My Easy Beauty Routine

Do you have an easy beauty routine?  I’ve never been particularly “high maintenance” when it comes to beauty products.  Once I decide to leave the house, I like to get moving so I need an easy and fast beauty routine.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become pickier about my products and have narrowed them down to just a very few that I love.  I’m open to trying new things, and I do enjoy my FabFitFun box, but there hasn’t been anything that has lured me away from my favorites, so far.

Fortunately, I’ve had pretty good skin my entire life.  I had very little trouble with breakouts, and if anything, my skin has been rather dry and sensitive.  So, the fewer products I use at a time, the better.  I’ve never liked the time or expense of a complicated beauty routine, but there are a few products I use regularly.

This post contains links where I might earn a small affiliate fee to help offset the costs of running this blog. This is at no additional cost to you. 

Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Face Wipes

It’s important to remove your make-up every single night. In fact, that’s usually the first thing I do when I get home. I love the feeling of a clean face, and my itchy eyes are better off bare. These face wipes take off all of my make-up, even mascara, with only one wipe. Then I simply splash my face with water, and finish with a little bit of toner. In the morning, I don’t wash again. I just splash, tone, and start my make-up routine. Quick and easy!

The face wipes come in these individually wrapped packets for travel, too! I often find both types at Costco, if you like to shop there.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

As I mentioned, I have dry sensitive skin. I’m rather allergy prone, too. Pretty much anything that upsets my system makes me rashy. Plus, I live in dry, dry Arizona. So on those days when my skin is feeling red and itchy, or I haven’t worn any make-up, I use this very gentle wash instead of the face wipes. I use it on my face, and basically anywhere. My dermatologist gave me a sample once, and I keep it in the giant pump bottle, ever since.

Clarins Toning Lotion for Dry/Normal Skin

One of my favorite splurges is this lovely toning lotion. I once had a facial and the aestheticism used this toner. It was several years ago. This tonor calms my skin right down, and it smells so good. It feels like a treat. In fact, it actually is a treat, because it’s very expensive compared to the witch hazel I used to use. But for now, it’s worth the expense. As I pare back my necessities in retirement, this may have to go. But not yet. If you watch the big department stores around Mother’s Day and other holidays, you can sometimes get this in a huge 30oz bottle. But most of the time it only comes in 6.7 or 13.5 oz bottles. Right now I’m only finding it in the department stores in the 6.7oz size, so this Amazon link is the best option.

Clarins Total Eye Lift

If I could only buy one high-end skin care item, it would be this one. In fact, I would forgo all other products, use olive oil or coconut oil to remove make-up and moisturize (which isn’t a bad plan, actually) to continue using this eye cream. It used to be called Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate, but was recently updated.

I have used Clarins eye cream since it was first introduced in the Oprah magazine in the 90’s. What makes it so special, aside from reducing puffiness and fine lines, is that you put it on the entire eye area, from temple to temple, above and under the eyes. Eye shadows adhere really well to it. I was in my 30’s when a very good friend asked me which eye cream I used. I told her I didn’t use one. She told me that I should use an eye cream, if I used nothing else, and to start immediately! That same night, the Oprah magazine was in my mailbox and Oprah was hyping what she loved about this eye cream. So I went out and bought it.

Clarins Total Eye Lift is an investment, for sure. It has continued to increase in price over the years, but it lasts me over 6 months, sometimes close to a year if I’m thrifty with it. I always break open the bottle when it seems to be empty, and use a make-up spatula to grab the dregs at the bottom of the container. I usually get about 3 more weeks of use out of it!

Another tip, if you like to travel, you can typically buy this for less in Europe. In fact, the best price I ever found was at Sephora on the Champs-Elysee. I bought two!

The link above is currently the best online price I have found. After these 20-some years using this eye cream, I think my eyes look pretty darned good. I do wish she had warned me to always use a neck moisturizer, too. Oh my gosh! I’d say the first thing to go is the skin on your neck!

