Makeup Starter Kit: Drugstore Holy Grail Products

I haven't really experimented with makeup for very long but I do have a few products that I would consider the creme de la creme of the drugstore makeup world. I am creating this rough guide for those newbies to the makeup world (myself included) that need just a few essentials to get by in the beginning stages. This is a great guide for anyone just starting to play with makeup and the plethora of drugstore products seems a bit overwhelming. This is the bare bones of what I think every gal needs in their makeup routine.

1. Foundation/BB cream/tinted moisturizer

I'm not starting with concealer or primer because I haven't found a drugstore one that is actually good. Less is more these days in terms of makeup. You never want to look like the stuff is caked on (which I'm guilty of more often than not). I currently have 2 different ones that I would recommend. The first being the Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream (SPF 15). I've used this since it first came out since I had a coupon for it and although it costs around $15, it comes in a 2.5 fl oz bottle and I've used it almost daily and I haven't ran out. My second pick is something I picked up recently so I've only used it for a month or so. It's the Maybelline Dream Pure BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Clearing Perfector with 2% Salicylic Acid. One of the reasons I decided to go with 2 different BB creams is one has SPF (and even though its a measley 15 it's still important) and the other doesn't and also the salicylic acid factor. Everyone's skin is different and not everyone will react well to salicylic acid. In the world of acne, you have salicylic acid people or benzoyl peroxide people (or neither or both). I happen to be a salicylic acid person so if you are too, then this will work great for you. I have oily skin and when you first put these on, you'll be a little oily but that's what the setting powder is for.

2. Setting Powder

So when I first got into makeup I had no idea what this setting powder business was. I would just use the tinted moisturizer, eyeliner and some lip gloss. There was absolutely no staying power to the makeup that I had put on. That was until I discovered the setting powder! My all time favorite is still the original one I picked up: Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder in Translucent. Great for oily skin and great for keeping it in your purse just for touch ups. 

3. Bronzer

When I first started watching YouTube I pretty much only watched Holly from Hollyannaeree and she absolutely loved this bronzer. It's the NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in 720A Sunny. It's not too dark and it's great for contouring as well. It's very buildable as well but don't get too crazy lol. 

4. Blush

The problem with a lot of the drugstore blushes is that they are very sparkly and if you have not-so-good skin (like myself) it really highlights the imperfections. My favorite blush from the drugstore is the Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso. It does have some shimmer to it but it's not too bad. I think it's a great subtle color that will just give some color to your cheeks without making it look like you put on a ton of blush. The more you use it, the less shimmer you'll have because most of the shimmer is on the top layer. 

5. Eyeliner

 I am a huge fan of dark smoked out eyes and one of the first makeup items I used was eyeliner. Through the years I have tried many eyeliners and these two are the best I've found at the drugstore. I'm one lazy person and it pains me to have to go with an eyeliner that requires sharpening but I have to go with Milani Liquif'eye Metallic Eye Liner Pencil in 01 Black. The formulation is so great. Super creamy and goes on super black. The smearing is a bit of a problem for my lower lash line (I always get that lower lash-line crease :/). If anyone has any suggestions, please leave them in the comments below. I love trying new eyeliners! The second eyeliner is the Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Liner in Blackest Black. I would say this is comparable to the Bobbi Brown Gel Liner (but the Bobbi Brown one is definitely softer and creamier) and is a fraction of the cost. Would highly recommend trying the Maybelline one first if you're debating whether or not to start using gel liner. I happen to love the look that gel liners give but I hate that I can't use it to tight line. 

6. Mascara

So I think it was this last year when Sephora was giving away the Benefit They're Real mascara for their birthday gift and I was pretty obsessed with that for awhile. The only problem with that one is it tends to clump with itself and it gives that "spider" look. I was looking for something less intense that I could use for everyday. That's when I came across Maybelline's The Rocket Volum' Express. I remember when I first found out about Estee from Essiebutton, she talked about this mascara in one of her favorites videos. She was saying how when she tried it out it was just ok and that she didn't really like it and then when she stopped using it and tried other mascaras she kept going back to this one. It's true though. I kinda went through the same process. The Rocket Volum' Express mascara is like a toned down version of the Benefit They're Real. Both formulations are very watery. Give it a chance to dry before you judge it.

