Lab Muffin Beauty Science

The science of beauty, skincare, makeup and nails

  • Home
  • Science
  • Browse
    • Archives
    • Reviews by Brand
    • Random Post
  • About
    • About Michelle
    • Site Policies
    • Follow
  • Shop
    • Shop
    • Skincare eBook
  • FREE Exfoliation Guide!

My Current Makeup Routine

February 14, 2017 By Michelle 14 Comments

Affiliate Disclosure: I receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links.

I’ve always been a bit lazy with my makeup routine because I really, really like sleep. I’m the least morning person who’s ever morninged, so I’m only willing to sacrifice 15 minutes for makeup, max.

But I also really enjoy playing with makeup, so cramming in a bunch of products is also necessary! My current makeup routine has expanded to the following, which I’m pretty proud of because it stays nice-looking despite the Australian summer and my oily-ass skin.

Pre-makeup: Wash face with water, apply sunscreen (I’m currently using Ultraceuticals Ultra UV Protective Daily Moisturiser SPF 30 Mattifying, my previous fave was Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence). Use Pixi 24K Eye Elixir on puffy bags if I feel particularly nasty (the cold rollerball is almost as good as a coffee).

My Current Makeup Routine

1. Klara Cosmetics Reset Glow and NIOD Photography Fluid Opacity 12% mixed together as a glowy primer with a little Shu Uemura Face Architect mixed in if my skin is being naughty. I’ve also started trying Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone as well. Since my skin is quite oily I used to avoid any sort of illuminator to cut down on shine, so applying it all over is a bit of a radical departure. I’ve found that if I put it all over with a sponge and cover it up with powder later, it works really well to make my skin look glowy and healthy without making it look greasy. Here’s what the three illuminators look like alone. From left to right: Klara, Becca, NIOD.

My Current Makeup Routine

I used to use a beauty blender to apply foundation, but then I got really sick of washing it, so I’ve switched to disposable sponges from Daiso. I know they’re bad for the environment, but I try to get a week’s worth of use out of one so I feel less bad. I’m also optimistic about the development of genetically engineered bacteria that can break down conventional plastics…

My Current Makeup Routine

2. Genie Beauty Line Smoothing Concealer to cover up spots and in the undereye region. I used to avoid concealer altogether but I’m really loving how convenient this stick form is! I draw it on and smudge it out with a brush (currently using the IT Cosmetics Flawless Concealer brush from the Heavenly Luxe set), and it doesn’t crease too much once I powder and set with spray.

My Current Makeup Routine

3. Williamspro Zero Powder then It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Pressed Silk Airbrush Powder on the oily bits. I’m absolutely in love with Zero Powder at the moment. It’s an arrowroot-based powder that doesn’t cause flashback (not that I get photos taken of me to every day) but soaks up oil really well, so the illuminator doesn’t turn into a greasefest. It gives an almost siliconey-smooth texture without turning into an oil slick. Bye Bye Pores Pressed Powder is great for blurring pores. I use a magnetic kabuki brush from TBX, but I don’t really take advantage of the magnetic feature – I just like how heavy it is!

My Current Makeup Routine

3. Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer (smells like coconuts!) and Dusty Girls Natural Mineral Blush in Golden Delicious for a summer glow. I use the Butter Bronzer in a “3” shape on the sides of my face using a Nude by Nature powder brush, and add the blush to the apples of my cheeks. I was never a big fan of coral blushes until I had a Shu Uemura makeover and the makeup artist used a whole bunch of orange on me. I’m obsessed with Golden Delicious from Dusty Girls – it’s really pigmented so I only have to touch a blush brush to it to get enough colour for each cheek (I’m using another brush from IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe set). If I’m feeling puffy, I contour using the awesome taupe shade from the Face of Australia Glamazon Contour Kit and the BEST contouring brush ever from Cover FX. It has a really nice flat shape so you can turn the brush to go wide or narrow, plus it has a skinny end that’s perfect for doing your nose. It’s so much easier than trying to do your whole face with a big brush because you can’t be bothered looking for a second brush (me, most mornings).

My Current Makeup Routine

4. Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadow in Veruschka, Pixi Beauty Silky Endless Eye Pen in Opal Overcoat, Nudestix Magnetic Eye Color in Angel. If there’s a step I skip a lot, it’s eyeshadow, but when I do it, I’ve found myself skipping powder in favour of cream and pencil.

