I was planning a post about my newfound love for BB creams, and then my friend Lynn wrote a post about how she’s not wearing makeup anymore. Let me tell you, I’m a makeup junkie: I love makeup, I wear it every day even if I’m home all by myself or just going to the grocery store. The only time that I leave the house without makeup is when I’m going to yoga; I figure that at five in the morning, it would be weirder to show up with makeup than without. The yoga people don’t judge me, happily, although they often comment about how nice I look when I see them outside the studio. Yes, that’s because I showered and put on makeup. And I’m not sweaty. And my hair is clean and not in a bun with sweaty little strands poking out.
But every day I put on makeup; it’s not a pain or even very time-consuming, it’s part of my daily routine, the same as putting on deodorant and getting dressed. On the one or two occasions that I have gone to school drop-off without my face on, as the elderly ladies say, I’ve had people ask me about illness. ARE YOU OKAY? You look terrible!
So I slick on lipgloss before I walk the dog and powder my nose before I go to pick up the two things on my grocery list that I forgot to buy. Here’s the thing, though: I hate trying NEW makeup. I don’t like buying different brands of makeup or trying out new mascaras or even getting different shades of lipstick. There’s just too much unknown. I don’t like the uncertainty of buying a brand of makeup and then discovering I hate it, or the colour is wrong, or it makes my skin break out. So I rarely try something new unless I’ve heard rave reviews from a fellow makeup junkie, and even then, I like to make sure the makeup junkie is similar to me in every way.
But last year I had been listening to the buzz around BB creams for so long that I wanted to try it for myself, and when I did I felt like WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE, BB CREAMS? I bought a few different brands to try out, which is unlike me, and yet. I have two favourites, and I love them so much that I will likely never deviate from them until a) they are discontinued, or b) I am unable to purchase them in the old-age home.
Nicole’s Favourite Things: Makeup
Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew BB Cream
This stuff is amazing, and there is a special formula for combination skin. I love the colour, which is natural, and the coverage, which is skin-tone-evening without being Geisha-mask-like. The only problem is it doesn’t have SPF protection, which is okay at this time of year when there’s hardly any sun, but won’t be appropriate in a few months. That’s when I’m going to switch to…
Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35
Now that’s what I’m talking about! This is fantastic makeup with a decent SPF. It’s expensive but a) you get what you pay for and b) a little goes a long way.
For your edification, I am going to post a series of photos of my morning makeup routine, starting with post-yoga-no-makeup-but-sweaty look. I know, it’s painful but necessary to show the changes. *deep breath*
Photo #1: Post-yoga, pre-shower. Sweaty hair, “glowy” face.
Photo #2: Post-shower, pre-makeup.
Photo #3: Post-BB cream application. This stuff is the bomb. Do people still say the bomb? YOLO. But seriously, evens out skin tone, and doesn’t feel heavy on my skin.
Photo #4: Makeup is now on. Eye liner, my very favourite mascara, The Falsies by Maybelline, and a little bit of blush.
Photo #5: Makeup and hair done, lipstick on – Sienna by L’Oreal. Ready for the day!
So here’s the question of the day: do you wear makeup every day, for special occasions, or not at all? Why or why not? And do you have favourite brands? Let me know, I’d love to hear it. xoxo
what no DTBeauty? I need to fix that for you
See my newest post!
I love eye makeup. I never leave the house without at least eyeliner on, most times mascara and shadow as well. That is fast. I have never really found a great face makeup that I like for all times. I used to use MAC studio fix powder foundation, and it was great. But as I have reached middle age, my skin is drier and the rosacea more apparent. I have tried several BB creams. I like the idea. I have tried Garnier, and Maybelline, and a couple foundations recently. I am not enamored of the BB creams, but I like them better than regular liquid foundation. I have decided that I really need a primer, and sometimes just a primer and a dusting of translucent powder is all I need, It doesn’t even out my coloring as much as I would like, but it’ll do in a pinch.
Noting down MAC studio fix!
That’s SO FUNNY about the BB cream, because I only ever wore a little lip gloss and a dab or two of concealer on the veins in my right cheek that I don’t like, but then I went away with my friend Collette and looked at her face in the light while we were driving and demanded that she tell me what makeup she uses, and it was the Garnier BB cream. I can’t put it all over my face because even as light as it is it makes me feel claustrophobic, but I love it for concealer. I don’t wear any makeup when I’m at home, and not much just going out, and truthfully I don’t think you need to, but if it makes you happy, then slather away. 🙂 I never wore any mascara until a couple of years ago because my lashes are long and I rub my eyes a lot but now my face is fatter and I wear it if I need my eyes to, you know, show.
I wear make up most days. My routine sounds a lot like yours and takes very little time. I don’t really need coverage so much as I just need to even out skin tone and put a little color on cheeks and lips. A touch of mascara is always appropriate too.
I only put on my face if I’m going somewhere special, because I feel about makeup the way I feel about very high-heeled shoes – they look sexy and grown-up, and they’re fun once in a while, but I don’t feel comfortable in them and heave a sigh of relief when I take them off.
HOWEVER. I do use the Maybelline BB Cream and I love it. It’s so easy! It feels like exactly nothing at all on my face! SPF! I am reluctant to try another type because I got so lucky with the Maybelline, but I may look at the Smashbox for the higher SPF come summer.
I never have worn makeup, except once on Halloween. A few years back when I was tutoring ESL students they guessed I was evangelical because I happened to be wearing a skirt that day and I didn’t have on any makeup or jewelry. I found this pretty funny because I am far from religious.
“except once on Halloween” made me laugh! You’re so funny!
I feel the same way as Hannah – I like makeup for dress-up times, because it makes me feel special, but it’s too uncomfortable to wear every day (and I always seem to rub it all off within a couple of hours, anyway – I guess I touch my face too much?). The older I get, though, the more curious I get – just not enough, yet, to overcome the lazy factor. I actually had to google BB cream to figure out what it was, but now that I know, I am kind of interested. Your face looks AMAZING with the cream on, like photo-shoot-ready amazing…so to think you could have that, every day, with no feeling of weight on your face…INTRIGUING. Will consider.
Well this will answer your question… What is BB cream??
I am a product lover myself. Youtube is my favourite place right now to learn about all the new products out there. Have you tried CC cream….dont get me started on all the products out there….so obsessed