My Current Everyday Makeup Routine

I've been pretty proud of myself recently for streamlining my everyday makeup routine. Over the past few months I've made an effort to streamline my makeup collection in general, which has made getting ready a much faster process. While my everyday makeup is quite parred down and minimal, I absolutely love all the products I use on a regular basis and I don't see any of them falling to the wayside any time soon.

For starters, most days I use the It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream, which I have written a full review of here, but the long and short of it is that this is one of best bases if you want a medium coverage but still want your skin to look healthy, natural, and dewy (I also love that it has a substantial SPF for daywear since I am so fair and prone to sun burns). Under the eyes I use the Bobbi Brown Corrector, which has been a favorite of mine for probably about 4 years now. I then go in with the Glossier Boy Brow, which is the best all-in-one brow product I have come across. It keeps the brows in place all day, gives them a fair amount of color, and achieves that whole vogue brow look that I love so much.

As far as eyeshadow goes, I've been keeping things pretty neutral and minimal. I generally use MAC Grain eyeshadow in the inner corners to brighten my eyes a bit and then go in with MAC Saddle eyeshadow all over the lids. Ever since I heard Anna talk about Saddle a few months back I knew I had to get my hands on it. It is a gorgeous orange-toned brown that, when applied all over the lids, nails that whole undone and slightly grungey warm eye look. I then use the Fairydrops Platinum Mascara, which has been my mascara of choice for the past six months or so and I don't foresee myself trying any other mascaras any time soon. To finish everything off I sweep a bit of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Dim Infusion all over the cheeks. This is easily my favorite blush during the winter months because it is so brightening and flattering on pale skin (although I think this would also look gorgeous on darker skin tones than mine).

A New Foundation Find

Now I'll fully admit, I am very much behind on the It Cosmetics bandwagon, but with the purchase of their well-talked-about their Your Skin But Better CC cream, I am well and truly on the bandwagon. For starters, I have combination skin but lean dry during the winter time and more normal/oily during the summer months, however year round I always crave a dewy, natural complexion.

Although this product is marketed as a CC cream I would say that it is actually more of a medium coverage foundation with a very impressive SPF. Because the formula is pretty thick I love blending this base in with a beautyblender, I find that a beautyblender and this foundation make for the most beautiful natural base. While my skin does tend to get a bit shiny in the T-zone, I think that this foundation always looks glowy and never greasy. I don't think I have ever found a foundation that makes my skin look so healthy. If you're in the market for an everyday foundation (especially for daywear) I'd say give this one a go.

5 Things I Learned In 2016

1. Say yes to things you normally wouldn't ~ I wrote a blog post all about this very concept back in October, but, in short, I learned how important it is to say yes to things in 2016. I am very much an introvert and like my nights in with a cup of tea and a movie going, but sometimes you just need to leave your comfort zone and push yourself to do something you might not be as enthused about. I also realized (although it seems obvious now) that the more I said yes to, the less I wanted to be in my comfort zone and the more I continued to push myself to try new things in general because I was more aware of how fun and exciting it could be.

2. Stay creatively fulfilled ~ This is something I definitely learned the hard way this past year. For a lot of the year I was so busy with work and especially school that I neglected my more creative hobbies that bring me so much joy such as photography, playing my guitar, and writing for pleasure. I realized that a lot of my happiness comes from feeling creatively fulfilled and I need to make a concerted effort to make time for those hobbies on a regular basis even if it is for a short period of time.

3. Exercise is always the best medicine ~ In 2016 I made more of an effort to get moving whenever I was feeling down or just a bit blah. I've always been an active person, however it has become more difficult ever since I started college to get motivated to go to the gym or just be active in general. I also really got into yoga in 2016, and the best way I found to make time for doing yoga was basically pushing myself to do a quick 30 minute flow whenever I found myself either procrastinating or just generally being lazy. Even if I don't enjoy doing exercise in the moment, I do find that I feel so much better afterwards and I always feel like it was worth it.

4. It's never the "right time" ~ Especially being in the final year of college with so many big life changes in the near future it is easy to say no to things because it isn't "the right time". While there is some truth to this, I learned that sometimes you just need to do something because it makes you happy. The "right time" for anything just doesn't exist, because there is no such thing as perfect stability. There are choices I have made this past year that most people wouldn't make because it is such an unstable time (albeit an exciting kind of instability), but I made those decisions any way and I don't regret them one bit.

5. Time management is everything ~ Starting my fourth and final year of college definitely showed me that time management is everything. While I am taking fewer classes this year, I have the added responsibility of completing my senior thesis, which is a totally independent project and you have to hold yourself accountable. I learned, often the hard way, that it is crucial to work bit by bit instead of all at once. This is something I will continue to work on in the new year because while its easy in the moment to put off school work, it ends up biting you in the long run.