My makeup must-haves: face products

I'm a makeup junkie from way back, and I feel like I've tried a billion different things over the years.  And although I've got tons of products stuffed into more than a few makeup bags, I tend to use a few favorites over and over because they just work best for me.  So I wanted to share those with you because I figure someone should benefit from my many purchases.  This week, I'm sharing my face favorites.  I'll be back soon with my favorite eye products. :)

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Mac Pro Longwear SPF 10 Foundation.  If you're the kind of girl who has perfectly balanced, dewy, and acne-free skin, this foundation is not for you.  (And let me also say:  I hate you forever.  I'm sure you can get by, riding around on your unicorn with your pot of gold, with just a teensy bit of sheer powder.) But if you, like me, need a full-coverage foundation, there's nothing that covers better and lasts longer than Mac's Pro Longwear.  I've tried a gazillion different kinds of foundation, but this is definitely my very favorite.

Nars Blush in Orgasm.  The hype is true.  This is a beautiful color that I think would work well on almost all skin tones.  It's pricey, and I'm sure there are similar colors in other brands, but I shelled out the bucks to try this stuff, and when it runs out, I'll definitely buy more.

The Balm Mary Lou Manizer Luminizer.  I got a sample of this in my Birchbox one month and fell in love immediately.  What's awesome is that it's perfect for highlighting AND as a base eyeshadow.  If I'm going all out, I put it on the places where I've highlighted (with the Mineralize skinfinish powder) to give it a little shimmer.  I've tried Benefit's Watt's Up luminizer, but this one works much better for me.

Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel.  Don't freak out.  It's not that kind of Monistat.  It's a chafing relief gel, and I explained here why this stuff makes the perfect foundation primer.  I absolutely love this product, and this 1.5 oz. tube lasts FOREVER.  It looks like the price has gone up a bit on Amazon (apparently I'm not the only one who is buying it), but it's still tons cheaper than the nearly identical Smashbox product.

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural.  Again, if you don't need a lot of coverage on your face, you probably don't need foundation AND powder.  But I do.  And this stuff has a really pretty finish.  Right now, I'm using mine for highlighting because I've got a little more color on my face than usual, and the color I bought (the lightest MAC makes, by the way) is too light.  But I'm considering buying another shade to have around for when I need it.

BareMinerals Faux Tan.  This color is fantastic for generalized bronzing, and I've also been using it for contouring.  According to Cara, you want to make sure whatever color you're using for contouring (i.e. creating shadows on your face to refine its shape) isn't too orange, so I'll probably eventually invest in The Balm's Bahama Mama, but I've had this for awhile, and it's definitely working for now.

So those are my face must-haves.  What things are you guys loving lately?  Come on and share with the class. ;)

P.S.  This is decidedly NOT a sponsored post.  I just love this stuff, y'all.

Also, you may have noticed the new feature on the top left of each of my photos enabling you to pin directly to Pinterest.  Please feel free to pin whatever you want except for pictures of my little cutie pie girl.  Those pictures are only meant for my fabulous (and non-creepy) blog friends to enjoy. :)

Over and out, friends.