I’m super minimal when it comes to everyday makeup. Meaning, I don’t usually wear any at all. I think most of it comes from growing up back east in NY where makeup was not a thing, which I really appreciated back then. Made getting ready for school every day that much easier. No one was into it and it wasn’t until college that I started wearing even minimal makeup. Fast forward to adulthood, I still shy away from makeup generally. I probably wear mascara once or twice a week for an evening event or a work meeting.
I’ve been thinking though, it would be great to feel like I’m a tad more put together when my assistant shows up to my home in the morning to work (maybe a casual dress too?). I teamed up with bareMinerals and their head stylist here in San Francisco to come up with a minimal, everyday makeup routine and learned some great tips along the way to share with you (and you do want to see an after picture don’t you?)…
Photography by Sara Albers, makeup by Alexandra Sklavos for bareMinerals
First up, do you wear foundation? I sometimes wear a little concealer on blemishes or under my eyes but I’ve never worn foundation. I have these images burnt in my brain of girls from college coated with thick foundation in mini skirts and dark eye shadow that I just can’t erase so I’ve stayed far away from it. bareMinerals sent me their brand new bareskin brightening serum foundation with SPF for me to try and I was a little skeptical. Knowing that their brand is all about natural ingredients from minerals, no chemicals, I gave it a shot. It’s got a coconut derived base and lilac plant cells, but no oil or water (amazing, right?). I’ve been kind of flipping out about how amazing it feels on. It doesn’t coat, just evens things out a bit.
So. Everyday Makeup Step 1: Add a bit of liquid foundation in gentle circles all over and under eye concealer if needed (as a mom with a newborn in her mid 30s, yes it’s needed).
Step 2: A light eye shower in a natural shade, all over up to the brown (this just kind of evens out the skin tone). Then a light brown shade just on the crease where you eyelid folds. Easy. I have all those colors at home (since I have light eyes and skin, she recommends shades of brown). A couple tips: she said to focus on darkening the outer eye and if you have large circles she even recommends putting light shadow on the inside of your eye.
Step 3: Light coat of mascara (she added some to the bottom lashes too but in hindsight I think that might be too much for everyday makeup for me)
Step 4: Eyebrow pencil. Let’s talk about this for a minute. My eyebrows are so light, it looks like they aren’t there at all. Even the before pictures are a bit deceiving because that is the one bit of makeup I showed up to the salon with so imagine them even lighter than that (if you can). I started adding a bit of pencil to them a few months ago (thanks to my sister who helped me at Alt Summit in January) and have been doing it ever since on a pretty regular basis. I don’t know, what do you think of using an eyebrow pencil? Curious if you think it looks natural enough for ‘everyday’ makeup (see the final photo below).
Step 5: Lipcolor. I love a bright lipstick when I’m going out. Sometimes I wear just a bright lipstick and nothing else. I’ve never been a huge fan of the shiny lipgloss but I like how she did it here. My new everyday routine will be either a gloss or a light lipstick that isn’t too overwhelming like this one. What about a pencil, do you use a pencil? She recommended a pencil outline even when you’re just wearing lip gloss. How do you think it looks?
Of course, for anything exciting happening I’ll be putting on my fancy red lips.
Tell me though, what’s your everyday makeup routine?
The bareMinerals products I’m wearing here (to the best of my knowledge): bareskin pure brightening liquid serum, eye shadow in The Truth color set, Lasting Line Eyeliner in black, Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in show off, Brow Styler in light, Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara, Bronzer The Deep End, The Secrets Out blush
Thank you to bareMinerals for sponsoring this post and helping me come out with an everyday makeup routine
I also have the very light non-existent eyebrows. Any additional advice on using a brow pencil. Have you tried anything else?
It’s so funny, when I was a full time working mom in NYC I almost never thought about or cared about wearing makeup, but now that I have cut back and stay home with the kids most of the week I find myself wanting to do more. Makes me feel more like a grown up human being to get dressed and put on a bit of make up, thanks for the tips!
Looks pretty. That amount of makeup seems like a lot after using basically nothing! I use nothing most days, but my basic routine is undereye concealer, blush on cheeks and a stroke on my forehead/chin/neck, pink lip gloss. If I’m being dressy, I put eyeliner on my upper lids and mascara on my upper lashes. Otherwise, I’m very careful with my skin, so I don’t use foundation.
