under eye concealers and brighteners

There are a lot of products that I switch up often. Mainly because I haven’t found that “perfect one” to do the trick, or sometimes they all work fine and I just want to have options when I’m getting ready. But when it comes to under eye concealers and brighteners, I have found what I’ve been looking for, and I’m not really in the market to switch it up any time soon. But to be honest, I think I may be blessed by the “under eye circle gods” (or something like that) because I do not have a dark circle problem… yet. I’m sure one day I’ll eat those words, but for now, I mainly focus on brightening the eye area with concealer and brightener. In addition to concealing any dark circles or hyperpigmentation, brightening the eyes gives a more well-rested appearance.

It’s also a good idea to brighten the under eyes when you know you’ll be taking a lot of pictures. The effect of having your cheekbones contoured with bronzer and the brightened under eyes really helps define your face in a photograph.

Under eye concealer can be tricky. You want it to match your skin tone, cover dark circles, brighten, and have a thin consistency so it’s not gathering in any fine lines a few hours later. These are three products that I feel do the best job of meeting all of those criteria.

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer

This is my absolute, “holy grail” under eye brightener. I use the shade Ivory, which I believe is the lightest shade. This stuff is amazing. The texture is very smooth with a gel-like consistency. It’s so easy to blend. I apply this after my foundation. I make an upside down triangle (between the eye, cheekbone and nose) and just blend really well. This costs around $7, and I think it works better than any high-end brand. Highly recommend this one.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser

Before the Highlighting Concealer came into my life, there was this Maybelline Dark Circle Eraser. (Maybelline on a roll!) If you’re not interested in brightening your eyes, and just want to cover dark circles, this is your product. It is a more yellow-toned concealer, so that could be a plus or minus, depending on your skin tone. But, it does come in six shades, so it’s worth checking out to see if any will work for you. The sponge applicator aspect may scare the germaphobes out there, at least it did for me, but this one is “anti-microbial” so it kills all bacteria. This concealer also contains goji berry. I’m not exactly sure of the benefits of goji berry, but it sounds nice. :)

Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer

There are some concealers that are just too heavy to use under the eye, such as the MakeupForever concealer. Great for imperfections on the face, but not the eyes. This Tarte concealer is really great if you have serious dark circles. It’s a thin enough consistency for easy blending and still provides really good coverage. It's a little more expensive, but if it works for you, it might be worth the investment. 

**UPDATE** 
Fun fact of the day: Miley Cyrus uses this Tarte concealer! The proof is in this pic from her Twitter account. Not that you need Miley's approval to use, but I enjoy seeing celebs use products that they aren't paid to endorse. 

ELF High Definition Powder

If you really want to get fancy with it to help the concealer last all day/night, you can set it with powder. I like using the ELF High Definition Powder. This is $6 at Target and you will never run out. It’s massive and you only need to use a small amount at a time.

The Brushes

Sigma P84 Precision Angled Brush

Sigma P80 Precision Flat Brush

If I haven’t mentioned it before, let it be known that Sigma brushes are the best… and they happen to be my favorite. I have the Synthetic Precision (Sigmax) collection of brushes. The bristles are made of synthetic hair, which do not soak up all of the product like many other brushes can do, causing you to waste it. These two brushes are part of a set of 4 that I have. They blend concealers SO well, it’s like using a fingertip but more sanitary (assuming you have clean brushes!).

Tip: Don’t forget that the skin around your eyes is the most sensitive. Never pull and tug when blending. Just pat lightly with your ring finger or brush. Tugging the skin too much can cause wrinkles. No bueno! So yes, remember that when applying any creams, foundation, or moisturizer.

everyday makeup routine

So, its 7 a.m. and I've hit the snooze about 10 times already. After fixing my hair, brushing my teeth, washing my face, and applying moisturizer, the last thing I have time to do is "play" with makeup. Thus, the need to have an everyday makeup routine. The goal: simple and quick. I keep my everyday products together, so I don't have to go digging in drawers for things. The products will change up from time to time, but I try to stick with what I know works for me.

So, without further adieu, here is my very simple everyday makeup:

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro primer: I just dab four little dots on my face and rub it in to create a “smooth canvas.” I don’t love this primer, but going to use it up before trying a new one. 

Revlon ColorStay Whipped Creme Foundation: This is a brand new foundation in the ColorStay line and not the usual ColorStay liquid foundation I would normally use. I’m trying/testing this one and so far, loving it. It might even replace my liquid foundation. More on that in a future blog post.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser: I’m blessed with not having hardly any dark circles under my eyes, but when I’m looking super tired, I reach for this dark circle eraser. I tried this one after reading rave reviews, and it really does live up to its hype... for me, at least. 

Laura Mercier Translucent Powder: Probably the easiest thing to apply. Just tap my brush in the cap then apply all over my face to set my foundation and concealer.

ELF Studio Blush in Tickled Pink: I dust a little blush on the apples of my cheeks to give my face some color and definition. If I don’t use blush, I’ll use my Tarte bronzer in the hollows of my cheeks, or sometimes both depending on the day. ELF really does have some great blushes and they are only $3.00 at Target!

NYX Eye Shadow Base: I use this as primer on my eye lid. It’s a skin-toned color and is easy to blend on my lids. This base isn’t as long-lasting as UD Primer Potion, but it does the job for a regular day.

Urban Decay Naked Palette 2: I’ll do an in-depth compare/contrast of the UD Naked Palettes, but for everyday looks, I’ll use Tease on the lid/crease, and Foxy as a highlight under my browbone. This palette has the better “daytime” colors because they are cool tone neutrals, whereas the original Naked Palette is darker neutrals.

L’oreal Voluminus Mascara in Carbon Black: I just apply this mascara on my top and bottom lashes. I can't say enough about this mascara. If you haven't tried this one yet... it's only $6 at the drugstore, and you can thank me later.

For lips, I switch it up everyday. I grab whatever my hand touches first in my purse. I love NYX MegaShine lip gloss (in Beige or Sweetheart) or a Revlon Super Lustrous gloss. Those stay in my purse and I use them throughout the day. 

That’s pretty much it. One thing I didn’t mention and will cover in an upcoming post are the brushes I use, which need some love too. Stay tuned! Have a happy and safe 4th of July!