Happy, Happy, Happy Friday! 

I seriously thought this Friday would never [ever] come. It’s been a super long, taxing week and I’m ready for some quality time with my girl friends this weekend. Lately, I work all the time, even when I’m home and on the weekends I haven’t really done anything fun. SO I’m in need of a glass of wine and some gt time with my gal pals! 

A lot of you have asked or requested a full face makeup routine so that’s what I’ve got for you today. It’s a long post (see disclaimer below), but I hope it’s helpful! 

Disclaimer: This post is very long and very verbose. You absolutely don’t have take this many steps or own this many different products to do your makeup and I definitely don’t do them all every day. BUT, when I have the time and I want a very full coverage face, these are the steps I take and the products I use. This does not include an eye shadow routine – but I plan to have one up soon.

All steps and products are in the specific order I use them!

Step #1 – Wash Your Hands

Hand Sanitizer

So this might seem like an odd first step and super obvious, but it’s important to start with a clean, germ-free face. It’s crucial to wash your hands before touching your skin so you don’t clog your pores with the daily dirt and grim. Also, I like to keep a small hand sanitizer in my makeup drawer so as I go through my routine I can rewash my hands if they get covered in product.

Step #2 – Prime Your Face

Why this is important? Priming the face gives you a smooth and beautiful canvas to apply all of your face products like foundation, concealer, etc. This does make a huge difference and it’s worth the time!

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner

Alcohol-free glycolic and grapefruit extract freshens and rejuvenates while soothing with aloe vera. I use this in the morning to make sure I’ve removed all of my makeup from the day before. I apply to a cotton pad and there’s no need to wash off!

MAC Fix+ Prep & Prime

Skin refreshing mist. I spray 6-8 sprays all over my face to moisten and freshen my skin. This product is fantastic for long flights when the skin becomes dry and angry.

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Face Cream

Oil-free with vitamin C complex, licorice root and pea extract to repair skin. You can use any facial cream you like, but I prefer something thin and weightless before putting on my makeup. Right now I’m using a sample of Ole Henriksen’s Sheer Transformation cream. It creates a beautifully smooth surface for my primer and foundation, without making my skin thick and sticky. It’s always good to let your moisturizer dry for 5 – 10 minutes before applying any other products.

Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream

To brighten and depuff! This is my favorite eye cream of all time. I use to think eye cream was totally overrated, but this one has brightening properties and makes me feel and look more awake. The ginzing wakes up the under eye area…and it’s suggested for use only in the morning. 

Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm

Okay most of you are going to say that this amount of money for a lip balm is absolutely absurd…and that’s because you have’t tried it yet. This is the BEST lip balm of all time. Mine has lasted me a very long time and I use it at night and in the morning, especially in the winter, to keep my lips nice and smooth. There’s nothing out there like this formula. When I wake up in the morning my lips are still super hydrated. And it smells like roses!

Dior Glow Maximizer Light Boosting Primer

A pearly primer that amplifies skin’s natural light & radiance. It only takes a small pump of this primer to make the skin glow, glow, glow. I place this on all of the more oily zones on my face…my nose and chin and then I use what is leftover to cover the rest of my face. Yes, your face will look super shiny after the application, but this will go away when you add foundation. You can also put a pump and mix with your foundation for a combined step.

MAC Strobe Cream

Hydrating radiant face cream. If you’ve ever heard of strobing this is the product to use! I place it on the high points of my cheeks and on the bridge of my nose. I don’t rub this into the skin too much so it stays nice and bright. When applying foundation don’t cover the areas you strobed for an extra light affect (I do cover the areas in foundation and it still glows through).

Step #3 – Apply Base Makeup

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation

Make Up For Ever HD Foundation

Once I’ve prepped and primed my face I will apply my foundation using my all time favorite foundation brush…the Marc Jacobs Face 1. When I’m not self tanning (see photo below) I use YSL’s foundation which I own in a fairly light shade. If I’m self tanning I use Make Up For Ever’s HD Foundation in. This is my all time favorite foundation for tan makeup days, because it’s a little more matte and the coloring is perfect!

Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector 

This is my newest makeup baby and it’s amazing! I purchased because I was looking for something to put underneath my concealer that wouldd give my under eye area life AND Natalie Halcro  (nataliehacro on Instagram) used this in one of her tutorials so I had to try it. Her under eye highlight is always on point. This brightening cream instantly takes away darkness and wakens the face. It’s a fairly sticky formula though so you need to set it with a powder! (see below)

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer

This is THE concealer. If you love concealer or you haven’t found one you love, YOU NEED THIS! Now let me say, if you don’t like full coverage then you may not like this one. Even though it’s called weightless it’s very full coverage. I love that at the end of the day it never ever moves. Even if all my foundation rubs off during the day, my concealer still remains. I use Light Warm when I’m self tanning and Fair Neutral when I’m not.

NARS Translucent Crystal Light Reflecting Setting Powder

Once my foundation and concealer are done I dust NARS translucent powder all over my face. This is one of the best powders I’ve ever used, because it’s invisible and leaves the skin smooth without looking dry. It has reflective properties that keep the skin nice and bright while also matte to the touch. Before I move on to any other products I make sure my face doesn’t feel sticky. If it does, I use more powder. I have the pressed version so it’s hard to tell how much product you get on your brush – sometimes it takes a couple applications.