Yes, I agree. I’ve tried to do most of these things the last few days and I’ve found I do most of the steps except the liner and eye shadow. Oh and the last few days you’d be lucky if I showered, it’s been nutso with my husband having the flu and pretty much no free time/arms!
This looks great for everyday and I really like the brow pencil too! I go through phases of no makeup/red lipstick, and trying to look a little more pulled together with a similiar routine to your new one. I’m not so good at sticking to a makeup routine though…
Your makeup looks great! I want to try out their new foundation. I used to use Bare Minerals powder all the time but it got to be too drying for my skin.
Beautiful, simply beautiful!
Pretty! I have very fair, almost nonexistent eyebrows also and if I only have time for one thing I color in my brows or put on MAC’s viva glam v lipstick. It’s sheer and moisturizing and neutral like a gloss but without the goop factor.
ooh good to know, thanks jenny!
What I want to know is: How did you do that braid?! I hate wearing my hair down, but I need to come up with more creative ways to wear it up so I don’t always have that “I just got out of the shower, pulled my hair up, and ran out the door look” (which is usually the case) 🙂
Hi Jane. This braid is one of my favorites, but I’m still not good at doing it myself! It’s a reverse crown braid. I’m sure if you youtube it you’ll find a tutorial 🙂
My sister and I also have invisible, almost white, eyebrows. For years we have been dying them. At first I would have it done professionally, but it was $40 each time and had to be done monthly. My sister has been using (I know it sounds crazy!) Just for Men Mustache and Beard to dye her eyebrows. I started to do it to years ago. It does say not to use on eyebrows or lashes… but we are always very careful. Anyway, it gives you a really natural look without having to apply make up and it lasts about 4 weeks. The same bottle can be used again and again. We love it! It looks so much more natural to me than the eyebrow make up.
wow! highlights your great facial structure.
It looks very natural, although I agree about the mascara on the bottom lashes maybe not being for every day wear. I also have pale skin and eyes but much darker hair than you and heavy bangs. If I don’t wear mascara my eyes just kind of disappear BUT I only wear it on the top lashes otherwise it looks a little over done for every day. For those rare evenings out I’ll put a little on my bottom lashes as well but because I’m used to them being almost invisible most of the time it feels kind of weird 😉
I’ve never been much of a make up wearer either. I tend to just brush on a little mineral powder, maybe a touch of blush if I have time and mascara. I usually add red lipstick in the elevator as I’m leaving my building! I’ve never been able to get the hang of liquid foundation, and with two (almost three) young kids I don’t have time for it in the mornings anyway!
My little sister always has the most immaculate, polished make up look but I discovered when she came to stay with us last year just how long it takes her to achieve that look every morning and just how many products she uses! I swear she had an entire MAC counter set up in our bathroom!
Looks great, natural looking and not too made up. I love the bareSkin serum. I just received it last week and love how light it feels. I still like my original minerals as well and go back and forth between them. Love my bareMinerals!
Do you think you can get away with the makeup routine without the foundation? My skin is one thing I am pretty happy about, but as a tired mom of three, it might be nice to try out a little makeup! Would eye makeup/lip color look funny without a base?
I think if you don’t have splotchy skin you could make it work. I’ve found my skin has gotten more splotchy over the last few years and needs evened, which the foundation is great for.
Looking great! I love their powder foundation as well but curious about this new product. How do you apply it without getting your hands messy? I’m intrigued!
If you order from QVC, it comes with a special brush. You shake it, put 1-2 drops in the bowl of brush and buff it on. It’s very quick and just as easy to use as the mineral foundation.
Mine came with a special brush too that you put the drops into. I think it comes standard with the foundation!
You look great Liz! I’m a fab of the brow pencil too!
Looks lovely! Very natural. Concealer, bronzer, and mascara as my everyday. I do love bare minerals foundation, but can’t bring myself to do it EVERY day. Maybe you would like their powder foundation better? It truly feels like you’re not wearing anything. I love fancy red or orangey-red lips for special occasions too – so classic!
I think you look fabulous. It looks very natural. But, as a non-makeup-wearer myself, I’m curious if you’ll do it every day. I have basically the same outlook as you, and usually I feel that makeup is too much of a hassle and not the”real” me. Maybe someday I’ll tire of my washed out look and really take the plunge!
I’ve been doing this routine the last few days and like it so far but we’ll see. I’ll keep you updated on how it goes though, I’m curious myself!