Listen. Nobody needs makeup. Nobody needs to do any of this stuff - getting dressed up, playing with clothes, experimenting with beauty, and on and on, but it’s hard to deny that it feels fucking great. I’m heavy into clothes (obviously) and skincare, but historically less expert in makeup - I tend to slap on some tinted primer, maybe a little blush or bronzer, and call it a day. Because I’m a) lazy, and b) afraid that if I wear more than a little bit I’ll look….too much? But as I’m aging, I realize that a little bit goes a long way, and done correctly, it doesn’t have to look pageant-y.
I do not want to look pageant-y.
One brand that I’ve always had good luck with is ILIA. I love their Lip Sketch Crayons for subtle lip color, their eyebrow gel is a long-standing favorite of mine, and the Multi-Stick is super easy to use (even if you have no idea what you’re doing). They just launched a new brown version of their Limitless Lash Mascara, which is great for people like me who prefer a softer, more subtle look, and obviously, I was excited to try it. I wanted to use it and try and work out three super simple, kind of fool proof makeup routines that I can do when I need to look a little more alive for dropoff and errands, for a meeting, or for a night out. Happily for me, ILIA wanted to partner on my makeup education project, and so they’re supporting this letter (and bringing it to you free!). They’re also offering readers a 15% discount on orders with the code EARLEARL - so you know what to do!
FOR DAYTIME
I wanted something that would essentially make me look awake, not overly primped, so I kept this one SUPER simple. I started with the Bright Spot Activated Eye Cream, and then the Super Serum Skin Tint which has mineral SPF 40, so it has a multi-use benefit. It also has Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, and Squaline, so it improves your skin over time. A little goes a long way, so I use a few drops all over my face to even out my skin tone.
Then I did my eyebrows - I like the In Full Micro-Tip Brow Pencil in Taupe to fill in my bald spots, and help my brows look a little fuller. Once they’re filled, I use ILIA’s In Frame Brow Gel, which is THE BEST EVER. It has such a great hold, my eyebrows feel crispy. Which is exactly what I want - they never ever budge.
Next comes the Multi-Stick in Whisper, which is a peachy pink, across the apples of my cheeks and the bridge of my nose. I like looking like I have a tiny bit of a sunburn. So then I use the Sunshift Cream Bronzer in Eclipse (a light pinky bronze) with the Perfecting Buff Brush across the tops of my cheeks, and the outer corners of my forehead.
Next! The Limitless Lash mascara in Before Dawn, a really subtle brown, on my top and bottom lashes. It makes my eyelashes look more defined, but not spidery or anything crazy. The finishing touch is the Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil in Tahiti, a mauvey pink, which looks natural and helps to moisturize my lips. And that’s it!
FOR A MEETING
If I’m going to a meeting, I might need a little more than that. I love the idea of a smokey brown eye - but a day version - so that’s I went for. After prepping my skin and eyebrows - the same way as above (with the Super Serum Skin Tint, the In Full Micro-Tip Brow Pencil in Taupe, and the In Frame Brow Gel) I used ILIA’s Eye Stylus in Noble. It’s a creamy matte light brown eyeshadow that doesn’t crease or move around once it’s on. I love it. It kind of enhances your natural eyelid color. I use it on my upper eyelids and then tried putting a little bit under my lower lashes too and I loved how it looked. Blending it in with my finger gave it a smokey effect without being SO intense.
Next, I used the Clean Line Gel Eyeliner in Dusk, and kind of nudged it along my upper eyelashes, then swooped a tiny tiny bit along my inner lash line. If you have blue or green eyes, doing that with brown liner makes them look SUPER blue.
I’ve learned that a little cheek color really does a lot for the overall effect, so I used the Multi-Stick in At Last (a kind of mauvey rose) just a bit on the apples of my cheeks and blended it in. Then, a swipe of the Lip Sketch in Pampas (which is my favorite every day color - it’s subtle, and like your lips but a little better). The last step was the Limitless Lash Mascara in Before Dawn. It gave everything else I did a little extra OOMPH without looking too makeupy.
FOR A NIGHT OUT
Ok so what if I want a LOOK? I’m not capable of doing anything that requires too much expertise (contouring? No. A true smokey eye? No.) so a red lip is about as far as I can push it - also it’s about as far as I want to push it.
Whenever I do a red lip, I always make sure my lips are super moisturized, and my skin looks flawless. I put on a layer of my beloved lip balm, the Hydrating Lip Wrap, and then also used the Barrier Build Skin Protectant Cream to moisturize my skin and give it some dew. I prepped my skin and brows again with the Super Serum Skin Tint, the In Full Micro-Tip Brow Pencil in Taupe, and the In Frame Brow Gel, and then also used the Skin Rewind Complexion Stick in Tupelo underneath my eyes, on my brow bone, and around the outside of my nose. It’s an excellent concealer - it has solid coverage, but isn’t cakey, and didn’t crease under my eyes. It’s buildable and easy to blend, so I also didn’t feel like I was tugging on my delicate under eye skin. It made such a difference, I really regretted not using it in every look!
Once the canvas was primed (lol) I used the Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon in Piazza, a bright, orangey poppy red. I LOVE IT. It’s so vibrant, but feels so nice on. It looks very glossy over the Lip Wrap, but I much prefer that to dry and dusty feeling.
I like to keep the rest of my face very, very simple when I’m doing a red lip look, but that doesn’t mean not using anything else. I put on a bit of Multi-Stick in Tenderly, a very pale pink, and Lightshift Highlighter in Glint on the tops of my cheeks, down my nose, and on my brow bones. The goal is to have super bright, glowy skin with red lips.
The last step was the Limitless Lash Mascara in Before Dawn I didn’t want any liner or any eyeshadow so that it kept the whole focus on my lips, but the mascara really did a lot to help define my eyes.
And that! Is that! I think I did ok? And now I have everything I need for whatever I might need it for.
After this exercise, I think my daily routine will look like: Skin Tint, undereye concealer, Multi-Stick in Whisper, brown mascara, and Lip Wrap. That feels doable for every day, and not like too too much. Right?
Your friend,
Laurel
Photos by the excellent Bliss Braoudakis
Share this post