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To me it’s foundation. Without a good base makeup does not look as nice as it does with it.
I’ll do the top 3 because I can’t pick only 1! Primers (eye and face), my mascara routine (combing lashes with a metal comb, curling and then coating with waterproof mascara to hold the curl), Meteorites for finishing.
I’m with you Christine: brows and mascara! When I really started getting into makeup brows reigned supreme so I need to have my brows done at all times if I’m wearing any makeup at all. On no makeup days (literally no makeup on my face) I don’t really care but if I’m going to take time to do my makeup, even if it’s only a few mins, I make sure to do my brows.
Foundation or BB/CC cream. I cannot go out of the house without it unless it’s for a DIRE situation, ie; favorite kitty dies, son gets in serious bike crash, I need to go to e.r. Yeah, basically only the most awful of circumstances will allow to leave my place during daylight without something to cover my not so great complexion. After that, lashes and brows, or my eyes do a disappearing act.
I need at least a little concealer. But absolutely lipstick!
This was a difficult question as I think that on any given day each step is invaluable. Most days I feel that I have too much to cover that skipping any step would not be an option. I asked myself what one thing would I do if I could only choose one and must leave the house that way and like Christine, I think my answer would be mascara. I thought about lipstick but since I do not feel my lips are my best feature and would like to draw attention away from them, mascara wins. I have pretty long lashes for a 62 year old woman so highlighting them is a better bang for my buck.
Brows are a must! Can’t live without my Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade
Oy, that’s a tough question. If I’m doing a full face, then I’d say primer (face and eye) because my makeup would disappear otherwise. If I’m doing a “no makeup makeup” look, then I’d have to agree with you and say mascara.
Definitely mascara. If I’m not going to wear mascara I might as well not wear any makeup at all!
Foundation. I have uneven skintone and redness under my eyes, so foundation is a must, followed closely by corrector and concealer.
Lips, because even when I’m not wearing any make-up, lip balm is still a must (not having lip balm on triggers my sensory issues). And if I’m already doing make-up anyway, I might as well go for color. Lip products are generally the easiest to remove for me as well, so that’s a huge plus.
Foundation. I have redness and scarring so a uniform blank slate must be artificially created through face products. I don’t like wearing makeup on my eyes or lip products but skipping foundation because I’d feel pretty self conscious if I did. And I wouldn’t feel as polished without a base. I honestly wish I didn’t feel this way but I’m not surprised at how insecure I am, makeup is about conforming to societal beauty standards in a way.
Concealer and mascara, bare minimum! Brows, cream blush or highlighter and balm or gloss mostly as well.
If I wear makeup, it’s mostly a full face but it’s the difference between 10 minutes or 25, depending on how complex my eyeshadow is, if I bother with upper and lower liner and how many cheek colours and highlighters I want to blend.
Mattifying powder!
Base and concealor. And if I wanna take it a step further, curled lashes and brows.
Most definitely, it is eyeshadow primer. Since I always wear eyeshadow if I’m doing any sort of makeup, shadow primer is vital. Also concealer – it’s a must have.
Lately it’s hard to skip anything, mostly because I enjoy the whole process. 🙂 This is a toughie…
I would say lipstick first, blush a close second. That pulls me together enough.
I think I would have to consider undereye concealer the most important so I don’t look like a sad zombie, but masacara is pretty much tied- I really need both!
Mascara or brows. Even on days I’m wearing less makeup, I must wear mascara and do my brows at least
There’s not just one step. But one of the main ones for me after skincare would be a primer. My skin is hella oily so if I skipped this step, there would be no need for me to do my makeup.
Mascara. If I only have mascara on, I can make it through the day looking decent lol.
Blush! It makes such a huge and yet subtle difference to my appearance. As my skin is rather pale and with a yellowish tinit (if not downright sallow) blush makes me look healthier and more alive. It stops people from asking me if I’m sick, for which I’m grateful.
can’t start the ball rolling without sunscreen.
can’t step out the door without brows groomed and concealer. They are in a fierce tie.
Eyebrows for sure
Liner. Eye shadow and lot’s of voluminous mascara works really well.
I read the question wrong….i thought it said what i COULD skip…
Sunscreen/primer (Suntegrity) cannot even peak into daylight without it.
Some sort of base/concealer. The boring but true answer. I can’t put any eye or lip stuff on without at least powdering to conceal redness.
At the very least, curling my lashes. Doing that makes me not only less tired looking, but also it helps for when I wear contacts. My lashes are pretty straight, with a couple that just point downwards, so curling them is something I always do.
concealer! i wake up so frequently to attend to my baby in the night that i look really ghastly. even if it’s just a 10-minute quick run to a nearby store, i MUST put concealer on the dark circles. god forbid i bump into someone i know with my raccoon eyes…
Something to cover the rosacea redness! (Counting sunscreen as skincare, but I usually use a BB/CC cream with mineral SPF to cover both bases.)
