Summer Makeup Routine

I am in no way an expert on makeup or beauty.  But I totally enjoy reading about makeup routines and reviews.  I am not into doing complicated makeup; I'm more of a simple, less is more type of girl.  I wanted to share my current summertime makeup routine.  

About halfway through this pregnancy, I noticed my face was getting some small dark spots.  I know that hyper-pigmentation can be common in pregnancy, but I never experienced this during my pregnancies with my boys.  Thankfully my darkening spots have remained rather small.  In an effort to combat the dark spots, I decided to give Olay Total Effects Tone Correcting Moisturizer with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15 a try.  Lots of bloggers had given it a try and most of them seemed to like it.  

In general, I'm definitely a tinted moisturizer user, and I must have SPF in my routine, so this was a good choice.  During the first few days, I was unsure if I liked it.  There was a day or two where I felt like it left a greasy residue, but after giving it a couple more tries, I have had no issues with it and haven't felt greasy again.  I find if you'd like more coverage, you can put a mineral foundation on top with no problem, but I tend to skip that.  It is definitely a sheer/tinted coverage.  It makes me look slightly better than nothing, but definitely not like I have make up on.  It doesn't cover my dark spots.  I also haven't noticed them diminish, but that could be because I'm still pregnant and more of a hormonal issue.  I still find that it provides me enough summer moisture, a little color, and the SPF I'm looking for.  

(Don't mind my wet, undone hair in the following photos.)

After Olay Tone Correcting Moisturizer:

As for eyes, I find the more effort I put in, the worse I look.  I'm sure all the makeup experts out there would laugh at my lack of technique.  I keep it simple though.  I do a light sweep over my entire eyelid with Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin.  It gives me just a slight shimmer and champagne color which is perfect to brighten my eyes.  

The day I did these photos, I was testing out the Mark. eyeliner I won in a blog giveaway.  Normally, I tend to skip eyeliner.  I find it either runs down my face during the day, or I have a hard time getting a nice looking line and smudging just makes me look like I let my kids draw on me.  But that may all change.  I have to say I loved this new eyeliner.  Get In Line Hookup Liquid Waterproof Eyeliner by Mark. was impressive.  The brush is great if you like a very fine and straight line.  I like to just line the lash line of my top lashes.  People always say that liquid liner can be difficult to use, but I honestly lined my eyes quickly without any problems at all.  It really did stay in place all day, and the best part is that it is priced at $6.50.  I think this may be a product I repurchase.  

Here's a kind of scary closeup of my eye.  (In the picture below you can see some of the dark spots I mentioned above on my nose and around the eye area.)

Blush is my must have beauty product.  I'll even put it on if I'm not wearing anything else.  I think a flushed cheek can easily improve ones appearance.  Up until recently I had been using an expensive cult favorite brand/color, but I started to feel like it was too bright and the color just wasn't right.  I decided to try Sonia Kashuk for Target.  I got the Beautifying Blush, which is a powder and has reviewed well.  I was very nervous when picking out a color because I didn't want to end up disappointed.  I ended up choosing the color Pink.  It is a very soft and natural pink.  It ended up being perfect.  It gives a light flush that really does look natural.  And if you haven't tried any of the Sonia Kashuk makeup, the compacts are really nice.  They are sleek and magnetic.  Best of all the price is so much better than the expensive kind I was using before.  

Here's a look at the blush on my face.  

This one makes it look really bright pink, but I promise that is just the lighting.  

I finish up with some chapstick, and I'm ready to go.  I probably should add mascara, but I've just never been a huge mascara girl.  I know for most people it's the item they'd have to have, but for me it's blush and chapstick all the way.  

So there is my summertime routine.  It's quick, easy, and only uses a few products.  What are your must haves for summer makeup?