the Makeup Minimalist's List of Essential Products

[Note: This post was originally posted April 30, 2020 on a previous blog of mine]

Like many other working women around the world, I don’t find myself wearing a whole lot of makeup these days. Quarantine has changed my daily routine a lot, and one of those changes has been my makeup routine.

In all honestly, my makeup routine has simply been nonexistent. I wash my face in the morning, do my usual skin care steps, and then go about my day knowing my infant son and husband probably won’t notice I have a face of bare skin.

At first, I thoroughly enjoyed the “break” my skin was getting from makeup. This prideful feeling of self-betterment lasted about two weeks, surprisingly enough. But after that, like a Gen. Z teen whose cellphone had just been taken away, I began feeling an all-consuming separation anxiety from what I knew and loved. It was then that I began searching for reasonable excuses to put makeup on, like for going out to water the plants (“the neighbors might see me!”) or for that online work meeting (“I could turn on my webcam this time!)

The first time I put on makeup in quarantine, of course, was in preparation to go to the grocery store. Ahh, the grocery store—the place that so many dread these days for their lack of disposable paper products and for fear of their rampant, deadly, flying germ droplets; the same place I saw as a refuge that fortified my reasons for doing what so many others deem as just face-painting.

I dusted off my vanity seat, pulled my untouched makeup case out from its resting place, and looked at all the dear products that I hadn’t touched in what seemed like years.

“Hello, old friends.”

Yes, I talk to my stuff. I told them I had missed them and them that while not all of them would get used that day, they would all be fairly acknowledged and respected for the noble products they were.

As had been my usual routine, I began plotting my plan of action as I enthusiastically primed my face. Did today feel like a cat-eye day? A falsie day? Or, what about a red-lip day?

Nothing felt right. I was going to the grocery store, and even on a normal Grace Crocker day, I rarely wore those things.

I realized Corona’d done me dirty. I didn’t feel like flashing heavy eyelids at fellow grocery-shoppers who would probably stand so far away from me they wouldn’t even notice, nor did I feel like declaring to the world that I’d run out of face masks by wearing a bold, red lip.

So what was a girl to do?

I opted for the most minimal look I could go for. And that got me thinking, I bet I could come up with some sort of “Minimalist’s Makeup List” for women who feel like this on a daily basis. You know, that girl that wants a little extra security, who wants to look professional and put together, but honestly could care less about contouring, falsies, and perfect eyebrows? Sound familiar? If so, this list is probably for you. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. A decent face wash

Find one that’s not drying or full of harsh ingredients that will damage your skin in the long-run. Here is an article by Elle that is pretty informative about the kind you should get. You don’t have to break the bank to find one that does the job. Here (about USD$12) is the one I’ve used when money has been tight.

2. Moisturizer (preferably with SPF)

It’s always a good idea to prime your skin before putting on any kind of makeup. An easy way to do this is by using a moisturizer. What’s cool about using a moisturizer as a primer is that it will actually do 3 steps of a skin care routine: moisturize, prime, and protect.

Side note: It is a known fact that the sun can cause irreparable damage to skin. So, in my opinion, SPF is not something anyone should skip in the morning. So why not throw it in there with this step? Find a moisturizer that already has SPF in it. Here’s (about USD$14) an affordable, very basic one I'd recommend.

3.Concealer

Only if you need it, though. I never wore concealer until I became pregnant a couple year ago. That’s when I began noticing dark circles. Now I use this one (USD$30) or this one (USD$4.54).

4. Some sort of foundation

If you’re a real makeup minimalist, opt for a mineral powder. I use this one (USD$32). Liquid tends to give a much more flawless look, but it also takes more time and work to apply and the whole point here is minimal effort.

Another route to go if you don’t like mineral powders is to instead get a tinted moisturizer. I use this one (USD$14). I’ve found that it is ALMOST like a light foundation or BB cream. Besides doing all the things we noted above (moisturizing, priming, and protecting if it has SPF), a tinted moisturizer will also buff out blemishes in the skin like a foundation would.

5. A simple blush if you’re as pale as a sheet

Believe me, a little bit of blush can make a world of difference. I use this currently, but if I were looking for a simple one to get by with I’d get this (about USD$5).

6. 2-in-1 eye pencil

Ultimate space-saver. Get an eye pencil that does both brows and liner. This one (USD$4.50) works well.

7. Any kind of mascara

Seriously, any will do the job pretty much. I’ve used this on-and-off for years (about USD$7).

8. Lip balm (also preferably with SPF)

Why do we forget our lips have skin, too? This article does a great job explaining the importance of protecting your lips. I use this currently (USD$5), but there are so many good ones out there. I’ll use this under lip gloss or lipstick, too.

And that’s it, folks. I hope you found this post informative and interesting! Feel free to comment below with anything you’d add to this list!

Grace