current makeup rotation

On top of my makeup storage desk, I keep a little scalloped vanity tray (from Urban Outfitters a while back) full of my daily makeup items. I do this not only for aesthetics, but also so I am able to routinely pluck out a few items from my collection to actually give some love to. I have found this trick has made me use up products much faster and consistently. It also allows me to fully appreciate and have a complete formed opinion on what I'm using on a weekly, sometimes monthly, basis. Here is what I currently have piled inside:

LIPS
I am switching between Revlon Coral Reef and Pink Pop glosses, depending on the type of blush I chose to wear that day. These used to just sit and sit in my makeup drawer untouched. I think I ignored these for so long because I felt the colors were too bright and not appropriate for daily use. I found a way to remedy that though: I apply a dab along the middle of my bottom lip and then use my pointer finger to pat what I placed on my lips all over to dilute the color. It is much more sheer and wearable this way.

BASE
For foundation I have been wearing a thin layer of Revlon ColorStay. I randomly picked this up due to nostalgia as this was my foundation of choice in high school. I was happy to see that I still enjoy this foundation. It has great longevity and a natural looking finish. It also is easy to control the coverage due to its high pigmentation. It is quite thick though so its pour-the-product-out-of-the-bottle design is a failure on Revlon's part.

To cover blemishes I am still using my trusty Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage concealer. For under my eyes I have been using Maybelline Age Rewind in the corrector shade. I think almost everyone enjoys this product and for good reason; it is cheap and effective. As for highlighter, I have been diligently using MAC Hush Cream Color Base. I adore this product and would repurchase it. It feels like the gift that keeps on giving, I have had this little pot forever and still haven't finished it.

CHEEKS/FACE
I have been setting my face with NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Powder. I like this powder very much. It blurs out my pores well and adds a nice satin finish to my skin. For bronzer I have been using theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer. I recently finished up a bronzer and was going to treat myself to a luxurious replacement as a reward but then I decided I really should use up what I have. I don't mind Betty. It isn't matte so if overdone it can make the skin have too much of a sheen. I stick to applying sparingly and it works just fine. I have swatches of it in THIS post.

As for blush, I'm greedy and need at least two different options if I want to stick to a routine. Currently I have been in the mood for softer colors. CARGO The Big Easy is, like its name implies, extremely easy to wear. This is one of those shades you can just swirl, brush on, and get out the door. I love it for a very natural cheek. If I want something still soft but more noticeable, I go for Estee Lauder Peach Nuance. This is a discontinued item which is unfortunate since it is a very wonderful shade. I have a hard time making peaches work on me as they tend to make my skin look dirty, but this one works very well due to the blend of colors I can customize.

EYELIDS
Neutrals mattes are all I have been wearing lately. I have been sticking to a very natural eye. I first apply MAC Groundwork all over my lid and then I blend in some of the mid brown shade in the Smashbox Filter trio into my crease and all along my lower lash line. If I feel like really emphasizing my eyes I'll fluff in some of the darker brown shade into my outer V. The MAC quad I have had forever and I pull out if I want to add some more dimension. The shades I have inside are some of my staples: Brule, Cork, Brun, and Tempting.

LASHES & LASHLINE
If you follow me on Twitter you might remember me complaining about L'Oreal Butterfly mascara. I initially did not care for this mascara at all. I thought it wasn't dramatic enough and did nothing for my lashes. I actually really like it now! I should have known I would eventually come around since like every other L'Oreal mascara I have tried, they get better the longer they are open and used. This isn't the best for volume but it is noticeably great at fanning out and elongating my lashes. For liner I have been adopting a very relaxed attitude about how I apply it. I first put Urban Decay Zero on my upper waterline. I hate Zero, which I have been over before, but using it on the upper water line has been proving to be a great way to use it up. I then pencil in Whiskey along the middle to outer corners of my upper lid, which I smudge and fade into my lid with my finger.