Go-To Makeup

ByCordelia

Go-To Makeup

Happy Makeup Wars Monday! This time we’re sharing our go-to makeup products. These are the products that are tried and true, which I love. I’ve got a quick makeup look, as well as my favorite products in each category to share with you.

All products are cruelty free and any products that I know are vegan are marked as vegan.

Go-To Eye

Yes, I have hooded eyes and you can see the hood very clearly in the above picture. My liner is barely visible, which is why I kept it skinny at the inner upper lash line and winged it out slightly at the outer upper lash line.Go-To Makeup

Go-To Makeup

Go-To Makeup

Eyes
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Urban Decay Walk of Shame (Naked Basics palette) – all over eye area
NARS Ubangi Eye Paint – upper lash line
Physicians Formula Sexy Cat Eyes Mascara
Senna Cosmetics Sketch-A-Brow in Ash Brown
Notoriously Morbid Osteomancy – highlight

Face
Cover FX Illuminating Primer
Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation in N10 (applied with Nyx Dewy Setting Spray)
Makeup Geek Secret Admirer – blush
Notoriously Morbid Osteomancy – highlight

Lips
Colour Pop Lip Pencil in Bunny
Colour Pop Lippie Stix in Bunny

Now, I’m not going to lie and say that I wear green lipstick when I’m in a hurry. I don’t. I really tend to go for a bright pink or pinky purple. However, my go-to look works with ANY lipstick color, which is why it’s a go-to look.

Let me break it down for you. I do a tiny bit of liner to emphasize my eyes. I add a dab of blush. I make my lipstick the brightest or darkest part of  my look. The eye is easy to do because it’s literally primer, then base shade, then liner, and finish with mascara. I use the same highlighter that I  use on my cheeks on my eyes.

Go-to Foundations 

  • Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation in N10 – if I’m in a real hurry, this pale neutral is perfection. (vegan)
  • Cover FX CC Cream in N-Xtra Light – This is my favorite foundation of all time. It’s perfect whether my skin is dry or oily or sensitive. I prefer to apply it with a damp beauty blender but I can use a brush in a pinch. (vegan)
  • Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm in Snow Glow mixed with Life’s Entropy White Foundation – Snow Glow is too dark for me on its own, but if I mix in Life’s Entropy White, it works well. (vegan)

Go-to Setting Powders

Go-to Blushes

Go-to Eyeshadows

Go-to Eyeshadow Fixatives

Go-to Eyeliners

Go-to Mascaras

Go-to Highlighters

Go-to Primers

Go-to Setting Sprays

Go-to Brow Products

  • Senna Cosmetics Sketch-a-brow in Mink or Ash Brown
  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brows in Medium Brown or Granite
  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel in Granite

Go-to Nail Polish

  • Cult Nails Nevermore – Cult Nails closed, so I bought several more bottles before they closed. It’s my perfect one coat black so if I don’t know what to wear, I reach for this.
  • Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Nail Color in Technopagan – the perfect melding of blue and purple
  • Crow’s Toes Nidavellir – a purple base with bright teal blue shift and magenta sparks.
  • GlitterDaze Essence of a Unicorn – purple, pink, green and blue glitter flakes – this looks great on top of so many different polishes to add something extra.

My lipstick shade entirely depends upon my mood. But when I do a minimal go-to look I tend to go for bright pink or pinky-purple lips. I also love the Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Colour Pencils as lipsticks and I reach for those a ton. I’ve worn Hoochie, Anime, Black Dahlia and Sebastian a ton over the past several months.

