Elsie’s Clean Makeup Routine – A beautiful mess

It’s been a while since I shared my clean makeup routine here, and I’ve changed things up quite a bit. I love trying new products, and the clean beauty market has exploded with great products in recent years.

With this update I finally use both clean foundations And concealer (which in the past has been an area where I’ve struggled to make clean swaps).

I also recently found some really great brow products that have made a big difference!

I’m a real fan of using clean beauty whenever possible, and I think this is the cleanest my routine has been yet!

Okay, ready to jump in? I’ve tried to minimize this as much as possible, so what I’m showing here is my favorite (or most used) product from each category. I could definitely make it twice as big, but these are my absolute favorites!!!

I’m going to write down the exact colors I use in case you’re curious or happen to be looking for something similar.

Primer: I love Vapor Essential Daily Primer. I notice a big difference when I use it (and when I don’t use it) in how smoothly my makeup applies, so I never skip it again.

Foundation: I’ve tried SO many foundations in the past year. I became obsessed. I really wanted one that gives my skin a glowing feeling and has SPF built in because I tend to be lazy with SPF.

I used to say I wore sunscreen, but after having two children with albinism, I now realize I was BARELY wearing sunscreen. It’s like saying you drink green juice, but actually you have one glass a month.

Anyway, Super Serum Skin Tint from ILIA has nice coverage and suits my skin well. I use color ST5.

Concealer: Kosas Revealer concealer. I have under eye circles, and this works without being too heavy or looking fake.

Over time, I’ve embraced the “less is more” makeup mentality. I tend more towards products that create a more natural effect. I use color 03.

Footnote: Kosas has my other favorite foundation, also. It is very oily so I usually mix it with another brand. But I like the moisture.

Concealer Brushes: I wanted to try it these oval makeup brushes for a long time and I love them. For me they are even better than beauty blenders. I feel like my makeup is the most blended it’s ever been!

Here’s a swatch so you can see the texture of the three products. I use this every day.

Vapor Essential Daily Primer / ILIA Super Serum Skin Tone / Kosas Revealer concealer

Eyebrows: I am loving towards my eyebrows KUSH Fiber Brow. I use it to create a little more volume. My eyebrows are quite small, so the products that add fake little eyebrow hairs (like this tiny wand does) are great for me! It looks real. I use the color herb.

Then I use Anastasia Browwiz to fill in the “bald spots” of my eyebrows and generally darken them.

I’ve used the method to add lots of small lines and it creates a more realistic effect, especially since my eyebrows need to be extended at the ends. I use the color Chestnut brown.

Mascara: I haven’t had eyelash extensions since March last year. However, I’ve had the time to try every clean mascara, and I have to say:ILIA Boundless eyelash mascara it is for me. You can see the wand in the photo above.

For whatever reason, this keeps my lashes from getting clumpy like the fuller wands can. I apply MANY coats of mascara (3-4, drying between each coat) to get my lashes as dark and full as possible.

Eye shadow: I don’t use eye shadow every day, but when I do, I prefer warm colors and a slightly shimmery color The necessary eyeshadow palette from ILIA does the work for me! I use the Hot nude palette.

Eyeliner: For the first time in my ENTIRE adult life, I don’t wear much eyeliner. And when I wear eyeliner, I don’t do giant cat eyes (which used to be my thing).

I’m sure I’ll eventually go back to that look, but for now I’m enjoying a natural look. Anyway, Clean Line Gelliner from ILIA is really nice for a natural look! I use the color Twilight.

Bronze: This is just a good, classic bronzer for just a little bit of contouring or to try to make your neck match your face. I don’t use bronzer every day, only when necessary. I use the color Golden hour.

Liquid Blush: I’m obsessed with liquid blush, it’s definitely my go-to. I love how it combines. If I had to shorten it to just blush, I’d keep it Cloud paint from Glossier. I really like the shade Twilightbecause it works well for my skin tone.

Peachy Blush: This blush from Beautycounter makes me feel like I look more “awake” so I use it a lot, especially when I’m sleep deprived. I really like it with certain outfits. I use the color Nectar.

Lip Crayon: I use Bite’s creamy matte lipstick to line my lips. Sometimes I put lipstick on afterwards, or I just gloss. It makes my lips look more defined and bigger. I don’t use heavy or dark lipstick, so this is the darkest color I wear. I use the color Hard cider.

Lipstick: Color Block lipstick from ILIA is my favorite, I wear it often. It’s really beautiful and natural. I use the color Amber light.

Lip Gloss: I love Bite plumping lip gloss. It’s a little shiny, but doesn’t look like full-on 90s glitter (don’t be afraid). It says it’s getting fuller, but I don’t notice anything in that department.

The color is really nice and it looks nice as it wears off. I use the color Cider donut.

ILIA Color Block Lipstick / Bite creamy matte lip crayon / Bite plumping lip gloss

Vapor Essential Daily Primer / ILIA Super Serum Skin Tone / Kosas Revealer concealer / Anastasia Browwiz / KUSH Fiber Brow / ILIA Boundless eyelash mascara / ILIA Necessary eyeshadow palette / ILIA Clean Line gel liner / LAWLESS velvet matte bronzer / Shinier cloud paint / ILIA Color Block Lipstick

Okay…I know this probably felt like a lot of product, but I did my best to minimize it. If you have any questions, I’ll answer them in the comments! And be sure to check out my clean skincare routine! xo Elsie

PS If you’re not sure when to remove makeup, check out our tips for knowing when it’s time to throw makeup away!