Make Up Routine and Organisation, January 2013
It's been nearly one year since my first make up routine/ organisation post, and although it might seem as though I haven't changed that much, my approach has become a lot more refined: I have scaled down my product collection even further, developed a fuss-free routine, optimised my storage method and now only own products that I use at least every two weeks. My everyday look is still super simple, but I also made sure that I have enough colours and finishes in my collection to switch up my look if I feel like it.
I loved the acrylic organiser MUJI that I used to store my make up, but overtime, as I have gotten rid of more and more items, it took up more space than necessary. I also wasn't 100% happy with its inner segmentation and wanted an easier way to separate my everyday items and my special occasion stuff. My new storage solution consists of two MUJI PP baskets; each is about 25 cm long, 8 cm wide and 5 cm high. The great thing about them is that they stack on top of each other, so I can keep my less-used products out of sight in the bottom compartment and store all essentials in the top one. If I ever feel like it, I could even add a third basket to the bottom for things like hair pins, tweezers, nail files, etc. I'm definitely a fan of MUJI's selection of containers, they are all so simple, clean-cut and, most importantly, standardised, so you can stack them together and create an individualised storage system that perfectly fits your needs.
Everyday Routine
Unless I am doing nothing and just lounging at home, I use six of the seven products that are in the top compartment every day. If my time estimates are correct, my everyday routine takes me exactly 3 minutes and 10 seconds :)
- Base - 1 min. The first step is always my beloved Bobbi Brown Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer in extra light. It's rich enough for me to wear it without another moisturiser underneath and it provides a sheer, natural coverage that evens out the skin just a little bit, without making you look like you're wearing make up. Since I have relatively dry skin, I rarely apply powder on top.
- Eyebrows - 30 sec. I use a simple eyebrow pencil by 17 (a British drugstore brand) to fill in my eyebrows and a clear mascara by Barry M to seal it.
- Eyes - 1 min. I then darken my top and bottom lash line with a brown felt-tip liner by Art Deco, curl my lashes and apply my all-time favourite mascara: Clinique's Lash Power. It's a tubing mascara which means it is super smudge-proof and stays put until you remove it with warm water. It is the only mascara I will wear if I don't want to check up on my make up every hour.
- Cheeks - 20 sec. For my cheeks I use Benefit's Sugarbomb, a soft peachy pink with a bit of shimmer. It's the same one as in my old make up routine post from the beginning of last year - pretty good value for money I say.
- Lips - 20 sec. Currently, I am alternating between two lip products: A clear gloss by Model's Own (which comes in a super sleek, clear packaging) and a Revlon Lip Butter in berry smoothie (a good my-lips-but-better colour for me).
Special Occasion Add-ons
Whenever I feel like it, am meeting friends, going out or have a special event to go to, I amp up my everyday routine with the products in the bottom compartment. I might use one or several, depending on my outfit and mood. These are the products I choose from:
- For parties and nighttime events I usually wear my Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation in sand instead of my tinted moisturiser because it dries to a matte finish, offers a lot more coverage and looks good on pictures.
- I also sometimes apply a bit of Bobbi Brown Stick Foundation in warm ivory on areas where I need extra coverage (underneath my eyes usually). The stick foundation is super compact, so I often pop it in my evening bag for touch ups on the go.
- One of my favourite ways to add a bit more oomph to my look is to apply some of MAC's Fluidline in dipdown on the top and bottom lash line.
- My Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in zero comes in handy for any evening eye looks. I only apply it sparingly though, because my eyes are quite light and the black is really intense.
- For a shimmery wash on the lids I love my Eye Tint in romance by Becca. It's a sheer rosy taupe that lasts all day and doesn't crease.
- I've also recently gotten into bronzy eye looks which I create with Kryolan's sparkling eye dust in SP555. I usually apply it all over the lower lid and add some fluidline along the lash line for definition.
- The easiest and most classic way to create an evening look will always be a bright lip. I love my Revlon Lip Butter in tutti frutti (a glossy orange-y red) and Helena Rubinstein's wanted lipstick (a matte peach) for this purpose. I'm also planning to get a true, satin red colour in the near future to wear with dewy skin and bare eyes.
This is my make up routine. It took quite a lot of trial-and-error to pare it down to this size, but I finally feel like it fits my look and lifestyle almost perfectly.
How big is your make up collection and how do you store it? What are your everyday essentials?
