You Don't Have to Be a Makeup Snob or Spend a Fortune to Look Great

I love makeup but I also have very high expectations for it. I want the best products for reasonable prices, and when I find something I like I stick with it. There are so many cosmetic options these days, and I am definitely not a makeup snob: I will happily use an inexpensive drugstore product if it gives me the results I want. I’m not averse to spending money for a superior product, but I also believe that not all high-end products are superior.

Here are my favourite, must-have items for my makeup bag.

Step One: The Before

Freshly washed face.

Step Two: BB Cream

I’m a big fan of BB Cream: I love how it evens out skin tone and hydrates without being greasy. I love Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream, which has a 35 SPF to boot. On days where I’m mostly inside, I use Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Protector, which doesn’t have a sunscreen added.

Step Three: Pressed Powder

I like to follow my BB cream with a swipe of pressed powder, to hold everything together and keep shine at bay. I like having a shiny personality, but not a shiny face. I have been using Revlon’s Photoready Powder for over twenty years, so I guess you could say I’m a hardcore fan.

Step Four: Eyes

Here’s where I confess that I have never learned how to apply eye shadow; my attempts have always resulted in a clown-like look. I like to line my upper eyelid with a dark brown pencil, and then add mascara. My hands-down favourite is Maybelline The Falsies Volum’ Express, which instantly yields full, thick lashes.

Step Five: Cheeks

After spending all that effort evening out my skin tone, I like to add a hint of colour to my cheeks, to avoid looking like an extra on The Walking Dead. I used to use a very cheap drugstore blush, thinking there was no difference, but then I tried Mac Blush in Fleur Power, and I have never gone back.

Step Six: Lips

I never leave home without at least a slick of lip gloss on. I have a minimum of six lip glosses and lipsticks in my bag at any given time, and it is so hard to choose a favourite. If I had to choose, though, I would go with Daniel Thompson Beauty for long-lasting colour. Plus, he once said “You’re already beautiful, the lipstick is just for fun!” so how can you not love that!