Confessions of a recent makeup addict
Today, I woke up and it hit me – we’re more than halfway through May. Memorial Day is upon us, and with it, the official start of summer (although not according to the actual calendar definition of the seasons). And you know what that means … sandals, swimsuits, sundresses and … humidity. Lots and lots of humidity.
At least, it means humidity for those of us in Atlanta. And New York. And D.C. And lots of other places.
And that means special consideration needs to be made for our make-up. You might remember that I recently jumped on the Sephora bandwagon. (I’ve since spent even more money there. Sigh.) That day, I fell in love with Philosophy’s Poreless Flawless tinted moisturizer. But over the past few weeks, it’s made my skin much more dewy (almost … greasy) than I’m comfortable with. So, I switched back to the first nice makeup product I ever owned: Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals Foundation. Combined with my newfound favorite moisturizer (Philosophy’s Hope in Jar for Dry, Sensitive Skin, in case you were wondering), it’s just matte enough to keep me from looking oily in the Georgia humidity.
However, if you’re not in a position to shell out $25 or $30 for a mineral foundation, I’ve heard very good things about L’Oreal’s Bare Naturale Mineral Foundation. It’s about $15 or so at most drugstores. Has anyone used another good mineral foundation?
I also switched from Benefit Benetint as my “blush” to NARS blush in Orgasm. Every single fashion magazine I’ve ever read has proclaimed this shade to be the one that “looks good on everyone,” and I’ve gotta say, I can see why. My mom and I actually both wear it now, and we have vastly different skin tones (and skin types).
Obviously, the seasons impact different skin types in different ways. Although, yes, I’ve recently found that it can definitely be worth it to pay a little more for the products you put on your skin, plenty of lines sold at drugstores are comparable. Just be sure that whatever foundation or moisturizer you use has SPF — although I think you’d be hard-pressed to find one without it in 2010.
What make-up do you wear in the summer? Do you switch up your routine from winter to summer?
(Oh, and one more thing — can anyone recommend a good undereye concealer for me? I don’t really want to pay more than $30 or $40. Thanks!)
Thrifty Threads 
During summer, I smooth on a layer of Benefit’s Hello Flawless and it does the job. I would usually layer Youngblood’s loose mineral foundation / setting powder before Hello Flawless but it’s just too much makeup for 36 degrees (C!) I don’t wear moisturizer in the summer!
I never finished my Philosophy Poreless tube! Doesn’t work well in the tropics, lol!
Yeah, Poreless Flawless can be pretty oily if you use too much! I always use some sort of moisturizer in the summer just to get some SPF on my face.
I fail at this. My summertime make-up? Mascara. That is all. And in a few weeks, when I’m heading in to work at 4:30 am, I’ll be lucky if even that happens 😛
I too have heard marvelous things about NARS though. Perhaps I’ll give it a try. I need to get some decent-to-nice make-up for interview time this winter. And if you find a good concealer, let us all know, as that will be a key component to said interview time.
When I was a kid (read: two years ago, not working full-time), I only wore mascara in the summer. I miss laying out at the pool all day…
I do highly recommend the NARS blush. It’s just enough color to give you a bit of a glow, and it really does complement most skin tones from what I’ve seen. Fingers crossed on the concealer … may have to try Bobbi Brown based on some recs!
Bobbi Brown’s concealer stick is amazing. It’s expensive, but it lasts FOREVER. I’ve had mine for over a year and a half and still going strong.
Thanks for the rec! A friend on Facebook recommended Bobbi Brown as well. Is this the one you have?
http://bit.ly/5QaUnx
If I had to get rid of all of my blushes and only pick one (and for me, I have quite a few) I think I might go with NARS Orgasm. I got it about a year ago, and I don’t even think that I’ve made a dent in it. It is perfect for summer.
My summer staple is a tinted moisturizer, but I “make” my own. I mixed my moisturizer with a little bit of Rimmel Stay Matte foundation and it is like the perfect TM because it doesn’t make me oily. It’s a summertime win.
As for concealer, I’ve been enjoying the Maybelline Mineral Power concealer from CVS (or any drugstore). It has been great for my undereyes. Another one I like that isn’t too pricey is MAC’s Studio Finish. The only downside there is you have to go to a MAC store/counter to get color matched, but it doesn’t take too long and they will give you a sample if you ask.
I love the idea of DIY tinted moisturizer! It’s probably good to create a combination that isn’t too oily or matte – summer coverage is so tricky!
Thanks for the concealer rec, as well! I figured you’d have some good ideas. 🙂
I recently picked up a Laura Mercier blush and I love it. The compact is small, but it lasts a long time and the colors are great. I’ve also come to realize that the brush you use makes a huge difference, so I finally bit the bullet and purchased a good quality brush.
Yeah, I’m still very behind on purchasing quality makeup tools. My brushes aren’t too great, and I really should invest in a few nicer ones. And I’ve great things about Laura Mercier blush as well! I’ll have to take a look at some of the colors, especially once we hit fall and winter again.
Hi Shannon,
Am new to your blog and am loving it.
Love Orgasm and if you are looking for an undereye concealer, you may want to consider Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer. They have a wide variety of shades and the ones with peachy undertones are great for undereyes.
Hope this helps!!
Hi, Joey! Thanks for your comment. I’ll definitely have to check out your blog, as well.
I actually just purchased the Bobbi Brown creamy concealer kit last night. I’m really pleased with the results so far. So many people recommended it so I figured I’d give it a shot.
Good day Shannon,
Hope you are having a great weekend.
Cool, I think you will like BB’s Creamy Concealer Kit.
I love it and use it every time.
But you got to be careful with the concealer powder as it can get a little messy after a few usage!!