Go-to Lipsticks

  • Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Colour Pencils in Hoochie, Anime, Sebastian, Black Dahlia or Lydia (vegan)
  • Fyrinnae Liquid Matte Lipstick in Desire, Delicious or Vixen (vegan)
  • Too Faced Melted Lipstick in Fuchsia, Candy, Violet or Jelly Donut (vegan)
  • Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Anarchy, Jilted or Obsessed (vegan)
  • Colour Pop Lippie Stix in Tuxedo, Scandy, Corset, Grind, Leather, Feminist, Brills, Bunny or Bull Chic (vegan)
  • Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Backstage Bambi or Jeffree

Gel eyeliners are what I reach for 99% of the time when I need to define at the lash line and want it to last. With oily, hooded lids, gel eyeliners are the way to go. For a go-to shade, I want black or blackened teal blue or blackened blue. I feel like blackened blue and blackened teal blue will emphasize my eye color while plain black just helps to make my eyes look larger if I do my liner placement correctly. Tightlining the upper lash line really makes a big difference in how your eyes look.

If you’re in a hurry, a contour blush like NARS Olympia is great for defining your cheekbones.

When it comes to a go-to eyeshadow I typically want a light skintone nude / matte type shade or a wash of light shimmer. I used to use things like MAC Paint Pots for this but NARS Eye Paints are a great cruelty free alternative. So are Darling Girl watercolor paint pots. I know many people prefer a taupe or brown eyeshadow on the lid and lower lid when they want a simple look, but with my eye shape I really feel like a lighter shade is a better choice.

If I’m in an absolute hurry, I’ll just do this – Apply foundation all over my face, including my eyes. Then I’ll define my brows. Add mascara. Throw a little color on the cheeks. Finish with OCC Colour Pencil in Hoochie or Sebastian. Though trust me, I prefer to have the time to do some eyeliner because my eyes need emphasis on the upper waterline and outer upper lash line to help open them up.

What are your go-to makeup options? What do you reach for when you’re in a hurry?

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Cordelia Frost is the creative force behind Phyrra, a treasure trove for cruelty-free indie and goth makeup enthusiasts. She's the author of the game-changing 'Hooded Eyes Makeup Manual' a must-read for hooded eyes makeup.

Cordelia's world is a kaleidoscope of alternative beauty, gothic fashion, and life-enhancing tips, making every visit to Phyrra a journey into a more colorful and inspired self.

30 Comments

  3. I LOVE setting sprays! But the NYX and Elf sprays are labeled to be made in China which can be harmful to your skin. But i believe the rest on your faves list are made in US which is good to go!

  4. Absolutely love this post-super helpful! Because I often find myself in this predicament! I need to check out a few more of the NARS Eye Paints! I do something similar-I must must have concealer and mascara on, so I will first apply my UD Shadow Potion Primer, use a matte nude beige shadow like the Madrague 1 from the NARSissist Smoky Eye Kit or one of the matte nude beiges in the Saucebox Etude. The NARSissist Smoky Eye Kit-that’s really my go to palette in a hurry because it’s one two three. If I have a little more time I’ll do a quick smoky eye with it. I’ll use the liner that matches with it Via Veneto(black), then concealer NARS Immaculate in Vanilla, Cover FX Mattifying Primer and then Pressed Mineral Foundation! Thanks for all the great go-to product recommendations! Have you tried the new Soft Velvet Loose Powder from NARS? I was wondering how you think it would compare to the Light Reflecting? It is supposed to have color correcting properties so it might work well for you. Also wanted to know if you ever use the MUG buffing brush for your setting powder too.

  8. Even if that green lipstick is your go-to, I won’t be surprised because you’re the only one I know who can wear any shade yet still look gorgeous.

  9. That green lipstick is the perfect jewel-tone. Got to go check out your choices one by one and make a wishlist!

  11. You’ve got some amazing choices. I wouldn’t even know what to pick from your list. I know it won’t be the green lippie but I envy that you can wear this and still look fabulous.

  13. What an inspiring list of products! I love your look, and nobody can rock green lipstick like you can– you beauty!

  16. So many fantastic picks! And yep, I’m with everyone else in that you are truly the only person I know who could rock a green lip and make it look good. Also, I need to finally check out Colour Pop.

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