Since most college students are always on the go, finding makeup that is both quick to apply and good for your skin is important. However, the beauty of makeup is that it works to enhance your skin instead of destroying it.
Depending on your skin type, finding the right kinds of products can be difficult. Popular high-end makeup product brands like Urban Decay and Too-Faced aren’t easily accessible in Manhattan. Luckily, there are makeup products at local stores such as Wal-Mart, Target and Walgreens for students who are sticking to a budget.
Rebekah Mally, freshman in apparel and textiles, said students should take advantage of the affordable drugstore makeup products.
“If someone isn’t really familiar with how to apply makeup, (drugstore) products are a lot more inexpensive than products you would get at a Sephora shop,” Mally said. “They’re more wallet-friendly.”
Makeup seems to be an essential step in people’s daily routine, particularly for women. Not everyone can magically become a professional makeup artist after one application attempt, though.
Use this quick and simple makeup guide for a day when you feel lazy, but still want get dolled up.
Step one: preparation
It’s important to apply makeup on a clean, smooth canvas; remove any old makeup, oil and dirt that may still cake your face with your favorite facial cleanser. If you don’t, adding on new makeup could clog your pores and look unnatural on your face.
After cleaning the face, it’s essential to moisturize – especially if you have dry skin. When applying concealer or foundation, dry patches make makeup application rough.
Product recommendation: Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer (2.5 fluid ounces; $9.97 at Wal-Mart). This product not only has SPF 30 to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun, but it also doesn’t leave a white cast across your face when taking photographs.
Step two: Apply BB Cream
Your favorite beauty balm could double as a concealer. You can have two different products condensed into one fluid ounce bottle. When applying BB cream, you don’t have to add in a finishing powder because this cream sets into the skin with a powder finish. You can apply with either your hands or with a makeup brush. I recommend using e.l.f. Studio Powder Brush which costs $3 at Target.
Make sure you blend the product not only on your face, but also into your neck area and earlobes. This helps the product balance into your natural skin tone so that there is no discoloration on the skin.
Product recommendation: L’Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream (1.0 fluid ounce; $7.96 at Wal-Mart). This BB cream has the four beautifying actions that consist of priming the face, perfecting the cream to your natural skin tone, hydrating the skin and correcting the color of your face to match with the rest of your body.
Step three (optional): eyes/eyebrows
There are many ways to apply eye shadow. Since this is a simple makeup routine, you can apply a natural color over your entire eyelid. But be sure to use an eyeshadow brush. I recommend using e.l.f. Studio Eyeshadow “C” Brush, which you can buy at Target for $3.
Apply the eyeshadow gently in the center of your eyelid and blend outwards. You can also fill in your eyebrows with eyebrow filler, if you notice sparse spaces on your brows. Using an eyebrow brush to help shape and brush away the harsh lines will make them look more natural.
A few swipes of mascara completes this step. From lash-lengething to voluming mascara and everything in between, there’s no shortage in options for whatever look you’re aiming for.
Product recommendation: Maybelline Great Lash Mascara (Price $3.97 at Wal-Mart) and Rimmel London Professional Eyebrow Pencil ($3.47 at Wal-Mart). The mascara does not smudge onto your lower lashes and will keep your eyelashes from clumping into each other. Using eyebrow pencils with a wax-base material will help the product stay all day long. A helpful tip: when choosing an eyebrow pencil shade, choose one that best fits your eyebrow color. If you have dark colored eyebrows such as black, go for a dark brown for a more natural look.
Step four: finishing touches
End your makeup routine by swiping blush across your cheeks and moisturizing your lips. Apply the blush with a brush – I would recommend the e.l.f. Studio Blush Brush for $3 at Target – on the apples of your cheeks (the round area that forms when you smile). Then, apply your favorite chap stick for soft lips and you’re done.
Product recommendation: Wet n’ Wild Color Icon Blush ($2.93 at Wal-Mart) and ChapStick ($1 at Wal-Mart). Wet n’ Wild blushes are very pigmented; a little product goes a long way. In addition, the blush collection has a wide variety of shades. There are plenty of different colors to choose from and it’s not very hard to figure out a favorite color that compliments your skin tone. ChapStick is a cheap but effective lip balm that you won’t cry over when you inevitably lose it.
