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I read a post like this a few months back by one of my favorite beauty bloggers, Beauty by Kelsey, and loved the idea! She saw the post floating around the blogosphere herself and essentially, “If I Could Only Keep One” is sharing if you could only choose one product from each category to wear day in and day out, which would it be. If you want to see what my must-grab items would be if I could only keep one, then keep on reading…
Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation is my longest wearing formula. It also is one of the top foundations sold in North America due to its amazing shade range and (again) longevity on the skin. Medium to full coverage, semi-matte finish and lasting upwards of 12+ hours (if not much, much longer), I couldn’t NOT make this my pick. I wear shade Tawny in the fall/winter, Cashew or Shell Beige in the spring/summer.
The hype is real for Tarte Shape Tape concealer. At first, I wasn’t sure about what the big deal was until I took some photos for the blog wearing it and realized how great my under eye circles were concealed. It blends out beautifully and dries down to a budge-proof finish. If you can get your hands on it – apparently one sells every 29 seconds – go for it. I use shade Medium when I’m self-tanned (or in the spring/summer), and Light-Medium Honey when I’m not self-tanned (or fall/winter).
(or any of the Benefit brow products)
About three months ago, I switched brow girls and started seeing Liz at Benefit Brow Bar in the Town + Country Ulta in Houston. She’s incredible! I was so tired of threaders and waxers removing my entire eyebrow and giving me a super unnatural shape. Liz is rehabbing my brows and shaping them amazingly. You know they’re looking better when your mother tells you never to go see anyone else for your brows, lol! Because of her wizardry, I tried the Precisely My Brow, Browvo Conditioning Primer and most recently Goof Proof Pencil… all of which are top-notch. They last on my skin way better than Anastasia Products (SHOCKING NEWS), and I actually prefer the color. I use shade 02.
I pulled Half Baked by Urban Decay in my original Naked palette (although this palette in itself is worth an ‘If I Could Only Keep One‘ mention. Can I pick a palette? Is that cheating?). Half Baked is a perfect bronze-gold shade and I have loved it for years. Wears beautifully on its own with a swipe of eyeliner and mascara, but also plays well with others for more smokey looks. I even used it for my wedding makeup.
This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned essence makeup – particularly their eyeliner. These are drugstore unsung heroes. The waterproof gel pencil and waterproof felt tip liquid liner are true standouts. Easy to apply, extremely long wearing and non-irritating, these eyeliners are staples in my collection. I love the brown pencil in Cocoa Bean and the liquid liner in black.
Another popular and highly recommended pick for me (review here). I love Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara. It’s insanely black, lengthens and volumizes quickly, and doesn’t smudge or flake. I don’t have anything else to ask for. I own and use the waterproof and non-waterproof formulas and like them both. The brush also fits my eye shape perfectly, which helps coat every single lash and give a nearly-false lash look. I always purchase Blackest Black.
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer has been a go-to bronzer for me for at least ten years. It takes me forever to go through one pan and the cocoa smell is intoxicating. It also blends beautifully into the skin. Whenever I wear this bronzer and catch myself in the mirror after a long day, I’m always impressed with how healthy it makes my skin look. I used the medium shade – NOT milk chocolate (light) and not dark chocolate (the deepest).
This category was my hardest. I thought I’d pick one of my favorite MAC blushes, Gingerly or Melba, but recently, I’ve been using Tarte’s again and remember how awesome they are. Blush tends to fade quickly on my skin – they just disintegrate (? weird). But the Tarte blushes – particularly Blushing Bride, a wearable plum rose – gives me a perfect pop of color that wears all day long. Advertised as a 12-hour blush, I give this two thumbs up and plan on picking up another shade during the April Sephora sale coming up.
I recently talked about my highlighter collection and mentioned how Opal was the first highlighter I’ve ever hit pan on. How could I NOT pick this one?! It’s stunning on medium/olive skin.
I swear by Laura Mercier’s mineral foundation. It’s my favorite of all mineral foundations and I’m so glad I switched from bareMinerals to Laura’s. I find it gives better, more natural coverage, makes the skin look prettier and wears much nicer over the course of the day. It also layers well if you want to really kick up your foundation coverage and apply this over liquid foundation. This is probably my fourth or fifth container. I wear shade Rich Vanilla.
It’s getting scary… my Charlotte Tilbury lipstick collection. Bitch Perfect is a perfect every day lip shade. The prettiest peachy-pink nude, I can wear this with absolutely any eye makeup look and the lasting powder of Charlotte’s lipsticks is unparalleled! I reviewed this quite a long time ago here. I just ordered Pillow Talk lipstick, so that MAY take its place but as of today, Bitch Perfect is my signature lippie.
What are some of your “If I Could Only Keep One…”? If you’re a blogger or YouTuber, definitely try selecting your must haves and let me know if you share your picks. I’d love to see it!
-Steffanie
