Here's the whole lineup, small, right?
And the first thing I start with isn't makeup, but a day cream as a base for my makeup. I've tried primers, but it just seems fussy and I find moisturized skin is the best surface for makeup.
Secondly, I add some foundation and this isn't a step that I skip. I spent so many years not properly taking care of my skin, that I need just a light coverage to cover up unevenness and general redness in my skin. This was my biggest search this year, was to find a quality foundation that I could go back to over and over. I think this is the one, it's light enough for daily use, but I can build up coverage if I'd like to.
Another requirement for a foundation to meet my 'collection' needs is that I needed to be able to apply it without getting it all over my hands. I got the retractable brush for this foundation and it's a dream, I love it! I apply my foundation directly to the brush and then apply to my face. It blends in super well and achieves that dewy finish I've been looking for.
After foundation I often find I need to add a little more definition in terms of bronzer. I love love love this bronzer (Laguna), it goes on so smooth. I use it for maybe too much, for bronzer, contour, my eyes, and eyebrows, it's a great shade for everything, and not shimmery at all.
It definitely not the worst makeup out there, so I'm ok finishing off the rest of it in the mean time, but I do hope to replace it with something with better ingredients. Or just hope that they change the formula before I need to do that! :) I'll have to find a good, safe bronzer to add to my collection.
My sister-in-law picked up this double ended brush for me and I just love it. It's crazy what a good, quality brush can do! I use the angled side for my cheeks and then the other side to blend in around my face.
I also love the Nars 'The Multiple Stick', I use this everywhere as well, on my cheeks, eyes, and lips.
I use the bronzer and multiple for some color on my eyelids, and hardly ever use eyeshadow.
The next important thing for my makeup routine is mascara. I don't think I've ever tried a mascara that I absolutely love, and I've tried a lot. I wear mascara everyday, even if I don't wear any other makeup. My eyelashes are really light, so it's important.
So far, I think this mascara is the best one I've tried so far. It goes on so incredibly smooth and glides on each and every single lash. It's never once clumped. It really does lengthen my eyelashes. I take my time to apply a solid first coat and from there will add another or two depending on what I'm doing. Often I find I'm ok with just one coat, and a I never add more that a few, which is a welcome change from other mascaras I was using.
The only drawback of this mascara is that it's hard to remove. And by the end of the day the last thing I want to be doing is scrubbing off mascara. I'm learning some tips and tricks on getting it off quicker. So far this one is a collection winner, unless you all know of another mascara?
That's usually it for my makeup routine, but if I feel like I need it I'll add in some concealer as a highlighter under my eyes or to cover up and blemishes that show through the foundation. I'll do this after applying the foundation. I definitely don't love this concealer, so I've been skipping this step. I'm saving up to pick up a new one! This time I think I may actually look for a highlighter as well, has anyone tried this one?
I also may smudge eyeliner (smoky brown) too, I like to add the tiniest bit in-between my lashes or smudge a little on the outer lash line. I love the color of this and keep going back to it, but I'm still not sure. Would also love suggestions on a good eyeliner too!
And that's it, pretty simple!
What about you, what does your makeup bag look like? Do you have a collection you always go back to? What are your must haves?

I've had a draft saved since January with a post, as I was excited to share about my new Christmas gifts. I got the Nars items in this post and felt like I upped my makeup game. But, something was keeping me from sharing.
I wear makeup most days, but there are also days where I don't bother to even look into a mirror. Its definitely not something that high up on my list of things to talk about, for sure.
I also don't know much about makeup. I know I enjoy using it, as an artist I can appreciate a little color theory and embellishing. I just don't really do much more than the basics, so I guess I never really thought this would be interesting.
I also haven't been the most confident in the choice of my makeup items. I always try to buy quality makeup and can tell a difference between drugstore finds and department store makeups. And I guess I just never thought too much about the ingredients used. I definitely ask questions when buying, but am quickly satisfied with the 'we use quality ingredients' bit. I never looked at the ingredients of the makeup I've used.
And I am very conscious of ingredients in everything else I use, except skincare items. I don't know what it is, but I know I'm not the only one. It's easy to make excuses and to not use more natural skin-care items and cosmetics, because there isn't much of an option.
And makeup is expensive and not easily replaced. I remember hearing about EWG's Skin Deep a cosmetics database that lists ingredients of cosmetics and rates them. I felt so overwhelmed that I was using products that were rated high (not good) and that most of these products I thought were natural or healthy. Instead of fixing the problem slowly, I didn't do anything, because the answer wasn't obvious.