When I was 20 years old, I liked to wear quite a heavy make-up with smoky eyeshadow, thick false lashes whenever I went out. At 30, I prefer light and simple make-up, as natural as possible. Hardly I apply heavy eyeshadows during the day, and I still have three boxes of false eyelashes unopened. My beauty routine has changed over the years as I aged. But one thing for sure, there are a few simple steps that I always do whenever I apply make-up.
1. Face moisturizer.
Foundations, face powders, and blushers can cover our pores and prevent the skin from breathing. Prepping your skin with toner, water mist or moisturizer will not only make our make-up last longer, but also to keep our skin look healthy and hydrated all day long.
2. Sunscreen.
My rule of thumb is: Never go out of the house without applying sunscreen on my face. Even on a gloomy day, the UV rays can still potentially harm your skin. It causes wrinkles, sunburn, and even more seriously, skin cancer. Right after moisturizing my face, I'll start applying sunscreen. I have combination skin. Thus, I prefer the non-sticky and non-greasy types that have at least SPF30.
3. Eye highlighters.
Our eyes are the windows to our soul. Instead of applying eyeshadows, I opt for eye highlighters to banish dark circles and create a soft-focus effect. Using my index finger I apply eye cream or eye highlighters underneath my eyes and from the inner corner to the outer corner of my eyes.
4. Eyebrows.
Eyebrows are one of the most important things in my beauty routine as they frame my face. You'll be surprised to know how different eyebrow shapes can make us look completely different. I'd never go out of the house without drawing my eyebrows.
5. Mascara.
Because I don't use false lashes anymore, I rely on mascara to get curly, long, and thick lashes. They help open up my eyes and bring attention to them. My favorite mascaras are waterproof, volumizing ,
6. Lip balm and lip gloss.
It doesn't matter how good my skin or my makeup is, cracked and dry lips are the worst things that ruin my appearance. I always have a few different types of lip balm in my purse whenever I go out, so that my lips will stay soft and moisturized. For night events, I'll count on lip gloss for a shiny and sexy look.
7. Clean face.
No matter how busy or tired I am, I'll never forget to remove my makeup and wash my face before bedtime. I only use lukewarm water as hot water can be quite harsh for my skin. Then, I'll massage my face with cleaners in a circular motion for about 10 minutes. Lastly, I rinse off and dry it with a soft towel.
That's it! These are seven must-have steps in my daily makeup routine. What are yours?