5 Ways to Dial Down Your Makeup Routine

By Marianne Mychaskiw
Apr 27, 2016 @ 4:15 pm
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It's officially tinted moisturizer season, guys and gals. Once the temperature starts to rise, we start spring cleaning our makeup bags, swapping the heavier formulas for lightweight alternatives, and hopefully, dialing down the product lineup significantly. Because it's way too nice to spend so much time indoors perfecting your makeup, we put together a guide on how to reduce the steps of your primping routine. Scroll down to see five areas of your makeup routine where you can scale things back.

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Combination Skincare

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A product that combines skincare qualities with a primer and SPF will allow you to lighten up on the skincare you pile on before starting on the rest of your face. We love Glossier's Priming Moisturizer ($25; glossier.com), as well as Tatcha's Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen ($68; sephora.com), which acts as a budge-proof base that helps minimize the appearance of pores. Another option? Try cutting your favorite moisturizer with a few drops of primer to create your own mixture.

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One-Step Foundations

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If you're still clinging tight to your foundation, we recommend going for a lightweight option that can double as concealer when layered, like Clinique's Chubby in the Nude Foundation Stick ($24; nordstrom.com). Otherwise, trade in your full-coverage base for a lightweight tinted moisturizer like Urban Decay's ($34; sephora.com) or BB cream to let your skin breathe. Finish with a light dusting of powder on your T-zone, and you're good to go.

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Minimalist Contouring

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Because realistically, no one has time to plot out a series of Lion King-esque stripes to flatter everything the light touches. Contouring doesn't always have to be complicated, and usually, you don't need more than two stripes on either side of your face, down your chin, and around your forehead to master the technique—down the sides of your nose is completely optional. This isn't for Instagram, after all. We love how the two-sided Sculpting Pencil from Nudestix ($24; sephora.com) takes an absolute minimalist approach, and is easy enough to blend out with your fingers.

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Multitasking Cheek Products

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A super-subtle lip and cheek tint can provide a sheer wash of color in both areas, not to mention, takes the guesswork out of finding a coordinating pair. We love the Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek stick ($24; sephora.com). Additionally, illuminators similar to NARS' The Multiple in Luxor ($39; nordstrom.com) moonlight as an opalescent cream shadow on your lids in addition to the traditional placement on your cheekbones.

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One-Size-Fits-All Shadows

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Never underestimate the power of a tawny neutral—soft matte brown tones like the ones in Urban Decay's Naked Basics palette ($29; nordstrom.com) can do double duty to create definition on your eyelids while acting as a brow filler.

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