I never used to wear makeup, mostly because I was intimidated by it. In 2020, I decided to take the opportunity lockdown presented and started to practice applying makeup without the pressure of having people see me. Taking the time to get comfortable with different products and learning application techniques that worked for me as a visually disabled person was an important step in being able to present myself to the world in the way that I wanted to.
A few years later, Iām still not a makeup pro but I have created a great minimalist makeup routine that gives me an even skin tone, adds a bit of color to my face, and highlights the features I want to draw attention to.
Here are my beauty favorites for an everyday minimalist makeup look
The Bare Minimum
First, have a solid skincare routine in place. Iām working on an updated skincare routine blog post, but at a minimum, you should have a good moisturizer and SPF.
After I have my moisturizer and SPF on, I reach for my absolute favorite, cannot-live-without-it beauty product. The Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Tinted Moisturizer. There is nothing else on the market like this product and I am completely obsessed. I have reordered this at least 10 times since I started using it years ago and I only get more obsessed with it.
The cream has an almost buttery feel to it that melts into your skin and gives you a glowing, natural finish. A lot of foundations, and some tinted moisturizers, feel like they are sitting on my skin and I donāt like that. This cream feels like it becomes a part of my skin. That might not appeal to everyone, but I love it.
The color range is limited, but this isnāt meant to be a foundation so coverage is light. That may be an issue for you, but I guess it depends on what you need. I did read in reviews that some people mix two shades to create a custom color. I find that the fair/light color works for me most of the year, but I do use concealer and bronzer to help adjust as needed.
On days I want a little more coverage, I grab the Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer. I use a beauty blender to pat this in and thatās my base.
The only other thing I do on my most basic of basic makeup days is give my eyebrows a little boost. My brows are naturally a little thinner and sparser than Iād like, so I use the Anastasia of Beverly Hills DIPBROW Gel to fill them in a bit. Itās fast and easy and basically fool proof.
What I Wear Most Days
If Iām in the mood to do a little more than the bare minimum Iāll add in a few extra products to accentuate some of my features and look “me but better”
The first products I reach for are the Lancome Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Primer and the Dior Diorshow Waterproof Mascara. My eyes are a little small and Iāve always liked using mascara to help make them look bigger. The Lancome primer really increase the length of my lashes and helps keep my mascara in place. Iāve worn this combo on days I do power vinyasa yoga classes and not had it smudge.Ā
To be honest, Iāve been looking around for a different mascara but have not found one I like more. Iād be open to suggestions from anyone. Iām particularly interested in tubing mascara. In any case, use whatever mascara you like, but seriously consider the Lancome primer.Ā
Next up Iāll add a little color to my face with the Rare Beauty Bronzing stick. This isnāt necessary, but I like to give my face a little color and it helps define my cheekbones. Iāve tried powder bronzers before but I am a much bigger fan of cream-based products, as a general rule.
The final touch and where I play around a bit, is lipstick. Iāve started to get a little lipstick collection going and so far I have found the Valentino Beauty formula to be my favorite, at least in terms of how it feels on my lips. I have a few Dior colors, and while I like them I do find the formula to be drier than Valentinoās.
Other brands I like are Charlotte Tilbery, Nars, and Armani. I have a gorgeous red lip color from Armani that I like to wear and it seems to do pretty well once it dries down. Let me know if you have a lipstick brand you’d recommend or if youād like me to review one in detail.
And thatās it! Pick a 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7-step routine depending on your mood, comfort level, and day.
There are a few things I’d like to learn, like how to do eye shadows beyond a basic single-color wash, but this is where I ended up after a year or two of playing around and it works great for my day-to-day. Whatās your routine like? What would you add or subtract to create your personal minimalist makeup routine?
Thanks for reading!
Rainy Day Rags 