With the end of school comes back to school season so some of us are going to be in school for around 8 hours if not more. I definitely do not want my makeup melting off my face or fading. Before I found some of the products below I would find my makeup nonexistent by the end of the day. Another aspect of back to school season is reluctantly waking up in the early morning so I try to have a concise and quick makeup routine while still having the look I want.
A primer will help your makeup last longer throughout the day as well as enhance the overall appearance of your foundation. Finding a primer to suit your skin type is pretty easy. Smashbox, for example, have an extensive range of primers for different purposes. Benefit also has different primers. Above is the The POREfessional primer which diminishes the look of pores and the other is the Stay Flawless primer which comes in a stick form. This is my personal recommendation for back to school. Application is very easy. You just twist up the primer and apply it to your face straight from the tube. Rub it in and it will act as a magnet for your makeup to stick to your face. Great for liquid or powder foundation.
Don't let the All Nighter name of this setting spray fool you, I use this everyday to keep my makeup on and take away any powdery look on my face. The De-Slick Makeup Setting spray is also effective but if you're really oily you'll want to use it in conjunction with a primer.
For early mornings I opt for powder and concealers. It's the easiest and fastest way for me to get the coverage I want. I don't have horrible acne, just a few blemishes here and there, but I do have acne scars on my forehead and some discoloration on my cheeks. The full coverage concealer (Makeup Forever Full Cover concealer) gets me the coverage I need without having to use liquid foundation. I use my MAC Studio Sculpt concealer in a lighter shade to counteract my under eye darkness and L'Oreal True Match Powder for a little bit of overall coverage. This powder is the best color match for my personally, as I have an extremely yellow undertone. If you wish to use liquid foundation make sure it blends in perfectly with your skin so that you don't have to fiddle with mixing different foundations to get the right color match.
One of the most crucial part of any makeup routine is mascara. Take the two minutes to apply your favorite mascara and your eyes will stand out and look more awake. My favorite is The Falsies Flared Volum' Express Waterproof mascara by Maybelline. It has a dryer formula thats better for my short straight lashes.
A way to make you look like you spent a lot of time on your makeup, not to mention alive too, is to add a little blush and bronzer. I lightly contour my face with Revlon's Bronzed & Chic bronzer which is matte and wonderful. A little blush on the apples of the cheeks or, my personal favorite, on the back of the cheekbones.
Last but not least pick a moisturizing "my lips but better" lip color, something easy to apply and throw into your bag. Above I have a Milani lipstick in Plumrose, Maybelline Color Whisper in Made It Mauve, and L'Oreal Color Riche Color Caress lip color in Rose Tafetta.
I hope these products and tips give you a little inspiration for you to revamp your back to school beauty routine! It's all about trial and error to practice before your first day back. Good luck!
