BTS Makeup Essentials: Primer, Conceal & Powder
Hello everyone! So for today's post, as promised, I'm going to be talking about the rest of my makeup essentials for your face (minus blush, bronzer and highlighting, that will be my next post of this series). This post is all about those things that will go hand in hand with your daily foundation routine for the up and coming school year: primer, concealer and face powder. I'm going to show you some choices, all of them affordable, and hopefully you'll take something useful from this post and the tips in it. Do keep in mind that I'm not a professional, I'm just sharing what I've learned from reading beauty blogs and watching videos on Youtube, plus what I know works for me from experience -- and remember, if you're not comfortable with using one of the things I say or you feel like you don't need it in your everyday makeup routine, you can simply skip it! Makeup should be about what you need and what makes you feel great, so it's different for everybody.
First of all, we have primers. Now if you're in school, you probably want your foundation to last all day without needing to reapply it (let's be honest, nobody has the time to be reapplying foundation during breaks). For that and much more, we have been blessed with primers: you apply it before putting your foundation, after you moisturised your skin, and not only does it make your skin look a lot better than it usually looks, but it also serves as a base for your foundation to sit on, helping it last longer. There's tons of different primers and the drugstore, surprisingly, has a lot of affordable options! Just pick what suits your needs and prepare to be amazed.
Bourjois Happy Light Base Serum Matte/Lumiére: this primer is somewhat pricey (it's around 18 euros here in Portugal) but like the Bourjois products I showed in my last post, they do come with their perks that are worth spending a bit more on. There's 2 versions: the matte one, for those of you with oilier skin; and the lumiére version, for everyone else. They both give your skin a great glow, without making it look shiny or oily (and the matte version helps you control your oiliness throughout the day!). Plus they only have one colour that fits everybody, so you don't have to worry about shades. I'm actually considering buying the lumiére version for back to school, although the bottle seems a bit small in person.
Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser: now you all may be familiar with Maybelline's Baby Lips, my personal favourite, and you know it's a great product. Maybelline came out with this primer from the same line, promising to visibly blur your pores, giving you the impression of softer skin. Who doesn't want that? It's also very affordable, so you can totally buy it without regretting how much money you spent on it.
Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer: this primer is formulated with photochromatic pigments, which diffuse light to minimise flaws and also helps brighten your skin. It's also very lightweight, while it also helps your foundation last longer. Although I never tried it, I've heard quite a few people rave about this so I'd give it a try.
Rimmel Stay Matte Primer: this primer works on all skin types, controls shine, mattifies, and it never feels dry on your skin. It's the perfect choice for the girls with oilier skin, since it truly caters to your needs and it's also quite affordable.
Concealer will be your best friend, no matter what age you are. Although most of the products I've shown are optional, I truly think concealer is a must for school, both because it will help you cover blemishes and it also helps cover those nasty dark circles that we all end up having, sooner or later. Personally, I spent all my high school years using concealer instead of foundation, since I didn't have the money to go and buy the foundation of my dreams, nor did I know how to find it. Concealer was my best friend and, according to my friends on those days we had PE first thing in the morning and I went to school with no makeup on, it also helped me look more awake. Especially on these first few weeks where we're still trying to adjust to waking up so early, you'll definitely need to look more awake than you actually are. Whether you need help with dark circles or blemishes, there's a concealer out there perfect for you.
Maybelline Cover Stick: this concealer is great for blemishes, more so than dark circles, but it will also help with those. There's also a green version, that will help with the redness in your face. I used to have one of those but from Essence and it was pretty good, it gives you a lot of product and it's quite easy to apply with your fingers.
Sonia Kashuk's Liquid Light Concealer: this particular concealer is great for under eyes and any dark spots in general. It's quite affordable and you can also apply it with your fingers (remember to use your ring finger, it's the one with the lightest touch and it will help you be careful when touching such a sensitive area).
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser: you've probably seen quite a lot of youtubers using this concealer and they're right to do so, because it's very affordable, especially when it's great for dark circles -- not to mention it helps with the puffiness under your eyes. It also helps to brighten up that area, making you look more awake.
TIP: Always pick a concealer that's one shade lighter than your skin tone. Use that concealer under your eyes so it makes you look more awake and ready to face a boring day of school. If you're going for a concealer just to hide blemishes, go with your usual shade of foundation, since a lighter shade will bring unwanted attention to your blemishes.
Powder is another optional step, but one I find needed since I do have my oily T zone to worry about. For some of you with drier skin, you may find you don't need power, so you can go and skip this step; but if you're like me and need something to keep the shininess away, then keep reading. Powders are a great way to set your foundation and concealer, some of them helping you achieve a more matte look or just to simply keep the oils from coming out after a couple of hours. There's quite a few good options from the drugstore that are worth a shot, here's some of them!
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder: the holy grail of drugstore face powders, like you probably already know from... well, everyone on the internet. This powder's reputation speaks volumes so I don't think I need to tell you anything about it, besides the fact it's amazing and that I'm currently trying to hunt it down so I can buy it in time for back to school.
L'Oreal Paris Translucide Naturally Luminous Loose Powder: this powder is really good and not pricey at all! Plus it has vitamin C, which, in case you didn't know, helps keep your skin healthy. It also gives a luminous finish. I have to say, loose powders aren't my favourite, since they can be quite messy and it's hard to take them with you to school for touch ups, but it's still a good option.
NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Face Powder: this powder is ridiculously cheap (2.99$) and I've heard it's great for girls with fair skin! It also comes with a mirror, so it's very handy to take to school with you. I personally prefer powders like this, since you can just put them on your makeup bag and use for touch ups throughout the day.
And that's all for today! I hope you guys enjoyed this and if you found it helpful in anyway, leave a comment down below, it really helps me to know if I'm helping you out. Feel free to leave feedback and suggestions for future posts and I'll see you soon on my next makeup essentials post!
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