on beauty

I've been wanting to do a beauty post ever since I started Fancy Fine. It seems like a blogger requirement these days but I've always loved reading about what products other girls love and use over and over. My daily beauty routine rarely changes, although if I'm doing a photo shoot or going out at night I will experiment with the enthusiasm of a drag queen. It usually takes me all of five minutes to do my makeup in the morning and even less time for my hair because I let it air dry (except when I'm using my beloved hot rollers). I'm a sucker for lovely new products (cute packing will get me every time!) but I tend to be loyal when I find something that I love. Below are my all-time favorite beauty, skin and hair products. If you click on the collages you can find out where to buy everything.

I've got my morning routine down to a science. I start with moisturizer (I love Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer because it's SPF 30 and I can buy it at the drugstore) and then I line my eyes with eyeshadow using a flat liner brush from Sephora. During the day I like wearing a navy, dark purple or rust colored shadow, usually something cheap from Revlon. If my under-eye circles are looking especially scary I'll use a bit of Benefit Eye Bright before brushing on some mineral powder (my favorite is Bare Escentuals) all over my face to even things out. Then I use a big fluffy brush to sweep some blush (always NARS in either Orgasm or Desire) over the apples of my cheeks, smiling like a fool the entire time.

I tend to switch up my mascara more than any other product and currently I'm in love with Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara. It's cheap and it makes my lashes look super long and thick, a winner! I usually don't wear lipstick during the day, instead I'll use Benefit Benetint Lip Balm because it's always in my bag (lasts forever) and I've loved it since I was 15. If I'm going a bit fancier I'll bust out the liquid eyeliner and proper lipstick. My favorite liquid liner is Sephora's Doe Eyed Felt Eyeliner because it goes on super easily, even if your hand is shaky from too much coffee (ahem). My favorite lipsticks are from NARS (Niagra is the best pink ever ever ever) and Make Up For Ever. I always go for a matte finish, I hate anything with shine or sparkle on my lips.

I tend to leave my fingernails unpolished most of the time because it always chips off right away but I'm usually good at keeping my pedicure in shape. I always paint my nails myself, I've never been one for going to a salon (I'd rather spend the money on yummy food). For New Year's Eve I tried the Sally Hansen Real Nail Polish Strips in glittery gold and that shit is still on my fingernails. Pretty amazing, I might just be a convert. My favorite nail polish brands are Paul & Joe and Essie because they both have some wonderfully goofy colors. I'm digging anything puke or garbage hued at the moment.

The most frequent question I'm asked on Fancy Fine is what I do to style my hair. I always feel like a total jerk answering because the short answer is: not that much. Most days I don't do anything except blow dry my bangs, letting the rest of it do what it may. My hair tangles pretty easily so sometimes I'll have a few dreadlocks to brush out, but otherwise I just let it hang there, growing longer and longer because I can't be bothered to have it cut (except for my bangs, and those are usually trimmed by my friend in the bathroom of a karaoke bar, no joke). I'll admit I have tried making more of an effort with the hair lately, mostly by using the magical hot rollers when the mood strikes and not washing the hell out of it every single day (because I only just recently learned that it's bad for your hair). I'm obsessed with Kiehl's Amino Acid Shampoo and Olive Fruit Oil Conditioner but I usually supplement it with the cheap drugstore brands. One of my favorite pastimes is standing in the shampoo aisle of Walgreens for an hour just staring blankly at all the bottles. So many choices, so hard to make just one!

As relaxed as I am about my hair, I'm pretty much the opposite when it comes to my skin. I had terrible skin when I was a teenager (read: acne) so over the years I've become quite militant about taking care of it. Aside from using sunscreen every single day (even if it's raining!) I use a good moisturizer at night (usually Philosophy's Hope in a Jar) and add Dr Brandt's Anti-Oxidant Water Booster to a few glasses of water every day (trust me, it makes your skin look so good after a few weeks). Speaking of water, no beauty post would be complete without mentioning that drinking buckets of it is awesome for your skin. I wish champagne had the same benefits.

My favorite perfume scents have always been tuberose and gardenia. I started using Kiehl's Essence Oil about a year ago and I'm addicted. The tube is easy to throw in my bottomless pit bag and the scent lasts all day long, even after speed walking to and from work. Another favorite product is Bag Balm, probably the best lip balm (and general heavy duty moisturizer) I've ever used. It comes in a giant tin and will last for your entire life and then some. I've had the same tin for maybe, oh, ten years? I usually smear a lot all over my mouth before going to bed, which is obviously incredibly sexy... especially when my cat comes over to investigate and all her fur sticks to my mouth.

The magical hot rollers at work. Go hair!

Vintage image sources can be found on my tumblr.

What are your favorite beauty products?