7. Lips

I'm not a huge fan of lipsticks. They always have this weird scent to them and my lips are very dry and they always look very chalky on me. So my lip recommendations will be mostly items that are extremely moisturizing. First off, I stick to more neutral colors so I feel weird recommending anything different. However, if you are more adventurous and want to venture out of the neutral shades, I would highly recommend the formulation of the Revlon Lip Butters. Great color payoff as well as a super moisturizing formula. I pretty much own every color and the only reason I haven't purchased any more is because whenever I'm at the drugstore, I purchase one and then come home to find that I already have it! #beautyhoardersproblem. Next up, NYX Butter Glosses. I really love the formulation and they all have different scents so if you end up hating one, you might be interested in another color/scent. My favorite is probably Creme Brulee. A great neutral for everyday. A recent a favorite of mine has been the Maybelline Colorsensational "The Elixer" Glosses in 055 Glistening Amber. I have about 4 different shades and the formulation is extremely moisturizing. I use this everyday. I have the dark purple shade and it actually doesn't look too crazy on me. The staying power of these is about 4-5 hrs so you will need to reapply, especially if you are using the darker shades

8. Brushes

These 3 brushes are basically all I use daily. To apply my foundation/BB creams, I use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. If you want to spend a little more on one thing, invest in the Real Techniques brushes. They are the softest brushes and they've lasted a long time. Find these brushes at Walmart or Ulta and don't forget those Ulta coupons! Another Real Techniques brush that I use daily is the Multi Task Brush. I use this brush for applying my setting powder. The last brush I'll mention the e.l.f Blush Brush. This blush is great for, you guessed it, apply blush. Applies the blush right to the cheeks and blends it nicely into your contour. 

Cost:

1. Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream - $10.99 
2. Maybelline Dream Pure BB - $5.09
3. Rimmel Stay Matte - $3.99
4. NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer - $2.99
5. Milani Baked Blush - $7.99
6. Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Liner - $9.99
7. Milani Liquid Eye Liner Pencil - $6.99
8. Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express - $7.49
9. Revlon Lip Butters - $8.49
10. NYX Butter Glosses - $4.99
11. Maybelline Color Sensational Elixer - $8.99
12. Real Techniques Buffing Brush - $8.79
13. Real Techniques Travel Essentials Set - $14.79 (I'm not sure if you can purchase the Multi Task Brush outside of this set :/
14. e.l.f. Blush Brush - $3.04

Thanks for reading and if you have any drugstore recommendations, please leave them below! 

I'm always looking to try more drugstore products!

Makeup Essentials for a Newbie

I started playing around with makeup a little over a year ago and there are certain products that I've been seriously loving. To me, these are essentials for anyone starting to get into makeup because they are all drug store items so you aren't spending a fortune and also, these are all pretty high performing products (although I haven't used much high end stuff so I really wouldn't know...). Also, I can't speak for all skin types so the face products might not be the best unless you have super oily skin like mine. Although, my skin has been getting a lot dryer(blame old age :/). Hope you guys enjoy!

Lips

Maybelline's Baby Lips is one of my favorite products for the lips. I use to use Bag Balm because my lips were so chapped all the time but it isn't very easy to carry around (even the smaller one oozes oily-ness everywhere) so these babies are a great replacement. I like the blue and lime green ones because they are clear so I use them to moisturize my lips before using any other lip products. I would highly recommend these for anyone with dry/chapped lips like mine. The baby blue one is called Quenched and tastes like peppermint. The purple one is called Peach Kiss and I can't really pinpoint what it tastes like. The pink one is called Pink Punch and I'm not sure what this tastes like either. The greenish/turquoise one is called Grape Vine and tastes pretty grapey. I also ended up picking up the orange one called Cherry Me which tastes like Sweet Tarts. 

   

With the whole balm/lipstick boom that has taken place recently, there are many products that claim to moisturize as well as tint your pouts. Lipsticks have never really worked for me since my lips are super chapped and it just looks horrible. Moisturizing with a clear lip balm has really helped and so have these Revlon Lip Butters. Between the Revlon Lip Butters and the L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm, I like the Lip Butters a lot more. A friend and I were discussing how the Lip Butters are more of a lipstick consistency but a tad bit more moisturizing whereas the Balm is more of a tinted lip balm. One of the things I would like to mention is that some of the Lip Butters can be a little grainy feeling so if that's a huge issue for you, I'd go with the Balm. My favorite color for the Lip Butters is the Peach Parfait. It's the color that's always in my purse but it is also the one that's a bit grainy.