Step #4 – Contour, Flush & Highlight

NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette (Pink)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (Diffused Light)

The next step is one of my favorites. I use a very light or pink toned powder to set my under eye. Even though I’ve dusted with NARS powder, this step gives the under eye a much lighter & brighter look which I love. Some people don’t like a stark highlight and that’s okay! If you don’t then just skip this step.

NYX HD Studio Finishing Powder

This is the step that may seem excessive, but to me it’s essential. I find that even though the NARS powder and under eye powders set my makeup, they don’t always keep my eye makeup and mascara from smearing. For some reason NYX’s HD Studio Finishing Powder keeps my skin incredibly matte. I don’t like putting it all over my face, but I will dust it directly under my eyes and on my eyelids to avoid any oil buildup and transfer during the day.

NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette (Contour)

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Medium/Deep Matte Bronzer

Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion (20M)

Now for the contour & bronze! I normally take the lighter, less orange contour color from the NYX palette and I place it right in the hollows of my cheeks and a little underneath my nose (to make it appear less long). I then blend out the color so that I don’t have a defined line left behind. Then I use a bronzer (chocolate soleil and pro bronze are tied for my fav) and place it on the temples of my forehead, and lightly on my cheeks. I will also dust this down my neck with a big fluffy brush so my neck and face are the same color (I also do this with my foundation).

Benefit Rockateur Blush 

Hourglass Ambient Blush Palette (Luminous Flush)

During the fall I try to use the blushes I own that aren’t light pink (the majority are). Benefit’s Rockateur is a gorgeous rose gold shade and Hourglass’s Luminous Flush is a beautiful mauve (and much more pigmented than it looks). I place the color on the apples of my cheeks from the middle of the eye and sweep it backwards.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector (Moonstone)

Highlighter = LOVE. I prefer highlighting powders that have white undertones as opposed to gold or copper. Moonstone is one of my favorites and makes my face luminous. I place it on the high points of my cheeks, above my eyebrows, the bridge & tip of my nose and my cupid’s bow. I would suggest being light handed with this step, unless you love a super highlighted or strobed look (I probably use way more highlighter than a person needs).

Step #5 – Tame the Brows

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel

I fill in my brows 1% of the time. Maybe that’s bad, but I have really dark eye brows already so they don’t need much help (I like to think hah). But I do like my brows to stay in place all day. This clear brow gel is an absolute must have. It takes two seconds to apply and brows don’t move until you remove your makeup. They are stiff to the touch, but don’t look it or feel it

Step #6 – Set Makeup

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

Once all of my makeup, except my eyes, is done, I will use 8-10 sprays of Urban Decay’s All Nighter Setting Spray all over my face. It’s very refreshing and helps my makeup to even and settle so that it doesn’t look too thick or cakey. I don’t skip this step! I even bought the travel size to use when I’m traveling. You can also use MAC’s Fix+ in addition to really create a dewy look.

Step #7 – Eye Makeup

Loreal Paris Double Extend Mascara (Primer)

Dior Lash-Addict Mascara

Before my eye liner I put mascara on my bottom lashes. If not, I find that my eye liner creases (if I’m doing the usual cat eye). Before my Lash-Addict mascara I will use Loreal’s Double Extend primer (the white end). I will let it dry and then place mascara over top. This makes a huge difference in the thickness and wear of my mascara. Important note: Dior’s Lash-Addict is the ONLY mascara I’ve used that doesn’t smudge under my eyes during the day. I don’t even use it on my top lashes so that it lasts longer.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (Trooper)

This is the only liquid liner I use and I’d be hard pressed to ever change. This eye liner stays on and stays matte black all. day. long. It’s a very true black and the tip makes creating a cat eye so much easier. If I start with my eye makeup before foundation I will sometimes use makeup remover to make the lines super precise. If I do my eyes after foundation I just have to be very careful!

Loreal Paris Double Extend Mascara (Primer)

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara 

After my eyeliner is complete I will use my Loreal Double Extend primer again and then the best mascara of all time. Too Faced’s Better Than Sex mascara is the only one I own (other than the Lash-Addict) and I don’t have a desire to try anything else. It lengthens and thickens and is build able. I normally use several coats of mascara, making sure to coat the tips so that they appear longer. 

Step #8 – Lips 

MAC Lip Liner (Boldly Bare)

I’m not a huge lip liner fan, but I do love a nice nude liner. Boldly Bare is a little darker than what I normally use, but it’s quite nice with a nude lipstick over top. It gives the lips dimension and makes them look larger. If you desire plumper lips you can create the illusion by placing a line straight down the middle of your bottom lip and then place lipstick over top.

MAC Lipstick (Fleshpot)

NARS Lipgloss (Chelsea Girls) 

For the final step I use a lipstick or a gloss and lately it’s between the two linked above. Chelsea Girls is a beautifully universal lip gloss, sure to please all. It used to come in a pot, but they reformulated and placed it in a lipgloss tube – amazing! For lipstick I’ve been using Fleshpot, which is a very light, matte nude. I like it the best, because it doesn’t have the usual orange underdone like Myth and Japanese Maple (other MAC favs). 

Congratulations if you made it through this whole post! I hope you found some of my product recommendations helpful. I linked most things to Sephora since they are currently having their VIB Sale – a great time to buy. If you ever have any additional questions feel free to let me know.