Foundation

I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a nice long week in Vieques, Puerto Rico this past week. Even though I got sick while I was there, I was able to really relax and spend quality time with friends.

Of course, when you head to an island or a beach you don't really pack much other than comfortable clothes and bathing-suits. So, my husband and I did the whole carry-on thing to make travel easier. BUT it sure did make the whole 3 oz liquid thing hard because I couldn't bring all of the makeup I usually wear.

So, in preparation for the trip I decided to buy a drugstore foundation that wouldn't clog my pores, that fit the 3 oz. requirement, that had a decent SPF and was cheap. Almay's Smart Shade Anti-Aging Makeup was my choice and boy did I choose a winner. Forget Makeup Forever and Lorac! This is now my foundation of choice. It has an SPF of 20, it changed color as my skin tanned slightly and didn't clog my pores.

I HIGHLY recommend it if you're looking to save money and if you want a GREAT foundation. You can buy it at any Walgreens or CVS.

What's in My Makeup Bag?

I'm sure many of us gals have a couple free-bee Clinique bags filled with products we think we may some day use, but we never do. And, for some reason, we hold onto these makeup products that are probably expired because we feel wasteful just throwing them away.

Well, I have finally consolidated to one makeup bag that I can grab and know that I have what I need for any occasion. So, what's inside? Here are the main ingredients...

What is all this? Well, it's the basics: foundation, concealer, mascara, lipstick, powder, eye shadow, eye liner, blush and some bronzer. Granted, I don't always use everything all of the time, but when I do have my "full face" on, I use these.

Probably the most significant product in here is Lorac's Eye Shadow Palette. Unfortunately the palette that is shown here is no longer available, but there is one that is similar at Sephora. I can create a day look with the lighter shades and an evening look with the darker shades. I don't really use the blush too much because it's pretty dark.  Instead, I use NARS blush in "orgasm."

NARS blushes are known as being the best of the best, and the color "orgasm," though risque, has been voted the best color for ALL skin types. It goes on skin best with a liquid foundation. If you use mineral foundation, try using their cream blush.

Which brings me to my favorite liquid foundation, Lorac's Natural Performance Foundation. If you have acne prone or sensitive skin, this is a great product. It's water based and is long lasting. Apply this with a foundation brush.

Along with my foundation, I use Benefit's Boi-ing concealer. I have talked about this product in the past because it's the best concealer I have EVER used. It's highly pigmented so it covers scars and red marks well. It's also very creamy, which makes application easy with your finger.

Another Benefit product I enjoy is their bronzer in the color "Hoola." I just lightly dust it all over my face to give my skin a bit of a tan since I haven't been outside much this winter.

To eliminate any shine, I stick with Almay's Nearly Naked Loose Powder. Almay products are hypoallergenic. There's no need to spend a ton of money on powder. I've never experienced a major difference between high end makeup lines and those that you find in drugstores when it comes to powder.

MAC's Technakohl Eye Liner in "Brown Border" rocks! You can apply this liner on the inner part of your lid without irritating your eye AND it stays! This liner is retractable and doesn't need to be sharpened. Plus, it's very creamy and goes on smoothly.

MAC's Zoom Lash mascara is alright. I wrote a review about this product awhile ago. I will say that this mascara washes off easily with soap and water. That's a huge plus for me.

BUT, MAC's Paint Pots are AMAZING! I have also written a post about these little wonders in a pot. I highly recommend that everyone purchase these. They are a great base for eye shadows because they keep your shadow looking fantastic ALL day long.

Lastly, I have been using Lancome's lipsticks lately because my awesome sister-in-law, Nicky, gave me her freebies. I'm really enjoying the shade, "Trendy Mauve." It give my lips a very natural look. I definitely recommend it for olive skin tones. In general, I find their lipsticks very creamy and long-lasting.

If I put all this makeup on, it usually takes me 15 minutes.