I collect concealers like I collect lipsticks. In absurd quantities. It’s a constant battle keeping them all contained to one drawer in my makeup storage. But the obsession and subsequent culling efforts have led me to many great concealer discoveries for every problem my face likes to throw my way.

UNDER EYE CIRCLES

The bane of my existence and my most frequent problem. Depending on the amount of sleep I’ve gotten the night before, I tackle them with one or a combination of concealers. My go to is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer since it’s light weight, doesn’t crease under the eyes, and lasts the bulk of my day. If that’s jut not cutting it or if I’m looking for a bit more radiance, I add on the It Cosmetics Perfect Lighting Concealer in “Radiant Neutral”. It leaves a much more dewy finish on the skin without looking shiny or drawing too much attention to my under eye area.

BLEMISHES

If my skin is being particularly dry and flaking, I reach for the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Breakout in “Light” because it doesn’t dry out my skin or look cakey. It’s full coverage in the sense that it conceals any redness without looking awkward or obvious. In the warmer months I’ll go for Urban Decay’s All Nighter Waterproof Full Coverage Concealer since it’s a bit drier on the skin. If you tend to have more oily skin this would be a great option all year round.

DARK OR DULL SKIN

If there are any dull or dark patches on my face It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealing Pot is the unlikely solution. It’s just too shiny under my eyes, but does wonders at cancelling out any dull spots by adding a nice radiance to the skin. It’s super light weight, slippery almost in application. It doesn’t have the greatest staying power, but does the trick for a handful of hours.

GENERAL COVERAGE

Do-it-all concealers just don’t really exist, but if you’re in the market for an all-around good concealer to tackle most of your problems, Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Concealer or Kat Von D’s Lock-It Concealer are both very comparable. The Kat Von D one finishes a bit drier on the skin while I find myself putting the Urban Decay offering all over my face on days I can’t be bothered with more than one concealer (read: most days). It also seems to last a lot longer than all the other concealers in my collection. Plus it’s the only one I’ve repurchased twice.

I’d love to hear your concealer recommendations for a gal with dry skin and pain in the butt dark circles. Send them my way!

Prepare yourselves for a rave guys, because I’m downright obsessed with It Cosmetics Miracle Water* and Secret Sauce*. Here’s why.

I’ve been using The Body Shop’s Vitamin E Toner for about four years now and never found anything quite like it until Miracle Water landed on my doorstep a month ago. It’s basically the exact same product in all the right kind of ways. I use toner after my second cleanse to remove any leftover mascara or makeup that’s being stubborn. Miracle Water adds moisture back into my skin right away after my cleansers make it a bit dry and sensitive. It sinks into the skin quickly and provides a great first layer for the rest of my skincare routine. I love how big the bottle is and I can easily decant some product into a smaller container for travel. Plus being able to see how much product I have left makes this slightly better than the Body Shop’s offering. Miracle Water and I became fast friends.

The Secret Sauce on the other hand had me a bit on guard. I know that the Secret Sauce is an absurd amount of money. Sure I’d spend that easily on a new traveler’s notebook, but it’s hard to choke down when it comes to a beauty product. So I seriously scrutinized this product over the last month of regular use. My skin feels firmer, brighter, and I find that I use less makeup to cover up redness and uneven skin tone. The product is rich and creamy and reminds me a lot of Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask in consistency and moisture bringing. I wake up with skin feeling plump and hydrated. Plus a little does go a long way since it’s such a rich product that I’ve barely made a dent in the generous glass packaging.

So yeah. I know it’s expensive. But I’m already thinking of setting aside some money here and there to repurchase when I eventually run out. It’s the best heavy cream I’ve found in ages that works like an overnight mask without needing a whole separate product. I’m convinced.

I can’t wait to see what other skincare products IT Cosmetics has up their sleeves.

I’m a full-fledged grandma when it comes to most things. My bedtime, technology, and definitely adapting new makeup routines. I’m also very much the same person who proclaims, “Why haven’t I been doing this the whole time?!” after discovering something everyone already knew. So here are just a few of the makeup/beauty related things I should have been doing ages ago.

1. Sticking with a consistent skincare schedule.

Sure I’ve had a pretty standard skincare routine, but I’ve never been good at sticking with a regular schedule until this month. I would probably do it two to three times a week, but now I’m doing it daily and noticing a huge difference. Clean, happy skin doesn’t just happen with lackluster effort. My skin is loving this daily attention and I’m keeping myself accountable with a habit tracker in my planner.

2. Brows.

Now I have been doing my brows consistently for the last year or so, but before then it was literally chaos in my life without brows. They make a huge difference. Huge. If I don’t do any makeup at all, I still always touch up my brows. I’m still not a brow wizard and I probably should go get them waxed and actually shaped for the first time ever, but the basic act of just adding some color to them still gives me an Aladdin “whole new world” moment every time.

3. Contour.

I’m definitely still getting the hang of this one, but it’s been way easier than I thought to pat some contour to my cheeks and I’ve been obsessed with how it looks already. It’s been a super easy but noticeable change to my daily routine and I’ve been loving how it looks in vlogs lately.

4. Waterproof vs. Regular Mascara

For ages I thought it really made a difference to my lashes if I used waterproof mascara over regular mascara. It seriously doesn’t. It may for other lashes out in the world, but for me, any mascara will do as long as it volumizes, lengthens, and holds a curl. The mascara world has blown wide open for me.

What are some beauty things that you’re doing now that you should have been doing ages ago? Drop them in the comments!

