In the pursuit of creative well fill-edness, also known as “trying to keep my creative well filled,” I’m trying to form some mentally healthy new habits and rediscover old ones that have helped me in the past, like wearing makeup on the weekends.
You guys…on one hand, it’s liberating to just run out of the house without a stitch of makeup on, but on the other hand…sometimes when I’m out and about and catch get a glimpse of myself in a window somewhere, I’ll think, WTF?! Who the hell is that person? She looks EXHAUSTED. 🙂
Shoot, back in the day, I’d put on concealer just to go get my mail! THAT’s how dedicated I was to le face paint, but I’ve gotten way chiller about leaving the house without makeup over the past year, especially on weekends.
I’ve been getting back into it again lately, though, because I swear…a little bit of shimmer here and a touch of color there, and I see the whole world differently.
It definitely changes the way I feel about myself.
Anywho, I wore some makeup last weekend, and it felt really freakin’ good. I used some things that came out from Clinique in the fall and are in the permanent collection now, and they were just lovely!
Clinique Uplighting Illuminating Powder, $27
SO GOOD for casual weekend makeup! These sheer pressed powders have a subtle tint and pearl. You can wear them as an all-over setting powder or use them them to highlight specific areas, and they’re basically like highlighting powders for non-highlighting girls/guys.
The opalescent finish is very low-key, very natural-looking, and you might not even see it at first, but it’s there adding a little something-something.
There are three shades, and the one I like is 02 Golden Glow. It makes my skin look dewy…but not sweaty dewy.
These $27 Uplighting Illuminating Powders are a lot like the $46 Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders, so if you like those, these are a more affordable alternative. Keep in mind, though, that these only come in three shades, whereas the Hourglass Ambients come in six shades and are much, much finer.
Still, I think these are perfect weekend powders for running errands or grabbing coffee, and for that $27 you get a big 0.33-oz. pan.
Clinique Pop Oil Lip & Cheek Glow, $18.50
Moisturizing safflower, jojoba and sunflower seed oils power these lightweight, sheer tinted oils, which you can use as both a blush or a lip tint for just-pinched cheeks and just-kissed lips.
They’re great for the whole casual no-makeup makeup thing and go well with the Uplighting Powders, but bring them with you on your travels, ’cause you’ll have to touch up. They only last about four hours on my cheeks and two hours on my lips.
They’re unflavored, unscented and available in four $18.50 shades — Rose Glow, Nectar Glow, Poppy Glow and Honey Glow.
High Impact Custom Black Kajal, $17
These soft and silky twist-up pencil liners are perfectly pigmented (like the Chanel Stylo Yeuxs, which I love), intense and long lasting (> 10 hours!), but only on my lash lines and upper water lines. On my lower water line, they pull a disappearing act after 30 minutes.
SERIOUSLY, where do they go?! Into the makeup black hole, I guess…
There are four shades — Blackened Black, Blackened Blue, Blackened Green and Blackened Brown — and they’re $17 each.
I was wearing this stuff when I went to Sephora yesterday, and while I was there I ran into a gal who was in the same birth class I took at Kaiser last year. Her son is about one or two weeks older than Connor now, and it was weird because the last time we saw each other, we were both out to here! — and now our babies are in the outside world.
It was nice. We traded phone numbers, so maybe we’ll meet for coffee one of these days.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I know what you mean about the no-makeup thing. I am comfortable going out with a bare face but then I think other people probably think I look awful!
It’s great to be comfy while you’re bare faced, isn’t it? I used to be not comfortable but now I am; I just think that I look really, really REALLY tired, LOL!
Do you have a bare bones makeup routine that does the trick? For me it’s concealer, brows and mascara.
Hope you had a happy Monday!
Oh no, there is nothing liberating about going out make-up free for me. I find it SUPER scary! I hate it. I just feel so much better with my face on, ya know…
I like the look of those lip glows, even if they only last for a bit. I touch up my lips all the time anyway, so it’s no biggie.
Same! I have dark circles no matter how much sleep I get! My bare bones routine is about the same, and pretty much what I wear to work plus a little blush and lipstick!
I’m confused about kajal vs. kohl. Can anyone enlighten me?
Hi Amanda,
I did some quick digging online and it seems that for some the main difference is the ingredients, while others use the words interchangeably. I think they’re more or less then same thing — super soft liners you can wear both on lash and water line.
Karen, I’m glad you’ve got the energy to get back to wearing makeup on the weekends 🙂 There are some things that you just don’t have the energy for when you’ve got a new infant (how is the teething coming along, BTW?).
While I think it’s really good to be comfortable enough with yourself to be able to leave the house without any makeup, I sure feel a lot better when I’ve got a bit on! For me, the minimum is a BB cream with mineral sunscreen, (Hourglass) powder (now I want to try the Nude Glow you’ve swatched above!), brow gel, mascara, and lip color (could be just tinted lip balm).
Usually I add at least tightlining, neutral cream eyeshadow, and cheek color (usually blush and a touch of contour, maybe highlighter, too).
Of course my favorite part of makeup is the frosting on the cake, colorful eyeshadow… so, if I’m doing that much already, I might as well just go for it, right? Just to walk to the food co-op, or even to do laundry in the basement of my building… but the act of putting on makeup, being creative with my makeup and wardrobe colors, is fun for me, and I feel better with a bit of makeup on 🙂
Hey Fran,
Teething has been a challenge; we’re all getting sketchy sleep these days, LOL! Poor thing. She has days when she’s her usual happy self and others when she needs a lot of soothing (I call those her “high needs” days). At night we never know how it’s going to go. Her front bottom teeth are coming in nicely, though, which is very exciting. 😀
Your comment just sparked a new idea! I’m going to try the Clinique powder atop a tinted moisturizer next!
I hope the teething is over with soon! It’s hard on everyone (probably even Tabs, lol — could be why he wants more cuddles, too!).
Have fun with the powder on top of a TM — easier than foundation and concealer for me, lol 😉
Great post Ms. Karen!! I adore the Clinique highlighters!!! So pleased that you ran into another mommy! Thanks for the heads up on the less expensive item! I’m going to see if I can’t get my hands on that.
Just in case I don’t post before Christmas – Happy Holidays to You, Tabs, El Hub, Connor Claire – and your whole family!
Grace and Peace to you,
Gina and Gracie.