Laura Mercier Illuminating Pure Canvas Primer

I don’t wear a heavy foundation. A heavy foundation just settles into fine lines, and I don’t really like that “flawless face” look that the younger women are wearing. That’s a whole lot of upkeep, plus I don’t like to look that different when I take my make-up off at night. Instead, I use a tinted moisturizer. I don’t use any other treatments. I launch right into this illuminating primer, before applying the tinted moisturizer. The primer adds a little bit of glow to your face. It’s not a shine, but just a nice subtle glow that looks especially great at night and in photos. The primer gives the tinted moisturizer something to grab on to, and it stays looking great all day.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfecter SPF 30

This is the other item I will move heaven and earth to keep using. I’ve tried pretty much every foundation and tinted moisturizer on the market, and this one is the best. I love the weight of it and the sheerness. I love that it’s build-able, so if you do need a little more coverage in places, you can add it right on. It’s never cakey looking, and it doesn’t settle into fine lines. The SPF 30 is a great bonus! I don’t have to wear a separate sunscreen on my face.

Aveeno Ultra Calming Moisturizer

When I’m not going anywhere, which is the norm these days, I don’t wear any make-up. I’m currently using this great moisturizer for my daily around the house. It’s perfect with my sensitive skin, and has just enough SPF to handle my short walk to the mailbox, or out to the casita to talk with mom. Aveeno has several formulas to choose from.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick

When I feel like wearing eye make-up, I only use these eye-shadow sticks. They go on smooth, are buildable to make the color more intense, and you can mix up the colors if you like wearing a couple of colors at once. The best part is they stay put. You swipe in on the eye lid and/or in the crease, blend it with a brush and leave it alone. It’ll stay put all day. No powders settling into fine lines, or drifting into your eyes or onto your face. I love them!

Laura Mercier Eye Liner

This brown copper eye liner is my go-to color and formula. I wear it pretty much every time I decide to wear make-up. The formula is great. It doesn’t tug or pull on thin crepey eyelids, and it stays put all day. Although I have most of the colors made, this copper brown is the one I typically reach for daytime and for a night out.

Laura Mercier products are my favorite department store brand. I love her facial care products, as well. It’s just that I don’t really use anything other than the eye cream and that toner when it comes to lotions and potions. I’ve had samples and travel sizes of her various moisturizers and elixirs. All are really great. I just don’t use them. But if you like those things and are looking for a good one, head to the LM counter.

L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Boosting Conditioning Primer

This stuff is amazing! I put a single coat on under my mascara and it makes my lashes look so lush and long. I’ve never been into having my lashes weaved, or whatever they do with them. There have been too many friends with horror stories of lashes falling out and breaking off. I’ve tried a lot of different products, and this primer is truly the best. So many make-up people agree! An added bonus is the mascara comes off easier when I use primer. For less that $7, it’s a no-brainer. Pro tip: Complete one eye at a time. Apply the primer, then mascara on one eye, then the other. If I want a second coat of mascara, then I just apply it after I’ve put the first coat on the second eye.

L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara

This has been my favorite mascara for years. It comes in several colors, and is also offered with a curved brush, which I prefer. You can buy the washable, or the waterproof. I prefer the washable. I’ve never needed a waterproof mascara. I’m not a crier, and even on the rare times I do cry, my mascara doesn’t run.

Bronzer as Blush

I use a bronzer on my cheeks, across my forehead, and down my nose, instead of a blush. Blushers usually look fake on me, and since I don’t sun my face, the bronzer gives me the perfect sun-kissed color. I use Laura Mercier, of course. But honestly, any good bronzer will work.

And that’s really about it. As I mentioned, I subscribe to the FabFitFun box, and you can read a little about it in this article here. They typically send other lotions and potions, which I’ll experiment with at night, when I remember. But usually I just let my skin breath. I wash my face, put on lip balm, and go to bed. I do love to use this salve as a lip balm, and on whatever other dry spots are bugging me. It’s always on my night stand.

What are your favorite, “Can’t live without” skin care and cosmetic products? I’m always interested in learning about a new product, especially if you have a fantastic eye cream that can be used in the entire eye area, and doesn’t cost a small fortune. 😊