My Date Night (GREEN) Makeup Routine.

Valentines week is upon us! I'm by NO MEANS any kind of makeup expert, but since I've been experimenting with so many new natural beauty products, I thought I would share my little date night makeup routine! As you know, I've been on a mission to swap all my conventional makeup with cleaner, greener products. I have loved discovering so many GOOD for you brands of makeup - especially since I don't feel like I'm sacrificing performance for better ingredients.

Okay, let's get into this date night makeup deal.

I start with a clean face. I've been toying around with different moisturizers and face oils, but mostly, I just make sure my skin is hydrated and not too flaky/dry before applying foundation.

Skin.
First up, I apply Beautycounter Tint Skin in "Sand". This is a good option for those of you who like to use BB or CC creams in lieu of thicker foundation. I love using this every day, but on date night, I put on 2 layers for a bit more coverage. I love that this formula is buildable - WIN.

Then I apply W3LL People Bio-Correct Multi-Action Concealer in "Light" under my eyes, around my nose, on my dark spots and on my eye lids. It helps conceal and brighten my skin. And believe me, these eyes could use some brightening magic.

Eyes.
Next up, I focus on my eyes. First I fill in my brows with Plume Brow Pomade in "Chesnut Decadence". I LOVE this pomade because it fills in my sparse brow spots, helps define and also stimulates growth in the areas that I apply it - such a multi-tasking product!

I don't usually wear eye shadow, but on date night I usually get really wild and throw some color on my lids. SO CRAZY. My sister got me this beautiful Lily Lolo Laid Bare eye palette and the shade I'm wearing in these photos is "Shy Away" - also, I just put it on my lids and blend it a little bit into the crease of my eye. But not too much. Because too much shadow makes me look like I have the plague.

Then I line my eyes with W3LL People Hypnotist liner in "Black" - thicker along the top lash line and smudged underneath my lashes. With the tiniest hint of a wing. P.S. - I'm really pretty terrible at liquid liner and it's one of the things I want to attempt to get good at in 2018. Recommendations are welcome!!

The latest mascara I've been testing is Hynt Beauty Nocturne Mascara in "Black", which is what I applied here. (More of my mascara reviews here).

Cheeks.
Cheek color is very important for yellow skinned humans like myself. I have found so much love in the ILIA multisticks, and I'm wearing the shade "A Fine Romance" here. I apply it just under my cheekbones, where you would normally contour. Hahahah I thought I could get away with saying "where you normally contour" as if that's a normal thing. I NEVER CONTOUR. But I aspire to. But I aspire to sleep in later more than I aspire to learn how to contour. So yeah.

Then I dust on just a tiny bit of The Honest Company Luminizing Powder in the shade "Dusk Reflection" around the edges of my face - in a sweeping motion from my forehead down to my chin. Suddenly it looks like the sun came out in my bathroom ;)

Then I like to add a bit of RMS Beauty Living Luminizer highlighter, because it makes me feel like some kind of moonlit mermaid. I put it ever so slightly on the tops of my cheekbones, on the ridge of my nose and on the cupid's bow of my upper lip. It just adds a hint of magical-ness.

Lips.
Lastly, I apply the ILIA multistick in "A Fine Romance" again, this time to my lips! This is such a rosy delicious color and I love the pop of watermelon-y pink, especially in the winter when I feel kind of drab. This color makes me feel confident!

Then I finish by dusting my face with the W3LL People Realist Invisible Setting Powder to set everything and keep my makeup from sliding around.

There you have it! This is my date night go-to look and the products that I've been playing around with lately.

Why Date Nights MATTER.
One of our New Years resolutions for the year is to be really consistent with weekly date nights. That doesn't always look like getting dressed up and going out - often times it just means setting aside our to-do lists and settling in for an evening of spending time together. We forgo checking our phones and getting on our laptops and instead spend time eating dinner, watching a movie and TALKING.

Truthfully, lately we have been in a really busy stage of life - he's traveling and commuting with his job and I have taken on this new venture with DoTERRA along with my freelance writing and this blog! (!), so doing anything outside of raising our kids takes some serious intention. Planning. And commitment. Taking time to date is SO special and necessary to remaining connected, and I'm grateful that Stevie is as committed to our date nights as I am. Just tonight he came to me about our upcoming Valentines date (which I planned this year!), to confirm our plans. It means so much that he cares to make us a priority, even after 10 years of marriage and two kids! Whew. Our life is busy but I seriously wouldn't trade this life of mine for anything or anyone else's life.

I hope this little makeup chat is helpful to you as you investigate natural beauty options and plan ahead for a romantic date night! I hope everyone has the happiest Valentines Day, whether you're spending it with your significant other or your girls or your mom!! P.S. - My mom and I have some wicked good V-Day plans. Just sayin. xx