My Double-Duty Beauty Faves | The Best Multipurpose Makeup

 

Multipurpose makeup products can save money and time! Who doesn’t love that? As an empty nester, money saved means more money for travel, meals out, and date night fun. Time saved means more time for reading (see what’s on my fall reading list here), cooking, or even working. (Thanks to y’all, I love my job!)

The other day when I was putting on my makeup, it occurred to me that I use so many products that do more than one thing, and sharing them with you all might be a good idea! So today, I’m doing just that. I have used almost all of these products, and if I haven’t, I’ll let you know. Some of them have stood the test of time, and they’re still in USE. Others didn’t meet my needs for the long term, and I’ll let you know about that too. All of the pink text links and images in this post are clickable for more information, including the collage at the top of the post. Let’s do this!  🙂

Foundation (Cover + Anti-Aging + SPF)

1. – I’m leading with my absolute favorite product on the entire list! This CC cream is a full-coverage foundation. It’s infused with an anti-aging serum and gets its mineral-based SPF protection from titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. The “CC” stands for “color correcting,” and boy does it deliver on that front! It doesn’t crease, and it camouflages skin imperfections like dark spots and uneven skin tone. It comes in 12 shades, and I especially appreciate that the formulas each indicate whether they’re designed for use on warm or cool undertones. I’m fair with warm undertones, so in the winter I use the one called “Fair,” and in the summer when I’m a little darker, I use “Light.” If you’ve never used it before, know that a little goes a long way, and when you use it for the first time, you may think it’s too thick. Don’t panic! Just keep rubbing and blending. Your skin will look gorgeous, I promise!

2. – If you like a lighter-weight tinted sunscreen-type foundation, this is a great choice. I use this on days when I’m just hanging out at home or heading to the grocery store, but I want to wear a little makeup. It’s an oil-free, mineral sunscreen, with a light, universal tint. It’s available from Amazon (), or from another retailer ).

 

Lash Growth (Color + Grow)

3. – This mascara is supposedly infused with “Grow-Lash Complex,” which Rimmel claims “strengthens, nourishes and renews lashes to promote natural lash growth for up to 117% longer looking lashes after 30 days.” I tried this mascara, and it just didn’t hold up to my nap-every-day lifestyle! (Not many mascaras can.) Also, I’m not sure that a product you use on the lashes themselves (and not the base of the lash line) can really enhance lash growth. To me, that would be like putting a product on your hair (not your scalp) to enhance hair growth. But if you love the idea of longer lashes and want to give it a try, it’s less than $8 on , and it’s at too. Ultimately, I gave it up and stuck with the I’ve loved and used for many years.

4.  – This is another product I use every day.  It’s a liquid eyeliner that goes on like a marker, which is good if you’re clumsy, like me! It supposedly contains “Lash Boosting Complex,” which targets the base of lashes, making it feel like it’s more legit than Rimmel’s. I use the brown shade during the day for a more natural look, and black for my photo shoots or if we’re going out somewhere special.

 

Body (Moisturize + Tint)

5. Jergens Natural Glow Wet Skin Moisturizer – I use this every day after my shower to moisturize and add a subtle glow to my fair skin.

6. Jergens Natural Glow + Protect Daily Moisturizer with 20 SPF – This moisturizer uses chemical-based sunscreens for sun protection and lets you build natural-looking color gradually. Some people don’t like chemical sunscreens, and I get that. (To read WebMD’s take on the subject, click here.) That said, I use this in the summer if I’m getting ready for a photo shoot or we’re prepping to head to the beach.

 

7. – I use this every day in the summer over my makeup for a shine-free finish. I also carry it in my purse for quick reapplications. I know other brands make similar products, but this one was the original, and it’s the one my dermatologist recommends, so it’s the one I use.

 

Lids (Prime + Color)

8. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Lots of days I use this primer as my only eyeshadow. It completely covers redness or uneven skin tone, and it’s crease-proof. It applies with a sponge applicator, so there’s no tugging or rubbing on delicate eyelid skin. I’ve linked the shade I use (Eden), but it comes in everything from nudes to darker, slightly shimmery colors. See them all here.

9. Too Faced Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eyeshadow Primer – This bestseller is another primer with subtle color that I’ve used and liked. It’s crease-proof, fade-proof, and waterproof. It only comes in a nude shade, so it’s perfect if you want a natural no-makeup-but-color-corrected look. I wear it sometimes with extra and mascara to make my lashes pop!

 

Lips (Color + Plump)

10. Dior Addict Lip Plumping Lacquer Ink – Honestly, I’m not 100% sure that lip plumpers actually work, but my lips do feel tingly (not painful) and super hydrated when I use the sponge applicator to apply this 8-hour lip tint. According to Dior, the product contains an “oil-in-water emulsion infused with pigments and enriched with natural hibiscus extract for a plumping effect and hyaluronic acid for moisturization.” They also claim their tests show that “24 hours after application, lips experience a 78% increase in moisture levels.” Ya, know, I’ll take it! (And especially because I love and the fact that it’s moisturizing and long-wearing.

