It likely will not surprise you to learn I am not really a makeup gal. I mean, I wear it. I like it. But I own very little of it. This was an easy top/bottom list for me to parse out and I had to struggle to think of more than ten makeup items anyway.
TOP FIVE MAKEUP ITEMS
- Coconut oil. This is a mainstay in my routine. It’s what I use to help loosen and remove makeup. It’s how I moisturize before bed and first thing in the morning before I apply makeup. I use Everland Organic Expeller Pressed – which has NO coconut SMELL. That is critical for me. I cannot stand the smell of coconut on my skin, so the flavourless/scentless type is a must. I decant a little bit of oil into a small dish that I keep in my bathroom vanity. A little goes a long way, so a jar lasts me well over a year.
- Maybelline FIT me! Foundation Stick. I’ve been using this product for years. On a clean face – with a tiny amount of coconut oil rubbed in – I dab any blemishes/red spots with this foundation stick and rub it in with my fingers. C’est tous.
- Blush. I am pale and look like death warmed over without a bit of blush. I use a small swipe of lipstick on each cheek which I rub in with my fingers. I know I could up my blush game but, Meh, it’s fine. (Essence: 06/”Real” in Semi Matte.)
- Eyebrow pencil. Sweet teenage Elisabeth – WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? My brows need some help and I love the Essence gel eyebrow pencil more than any other I’ve tried/owned. (Essence: “Wow What A Brow Pen” in Blonde.)
- Mascara. This is a must for me to look awake. I have heavily-lidded eyes and often look half-asleep and/or have my eyes half-closed. Mascara helps me look less like a zombie. On Nicole’s suggestion I have upped my Falsies game to the Maybelline Falsies Surreal and it is great. The big difference – which Nicole mentioned and I corroborate 100% – is that Surreal doesn’t smudge. My mascara looks almost the same at 9 pm as it does at 9 am when I first put it on which is AMAZING. I always had racoon eyes by the end of the day and love that this mascara doesn’t have that effect.
Bonus Top:
- Vaseline Rosy Lips. I love this as it gives the faintest hint of colour and is shiny and moisturizing. It’s also $1.50 at the Dollar Store.
- Eyeliner. I only do this on my top lid 2-3 times a week and I buy brown because it’s a lot less harsh regardless of hair colour or mascara shade. (Essence: Longlasting Eye Pencil in Hot Chocolate; the staying power isn’t amazing on this, so I might up my game and try another brand when this stick runs out.)
BOTTOM FIVE MAKEUP ITEMS
- Lipstick. Aside from using it as my blush, I never apply lipstick to my lips. It just looks…weird on me.
- Eyeshadow. I use this occasionally. I know it’s user error (not the product), but I think I always look extra tired when I’m wearing eye shadow. And/or like I’m about to head out for Halloween.
- Bronzer. I’ve never mastered this, though it might help me look less ghostly…
- Lip liner. This makes sense since I never wear lipstick. I have never owned a stick of lip liner in my life.
- Liquid Foundation. I went through a phase many moons ago of using liquid foundation but it always looks heavy on me and…it’s too much work/rubs off on clothes.
Your turn. What are your top/bottom five makeup items? Thoughts on lipstick? What makeup items am I missing that are must-haves for you? What has been your worst makeup decision over the years? Any other over-pluckers out there?
Header photo by Edz Norton on Unsplash
Grateful Kae
I’ll be interested to see what others have to say! I definitely wear makeup (like, always have at least some on…I wish my skin was as flawless as yours!!!) but I’m not “into” makeup, either. Like for me it’s just sort of a necessity to not look like a dead person basically, but other than that, I don’t particularly enjoy it. I have mostly drug store level stuff too and sometimes consider delving into upping that game, but.. I don’t know. I feel like it works best to have certain areas of my life that I am just not as spendy, which then makes me not feel bad when we’re more spendy in other areas. So like if I suddenly become a “fancy makeup girl” or “fancy purse collector” or “weekly manicure girl” then this would slowly start tipping the scales away from the nice balance I feel I have. Does that make sense? haha.
