Once upon a time I was a real girl who got her hair done, bought cute clothes and loved shopping for makeup. I also worked at the Merle Norman make up counter when I was in college, so a lot of my favorites are from there. Most of the time now I’m so busy chasing after my boys that I rarely put make up on, but if I were to go out right now and buy new make up, this is what I’d grab. They are my favorites!
My all time favorite foundation is from Merle Norman and is called Lasting. It goes on silky smooth and then sets to last all day. Alabaster Beige is a color that looks good on most fair skinned people. Another foundation I like is this one by Lancome. It does not last as long as the Merle Norman but gives a beautiful application.
My favorite powder is also Merle Norman and is unlike any other pressed powder I’ve ever used. It is beautiful with each application and instead of layering when you reapply, it just goes back on like you just put your make up on. It is a match made in heaven with the above lasting foundation.
When applying eye shadow you should put a luminous shade over your entire lid before applying the matte colors. This way, whatever you apply on top of the luminous will stay put until you take your make up off. It’s a fun little trick that really works. A great flesh colored luminous shade is Sunbeam by Merle Norman. It is also a really pretty shade on your lower lid all by itself.
I’m not super picky about where I grab my eye liner from (my recent one is from Ulta and it goes on great) but I am SUPER opinionated about color. Unless you are of Asian or Pacific decent, you need to be wearing a dark brown and NOT black. Yes, you heard me. A change from black to a dark brown will do wonders for your whole face. Most of the time, it will look like you are wearing black but not nearly as harsh on your eyes and features. If you make one change in your make up line up, this would be it. A cream liner pencil will go on easier and make sure you outline the top of your lashline but only 1/3 of your bottom lash line. This will open your eyes up and give them that “pop” you see in magazines. Look for shades labeled chocolate or dark brown.
For mascara I LOVE the Clinique mascara in the dark glittery green tube, it’s fantastic. The wand is perfect and I love a dark, dark black mascara. The more the better I say 
For a great budget mascara, you just can’t beat Loreal Voluminous. It’s a steal at $7.50.
For lips I do a quick nude lip liner, then Bronze Star lipstick (that Clinique has discontinued) always followed by a gloss. I also love Mac Lip Glass in clear. It gives a shine like I’ve found nowhere else.
Skin care and foundation are probably the most important investments you make for your face. I love Origins Moisturizers and Night Cream and a great every day moisturizer is Cetaphil. It is low on irritation and works great. Be sure you are using a soap free cleanser and when applying eye cream, pat your eyes, don’t tug on them. Ponds Cold cream is a fantastic cleanser that is super cheap and keeps your skin healthy and hydrated.
Those are some of my favorites, what are some of your favorite beauty items?
