My Novice Beauty Routine
Sharing a beauty routine is most often the stuff of beauty bloggers, celebs or fashion influencers. Lately though it has become fair play for your average millennial to share their favorites too. And when you have a blog you really get a free pass.
Before we get into the fun stuff let me back up. I am a self certified makeup and beauty novice. So much so that I came out of a Sephora the other week looking like a clown cause I had no idea what I was in there for in the first place nor the vocabulary to express what I am trying to achieve. I grew up with a mom who didn’t play into any beauty hype. She has never died her hair or shaved her legs or armpits, mostly due in thanks to her lack of body hair, gracias Mexican heritage. She also doesn’t wear makeup on the daily and the only thing I remember is super duper special occasions when she would apply some eyeliner, I think that is what it was. But she didn’t have make up for me to play with and didn’t raise me at all to care much about my physical appearance aside from dressing appropriately for certain occasions.
I myself spent a long long time following her lead when it comes to makeup. Thankful for her guidance and example I have never once touched my eyebrows to tweeze or pluck, au natural baby.
Three years ago I started to wear make-up regularly. A mix of sleep deprivation and middle age coming at me from this whole thing called motherhood and the realization that I was a real life grown up and could probably afford to figure this kind of stuff out. Today I am sharing a handful of items that I now use nearly every day. I am still pretty hesitant about most beauty products and stick to simple fool proof stuff that makes me look & feel like an enhanced version of my normal self. Here we go:
Let’s start with Honest beauty. Cause let’s be honest I have a girl crush on Jessica Alba. I fell into one of her IG lives where she was doing her makeup, it was mesmerizing. I had never watched a beauty vid before and it was really entertaining. This was back in October right before our trip to Japan. I scooped up a handful of her items from Target to try out on our trip. It is all a great price point and is clean beauty which is a total bonus. Plus Jess always looks so carefree and natural so why not take a page out of her book. The below are my daily Honest beauty favorites:
Honest Beauty Extreme Length Lash Primer & Mascara I had never used a primer before and love what it does for my lashes. Still very natural but a little bit longer and prettier. Also this mascara does not smudge for me which is something I learned the hard way as a beauty novice when trying other products.
Honest Beauty Magic Beauty Balm I put this on my cheeks and eyelids to add some shine. It is super thin and soft and adds a glow in a really subtle way, just like I like it.
Honest Beauty Everything Primer This is the first thing I use on most days. I am not 100% sure how to use this but I treat it like a moisturizer, I put it on my cheeks, nose and forehead to add a little glow and wake me up.
The rest of these items round out my beauty routine and are from all over the place. A mix of hi & lo, a true representation of moi.
Neutrogena 3 in 1 Concealer I got this at Target too and use this under my eyes if they are looking dark and deprived. Super simple and straightforward.
SuperGoop Perk Up! Lip & Cheek Treat I use this on my lips nearly every day. Instant color with zero worry about application. I still cannot figure out how people put lipstick on. I got it last year as a gift at the Man Repeller event I went to in NYC and the airfare to NYC alone might have been worth getting this little goodie. For weddings and dressy occasions I rub it on my cheeks and eyelids for a bit more color and an elevated (for me) look. Momo loves this stuff too and sadly has wasted a ton on his own lips. I am due for a new one soon.
Glossier You Solid Perfume A few years ago my cousin Alma gave me a really thoughtful gift. A bottle of Jo Malone perfume that I display on my beauty shelf with so much pride and joy it might as well be an Oscar. I feel like a grown up just looking at it & like a lady smelling it. I liked the idea of having a scent and being a perfume lady but turns out perfume life isn’t for me. I wear it on special occasions or for when I wanna feel extra lady like.
A few short years later Alma works now at Glossier and was sharing the package design for their new solid perfume and I thought ‘wow cool’. Just this year I reconsidered perume and liked how low fuss a solid perfume can be and jumped on the Glossier You solid perfume wagon and love how subtle and pretty it smells. Sniff my wrists or neck if you wanna check it out.
Thank you for getting this far! Who knew this beauty novice would have so much to say about a handful of products. Do you use any of these? Interested in trying any? Please share your favorite easy beauty finds too.
xx ly