Makeup Regimen

 blush // bronzer // eye shadow // powder foundation // mascara // eyeliner // lipstick // lip balm

If you didn't notice the trend, almost every product I use is Covergirl. I like their stuff, it's good quality and it doesn't break the bank. Is it the best product line out there? That can be debated. But I do believe it is one of the best for the money.

Covergirl Cheekers® Blush

I like this blush because it's really light, but still gives some color to my cheeks. It also comes in about 100 shades, and I have several, so I can choose what color goes best with whatever "look" I'm going for that day. A pink for a fresh faced casual day, a deep burgundy for a night out, or a pretty peach for  a more natural look.

Covergirl Cheekers® Bronzer

I just want to say, that I was using this bronzer under my cheekbones way before the Kim Kardashian "shading and highlighting" thing was cool. I got this huge makeup book when I was about 10 from my aunt and it told me aaalll about shading. So, sorry Kim K's makeup artist, but you did not invent that. PS this bronzer is great, it has just a little bit of sparkle, but not enough to make it look like you just left a Ke$ha concert.

Covergirl Queen Collection Eyeshadow Quad

Covergirl again? Yes. These color coordinated eye shadow quads are pretty awesome because you don't have to try to guess what colors look good together. I have about three different pallets right now: a grey/brown, a green/beige/brown, and the black/bronze one you see above. They have tons of color combos to choose from, ranging from neutral to bright and from matte to shimmery.

CG Fresh Complexion Pocket Powder Foundation

One thing I'm not a big fan of is liquid foundation. I've tried the "mousse" kinds and their not too bad, but still not my favorite. In high school I never wore foundation, period so it wasn't an issue then. During college I started wearing a Clinique pressed powder foundation and loved it. When I found out that CG had this, I immediately switched to it instead and can hardly tell the difference. But my wallet sure can at $7 vs $27.

Maybelline GreatLash BIG Mascara

Guys, if there's one thing in the world I'd swear on, it would be this mascara. My lashes are naturally long, but they're thin and blonde. This mascara makes them look like a pair of store-bought ones (I've been asked multiple times if my eyelashes were real or not). I've read in several magazines that several famous makeup artists and movie stars use this mascara, including Jessica Biel. I've tried all different kinds of mascara, but always end up coming back to this one.

CG Perfectblend Eye Pencil

I've never used a liquid liner, and even though I've toyed around with the idea in my head, I've never given it a shot. This pencil liner works great for upper and lower lids, and the little blending brush at the bottom works awesome when you're going for the smokey eye look.

Maybelline Color Whisper Lipstick

I really just started wearing lipstick in the past year or so, and just came across Color Whisper less than 3 months ago and I've already used more of one tube than all of my other tubes combined. It's so light on your lips, and feels almost more like a chapstick than a lipstick, it never leaves that dry, cake-y feeling you get with some lipsticks. My favorite color is Pinup Peach, but I think next time I'm going to try a bolder red.

Carmex Soothing Lip Balm

If you take my Carmex from me you might as well have taken one of my thumbs. I literally can't function without it. I probably have 7 tubes in random places because if I go somewhere without it (for an extended period) there's a 100% chance I'll buy a new tube. My dad has used Carmex for as long as I can remember and I guess got me hooked on it. All I know is no other chapstick/lip balm will ever compare. Not even Eos.

Just for fun, here's a before/after shot:

By no means am I an expert makup artist. Hell, I didn't even wear makeup regularly until I was in my twenties. I don't use eyebrow pencils, concealer, eye shadow primer, or makeup setting spray (is that even a thing?), but this is what works for me.

What beauty products do you use?

Do you think it's worth the extra $ to get high end products?