The Secret to College Makeup

It is almost time to go back to school. If you are heading off to college for the first time, you are probably feeling excited and a little nervous.Don't worry! I have some secrets to share with you that take the guess work out of college makeup. Instead of focusing on what makeup to bring to your new dorm, just follow my guide below so that you can focus on more important stuff (like your classes).  

Step 1: Assemble your college makeup kit. This may be slightly different for everyone, depending on what you normally wear. The general idea is to pack products that have more than one use, and help you feel both comfortable and confident. 

I recommend the following products:

• Powder
• Foundation / BB Cream / Tinted Moisturizer 
• Eye pencils
• Brushes
• Blush
• Lipstick
• Mascara

Keep your makeup minimal & affordable! School is expensive, but looking your best doesn't have to be.

Step 2: Define your makeup goals. For example, you may want to wear makeup that helps you look cute without it taking all day to get ready. Show the world you have beauty and brains.

Step 3: Apply your products.  

Late night study sessions (or too much partying) can leave your skin looking blotchy or dehydrated. Even out your skin by applying a tinted moisturizer, BB cream or foundation. I like products that do double duty. For example,  Aveda Mineral Tinted Moisturizer adds hydration to the skin with enough coverage to help you feel confident. If you are someone who needs a heavier coverage,Milani 2-in-1 Foundation & Concealer can be worn solo or layered on in targeted areas as a concealer. 

Mid-day can leave you looking oily. Adding a light dusting of loose powder can help keep your skin looking matte. Jeffree Star Cosmetics Magic Star Powder is a great option. If your skin is naturally more oily try Beauty Bakerie Flour Setting Powder.  Both brands offer good color choices and work for most skin types.  

Rather than bringing all of your eyeshadow palettes to school, eye pencils are the smartest choice. They are portable, and come in a ton of colors and finishes. Opt for the double sided chubby kind like Milani Brow & Eye Highlighters.  Use the Natural Taupe side to pencil in brows and the Vanilla side on your waterline to help you look more awake. If you want something more adventurous, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencils come in a lovely array of jewel tones, metallics and neutrals. Pick up a few so you always have options to change up your look. Use your finger or a cotton swab to smudge out your eye pencil for those campus parties. 

I love makeup brushes, but dorm life isn't conducive to constant brush washing. Bringing a ton of brushes, especially when skipping eyeshadow doesn't make sense. Instead, pack a good foundation brush to apply your base, and a fluffier brush to tap on your powder and sweep on blush. Real Techniques has some of the best, most affordable makeup brushes and they are very easy to find. 

Blush is one of those products that is seriously underrated. After applying foundation and powder, you have to add some color back into your face or you will look washed out, or just plain sick. Choose something with shimmer in it, such as Milani Baked Blush in Corallina. Glowy blushes add a healthy radiance to the skin and eliminates the need for a separate highlighter. 

Lipstick can liven up any look, plus it doubles as a cream blush! I recommend a color and formula that makes you feel the most like yourself.

Milani offers superior quality makeup at affordable prices. Their Color Statement Lipstick in the color Tropical Nude has a nice sheen to it, and allows a little bit of your natural lip color to peek through. These lipsticks are infused with vitamins that nourish the lips, so they always feel comfortable. Matte Innocence from the brand's Color Statement Matte Lipstick line, is the perfect everyday nude for those who don't like glossy lips.  The formula is not only cruelty-free, but also vegan. If you like your lipstick to double as a conversation starter, Jeffree Star Cosmetics plays with words by shaping the lipstick packaging on their Lip Ammunition lipstick like an actual bullet. While the packaging is super fun and different, the color selection has very practical options like my personal favorite Celebrity Skin (soft brown nude with a satin finish).Lip Ammunition Lipsticks are much more pigmented than your average lipstick, and you only need one swipe of color to achieve full opacity.  The formula is cruelty-free and vegan. 

Last, but not least is mascara. Nothing on the market adds drama quite like the combo of Milani Lash Trifecta Mascara with Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara (both waterproof). The Milani mascara curls, separates and lengthens, while the chubby wand on the Covergirl tube adds volume and locks everything into place. I get so many compliments when I wear this combination that it really makes me wish I discovered it sooner! 

In reality, the most important thing about going to college is coming back a better person than you were when you went in. Go and learn, read, make friends, fall in love, have fun, and be safe.  Then come back and spread your new found knowledge out into the world. You are the future, and you are going to college! Always remember that there are people who didn't have the opportunity to go to college (for many different reasons). Never take anything for granted, and live your best life. I will be here, writing about makeup and giving you advice on how to make your outside match your inside. Be kind, stay open and know that while college will expose you to many new and exciting things, you may also face new challenges and fears. That is okay! Overcoming challenges is how we grow as people. I am really looking forward to seeing what kind of person you grow into. Even when you finally graduate and are finished with school, never stop learning. Everything in life is an opportunity to learn something new. Sometimes it is the hardest lessons that yield the most beautiful results. 

Good luck in your new school. 

Connect with me on Twitter @MakeupMatters1. 

*This is not a sponsored post. All of the products in this post were purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

The Perfect Back to School Makeup Look

The Perfect Back to School Makeup Look

Summer is coming to an end, and it is almost time to go back to school. I decided to create this quick and easy makeup look to help you look your best on your first day back.  If you are older, like me, this makeup look is also perfect for the office.

