Makeup Prep Routine

My daily morning makeup preparation usually involves these five things, although depending on my skin, can vary. In the morning after I cleanse my face I always use toner. Im still searching for a Holy Grail toner, and until I find it I will be going through various brands. At the moment Im using The Body Shop Tea Tree Toner. I like it, but the scent and tingle from the tea tree oil might be over powering to sensitive users. It retails for $12.00 for 8.4 oz of product. Repurchase? Yes.

After toning my skin, I apply Jack Black lip balm to my lips. Prepping your lips before you apply your makeup is essential. It moisturizes your lips and gets them ready for whatever lip product you plan on using in your look. This is a particularly important step if you use a lot of matte lip products, as it helps minimize dryness. I personally use the Natural Mint and Shea Butter formula. I love this balm because it is SPF 25. It is my HG (Holy Grail) lip balm! This retails for $7.50 for 0.25 oz. Repurchase? Yes!

I always use a cream for my eyes, although I don't always use a product that is meant just for eyes. Right now for my morning prep Im using Olay Regenerist Micro-sculpting cream. I received this in a  sample box from Target, and I love it. It is light weight enough for daytime use, however it does have a fragrance so sensitive users should be aware. The full size product retails for $23.99 for 1.7 oz. Repurchase? Yes.

As for my daily facial moisturizer, I am faithful to Aveeno Positively Radiant daily moisturizer. It is SPF 15. I love this face lotion because it absorbs quickly and doesn't leave my face oily. It also doesn't break me out, which my skin is naturally prone to. I can not stress how important a daily moisturizer is. I have very oily skin, and the first thought most people with oily skin have is that moisturizer will make it worse. Not true. If you don't moisturize properly, your skin will over produce oil. If I could change anything about this lotion, I would want Aveeno to raise the SPF to at least 30. I have used this for years. Repurchase? Absolutely.

At this point, Im ready to use a face primer and then my skin will be ready for my daily makeup routine. After my face lotion absorbs, I pat my face with a clean, dry tissue. This just picks up any excess dampness from my moisturizer. My all-time favorite primer is Benefit's Porefessional. This primer minimizes pores as well as hold my makeup in place. It is quite pricey as it retails for $31 for 0.75 oz, the good news is that only the tiniest amount is needed. I can get over 6 months out of this tube with daily use. Repurchase? Yes.