Actually, I’m leaving my apartment, I’ll put on at least a base with sunscreen, powder to set, brow gel, mascara, and a lip color. Even to do laundry in the basement of my building, or to take out the trash.
I’ll often do a full face just to go to the food co-op and take my daily walk, because makeup is fun!
Actually, yesterday a young cashier at the food co-op said, “your makeup always looks so good.” It was a nice compliment! Those Armani Eye Tints make doing a quick eye easy, lol. And I had UD Studded on my lips, which was fun.
Eyelash curling.
Eyeliner. Can’t go without it!
Eyeshadow. Because my skin is so pale and I recently darkened my hair, if I don’t put eyeshadow on, I look like some sort of basement dweller without eyeshadow to actually make it look like an aesthetic rather than “shut-in chic” as I call it.
Tough question… there are three I just cannot skip; I can’t get it to one. Foundation or concealer; mascara, brows.
Lips.
My face is not complete until my lips are solid.
Today I am wearing only mascara and white liner on the water line and a little blush. I look plain but once I put that BiTE Cognac on, my face came to life.
Definitely lipstick! On days I’m not wearing full-face makeup, I’ll throw on big sunglasses and some lipstick before going out of the door.
Sunscreen! I use TIZO which is a mineral sunscreen that also acts as a primer and creates a beautiful canvas for everything else.
I thought we had this question fairly recently. Or a very similar one. I’ll answer again though: Face and eye primer. If I don’t use them, nothing else is going to stick to my oily skin.
I was actually forced to make this decision today, when I realized it was time to leave for work and I had not started my make up. I quickly filled my brows, threw on some lipstick, and ran out the door. So those are my essentials.
I do not mind going without foundation as sometimes I believe my skin looks better without it and I love wearing a bold lipstick with no eye make up at all (one of my favorite looks). Mascara has never been a must-have for me, I actually don’t wear it on the weekends at all, and only when I have full eye make up during the week. I like to put just a hint of color on my eyelid and nothing else, as an alternative to full eye make up, which I also love.
Same!
Mascara – it will add a little definition to my eyes even if I’m not doing a full eye look.
Speaking of eye looks – anyone have any recommendations to pair a warm, reddish-brown eyeshadow (Armani eye tint leather smoke #20) on fair skin, brown hair and hazel green eyes. I wore it yesterday, but it needs something to anchor it. Trying to think of something other than black to put with it.
Concealer. I’ll sometimes use it as quick foundation, I hardly ever step out of the house without it.
Brows, or I look like a plain brown bag with eyes, scary.
Brows and lips!
Pretty much everything is staying in my routine. If I had to pick three though it would be primer, lips and mascara. You really would have to hog tie me too though if I couldn’t use my setting spray (it controls my oily t zone).
Without a doubt, SPF. Never, ever leave home without it. It’s always on whether I make up or not.
Also, concealer. Not always a lot but it’s got to be on. But SPF is way more important.
Lipstick is my #1 item that I would need on a desert island. If I am really rushed, moisturizer, Sunscreen and a skiff of powder will suffice,but I have to apply my lipstick with liner and brush with care.
No reason,just I feel washed out and dowdy without it.
No steps can be skipped, with blonde eyebrows and eyelashes and pale lips i’m not satisfied till my eyes are done with shadow and liner and mascara and brows and my lips need liner at least to give them some definition or I’m am so washed out!
This week, it is “cover the giant hyperpigmentation from last week’s pimple”. Normally, it is brows. Even if I am dirty, working out, or going to the carwash, I need to give my face brows. Above that, a little concealer for my dark circles is still part of my “no makeup” look.
Lashes! Primer and mascara, I never go without mega lashes!
I had to think hard about this, because there’s almost nothing I consider an absolute must anymore. But I realized there’s one thing I never skip, even if all I’ve done is slap on some tinted moisturizer: Some brightening/concealing in the hollows between the inner corners of my eyes and the bridge of my nose. My eyes are deep set and my skin is thin (and thinning more all the time!), so the darkness there is pretty pronounced. Those shadows can make me look older than I am, and like I haven’t slept for a week. So that one touch makes the difference between “Are you feeling okay?” and “You look nice today,” whether I’m wearing any other makeup or not.
There isn’t just one step. There are days when I might go out without a full face of makeup, but on those days I still groom my brows and apply mascara and lipgloss or lipstick.
I can take or leave most face products. I do wear foundation, blush, and concealer on a regular basis but I feel comfortable enough with my complexion that those are the easiest products to skip when I’m in a hurr or feeling lazy..
