By Bailey Morrison
Facebook recently implemented a feature called “Memories,” which pulls your posts from years ago onto your timeline. This allows you to relive the cringe-worthy pictures and statuses of an early teen discovering Facebook. A few weeks ago, Facebook Memories showed me a past column I had written titled, “Makeup bag essentials.”
After a quick read, I realized I do not regularly use a singular item that I deemed necessary in 2016. With that in mind, below are my new and (somewhat) improved makeup bag essentials.
It should also be noted that due to the sheer amount of makeup I have collected, I now store all my makeup in an industrial toolbox purchased from Amazon. I highly recommend this move to anyone who has run out of cabinet space.
Brief aside, though not integral to this column whatsoever: for my other makeup lovin’ pals out there, the Sephora VIB sale begins on Friday. Twenty percent off all products, so whip out your wallet and make some hard decisions – I know I will be. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
For the purpose of this column, I’ll go from the base up.
Jack Black Double-Duty Face Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20
A piece of advice that my best friend shrieks at anyone who will listen is to wear sunscreen. About a year ago, this moisturizer became my daily go-to before applying makeup.
It’s lightweight and infused with vitamin A and C, which both repair and refresh the skin. This same friend tells me frequently that this alone isn’t enough sunscreen, but it’s what I rely on. The full size is pricey, ringing in at $48, but well worth the price tag.
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
Any time I plan on slapping on foundation, I go in with this first. This matte primer smooths pores and preps skin for a flawless foundation application. It gives skin a blurred effect, making your foundation blend into your face like skin. The travel size is $16 and has lasted me roughly seven months.
Pür Contour Blending Sponge
I subscribe to a makeup service called BoxyCharm and I am sent Xve new products a month. A few months ago, I received three blending sponges from Pür. They became my favorite off-brand beauty blending sponges. The sponge retains just enough moisture to soak in the foundation without wasting product. Typically, I spritz the sponge with a little rose water, slap on my foundation with the sponge and voilà! Effortless, beautiful foundation application. Pür sells these sponges for $12.
Maybelline Dream Cushion Fresh Face Liquid Foundation
When cushion foundations exploded in the market about a year ago, I was skeptical. After picking up the Dream Cushion from Maybelline, I was singing a different tune. Using a beauty blender to apply this foundation gives the skin a natural glow with light-to-medium coverage. With this foundation, it doesn’t even look like you have any on. It sinks into the skin and isn’t streaky or cakey. The best thing about this foundation is that it is widely available at most drug stores and costs only $16.
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer
I found this bronzer in a limited-edition Sephora Favorites product release. Though I didn’t pick this product up until months after receiving it, it quickly became my new favorite bronzer. The cool undertones give the cheeks a sculpted look, while leaving a subtle glow. One of the best things about this product is it smells like chocolate. I haven’t used all of my sample size yet and haven’t purchased the product in full, but the retail value is $30.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle
This cult-favorite highlight made its way into my hands over a year ago. Until the past few months, it hadn’t been a necessity in my bag. The ambient glaze this highlight gives is perfect for the natural makeup looks I’ve been sporting recently. But, the highlight is buildable and can be layered to make your cheekbones shine like a strobe light. This is sold at MAC for $34.
L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara
One perk to being a VIB is almost always having free mascara samples, so I don’t often purchase my own. After seeing many beauty gurus rave about Lash Paradise, I picked it up from Target and it has become my new favorite. Whether I’m wearing just the mascara while I’m on the run or wearing a full face of makeup, this mascara pairs perfectly with every look. The most affordable item in my toolbox, it retails for $9.99.
These are only a few of my favorite makeup products I’ve been loving in the year of 2017. Due to The Gatepost not being able to print six pages dedicated to my makeup habits, I’ll leave you with these.