2021 Make-up Must-Haves

I had so much fun with my skincare must-have post last week that, of course, I had to follow it up with my 2021 Make-up Must-haves. right? I mean, what else is a logical next step?

Except that if you know me, make-up is not necessarily my thing. Where I have spent hours and thousands of dollars perfecting my skincare situation (much to Jeff’s chagrin), I’ve always been more of a no-makeup kind of girl. Sure, I love the occasional bold lip or a smokey eye, but more in an abstract sort of “wow, that looks pretty on someone else” idea than an “I could totally rock that” kind of thing. I’ve always been a natural girl, definitely do not understand the finer points of eyeliner or contouring nor do I think it makes sense to spend more than 10 minutes a day on my face. Plus, I like looking like me. So there’s that.

But, being that my reality as a 42-year-old woman means that the natural look looks a little less fresh-faced and glowy and a little more like I haven’t slept for days, some makeup is necessary lest I look dead. And since it is necessary, I’ve spent a fair amount of time searching for the easiest and most multi-purpose and user-friendly make-up possible. This list is the culmination of those hours or searches, the money spent on products, the non-stop testing to find the best.

Now I’ll tell you who this list isn’t for. It is NOT for your makeup aficionados. It’s not for young people who learned how to contour and do a strong brow from YouTube tutorials. This isn’t for someone going for the poreless completely filtered but in real life face. I will probably never publish a must-have list that will make sense for this crowd. And that’s ok.

Instead, this list is for a woman like me. A real-life woman who wants to have a quick “your face but better” routine that takes less than 10 minutes but makes her feel, at least a little bit like she has a glow. This is for the real-life moms who don’t have a ton of time to slap their “face” on each morning but don’t want to forget who they were before kids or stop feeling pretty. This is for you, Sis, so you never forget you’re beautiful and worth every single second you have to invest in feeling like it.

