The Only Basic Makeup Products You Actually Need

Hey guys! Kaelin here, back with a new guest post. Over the past few days I’ve been clearing out my makeup collection. I am a huge makeup hoarder and have been for quite some time so I had been seriously putting it off. But needless to say quarantine eventually made me do it and I was shocked at some of the things I found. There was makeup that had gone off and some products I had forgotten I even had. It really made me realise that I do not need 25 lipsticks in the same shade and lets not even get into the palettes! I think I’m just growing up a little and now all I really want in my collection are products I actually need and use on a weekly basis. That minimal life is calling me and although I will find the transition hard I’m determined to get there. So that’s the little background which inspired today’s post. I wanted to share with you the basic products I think you actually need in your makeup bag. Everyone will feel differently about this I’m sure but I’ve kept it as broad as possible. Just keep in mind that this is based off somebody like me who likes to wear quite a bit of makeup but also enjoys a minimal look every now and again. I hope this inspires you to cut down your collection if you need to do so or invest in products that you might be missing.

BASE

I had to start with a base of course which I think is such an important product. Everything successful in life requires a good structure/base and it’s no different when it comes to makeup. If your skin is dry I would recommend going for something like strobe cream which is like an illuminating moisturiser. It will help your foundation to apply & sit so much better. Or if your skin is a little oilier and you need something to hold your makeup in place, two of my favourites are this Laura Mercier primer and this Smashbox one. Both great options!

FOUNDATION

An obvious one of course but I wanted to talk to you about your foundation collection. Because lets be frank, a lot of us are guilty of having one too many. This usually comes about when we buy a new foundation that doesn’t end up suiting us but we still keep it in the drawer ‘just in case’. This then usually gets repeated over & over. To combat this I recommend always getting a sample of the foundation you want to try before buying it. Test it out for a few days then before you make your decision and at least that way you can be 100% sure. If you are a tan wearer I also recommend to just colours for when you are pale & when you are tanned. You can then mix these accordingly instead of buying another colour for when you are inbetween tanning. Two of my very favourite foundations include MAC Studio Fix & NARS Radiant Longwear. I would studio fix if you are oily and the radiant longwear if you are dry.

CONCEALER

Consider everything I said above about foundation when buying concealer too. The amount of concealers I’ve bought that I ended up hating is ridiculous. So try it first if you can, not only to see if you like the formula but also the colour. My all time favourite that I recommend to everyone I know is the MAC Pro Longwear. It has amazing coverage and lasts on the skin so well!

BLUSH

If you want to narrow down your blush collection I recommend keeping a peach one. I think it is the most flattering tone of blush to wear. It’s the one I go for most days so I finally decided to give most of my other ones a new home that appreciates them more. One of my all time favourites is ‘Melba’ from MAC or this Rimmel one is a good affordable option.

BRONZER

Coming in to this time of year bronzer really is my hero product. I don’t just use it on face but also on my eyes, chest etc. So it’s definitely important to have one that I love. You may think all bronzers are the same but I think some are better than others and some tones suit certain people better. I would recommend for people to try on a bronzer before buying but of course thats not possible right now. One that I do find work on a lot of different skin tones is Hoola by Benefit – so many of my friends use this and love it if you are in need of one. You can buy the mini version too to test it out if you want. Or of course if you like a cream bronzer the Chanel one is such a good buy – trust me!

NUDE/BOLD LIP

This won’t apply to everyone I know but I do personally think it’s important to have at least one nude & one bold lipstick in your collection. For the days you don’t feel like wearing too much makeup a bold lip is my go-to and instantly makes me feel & look more put together. My all time favourite is this one from MAC called ‘Feels so grand‘. That formula is amazing and actually lasts on my lips without getting messy. It comes in lots of different colours too. And on the days i want to focus on my skin a little more I will opt for a nude. I wear this Maybelline one nearly everyday.

CLEAR GLOSS

Sticking on lips I really don’t think you can go wrong with having a clear gloss in your collection. I’m so so guilty of having way too many lip glosses but I almost always end up just popping on a clear shimmery one. It goes with everything and usually pops a lot more than one with colour in it. I cleared out so many this week because lets be frank you do not 20 of them. This formula from ABH is so nice on. (Pro tip: Use your gloss as a highlight on your cheek or in the inner corners of you eyes)

MASCARA

Mascara is definitely another makeup product I am guilty of having too many of us. It is the worst product to over indulge on because it goes off a lot quicker than others. They say you should throw out your mascara after 6 months after opening it. I have no doubt a lot of us have kept one longer than that. Ever since learning that I have tried to only use one at a time. Right now my favourite is this YSL one. It is so good for lengthening your lashes. Another all time favourite is this Two Faced one. And like the Hoola bronzer you can try most mascara in mini’s these days to see if you like them before comitting.

EYEBROW PENCIL

And last but certainly not least your eyebrow pencil. There are so many different brow products and brands available these days but I don’t think you can beat a simple pencil. I love a couple of different ones but this one from MAC has never let me down. It has a spooly on one side too which I love. (Pro tip: Instead of buying a brow set use your boyfriends gel to set them)

And I think that is everything. Of course, I could go on all day with this list but these really are the only products you actually need in my opinion.