Elisabeth
I look pretty lifeless without some blush and mascara, but I don’t enjoy putting on makeup (or doing my hair) so they just aren’t my thing. If I was really “into it” I think I’d be fine with splurging on products, but I have zero desire to try different things and just stick with drugstore stuff. The Essence brand is solid and each thing is under $6. I mean…hard to beat that. And they’re vegan/not tested on animals.
Jenny
Well, I use coconut oil! I wonder if I’m the only one who’s going to say this, but I don’t wear makeup. I never have. This actually worked just fine when I was younger, but now that I’m getting older I can see that makeup would really, er, help things out. I think I need Nicole to come to my house, assess the situation, and show me what to do. Or, I could just officially give up! I haven’t decided which way I’m going to go yet.
Elisabeth
Yay. We’re coconut oil twins!
My mother has never, ever worn makeup…and I cannot IMAGINE her wearing makeup and never once think she should. Makeup is a nuisance, so I think it’s great to start without using it and confidently move through life that way. It saves a lot of money and time. I wouldn’t start using makeup now if you haven’t been inclined before!
Nicole MacPherson
Yes to the Surreal! It’s a really good product at a reasonable price!
I use the following every day: primer, tinted serum with SPF 40 (unless it’s summer, then I wear sunscreen underneath a BB cream without the SPF), powder, eyeliner, mascara, powder blush, and a lip product, lipstick if I’m going out, tinted lip gloss if I’m in. Oh, and eyebrow pencil because my eyebrows are going grey. Every day, without fail. I just like putting on makeup and I like the way I look with it. The one item I never wear and never have worn is eye shadow. I mean, it’s not like I’m skimping on makeup, here, but I have never thought it looked good on me and I’ve never figured out how to apply it. I don’t use bronzer or lip liner either. I’ve also given up on undereye concealer because I think it was exacerbating my wrinkles.
Elisabeth
Yes! I am loving the Surreal and I’m so glad I circled back around on it. I was planning to get the same Falsies type as before and even after texting with you, I was humming and hawing at the store, but I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the regular Falsies Lash Lift.
Oh, powder! I forgot powder. I used it when I went through a liquid foundation phase, but don’t even own powder now.
I like how I look with makeup on, but I mostly hate putting it on. Sigh. And you know how I feel about washing my face. It boggles my mind that some women LIKE washing their face and putting and creams and makeup. It does seem like a very fun thing to enjoy, but I don’t and just need to accept that.
Ally Bean
The Vaseline Rosy Lips looks like my kind of product. I don’t do much with make-up in general. Just a tinted sunscreen for foundation, a lip stain, and penciling in some eyebrows. The rest of it, too much effort for little results.
Elisabeth
Ha – “too much effort for little results.” Yup, I think simple is hard to beat.
The Rosy Lips is so, so subtle but it gives the faintest hint of pink and lots of shine and moisture. Big fan!
Diane
Like Jenny, I don’t wear make-up. It just feels like a lot of work to figure it out and I’m not up for that, especially in the morning. I also spend a lot of my working life running around in the dark, so… who cares?? I used to do a bit of eye liner and a swipe of lipstick when I had to go to opening night parties, but I don’t even do that now. I think the last time I bought make-up was when my oldest was 5 and needed some for her dance recital. It’s embarrassing because she is now 12 year old and was recently digging through the drawers in the bathroom and decided to put on some of the make-up I had in there and I couldn’t tell you how old it was… I don’t know if make-up goes bad, but it definitely felt like she shouldn’t be using stuff that’s older than she is.
I can’t live without lip balm, though.
Elisabeth
They say that makeup very much does go bad (I think it breaks down, but the bigger thing is bacteria in it)…but I definitely use makeup for much longer than recommended. That said, I only own products I use and I use them 6ish times a week, so at this point, I seem to go through things a few times a year, so nothing is too old.
