My Beauty Routine

In the morning, I ~~like~~ need to keep it simple and not spend a ton of time (or money) on my beauty routine. If it gets in between me and my significant other, my bed, it’s just not gonna happen. I’m willing to spend 10 minutes tops on my makeup and 9 times out of 10, I’m putting on my makeup right before I have to run out the door to work. Simplicity is necessary before caffeine.

I recently shared my winter skincare routine and now I’m excited to show you my favorite beauty products. In the spirit of full disclosure, I did receive the IT Cosmetics products c/o but these are all beauty products that I truly love and use every single day. Except for weekends if I’m staying in or running errands. Then it’s au naturel.

Let’s get this party started.

1. Moisturizer and Primer: Since turning the ripe old age of 26, I’ve become more cognizant of always applying moisturizer before leaving the house. My tried-and-true moisturizer for the last 5 years (Possibly my most successful relationship) is Trader Joe’s Enrich Face Lotion. It absorbs quickly, contains SPF, won’t clog pores and cause breakouts and it’s $4!! I apply this moisturizer and let it absorb as I get dressed. Right after I apply the moisturizer, I reach for Too Faced Shadow Insurance and dab a little on my eyelids. The Too Faced Shadow Insurance is a product I swear by and highly recommend to anyone I know, whether they asked me or not. It keeps my eyeliner in check throughout the day, which is perfect because honestly I wouldn’t think to run to the ladies’ room to check out my eyeliner during the day. Ain’t nobody got time for that. It also instantly brightens up your eyes, who doesn’t need that in the mornings? If I’m doing the au naturel weekend errands makeup routine, these are my must-haves.

2. Eyeliner + Eyeshadow: Eyeshadow palettes are classics for a reason: I love having my eyeliner and eyeshadow (if I’m feeling fancy or I’ve fooled a guy into taking me out to dinner) right in one handy case. I have the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette and love that their colors are flattering and never crease. Lately, I’ve been switching between Naked and IT Cosmetics’ Naturally Pretty (c/o), I love “Midnight” for my eyeliner and for eyeshadows, I gravitate towards warmer colors like “Soft Light,” “Warmth,” and “Love.” I keep it super simple with eye makeup on a daily basis, there aren’t enough YouTube tutorials for me to feel like I can pull off doing my own smoky eye look. Maybe one day…

3. Blemish and Undereye Concealer: One would think being 26 years old, my skin would have caught on to the fact that I’m no longer in high school and give it a rest with the pimples. One would be wrong. I really shouldn’t complain because in the grand scheme of things, my complexion is under control. It’s just a certain week that sets my pores into a frenzy. Thankfully, IT Cosmetics came to my rescue: I dab Bye Bye Redness Correcting Creme (c/o) onto any (ahem) problem areas with my Beautyblender and POOF, gone! When you’re trying to be a professional, nothing can make you feel like you’re a kid again than a pimple. True to its name, this creme reduces the redness and cleverly conceals the pimple. Works like a charm! I’m also prone to dark circles under my eyes, it’s just a part of my complexion. No matter how many hours I’ve slept, I have dark circles. It’s a fact of life that I’ve come to accept. But I can cover ’em up so I don’t feel like an extra from a zombie movie. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Corrector (c/o) gets the job done. It thoroughly conceals my dark circles and doesn’t crease. What more could a girl want?

4. CC Cream and Foundation: It’s really rare that I incorporate a whole new level of makeup to my beauty routine. As in twice in maybe the last 5 years. I didn’t get in on the BB cream thing because in the battle to stay in bed as long as possible, I felt like I didn’t need the extra step. IT Cosmetics sent me their CC+ cream and one rainy weekend afternoon, I decided to give a whirl and see what the fuss over CC cream was. I’ve seen the light and I’m a believer now. First of all, their CC cream is called “Your Skin But Better” and they are not joking around with that tagline. The CC cream easily blends into my skin and doesn’t leave me feeling like I just added another layer of makeup to my face. It goes on smoothly with my Beautyblender and since including it in my beauty routine, I’ve noticed a marked improvement in my facial lines, it even helped clear up a few of those pesky pimples in a day! Also, it smells citrus-y and just plain awesome. If a product smells great, you better believe I’m all over it. Just a pump of the CC cream goes a long way and I’ve been telling all my friends to get this CC cream because it completely sold me. I apply a light foundation of Estee Lauder Double Wear Light with the Beautyblender and put on mascara and lipstick for the finishing touches.

So there you have it, my complete beauty routine! And with that, I grab my bag, double-triple check I have my keys so I don’t lock myself out (for the 3rd time) and head out the door to get my day started! How much time do you spend in the morning on makeup? Do you have any favorites I should try? Any tips on mastering the smoky eye?!