Makeup Monday: Joys in the Life of Perpetual Upkeep Part I.

Yes, I really do love being a girly, girly young woman. I am obsessed with makeup (as you know) and dresses...and shoes...and accessories. Especially accessories. But the hours of primping and grooming I do every week to maintain the lovely feminine aesthetic  that I want to exude and what society demands of us girls (you can try and deny it but you know its true) is truly exhausting. Not to mention that I have had to give up certain luxuries being on a budget and all so that's added more work to my regime. Once and a while I might splurge on a mani/pedi or go get a wax but being a smart recessionista means doing those things myself at home. However, with my Mom "Coupon Barbie"'s help, I have developed a pretty good routine without taking up too much time and with good products that didn't break the bank. I think it's really important to develop a good beauty regimen and stick with it. Trust me you'll thank me when you're older and you still have the neck of a twenty five year old...

PART I: FACE

EVERY MORNING

So first things first you need your basic beauty kit with your three most important products, and that's a cleanser, an age fighting moisturizer (its never too early), and SUNSCREEN!! you have to have sunscreen on your face always. I personally use the Mary Kay skin care line because I've been using it since high school and it works best for my skin. It is a cruelty free company   and smells nice in my opinion :) My mother is a personal use consultant because my two younger sisters and her use the products as well and this way we can afford to buy them. I swear I'm not trying to sell you this stuff I'm just telling you what works for me and why haha. There are many, many good ones out there. I know a lot of people that really like Proactive, Clinique, Mario Badescu (I use some too), Kiehls...there are like a million though, those are just the ones I've been recommended. 

1.) Cleanse (MK Timewise Age fighting cleanser)

2.) Moisturize (MK Age fighting moisturizer)

3.) SPF 15 (MK day solution)

So after all that, hahaha, I put my face on. Here is my basic day go to face. I call it the "Not that plain Jane" look. 

1.) Garnier tinted dark circle remover eye roller 

2.) Estee Lauder sport wear tinted moisturizer

3.) Benefit beauty powder in Sugar Bomb

4.) Bare Escentuals Buxom Mascara

5.) Urban Decay Naked eyeshadow pallette

6.) M.A.C. eyeshadow

7.) M.A.C. Lip conditioner

8.) Mario Badescu face spray (to set your makeup and smells like roses)

EVERY NIGHT

And then of course you have to take it all off and then put more stuff on again. After moisturizing I use an eye firming cream, a skin tightening serum, a lotion to even out my complexion and minimize pores, and aquaphor to make my lips silky soft.

1.) Makeup Remover (MK gentle eyemakeup remover)

2.) Cleanse (MK Timewise Age fighting cleanser)

3.) Moisturize (MK Age fighting moisturizer)

4.) AgeFighting, something to fight those wrinkles (MKNight serum)

5.) Even Complexion (Clinique Even Better)

6.) Eye Cream (Olay firming eye cream)

7.) Blemish Control (Clean and Clear persa-gel-10)

8.) Lip Conditioner (Aquaphor)

EVERY SUNDAY AND WEDNESDAY

So every Sunday and Wednesday I do a microdermabrasion treatment. It takes off the gross top layer of your skin and buffs out those fine lines and wrinkles and tightens pores. You do the first step in the shower after you wash your face and its like a super hard core exfoliator that you massage all over your face for 1-2 minutes. Then you slather on this really silky feeling lotion when you get out of the shower and your face looks fantastic after. Basically its the most amazing thing ever. Again, I use the Mary Kay brand but there are others. I know Olay has one I've seen it at Target. 

1.)Microdermabrasion (MK Microdermabrasion)

2.) Replenish (MK replenish serum)

EVERY THURSDAY

Lastly, once a week I do a little pore unclogging maintenance. Unpleasant I know but necessary for everyone and important for pretty looking skin. I use the Mario Badescu silver powder for only severe cases but usually I just use one of those pore strips once a week. I do the cucumber mask once a week to pull off any extra gunk in my pores and to make me look fresh and glowy. 

1.) Silver Powder (MB silver powder for clogged pores)

2.) Pore Strips (Biore deep cleansing pore strips)

3.) Maks (MB cucumber tonic mask)

Well that's my facial skin care regimen that helps my feelin' squeaky clean and pretty. Have fun primping. 

Love, Kirsten