What steps can't be skipped in your regular makeup routine?

The truly essential steps for me are: brows, mascara, and foundation if I had 10 mintues and had to put on my makeup! But day-to-day thinking, even if I wasn’t testing makeup all the time, it’s likely that I would do a full eye look, apply cheek colors, lip color, etc.

— Christine

24 Comments

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Lucie Avatar

For the last seven months or so, I’ve discovered it all can go except moisturizer and lip balm. Despite my huge collection and the fact that I keep making mock orders, I’ve just prioritized sleeping in lately and am starting to appreciate my natural face after wearing make-up almost every day for decades. One of these days I’ll probably reorganize my stash and start wearing it again when I remind myself of how pretty it is.

Thinking back to my normal routine before (assuming that some sort of base product like a tinted moisturizer, cc cream, or foundation is a given)… I can’t skip blush. After years and years of skipping it and thinking it completely unnecessary, I’ve discovered my face just lacks dimension without it. I also can’t skip curling my lashes, especially if I wear eyeshadow. My lashes are dark enough, but stick straight so I need to curl them to make them noticeable or my eye look just looks unfinished. And finally highlighter. I just like it. I like that little pop of flash to accentuate the high parts of my face and add a little more dimension.

Quark Avatar

Color correcting & spf are the only steps I absolutely will not skip. My skin is very red/pink from psoriasis, so I use a green color corrector. With the redness neutralized I even forego foundation sometimes. I wear spf under everything though because I burn in even overcast weather :/

Alecto Avatar

A base product, a setting powder, an eyeshadow (generally either MAC Paint Pot in Groundworks, or Benefit Hula). If I’m feeling especially washed out on a given day, blush will be required as well (usually Benefit Dandelion, but this is the part I’m most likely to switch up, so it could be anything). This minimalistic approach would really only happen on the weekend.

Alecto Avatar

I guess I only answered half the question, as I technically have two “regular” makeup routines (one for weekend, one for weekday). My weekday regular routine would require, at a minimum: foundation, setting powder, blush (or highlight — depending on my mood I can use either), at least one eyeshadow, hydrating setting spray, finishing powder.

Cherie Avatar

My can’t skip makeup musts – concealer, mascara and a blush/bronzer
My I’ve got 5 mins musts – concealer, tinted moisturizer, blush/bronzer, LM shadow stick, waterproof mascara, BB eyeshadow stick in Bark as eyeliner and any Dior lipglow.

xamyx Avatar

Sunscreen, brows (have almost none), and lip balm, although lately, I’ve just been reaching for L’Oreal Colour Riche Shine in varying shades (I’ve actually gone through over half of Glossy Fawn). If I have an extra minute or two, I’ll grab a powder foundation & mascara; an extra 3 minutes, bronzer & highlighter.

Miriam Avatar

If I don’t have time I only use (aft her sunscreen-of course)Two pumps of By Terry brightening CC serum in sunny flash. With that my face have an instant flash that u can skip bronzer and concealer.
Lipliner alone o lipstick.
Blush: it can bé bronzer only if I’m in the mood. Sometimes I use the same product on my eyelids and lower lash line.
That can bé enough. But if I’ve got a few more minutes I use mascara. Open my eyes and my look looks more done. But mascara it’s a step I can skip sometimes if I’m in a big rush.

Gilad Avatar

Base product w/spf used all over face including undereye and lids.
Contour in the usual places and as crease color.
Lip color also used as blush.
Something to define eye shape – either liner or mascara.
Guess this means that my baseline need from makeup is creating even tone, more definition in features and face shape, and a little brightening. Everything else is entertainment.

Valerie Avatar

I never leave my house without a full face of makeup. I’ll wake up an hour early if I have to. Priorities ?‍♀️
So if I must choose which steps to skip, then I have much bigger problems than makeup can fix, and then it can all go!

Karen Johnston Avatar

A base product, whether a tinted moisturizer or sheer foundation, blush, eye liner- (usually a pencil liner but could be a dark eyeshadow smudged along my lash line.) Mascara. I can skip eyeshadow but I prefer not to because of my semi hooded lids. My eyes look better “contoured.” Also lipstick, I usually wear a sheer lipstick or gloss that wears off constantly so even if I skip it first thing I’m always reapplying it during the day.

Deborah S. Avatar

Sunscreen, concealer, powder, eye brows, mascara, blush and something on my lips. I don’t always wear foundation or even a tinted moisturizer as long as I can spot conceal and use either a colour correcting powder or a good finishing powder to buff my skin. I don’t need anything on the eyes except mascara and my eye brows done. I wouldn’t do brows except I have large bare spots from chemo. Mascara is a must and curling my lashes good before adding the mascara is a must. A light dusting of blush and something with colour on my lips and I am done. I would probably still spray with MAC Fix + just because I love it.

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