I use Kiss. I lose like 4 nails the first few days and then once they are all on good, they last up to 3 weeks!

I spray with alcohol every night to avoid fungus and what not.

Honestly a giant fan of shadow sticks - could you get one in black and one in pink?

I pat pat pat or dab dab dab instead of scratch scratch scratch or rub rub rub.

I wear gold with lots of other colors (pink, brown, green). I use the gold from the inner corner to the middle of my eye lid and the other color on the outer eye corner, and usually another color for the crease. It looks really pretty in the fall and I’ll be wearing it through the Christmas holiday before swapping for Silver in spring :).

I have the same problem so I take a video of the look and rewatch it. If it looks too flat. I usually add blush, and inevitably add more eyeliner - because it’s the part of my face that is easy to make pop with the stroke of a line.

In your description, I see two major ways to add color or depth that include doing something big with your lips and extending the eye shadow beyond your crease.

I find that outlining my outer corner with a fun color and doing the inner lid with something light, and choosing an in between transition shade gives me more of that “hey, I’m wearing make up!” look I want. I also feel more made up with a swipe of highlighter or a more glowy foundation with no powder on top.

This is pretty accurate:

https://findation.com

Estee Lauder Double Wear is pretty weightless and has good coverage.

The Clinique Even Better is pretty light in comparison to heavier coverage by Clinique.

When I switched from foundation to powder, my face felt really great and almost as if I had nothing on - but I had some good coverage with nicer brands - it was a really positive change, but I wouldn’t recommend if you are going to be in your make up 10+ hours.

I’m down to 3-4 products and 10 minutes if I don’t switch my look:

1. Futurist foundation - after months of searching for a match, this one replaces concealer, moisturizer and baking. It’s matte, but not as matte as KVD or UD long wearing - and it feels nicer on the skin.

2. Pat McGrath Labs lipstick - I have a few bullet lipsticks that I like for their longevity, but this (Matte Trance) is the one that I think is most pigmented and has a color I am obsessed with because it looks good with everything. Close runner ups for variety and if I have a minute for the lip color to stain include GXVE and Pixi liquid lips.

3. A good black eyeliner - I have a few favorites ranging from Sephora to Mac - and the ones I tend to like best are Kohl (sometimes I do a liquid but it takes more time because I have to be careful to be precise).

Beyond that, sometimes I swipe highlighter or a cheek balm over top, if I don’t do a blush.

Mascara doesn’t take long, either - my go to is MAC; pretty much any style, but I like High Impact by Clinique.

Are you in the U.S.? I have ideas I can dm you - because they aren’t the most popular!

It’s all in the brand. I tried some Amor Us just to do a full face of make up for giggles, and when I blew my nose once, I ended up with a giant patch of setting spray, powder, foundation and primer all completely GONE for the rest of the day. The rest slid off my face by noon.

You get what you pay for, I guess - I think Estee Lauder, Urban Decay, and KVD, and Too Faced make my favorite long wearing make up and I can be very confident it won’t need a touch up.

I just have play days where I test all my products and “rehearse” for when I’m actually going somewhere. Irony is that when that day comes, I’m usually panicking that I need something new or my hair or outfit is off - or I lose a palette or a mascara, etc… however, I feel guilty that this is my only accomplishment on the weekends when maybe I should be more productive!

Morphe Khaki Calling is a good one, and Wild Greens by Urban Decay, maybe?

I have five make up stations in my house:

1. In my bathroom

2. At the top of my stairwell

3. In my bedroom

4. By my entry - downstairs from my bathroom/bedroom

5. Next to the kitchen

I do my skin care in the bathroom, which is mostly toner and moisturizer. I put my foundation on in my bedroom. My eyeliner and blush goes on at the top of the stairwell. Lipstick, mascara and eyeshadow go on downstairs by the entry.

I also have a bag of cosmetics in my car in case I run out the door without a complete look.

I can absolutely never use a vanity!

I second Ruby Woo but it leans a bit orange for me.

I have a few reds by GXVE that are my go to’s. They last all day - even longer than more expensive brands.

I have a red by Pat McGrath Labs that is slightly drying - not prepared to recommend it or the KVD red - just not creamy enough …. the color is actually great.

I don’t know what to believe - because I’m wearing some Almay Smart Shade and it’s fully absorbed and blended - even though when I put it on, it was white. I am in a bit of disbelief, because when I walked past a bunch of mirrors today, it wasn’t as if it didn’t look like I was wearing foundation - it looked great - muted my wrinkles and my under eye bags. I wouldn’t completely discount it as an every day foundation for summer, to be honest.