What are three products that boost your confidence?
I love the evening out effect of foundation, so it’s definitely whatever my go-to base is at the moment. Lately, that’s a mix of Natasha Denona Face Glow (older version) with La Mer The Soft Fluid. Though I don’t consider myself that into brows, I definitely feel like filling them in and getting the shape sharper goes a long way, even without much else. I’ll name a skincare product last, but it’s definitely Biologique Recherche PIGM 400 — a staple in my routine for sure, which has helped keep my skin clearer (overall, with a combination of products) and more even.
— Christine
1. BB cream or tinted moisturizer
2. Concealer
3. Bronzer
Basically the three things I would use for a no makeup look
• Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation makes me feel like I have as close to flawless skin as I can get.
• Red lipstick always makes me feel confident, and Chanel Pirate is the red that I love the most.
• Brow products. There is no way that I can feel confident unless my brows are done. I either use a gel or a pencil depending on my mood. My favorites these days are ColourPop Precision Brow (gel) and Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil.
I so wish that the La Mer foundation was carried near me so I could at least try it out and get a decent match. I know it’s insanely (and probably unjustifiably) pricey but I’d still give it a go if I could get it in person.
My 3 items:
IT Bye Bye Undereye concealer (I’m so pale and have such dark circles that I need concealer, even to take out the garbage; otherwise I might end up IN the garbage)
Either MAC Craving or Smashbox Red Rage lipstick (even applied very lightly with a fingertip, the colour these impart sort of light up my whole face)
Australian Gold tinted sunscreen: the tint is perfect and just sort of “blurs” the uneven colour/redness in my skin and the sunscreen benefits – well, they speak for themselves. (I was torn between this and Becca’s Backlight Primer, which I generally wear without any foundation on top of it)
It’s stupid expensive, and honestly, there’s a bit of me that hates that I love it ??
“I’m so pale and have such dark circles that I need concealer, even to take out the garbage; otherwise I might end up IN the garbage”
Just described my issues with one sentence. 😆
I also have lines under eyes since I was like… 10. Years only add them up.
I have to have a base that evens my complexion (right now I use La Mer and Hourglass Vanish Stick), I cannot leave the house without mascara as I’m so pale and light toned I feel washed out without it framing my face, and then contour as I can use it to create more frame and dimension even if I don’t have blush or highlight (Kevyn Aucoin’s is my favorite, but I really love the Dior power collection blush in gray for it lately)
Concealer, black kohl liner and bronzer. These are my make-up necessities and pretty much my go to look to feel effortless and confident. While I have my all time favourite concealer and eyeliner (both Estee Lauder Double Wear), with bronzers I seasonally rotate my collection of ten thousand products 😀 and bronzers might be the only thing in life I literally hoard ;).
Brows bc they frame the face
Mascara bc they define my look
A good pressed powder. Anything that can blot my skin and not be cakey makes this oily girl happy?
In general, it’s blush, mascara, and a lip product. Those are the minimum products to make me feel good when I’m out in public (remember the days!). Budget friendly, those would be Essence Lash Princess mascara, Essence blush, and Essence lip gloss with a little sparkle. Higher-end, it would be IT Monsieur Big mascara, Lancome Blush Subtil in miel glace or Hourglass blush in mood exposure, and Fenty gloss in Fu$$y.
Mac Studio Fix powder foundation.
Mac or Lancome blush.
Lipstick.
-Concealer for my under eyes and both sides of my nose.
-Glowy blush
-Mascara
1.) Foundation, because my skin has a truckload of issues that need to be hidden.
2.) Brows pencil and powder. My own brows are WIMPY. Dark, but sparse and uneven in growth. And now they’re turning an ugly mousy greyish brown, too. They need the boost that my brow routine gives them desperately.
3.) A highlighting blush works wonders for my rather dull medium olive skintone! Perks up my whole face and brings life to it.
Honorable mention goes to Fenty Gloss Bomb and Maybelline Full & Soft waterproof mascara!
Red lipstick and black eyeliner. It is not makeup, but it is beauty. So, the third one is my curly hair well styled.
Concealer
Mascara
Contour
Foundation, eyeliner and mascara. Currently I am mixing PMG Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection with something more matte. I am using the PMG Permagel liner and KGD Mainfanshi Long Lash Treatment Mascara. I really do need concealer around my eyes and some blush, but if I can only use three things, foundation around my eyes should be sufficient and my bit of rosacea provides a little cheek color.
Talking about confidence, even though I consider other make-up products more essential, the number one will always be a bold lipstick. Especially a dark burgundy, like MAC Diva. It’s not like I feel more powerful, it’s just that specific lipstick colors reflect my personality, and that’s what it gives me confidence.
The other two items are the concealer that hides my genetically dark circles and a mascara to accentuate somehow my eyes (although I need a full eye make up look to feel truly confident, I don’t like my eye shape and face structure without make-up).