For sure concealer! i dont have dark circles and years before i dont use it…BUT since i really start i cant do my makeup without concealer! I talk about the concealer after applying the foundation! These who make yours eyes young and bright 🙂 Even when i try its really weird! Its like my face have a foundation too dark! even if iam NC25! Crazy right?? Its like my face need something more! but what more? i already use blush,bronzer,highligter…etc…so This More its THE CONCEALER 😉
Foundation and powder. I would never go out without foundation and powder on.
If foundation does not count than it is also mascara.
I would say for me it would definitely be concealer,mascara and lip gloss or lipstick
That’s a real toss up between foundation and mascara. I feel that some days I can get away with just both or just one or the other even for times when I’m going out. I don’t wear much makeup these days cause my day job is from home and my husband is off working in another country. I do feel that those two products make the most difference in my look and my confidence.
For me, spf, primer and concealer. If I’m in a rush the make up products I grab are concealer, eyeliner and mascara, but I feel like my base is a necessity for anything I’m doing.
My first step is cleansing my skin – so that would be what I wouldn’t want to skip.
Other than that, foundation.
SUNSCREEN!
Mascara! My eyelashes are long but they are so light they disappear without it.
I would also say brows definitely, it just makes your face look more awake instantly. But, if i’m really in a rush, a pair of wide rimmed sunglasses is the ultimate cover-up for a naked face. I can face the world with it!
Mascara, if I were to pick one item. It makes the most difference.
Pretty much everything I do can’t be skipped: moisturiser, foundation, eye primer, brows, blush, eye shadow and lipstick.
I can skip primer and highlighting powder and mascara (only because I wear glasses).
I’m with you on this one. Brows and Mascara are the frames for my eyes and cannot be skipped. The third thing I will not leave the house without is some type of color on my lips, otherwise I am too pale looking. I will often replace my foundation with BB creme or a tinted moisturizer, and sometimes I skip the whole contour/bronzer/highlight and just wear a beautiful blush that does everything, and eye shadow is sometimes not needed.
Honestly, I’m kind of an all or nothing gal. If I can’t do foundation, concealer, bronzer, blush, brows, and mascara AT LEAST, then I’ll usually just go with nothing at all. Maybe a tinted moisturizer instead of a regular one.
Foundation or a BB-creme, mascara and brows and at least a lipbalm, but I’d prefere a gloss. If I really, really must chose, mascara, can’t do a full makeup without it, and it does wonders making the eyes visable and looking a bit awake if I can just use one product.
I really don’t think anything can be skipped. It can be modified but not skipped. I can never skip lashes or brows bc mine are so fair.
Brows and eyeliner are what I do on my minimal makeup days. I have trichotillomania, so I pull my eyebrows and eyelashes out to the point where I don’t have any, so brows and eyeliner are a must to make me look at least mostly normal.
Mascara…mascara…and mascara, lol.
Definitely mascara if it’s a full face look, but if I’m wearing any makeup at all, it needs to be brows.
Oh MY!!!!! Thats a tough one. I must say I love doing my make up each and every day. My friends have asked me many times, “do you put your full face on during the weekends too”?. Weird question for a make up geek. My answer is “YESSS” even if its just shopping from store to store. But if I must pick, its foundation and blush. Foundation can be applied to the entire face, eyes,neck , so its a pretty decent look and the blush adds color to my face.
Definitely eyebrows!!!
Because I have strawberry blonde eyelashes if I don’t wear mascara it looks like I have no eyelashes. Even if I am just working around the house I still put on mascara.
Tea tree oil mixed with moisturizer to keep my rosacea under control
Blush! Blush! Blush! A soft touch does magic on me.
definitely brows !
they’re pretty sparse , especially the tail end , so i have to fill them in .
A very tough question! I think I’d have to say curling my lashes. Even when I don’t wear a full face of makeup, I’ll always curl my lashes. It makes such a difference for me 🙂
Under eye concealer
Hi Christine & Temptalia,
For me I would have to say my eyes. If I have to run out really quickly and I don’t want to put on my whole face, I at least put on my mascara. As long as I have mascara on, I feel that I can go out. It just makes you feel like you are all done up. And I’ll put on a little clear lipgloss and I’m done. ?
For me, brows, first and foremost, and then eyeliner. I’ve shaped my brows to fit an arch that I think flatters my face, so they are pretty sparse when I don’t fill them in.
either foundation or lipstick. without a lipcolor everything looks so incomplete. and I just cant even imagine doing all my makeup and skipping foundation
Eyeliner. I feel that if i wear just eyeliner, it instantly make me look more put together and awake.
Probably blush and/or bronzer, Then brows. Then lips.