Lip balm doesn’t even fall under makeup to me – it’s NECESSARY TO BE A SANE HUMAN. I am a bit addicted to lip balm and try to have one in every pocket, purse, vehicle. I also put it on each night before bed.
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
I’m conflicted. I can’t wear eye makeup because of dry eye/sensitivity, I don’t wear lip products other than Burt’s Bees balm because I can’t keep up with reapplying and I don’t want to transfer lipstick over to my husband every time we smooch, and honestly I just don’t bother with foundation since the pandemic. I love that I can just get out of bed and I’m ready to go.
The conflict is that if I didn’t have the eye problems I would TOTALLY doll up and glam out. It is fun to play with makeup.
So my top 3 that I’m pretending are 5 are my moisturizer, lip balm, and foundation for the few days of the year that I wear it. My bottom million that I’m pretending are 5 are all other cosmetic products.
Elisabeth
You’ve got some great new math. Are they teaching that in schools now? Bwa-ha-ha.
Eye issues are no joke and I do find makeup can be so irritating to eyes (little mascara flecks etc).
If you’re happy and content without makeup I think that’s the best of all worlds!
JMH
I also love Mabelline Fit me for the dark circles under my eyes. I use Maybelline Mega Plush Volum Express mascara, a little goes a long way. My new fav is Mabelline eyeshadow set called The Nudes. It’s fun to play around with the color combos. That’s all I use typically. If I want a little extra I love the Wet n Wild mega glo highlighting powder. It really does make my skin glow in a subtle way. For a very special day, I pull out my beloved Mac Viva Glam IV lipstick, the same stick I used at my wedding almost 18 years ago! That plus clear lipgloss is magic, subtle but excellent lip color for photos.
Elisabeth
I’m curious about the W&W highlighting powder. I’m going to look that up!!
I used to – many, many moons ago – do the lipstick with clear lipgloss over the top!
NGS
I have been thinking on this all day.
Top five:
1) Primer (I’m using a primer from The Ordinary these days and it’s amazing)
2) Foundation
3) Eyeliner
4) Mascara
5) Blush
(I also put on eyeshadow every day, but I could skip eyeshadow, I guess, if I HAD to.)
Bottom five
1) Concealer – I feel like foundation deals with this
2) Lipstick – I have terrible teeth and hate anything that draws attention to my teeth
3) Eyebrow tint
4) Nail polish – I like polish, but it seriously chips after two minutes
5) Lip liner – see the lipstick complaint!
Elisabeth
I’m glad I was able to plant such important questions in your head, Engie.
I was NEVER into nail polish, it has only been in the last 2-3 months that I’ve painted my nails with fun colours. I’ve found a few that seem to have staying power and I really love seeing my nails painted in fun colours, but I HATE once they chip because it looks so icky and cheap. I can get 4-5 days out of each painting, but the in between (I tend to only change it out every 2 weeks) it not ideal.
I wonder if eyebrow tint is the same as an eyebrow pencil?
Lisa's Yarns
I would say it’s typically less common for me to have make up on my face than to not wear make up. It is not my thing at all. But if I am going into the office or have a client zoom, I will wear make up, but just the bare minimum. I only use an eyelash curler, some eyeshadow, mascara, and some light concealer type of powder for my undereye circles. And recently, I’ve started to wear red lipstick if I have zooms or client meetings. I am the last person who thought she’d ever wear red lipstick but I have found that I look much more presentable with some lipstick on! I have a kind of lipstain product that I am currently using. I got it at a charity auction probably 7-8 years ago and then didn’t use it for years. I’ll have to find out if the product is still being made!
I never wear foundation anymore (makes me break out even if it’s a tinted moisturizer) or eyeliner or blush (I can’t find the right shade and feel like a clown when I wear it and I have kind of olive skin so it feels unnecessary).
