One of the most popular questions I get asked is “What’s the best (insert makeup item)?” So I thought this post might be helpful for anyone wondering what my favorite makeup items are. Now I must preface this by saying everyone is different and everyone has different preferences. This is just what I’ve found works best for me and my clients. And it may change. I am a self-proclaimed makeup hoarder and even though I love all these products I am about to mention, I still continue to purchase and try new things. Sometimes I find new loves and sometimes I’m disappointed but it’s always fun to try something new – don’t you agree?
Foundation
My absolute favorite foundation is Face Atelier Ultra Foundation. It’s such a great formula. It has good build-able coverage but it still looks like skin. It feels good on – it’s not drying and I find it works well will all skin types. It’s my go to foundation in my kit. I also carry Face Atelier Ultra Skin in my kit. It’s like a lighter version of their Ultra foundation and is great to use on men or women with good skin that don’t need much coverage. Both are silicone based and therefore an excellent long lasting choice for brides or special events.
For Airbrush I use Temptu S/B formula. It’s long lasting and water resistant which is excellent for brides. It comes in a nice range of colors and feels good on the skin.
Concealer
Currently I’m loving Bobbi Brown’s correctors and concealers. For concealing under eyes, it’s best to use a two-step approach. Color correct first with the opposite color (very blue under eyes benefit from an orange or peach tone) and the conceal with the skin tone color. Bobbi Brown makes wonderful corrector colors and they texture is creamy. It lays well on delicate under eye skin and doesn’t appear dry or accentuate fine lines.
I’m also a fan of MAC Pro Longwear concealers but these are best suited for concealing blemishes on the skin. They are not my favorite for under the eye as they can accentuate any dryness that is there.
Powder
My favorite powders are made by Cargo Cosmetics. I am a huge fan of their HD powders and I use them on all my clients. They don’t leave a powdery look to the face as they are designed to be undetected by today’s high definition cameras.
For under eyes I absolutely love Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder. It gives the under eye area a light with light reflecting properties without being shiny.
Blush
I have a love affair with blush. I would buy a new blush any day of the week. However, my kit has limited room and these are the ones I carry and use most often.
I love Make Up For Ever HD cream blush. It’s my all-time favorite blush. Cream blushes in general give a more natural looking flush and these have a lovely texture and come if so many wonderful colors. I use these on nearly every client.
Bobbi Brown makes great blush colors. Her brighter colors are perfect for giving just a tiny pop of color on the apples of the cheeks over an overall more natural flush underneath.
Brows
I prefer to use powder brow products on my clients as I think it gives a more natural look. I love Senna brow powders. They don’t smudge off and they come in many natural colors.
When I do use a pencil I love Brow Wiz pencils by Anastasia. The fine point allows you to draw in nice hair strokes.
Eye Shadow
Lorac makes the nest shadows in my opinion. They are buttery soft and easy to blend with great pigment. What more could you want in a shadow? They make wonderful colors but are lacking in brighter colors which is why I carry more than just Lorac in my kit.
Tarte also makes wonderful buttery soft shadows and have beautiful neutral colors.
For a bit of fun, I love MAC shadows for their variety of colors. Most of their shadows are well pigmented and easy to blend.
Finally, Viseart makes beautiful shadows in a wide range of colors. The palettes are expensive but well worth the cost for the quality.
Eye Liner
I love pen liners. LOVE pen liners. I find they give the sharpest lines and make any liner style easier to achieve. Some of my favorites are by Eve Pearl and Physicians Formula.
For gel liners my favorites are by Inglot (you will need super strength make up remover to get this formula off) and Bobbi Brown. Both of these are long lasting and come in a nice range of colors.
For water lines I love Make Up For Ever kohl liners.
Mascara
Honestly, I don’t tend to spend a lot on mascara since it’s usually the brush that makes the difference and I must use disposable brushes to keep proper sanitation. Mascara must be replaced often as it has a short shelf life once opened. Therefore, I typically use drugstore mascaras. My favorite is L’Oreal Voluminous.
Lashes
My favorite false lashes are by Red Cherry. I use #213 and #747S the most. They are very natural styles that look good on anyone. For individual clusters I stick with Ardell knot free.
Lips
My favorite lip liners are by MAC. They apply well without pulling on the delicate skin by the lips but still provide enough of a barrier between the lips and the skin to prevent lipstick from straying into fine lines. They come is a huge range of colors too.
My favorite lipstick of all time is Bite Beauty. My lips hate lipstick and seem to dry out and peel with every other brand except Bite Beauty. They come in a wide range of colors and feel great on. I also adore their Agave Lip Mask. This actually sinks into lips to moisturize rather than just applying a waxy coating to the surface of the lips. My go to for all dry lips.
A close runner up is Bobbi Brown. She started her company with a range of lipsticks and it is easy to see why she became such a huge success. Her colors are truly made to flatter skin tones and very nearly every bride I do is wearing either Bobbi Brown or Bite Beauty on her wedding day.
Those are my favorite things. That’s not to say I don’t have other products in my kit, but these are my go to and must have items. I’m constantly on the hunt for new favorites though so let me know if you think there is something I ought to check out!