I don’t wear makeup everyday, so when I do it tends to be a very “alternative” look. Here is the current look/elements that makes me feel good:
1. Dark lipstick – the colors that made me fall in love with lipstick! Faves of the moment – Nyx Suede Lip Cream in Alien for black, Maybelline Superstay Lip Ink in Explorer for blue, Wet n Wild Liquid Catsuit in Hexcellent for a dark red/oxblood. Brows and a dark lip and I’m good to go most days.
2. Brows – I recently started shaving about half of my brows off and drawing on “Spock Brows” – it’s kind of extreme, artificial looking and they’re a bit silly, but also make me feel happy and fierce. I’m mostly using the AOA Studio brow gel (the new one in a squeeze tube!) to draw the shape, Glossier Boy Brow on the fans, and a concealer on a flat brush to really sharpen the tail.
3. Glossy Skin – despite being oily-skinned I really like the glossy skin trend! While I tend to stick to a more matte base, I focus on strategic, soft highlights to give the effect. My faves are the Wet n Wild Stick Highlighter and the Ofra Star Island (used with a very light hand!) for my pale skin.
1) brows for sure — they just add so much to my face
2) glowy blushes/highlight! I especially love when I pass by a mirror, and I’m like “oooh look at that GLOW”
3) bold lips (particularly brown nudes and vampy colors) because though I don’t really overline my lips, having that bold color really defines my lips and makes them pop
1 – Lipstick Lipstick Lipstick! The color varies but it’s going to be something bold, bright or vampy. Lighter colors are fine but they’re not the ones I generally reach for – I like some drama.
2 – At minimum a bb cream or tinted moisturizer or something to even out the ruddiness in my skin.
3 – A dynamic duo: I really like eye liner but if I do that and I don’t do something with my skimpy brows then my eyes look unfinished, but I never just do my brows without also having done at least some eye liner so they’re kind of a package deal.
My “signature” perfume, LouLou by Cacharel; I don’t wear it daily, as it’s very difficult to get ahold of, but when I do, I seem to get alot of positive attention.
Hair dye, specifically black; I refuse to allow my grey hair to grow out. I’ll be 47 this Summer, but I still get “carded”. That’s not to say I look under 21, but I look under 30, and am often taken for being in my mid-/late-20s. As for the color, I’ve just always been a fan of jet black hair…
Brows; I’m not too particular about specific products, and rarely use the same routine on a more than 3 days in a row ..
I have very strong facial features, even without makeup, and my skin is in pretty good shape, so I often go out barefaced…
1. Either a tinted sunscreen or if using non-tinted sunscreen I need a skin tint like Glossier or rms “un” cover-up on my surface redness to even out my skin tone.
2. Like most (especially as I got older) I won’t leave the house without doing my brows. I like ABH DipBrow, or (recently I discovered) the Glossier Brow Flick pen. Pencils are fine too. Honestly, anything to frame my eyes and give dimension.
3. Lip balm. As long as my lips are moisturized I’m happy and confident.
1. Base: Foundation + CT Hollywood Flawless Filter (I sound like a broken record with that one) and lately I’ve realized with a good foundation, I don’t even need concealer.
2. Mascara
3. Glowy blush
(I don’t mention lips as just some Bite Agave mask, which I always on, suffices.)
1. Supergoop Cc Cream
2. Hourglass blush
3. 100% Pure Lip Glaze
IF, I absolutely had to go out with only 3 things, it would be eyeliner, mascara and blush. But I would pull out all my high end babies and work it good!
For me it is:
Foundation – to even out my skintones. Current Favourite is L’Oreal’s True Match foundation in porcelain rose
Brow pencil – to frame my face. Not fussy what brand (currently Savvy), but it has to be an actual pencil in a light taupe shade.
Lipstick – adds colour to my porcelain complexion. My current favourites are the CP Lux Lipstick range.
Honourable Mention go to Blush – coral peach shades.
Foundation (Pat McGrath), Highlighter( Mac Extra Dimension Skin Finish) and Lashes! (Velour)
The 3 products that boost my confidence are:
Armani Crema Nuda foundation (the only thing Kim Kardashian and I have in common)
Loreal Voluminous Original Mascara in deep green (makes my grey eyes look dangerous but friendly)
Givenchy Le Rouge lipstick in rose diaphane (a dirty pink nude)
My brows and lashes are so light that I feel invisible without makeup. My first 2 necessities would be mascara and brow color.
The third is difficult. I guess it would be a light weight natural finish foundation to cover the rosecea redness. It it was a good skin day, then a translucent lippie.
1. Foundation. My skin has some redness, and I still sometimes get zits and cystic acne. I like having that all covered up.
2. Blush. I’m really pale. It’s nice to look alive.
3. Bright red lipstick. Red a power color and looks amazing.