tried and true

if there's one thing i love more than shopping for clothes, it's shopping for makeup. i love finding new products to try, but i have to admit... being a beauty junkie gets expensive! so after years of experimentation, i've finally landed on a steady mix of items i really just can't live without. if i could never buy new makeup again, i'd be totally okay with it. 

below, my absolute {favorites} 

eyes

{sephora moonshadow baked palette}

you may have read about this (relatively-new) obsession in this post, where i compared it to the ridiculously popular, can't-keep-it-on-the-shelves urban decay 'naked' palette. i'm still in love with every silky, super-shimmery color in this palette, and recently discovered how pretty the mauve looks mixed with the silver on the back of your hand. 

{ysl automatic eye liner}

hands-down the easiest liquid liner i've ever used - seriously, nothing compares to this all-in-one pen.  the brush is super super super thin, which is just what i want when drawing on a thin line for daytime or a little wing at night, and you always get the perfect amount of liquid on the brush.

{maybelline lash stiletto in very black}

i've probably gone through 20 tubes of this already; i've used it ever since it hit the shelves, and i can't switch to anything else. it makes my lashes long and fluttery without clumping or flaking off throughout the day.

{sonia kashuk eyelash curler}

i know everyone swears by the tweezerman curler, but i've tried tons of different ones and this is by far the best. it doesn't just curl the ends of your lashes, but it gets right up into the lash line to open up your entire eye.

{bobbi brown long-wear gel liner}

when i want to add a little more intensity to my ysl liner, i layer this rich gel over it with a tiny brush. my favorite colors are 'black ink' for a super-deep black or the 'ivy shimmer ink,' a dark glinty green.

{victoria's secret silky sparkle eye shadow}

even though i love my sephora palette, i'll never stop using victoria's secret sparkle shadow (there is also a 'lustre' variety). this formula is the best i've ever tried - super soft and smooth, doesn't crease, and packed with shimmer. i've tried dozens of 'shimmery' eyeshadow (yes, i'm obsessed), but none have ever delivered like this one. i start almost every day with a wash of this shadow in 'provocateur,' a neutral champagne-flecked hue, and then layer some moonshadow colors over it. 

lips

{rosebud salve}

i'm not really a big lip-color person; whether it's gloss, stain, or stick, i just don't like fussing with something on my lips every single day. that being said, i'm a freak about keeping my lips hydrated. (some might call it ocd.) but if i dont have a few tins of rosebud with me at all times, i kind of panic. rosebud is as hydrating as vaseline but not nearly as greasy, and it leaves behind a pretty sheen and heavenly rose scent.

{aquaphor healing ointment}

this is like rosebud x 10 - a little thicker and richer, this is perfect for winter when my lips feel especially chapped. i also layer a bunch of this on at night (it's a little longer-lasting than rosebud) to prevent my lips from getting chapped the next day.

{revlon matte lipstick in strawberry suede}

okay, so i said i don't love lipcolor. but sometimes i just love the idea of lipstick so much that i get over myself and buy 5 tubes. i especially love this bright, cheery color paired with an otherwise bare face; the coral-pink flatters any skin tone, and while it's considered 'matte' it isn't drying. i usually tone it down by applying it with a brush and then blotting with tissue paper.

face

{almay clear complexion pressed powder}

i first read about this powder in lucky magazine (aka my bible). the writer promised gorgeous, poreless skin, an even complexion, and acne prevention (salicylic acid is a main ingredient) - needless to say i rushed to the drugstore immediately. and  a few years later, here i am singing its praises, too. this powder is really fine, so it goes on smooth and is virtually undetectable on your skin, but it has enough coverage to really make your pores invisible. i can't function without this skin perfector, and even though it only comes in 3 shades (light, light-medium, & medium) it easily adjusts to any skin tone. 

{rimmel match perfection foundation}

i got a free pot of this foundation when i went to a rimmel beauty conference in london, and not only was it my exact shade, but it was everything i had been looking for in a foundation.  i hate thick, mattifying formulas, and tinted moisturizers can be a little too moisturizing (read: greasy). i really wanted a lightweight foundation that looked natural, felt nice on my skin, and didn't make me break out, and this one does the trick. it feels cool to the touch (i'm kind of obsessed with that part) and it smooths on like it's nothing; perfect for the anti-foundation girl.

{tarte blush in tipsy}

until recently, i never wore blush. i didn't understand why anyone would want to add color to their face when so much emphasis was always placed on using layers of base and concealer to achieve a flawless, even tone. then one day liz brushed a teensy-tiny dusting of this peachy blush on the apples of my cheeks... and i was a changed woman.  i now see how a little bit of a flush can wake up your face, make your eyes look brighter, your skin look better, and enhance your smile. this color is the most natural-looking one i've tried, but all the tarte varieties are really pretty.

care

{mario badescu hyaluronic eye cream}

i'm going to keep this short and sweet, because i don't want to sound crazy and obsessed with aging already... but it's never too early to start prevention! this anti-aging eye cream locks in moisture to keep the skin around your eyes hydrated and healthy; if it's dry and damaged, it will just stretch and sag and cause wrinkles in the future.

{caudalie vinoperfect day perfecting fluid}

this is another freebie i scored while working in london that's turned into a major beauty obsession. i'm trying to preserve my tube for as long as possible before i have to actually buy one (it's  pricey at $68) but i almost can't help myself from using it every single day. it's an oil-free moisturizer with spf 15 and viniferine, the miracle compound from grapeseed oil found in all caudalie products. this lotion lightens dark spots, evens out skin tone, and brings out a radiant, flawless finish; my skin looks so good every time i use it, sometimes i don't even use face makeup.

{aveeno clear complexion foaming cleanser}

another confession. i didn't used to wash my face. at least not every day, and i didn't even have a good reason other than the fact that i was kind of lazy and didn't have major acne problems. but obviously there are tons of reasons to wash your face besides acne!  leaving even a trace of makeup can mess up the balance of moisture in your skin, and the same goes for free radicals and the invisible grime of the day that settles into your pores (which also cause premature aging.. okay i swear i'm not crazy). so i bought this lightweight cleanser, a foamy, fresh-smelling soy extract formula that promises to even your complexion and ward off breakouts (because yes, we all get the occasional breakout) without drying out your skin. (skin that's too dry can actually break out more than 'greasy' skin, because oil gets trapped under the dried-out skin cells). ever since i started using this my skin has been soft, even, and almost completely acne-free... for only $6 a bottle! can't beat it.


{neutrogena rapid clear fight & fade gel}
with those occasional skin problems comes immediate panic.  whenever i get blessed with a particularly annoying breakout, it just so happens to be the week right before a big formal or vacation or something. so annoying. but to get rid of zits fast, i dab on some of this gel; it's especially helpful if you start applying it when you first feel that breakout coming on. and in days, your skin is totally back to normal!! just remember to avoid putting any heavy lotions or makeup on the area; as hard as it is not to cake on the concealer, it's best to just let your breakouts breath.


{clinique dramatically different moisturizing gel}
i love my caudalie lotion, but for everyday moisture that keeps my skin perfectly balanced, fresh-looking, and clear, i rely on this clinique gel. it works well under makeup and sinks in immediately, which means no greasy residue or excess lotion, and the oil-free formula means no acne or shine problems for me!

II emily