Welcome to the 4th day of Beauty Week at Dressed for My Day. This week I’ve been sharing my simple routines for skincare and makeup application. You can find the other posts in this series here. I’m not an expert in these areas, but I’m simply sharing what works for me. I’m glad you’re here!
I’m sharing how I go about creating a pretty but natural look for everyday. You’ll find how I begin my beauty routine with skincare for older skin here. Then I shared my foundations, including primer, foundation and under eye concealer here. And yesterday I shared a tutorial for how I apply my eye makeup here. In today’s photos we pick up where I left off yesterday. So my skincare, foundations and eye products have been applied.
Cheeks and Contouring
I use one palette for adding color to my cheeks and a little contouring and highlighting. And lately, I’ve just used this one brush, too. I’m all for keeping things simple and streamlined.
This palette contains a talc free matte bronzer (most are so shimmery!), a luminizing radiance powder for highlighting and a brightening blush stain, all infused with anti-aging properties.
I use an angled, full contouring brush to apply all three products. First I apply the matte bronzer.
I swipe a good little bit diagonally under my cheekbones, from my hairline toward the bottom of my nose (but not to my nose!) just to the center of my cheeks.
Don’t be worried if this looks like a lot of color. You’re going to apply more that will balance it all out. Plus you’re going to blend later.
I also swipe on the bronzer under my chin, from chin down my neck a bit, and underneath my jawline on both sides.
The purpose of the matte bronzer is to cause areas of your face and neck to recede. The dark shadow minimizes and recedes. This is really important as we age and our faces take on a fuller, softer shape. The contouring creates more definition.
I also brush on a little bronzer around my hairline on my forehead and on both sides of my nose, once again to create more definition.
Next I use the same brush and pick up a little of the brightening blush stain. This is an odd looking color in the palette, but somehow it looks beautiful and natural on my skin.
I apply the blush on the apples of my cheeks (smile and the apples of your cheeks will puff up front and center) and along the center of my cheek bones, careful not to go too high.
Finally I swipe the brush through the highlighter. I apply the luminizing highlighter above my brows and down and around to the tops of my cheekbones, stopping under the center of my eyes.
While the dark shadow of the bronzer causes areas to recede, the luminizer brings forth the areas you want to emphasize. So I want to highlight the bone structure around my eyes.
Now I take a large e.l.f. total face brush and blend all of the product I’ve just applied. I use a light hand and blend in a circular motion.
Lips
Actually, before I start applying my makeup, just after applying my moisturizer, I usually apply a lip balm to my lips. I haven’t actually purchased this Lancome Absolue lip balm. It was a free gift with purchase. But I’m loving it. However, it’s a little pricey, so I don’t know if I’ll buy the full-size product when this runs out. I definitely recommend applying some kind of lip balm at the beginning of your routine, though.
Now, back to the order of things. After I’ve done my contouring, I’m ready to apply my lipcolor. If the lip balm is still a little thick on my lips, I may blot it first. Then I apply lip liner. Right now I’m enjoying this It Cosmetics lip liner stain. I feel like it goes on easily and smoothly, creates a nice barrier to prevent lipcolor bleed and fades at the same rate as my lipstick, which is rather slowly.
I’ve been using the Romantic Rose shade. It’s a nice pinkish neutral that works well with many of the shades of lipstick I use.
Carefully outline the entirety of your lips, creating a pleasing bow at the top if that works for your lip shape. You can line outside of your natural lips if you want to create a fuller look, but be sure to carry that line in toward your natural lip line also.
I probably could have lined my bottom lip a little fuller in the photo above. I open my mouth wide and stretch my lips out as I’m lining them to make sure I’ve got lip liner in all the little crevices.
Next I apply the lipstick. I’m enjoying using Bare Minerals Gen Nude Radiant Lipstick. They have 15 nude shades and the product is very creamy and long lasting. Also, it doesn’t bother me. You know some lipstick goes on so thick that I feel like, “Here come the lips!” But this lipstick has a nice texture and feels fairly sheer and unobtrusive.