We all have those products that we reach for without fail. Sure we occasionally dabble with new things, but we always come back to the lifers. These are mine. The tried and true products that have never let me down and despite wandering away from them in an effort to find the next best thing, they’re always waiting for me when I come back.

The Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray is one of those products I can’t really describe, but I can tell when it’s missing from my makeup routine. I love how instantly refreshed I feel after the first mist and my makeup just looks better throughout the day. This is my favorite formula of UD’s setting sprays and I’ve probably used at least three containers worth so far with two more always sitting in backup.

Now I tend to be pretty fickle when it comes to mascara, but I just can’t get over how much I love Urban Decay’s Perversion Mascara. It’s the perfect mascara for my lashes. Serious volume, great length, and it holds a curl almost all day. No other mascaras have done it quite like this one.

Although my skincare routine rarely changes, I still don’t feel the same attachment to the rest of the products like I do The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Facial Cleansing Polish. It’s the most abrasive scrub my face allows me to use (it’s really not even that rough on the skin) without causing irritation on the cheeks. It smells amazing and is my go to cleanser of choice to remove makeup and get the day off my face. I think it’s safe to say I’ve used at least six of these containers.

If you haven’t tried It Cosmetic’s CC Cream by now you’re absolutely bonkers. I tend to reach for light-weight base products and this one is my all time favorite. I have it in two shades so I can mix and match throughout the year. It’s so easy to blend into the skin, build up if more coverage is needed, and it wears great throughout the day. I love the packaging because you can really squeeze the last drop out. 

No all stars post is complete without briefly mentioning Stila’s One Step Correct. I’ve been yammering on about this stuff since I started this blog and for good reason. No primer compares to this in my book. Part moisturizer, part color corrector. The packaging is incredibly fun and I’m still not tired of it after close to 20 or so containers of this stuff. We’re besties for life.

Concealer is another one of those products that I don’t feel overly attached to sticking with just one product, but I find myself reaching for Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Concealer when I need my dark eye circles covered badly. It’s the only concealer I’ve repurchased twice and I trust it to get the job done. It smells a bit odd at first but I quickly got over that because it’s just that good.

MAC’s “Twig” Lipstick is my lipstick. If I ever become famous for something and people suddenly become interested in recreating my makeup looks, “Twig” is the lipstick I’ll be known for. It has a gorgeous satin finish on the lip that keeps the color in place while not being drying like a matte. It has just the right mix of brown and mauve tones to keep things interesting without being over the top. Literally me in a nutshell.

If I had to only wear one blush for the rest of my life it would probably be Urban Decay’s Afterglow Blush in “Video”. Honestly I hadn’t a clue I was such an Urban Decay fan until I started writing up this post. DANNNGGG. It’s the perfect flush of color on the skin while still being subtle and easy to wear all year round. Dusty rose at its best and I’m well on my way to hitting pan on this bad boy. 

If you would have told me a brow powder would make its way into my lineup of lifers I wouldn’t have believed you. But I’m a convert through and through. It Cosmetic’s Brow Power Powder is so easy to use that I don’t know why I hadn’t tried it sooner. I love it so much more than pencils as it’s easier to slap my brows on in a rush. A few angled brushes full and I’m off to the races.

I’d love to hear what your lifer products are. What are the ones you just couldn’t live without?

My stash has reduced substantially since I first started this blog and it’s quite the feat to keep it that way. But if you’re like me and don’t need makeup spilling out of every nook and cranny in your home, I have a few tips to keep it under control. 

First up, constantly remind yourself that you only have one face. Nothing keeps me from buying another blush more than the reminder that I only have one face to wear it on. Sure it gets difficult when there are new releases every other day, but at some point you don’t need more makeup than you can wear in your lifetime.

Set up your collection to have the essentials in each category so you won’t need to try and fill a void. Blush is a great example. Have a summery peach shade, an everyday shade, and a deeper mauve tone for colder months. Cover all of the basic categories and you won’t find yourself really missing anything from your stash. 

You should also unsubscribe from all makeup related newsletters. If you don’t know there are new products coming out, you won’t feel the need to buy anything new. Ignorance is bliss when it comes to new makeup.

It’s also super helpful to have a donation bin close by to remove no-longer-loved makeup from your stash. I find it even more helpful to have the basket I use in a separate drawer so I can clearly define what’s in my stash and what’s leaving it. Since I am fortunate enough to get samples sent to me occasionally, I like to keep them in this same drawer until I’ve tested them out. That way if I’m not crazy about them, they stay down there and never get moved to my main collection.

Check expiration dates often. This is a great way to clean out your stash on a regular basis and keep it under control. There’s no use holding on to makeup that’s expired. 

Buy new, smaller storage, and don’t let your makeup expand past it. When I did my great destash last year, I purchased new clear acrylic organizers and vowed that I couldn’t have more makeup than could fit in it. It’s helped so much at keeping my spending in check. Plus the smaller drawers get filled quicker and makes it look like I have a lot more makeup than I actually do. 

If you’re still having trouble keeping your stash small after a destash, practice the one-in-one-out rule. If you have to have that new lipstick, then there’s probably one in your collection that you don’t love as much. Let the new one replace it and send the other off to a friend, family member, or donate it if it’s lightly used.

But honestly at the end of the day, I’m incredibly happy with my makeup collection and that makes it easy to keep it small. It has everything I need and I don’t find myself lusting after makeup anymore since I have all my bases covered with what I currently own. I’ve picked high quality pieces that I invested in. Sure it cost more money up front, but I’ve saved a lot more in the long run from not buying more.