Beauty School

I've seen a lot of bloggers share their beauty regime with everyone, which made me want to follow suit.  While I may not post pictures of myself or show off my sense of style (which I'd say is pretty good, but I'm not one for pictures, sorry!) or feel worthy of schooling you in beauty products, I will say that I've spent years trying to find the perfect regime.  I've tried tons of foundations, tons of eyebrow products, etc., and it's had its ups and downs.  But I think that now, I've got it down.  I'm wearing less makeup than before, am embracing the "natural" look and have a few go-to products for getting a little dolled up (like last night, for date night - dinner at Lokal and bar trivia down the street, which was really fun).  So here's my list ::

1. Laura Mercier Foundation Primer - I got this complimentary with my gazillion dollar purchase at Macy's awhile back (thank goodness for gift cards, eh?).  I love using a primer because I have crazy bad skin, so every little bit helps.  It's a toss between this primer and Smashbox's - they're both pretty good.

2. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20 - it might be a tad bit expensive, but for me it's been completely worth it.  I've been on a quest ever since my teenage years, to find the perfect foundation.  I have terrible skin - pink undertones that always looks a little irritated, oily skin that sometimes gets dry and flaky, terrible under-eye color, etc.  I've been cursed.  But this tinted moisturizer provides really good coverage that lasts throughout the day - something I can't say about other foundations I've used.  I never thought I'd be able to wear a tinted moisturizer, but lo and behold I was wrong!

3. Smashbox HALO Hydrating Perfecting Powder - this just happens to be what I'm using these days, thanks to Inna.  Luckily, the tinted moisturizer doesn't require me to use much powder.  Some days I skip it altogether!

4. Sephora Bronzer Powder with SPF 15 - can't get enough SPF out of your beauty products, especially if you're a fair-skinned lady like myself.  This bronzer gives me a touch of color in all the right places, especially when applied with a bronzer brush!

5. Benefit Cosmetics Brow Zings - I basically have no eyebrows, so this product has been a real life-saver.  I've been cursed with bad skin and transparent hair, so what little hairs my eyebrows have are really hard to see. Luckily I discovered the art of filling in your brows long ago.  The wax gives the brow definition and shape while the powder fills in the gaps.  Brilliant!

6. Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara - It works just as well as the expensive stuff, I tell you.  My eyelashes were already kind of long so I'm not sure how much of a difference it's made, but it definitely gives me what I want out of my masacara. Plus, it's cheap!

7. Benefit High Beam Luminizer - This product is perfect for highlighting the contours of my face.  I love it on my cheeks, eyebrows, inner-corners of my eyelids, etc.

8. Tarte Cheek Stain - I take turns with my blushes, but this stuff is pretty awesome.  It leaves a dewey finish, perfect for a nice day-time flush.  I use Blissful, which gives me a peachy glow.

9. NARS - The Multiple, Orgasm - this stuff is awesome.  It was a big hit at the wedding, too!  It goes all over your face, neck, anywhere, really.  It has a nice shimmer and the color is subtle.  I don't use it as often as the Tarte stain, though.

10. Benefit CORALista - such a lovely shade of pink, it's perfect for summer but it's also perfect for that "natural" look I'm after.  I also read a tip somewhere (I think it was Lauren Conrad maybe?) to swipe a sheer layer of blush on your jawline - it's funny, I thought that would look terrible on me but I did it and it gave me a nicer complexion than before.  Weird, right?!

11. Burts Bees Tinted Lip Balm - Hibiscus.  This is a new product that I'm completely smitten with.  The shade matches the CORALista blush pretty well and it goes on just like any other chapstick.  I keep it in my purse and wear it almost daily!

12.  Laura Mercier Lip Stain - Mulberry.  I wore this last night, paired with some white/golden eyeshadow.  Such a lovely, grown-up look!

So there you have it.  I left off some things, like the MAC red lipstick I love to wear from time to time, all of my eyeshadows, or the liquid eyeliner I bought at Walgreens that makes the occasional appearance.    But you get the gist, right?  So tell me, what are your favorite beauty products?