Elisabeth
I WISH I HAD OLIVE SKIN. John has olive skin and I am so, so jealous. He can spend about 2 hours in the sun and look healthily tanned for months. NOT FAIR. I burn and then go back to looking ghostly.
I feel like lipstick is SO fun, I just can’t see myself being able to pull it off. Plus, I also hate the thought of having to reapply it, but I think there are some long-wear products that work well…supposedly?
J
Working from home means that I don’t need to wear makeup if I don’t want to. However, I feel much more put together and presentable to the world if I wear it. I used to wear it EVERY DAY, but I’ve backed off a little bit, just to model to my daughter that we don’t have to look a certain way every day. (She’s 28, so I don’t know why I think I’m still modeling things for her)
When I was younger I didn’t need foundation, but I’m inching towards 60, and my skin is a lot more uneven than it used to be. Also, the skin on my eyelids is thinner than it used to be, and looks horrible with eyeliner, or without eye shadow. My veins show through, and it looks like I have a rash, it’s gross.
So, on days when I wear makeup (most days), I wear:
1. Foundation – Lancome
2. Blush (I have a stick (brand ‘Milk’) that says it’s for lips and cheeks, but I don’t use it on my lips)
3. Eye shadow – Sometimes I use eye shadow pencils, sometimes I use powder.
4. Mascara – Lancome – Sometimes I use a primer first, sometimes I just go straight to the mascara.
5. I see people saying primer, so I will copy them. Sometimes I remember to use primer, but generally I forget.
My eye shadow is very neutral and natural looking. I feel like I look like a hooker (sorry, ‘sex worker’) if I wear darker eye shadow. If I’m feeling fancy I will put on some neutral colored lipstick, and once in awhile I use an eyebrow pencil.
Bottom 5 are:
1. Concealer, because I feel like it sets into wrinkles
2. Eye liner, because I think I look 80 when I wear it, even liquid eye liner doesn’t go on smoothly anymore. Aging is FUN. I used to love eye liner, especially with a bit of color (like a dark green, subtle. I could not pull off a bright blue like Princess Di.)
3. Lipstick (except for the rare occasion that I wear it)
4. Bronzer (I have no idea how to use this)
5. Lip liner (never ever do I wear this).
Elisabeth
Agreed that I just feel better if I have at least some makeup on. That little bit of effort makes me feel like I need to put a little bit of effort into life more generally? Also, I tend to have to be out and about at least a few times each day and I just feel more confident in public with a bit of colour on my (pale) cheeks and a swipe of mascara on my lashes.
And you will always be modelling for Maya. I still look up to my mom and, even subconsciously, notice things she does/says and definitely look to her as a role model. I just think as our kids age the reverse is true, too? Like I notice my mother doing things that she’s picked up from me. And isn’t the best outcome (providing they are positive traits being passed along!!).
Steph
I love makeup and lotions/creams and most things cosmetic! While I find washing my face to be a slog, I do enjoy putting on makeup and getting ready for the day/bed.
Makeup top 5:
1. Tinted SPF
2. Concealer
3. Blush
4. Mascara
5. Eyeliner
Makeup bottom 5:
1. Primer
2. Contour stuff
3. Hmm…probably other stuff, but more because I like to be somewhat streamlined and not because I’m actually opposed. 🙂
Elisabeth
Washing my face is my least favourite part of using makeup. In an ideal world I’d shower every night because it’s not quite so onerous to wash my face if I’m already showering.
Michelle G.
When I was younger, I loved makeup. I loved going to Mary Kay parties, and I even hosted a couple! I’d get all dolled up and have fun so much with it. But over the years, my skin has gotten so sensitive that I can hardly bear wearing anything. But I can still wear lipstick, so I still have fun with that!