But hey, maybe it’s just me who even thinks this way about lipstick! Ha! I’m wearing Mantra, a dirty mauve with rosy undertones.
I usually blot my lipstick very lightly with a Kleenex (or toilet paper, usually!) after applying.
Then I apply lip gloss. I’m enjoying the Bare Minerals Gen Nude Buttercream Lip Gloss. Once again, there are about 10 shades of nude to choose from. I’m wearing Forbidden, a light nude pink.
And y’all, that’s it! That’s my everyday, natural looking makeup application.
Taking up three full blog posts, it may seem like a time intensive process with a lot of products. But it really isn’t. I’m just not that kind of gal. I don’t like to spend a lot of time in front of the mirror. So I’ve got this down to about 10 minutes max. And I rarely touch up my makeup during the day, unless I have a photo shoot in the later afternoon.
Let me know if you have any questions. And thanks for letting me share what works for me.
Shop the Post:
Be sure to save today’s post and the other Beauty Week posts to your Pinterest boards. And share it on Facebook if you’ve enjoyed it, too. Thanks so much for spreading the word about what I do here at Dressed for My Day.
If you’re not already a subscriber to Dressed for My Day, why on earth not?? Let’s take care of that today. You can find out about all the benefits and register here.
Blessed for My Day
Today each time you put on lipstick or balm may you be reminded of the power of your lips. With your lips you have the power to build or destroy, the authority to encourage or invoke fear, the ability to praise or whine. Let’s choose carefully how we use our lips today. May we smile brightly with the hope of Christ. May we speak softly and gently because we are not afraid or intimidated. And may we speak graciously because we have been given so much grace.
O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. ~ Psalm 51:15
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. ~ Psalm 63:3
Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, From a deceitful tongue. ~ Psalm 120:2
REALLY enjoyed your series on applying your makeup and skincare routines! Have saved them all so I can go back and refer to them. My routine AND the products I use, are very similar to yours so found this especially helpful. Thanks for taking the time to do this, Kay. Love you and your blog!
Great! I’m glad this has been helpful, Sondra. Thanks for being such a loyal reader! 🙂
I have enjoyed your series this week and have found it helpful in my skin care and makeup regimen. I appreciate the spirit and the transparency in which you share. May the Lord use our words to be a blessing to those who we come in contact with today.
I’m tickled pink that you’ve enjoyed the posts, Marilyn. Thanks so much for letting me know. Blessings galore!
Kay, thank you for sharing your makeup routine. You look so natural and beautiful! I don’t like for my lipstick to make my lips feel dry. So many of the lip glosses seem to make the lipstick wear off faster, and without color on my lips, I don’t look so good. It is definitely a trial and error and can be costly. I’m so glad you are back home safe and sound. Have a blessed day!
Hi Ginger. I totally get the lipstick thing. I’ve been very pleased with the Bare Minerals. I have a couple of tubes and they stay on and really stay pretty moist for quite a while. And I’ll admit, I don’t always apply the gloss. Probably I use it most on Sunday morning or when I’m shooting photos. But I pretty much stick with the lipstick rest of the time. Thanks for reading. Blessings to you!
Thank you for sharing your makeup routine. I appreciate the spirit and the transparency in which you share.<3
I enjoyed this series. It was very helpful to me. I purchased the cheek color and bronzer. It arrived today. I think I am going to really like it. I feel like you are a kindred spirit. I am a missionary pastor’s wife. I’ve had a hard time the last few years with adjusting my clothing and makeup, etc. to the stage of life I am in, especially living in a foreign country. You have been a blessing and I am learning so much!!! Thank you!
Hi Kim. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the blog. Thanks for sharing a little about yourself. I’m so glad you’ve found a helpful resource and a friend here. Bless you.