Veruschka is a gorgeous olive shade that blends in easily with my fingers and doesn’t crease, unlike most other cream eyeshadows I’ve tried – I love it so much!

I use pencils for the inner corner and sometimes undereye too. I don’t know why I spent so many years trying to get powder in the inner corner without it landing everywhere, because with my dexterity levels it’s impossible and takes ages to clean up. These pencils are awesomely quick and precise, and have great staying power.

My Current Makeup Routine

5. NYX Cosmetics Matte Finish Setting Spray to lock everything in. I like how it makes the powder stick together and look like skin. I also love how it comes out as a fine mist. I’ve also been using a Maybelline setting spray and the drops are a lot bigger, so the NYX version feels a lot less like I’m training a cat and the cat is simultaneously also me.

My Current Makeup Routine

6. Shiseido eyelash curler and Maybelline Full ‘N Soft Waterproof Mascara. I set before mascara because I don’t have the patience to wait for my mascara to dry, so it always ends up transferring when I close my eyes for spraying (I tried leaving my eyes slightly open once…bad, stupid, sleep-deprived decision!). I’ve had this generic Shiseido lash curler since maybe 2008. I picked it up in a Bonjour in Hong Kong for about $3.50, and it’s absolutely perfect for my eyes. Unfortunately the spring broke recently so I’ll have to find a replacement soon.

I’ve been having the worst luck trying to find a mascara that holds my stiff Asian lashes in a curl while still being easy-ish to remove at night. Maybelline Full ‘N Soft Waterproof has been the best so far, but I’m not that impressed with its curl-holding power. Covergirl Lash Blast was awesome at curl-holding, but it never really seemed to come off completely. I have a parade of mascaras that I’m currently testing which I’ll have to review soon.

The Face Shop Designing Eyebrow Pencil in Grey Brown and Girlee Cosmetics Eyeliner Pencil. I frequently do these two steps on the train if I’m in a rush. I’ve strayed from this eyeliner a lot, but I always end up going back to it. It’s easy to use, easy to smudge out, and barely transfers, plus it’s easy to remove at night – it’s the perfect eyeliner! It’s one of the few products that I’m going to be able to finish without really trying.

And here’s how it looks with no Photoshop and 5 hours of sleep:

My Current Makeup Routine

All this takes me about 15 min if I rush a little, which to me is still manageable. Now if I could only squeeze my meditation time in there as well…

Do you use any of these products? Or do you have any time-saving makeup tricks? Please share them!

Some of these products were provided for editorial consideration, which did not affect my opinion. This post also contains affiliate links – if you decide to click through and support Lab Muffin financially (at no extra cost to you), thank you! For more information, see Disclosure Policy.


Related Posts

  • Breaking Down 5 Minute Crafts “Viral” Beauty Hacks (Video)
  • How to Reapply Sunscreen Over Makeup (with video)
  • What’s in a Lipstick? (with video)
  • 100K Subscriber Q&A and Get Ready With Me (Video)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Google
  • More
  • Tumblr

Filed Under: Make-Up, Review, Tools Tagged With: Becca, Charlotte Tilbury, Cover FX, Dusty Girls, Face of Australia, Genie Beauty, Girlee, IT Cosmetics, Klara Cosmetics, make-up, Maybelline, NIOD, Nude by Nature, NudeStix, NYX, Physicians Formula, Pixi, Shu Uemura, TBX, The Face Shop, Williamspro

« Should You Be Avoiding Parabens? The Science
Rimmel The Only 1 Matte Lipstick: Swatches and Review »

Comments

  1. stashy says

    February 14, 2017 at 9:53 am

    I love seeing what makeup people wear on a regular basis! I’ve never seen a Shiseido eye lash curler like that with the blue handle… hopefully you can find a suitable replacement! I really like the shape of the MAQuillAGE curler (owned by Shiseido) and a new favourite is the Surratt one. 🙂
    stashy recently posted…Hauluary 2017 – The Last of itMy Profile

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      February 14, 2017 at 5:08 pm

      I love seeing bloggers’ most used products too – we’re always reviewing new things, but it’s interesting to see what sticks after the new shine has worn off! I’ll have to look into those when this one finally dies.