Melissa
I very rarely wear makeup, only if I’m going out somewhere fancy, I might use some concealer, lipstick and mascara. Although I’ve given up on the mascara because I wear it so rarely that it is out of date after one wear and my glasses reduce the need for it. When I was younger I learnt to put on makeup properly with eye shadow, blush and everything and I used to do all that when I went out but now I can’t be bothered.
Gigi
I love that mascara! Although, I just saw a new one that looks intriguing…
I’m a makeup every day person. I recently found a foundation that isn’t too heavy and kind of evens things out a bit. It’s a Cover Girl (simply ageless? Or something like that). I will do eyeshadow but not necessarily every day. Usually, I use a bit of brown or other dark-ish eyeshadow in place of eyeliner (not as harsh as a pencil, I think). I don’t do eyebrows everyday; but probably should. Lipstick every day, without fail! But, I can’t be bothered with transfer or re-applying it; the best I’ve found is Cover Girl Outlast (I haven’t found anything else that can compare). It generally lasts for the majority of the day. I have found that the darker colors will wear off quicker. And I only apply it after having coffee – because the heat will melt it off.
Elisabeth
I go over my eyeliner (top lid only) with eyeshadow occasionally because I find it helps it set and stay better!
Maybe 2024 is the year I try lipstick? So thanks for the rec on Cover Girl Outlast! I’m still not sure I can pull it off, but it does sound fun to be a lipstick wearer.
Sarah
Eyeshadow is tricky. I used to work at a makeup counter, and it was such a good learning experience. You gotta use a really light color under your eyebrow, a slightly darker but still pretty light color on your lid blended up and then a third color, slightly darker still for the crease. Find the crease with your eye open. Then go back with color 2 on your brush and blend all 3 together. I use a super light pink, a light pink and then some other third color— maybe light brown, maybe a deeper pink, maybe a plum. I also really like to use one more darker color in the same family as eyeliner applied with an angled brush. I think mascara primer is always worth the 2 seconds it takes to apply, and I love a good creaseless concealer under my eyes and as an eye shadow base.
Elisabeth
I am so lazy that it’s just easier for me to skip eyeshadow. I know that when done properly it can be stunning, it is just NOT my thing. But I’m always jealous when I see a red carpet picture and how a celebrity eye pops. That takes work (and a facial structure) I just do not have!
Stephany
Ooh, this is a fun top 5/bottom 5. I love this topic!
Top 5:
– Eyebrow pencil
– Mascara
– Lipstick
– Eyeshadow
– Foundation (I don’t LOVE the way foundation feels but I do love the way it makes me look, lol)
Bottom 5
– Eyeliner (I’ve just never learned how to apply it right)
– Blush (I like it but I feel like it’s either TOO MUCH or TOO LITTLE – I need to practice with it more)
– Lip gloss (because I’m not 12)
– False eyelashes (I’m ready for the big eyelash trend to DIE)
– Lip liner
Elisabeth
I can’t even IMAGINE attempting false eyelashes (though I’ll admit I am jealous of the look people can achieve as I have very thin/light eyelashes). I laughed at your “ready for them to DIE”.
I agree with you on the blush. I have not mastered it at all. It is hard to get it just right.
San
I am definitely not big into makeup. I wear light makeup when I leave the house and had phases where I thought I wanted to learn more about correct make up application (some of it is still a mystery to me) but then often felt it wasn’t worth it… or I felt not “like me” when I wore more noticeable makeup.
Top five:
1)
2) “Foundation” (I am using the wet’n’wild tinted hydrator and find it so nice and subtle, it’s more like a moisturizer)
3) Blush
4) Mascara
5) Setting Powder (translucent – I really like wet’n’wild Essence Primer + Finish Poweder)
Bottom five
1) Concealer – I feel like the foundation deals with this
2) Lipstick – I hate it on my lips and look like a clown.
3) Lip Liner
4) Eyeshadow
5) Bronzer
Elisabeth
I feel the same about lipstick – 100% like a clown! Some people pull it off so well, but I really don’t…
San
Ups, I dropped the Top 1) SPF