so, very long story short i wasn’t wearing makeup for a few months in an effort to tone things down and just let my skin breathe.  i’m not a heavy makeup wearer to start, but going cold turkey for several weeks did wonders for my face.  it probably helped that i was using gentle face washes and prescription topical treatments, and i’m happy to say that things are balanced these days.

once i decided that i was ready to go back to the makeup routine, i knew i wanted to introduce items one-by-one so that i wasn’t bombarding my skin.  i figured the best place to start would be with the powder and foundation, and that’s just what i did.  in the past i’ve just picked up whatever i knew and whatever was cheapest, and although i didn’t want to skimp on some good products, i also did not want to break the bank.  that meant i started things off with some calmer products by almay.

first up was the truly lasting color liquid makeup as a foundation.  the key here for me was to get good coverage without caking it on.  thankfully with smoother and clearer skin to start, i only now need a light layer of foundation to create a uniform tone.

next i started using (and have really been loving) the smart shade loose finishing powder.  a little dab of this stuff will do ya to finish off a smooth and natural look.

but to use that finishing powder, i needed just the right brush for the job.  it was time for a new set of brushes (i’ll admit i’d held onto my old ones for way too long), so while at ulta i stopped by the cosmetic accessory aisle.  now, i’m no makeup artist, so paying a ton for a single brush didn’t seem very sensible for me.  what i did find, though, was the most darling little pack of brushes in the ecotools five piece travel set.  besides coming in the most adorable little pouch, these brushes (as you would find out from other reviews) are ridiculously soft.  the big blush/powder brush picks up just the right amount of product before i sweep it on my skin.  i can tell that these few basic investments i’m making now will be the building blocks of good, appropriate makeup wear for years to come.