Let’s set the scene: it’s Tuesday morning, your under-eye bags are packed for an international flight, and your skin is giving “slept-in makeup, forgot-to-wash-my-face” energy—even though you totally did your full skincare routine (right?). You need to be presentable. Not red carpet. Not even brunch cute. Just… “I woke up like this” but with several steps in between.
So here’s how I put together a full face with products ranging from luxury to “I found this in a CVS clearance bin,” and somehow ended up looking sun-kissed and semi-sane. Come on this journey with me.
Step 1: The Clean Girl Routine (Literally)
Before anything else touches my face—before the brushes, the palettes, the aspirational vibes—I cleanse, tone, and moisturize like the responsible skin-care girlie I aspire to be.
This step is non-negotiable (maybe the toner is). Even if my brain is a scrambled egg, my skin deserves a solid breakfast. Cleanser removes last night’s regrets (and pillow drool), toner resets my skin’s pH like a tiny scientist (supposedly), and moisturizer locks it all in like a therapist with boundaries. No fancy products here—just reliable skincare staples and the quiet hope that hydration will fix my life.
Step 2: Concealer: A Love Letter to Lies
Let’s be honest—I didn’t sleep eight hours. I never sleep eight hours. That’s why Hourglass Vanish Concealer lives rent-free in my makeup drawer. It’s smooth, pigmented, and covers up the dark circles caused by staying up too late watching niche TikTok documentaries about Victorian poisoners.
Swipe it under the eyes, blend like you mean it, and boom: I look like I meditate. Like I own a gratitude journal. Like I didn’t eat leftover fries in bed last night.
Step 3: Foundation, But Not Heavy-Handed
Now, I’m a sucker for Bare Minerals. Mineral foundation is that rare unicorn that covers your imperfections without making you look like you’re wearing frosting. Tap, swirl, buff—repeat until your skin tone is even and your confidence is slightly inflated.
Also: bonus points for how quick it is. I’m not trying to spend 45 minutes painting my face. I’m just trying to look like someone who pays her bills on time.
Step 4: Powder: The Unsung Hero
Setting your face is like sealing a handwritten letter with a wax stamp. Completely unnecessary in modern times—but oh, so satisfying.
I used Pretty Vulgar’s Powder Room setting powder, which has packaging that screams “I collect vintage perfume bottles” and performance that whispers “your makeup’s not going anywhere.” It gives that soft-blur effect, like an Instagram filter but with fewer existential implications.
Step 5: Brows: DIY Edition
Did I use a fancy pencil with a spoolie and a built-in highlighter? No. I dipped an old angled brush into a generically brown matte eyeshadow and made it work. Because mama didn’t raise a quitter, she raised a girl on a budget.
It fluffs. It defines. It gives enough shape to say “I tried,” without screaming “I follow 27 brow influencers.” Is it perfect? Nope. But it’s presentable. And honestly, that’s the goal today.
Step 6: Liner: Minimal Drama, Maximum Effect
A single line of black Pat McGrath liquid liner across the top lash line. No wings. No fancy smudging. Just a crisp little statement like, “I’m emotionally stable (this morning).”
Yes, this liner costs more than my lunch. And yes, that’s why I can’t afford Anastasia brow products right now. We all make sacrifices.
Step 7: Lashes: Selective Enhancement
I curled my lashes like I was prepping them for a job interview, then applied L’Oréal Telescopic mascara to the top lashes only. Because while I believe in the power of eye contact, I do not believe in flaking mascara under my eyes by noon.
This mascara is a drugstore icon. Lengthens, defines, and doesn’t betray me mid-day like some friendships I’ve known.
Step 8: Blush: Technically Expired, Emotionally Valid
Look. We all have that one product that’s hanging on past its expiration date. For me, it’s the Too Faced Sweetheart Blush in Peach Beach, a blush so pretty I refuse to check the batch code.
I popped it on my cheeks, then dabbed some on my forehead and jawline to give myself a faux sunburned glow. It’s giving “spent the day on a yacht,” even though I’ve never even been near a yacht. Just don’t tell my dermatologist.
Step 9: Lip Combo of My Dreams
Started with Revlon Super Lustrous Matte in All Nighter—a solid, punchy, drugstore lipstick that says “I woke up hot and mysterious.” Then, because I cannot be stopped, I layered Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Sweet Mint on top. Hydration? Check. Shine? Check. Smells like a spa? Absolutely.
Would I survive a day without this lip balm? Unclear. It’s less a beauty product at this point and more of a coping mechanism.
Final Look: Sun-Kissed, Wide-Eyed, and Dangerously Deceptive
The finished result? Skin that’s glowy, lashes that are fluttery, and a vibe that says “I have my life together” despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Did I cut corners? Yes. Did I spend boujee money on eyeliner and then use expired blush? Also yes. But that’s the art of it. That’s the experiment. That’s the Kristen Experience™.
TL;DR:
This look is what happens when you mix Sephora champagne taste with CVS budget constraints and a little bit of chaos. And honestly? I look good.
Want more tutorials that oscillate between glam and barely functioning? Hit that follow button. Or don’t. I’ll still be over here talking to myself in expired blush.
