Fifty Two Shades of Shay: Makeup

It's the first edition of Fifty Two Shades of Shay!  In case you missed it last week, click here to see what I'm talking about :).  There is a giveaway in the post...so you better read it all!

I get a lot of comments and/or email about my makeup.  Apparently, when you think Shay...you think makeup.  Here's the thing...I'm a bit of a makeup junkie.  And I have been for years.  Some people drink when they're happy...some people eat when they're sad...I buy lipsticks when I'm experiencing any emotional up or down.  A little tube of lipstick just makes me happy.   Makeup is definitely a shade of Shay...

I wear lipstick with a gloss over it every day.  I put on my lipstick first and then apply the rest of my makeup.  The brighter the lipstick, the less other makeup I feel you need...so the lipstick sets the tone for my makeup routine.  These are my glosses.  I love MAC and Nars the best.

My favorite lip gloss is this MAC Like Venus.  It's pink with a little sparkle.  In other words...it's awesome.

These are my MAC lipsticks.  Just my MACs.  They make my heart happy.  I keep the tubes upside down, so that I can quickly and easily find which color I'm looking for.  I also keep them grouped by color as well...I tend to buy pinks, purples and nudes.  And of course, I have the famous MAC Russian Red...every girl needs one good red lipstick.

My very favorite is St. Germaine.  In my opinion, it's the perfect pink for your pout.

This is what I call my "base" drawer.  These are all of the things that I use to create a base before I add the color.

For days when I need a little more coverage, I use Laura Mercier's Oil Free Foundation in Warm Ivory, next to that is my absolute favorite tinted moisturizer, also by Laura Mercier (I wear the shade Bare Radiance).  This is what I wear 95% of the time.  Before I put either on, I apply Laura's Oil Free Primer underneath.  It just keeps everything in place.  On the far right is Sonia Kashuk's Perfecting Translucent Illuminator.  I had been reading about this stuff for years but finally just recently bought some at Target.  It's just a little shimmer to apply on those days when you're feeling (or looking) a little drab.  It didn't take me long to see why it's so popular with all of the magazines.

I used YSL's Touche Eclat #1 on most days as a concealer but when I'm needing something a little heavier, I use Laura Mercier's Secret Concealer #1.  I also love MAC's bronzer in Refined Gold and Nars The Multiple in Orgasm.  Plus, I use a little loose powder from Laura Mercier and my Beauty Blender.  That Beauty Blender is sheer genius...I apply both my foundation and my tinted moisturizer with it.

This right here is my must, must, must product.  It's Urban Decay's eyeshadow primer.  I use it every single day.  Apply it before your eye makeup and you'll never have to worry about smudges or disappearing eye makeup again.  The purple is their Original Formula and the gold is Sin.  The gold has a champagne color to it and the original is translucent.  I love, love, love them!

These are my eye shadows, eye pencils, and blush.

Nars makes the best blush!

I wear either Gaiety or Super Orgasm.  They are worth their weight in gold!

And my favorite mascara...MAC's In Extreme Dimension Lash.  I noticed that my sister-in-law's lashes were looking extra awesome and she said this was her secret.  I bought it and fell in love immediately!  Mascaras are hard to buy...but this one has proven itself a winner to me!

So...now, you see my makeup stash.  I think the important thing is to find a brand that works well with your skin type and that stays in place.  For me, that's a lot of MAC, Nars and Laura Mercier.  I also love shopping for makeup at places like Sephora and Nordstrom because they make returns so easy.  I hate spending money on makeup only to realize when I get home that it's not the right color or it doesn't apply like I had hoped.  These two stores are great at letting you return makeup you've already tried.

Now...time for a giveaway!!  I will be drawing one random winner to receive a $30 Nordstrom gift card (to use on makeup or whatever else your heart desires!).  I will draw the winner from my Face Book followers. If you don't follow me on FB yet, no worries, click here to see my page, like it and you're entered to win.  I will select the winner this Friday morning at 4:30 CST, so you have plenty of time to "like" me.  The winner will be announced here and on Face Book that day.  Good luck!

Next up: Fifty Two Shades of Shay: Spring Shopping for Kids...it's that time of year!