Melissa's Must-Haves #4

Welcome to Melissa's Must-Haves #4: My Cosmetic Bag Edition!

As the impending conclusion of my life in the 20's creeps ever closer, and the number of sleepless nights, endless days, and coffee-dependent moments have increased with each child, I simply must have my make-up. Without it, I fear I would scare poor children in the streets. Or at least get endless comments about how "tired" I look. I am perpetually tired and it's really amazing what a little make-up can do for the ego. Like a fresh coat of paint in a room. ;)

I don't have a lot of money to spend on make-up (but who does these days?). So other than a few indulgent purchases at Mary Kay parties, I pretty much stick to the drug store brands. I tend to keep using certain products, because it is too expensive to buy-to-try and end up not liking it. Every now and then I live on the edge and pick up something new, but only if there is a crazy sale or a great coupon for it because then I can justify it to myself.

So here is a peek into what's currently my make-up bag. Again, these are really basic brands, nothing fancy here, but maybe you'll see something you want to try.


Bronzer:
A definite must-have, especially after the nearly 8 month absence of the sun here in NY. I probably use too much of this, but the key is to not make yourself look sun-kissed, not orange. I have tried a couple different bronzers, but I love the Neutrogena Mineral bronzer, mainly because of the built in brush.



Powder:
I pretty much use powder exclusively in the summer in lieu of bronzer to take away that extra perspiration shine. In anticipation of those warmer days, I just picked up Maybelline Shine Free Powder.




Eyeliner:

I probably wear too much of this too, but I can't seem to get rid of the eyeliner. I exclusively use CoverGirl Smoothers in smoke, which self-sharpens. Colored eyeliner looks like fun, but I can't bring myself to buy it for fear of sporting a retro look I do not want to bring back.




Eye shadow:
Not a huge fan of eyeshadow but I do like a light color to brighten the eyes. I usually grab the CoverGirl or Maybelline brand, whatever is cheaper at the time. Again, the bright colors scare me a bit, so I stay really neutral. Not sure I could pull off the lime green/fuchsia or orange/yellow combos I've seen recently.



Mascara:
Maybe she's born with it. Maybe it's Maybelline. The Colossal Volume Express is my current fav. It's not gloppy or clumpy, it goes on well, and finishes nice with an eyelash curler. That's enough for me.





Blush:
Don't use this much, if at all, but I do own the Maybelline Mineral Powder Blush. I've been happy with it when I do use it.






Lipstick:
I don't have a set lipstick brand that I use because I tend to grab whatever is on sale at the time. But this is one MaryKay product that I do like to indulge on and use repeatedly. I love their selection of colors and, even though it isn't specifically a "long-lasting" lipstick, it tends to stay on my lips longer than the drug store brands. Gloss is a must-have too and it ends up being whatever is the cheapest :).



Foundation:
I'm still looking for the "perfect" foundation...you know the one that gives that airbrushed, flawless finish in the exact color of my skin. Does it exist? I don't know but I'm willing to look for it, so this is one I tend to switch up on. I currently have the Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse, which I think I bought in slightly too dark of a shade. Hopefully in the next month or so I will have some exposure to the sun and will be able to get some use out of it for the summer months.


I'd love to have a peek into your cosmetic bag too, if you're willing to spill! Leave me a comment! I take make-up recommendations very seriously :).

P.S.
I was asked recently if I had a button for people to link to my site. (Flattered!) I don't have an html code set up, but you are welcome to use this button to link here. If you do snag it, I'd love for you to leave me a comment to let me know. Thanks for asking!

Edited: Special thanks to Stacy for creating a code for my button! Just add the code listed on my sidebar as an html gadget and you're good to go!
Also, if you are here from my recipe blog, Momma Bee's Recipes, welcome! Thanks for following! I've decided to merge that blog into this one, so any new recipes I post will be shared here from now on!
All the recipes from that blog are now available here! You can search through my recipes collection by clicking the Recipes button located on the sidebar, or search by topic by using the drop menu on the side.

Thanks!