My Favorite Makeup Things: Summer 2020
Photo by Alicia Michelle
Note: This post is not sponsored.
Somewhere in my parent’s house are a series of glamor shots featuring me as a child. The photos featured peak early 90s style – big hair, a blue feather boa with blue eyeshadow to match, bright red cheeks, and glossy red lipstick.
The photos radiate Boomer energy, but my experience at the studio gave birth to my love of all things beauty. The cameras, the lights, the tickle of a powder brush against my skin…it all felt so glamorous…so adult. I couldn’t get enough of it; my childhood bedroom always housed some variation of nail polish and body glitter (anyone remember Bath & Body Works’ Art Stuff?) until I was old enough to wear real makeup.
My love for makeup has only deepened as I’ve aged, and it’s my favorite item to pack for travel. There’s something soothing about matching one’s makeup with the seasons, one’s mood, and the beauty trends at one’s destination. And while I always arrive prepared to serve face, my travel makeup bag includes these easy, breezy staples that’ll let me spend less time in front of a mirror and more time enjoying my holiday:
Face
Photo by Alicia Michelle
The last thing I want to do on the road is fuss with foundation; I spot conceal any trouble spots on my face with MAC’s Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer (Shade: NW 40) and let my skin do the rest. This non-acnegenic cream concealer comes in a travel-friendly pot. It provides a natural finish, is easy to blend, and provides buildable coverage. Apply with a brush or a finger. Won’t migrate and lasts forever.
If anything good came out of the trash that’s been the last 4 years, it was Fenty Beauty’s Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer collection. I used to avoid bronzers because they weren’t deep enough, warm enough, or looked like dirt on my brown skin. Caramel Cutie, a matte powder bronzer, imparts instant warmth to the face. Buildable, seamless, and subtle, I love to blend it across my cheekbones and the crease of my eyes.
After spot concealing and applying bronzer, I sweep Fenty’s Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Setting Powder (Shade: Honey) across my t-zone. At first glance this golden powder looks opaque, but it sheers out upon application. And while traveling with loose powder is a recipe for disaster, this product is worth the risk because keeps oils at bay, blurs the skin, and looks flawless in photos.
History, but make it fashion. Sophia Loren and former Yugoslav leader, Josip Broz Tito in 1969.
To use an incredibly weird and obscure reference, my summer makeup inspiration is Sophia-Loren-on-holiday-at-Joseph-Tito’s-private-island. Glossier’s Haloscope (Shade: Topaz) fulfills my strange beauty dreams; infused with a blend of nourishing oils and literal topaz crystals, this bronzy cream highlighter gives sun-kissed radiance to your cheeks, brow bone, and cupid’s bow. Wears well throughout the day and is perfect for anyone who loves a subtle highlight.
Eyes
Photo by Alicia Michelle
MAC was my first big-girl makeup purchase; despite fierce competition on the beauty market, I’ve yet to find a rival to MAC’s eyeshadow formula. Amber Lights is a multifaceted, warm copper shimmer that’s uber-flattering against rich skin tones and brown eyes. Its velvety texture is a breeze to apply – I like to diffuse it all over my eyelids for a touch of effortless glam that matches any outfit and any occasion, day or night.
Lash Slick is another favorite from Glossier. Instead of coating your lashes, its tubing formula wraps around them like the non-socially distanced hugs everyone desperately needs right now. No flakes. No clumps. Just soft, natural, fluttery lashes. And when the day’s end rolls around, it easily washes off with warm water.
Milk Makeup’s Kush Clear Brow Gel is simple and I like it that way. Its tapered brush shapes your brows, keeps them in place, and gives your brow hairs a healthy sheen thanks to its conditioning, plant-based ingredients.
Lips
Photo by Alicia Michelle
Did Sophia Loren wear lip gloss when she visited Tito’s private island in 1969? Probably not, but I like to throw gloss into my summer makeup bag anyway. Is She Younger than Me by Patrick Ta is a clear gloss with peachy pink sparkle. Lightweight and smooth, this lip gloss makes your lips look full and luscious. It also has a refreshing minty scent that feels cooling upon application.
I struggled for years to find a lip balm that delivers. Enter Balm Dotcom (Flavor: Mango). This award-winning lip balm does it all – conditions and softens your lips, locks in moisture, and hydrates. In addition to smelling like a juicy mango, it pairs well with your preferred lipstick. I can’t wait to how it holds up against drying plane cabins.
When summer evenings roll around, I whip out the big guns - So Chaud by MAC. Meaning “so hot”, this iconic matte lippie is creamy, long-lasting, and opaque in one swipe. Its saturated, sizzling tangerine color pops against yellow-based skin tones and makes for a modern statement lip that’ll surely turn heads. Makes your teeth look whiter too.
Body
Photo by Alicia Michelle
If you’ve never heard of Phlur, a perfume startup out of Austin, Texas, you should check them out now. They offer 9 hypoallergenic scents from sustainably sourced ingredients and have a generous sampling policy.
Hanami is my favorite scent from Phlur’s line. In warm weather, Hanami blooms into the most delicious bouquet of creamy white florals, hazelnut, and sandalwood. When I feel extra ~extra~ (which is all the time), I like to pair it with its matching body wash and lotion. Something about this elegant scent makes men and women go nuts, which makes it a fitting choice for intimate settings.
What’s in your travel makeup bag? Are you planning to go anywhere once the pandemic is over? If so, tell me all about it!