My Non-Negotiable Make Up Must Haves

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As someone who has sensitive, acne prone skin, I have to be very careful with what I use on my face. I can’t use products with strong fragrances or niacinamide; most sunscreens either burn, make my face ridiculously oily, or trigger acne; and my skin barrier is easily disrupted. Finding the right moisturizer is an especially huge challenge: if it’s not rich enough my skin gets too dry and feels tight, but if it’s too thick my skin gets slick and oily. The humidity in South Carolina makes my skin go crazy! My skin care and makeup journey has been confusing, contradictory, and exhausting…but that’s a whole different post.

I started wearing makeup when I was about 12 years old. I’ll be 29 this year, and I’ve worn a lot of it! Make up has been a big part of my life. I believe that make up is a form of creativity, self expression, and is truly a form of art. For me make up is therapeutic- not just the time I take in putting it on, but the application process, the style, the products, and the end result itself.

I think you can tell a lot about a person by how they wear their make up, if they wear any at all, and what features they choose to enhance or hide. For example…while I usually choose a cc cream instead of a traditional foundation, I love wearing gold eyeshadow paired with long, defined, voluminous eyelashes! Since my color analysis I’ve also become a lover of red lipstick (which is shocking, if you knew me before then).

I’ve tried my hand at contouring and using highlighter before but it never felt authentic, so I mostly stick to what I’ll call the intermediate basics: primer, cc cream, setting spray and/or powder, brow filler, eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, blush, and lipstick or lip gloss. I know it sounds like a lot, but not everyone wants or needs to use every type of product! It’s all about personal preferences.

Okay, let’s get into my routine! I’ll list everything step-by-step.

