My Make-Up Must Have's

I'm a dirt under my fingernails kind of a girl but I love my mascara. I grew up way far from the reaches of Covergirl but I love beauty and sparkles and paint are my favorites. I even sometimes use false lashes which feel so glamorous and a tiny bit silly. Here are my go-to products:

For years (since highschool) I was a mascara and blush girl....and although I have since added eyeliner as part of my "normal" spiff-up list, mascara is still right up there.

If I can only get to one piece of make-up then I pick mascara. I love my eyes and it highlights them. I don't have particularly long lashes so I always use the lengthening stuff and even though every women's mag tells you its a terrible idea, this blonde uses the darkest charcoal black available. I love the way it shows up. What can I say?!? I used to use waterproof but now I'm all for water soluble. accidentally tugging lashes out and rubbing and rubbing with make-up remover are not worth it. I like me some ease of use.

My favorite is: Mabelline Illegal Length Fiber Extension Mascara

I pretty much always use blush too. I'm vintage enough to believe that rosy cheeks are an important part of looking beautiful. Love that it makes me look like I've just been outdoors for a brisk walk. (True fact, if I'm without blush, I always pinch my cheeks before a photo....like I'm an actual Victorian belle. A always laughs.) I use a big fluffy blush brush, the only special, not-from-the-package equipment I use and cheap, basic blush in a coral pink.

My favorite is: Covergirl Cheekers in the shade "Pretty Peach."

The newest addition to my routine is eyeliner. I never used eyeliner a whole lot although when I used to do stage work I fell madly in love with liquid eyeliner and dabbled in it occasionally. I used to think eyeliner was too dramatic and would make me look like Liz Taylor in her later years but I am pretty non-stop about it now. Its my other favorite way to highlight my eyes and add a little extra dazzle and sass to my face. There's nothing that says, "Get 'em Mommy!" like pausing before unloading the four kids in the parking lot of some event and taking the time to line my eyes. Bam! Mommy's awake and feeling more five star. I think part of what made me fall in love with eyeliner was befriending a glamorous Bangladeshi neighbor who had enormous, glossy eyes and was totally elegant with the eyeliner. I love to use black, per my habit with mascara and kohl is my preference.

My favorite is: Rimmel of London Soft Kohl Kajal Pencil.

Because I often have redness around my nose (my only real problem area with my skin) I keep a cover-up handy and just adding a dab usually will do the job. I don't even use foundation or powder most of the time. My skin-tone is decently even and that's all it really needs. I'm a little picky about concealer though and this one is a 10. I like it heavy enough to be firmly opaque but not thick or cloggy and it has to be a nice texture to not irritate or dry my skin when dabbed on.

My favorite is: Mabelline Face Studio Master Concealer.

So now you know my basic favs.....that's what lives in my little emergency make-up pouch in the car AND in the house in my regular make-up bag. The things worth buying twice because I know I'll always want them. What are your favorites? Anybody else using these items?