• It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream: This is my go-to foundation/tinted moisturizer. It has the perfect amount of coverage for my skin, evening it out without looking like a mask and providing a great amount of glow. It’s hydrating and has SPF 5o so it’s providing that extra layer beyond my beloved Neutrogena sunscreen. For this one, I truly believe that application is key so I use the IT Cosmetics Dual-sided brush, but it also works well with a damp BeautyBlender. For days when I’m truly going for a no-makeup look (read: just laying around the house) I use Thrive’s CC Cream, but I find that this doesn’t have the coverage or staying power of IT, though it has a huge cult following so it’s definitely worth checking out. Grab the CC Cream HERE.
• It Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer: I feel like the older I get the more concealer becomes my best friend. Gone are the days where I used it in a connect-the-dot type of coverage due to teenage acne. Now, it’s more of a please shellac that nonsense under my eyes so I don’t look dead type of necessity that I do not leave home without. This stuff is LEGIT. It’s thick and very pigmented so a little goes a long way, but it is the only thing (and I mean only) that makes me look alive some days. This little tube is a bit pricey, but it lasts for what feels like forever so it’s an investment I feel good about making. There is no other concealer I trust on this face, so it is a forever must-have you need in your makeup bag. Grab it HERE.
• Beautycounter Blush Stick in Hibiscus and Caramel: When it comes to my makeup I am all about fast and easy so cream blush speaks right to my very lazy soul. I use both of these shades depending on my mood, what I’m going for, and how tan I am. Caramel is more of a bronzer-type color for me, so if I’m feeling adventurous I’ll use it as a slight contour, but I’ll also use it as a light blush when I’m in mid-winter pale. Hibiscus is a bright pink, which seems scary, but it blends perfectly to give just a great flush that looks natural and bright once I’ve rubbed it in. Read: it makes me look not dead. If I’m really feeling crazy and want to spend the extra time, I’ll drop a few swipes of the cult-favorite NARS Orgasm on, but that’s not my every day. Grab these incredible blush sticks HERE.
• Jane Iredale Highlighter: So this is a weird thing to do every day, but highlighter makes me feel less dead and gives me the glow of youth daily that I pay big bucks for at the derm every year. This one blends really well and I love that it’s not too sparkly or glittery. After blending in my blush stick, I run this over the top of my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, and the bow of my lips. Even though I’m not technically contouring, it gives dimension to my face and helps give a glow I love. Find this stuck HERE.
• Beautycounter Brow Gel: Y’all, my brows are my arch enemy. I have a cowlick in one of them that makes it sweep up kind of like you would imagine Satan’s do, and they’re just kind of a mess. I mean, I spend big bucks and go to a lady called THE BROW SHAPING QUEEN and even she is like “Yeah, these are kind of a mess.” But whatever…I’m also not into this big giant completely fake-looking brow trend we’ve got going on. It doesn’t suit my face, which is very small, and just isn’t a look I feel like can (or should) last for a long time. It’s weird. Brows are supposed to be sisters, not twins. We all know this. Anyway, this brow gel fills in my sparse little brows and gives them great definition with the easiest of swipes. I love how it doesn’t make my brows stiff and because it’s safer beauty, I can feel good about it. Grab your Brow Gel HERE.
• Voluminous Mascara: #truestory I have used Voluminous ever since I saw Nikki Taylor in Seventeen Magazine and saw that she used it. So, basically, it’s been forever. It is my favorite mascara, hands down. Now, I have been blessed with great lashes. There are a lot of them and they are very thick and long. They’re not dramatic like the big giant fake lashes trend going on right now (which I also think we need to ditch) but they are definitely one of my best assets. So mascara is something that I wear every single day, working what God gave me. Voluminous never flakes, stays on all day long, and gives me the perfect amount of definition and length. No matter how many times I stray and try the latest and greatest brand, I always come back. Plus, it’s dirt cheap and a drugstore find, so it’s easy on the wallet too. Grab some HERE.
• THRIVE Brilliant Eye Brightener in Muna: This was one of those FB suggests purchases that finally wore me down with incredible marketing and amazing before and after pics. However, this might be the only such purchase that I don’t regret. I don’t use it every day, but on days when I want a little more pop to my eyes, I do. It’s a very soft pencil-type applicator, which goes on smoothly and blends easily. I love the bronze/mauve color and while there is a little shimmer, it’s not glittery or too shiny, which just isn’t a good look for anyone over 12. It has decent staying power, too, which is surprising for a stick shadow. Definitely not an everyday product for me, but something that makes this list for the days I want just a little something more. Find it HERE.
• Beautycounter Beyond Gloss in Bare Shimmer: I am not much a lip girl and never have been but now that we’re masking up everywhere, I am even less. In fact, if I had to guess I’d say that the sales of all lip products have dropped considerably since 2020. It’s just not necessary. However, when I do want to do something other than chapstick (my fave is below) I love Beautycounter’s vanilla-scented gloss. Bare Shimmer is my go-to color because, well, it’s bare. But they also have great darker colors for gals that like a little more drama on their lips. Not sticky, well-pigmented, and clean so you can feel confident and safe wearing it. Grab yours HERE.
• First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Lip Therapy: Now this is much more my speed, a lip balm that helps keep chapped lips at bay without any stickiness or too-much glossiness. I use this daily, have multiple tubes stashed around the house and in my car and in my purse. It’s definitely an all-purpose balm that all my natural girls need to have on hand. Grab yours HERE.

Friends….no matter if you’re a make-up queen or a natural like me, I am positive there is something in here you will fall in love with. Let me know if you try one and how you like it. I’m loving this new MUST HAVE series and can’t wait to share more. Good things are coming, BurntToast fam, and this is going to be a fun ride.

Peace, love, and lip gloss,

Meg

This post features some affiliate links, meaning I get paid a small commission for purchases made through them. Rest assured, though, that I never share products I don’t use and love so you can be sure you’re getting a BT affirmed product each time you shop.

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