Why I Wear Makeup Everyday—Even as a Busy Mom of Two

Before we even get to makeup, we’ve got to start with basic skincare. As a sensitive skin girly, I make sure to use cleansers that are gentle and don’t dry out my skin. This one has prebiotics and antioxidants, so you’re left with a smooth and glowing canvas. You can use in the morning and at night for removing makeup and only need a dime sized amount to get a really satisfying lather.

Even if your foundation has SPF in it, it’s always recommended to apply sunscreen beforehand anyway. For extra radiance, use a glowy sunscreen that doesn’t leave a white cast and is made to wear well under makeup. This one doubles as a moisturizer, which is a huge plus when trying to save time (and money). It’s a good idea to let your skincare set before applying makeup, but to speed up the process, I use a folding fan for an express dry.

This product is technically a “complexion booster” and can be worn on its own or underneath a foundation. I love wearing it as a BB cream because it leaves a dewy, skin-like finish. The doe-foot applicator makes it quick and easy to apply.

When I need more coverage, I use the Luminous Silk foundation. It’s one of the pricier items in my collection, but a little goes a long way, and a full bottle will last me at least six months even with daily use. This foundation has a wide shade range with various undertones, and the finish always looks natural.

Here’s the brush I use for blending foundation and concealer.

I’ve gone through three of these concealers already because the formula is perfect for those of us who struggle with dryness and creasing. It blends out with a few taps of my ring finger and even looks natural on bare skin for days I opt out of foundation. However, their shade range is limited and needs an update.

I’ve also used the Instant Age Rewind concealer for years on myself and past makeup clients of all ages. It provides great coverage for dark under eyes, acne scars, and dark spots. They also offer color-correcting shades!

I’m a fan of cream base products because of my dry skin, and the product name is spot-on for this bronzer. Most of the bronzer sticks I’ve used are super patchy, but this one blends out like a dream. I also find that cream or liquid bronzers are more forgiving and easier to apply when you’re in a rush. I don’t use contour on a day-to-day basis (I’ll save the face-snatching for date night), but I will apply bronzer around contour areas like the outer perimeters of my face, on the bridge of my nose for a sun-kissed look, and even on my eyelids when I don’t have time for eyeshadow.

Now, I don’t mean to brag, but I’m not exaggerating when I say my blush gets complimented on the regular. And I have this blush balm from Danessa Myricks Beauty to thank for that. I use the shade “Rosé N Brunch,” which is the most beautiful neutral pink. Danessa Myricks struck gold when she formulated this blush because its skin-blurring qualities are incomparable. Blush is typically the first product to disappear from the face, but this one lasts all day. And if I do reapply, the balm formula doesn’t look cakey even on top of powder.

I apply my makeup around 6:00 a.m. and don’t take it off until my kids are tucked in bed nearly 13 hours later. My biggest tip for getting it to last all day long is to set areas prone to creasing or oiling (under eyes, around the nose, and forehead) with a powder puff. I pick up a generous amount on the puff, smooth the powder out on the back of my hand, pack it in high crease areas, then gently brush away extra with a fluffy brush. I prefer a pink tint powder to compliment my blush.

Some may call this blush blindness… but I always go over my cream blush with powdered blush after applying loose powder. It’s an extra step, for sure, but I can’t help it—I’m a blush lover through and through. These Buttermelt Blushes are super pigmented and glide on like, well, butter. I use the soft pink shade ‘Butta Together’ to get a similar look to the iconic Painted by Esther blush technique.

Because I’m all about high-efficiency makeup items these days, I only use one eyeshadow palette every day and keep it very minimal. I apply a neutral light brown to my crease for depth, and instead of eyeliner, I apply a dark brown shade with a pointed eyeliner brush on the outer edge of my top and bottom lash lines. It’s a softer way to define your lash line and eliminates the risk of messing up eyeliner when you’re already in a pinch.

Eyebrows are another area I choose efficiency over perfection. Eyebrow pencils are ideal for quickly brushing up and filling in sparse areas. This one from Mented is super pigmented, waterproof, and stays put for 10+ hours. I also use my eyebrow pencil to draw over and reemphasize my beauty marks after I finish setting my makeup (a nice touch that helps your base look more natural).

The biggest hack for making your makeup not only last all day but also look flawless and smooth is setting spray. And a lot of it. I apply a good five to seven sprays after I’m done with everything except mascara. Setting spray fuses all your cream and powder products together so everything looks fresh and skin-like.

Once my setting spray sets completely and my lashes are totally dry, I go in with my lash curler (the curse of having curly hair but pin-straight lashes) and a lengthening mascara. I prefer length over volume since my lashes are more likely to fall throughout the day, and I like how the brush of this mascara gets every single lash.

I prefer tinted lip balms over lip glosses because they feel much more moisturizing. If I want a little more definition to my lips, I’ll use a lip liner a few shades darker than my actual lip color (like NYX’s Nude Truffle) before applying my balm.