Current Everyday Make-up Staples

When it comes to make-up with a lot of color variation like eyeshadows, liners, blushes and lip products, I do own a significant collection and I'm always looking for new interesting shades to add on to my stash. But when it comes to real basics, I have only a few and use even fewer; in the morning hustle and bustle I prefer to take the guesswork out of my make-up routine and go with a selection of tried and true products. I thought it'd be fun to show you what is on my face 90% of the time when I'm wearing make-up so we can compare our notes!

First off, prep and prime: I'm sure you're tired of me talking about this Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+, but I do wear it under make-up (or alone!) every single day. I tend to skip make-up primers as I haven't found one I really liked yet, although I nearly always prime my oily eyelids with NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, my absolute favorite and Holy Grail eyeshadow primer. I also like to dab a bit of Jack Black lip balm SPF 25 on my lips and let it sink in before I apply any lipstick.

Now for the base: on a day-to-day basis, I prefer wearing mineral foundation over liquid and my favorite for the past couple of months has been Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15, reviewed in detail here. For a quick perfecting base, I first apply the Rimmel Match Perfection concealer under my eyes and blend with a finger, then buff on some Laura Mercier powder foundation with a kabuki brush, concentrating on the areas that need more coverage. In the summer, I enjoy using The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in Fair Matte (unfortunately, the lid of mine completely broke off!) on the high points of my face for a bit of a sculpting glow; this bronzer is my favorite for a quick, subtle and natural look on fair skin.

Lastly, I spot conceal with Becca Dual Coverage Compact Concealer in the shade Sherbet - I think I've never talked about this product before even though I use it every single day! It's a thicker cream with a medium coverage and opaque coverage concealers in the same split pan; honestly, I find that both sides work almost the same for me but possibly the left (medium coverage) is slightly easier to blend. It does a good job of covering unsightly blemishes and pigmentation although it can appear cakey on the skin; I think that all in all I prefer the performance to price ratio of MAC Studio Finish concealer.

For the eyes, I always have to have an eyebrow pencil on hand; I'm currently using the ybf Automatic Universal Eyebrow Pencil I received in a Birchbox a long time ago. I'm not sure how truly universal this shade is, but for my eyebrows it works like a charm and is nearly undetectable. I usually apply a little bit in short strokes mostly to my arches and then brush out with the included spoolie for a softer look. When in a time crush, I always reach for my favorite simple yet defining eye combo: Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze all over the lid and blended into the crease with some smudged dark eyeliner at the lashline - either GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink or Annabelle Smudge Liner in Chocolate. I think both of them are slightly dried out now and not as creamy as they used to be, but I'm determined to use them all up.

Now for some swatches, left to right: Rimmel Match Perfection concealer in Ivory is slightly darker and more yellow than my skintone but still blends in nicely under the eyes. Becca Compact Concealer in Sherbet is a quite good match albeit a bit on the yellow side, and Laura Merciel Mineral Powder in Tender Rose blends right into my skin. The Body Shop Honey Bronze powder in Fair Matte is great for a sunkissed look on fair cool-toned skin although it does have a tinge of orange to it.

 Eye products, left to right: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze (again!), Annabelle Smudge liner in Chocolate, GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink (umm... maybe more of a dark charcoal) and ybf Universal Eyebrow Pencil. Below, this is how it all works together on my face, obviously with the addition of mascara (Bobbi Brown Everything Mascara in Black), blush (NYX Mauve) and lipstick (Revlon Superlustrous Shine in Kissable Pink).

I hope you enjoyed this quick look at my current make-up staples - I think it'd be fun to do another one in maybe a year to see which products will stay and which will change. Do you tend to use the same basics for everyday looks or do you prefer to rotate them? What are your everyday staples?