Everything I Put On My Face

Plus notes on how I use this stuff and why are makeup product names so cringe!

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Standard disclaimer that it feels somewhat absurd to talk about makeup while California (home to 13 pecent of of our beloved Burnt Toasties!) is on literal fire. Here’s a master list of resources and ways to help; I’ve been donating to GoFundMes, and made a bigger donation to This Is About Humanity, which is raising funds for farmworkers, day laborers, essential workers and families impacted by the fires.

More locally/far less high stakes, I’m now getting over the flu my kid brought home last week, so…talking about makeup is basically all my brain can handle right now! I absolutely loved reading your comments on Friday’s essay about why I — a lifelong no makeup person— am suddenly into it. (Yes, online dating is partly why.)

And many of you asked for more details about what I’m using and how. So… here you go!

1. Iconic London Underglow Blurring Primer

What even is primer? How is it not just foundation or concealer? Why would I want one that blurred? I would never, ever have thought to buy something so obtuse but Joanna Goddard recommended it because her best friend told her to get it, and as discussed, I love a community-sourced beauty rec.

Here’s what I do with it: Mix a dollop with my sunscreen or face moisturizer and rub it all over my face in place of foundation. It adds a nice glow and sort of makes my skin look more smooth. Plus one day I wore it to my hair salon and a very chic 20-something stylist complimented my makeup, which was possibly a highlight of my year.

2. Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer

We’ll skip over the creepy cutesyness of “boi-ing,” because this product does at least, clearly communicate its purpose. It’s an easy to use concealer, which I have now learned, is basically just foundation you dab in specific spots. I use it on my undereye circles and breakouts and I do use it after the blurring primer/foundation.

3. Jones Road Miracle Balm

Another terribly named product! What annoys me about the marketing of this product (which def has a cult following) is that they label it as “all-over glow” as if that is somehow different from blush but… I think it is just blush! Jones Road tells me I can wear it alone or “layer on top of foundation” and apply to cheeks and lips so…yes, that’s blush. But it’s a very pretty, glowy blush and I don’t seem to use too much or make clown circles. I have it in Pinched Cheeks (see! Blush!) and Flushed (okay you get my point).

4. Burt’s Bees Lip Shine

I’ve been wearing this drugstore lip gloss since ohhh 2006 because it is clearly named, moisturizes, and you can’t mess up applying it like a real lipstick. I have it in Pucker and Smooch, but I just call them “pink” and “darker pink” because I don’t need lipgloss to be cute about it.

5. Tarte Fake Awake Eye Highlighter

Kim France gets full credit for bringing this gem into my life. You draw it along your lower eyelid’s waterline (yes I know that sounds gross!) and it immediately makes you look much more awake. This is useful for potheads (not me but enjoy), people with allergies (that’s me!), or children who wake them up too much (also me!). I will say, if you aren’t also doing some undereye concealer, it’s not worth it and can look more “drawn on,” but the combo is magical. (I don’t understand why it only comes in white or peach though, there are surely many other tones of waterline???)

6. L’Oreal AIRvolume Mega Mascara

I have tried some fancier mascaras recently and they all smudge in five minutes. This drugstore brand is waterproof and decently smudge-proof, and yet still wipes off easily with a makeup remover wipe at the end of the day. (I am not a nighttime face washer, judge me all you want.)

7. Milk Kush Fiber Brow Gel

I will never pretend to understand eyebrows, but I have a lot of them and they can be quite unruly. This kind of plasters everything into place so they stay tidy and the brown blends with my actual brow color so they don’t look drawn on. Pretty sure this was also either a Kim France or Jenn Romolini rec. Thanks friends!

You’ll also find this full list linked over on my ShopMy.

If you are a Makeup Person, you likely notice many categories of products missing from this list — actual foundation, bronzer, highlighter, lipstick, other things I’ve never heard of! Would love to know what you love!

Or if you, like me, are historically Not a Makeup Person and even this little list intimidated you, let us know your questions and somebody better at this than me will give you some advice!

(You can also continue to not wear makeup CLEARLY. Burnt Toast is a safe space for all face preferences!)