I’ve been having a lot of fun experimenting with new makeup lately, and have been obsessed with Korean beauty products and contouring and highlighting. I thought I would share some of my recent favorite finds, as well items that have been in my arsenal forever. This is a full face of makeup that you wouldn’t do everyday, but perhaps for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day!

Makeup-For-A-Special-Occasion

1) IOPE Air Cushion Compact – Previously I was a BB Cream fan for its ease of use and natural coverage, but this foundation in a compact makes it even easier. This air cushion compact is one of the bestselling products in Korea, and now many other brands have come out with their own version of the cushion. Inside you’ll find a damp cushion with foundation in it that you apply to your face with the enclosed sponge. Once the compact starts running low, flip the cushion over; then do it again when it runs low again until you’re all out. It even comes with a refill, so you really get a lot of bang for your buck! This is perfect for daily use.

2) Cle de Peau concealer – This is my holy grail concealer that I’ve been using for a decade. I like that it’s in a tube so it’s super fast to use, and it provides great coverage under my eyes. It’s pricey but it really lasts forever.

3) Shu Uemura Loose Powder – After applying the cushion compact and concealer, I set my makeup with loose powder. A container of loose powder lasts forever and has a long shelf life.

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4) Anastasia Brow Wiz – My eyebrows are wimpy and definitely need to be filled in. Plus I’m loving the big brows trend right now. I recently started using Anastasia’s Brow Wiz pencil and I love it, especially because there is a spoolie on one end.

5) Anastasia Brow Gel – If you draw in your brows and you’re going to be out all day, setting them with a brow gel is a good idea so they don’t erase!

6) Naked 2 eyeshadow – The Naked Palettes make it so easy that I don’t really reach for my other shadows anymore. They have a base color, neutrals for every day, and a gray and black for smokey eyes.

7) Stila Waterproof Eyeliner – I was a dedicated gel liner user for decades, but this eyeliner has definitely made me make the switch. It’s so much easier to apply since I don’t have to wash my eyeliner brush every time, and it really doesn’t smudge.

8) Ardell Individual Short Lashes – I looooove individual lashes and put them on for special occasions like weddings. They look so much more natural than strip lashes and most people can’t even tell you’re wearing them. Since I don’t have a crease in my eye the short flares work perfectly for me, but if you do have a crease the medium flares might be better. I always apply them with Duo glue and have never had an eyelash-falling mishap!

10 + 11) I layer my mascaras. First I apply a volumizing mascara like L’Oreal’s Voluminous, then I like to use a Lancome mascara which does a great job of separating my lashes and removing any clumps. I don’t like spending a lot on mascara so the Lancome gift sets at Nordstrom and Sephora are a really great deal (especially the big sets around the holidays); plus they come with my holy grail eye makeup remover Bifacil.

12) Joeur Highlighter in Tiare – This has a creamy consistency and I use it in the corner of my eyes and just a bit under the my eyes. Just this extra single step really makes your eyes pop.

13) NARS Orgasm/Laguna Blush/Bronzer Duo – This convenient little palette has NARS’ bestselling Orgasm blush and their Laguna bronzer. I like to apply bronzer around my chubby face to make it a little more defined.

14) Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette – Highlighting makes such a difference in your skin. I like to use this on my cheeks, forehead, and nose.

15) NYX Concealer – Concealer that is two shades lighter than your skin can work as a great highlighter as well. I use this to highlight under my browbone to make my eyebrows look a little more defined. Since I use so little of it, I stick to drugstore brands like NYX, which rarely disappoints.

16) Prestige Natural Waterproof Lipliner – I have an uneven lipline so I always use lipliner. This perfectly pinky neutral is waterproof and does not budge.

17) Lorac Lipgloss – When it comes to lip color, I usually just grab any of my pinkish glosses.

18) Mac Studiofix – The only things I carry with me in my makeup bag are this compact and lipgloss. Great coverage for touchups at the end of the night.

19) Brush Set – I have a hodgepodge of makeup brushes from MAC, Shu Uemura and Sephora. I like this set from Makeup Forever because it has all the brushes you need. I like having a lot of different eyeshadow brushes though so I can use different colors without having to wash the brushes. Recently I bought these beads to display my brushes upright like they do in Sephora, and it’s been amazing in keeping them organized. I can grab exactly the brush I want at a glance — so much better than a brush roll or rummaging around in the box I used to keep them in.

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Are there any new makeup products that you’ve been loving lately? Or are there any you’ve been dying to try? I’ve been dying to try the home laser hair removal tools!