11. – If you prefer a lip plumper in lipstick form, this one is one I’ve used and liked. It’s light-weight and easy to apply, and according to LipFusion, it uses (wait for it…) ” Expand-A-Some Technology” (Hahahaha! Yes, that’s the name they came up with!) to boost lip volume and dimension. In case you were wondering, Expand-A-Somes are “microscopic lipid spheres, which boost the natural lipid content found in lips, while embedding in between lip tissue building firmness and volume, making lips appear fuller and more youthful.” Again, I’m in for this one, because a loss of volume in the lips is a common beauty issue for women over fifty (including yours truly), and having lip fillers injected into my lips sounds horrible. This seems like a great alternative, and the product comes in multiple shades. I’ve linked my favorite shade (Silk Stocking) from SkinStore, but it’s much cheaper on Amazon. If you want to try the product for yourself, you might consider this mini-set with five shades.

 

Lashes (Color + Prime + Tint)

12. Wunderextensions Lash Extensions Stain Mascara – I’ve never tried this mascara, but I just ordered it. When I was researching this post, all of the beauty bloggers raved about it. If you have light colored lashes, this mascara not only lengthens your lashes, but it also promises to leave your lashes tinted for three days afterward. The brand says to treat the mascara as a primer, using it under your favorite mascara or their Wunderextensions Lash Extension & Volumizing Mascara. According to multiple reviews, when you wash your face at night, your lashes will remain defined and tinted.

13. Rimmel Volume Colourist Mascara – For a less expensive option, you can try this mascara that gradually tints your bare lashes over two weeks with continuous use. I used this for a few weeks before a beach trip, and it did seem to tint my already-pretty-dark lashes an even darker shade. I discontinued it because I had some trouble with flaking throughout the day. If you have lighter natural lashes, and you have a no-makeup situation coming up, then this might be a good product to try. (It’s certainly cheaper than professional lash tinting!)

14. Diorshow Maximizer 3D Triple Volume Plumping Lash Primer – This lash primer coats your lashes with a serum to improve thickness, curl, and appearance. It’s designed to intensify the effects of your favorite mascara. I used this product and couldn’t get over how it curled my lashes! (I’m not sure why I stopped but doing this post reminded me to repurchase.) 🙂

 

Primer (Prime + Serum)

15.  – This is another favorite for me! Developed in conjunction with plastic surgeons, this hydrating primer contains a 50-ingredient anti-aging serum that treats skin as it primes it for makeup. I feel like it reduces the appearance of wrinkles and lines, and allows my foundation (see #1) to glide on smoothly. I’ve used other makeup primers, but I keep coming back to this one!

 

Brows (Volumize + Tint + Tame)

16. Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Eyebrow Gel – I use this daily on my brows because it contains tiny microfibers that adhere to my brow hairs, enhancing what I have with natural-looking fullness. It’s tinted and comes in eight shades. I have pretty dark brows already, so I use #4 (warm medium brown). Click here to see all the shades.

 

Eyes (Hydrate + Conceal)

17. Olay Eyes Ultimate Eye Cream – I use and love this eye cream because it does so many things at once! It’s a light-weight universally-tinted concealer that also promises to decircle, dewrinkle and depuff delicate undereye skin. It contains peptides and vitamins to smooth, brighten, and gradually renew skin’s surface with continuous use.

18. Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Hydrating Concealer – If you’re looking for a hydrating concealer with fuller coverage, this is one I recommend! It contains vitamin E & apple seed extract to conceal dark circles and keep skin hydrated. I love it.

* NOTE: Since both of these concealers are hydrating, consider patting these inexpensive blotting papers underneath your lower lashes after applying to prevent your mascara from smearing and smudging underneath your eyes. (I cut each blotting sheet into fourths to make it smaller and easier to maneuver.)

 

Do you have any multipurpose makeup products that you love? Let me know in the comments!

A little reminder about tonight’s Facebook Live (8:00 p.m. CST) with empty nester travel expert Suzanne Stavert, creator of the blog AdventuresofEmptyNesters.com. We’ll be talking about empty nesters and travel (of course!), but also about starting a business as an empty nester, her destination recommendations, and her tips for successful multi-generational travel. You won’t want to miss it! To join us, navigate to the Empty Nest Blessed Facebook page and like and follow the page. Then scroll to the top of the page. You should see a video playing, which you can watch on mobile or desktop. Click the video to enter viewing mode. You can engage with us while we’re live by liking the video or leaving a comment or question the same way you would normally comment on a post. We can see who’s watching and we’ll see your comments as you post them. For more information, sign up for the Empty Nest Blessed email list. I’ll be sending out more information this afternoon!

Blessings,

 

 

 

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