Simple's the name of the game.

You know what's one big irony? The fact that I, a beauty blogger and makeup artist, love wearing little to no makeup as much as possible. Don't get me wrong, wearing makeup makes me more confident and beautiful but being barefaced makes me feel free and 100% me. Letting other people see me sans makeup is no big deal and maybe, just maybe, that's because I have nothing on me that makes me insecure. I don't have any scars, pimple marks, oversized pores, and all the works and I have my mom's good skin genes to thank for. And before you go on thinking how arrogant I'm sounding right now, I do have imperfections like redness, dark spots, and dry patches and it's up to me to handle all blemishes that come my way now. As I got to know my skin better, I learned how to take care of it more. I more or less knew which products work best on me, which regimen made my skin better. All of that helped me be okay with my natural beauty and helped me not to hide myself on a thick mask of makeup. Irony, irony...

I got inspired to share my fave items to use that let me be okay when barefaced because I was inspired by Glossier, a brand that creates beauty products for real life. They believe in the mantra "Skin first, makeup second, smile always." and it's something I absolutely I agree with. They're a different kind of company because they create the essentials: straightforward beauty products women use on a daily basis. Glossier believes on focusing on the skin first, then everything follows. While browsing their site, I'm really happy to see how they divided their staples: Phase 1 for skin care and Phase 2 for makeup. As simple as that. And in a world where a lot of people are entering the beauty world, it's nice to see that Glossier offers simplicity and the basics.

Glossier's Phase 1: Skincare Set

Glossier's Phase 2: Makeup

For this post, I'll be sharing the items I use almost on a daily basis in two phases as well, just like Glossier's. These are the products I use that make my skin feel and look good, as well as products that enhance my natural beauty in the most subtle way. This is the capsule that embodies "Less is more."

PHASE ONE: SKINCARE

The Cleanser: The Face Shop Fermented Foam Adlay Cleanser

I always make sure I give my skin a good clean at the end of the day because dirt buildup is not pretty. Giving my skin a good clean with this cleanser helps reduce that buildup and it's nice that this facial wash removes dirt and makeup residue without stripping my skin of moisture.

The Moisturizer: Beaubelle Shield Nude Holistic Solar Defence Fluid

I love moisturizers and and I love it when there's SPF involved. One can never be too cautious and now that it's summer season, I'll hoard all the SPF I could get. Moisturizers help my skin to be more supple and base ready as it smoothens everything out and makes sure my face is a, well, smooth canvas.

The Base: e.l.f. Clarifying Pressed Powder

I mentioned many times before that when it comes to base, I'm Team Powder because 1. they're fuss-free, 2. they don't make your face look patchy when they fade, and 3. they don't melt. They're just the perfect item to use on hot sunny days, you know? I love using my e.l.f. powder because it's so lightweight on the face. It gives a subtle matte finish and there's still a little glow that comes through. It's also good with pore blurring although if you're a hardcore pore blurring fan, this may not be for you. While exploring Glossier's site, I discovered their base called Perfecting Skin Tint. Available in five shades, the skin tint evens out discoloration and makes the skin toned, smooth and dewy. They say that it's a really sheer product, that it won't hide any imperfections and I have to say, I don't really mind that. It's nice to know that there's a base that makes your face still look like yours, only enhanced and better, no? I also learned that it has Diamond Powder (!), the culprit for the product's brightening, blurring, and pore-minimizing effect. How intriguing! Now that's one base I'd really like to try.

The Balm: Good Ol' Petroleum Jelly

I use the handy petroleum jelly for pretty much the same thing: moisturizing, especially my lips. I slather petroleum jelly before going to bed and I wake up with lippie-ready puckers. I like using lip balms every now and then but really, petroleum jelly does a great job in healing cuts and cracked lips and that's why I always end up using it more than commercial lip balms. And because it's available everywhere, I can buy it anytime with ease. If you fancy a balm with ingredients like castor seed oil, beeswax, and cupuacu fruit extract, Balm Dotcom is the product to try. Oh, they also have a coconut version of it!

PHASE TWO: MAKEUP

The Concealer: Bobbie Cosmetics Poof! Concealer

Still a favorite of mine after all this time. I know this post is about all natural beauty and sheer cosmetics but dark circles has always been a problem of mine. I need something that can at least lessen it a bit and this concealer does a good job with it. Sure it's not the most heavy coverage concealer out there but its coverage is enough for me. I like that it still looks like skin when blended out but it reduces the darkness on my undereye without looking too cakey and thick. 

The Lippie: Burberry Lip Cover in English Rose

Lippie is life- fact. I could skip all steps listed above but I could never leave the house without lipstick on. I like how a simple tube of color can add a pop of sunshine on the lips without altering our appearance too much. English Rose is an everyday color for me because it's looks natural. It's an MLBB shade and it's something I can wear on any day and nighttime look. It has a silky creme finish which makes it glide effortlessly on the lips and doesn't dry them out even after several hours of use.

The Brow: The Body Shop Brow & Lash Gel (currently; previously: Sephora Lash & Eyebrow Mascara)

I'm blessed with a full set of brows and that alone makes me go out there without any brow product on! Sometimes I just can't be bothered, you know, and doing my brows is the least of my concerns when I'm rushing out the door. Brow gels are absolutely a gift from the makeup gods and I gotta say, my heart still belongs to clear brow gels. The one thing a girl with a full set of brows needs is a little taming and clear brow gel does that. I dabble on tinted brow gels too sometimes and I have to say, Glossier's Boy Brow looks really promising. It promises three things in one go: thicken, fill in, and groom the brows. I know other brow gels promise the same thing but something tells me this one's pretty special. :)

And that, my friends, is my own version of Phases 1 & 2! The products listed here are aren't much but they make me feel presentable, even when technically, I'm under made-up. Glossier really inspired me to embrace natural beauty and that makeup should enhance, not hide or mask, that beauty. I hope I inspired you, my dear reader, to be confident in the skin you're in, blemishes and all. :)