Face

This is a great foundation(?) for people that are just starting out. I've basically used this as a tinted moisturizer. It comes out white and it just blends in with your skin color. Super easy to use. And it even has SPF! 

I've been using this foundation ever since I wanted something with more coverage. It's got a great creamy, dewey finish which is what I like. Some people have said there's a certain shimmer in the formula and I do notice it sometimes in bright sunlight (Edward Cullen style :P) but it's not bothersome to me. It has absolutely amazing coverage and goes on super smooth. I use both the 005 and the 006. 

This Wet n Wild blush in Pearlescent Pink has become one of my favorite blushes. I bought it originally because I had a coupon from CVS for Wet n Wild products and thought the color was nice. This blush is surprisingly super pigmented! It's actually more pigmented than my NARS Orgasm. I also like it a little bit more than my NARS Orgasm because I feel like Orgasm has some gold glitters that if you want to build up the color a little, you end up looking super glittery. One word of warning with this product is that there is quite a bit of fall out but overall, I really like this blush. I still haven't tried the Elf blush/bronzer duo which is supposed to be a dupe of the NARS duo so I can't compare to the Elf one. I have tried several of the other single Elf blushes and I don't feel like they are pigmented at all! They also have a ton of fall out as well which wouldn't be bothersome if it actually produced color! Maybe I'm choosing the wrong colors? Leave a comment below with your thoughts :).

This is a great item not only for bronzing but also for contouring. It gives my face so much color especially in the winter time when I tend to look like a ghost. Sometimes I don't even need to use any blush after using this. This product is also super easy to use. You can build up the color but at the same time you don't end up looking orange. There's a reason why bloggers and YouTubers rave about this product. Super affordable and great quality.

I didn't know you had to set your makeup with a powder for the longest time (lol) and I'd always wonder why my makeup looked so gross and runny after a day out. I picked this up just because it was cheap at Target and ended up loving this product. Because I have oily skin, it not only sets my makeup but also keeps my skin matte. Definitely a great product for those just starting out. I just dust this over my face after rubbing foundation all over and it does a great job of sealing things into place.

One of the main things I can't live without is eyeliner. This Maybelline gel liner is one that I've fallen in love with. It goes on super black and stays on for days! I have super oily lids and this doesn't transfer much. Even though this works really well, I try not to use it everyday since it does give you a very dramatic look. For everyday, I use the Almay black eyeliner. The thing that I love about the Almay one is that it does not require sharpening like the Milani Liquif'eye. The Milani eye liner goes on dark, super smooth and creamy but the sharpening is not a lazy person's best friend lol. 

The Naked 2 palette is great for newbies. I love that it has the super dark black which I use sometimes as a liner. The variety of neutrals in this palette is perfect for doing an everyday neutral eye or to darken up and do a smokey eye. There's also a mixture of matte and metallic colors. I won't get too into reviewing this guy since I'm still learning how to use eye shadows myself but I definitely think it's a good investment! If you'd like to see a thorough review, check out Jenn from From Head to Toe's review. I would follow her blog and YouTube channel. Her reviews are really thorough with swatches and the whole shebang! Definitely one of my favorite YouTubers!



Hope you all enjoyed this post! Love you all and thanks for reading!

Side note: OMG my computer is driving me nuts!! It's so slow!! I'm still using my Lenovo from pharmacy school which I've had since 2008 I think it's time for a new laptop. I'm looking at the new Lenovo Yoga :D. Tony actually showed it to me since it's similar to my current laptop which is on those where you can flip the screen down and it serves as a tablet, "thinkpads" as they would call it. I bought a iMac last year and we've stationed it in our second room but I rarely go in there. Should have bought something with more mobility. I've been looking at the MacBook Air but I feel like I'd just be paying for the Apple symbol rather than the specs. I guess I'll see how Windows 8 is before I make the leap!