By Camryn McLen
During the infamous pandemic lockdown, there wasn’t much to do. Scrolling through TikTok became my daily ritual until I put my focus on something that blossomed into a passion. Skincare. Before that, I had a skincare routine that lacked consistency, which I don’t think my skin liked. Now that I have a consistent skincare routine that works for me, I’ve been asked questions on what that routine looks like. Here are some of the products that have changed the game for me and my skin.
1. CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser
$15.99 at Ulta
I have both combination and oily skin so this cleanser works perfectly for me. It’s not too heavy and my skin feels so soft and refreshed after I wash my face.
2. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner
4.94 at Walmart
I have used this for about six years now and to be honest, I’m still not exactly sure what it specifically does. But, I have noticed that when I don’t use it, my skin feels kind of dry and you can see more texture.
3. The Ordinary Exfoliating Peeling Solution
$9.50 at Ulta
This is my favorite skincare product ever. It’s basically just chemical exfoliation that I use twice a week, but it makes your skin feel so smooth and soft immediately after use. When I don’t use this, I notice more breakouts and impurities.
4. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum
$8.90 at Ulta
This is really good for hydration.
5. The Ordinary Niacinamide Serum
$6.00 at Ulta
This helps protect the skin from toxins, and I’ve noticed it helps make my pores a little less visible.
6. Peter Thomas Roth Cloud Cream Hydrating Moisturizer
$54.00 at Ulta
For me this really is the best hydrating moisturizer I’ve come across. It’s light and a little goes a long way. Though it’s on the pricier side, it’s worth it because it lasts me at least two and a half months.
7. Vaseline Lip Therapy
$8.07 on Amazon (three-pack bundle)
The Vaseline Lip Therapy is perfect for just getting softer lips, especially in the winter when your lips are more likely to get chapped. I put it on before I go to sleep, before I leave the house and in the middle of the day if my lips are feeling on the dry.
As for makeup, I’ve never been really good at doing my own makeup but I’d like to think my little routine does its job when needed. That being said, for someone who doesn’t think they’re the best at makeup, I sure have a good amount of it. I usually use the same makeup products from the same brands, and I rarely try new items. Though my routine stays the same, I do switch between the different brands and products that I have. Here are some of my holy grail makeup products.
1. Primer
Benefit Porefessional primer — $34.00 at Ulta
This primer I find myself using without even putting on a full face of makeup sometimes. It’s perfect for making your skin look smoother and almost makes your skin look poreless.
2. Foundation
Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation — $40 at Sephora
This foundation is good for oily skin because it has somewhat of a matte finish to it. It doesn’t feel heavy at all and I think just one layer has pretty good coverage.
Too Faced Born This Way Undetectable Medium-to-Full Coverage Foundation — $45.00 at Ulta
This is also good for oily skin because it has a matte finish as well. This foundation stays on so well throughout the day, and has medium coverage.
3. Concealer
Makeup Revolution Full Coverage Concealer — $7.00 at Ulta
This concealer is very creamy and doesn’t feel cakey at all to me. I think it has medium to full coverage.
4. Powder
Kat Von D Lock-It Setting Powder — $33.00 at Ulta
I use this sometimes when I’m not even wearing a full face of makeup. It’s a good translucent powder that doesn’t give you “foundation flashback” in pictures. I’ll even use it when I’m just wearing primer in case my skin gets oily during the day.
5. Brows
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz — $25.00 at Ulta
This is the only eyebrow pencil I will use. I’ve used it for almost four years now and I don’t see myself ever not using it. It looks so natural when filling in your brows and it’s easy to make hairlike strokes.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze — $23.00 at Ulta
I started using this after I got my makeup done professionally and she used this to give me that laminated brow look. A little goes a long way, and the gel lasts all day on your brows.
6. Contour/Bronzer
NYX Wonder Stick Cream Highlight & Contour Stick — $14.00 at Ulta
This is good for contouring if you’re not really good at contouring like me. It’s easier to blend if you use a beauty blender since it’s somewhat creamy, and I think it’s pretty pigmented.
