It's one of those - rainy, hectic day, and I have a winter cold. While I absolutely can not wait to get home and relax in bed with a DVD, I have a few hours to go before that becomes reality.
I knew I was a bad beauty day when I woke up - red eyes, break outs, and poor sleep. While I had bigger expectations for my makeup today after being on YouTube (again) last night videos promising to perfect winged eyeliner, I couldn't fathom putting extra makeup on my unhappy face this morning.
I needed some makeup to make me passable in public, but I'd sneeze, cough, and rub off any excessive makeup today.
Here's what I did, and while I'm not saying I look fantastic in any way, at least I didn't hear, "Poor thing - you look so sick!" as I did some errands before work today.
Night Before - if you know you're coming down with something, take 10 minutes for a refreshing mask like Freeman's Peel-off Cucumber. It will help refine your skin before you go to bed and help shrink pores.
Morning Of - if you have 5 extra minutes and a lemon, put 1-2 tbsp freesh-squeezed lemon juice on your face (yes, it can sting). This natural one-ingredient mask helps brighten skin and clear up existing blemishes. Rinse off with warm water and apply moisturizer like you normally would.
Getting Ready - Start with eye drops like those from Alcon Naphcon. I swear by these drops and actually use them every morning, but they're essential for days when I'm extra tired, sick, or suffering from allergies.
Foundation is key, but it shouldn't be too heavy today, as most of if is susceptible to wear & tear as you blow your nose, sneeze, feel generally miserable. Whatever you're most comfortable in (powder, liquid, etc.), focus the concentration on the center of your cheeks and around your nose to cover redness, applying a lighter layer towards the outer perimeter of of your face where it's less needed.
Under-eye concealer should be brightening and illuminating to help reduce discoloration that's a result of being tired and sick. Something like Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch highlighting concealer works well to brighten around the eyes while also concealing, and it's super-portable if you need to touch up on the go later in the day.
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| Portable life-savers |
If your cheeks aren't too pigmented already from being flushed, opt for a pink-toned matte blush to brighten the skin and bring color to a sallow face. A "clear glowing pink" like Senna Cosmetics Tres Jolie will bring life to your skin without being overpowering. Shimmery blush tends to be overpowering and look fake on a "BBD," so matte is the safest bet.
While heavy eyeshadow is no one's friend on a bad beauty day, eyelids needs extra love and color-correction when we're sick. Swipe a quick wash of primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion over eyelids to cancel out redness and create an even-toned surface. Line waterline with a neutral pencil (lifesaver!) to cancel out redness. The Shell Brightening Pencil by Trish McEvoy is a great one, by there's certainly less expensive options at Ulta or Target.
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| Rid lids of discoloration and uneven tone |
Curl your lashes to give tired eyes a more open, awake look, and follow with a waterproof mascara like Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies so it won't run if you have watery eyes.
Although it's a rare day I skip lipstick, when I'm sick, I find that something more nourishing like Carmex or Aquaphor helps combat the dry lips that can occur from having to breathe out my mouth due to a stuffy nose (sorry, gross, I know!).
And, maybe most importantly, give yourself a little love - indulge in your favorite coffee, or go for a juice that's packed with vitamin C to give yourself a little boost. You deserve extra today. I know I do!
Now, off to work!
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| Healthy & Yummy |
Beautifully Simple,
Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics
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