The Only Makeup Products You Should Ever Worry About

To be clear, you don't NEED any makeup or beauty products EVER. You can do whatever you want with your face and there are no MUST - haves in terms of beauty (so don't let all those adds tell you otherwise). However, in the event that you are just starting out with makeup or want a better idea of what to invest in, keep on reading.I am the first to admit that I spend WAY too much money at Sephora, but recently I've been noticing that I've cut back. There are certain products I'm drawn to every day, whereas others fall by the wayside. Listed below are the ones I've noticed I actually use every single day and the ones I think are worth having around.

Necessities:

1.) Concealer: If nothing else, I always wear concealer. Many times I have bad skin and use foundation as well. But while I wear concealer without foundation, I never wear foundation without concealer. Concealer is highly pigmented and can be used to cover up under-eye bags, redness, and blemishes. All things the lay-person suffers from, and for that reason, I believe it is indispensable in a beauty routine for appearing fresh faced. I personally use it to conceal my prominent under eye darkness, redness around my nose, and any blemishes that have decided to curse me that day.

2.) Blush: Blush and concealer go hand in hand for me in appearing healthy and awake. Blush is simple, takes seconds, and provides a flush to the cheeks implying good health. Unless you are naturally ruddy, blush can go a long way in a beauty routine. My skin is naturally colorless. I look pretty dull when I wake up and concealer only goes further to make my face appear lifeless and flat (although clear!), so blush helps add some dimension and life back in.

3.) Brow pencil: If you are blessed with lovely, thick brows, then feel free to skip this bullet, but as we've seen in recent beauty trends, brows really do frame the face and filling and shaping them up a bit can add dimension to your features. Luckily, I've found very little difference between expensive and drugstore brow pencils so this one is easy to come by. My brows are pretty thick as it is, but I find this product useful for filling in sparse spots, and defining the shape at the ends.

4.) Eyeliner: To be fair, this one might be optional for a lot of you. However, I never leave home without at least a little bit of this stuff smudged into my lash line. It adds drama to the eyes, and that's my favorite feature, so this might just be personal preference.

5.) Mascara/Eyelash Curler: I've lumped those two together to impress upon you guys that eyelashes are important! I need the eyelash curler because my lashes basically point down into my eyes, but I know many of you are blessed with beautiful upwards facing lashes and therefore only would want to add some mascara. Mascara darkens and thickens lashes to add more definition and bring attention to the eyes, and I believe it is one of the pillars of a makeup routine. I realize that this is only five products and I've designed it that way. We are so overwhelmed with needing this new mascara or that new bronzer and we accumulate makeup that we could never possibly use. I hate that idea of wasting product and wasting money, so I've kept the list trim.

However, below I've shared the other products that still get good use in my makeup bag, but are not absolute essentials for me.

Nice to Have:

Foundation: This product simply evens out your skin tone and will cover up any redness, minor spots, or darkness. It's great to start your makeup with this, but if I can, I try and get away with just concealer on most days.

Powder: Powder is nice to add to a routine if you are oily or if you prefer a matte finish to your makeup. It can help reduce shine and also keep your makeup in place. I usually need this on my T-Zone, especially on long work days to keep everything in place.

Bronzer: In our current age of contouring, bronzer can be a useful tool to either add a sunkissed glow or to bring out your bone structure. I don't find this necessary to use every day. I do, however, sometimes use it in place of blush to add dimension and life to the face.

Eyeshadow: Eyeshadow is so versatile you're probably asking yourself why it wasn't included in the list of necessities. This is because although eyeshadow can be a great tool for adding more dimension to your eyes, I find that enough definition can be achieved through eyeliner and mascara alone. Plus, eyeshadows come in an overwhelming array of textures, colors, and formulas and it can be stressful to narrow down a collection of eyeshadow.

Lipstick: MELINA. WHY. I know, I know. Lipstick is very important to a lot of people, but for me, it's just not necessary. Most of the time, it's rubbed off before lunch time in an unsightly manner and I hate worrying about reapplying. If I must use something, I'll use lip balm and a slight lip tint. In the end, remember, you don't NEED anything. But if you're looking to pare down your routine, or get started in the beauty world, just know that you can achieve great looks with only a few key products. Good luck!