My Minimalist Makeup Bag: 5 Essentials For Simple Beauty
A minimalist makeup bag is a must for busy caregivers. Here are my top 5 essential makeup products for a minimal makeup routine.
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These days I have a minimalist makeup routine, and unless I am getting ready for a special occasion, I have only 5 essential items in my minimalist makeup bag.
If I had to choose, I’d say I am a natural girl at heart. Perhaps it’s because for so many years I had to wear a ton of makeup as a professional dancer. When I was dancing I’d see myself in the mirror and think I look like I am 35 when I was only 20! Today I go for a much more natural look.
Caregiver Glow
I know makeup and cosmetics are not the be-all/end-all, and everyone has their own personal style.
I feel caregivers are beautiful in their own right. They radiate beauty from the inside out. What could be more beautiful than helping another human being? No cosmetic can bring out that glow!
It CAN however be very easy to let ourselves go, as a busy caregiver, and not take the time to create some best practice grooming habits. Getting into a daily routine is important, and it is just as much a habit as eating well and exercising.
The fountain of beauty is the heart and every generous thought illustrates the walls of your chamber.
Francis Quarles
Developing A Daily Beauty Routine
Developing a simple beauty routine doesn’t have to take up a lot of time, and with a small minimalist makeup collection, it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money either. A minimal makeup collection is a great way to enhance one’s own natural beauty.
But before we put any beauty products on our faces, it is important that we maintain an excellent daily skin care regimen.
Most people don’t correlate living a healthy lifestyle with taking good care of your skin. But if you are eating well, getting quality sleep, exercising, and hydrating, your skin is going to thank you for it.
When you are living healthfully, you probably won’t feel the need to apply full coverage makeup. At least not every day, maybe only for special events. You won’t feel the need for extra coverage.
Less makeup also means you will be buying fewer products at no extra cost. I like that!
5 Essentials In My Minimalist Makeup Bag
Now that we know how important it is to take care of our skin, even before we put on a stitch of makeup, let’s get into the fun stuff.
Dump out your makeup drawer, and let me show you my 5 favorite products you can put in your best makeup bag.
I came. I saw. I contoured.
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- SPF skin tint – for everyday wear, I love to use either a skin tint or a bb cream. They are lightweight and moisturizing, and most contain SPF for protection. Very rarely will I use foundation. When I was young I used a powder foundation but now, if I want fuller coverage, I will wear a nice moisturizing liquid foundation. But for everyday wear, in my minimalist bag, it’s a simple SPF tint that matches my skin tone.
- Brow pencil – eyebrows are everything, they frame your eyes and can make such a difference when groomed well. I use a brow pencil versus brow gel but honestly, I feel, if your eyebrows are groomed well, you don’t need much else around your eyes other than maybe a swipe of mascara.
- Eye pencil – I love the big chunky eye pencil sticks that are popular right now. They come in the most beautiful colors, and just a touch of eye shadow can really make your eyes pop. Especially if you get a nice shade that complements the color of your eyes. My eyes are green so frequently I will use browns and golds to accentuate my eye color.
- Bronzer/Blush – I go back and forth on the type of blush I use. Sometimes it’s a cream blush while other times it’s powder. I like both. During the winter I tend to get dry skin, so more often than not I will use a cream blush. But I also love some of the powder blushes out there. THIS is the product I’ve been using lately. I love how easily it goes on without smudging, and they come in a lot of different shades for your skin tone.
- Lip Balm – Ohhh I love to play with all kinds of lip color! Most often for day wear, I will just use an SPF-tinted lip moisturizer or a pretty lip gloss. Sometimes, if I want my lips to be the focus, and I don’t want to keep reapplying, I will take the time to use lip liner and longer wear lipstick. This past summer I wore Burt’s Bees SPF tinted lip balm daily for extra protection and loved it.
If you notice, I did not include mascara. You may think I’m crazy but I’m actually not a big fan of mascara. Of course, I will use it when I have a special occasion, but for everyday wear, I don’t wear it. Sometimes I will use a moisturizing serum on my eyelashes but definitely not all the time, which is why I didn’t include it in my 5 essentials.
So those are the 5 essential beauty products that I put in my minimalist makeup bag, and this is what I pack whenever I am traveling. I am a minimalist kind of girl, and I don’t like to overthink or overpack. I’d much rather spend my energy out and about meeting people and sightseeing.
Bags & Brushes
There are 2 more important items that go hand in hand with my 5 beauty products if you want to add these to the list – a makeup travel bag, and makeup brushes.
My absolute favorite makeup bags are made by Kusshi. I’ve searched around for the perfect bag, and I discovered this brand from a professional makeup artist who uses them when she is working with clients.
The Kusshi brand is quality, and in my opinion, they have the best travel makeup bags. Pockets and zippered pockets everywhere, makeup brush holder compartments that can be attached right to the bag, and so much more. The colors of the bags are beautiful, they are washable, and they are designed to stand straight up rather than flop about, which I think is absolute perfection.
There is no exquisite beauty without some strangeness in the proportion.
Edgar Allan Poe
I like makeup brushes but they can get pretty expensive, so I have a couple of tips when you buy.
- Buy the best quality makeup brush you can afford. My thought is to buy quality once versus buying cheaper ones over and over again.
- Buy small, compact brushes so you can use them at home, or throw them in your minimalist makeup bag for when you are traveling.
- Buy makeup brushes that have a dual end – a brush on each side. This will save you space and money. I love the dual-sided brushes, and they are perfect for travel as well.
Caregivers – You Are Worth It
So caregivers, get in the habit of maintaining a beauty and skincare routine every single day. You are worth it, and it will make you feel so much better.
10 minutes is all you need. Pick out a few essential new products and have some fun making yourself feel pretty!
Makeup may seem like a silly frivolous thing but I say, if it makes you feel good, then by all means apply!
Sometimes you just have to put on lipgloss and pretend to be psyched.
Mindy Kaling
Check out these posts for fun recipes and more ideas on how to take care of your health as a busy care partner
How To Make The Best Buttery Vegan Spritz Cookies
Try This Easy To Make Essential Oil Mosquito Repellent
15-Min Amazing Creamy Flavorful Chickpea Hummus, and NO OIL!
5-Day Rejuvenation Diet & Guide
I like to do the 5-Day Rejuvenation Diet at the beginning of each new year. It makes me feel fantastic, with much more energy and clarity, and less brain fog and sugar cravings.
Click below to purchase the guide. Or if you want to read more on the 5-Day Rejuvenation Diet, check out this post.
The 5-Day Rejuvenation Diet | Staying Healthy As A Busy Caregiver
Let’s be social
I hope you enjoyed this article and found a little inspiration to create your own personal minimalist beauty routine. If you did, please let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you.
You can also follow me and my life on Cape Cod on my Instagram page @parkinsons_and_us.
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