I’m pretty self aware and I definitely know what I’m good at and also what I suck at. I’ve learned over time to turn what I don’t have into what I do have. I’ll give you an example. I worked in music in my former life and had ZERO ear for music which can be faux pas in that business. I would sit in a studio with my co-workers and listen to new music from our clients and think “cool, sounds good. What am I listening for?” when everyone else would say things like “the tone on that album is INCREDIBLE!” (See, still don’t know what I’m talking about).
That said, who do you think everybody came to when they wanted an opinion from a fan perspective? THIS GIRL! So with that, I turned my lack of knowledge into my superpower.
I don’t really know anything about makeup but I’m about to tell you about my favorite products because guess what, my lack of makeup knowledge means that my makeup is 101…and if I can use these products, anybody can use these products. I am Basic Betty when it comes to makeup and here’s what I love and use every single day.
Note: Go sign up for Sephora FLASH shipping right now here. It’s $10 once a year for an ENTIRE YEAR of free 2-day shipping. Sephora has stepped up in a big way on this. BYE IN-STORE LINES.
Ok, proceed.
1. Garnier Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller: No matter how many hours I sleep, the truth is, my day starts at 3 a.m. so the dark circle struggle is very real. This has a roller ball that is cool to the touch and feels amazing on the under eye bags.
2. Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation: I used to use the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer that everyone loves so much. When I started seeing Kathleen about my skin, she begged me to throw it out and immediately go buy Cover FX. Apparently the cult favorite by Laura Mercier is a pore clogger. Cover FX is vegan and talc free. This keeps me shine-free all day!
3. Sephora collection Retractable Waterproof Eyeliner: Too lazy to sharpen eyeliner? Yup! That’s me! I’ve worn this eyeliner for years with no complaints.
4. Buxom Big Tease Mascara: I bought this over a year ago and haven’t looked back. This is NOT a great waterproof mascara (it says on the description that it’s smudge proof and it’s not) but it IS a great VA-VA-VOOM mascara and I get compliments on my lashes constantly. Vanity trumps waterproof for me on this one. HA!
5. NARS Orgasm blush: There might as well be no other blush on the planet. I bought this after my best friend Ginna started wearing it years ago and I’ve never looked back. She told me it looked good on everyone and seriously, it looks good on everyone.
6. Milk Makeup Holographic Stick: YOU NEED THIS. Like now. This is the best cheater version of makeup ever. I say cheater because I would have never known how to make myself shimmer like a makeup artist just worked on my face but THIS IS THE GAME CHANGER. This product is one of those things that instantly makes you look fancy, even when you’re not. “Fake it til you make it” would be my yearbook quote if I had one today. There is no shame in making life easier. This comes in a stick form like deodorant and you put a little line on each of your cheeks, right above where your blush line is. BOOM. Instant, classy shimmer. You could go overboard with it for the weekend too and have a little fun with it, but it’s totally office appropriate for everyday wear when used lightly.
7. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask: If you are a chapstick addict: THIS IS FOR YOU. It’s called a sleep mask but I call this my favorite everyday lip gloss. I have the pink (berry) version and I need to apply it about 1/10th as much as I’m used to applying chapstick. A friend sent this to me as a gift and it is a WINNER!