You're all moved into your new apartment or dorm. You're watching countless "Hype Videos" of your team on Facebook. You've bought all of your new fabulous game day outfits and you can't wait to wake up on that first game day morning like Christmas came a few months early. You shower, get dressed, get your hair just right. Now time for the makeup... which is a waist of time since I'm going to be tailgating and getting ROOOWWWDDDYYY at the game, it'll be gone by the end of the days festivities! Right?
WRONG! Working at Sephora allowed me to test out multiple faces and products and I have found my go-to "Game Day Face!" Regardless of who you are, you WILL sweat a good amount during the first couple games of the season. I have oily skin, but whether you're dry, normal, or oily, this face will work for you if you take the right steps.
Prep:
WASH YOUR FACE AND MOISTURIZE. Oil free moisturizers work better for oily skin and I recommend a water based moisturizer for dry skin.
Prime:
Primer is a must for me and because my makeup collection is extensive I use two; some sort of smoothing primer for my pores and texture (like the Makeup Forever Step 1 smoothing), and another so that my foundation has something to hold onto (this can also be your moisturizer, I like the Too Face Hangover Rx soothing primer).
Foundation:
You don't need to use an expensive foundation to get that "flawless" look. My personal favorite foundation at the moment is the Milani 2-in-1 Concealer + Foundation. It is medium to full coverage and you can find it at CVS or Walgreens and is around $10! USE A DAMP BEAUTY BLENDER OR DAMP COSMETIC SPONGE TO APPLY THIS FOUNDATION. I can't tell you how many people have told me they hate this foundation and when I told them to use a damp beauty sponge their lives changed forever. When this foundation is used with a brush it does look "cakey," but when used with a damp sponge and pounced and pushed into the skin, it sets beautifully.
Concealer:
I love the Urban Decay Naked Weightless concealer. I use a shade that is one to two shades lighter then my skin tone to highlight my face as well as cover dark circles. I apply it in a TRIANGLE shape under my eyes. If you apply it in a half moon shape then you will be highlighting that area under your eyes and that's not the look we want. (if it is then disregard that, you do you boo boo)
SET:
THIS IS A CRUCIAL STEP. If you don't set your foundation or concealer then you will hate your life literally all day. You'll start to see creasing in your smile lines and under your eyes as well as notice the foundation breaking up underneath where your sunglasses rest on your face. Take your damp beauty sponge and dip it into a translucent setting powder and stamp it underneath your eyes and wherever else you put concealer. I love the Laura Mercier translucent setting powder (for normal to oily skin) or the RCMA No Color powder (for dry skin). I do this then do my eye look (USE EYE SHADOW PRIMER) and when I'm ready to move on to my lash line I take a big fluffy brush and wipe away the excess powder. This is also called "Baking." I love this technique because it also wipes away any of the fall out from the eye shadow as well as locks in my look. My makeup does not budge at all, all day if I do this step. I also like to set the perimeter of my face with the Too Faced Cocoa Foundation Powder because it sets the areas where I'll be putting a bronzer or contour, and it smells like chocolate. I ran out of my makeup setting spray a couple months ago and just haven't had the time to go pick up another one, but honestly I haven't seen a dramatic difference in my makeup, so to me this step of a "setting spray" is optional.
I've worn this face through cheering under the Friday night lights, competitive cheerleading competitions, and its the face I plan on using the whole week of Rush. It's never failed me and I promise if you do these steps, your makeup will last through every touch down your team makes! (Go Noles!)