Merle Norman Foundation Primer Plus SPF 15 – this gel primer is soothing on my sensitive skin, feels luxurious and silky, and gives my skin a blurred effect. It doesn’t have niacinamide, thank goodness, but does have various peptides, vitamins, ceramides, and green tea extract!
Merle Norman CC Cream, Broad Spectrum SPF 30 in shade Light Ivory – this light coverage, semi-matte cc cream is perfect for my skin and my needs. It gives me an even skin tone, covers any redness I have, and does fantastically in my under eye area as well. I find that it layers well with concealer (on the rare occasion I use it) and gives a perfect blurred finish. It has skin-loving ingredients like Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and tripeptides. I love that it looks like my skin instead of like makeup!
Merle Norman Flawless Effect Loose Face Powder – when I need a little extra coverage or want more of a “foundation” look, this tinted setting powder gives me a flawless, smooth, blurred finish. It feels silky and lightweight on my face, and it’s easy to customize the amount of coverage. I wear the shade Barely There; and there are two more to choose from!
Merle Norman Expert Touch Finishing Spray – this setting spray is so soothing, and it never feels sticky or makes my skin feel tight. It’s an ultra-fine mist that dries quickly, which is great since I use it as needed during the day if I need a quick touch up or refresh. I feel like it lets my skin “breathe” instead of being a full on barrier like a lot of others I’ve tried.
- I also really enjoy the L’Oreal Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist! It’s the perfect size to toss in your purse, and while it is an aerosol, it’s not drying in my opinion.
  - Quick tip for all aerosol sprays: don’t forget to clean the nozzle with a dry cotton swap after each use to prevent clogs! I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been frustrated with my dry shampoo or hairspray because of this…
BROWS – I don’t have a favorite brow product right now, but I’ve been using the Covergirl Clean Fresh Brow Nano Eyebrow Pencil in the shade Soft Brown. It’s really close to my hard-to-find favorite and is easy to use. It fills in some sparse areas that I have, the color is a great match, and it’s not too intense. I’ve also tried the L’Oreal Paris Infallible Brows 24-Hour Volumizing Brow Mascara. I like it well enough, it provides good color and a kind of laminated effect. It holds up well in the South Carolina heat and humidity we’ve already been experiencing, and stays on even when I’m sweating from chasing animals + kids or working out…or, you know, when it’s just plain hot outside! My only issue is that it isn’t as easy to use and definitely has a learning curve.
- I use both products with this e.l.f. Eyelash & Brow Wand – it’s the best brow spoolie I’ve ever used!
Milani Stay Put Eyeshadow Primer – this creamy, lightweight eyeshadow primer applies so smoothly! It has a slight tint that covers the natural purpleish tones of my upper eyelids, which I love. It’s crease-proof, vegan, cruelty free, and gives my eyeshadows a smooth base. A little bit goes a long way with this: using too much can make your eyeshadow look uneven.
L’Oreal Infallible Grip Gel Mechanical Eyeliner in shade Denim Brown – this is the only eyeliner I’ve used for over a year now. I like the hyper-pigmented dark brown color and non shimmer finish. It’s water-proof and smudge resistant, but I have occasionally noticed that I’ll have a little bit of transfer at the time of application. Honestly that’s probably because I blink immediately instead of giving it a few seconds to dry though. Fellow contact lens wearers, IYKYK!
Morphe 2 Wallflower Eyeshadow Palette – this eyeshadow palette was recommended to me by another autumn I know! I’ve enjoyed the long lasting color intensity from the glitter shades, and how versatile the colors are. It has 12 pans…but I admit I only really use half of them. There are a few shades that I don’t feel would fall into the autumn seasonal palette, and a couple of others (read: orange) that just scare me a little.
- Another palette I’ve heard great things about is the Morphe 9R Bronze Metal Artistry Palette. I plan on trying this one next and I’m super excited!
- Fun Fact about me: I’m allergic to glitter! People tend to not believe me when they find out, but I can’t touch craft glitter, party glitter, or glitter on clothing without breaking out in hives and itching head to toe. Most cosmetic glitters are safe for me, but I always have to test them behind my ear to be sure. When I was in middle school I thought I would be safe to use a body spray that had glitter in it…and had to go to the emergency room.
L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara, shade Latte Brown – I love this mascara! This is what I used before my color analysis (but in black) and I was ecstatic when I found out L’Oreal launched a brown version. I haven’t found another mascara that gives me the same volume and length definition that this does. It’s great for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers, it’s long wearing, and I’ve tried purposefully smudging it before (for science) and I just couldn’t get it to go anywhere. It glides on so smoothly, and contains conditioning oils- I swear my eyelashes have grown since I started wearing it again!
bareMinerals Gen Nude Blonzer, shade Kiss of Copper – I’ve been using this blush since I had my color analysis in April 2024, and although I’m curious about a few others, I know I will always have one of these in my makeup bag! As a blush + bronzer in one product, gives me a lit-from-within glow. It goes on smoothly, has a little bit of a blurring effect, and really seems to blend into my skin like it’s made for me. I’ve used it as an eyeshadow before as well, and it was gorgeous!
My last step is always lips. I have a few products I alternate through:
- House of Colour L22, Salmon Shimmer – need I say more on this one?! The formula is smooth, the color is versatile, it has a little bit of shimmer…perfect. Here’s a reel from my Instagram: Put my lips on with me!
- The B Collection’s lipstick #12 – a gorgeous shade described as an “orangey red.” It’s a traditional lipstick finish, so not too shiny but not matte. Check out my reel for the first time I wore this one: I bought a new lipstick!
  - This brand is developed and founded by a former color consultant, Betsy. All of the autumn shades are under the “Ginger” collection!
- House of Colour LG86, Paprika – this color is absolutely gorgeous. The formula is extremely sticky in my opinion, but it’s also moisturizing and the color payout is fantastic.
- House of Colour LG72, Coral – again, a gorgeous color! This one is more on the sheer side, so I use it when I want a more neutral look. The formula is still sticky, but I like the moisturizing feel and the shimmer.
- Maybelline Lifter Gloss in Rust

There you have it, my makeup routine and must-have products! I have my eye on a few other things I’d like to try as well, so this list may be updated in the future, but there are still some products that will 100% be staying in my lineup.

Now I have to know: Have you tried any of these? What are your must-haves?!