ve read too much information about the bacteria that develops in mascara, and what can happen to the product itself over time to not follow this advice.  And it’s a lot easier to buy mascara every three months when it is drugstore-cheap, than when it’s $50 a tube.

3. Oak lip liner by Mac

This is my absolute favorite lip liner.  Oak is the perfect browny, cool-toned color for a simple, everyday look and can be easily dramatized for a more intense/night look.  I will throw on this lip liner for work or on the weekend with nothing else on my lip but chapstick and it adds just a subtle touch to your natural lip color that’s just what you need to spruce things up.  Then when I want to up the drama, I just line and fill in my lips with the pencil, and I have a still subtle but rich versatile color.

4. Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo in No. 4 Pink Beige Nude

Since finding this product about a year ago I have just sold my soul to this nude lipstick.  In the same way that you can just line your lips with Oak liner and go out the door, you can swipe on this thin but pigmented shade and have an instant, everyday soft nude lip.  It is a perfect, subtle shade for everyday, and isn’t at all drying because it has a little sheen to it.  It’s not sticky like a gloss and not too matte.  I also use it often to layer over other nude or nude/pink lipsticks to soften them up.  To die for.

5. Mac Studio Finish Concealer (I use NC35)

This is a holy grail product if there ever was one.  I have used this concealer since high school and it has never failed me.  It has the perfect amount of coverage and pigmentation to cover up blemishes- lord knows we all have those days where we get blessed with little breakout alllll over and need to cover everything- and this little baby gets the job done.  I keep it in my purse at all times for emergency touch ups.  I’ve never met a concealer I like better and “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” as they say.

6.  Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (I use “Sand”)

I have been using this product for ages. I love it’s super light coverage for everyday use, and it doesn’t clog my pores like thicker foundations can.  It just lightly blends your skin tone out and helps cover up red spots and other discolored areas of the face.  It’s the perfect amount of coverage for a daily look- and one tube lasts a very long time since a little goes a long way.

7. Eyebrow spoolie brush

The greatest little invention and my dearest friend- the eyebrow spoolie brush.   In addition to being ridiculously cheap (should you choose to clean and use an old mascara wand as I do), the spoolie brush has a number of beauty uses. Particularly for thick eyebrow-ed gals like myself, it can be a life saver. I use it to comb through my eyebrow hairs in the morning and make sure everything is in it’s right place. If I want to keep them in place the whole day or for a night out, I spray a little hairspray on the brush before I do it.  I also use the little guy with hairspray to comb down any tiny flyaway when I have my hair slicked back.  Multi-use and very cheap- we like.

If you don’t have naturally full eyebrows- I suggest including the Gerard Cosmetics Brow Bar to Go in your staple products.  Bold brows are a must, see “Talkin’Brows: the grooming, shaping, filling and loving of them!” for more on that, and I suggest filling them in lightly to go with your light everyday look.

Little side note:The spoolie brush is the only brush/applicator that I have included in all of my go-to products.  This is because it is the only brush whose function cannot be replaced by fingers (mascara wand aside)  I use my fingers for most other products- especially when I’m in a hurry. The heat from your fingers and applying by patting- not swiping- the product into the skin gives a flawless coverage of your product.

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All of these together make up one fresh and bright little face, let me tell you. Let me know what you guys think about my classic products and if you’ve tried them and love them as much as I do.

Much love,

Amanda 🙂