Kylie Cosmetics Pressed Bronzing Powder (Toasty) — $19.00 at Ulta
I love this bronzer a lot and I’ve used it for years basically just because it has good coverage and feels light on my skin.
TooFaced Sun Bunny Bronzer (darker part for eyeshadow, or used for a ‘sunkissed’ look) — $35.00 at Ulta
This bronzer is a little different from your regular bronzer. It makes you look like you’ve been in the sun a little bit but in the best way possible. I think it can easily be used with or without a full face of makeup on your cheeks and on your nose.
7. Blush
Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Highlighter Wand (Pinkgasm) — $42.00 Sephora
Even though it’s called a highlighter wand, this specific shade is used more as a blush. I usually only use this when I’m wearing a full face of makeup because it’s very pigmented. Since it is still a highlighter wand, it does have sparkle to it, but it’s more of a glowy look.
ILIA Multi-Stick Cream Blush + Highlighter + Lip Tint —$34.00 at Sephora
This is one of my newer products but I can definitely see myself continuing to use it in the future. I’ve only used it on my cheeks as a blush, but it’s so easy to blend. It’s very light and smooth and it’s something you can use with or without a face of makeup.
Kylie Cosmetics Pressed Powder Blush (Baddie on the Block) — $19.00 at Ulta
This blush I’ve used for a few years now and I like it because it’s the only powder blush I own now. Sometimes if I’m feeling too oily I’ll use the powder blush instead of the ones mentioned above.
8. Highlight
Kylie Cosmetics Kylighter Illuminating Powder (Ice Me Out/Cheers Darling) — $24.00 at Ulta
I like this highlighter for the same reasons I like the powder blush. It’s very light, but one thing I will say is that you might need to use a little more because I feel like it doesn’t stay on all day.
Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Highlighter Wand (Goldgasm) — $42.00 at Sephora
This is the same as the other highlighter wand, except for this one I actually use as a highlighter. Again, a little goes a long way, but I love the glowy look it gives me especially combined with the one I use as a blush.
9. Mascara
ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara — $28.00 at Sephora
This is also fairly new to my makeup bag, but I think it’s my favorite mascara I’ve ever used. The applicator has different sizes and bristles all around so not only does it make your lashes look longer, but fuller too. It’s also easy to build layers without it looking clumped.
Milk Makeup Kush High Volumizing Mascara — $26.00 at Sephora
This mascara I like because of the applicator as well. This doesn’t get clumpy either and I feel like it definitely makes my lashes look fuller. Sometimes I’ll use this one first, and then a layer of the ILIA mascara too.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara — $28.00 at Ulta
For this one, I will say, it can get clumpy but only if you apply too many layers. I think just one or two do the trick and it really makes your lashes look longer.
10. Lips
NYX Slim Lip Pencil (Peekaboo Natural) — $5.00 at Ulta
This is one of the only lip pencils I use because it’s very neutral and matches my lips. I don’t usually use bright or dark colors for lipstick, so this is the perfect neutral shade.
NYX Butter Lip Gloss (Praline) – $5.00 at Ulta
The pro about this lip gloss is that even though there’s a color to it, it’s not too pigmented which I kind of like. It’s almost like a lip tint but in lip gloss form. The con is that you kind of have to apply a few layers because the applicator doesn’t pick up a lot of the gloss.
NYX This is Juice Gloss (Strawberry Flex) — $8.00 at Ulta
This is my absolute favorite lip gloss ever. It’s not sticky and it just has a certain shine to it that I like. Although it’s supposed to be pink, it’s really mainly clear with a small tint to it. I’ll also use this on top of lipstick sometimes (the few times I ever wear it).
11. Setting Spray
Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray — $36.00 at Ulta
Of all the setting sprays I’ve tried in the past, this one seems to work the best for me. It helps me keep that matte look and doesn’t make me oily. It also really helps my makeup stay on and not rub off, especially when I gently blend it in with a beauty blender after I spray it.