My Minimalist Makeup Essentials

I classify myself as a pretty low-maintenance girl. No mani-pedis,, blow-drys or high-end department store makeup for me.  I wash my hair, let it air dry and head out the door, BUT I do try to take care of my skin, cleansing it every night and wearing sunscreen moisturizer every day. I also have some makeup essentials that I use pretty much all the time. They are easy enough to apply that I can put on my "everyday face" in less than five minutes. Here they are:

1. BB cream- I jumped onboard the bandwagon for these right away. Light coverage, moisture AND SPF in one fell swoop? Yes, please. Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Medium/Deep is my current favorite because of its semi-matte finish and high SPF (30!), and, at around $8, is one of the most affordable current drugstore brands. I've also tried Garnier's brand , and I like it better for summer because the Medium one is a deeper color and gives a dewier look.



2. Tinted lip balm/gloss- I found my Holy Grail of tinted lip balm, and I can never let them go- Covergirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm. Nothing, and I do mean NOTHING, moisturizes my once chronically chapped and peeling lips better than these. And I love that they have SPF 15 built in. My favorite colors are the sheer gold-tinged wine of Pinot for warmer months and the rich brownish tint of Clove for fall and winter.


3. Pixi Beauty Endless Silky Eye Pen- This is another of my can't live without products. I love, love, love the way these liners smoothly apply with nary a tug on my delicate eye area. And their richly pigmented colors show up on me like nothing else. My favorite colors in constant rotation are Straight On Til Morning, a rich khaki green with just the perfect, flattering amount of sparkle, and Deep Plum, which reads on me like a deep brown with just a hint of purple.


4. Blush/bronzer- Last, but not least, I do always try to apply some blush and/or bronzer to wake up my sallow, sometimes sleepy complexion. It really is the perfect finishing touch, and gives you just the right amount of oomph. I'm actually currently using a cheapie find from Target that just does the job. It is the e.l.f. Blush and Bronzing Powder in Turks and Caicos which comes with a warm. peachy coral color with just a smattering of sparkle, and a warmer, deeper toned bronzer. I have included a link from amazon below just to get the picture in but I found mine at Target for just $3.

I'm curious to know what are your everyday makeup essentials?