      Reply
  2. Andrea says

    February 15, 2017 at 3:34 am

    I’m curious to know what are your thoughts on popular cosmetics versus non-toxic green cosmetics. There’s the argument that all the “toxic” chemicals put in conventional products will over time age you? Because the more the body has to work to filter out toxins the more taxing and aging? And also, the toxins build up over time and may later cause health problems? I’ve also read that some chemicals in cosmetics will mess up our hormones? Do you think it’s overly hyped or there’s truth to it?

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      February 15, 2017 at 1:51 pm

      Definitely overhyped! There’s a little bit of truth, but it’s very much blown out of proportion, generally to make products that don’t work as well and are usually more expensive more appealing to comsumers. My previous post was actually on the overblown dangers of parabens, which is one of the main health/hormonal/toxin scare chemicals: Should You Be Avoiding Parabens? The Science

      Reply
  3. Dafna says

    February 17, 2017 at 7:47 am

    Very interesting! Have you tried MAC Extended Play mascara? It’s latex based so it hold curls really well and you can remove it at the end of the night with a bit of warm water and yet doesn’t smudge with sweat or rain.
    About that eye cream though… Gold has no scientifically-backed evidence to suggest it improves skin texture. Actually, it can be toxic as it’s a heavy metal and may promote cell death.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      February 17, 2017 at 11:07 pm

      I’ll have to look into it!

      I think it may promote cell death through catalysis when in nanoparticle form, rather than being toxic like other heavy metals – gold is one of the most stable metals, so it doesn’t really act like a heavy metal in the body. This eye cream doesn’t have much gold though, and it isn’t in nanoparticle form so it should just sit on top of the skin and be glittery! The rest of the ingredients are quite hydrating though and do the grunt work, but I really just like it for the rollerball.

      Reply
  4. Kat says

    February 17, 2017 at 6:06 pm

    Lovely post Michelle! I’m more of a morning person and really enjoy the time I’m putting on makeup so I have no tips lol.

    I’m currently using Max Factor 2000 calorie waterproof mascara which I find is doing a great job at holding the curl of my lashes. It comes off easily with The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      February 17, 2017 at 11:04 pm

      I’ll have to try that one! I came across it when I was going through Makeup Alley but never ended up trying it.

      Reply
  5. Paige says

    February 21, 2017 at 6:05 am

    Could you recommend some makeup products that are cruelty free?

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      February 23, 2017 at 1:10 pm

      I don’t really specialise in cruelty-free, but there are many other bloggers who do!

      Reply
  6. The Western Sydney Girl says

    March 1, 2017 at 2:53 pm

    I didn’t think to check Daiso for beauty sponges! thanks for sharing that tip. I get sick of washing my beauty blender too…and then feel guilty if it’s looking particularly gunky.
    I always skip eye-shadow too. Only save it for big nights and special occasions.
    The Western Sydney Girl recently posted…The Artists Cottage, Port DouglasMy Profile

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      March 3, 2017 at 10:54 am

      I think my beauty blender has been sitting there waiting to be washed for 6 months now -_-

      Reply
  7. Ling says

    May 29, 2017 at 4:12 am

    Hi Michelle, would you mind sharing where you get your pH strips? I’m strapped to find any decent ones in-store (in Melbourne). Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      July 8, 2017 at 7:14 pm

      I haven’t found any in-store before, only online on eBay – maybe try a pharmacy or aquarium or hydroponics store, or if you have any scientist friends you could try hitting them up?

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter RSS YouTube

Michelle
Hi! I'm Michelle, chemistry PhD and science educator, and I'm here to help you figure out which beauty products are worth buying, and which ones aren't using science!

New Posts Straight to Your Inbox!

https://labmuffin.com/signup-confirmation/

skincare guide skincare guide

Popular Posts

  • My Current Evening Skincare Routine
  • Purging vs Breakouts: When to Ditch Your Skincare
  • How Does Olaplex Hair Treatment Work?
  • Don't Use Lemon Juice on Your Skin
  • Easy (5 Minute) DIY Vitamin C Serum Recipe
  • My Routine for Starting on Tretinoin (Retin-A) Cream

Copyright © 2021 Lab Muffin
 · Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · Privacy Policy · WordPress · Log in

All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the author, except for brief quotations when accompanied by a citation and link.

Get Lab Muffin updates (comes with a FREE Essential Guide to Exfoliation!)
Your information will be stored to send you emails. For more information see Privacy Policy.