Morning Routine

Hello, Beautiful!

It's back to school season and that means quick & easy morning routines. Whether you're going to school yourself, or you're taking your kids to school, it never seems to go all that smoothly in the mornings (at least not for me). I'm working on a makeup and hair routine that will take around 30 minutes.

Seeing as how I have major flaws to cover, I have to do my makeup in the mornings. I just don't feel comfortable facing the world with a face full of acne and acne scars.

Yesterday morning was the first day of school for my son, and that was a bit rough getting ready in the morning. I had taken a shower the night before in hopes it would save time in the morning. It did save time, but my hair does NOT come back from that. I have a collic in my hair and no amount of blow drying can help. I knew it wouldn't work, but in my head I was hoping it would suddenly change. My makeup also didn't work out as well as I had hoped, so after I got home I re-did the whole thing.

This morning I went back to normal routine of taking a shower in the morning and my hair is collic free! And although you can't tell in the photo below, my hair is pretty long at the moment (down to about mid-back). I'm growing it out again because I love my long hair. I think it's finally back to the length I enjoy most (woo hoo).

Here is my "mommy morning face" photos, product list, and morning routine:

[Don't mind my nose.. it's broken (although healed now) and I plan to get it fixed in the spring.]

Primer: L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base

Foundation: Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Foundation (shade: 123)

Concealer: MAC Studio Sculpt (shade: NC 20), Laura Geller Real Deal Concealer (shade: Medium), Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer (shade: 6)

Setting Powder: Mally Beauty Poreless Perfection Skin Finisher

Brows: Smashbox Brow-Tech To Go (shade: Brunette)

Eye Shadow: Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner (shade: r.s.v.p.), Smashbox Waterproof Shadow/Liner (shade: Graphite)

Eye Liner: Smashbox Limitless Eye Liner (shade: Smoke)

Mascara: Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash

Lips: Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss (shade: Allure)

Today's Morning Makeup Routine:

After I applied all my skin care (including moisturizer), I applied primer. I've really fallen in love with L'Oreal's Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base. It's an amazing primer and I will do a full review on it very soon. I always allow primer to set for about two to five minutes (I blow dry my hair while it's setting so I'm not wasting time).

Then it's the most important time: concealer time! Today I did a cocktail of concealers. They're all different shades, but together (used alone or mixed) work really well to cover my flaws. I mixed MAC's Studio Sculpt Concealer with Make Up For Ever's Full Cover Concealer - which have different textures (MAC's is thicker and drier). I used the Laura Geller Real Deal Concealer by itself. I let my concealer dry for about a minute or two.

Then it's the second most important time: foundation time! I used a MAC 187 Brush to apply the Make Up For Ever's HD Invisible Foundation, stippling it on so I didn't distrub the concealer. Once my foundation was dry I applied Mally's Poreless Perfection Skin Finisher over top.

Then it was onto brows. I need to fill in my brows because due to my health issues some of my eye brow hair fell out, leaving very sparse areas - especially at the beginning of my brow right in the middle of it. I've been using Smashbox's Brow-Tech for years and years, but when they came out with the "to go" version I had to try it out. And let me tell you, I'm in love with it! I don't think I can go back to the powder version again! (I'll also do a full review on this product).

I didn't use a shadow primer today, although I guess I should have since I don't plan to re-do my makeup before I have to pick my son up. But I'm pretty sure the choices I selected are going to stay on all day anyway. I first used Benefit's Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner all over my lid. Then I applied Smashbox's Shadow/Liner to the outer corners of my eye lids (top lid only). Followed by applying a very thin line of Smashbox's Limitless Eye Liner to the upper lid only, staying very close to the lash line.

Finally, I threw on a coat of Make Up For Ever's Smoky Lash and a coat of Smashbox's Lip Enhancing Gloss in Allure (which is a beautiful nude shade).


From start to finish (shower, cleaning my face, face serums/moisturizer, hair, makeup, and getting dress) took me about 45 minutes. Not too bad (for me anyway). Although I did nothing with my hair, so if I actually took the time to do my hair it would have added on another 5 to 15 minutes.

I will be testing out many morning routines all month long. Hopefully by the end of September I will have one that is quick & easy (30 minutes or less). But I think until my skin clears up I'll be stuck doing the long concealer and foundation routine (which takes about 10 minutes itself).

Do you have a morning routine you want to share? I'd love to hear it!

And because I'm just so proud of my son starting kindergarten, here are some photos from his first day of school (his faux hawk is by his request; he calls it his "rock star hair"):

xoxo with love & beauty,

Crystal Valentine B.

- The woman who runs ValentineKisses.com