When it comes to makeup, I’m a bit of a trial and error-ist and to be honest, a total rookie. As a creature of habit and only know what I’ve taught myself or learned from the few times I’ve made it into the makeup counter at Nordstrom. But when the near year rolls around, I can’t help but get an itch to hit refresh and try a few new things!

I was really excited to try out a new line of products by Make – a brand I hadn’t really tried myself but have started seeing pop up at places like Birchbox and Barney’s and have started hearing buzz about. After a week or so of testing out some of their products, I’m hooked.

One of the few things I have learned about makeup is that for me, it’s all about pigment. Eyeshadows and blushes can all look similar but the deep, pigmented hues of Make last all day (which is really important for me) and really set them apart. Plus, the packaging is so on point and ultra cool.

Today I’m sharing 5 of the ways I shook up my beauty routine to start this year and as simple as they seem, they’ve gotten me more excited about getting ready in the morning (and let’s be honest, we can all use a little motivation in getting out of bed!).

1. Invest in a concealer that you love

It may sound so simple, but this has probably the #1 game changer for me this year. I work really late and and am not a morning person and I wear my sleep on my face. I’ve tried a lot of concealers as it’s one of the things I pay most attention to – Benefit, M.A.C., Smashbox, Bobbi Brown, you name it. When I tried Estee Lauder for the first time after bonding with the girl at the Bloomingdale’s counter over our matching skin tone, I found the best concealer in the game and haven’t looked back.

2. Let your eyeshadows double as eyeliners

At some point a few years back I discovered that deep colors for eyeliner were really fun to play with and a welcome change to black and brown that I normally stick to. I love it because unlike traditional eyeliner it won’t wear down the same way after a long day because it’s not a crayon. Just take an angled brush and wet it a bit with anything you have that’s creamy in texture to concentrate the color as you apply and form a thin line on your lid. I’ve been excited about the way it looks with this green-navy-blue hue!

3. Try a new shade of lipstick that you would never pick out normally

I’m guilty of being a repeat offender with most things … I love black, black, leather, and orange-red lipsticks. I have yet to branch out with other colors but recently have tried a more tangerine-red and after a fun trip to a lipstick making spot in SoHo, a fuschia pink! It’s a little silly but finding something new that you never would’ve let yourself try is a really fun and rewarding feeling.

4. Try a dewy effect with your blush

As passionate as I am about concealer, blush/bronzer is right there behind it on my list. I have been using the same blush for over a year (yawn, right?) and thought it was time to change it up. I have been trying this terra cotta blush with a light swipe on the apples of my cheeks (it doesn’t take much because the Make products are so rich in color) and follow it up with this custom effects matte dew duo that allows you to finish your look with either a matte or dewy look. You just swipe a bit on your fingers and lightly brush on your cheeks after the blush giving such a soft and glowy touch.

5. Wash your brushes!

It may sound obvious, but you would be surprised how many people don’t do this. Would an artist use the same paintbrush over and over again without cleaning it on the every different canvas they painted? No way, jose. All it takes is a little baby shampoo (you can get a little $1 bottle at the grocery store in the sample aisle) and warm water. Get a small cup, fill it, drop a little baby shampoo in there and clean those brushes! I try to do it every 3-4 weeks (which is not scientific at all it’s just what I’ve found works for me).

SHOP MY BEAUTY FAVORITES

FOUNDATION / Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation in 3W1 tawny  •  CONCEALER / Estee Lauder Double Wear Flawless Wear Concealer in medium  •   PRIMER / Zelens velvet mattifying and pore refining primer  •  SKIN ILLUMINATOR / Make skin illuminator  •  EYESHADOW / Make satin finish eyeshadow in Hudson Green, Make matte finish eyeshadow in Poison Oak  •  EYELINER / Make super matte cake liner duo  •  BLUSH / Make terra cotta blush  •  FINISH / Make satin finish effects matte dew  •  BROWS / Make brow sculpting duo  •  LIPSTICK / Make silk cream lipstick

Thanks to Autumn PR for sending me the Make makeup for today’s post and the Tieks team for the Michelle Phan makeup book and products!

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