With the current economy, we are all looking to stretch our budget as far as it can go. However, many of us still want to look and feel good about our appearance. Beauty products can be something that we simply do not, or cannot, include in our budget. This list of beauty basics helps you to prioritize what you should have in your makeup bag, purse, tote, or office desk drawer at all times. You can keep up your gorgeous appearance while still meeting your budget!1. Mascara. Great mascara can open up your eyes, give you a look of being awake and alert and is an easy way to look a bit more polished and professional.
Beauty Basic Tip: Stick to basic brown or black for work, try a colored mascara to take your look from day to evening!2. Concealer. Concealer is a must-have for any make up bag! Brighten up dark circles under your eyes, cover up a blemish, or help even out some ruddiness in your skin tone.
Beauty Basic Tip: Many beauty lines now have a variety of shades of concealers in one compact, and this can be great to have different options.3. Eye Brightener. Find a product that has a yellow tint (sounds odd, but wait until you try it!) and apply to eyelids if they are dark and dot and blend in the very inner corner of your eyes. I guarantee it will take 5 years off of your appearance, or at least make you look like you got an extra 5 hours of sleep!
Beauty Basic Tip: Eye brighteners can double as a nice base upon which to apply eye shadow. You will get the best color effect from your shadow, and they will wear longer with less "creasing".4. Eyeliner. A great eyeliner can accent your eyes in a number of ways and make your eyes "pop", help you look more polished and take a day look into evening when you don't have time to go home. Many are intimidated to use liners, but there are now amazing liquid liners on the market that make it incredibly easy to apply and create a nice, even line.
Beauty Basic Tip: You can line your eyes and smudge it to give the look of eye shadow, or leave the line more defined for a more polished look.5. Lip liner. A perfect lip liner should not really show, but enhance the shape of your lip. When you utilize lip liner, you will find your lipstick wears longer and you find that your lip stick or lip gloss does not "feather". Typically a neutral color will do the trick with almost any skin tone, or lipstick color.
Beauty Basic Tip: Use a neutral lip liner on your bottom lip and a a bit of your eye brightener in to accent the bow of your top lip to make your lips look fuller and enhance the natural shape of your lips.6. Lip gloss. A lip gloss can be worn in a variety of ways, so it should be your lips' best friend! Wear it to moisturize your lips and for a light daytime look. Wear it with liner for a light glow to your lips. Layer it over your lipstick to lighten it up.
Beauty Basic Tip: Dot a bit of your favorite lip gloss in the middle of your bottom lip after apply lipstick to make your lips look fuller.7. One "Signature" lipstick. Find one color that works for you perfectly. Having a signature color helps you to always have the right look for any occasion. For some who prefer lip gloss, a lovely lipstick color can take your look from day to evening.
Beauty Basic Tip: For those who do not like highly pigmented lipsticks and prefer a more natural look, "nude" or neutral shades are very popular and are typically pretty easy for women of a variety of skin tones to wear well.8. Powder. Many of us now use mineral powders for foundation-style coverage, which can provide wonderful coverage and often is easier to use for sensitive skin. Carrying a loose or compact powder can help eliminate shine throughout the day, give you a nice, matte finish and extend the coverage of your mineral powder or foundation.
Beauty Basic Tip: Your powder can even provide light daytime coverage for your skin.9. Bronzer powder or cream. I personally love the look of a touch of sun; I think that it looks healthy and natural. A great bronzer gives a nice sun-kissed glow to the skin without any potential skin damage from the real thing!
Beauty Basic Tip: Apply bronzer with a light hand! Cream bronzers often give the most natural appearance as they are easier to apply and control.10. Tweezers. You should definitely have a great pair of tweezers. A nicely groomed brow can make an incredible difference in your appearance. Keeping a pair of tweezers handy helps you catch any stray hairs that could be embarrassing.
Beauty Basic Tip: Tweeze in daylight, often the lights in our bathrooms or powder rooms are not sufficient to catch the potential stray hairs that you will see in the "light of day"!With these ten beauty basics you can create a multitude of looks for day, for work, for dinner out, or for dancing the night away! Best of all, these beauty basics can be found in any drug store or mass retailer and need not be a burden on your budget.
