The Lazy Genius Makeup Bag
In the podcast episode Wear Makeup Like a Lazy Genius, I shared my Four Faces strategy, and as promised, here are the products.
Remember, pay more attention to what the product does rather than what it is. This isn’t an essential list, much like a “stock your pantry” list or “essential kitchen tools” list can’t really work for everybody. Only you know what you need, so use this as a guide, not a rule.
Skin
There are four pieces here: a basic SPF coverage where you can still see my skin, a fuller coverage, a primer, and a concealer.
Basic Face
Ready Face
Same as Basic but with an added primer so it stays put. Milk Hydro Grip Primer is the best of the best.
Fancy Face
The primer and then an equal mix of Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream and CoverGirl Olay Advanced Radiance Age Defying Makeup. I learned this from Jamie Golden, and it’s a solid choice that I’ll stick with a long time. I squirt a little of each on my foundation brush and just buff it in.
Concealer under my eyes and sometimes on my nose if it’s super red (Rudolph was my nickname in elementary school). Tarte Shape Tape is my favorite.
Extra Fancy Face
Same as Fancy Face but with a little more attention on coverage and especially concealer.
Cheeks
Three pieces here: a neutral blush, a pink blush, and a highlighter palette.
Basic Face
I want barely-there color with maybe a tiny shimmer since I’m not doing anything else, and Jane Iredale PurePressed Blush in Whisper is perfect for that.
Ready Face
Whisper but with highlighting on my cheekbones and cheek apple and a little bronzer under the cheekbone. I really love Ofra Cosmetics NikkieTutorials Highlighter Everglow. It’s a palette with a white, a neutral, and a copper, all with the tiniest bit of shimmer.
Fancy Face
Same as Ready Face but instead of the neutral blush color, I move to NARS Orgasm.
Extra Fancy Face
Same as Fancy Face.
Eyes
A few more but the eyes have more parts to tend to: two eyeshadow palettes, one mascara, one highlighter stick, one brow filler, and three eyeliners.
Basic Face
Benefit Gimme Brow to fill in my brows because a filled-in brow makes your whole face look more put together.
Ready Face
Same brows and mascara.
Add Thrive Causemetics Brilliant Eye Brightener in the corners of my eyes to bright.
Add a non-black eyeliner. I love Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon in Sunset.
Add a sweep of neutral shadow along my crease. My go-to is the color Mauve from the Lorac Pro palette.
Fancy Face
Same as Ready Face but with more attention to eyeshadow shading and probably more color. Everything neutral I need is in the Lorac Pro, but I also like pink and peach options for my face, so I also use Too Faced Just Peachy Matte Palette. The color Peaches and Cream is a favorite.
Extra Fancy Face
Darker eyeliner, so the same Marc Jacobs but in Stonefox. If I’m going really dark and fancy, I have Doucce Fine Tip Liquid Eyeliner.
Lips
Basic Face
I love Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Creme in the color Sugar Rush. It’s a good nude for me but with just enough evenness and color to feel like something.
My chapstick choice will always be Maybelline Baby Lips. It’s the only chapstick I’ve ever worn that didn’t make my lips more chapped.
Ready Face
I have an Instagram highlight about how I mix lip colors since I rarely wear just one color. My two brands I mix though (and this is an adjustment from the highlight) are Sephora Cream Lip Stains and NYX Matte Lipstick. The NYX is easier and quicker to mix on a regular day. My favorite Ready Face lip combo for the spring and summer is a swipe of the NYX in Brunch Me and then a couple dots of Sephora Watermelon Slice.
Fancy Face
More lip mixing but with stronger colors. My Sephora colors are Sweet Raspberry (a deep berry), Always Red (a great red), Indian Pink (a bright pink), Watermelon Slice (a light but bright pink), Nude Blush (light nude), Pink Peony (medium nude), and Vintage Rosewood (dark nude).
Extra Fancy Face
Always Red and with a liner.
And there are the details on my four faces. If you like makeup recommendations, I have a feeling you like book, music, tv and movie recommendations, too. I share all of that plus insider Lazy Genius stuff in my monthly newsletter, the Latest Lazy Letter. It comes out the first Wednesday of every month, and it’s zero percent fluff, you guys. If you’re not on the VIP mailing list but would like to be, sign up here today!
By the way, this post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and end up purchasing an item, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
