Makeup is one of those things where I wish I didn’t have to do it, but I love it at the same time. For nights out I enjoy the process of blending eyeshadow and applying highlighter. But when I’m getting at 6am, the idea of putting just foundation on is daunting. In high school, my entire beauty process was a layer of BareMinerals powder and maybe mascara. Five years later, my makeup bag fills a whole drawer in my bathroom. I’ve discovered eyebrow products and bronzer and don’

Under my bathroom sink, in a large quilted bag, sits the tools for the natural look I go for every day. My makeup bag – like many others – is a reflection of myself. From my matte powder to my lengthening mascara, everything in there helps me show off my face in the best way possible. Earlier this year I shared my full cupboard of beauty products, and as time has changed and I’ve moved to another city, I thought it was time I shared the more condensed version of my current ma

As a fair-skinned woman who looks like a ghost when I wake up after my zzz’s, blush is my best friend. Over the years I have tried many different blushes and found ones I love for colour, texture, and wearability. It is only when I really love a blush that I buy it again. Below are the blushes that have made it into my makeup bag again and again. The Best Blushes {Especially for Oily and Pale Skin} e.l.f. Cosmetics Blush in Blushing Rose This blush comes as close as it gets

Spring is finally upon us if the flowers are any indication. I can’t seem to go anywhere without seeing a tulip or wildflower popping up. And I love it! Along with updating my wardrobe for spring, I love changing up my beauty products to get that dewy, pink look. It’s exciting to find products that help my look bloom like a flower (yes, I went there) and help me to transition into summer. Beauty Necessities for Spring 2017 FRESH Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15 For a quic

Everyone has that one product they need to have in their beauty bag. I have 10. The longer I play around with makeup the more I discover what I love and what makes me feel my best. And by now I think I have figured out what products do just that. These are the products that will always be in my makeup bag because I know that they will never fail me. Ever. The Enthusiast’s 10 Beauty Products You Need in Your Makeup Bag 1. CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara This mascara is lovely

Winter is finally upon us. How do I know? The thick film of frost on my car this morning that took 10 minutes to defrost. But more than adding 10 minutes to my morning schedule is the havoc that winter weather adds to my beauty routine. It’s time to change it up! More moisturizer, less bronzer, change up the blush, going down a foundation shade…it’s kind of a hassle. But no fear, The Enthusiast is here! It’s time to dive into winter beauty! And as you’ll notice, for me, the n

There is a constant struggle over which is better: Drugstore or high-end beauty products? Many say high-end because of the big price tag and great formulas, but many get along just fine with their $5 lipsticks. As someone who has loved to try her fair share of both – loading up my Sephora basket more than once a week or sticking strictly to Target for big beauty hauls – I have found products on both ends of the spectrum that are amazing. So amazing that when needing to restoc

A few weeks ago I did my fall beauty essentials, and while I stick with those, I also have the products that I cannot leave behind when the leaves begin to fall. I’ve broken my favourites out of storage for the beginning of the season and as I make my move to Portland I sincerely hope I can find a store close by so I’m never without them. Here’s my favourites! My 7 Fall Makeup Must-Haves 1. NARS Single Eye Shadow in Mekong ($25) This colour is the perfect brown-gold to compli

A little over a year ago I finally got into makeup (I used to be adverse to even Chapstick) and since then it’s become a myriad of online Sephora trips and several hours in drugstore hours tying to find the perfect red lipstick. Earlier this year I gave a sneak peek into my makeup bag and decided that as my collection is now spilling out of my bag, it was time I shared it with the lot of you. From the creams to the tubes, here’s everything I’ve been smearing on my face recent

As I’ve ventured more into my love of products and beauty in the blog, I often get asked about my routine and what I use on a daily basis. These questions come up enough (and I will read any post that has the words “daily” or “routine” in it) and I’ve finally got a set daily routine so I figured it was time I shared exactly what makes the magic here on The Enthusiast. From what I use in the shower, to those final finishing touches, here’s exactly how I go from drab to fab on

What do you do when you’re out of foundation and the best cheap cosmetics store is having a sale? You. Score. Big. As I stared at my empty bottle of foundation (and nearly cried because I love it) I realized that unless I wanted to eat nuts for the next two weeks I needed to buy a cheaper foundation for the rest of the month before I could go back to the good stuff. And whenever I need a cheaper cosmetic for a really great price I turn to e.l.f. Cosmetics, where for $3 you ca

While I love trying out new products and using about every sample the store gives away, there are some tried and true products that will always be in my routine. Today I’ve compiled a list of the products that have been staples in my beauty routine for years now. Some of them are more recent than others, but every single one is something that I think is necessary for me to look (and feel) my best. These products have gotten me through the rough times (Hello, finals week with

Hello to everyone who wishes they were naturally beautiful, aka everyone! Looking naturally beautiful is something a select handful of people possess, and the rest of us do our absolute best to pull off the “I just woke up like this” and either succeed or fail. But it’s something that is an art form, and most of us really want to do. Each of us are gifted with various forms of beauty. Whether it’s poreless skin or shiny hair or wrinkle-free, we are all beautiful. But society

While reading through questions and suggestions from you all, I see lots of comments about wanting to see “Inside My” posts. Inside my purse, inside my backpack, inside my closet, and finally, inside my makeup bag. Originally, I wanted to just do a quick post on what’s in my makeup bag on an everyday basis, but when I started to do that I realized that while there are certain staples I stick to, I don’t have an everyday basis makeup routine. Yesterday I wore eyeshadow, today

Because I love services like Birchbox and Ipsy, trying new makeup brands is something I love doing on a regular basis. But it’s important for a girl to have her tried and true brands to make sure that she doesn’t look like a dead hooker on the first date with her crush since second grade. On Fridays I do my Favourites Friday and it’s about new products I’ve tried that I love. But how often do I talk about the products that I fit into my daily life no matter how great a new pr

Who else is ready to recover from the Favourites Friday hiatus? After spending much too much time not doing a Favourites Friday, I have a big list of favourites that I’m just waiting to share with you! It’s been a crazy few weeks (Christmas, New Years, winter break, the blog turning five, etc.) and I’m ready to get back into the normal swing of things. And by normal, I mean the enthusiastic! This week’s favourites are all the products that I have sampled/tried/purchased/etc.

It’s winter! Winter is such a beautiful season. Everything is frosty and frozen. And your skin dries up and your complexion is peaky. This means it’s time to rev up your beauty/skincare routine for the winter season. Hardcore, lightweight moisturizers. Pale, translucent eye shadow. Subtle, high-pigment blushes. Winter beauty has a very selective variation of products that are essential to looking great. And I have figured them all out! As you enter the holiday season remember

There was an episode of “Full House” where DJ discovers makeup. She puts so much on in an effort to be more beautiful, only for the episode to end with her learning that makeup should only enhance what you already have. I think about that episode a lot, and how it influenced how I feel about how I look. Whenever I put on makeup I always thought, “Not too much, it just needs to make me look more like me.” And I followed that for a few years. This summer I stopped wearing makeu