kiss and makeup: my superstars

There are so many great ideas for makeup posts, and I want to do them all. But I have to go one at a time, so I thought that since I'm starting my posts, maybe I should do a post that would be good for people just starting out with makeup. I wanted to share some of my makeup essentials. These are the things that I wouldn't go without when I'm just taking the little purple pouch I got as a free gift with purchase. It's my bare minimums in one sense, but also my favorites. Since it's from my own makeup bag, built up over time, there's a mix of brand products and drugstore products, with makeup and tools.


bareMinerals SPF Foundation in "Fair" by BareEscentuals

I started out my makeup-wearing life with a Starter Kit from BareEscentuals, which I definitely recommend. But when I just need my own bare essentials (rimshot!), I stick with just the foundation powder. It gives me a nice light coverage, reduces redness and covers up flaws without making me look or feel caked. I don't really have skin problems, so I've never really felt the need for anything with more coverage than this. And I apply it with:


Handy Buki Brush by BareEscentuals

The DVD that came with the kit (this is obviously very intense foundation) demonstrated how to use all three brushes in stages to give yourself perfect coverage. But some of us (hi!) are way too lazy to apply two coats of foundation and then do more direct concealing of the trouble spots. So I just use this brush for fuller coverage. (Their concealer brush is A+ and I adore its magic powers, but I only have room for one in my bag, so I need the one for all-over application)


Ammo Shadow Box by Urban Decay

Ammo was the first brand palette I ever bought, and it's still an invaluable part of my kit. It fits perfectly in my little travel pouch, so it comes with me pretty much everywhere. There's enough of a variety in it between the interesting neutrals and rich colors to be ready for any look. My favorites from this palette are Chopper, Smog, and Mildew, with some Sin for a highlight. I just use a generic angled brush for application, so no pictures. Your favorite angled brush will do!


Lash Blast Volume by CoverGirl

I'd seen this mascara's praises sung on numerous blogs, so I had to try it for myself. And I dig it. It hasn't changed my life, exactly, but I've never had a problem with clumps and I definitely get some intense volume from it. I switched over to it from UD's Big Fatty Mascara, and I don't have any intention to shop for a new brand. There's a lot of stuff that I really prefer brands for (eyeshadows in particular), so it's nice to have products I can pick up at Walgreens for half the cost.


TruCheeks Blush by CoverGirl

Despite the slightly snicker-worthy name (heh heh cheeks), I've been using this blush since high school. I'm definitely willing to look for a new one (I've heard excellent thing about Nars), but I don't really wear a lot of blush; I have fairly ruddy cheeks in general and am prone to actually blushing. But when I want to add a bit of color, I brush a bit of the middle tone onto the apples of my cheeks then blend out with my fingers. Blush Tip: you always want to apply your blush at least two fingerswidth away from your nose, because you blush from your nose out when you're physically exerted. You want to have a healthy pink glow, not look like you ran all the way there!


Painted Love Lipstick in "Lolita" by Kat Von D

I bought the three pack of Kat Von D's Painted Love lipsticks Sephora was offering a little while ago, including Hellbent, Homegirl, and Lolita. Lolita was the real standout for me. It's described as "dusty rose" on the Sephora website and it's a perfect neutralish pink for my day-to-day wear. You can tell I'm wearing lipstick, but it isn't distracting. I wear it for everyday with my neutral eyes, but it also looks sophisticated and understated for more formal occasions. If I can only have one lipstick with me, that's the one I'm going for. (As far as the other lipsticks go, for the curious: Homegirl is way darker than anything I would wear day-to-day, but I'm keeping it for costume purposes and in case I ever get brave and vampy. Hellbent is nice, but I already have a red that I like a lot more, so I'm giving it to my little sister.)

I hope this was useful! There's a lot of things in my kit that I adore, but these are my absolute must-haves for creating a look for whatever I might be going to. They're all pretty flexible products that are basic enough to give you a nice look for an everyday look or something you might want to dress up a little more for. If you're a makeup beginner, the idea is not to get these products, necessarily, but things that will fulfill these needs for you and your makeup-wearing life.

kiss and makeup: out the door in four

Disclaimer: I am definitely not a makeup guru. I don't get paid to put it on, and I probably don't even own enough (YET) to be counted a true devotee. But two of my friends told me upon returning to school that they'd considered makeup purchases over the summer, but wanted to wait and get my opinion on it--so I think I have dispensation to give a little bit of advice.

I considered doing a "my five" makeup post, but I didn't want to be limited because I...like to talk about makeup! So I've started a new feature, kiss and makeup, to dole out the little tips/tricks/thoughts I've gotten from wearing makeup, watching Youtube videos, reading books, all those special places. If there's a specific topic you'd like me to go into more deeply, let me know! Leave me a comment, send me an e-mail, tweet me -- any way you can!

For the first post, I thought I'd take on that most classic realm of makeup talk: the "five minute face." Because I like rhymes, I decided not to call my post that, but it's the same concept. Quick, easy makeup that's perfect for class, summer, and any time you're running out the door without a lot of time to put on makeup and probably not in need of too much look.

one: powder your nose
For most of us, there's no reason to put on a full foundation or even a full face of powder for everyday/casual looks. Dust some powder over your "problem" areas--I tend to get red around my nose and cheeks--or skip it all together. No one in your Contemporary Women Poets or Contagious Diseases class is going to notice your complexion isn't perfectly even. You don't need a full face of makeup on to leave the house. Promise.

two: walk the line
I'll talk more in depth about eyeshadow in another post, but if you're really at a loss for time: skip it! Use a colorful (but forgiving) eyeliner instead! Lately I've been rocking Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in El Dorado. I'm really enamored of the Glide-Ons because they do what it says on the box: glide on. So far, it's the only brand of eyeliner I can actually wear (I have really sensitive crybaby eyes that don't like to be prodded) and I don't mind because the colors are fantastic. A touch of El Dorado gives me a slight pop of color without making me feel overdone for just running to class or the store.

three: fifteen lashes with a wet noodle
There are amazing mascaras that, with a primer coat and a few minutes of teasing, will give you sky-high lashes (I think that's actually the promo for one). That is not the mascara you want when you have seven minutes to get to class and you don't even know where your shoes are. We all have "out on the town" makeup, but though nighttime makeup and daytime makeup is mostly a distinction of application, not product, it really can make a difference. If you're going to put on mascara everyday, it's worth getting an "everyday" mascara with which you can get your desired results quickly and easily. Alternately, you need mascara that can do both. I've used UD's Big Fatty mascara in the past, but I'm currently enamored of plain-old Covergirl Lashblast. If I sit and wiggle-flick my lashes into submission, I get lush, dark volume, but it only takes two brushes over my lashes to thicken them up and get them as ready as I need them to be.

four: choose your poison
Lips can really tie a look together, turn up the volume, or just chillax. It all depends on your style and what you want to do with them. For your fast and dirty going-to-class look, stick with one product. You might go with lipgloss: it's fast to put on, forgiving, and makes your lips luscious in mere moments. But lipgloss is also often ultra-sticky, so if you're wearing your hair down, be prepared to tug it off your lips every few minutes. Maybe you want lipstick: not quite so fast, but it can make a look fancier/louder without too much extra effort. It does have a the possibility of dressing you up too far; lipstick draws attention. Maybe you just want a tinted balm or maybe you're just going to go without. The important thing is that you don't have the time to craft the perfect lipstick + gloss combo -- figure out what goes and then go with it.

And with those four, you'll be out the door in approx. 4 minutes. If you're late for class/work/lunch/function/hearing because you trusted this guide, just send 'em to me and I'll set things straight.