Everyday Makeup Routine

Today I thought I’d take a minute to walk you through by everyday makeup routine; while I don’t tend to go through all the steps on a daily basis (eyes and brows forever take priority), I wanted to share some of my current favourite beauty products, which I’ve had on heavy rotation as of late. So, let’s start off with base and face…

BASE & FACE

I don’t tend to wear foundation on a daily basis, but when I do, one of my go-to favourites of late has been the Clinique Even Better Glow Foundation (also here). This comes in a squeezy-tube style bottle, which I like to apply to my face either with my fingers, or using the Sigma 3DHD Kabuki Brush. I find the two application options give me the most even and natural looking base. This foundation has salicylic acid in it which I love – I like any products that do double duty and this has such a major skincare benefit which works to better the condition of your complexion over time. The foundation has a glowy satin finish once applied, which can be toned down with a good mattifying powder. It tends to wear well across the day; you get a little bit of slippage but I never find that it looks cake-y on the skin.

For the most part, I like a cream bronzer, but I’ve been mixing things up a bit with the Kate Moss for Rimmel Bronzing Palette. This palette has three bronzing shades in it, and is a really versatile product – you can use it to add a bit of colour to your face or to add some warmth to your eyes. I’ve done a full review on the palette HERE if you’d like to check it out. I really love the hue of this; it adds a really nice warmth to the skin. There is a little bit of glitter in the powder, but it doesn’t appear too shimmery when applied, and it has a pretty good wear time.

Cream products always tend to look a little more multi-dimensional on the face, and there’s really only one blush that I won’t travel anywhere without; Bobbi Brown’s Glow Stick in shade Desert Sun. This is a really nice neutral and natural-looking blush, without any shimmer to it. I like to apply this directly to my cheeks and then blend out using a duo fibre brush.

Highlight isn’t part of my every day routine per se, but I do love the addition of a little bit of glow every now and then. I have a two-step product routine that I tend to reach for frequently; I start with the Glossier Haloscope in the shade ‘Quartz’, which adds a nice sheen to the cheekbone, and has a little bit of a ‘wet’ effect. This gives a gorgeous dewy and fresh looking flow. If I want my highlight to be a little more extra, I’ll top that with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Euphoric Strobe Light (also here) which I brush on with a fluffy angled face brush from Bobbi Brown. This is such a finely milled powder, which is a real pleasure to apply – it has a little bit of shimmer to it. I love the highlighter combination, it just really makes that glow pop!

EYES & BROWS

Eyeshadow palettes are a major weakness of mine, and one of my latest additions and current favourites is the NARS Narsissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette, which I’ve done a full review on HERE. It’s full of some absolutely gorgeous warm-toned shades that pack a real punch and blend out really effortlessly. This is one of the key components of my everyday makeup routine, but it’s also one I reach for when travelling too – there are some beautiful shimmers and glitters which would be perfect for a day out.

Not a day goes by that I don’t apply my signature cat-eye flick. My eyeliner of choice at the moment is the Clinique Pretty Easy Eyeliner, which literally makes applying eyeliner a breeze. It doesn’t have as much pigment as some of the other liquid liners I’ve used, but I’ve found it to be really reliable, and I like how easy it is to apply.

I’ve got a few favourite mascaras, but for one which doesn’t budge, I’ve been massively impressed by the Sigma Sinuosity Lash Mascara. This is a fibre mascara that gives you super long and separated lashes – exactly what I’m after on a day to day basis. It doesn’t smudge either; something I look for in a mascara (particularly given I tend to have oily eyelids!). My only complaint? It’s difficult to remove!

I like to keep my brows looking pretty natural and fluffy, and while I’ve got a couple of different products I’ll reach for to fill in my brows, my favourite has to the be the Superfine Liner for Brows from Clinique. I went to a master class last year where the makeup artist recommended that you opt for a brow shade that is slightly lighter than your brow hairs to keep them looking natural, and I have to say, her advice was spot on. I have this in the shade Soft Brown, which is perfect for my dark brown brows!

LIPS

I have a little confession to make, after giving the Glossier Balm Dot Com such a hard time, it’s actually become one of my favourite lip balms. I’ve come to really appreciate the thick consistency of the formula, which coats my lips evenly and keeps them feeling moisturised. I still don’t love the scent (I have the coconut one), but I’m almost at the end of the tube and have been carefully rationing out what I have left while I want to do another assisted order….

Because I have such sensitive lips, I don’t wear too much lipstick, even if it is one of my favourite beauty products. Really the only lippie that I’ve been wearing over the most over the last couple of months has been the Rouge Allure Ink from Chanel. I have this in the shade Amoreaux, which is a gorgeous neutral peachy-pink – perfect for every day. This is billed a little like a liquid lipstick but it has quite a lightweight formula that isn’t fully opaque – you’ll need to run the applicator across your lips a couple of times to ensure an even application. But, when it’s on and the product has set, it feels comfortable on the lips; essentially, it’s a winner from me and I’d definitely jump at the opportunity to try some of the other shades (Libere I’m looking at you).

What are your current every day makeup essentials?