The Make-Up Edit Volume 1

Did you know (not only was I an esthetician) I was also a Make-Up artist

This too, is true! From the Nordstrom Prescriptives counter to the MAC counter….I was wearing more makeup than any 21 year old girl could dream of. A face full of foundation and lashes and the skin to show it underneath. I suffered horribly from cystic acne in my early 20’s while simultaneously being in esthetics school. When Kat Von D came out with that concealer that could cover up tattoos, I used it to cover up the shades of inflammation that haunted my jawline and cheeks. To this day I have no proof of this timeline besides a few close friends that knew the struggle. It was so real. I have studied Acne to the depths and even in 2002 I knew that it wasn’t a surface issue. It was internal and the two years of antibiotics that I was on did a number on my system that took me years to remedy. SO, with that said - my days of covering up my face with layers of thick foundation have been over for a while. Somehow I have no acne scars to prove the war that I was in with my skin. However, I will post the infamous photo of my cosmetology license so you can see what I’m referring to. It was a phase of my life I look back on fondly. Living in Annapolis, MD. Hanging with my make-up girlies. Blasting Avril Lavigne in my 2001 lowered Acura with a sound system you could hear blocks away. Drinking Red Bull Vodka in a random Annapolis Pub (turned nighttime club) while all my high school friends had found their way to college. Here I was, trying to figure it out one lip combo at a time. Life seemed so simple back then and also extremely complicated. What a time to be alive. These days I’m way more of a “barely there” fresh faced make up girl so without further ado - here are my must have make-up items. Links provided for ease of shopping!

Ciele Tint & Protect SPF 50 Tinted Serum Foundation - ok, whatever you do….do NOT sleep on this line. Ciele puts SPF in everything without it feeling SPF’y. Yes, I just said “SPF’y” but you know what I mean. I don’t know how they did it (i’m no chemist) but they did. Their entire line contains a mineral based SPF and it is sheer, natural, and illuminating. You’ll notice that a lot of my recommendations are from this brand. It’s somewhat new and also recently added to the list of brands sold at select Sephoras. I ordered directly from their website as it is very user friendly and they were offering 10% off, a free bag with purchase, and free shipping.

***hot tip : this was an absolute game changer for me when it came to any type of tinted moisturizer/foundation that I applied to my face…as well as concealer. Use a damp beauty blender to apply any foundation, concealer, or tint to your skin. I am very partial to this one ( Kosas Beauty Blender ) as it is the perfect softness and density to softly apply moisture and blend any tint to your face. Please trust me on this one…I have tried them all.

Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation & Concealer Stick - we love a 2 in 1 product. Not only is this a soft, velvety, stick foundation - the coverage is perfect, the packaging is beyond chic, and it can also be used as a concealer?? Yes please! I have yet to find a stick foundation that has a buildable coverage. This foundation can be sheer or medium coverage depending on how you apply. Again, use that damp beauty blender for a sheer coverage or use a foundation brush for more of a medium coverage. Or use your (clean) hands. I’m not against a little finger painting on your face. We’re all adults here ;)

Fara Homidi Essential Face Compact - THIS is the holy grail. Please trust me when I tell you that I have tried everything and there are two concealers in this world. This one and the Kosas concealer which I will get into next. Fun fact : Fara was one of my first custom jewelry clients when I started Arrow & Anchor 12 years ago. She was so kind and lovely to work with. Years later, not only is she an incredibly successful make up artist…she started one of the most amazing make-up lines I have ever used. If you haven’t figured out by now, I LIVE for good packaging. Hers (much like Atelier Westman and Victoria Beckham) is top tier. But to have the quality of the product match the packaging is brilliant. I don’t know how she did it but this is the most effective yet buildable lightweight concealer that I have ever used. There’s also a shine balm in the compact that you can use as a subtle highlighter or on your eyelids to give that wet glowy look. Who doesn’t love a purse friendly compact that you can take anywhere? You look tired? Bags under your eyes?? Dark spots on your face??? NOT ANYMORE. You’re welcome.

Kosas Super Creamy Brightening Concealer - this has been my go-to for years. I just recently started sharing the concealer stage with the Fara Homidi Face Compact. I completely understand that not everyone is trying to spend $88 on a concealer compact. Trust me, I have no place spending that kind of money with gold prices being what they are but cosmetics are my kryptonite and it’s something I have come to accept. Some people buy The Row and some people buy expensive concealer compacts. So here we are. Ok, the Kosas concealer is an absolute must have. It comes in so many shades that it’s nearly impossible not to find yours. If you have a skin tone similar to mine, I wear shade 3 almost all year long. I think the best part of this concealer is that it is thin enough to wear under your eyes without looking cakey. This is my daily driver concealer. This and mascara can give you that “I had 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep” look - even if you didn’t.

Anastasia Brow Powder Duo - put the brow pencil down immediately. Powder is the way to go (preferably in compact form with two different shades). Personally I have thinner brows from over plucking in my 20’s and genetics so when I put a pencil to my brows…you can tell. There isn’t a pencil thin enough to duplicate brow hairs. I’m sorry, but they do not work and do not waste your money if you have thinner brows. Thick brow people….keep scrolling. This product was a game changer for me. When you use the Angled Brow Brush it is nearly impossible to mess up. Brows make the face. Say that 10 times in a row and if you have those “every hair counts” type of brows just know that I am here for you. This product will help you out, I promise. So will brow lamination but don’t overdo it. And remember, I’m here for any and all questions.

