How I Conceal My Undereyes

It's not exactly a secret that us nursing students are sleep deprived but entering a patients room with blue bags under your eyes doesn't exactly inspire confidence, so here's how I pretend to be bright-eyed and bushy tailed every single day of my life!

My heavy hitters!

The Two Foundations In My Routine

As a self-proclaimed makeup-junkie, I'm more than a little proud of the fact that I only have two foundations (currently...) that I use. I think they're both pretty great but recently my skin has become more dry so I'm looking to include a foundation with more hydration and a dewier finish. Here are my two:

Stila "In The Light"

Confession time, remember how I said in a previous post that I often fill my shopping cart with items that I never actually purchase? Well I did that with the Stila In The Light Palette... * for two years. Yep, it took me two years to pull the trigger on this palette.

So pretty....

My most used makeup brushes

When I first started really getting into makeup, it felt overwhelming to pick a makeup brush... I know it sounds crazy but I watch a lot of YouTube tutorials and everyone kept recommending really expensive brushes. As previously stated, I'm a student and so if I can save some money on brushes but still achieve a flawless look, I will! First off, organizing your brushes can be a real pain.... after much trial and error I found that the easiest way to store them was upright in some cute mugs.

These mugs are from T.J. Maxx and Ross- cheap and cute!

As you can see, I have quite a few brushes but considering how much makeup I have, I think it's shocking that I don't have more! Now onto a breakdown of what I work with...

It goes without saying that just about everyone knows now that Real Techniques brushes are the best bang for your buck. Designed by Sam and Nic Chapman (Pixiwoo on YouTube), they are without a doubt the most professional-looking brushes for a drugstore price point.  I personally use at least three of these brushes every single day and whenever I use them on my friends, they always comment on how soft they are. An extra bonus for me is how easy they are to clean, the metal carries so far up the shaft that I don't have to worry about water getting into the seal and breaking down the glue! Score! I have the Real Techniques core collection set * and the starter set. * 

Look how cute!

And may I throw in my latest love from Real Techniques, their * miracle complexion sponge! I have never owned or used a beauty blender but this little guy is wonderful!

so cute right??

After Real Techniques, I get the most use out of my Sonia Kashuk brushes from Target. I usually wait until one of the brush collectionsgoes on sale. They usually release these around holidays or seasonally and if you're very patient, you can get anywhere from 6-10 brushes for around $15.00 or even less! A few of my favorites are below...

This random guy is a Mirabella brush that I got in an Ipsy bag and I use it every day for adding color to my crease and outer V! I want to get some more but these brushes are super expensive, at least to me....* crying inside*

So sleek right?!

I have some E.L.F. brushes too and those are nice but I honestly don't use them enough to justify posting about them, HOWEVER if you are on a very, very tight budget, go get them! They are actually pretty amazing and no brand can match that price point. I used them without any issues until I purchased these and if they do fall apart a little sooner, it's not such a big deal as they are so inexpensive to replace. You literally cannot go wrong here.

And don't forget that the cheapest and most reliable/versatile tools are attached to your hands! So if all else fails or you forget a brush, use your fingers! *might be tricky with eyeliners...

Cheers!

Allie

(may contain affiliate links, indicated by a *, all opinions are 100% my own always!)

The Naked Palette.... My smartest makeup investment

I wish I could just jump through the screen and tell you in person... the Urban Decay Naked palette is still the number one best beauty product I ever invested in.

Here it is, very well-loved!

Hello gorgeous!

As you can probably tell, this palette has received some love over the past two years that I've owned it. I honestly can't believe that I still haven't hit pan on some of these incredible colors. I know this palette has been swatched and talked about for several years now but I feel like I wouldn't be doing it justice if I didn't make it my first legitimate beauty post. This post by Temptalia has much better swatches than I can currently manage and so I do refer you there for an in-depth analysis of the shades and quality however, I can vouch for this being a truly worthy investment.

Urban Decay palettes are expensive, there's no two ways around that. As a full-time student and newly engaged (eek!!), I don't have a lot of cash lying around. However, I don't hesitate to invest in any of the naked palettes. I love the texture of these shadows and while I do have the Naked 3 and Naked Basics, I think this is still the best investment. The shadows are so pretty and I can easily do a more casual every-day look, or a more glamorous and intense look. The shades "Half Baked' and "Gunmetal" are also ones that I wouldn't usually reach for so it's nice to have them in here, it forces me to become more comfortable with using different colors. 

I am not a trained makeup artist but I play with a lot of makeup and I have to say that my beauty addiction has landed me a few gigs putting makeup on brides and their wedding party members. This palette always goes with me no matter what.... I know I can find a shade in here that works for everyone and will stay in put all day with some primer! If you're just starting to venture into more high-end makeup and don't know where to begin, may I humbly suggest with this palette? 

Cheers!

Allie

All products were purchased with my own money and all opinions are my own! If ever a link is an affiliate link I will mark it with a *