I made sure to use affordable products and brushes, but please feel free to use anything you already have in your makeup collection.  All of these colors are pretty easy to get in a variety of brands, and many of you likely already have something similar in your stash. If not, the brands I mentioned are all budget-friendly and as always cruelty-free.  Like any good makeup look, begin with prepping your skin with a bit of moisturizer (preferably with sunscreen) and apply a lip balm. 

Step #1: Even out your complexion 

I started by applying Wet n Wild's Photofocus Face Primer - Dewy using a Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge ($4.99).  Another great option is the Total Face Sponge from E.L.F. Cosmetics, which retails for $4.00.  After priming my skin, I applied my foundation, Wet n Wild Coverall Cream Foundation.  I am not sure if they still make this product, but Wet n Wild and Milani both make some wonderful and affordable foundations. It is important to gently pat the product into the skin with a beauty sponge for the most natural look.  Using Wet n Wild Hello Halo Liquid Highlighter in Halo, Goodbye, I patted a bit of the shimmery liquid onto the tops of my cheekbones. I used a little bit of Wet n Wild Photofocus Concealer under the eyes and on any areas where there were shadows on my face.  I also applied a dot to each eyelid to prime my eyelids for eyeshadow.  To set the concealer, I gently patted on some Milani Conceal + Perfect Shine-Proof Powder in Fair using my Crown Brush Precision Powder Brush ($11.50).

You can shop Crown Brush using the above link (affiliate link) for 10% off your order!* 

Step #2: Fill in Brows

Please do not over pluck your brows. It is one regret that many women my age have.  When I was younger, thin brows were in.  However, a full brow provides a more youthful look.  To achieve this, I brushed in some Milani Brow Shaping Clear Gel.  Using an angled brush, I gently stroked in some brown brow powder from the Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Universal Stencil Kit ($5.99) along any sparse areas of my eyebrows.  I used the spoolie end of my brow brush to blend the powder in with my natural brow hairs and finished with another coat of brow gel.  Although I used an angled brow brush with a spoolie on the other end, this brow kit includes mini pair of tweezers, brush and spoolie, so you can simply use the tools provided in the kit.

Step #3: Define the Eyes

For the eyes, I opted for Wet n Wild's Rose in the Air Eyeshadow Palette.  However, I only used three colors from the palette; a medium-toned warm brown (matte), shimmery gold, and dark matte brown. Any shadows that you have in your collection in similar colors will work. I began by dipping a Crown Brush Deluxe Blending Fluff Brush ($4.95 - use my affiliate link above for 10% off your order) into the brown transition color in the palette. I gently swept it through the crease of my eye, blending it upward. Using a flat brush, I picked up the shimmery gold in the palette and swept it onto my eyelid.  This color works best with a swiping motion, rather than patting it onto the lid.  If you want more intensity, you can dampen the brush, but I appreciate the subtlety of the shadow as it is. 

Next, I used an angled brush, and applied a dark matte brown eyeshadow to the upper and lower lash line. You could also use the brush included with the Universal Brow Kit and some brow powder for this step instead. I kept the color very close to the lashes, making sure the color was placed in between the lashes as well.  Take a clean cotton bud to blend out the shadow if desired.  For a more bright-eyed look, I used a sponge tip applicator to press Physicians Formula Butter Highlighter in Iridescence on the inner corner of my eyes. A finger, or cotton bud will work for this step if you do not have a sponge tip applicator.

I applied one coat of Milani Big and Bigger Lashes Mascara to my top lashes only to complete the eye look.

Step #4: Brighten up the Face

To add color back into the face, I used Milani Corallina Baked Powder Blush, blending it along my cheekbones.  For added illumination, I applied the Physicians Formula Butter Highlighter (optional) to the high points of my face using a Real Techniques Setting Brush ($8.00). 

Step #5: Lips

To finish the look, I used NYX Lip Liner in Nude Pink.  I did not over line my lips at all, but just traced the pencil along the natural outline of my lips.  Over the lip liner, I glided on Milani Amore Shine Liquid Lip Color in Delight (beige shimmery nude). This lip color is on the thicker side, but not sticky at all. The applicator molds to the lips perfectly allowing for a very user friendly application.  It is one of my favorite applicators for this type of product.

Here is the final look: 

As a bonus step, feel free to set your makeup with the setting spray of your choice (optional). E.L.F. Makeup Mist and Set is an affordable option ($3.74) and is available for free two day shipping for members of Amazon Prime. 

Brushes: 

I used a number of affordable brushes in this post.  You can purchase budget-friendly brushes from a variety of brands including: Crown Brush, Eco Tools, Real Techniques, Circa Beauty, Wet n Wild, Real Perfection, Makeup Geek, Coastal Scents and many more.  Browse my Synthetic Brush Guide to find the best brushes for your personal style and budget. 

What do you think of the final look?  Show me your back to school makeup looks on Twitter @MakeupMatters1. Don't forget to use #MakeupMatters so I will be sure to see your look!


*Note: All of the products featured in this post were purchased by me, or gifted to me by friends/family. This is not a sponsored post.  However, I have included my affiliate link for Crown Brush.  If you shop through this link you will get 10% off your purchase.  Please note I do make a tiny commission from the sale, but this helps support the site.