Victoria Beckham Pencil Eyeliner - ok we’re moving on to eyes. There are two types of eyeliner people : pencil or gel. Personally, I like to find a pencil eyeliner that goes on like butter with a ton of pigment bc I smear with a brush. Does that make sense? I’m not really an eyeshadow girl. I like a colored eyeliner like this one and I blend up with this brush MAC 239S Eye Shader Brush . I have this eyeliner in 4 different shades. Yes, it’s expensive but it lasts forever as you don’t have to use very much. The pigment is intense so a little goes a very long way. Best eyeliner I’ve ever used alongside the next (and very different) option.

MAC Fluidline Gel Eyeliner - Raise your hand if you’ve been using this eyeliner for what seems like a lifetime. Oh, you use a liquid eyeliner pen to do your “cat eye”? Not anymore Susan! Use the MAC 263 Angled Brush and you have the most controlled sleek line you can possibly create. Next step, finish with your favorite mascara. And if you are die-hard on that liner pen you can use it on top of the MAC Fluidline for that extra depth in color.

Let’s talk LASHES. Such a loaded subject right? We extend them, we put growth serum on them, some of us even get extensions (rarely done correctly. yeah, I said it). Personally, my lashes are not the show stopper of my face. They are dense, short, and straight. They also point in 50 different directions. So with that said, yes - the formula of the mascara is important but so is the brush! That is the deciding factor for me and dare I even say this out loud - but - if this Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes Mascara is ever discontinued I do not know what I will do. This product does not clump, even when it’s at the end of the tube. It’s easy to remove but stays strong all day. The brush is perfect and in 5 years - I have never even come close to finding something comparable. Recently I noticed that they are exclusively selling it at Nordstrom and Sephora stopped carrying it so I panicked and tried to find a Plan B only to end up buying a stock of it online. Charlotte, please do not discontinue this product. Please don’t do it!!

Ilia Multi Stick - Next up, cheeks. I’m big fan of cream blush. BIG. Powder is not for me but if it is here is your Powder Option (CIele of course). I’ve probably purchased 16 of these multi sticks. If you’re in Nashville you can head over to the new Lemon Laine store on the East Side to see the shades in person. My faves are Whisper and Dreamer. Hot Tip *it can be dabbed/applied in the crease of your eyelid for that blushy shadow look. I’ve also used the Whisper shade across my cheeks and up onto my nose to make it look like I may have forgotten to wear SPF and stayed out in the sun too long. Yeah, that’s a look I guess ;). I really have been learning most of my hot tips from the TikTok girlies so I’m more than happy to tell you what that generation is up to in the make-up department.

Ok, next up - bronzer. I have found the best of the best in two options : a liquid option and a powder. Let’s talk about the liquid first because it’s my favorite. I’m pale with olive undertones so I can carry a little bit of bronzer through the winter months without it looking unnatural. This option is perfect for that “I had a little sun…a healthy amount of sun…just enough sun to make you feel like a new and refreshed version of yourself” kind of sun. Introducing the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Countour Wand. But Brooke, I thought you said it was a bronzer? Well it is to me! I’m not one of those Tik Tok Kardashian contour girlies so I could give a shit about contouring my face to look like someone else. This product in shade “fair” is THE perfect bronzer for fair skin. FACT *you have to apply this with a damp beauty blender. It’s the only way to get it to kiss your face like the fresh summer sun would. Again, here for application questions. I had to watch a Tik Tik tutorial on how to wear this product.

Second favorite bronzer (the powder option) will come as no surprise. Let’s circle back to Fara Homidi and her gorgeous packaging. Introducing Fara Homidi Essential Bronzer Compact . I know I know…I’m obsessed with this line. I am, it’s true. Just trust me on this one. If you love a powder bronzer - this is IT. Perfect shade, perfect coverage, easy application, chic chocolate brown compact. Done and done. Chefs kiss.

Ok friends, I could go on forever but we haven’t covered lips yet. I will also add some honorable mentions that are great products that don’t necessarily deserve a love letter/paragraph from me to you. Lips are simple for me. I LOVE a liner and I love a gloss. If anyone ever thieves my purse they will find that it is heavy (not because I have a lot of cold hard cash) but because I am a lipgloss addict. I have been my entire life. There are at least 10-15 in my purse at all time. Here is my favorite liner and a list of my favorite (not sticky) glosses/lip oils in no particular order :

Kosas Hotliner - shades : Unbuttoned, Mega, Infinite

Fara Homidi Soft Glass Lip Plumping Oil - both shades

Saie Glossy Bounce Shine Gloss Oil - shades : Kiss, Bubble, Bounce

Tower 28 Shine On Lip Jelly

Ok friends! Wow, that was a lot of info. Again, if you need anything I’m here to help guide. These links were created for ease of shopping and it helps me to see what people like and buy! A lot of time was put into creating this so feel free to share with friends. Comment below, email, or DM if you have any additional questions. Xx, BB