Work-Appropriate Makeup

Sometimes half the challenge of looking professional is having the right makeup. With all the trends and fads, it can be difficult to determine what’s office-appropriate and what’s not, especially as the line is blurring, in some cases. I get it. I work in an office. And I’m here to help. I’ve taken the liberty to assemble some of my favorite work-appropriate makeup products, organized by face, eye, and lip. These makeup staples can be worn to an interview and spiced up later in the day for a going-out look. Also, I made sure all of the products come at a reasonable cost and include a wide variety of shades.

FACE

1. L’Oréal True Match powder – $10. A stay-put powder perfect for everyday. I keep one stashed in my purse for touch-ups.
2. Benefit Boi-ing Eyebright Compact – $12. This 2-in-1 product serves as an under-eye brightener and concealer.
3. L’Oréal Studio Secrets Magic Skin Beautifier B.B. Cream – $10. For those days you just want coverage, but not a full-face of makeup, try this out. But, there’s no SPF in it, so be sure to add some sunscreen on beforehand.
4. e.l.f. Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder – $3. Umm.. Hellooo. 2 great, pigmented products for only $3? Yes.
5. Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer – $6. For those not-so-good days.
6. Revlon Colorstay Foundation – $10. This is, by far, the most full-coverage foundation I’ve tried from the drugstore. I’d say it’s comparable to the Estée Lauder Double-Wear (my holy grail foundation). This foundation comes in many shades and many formulas (for those with dry, normal, combo, or oily skin).

 EYES

1. Wet ’n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio – $3. I know what you’re thinking, but I promise this stuff is legit. It’s super pigmented and I haven’t had any issues with it creasing.
2. e.l.f Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow – $3. These are impressive! There are lots of muted and colorful shades available.
3. the Balm Nude ‘Tude Palette – $36. Before you write it off for the cost, it’s occasionally on sale at hautelook.com for $13. If you don’t want to shell out $50 for the Urban Decay Naked Palette, try this. The shadows are ultra-pigmented and can double as a liner!

LIPS

1. Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter – $8. Lightweight, soothing, and colorful.
2. NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss – $5. With a matte-eye look, you could rock the glossy lips.
3. e.l.f Luscious Liquid Lipstick – $1. It’s like silk on the lips. It’s more of a gloss than a lipstick.
4. NYX Matte Lipstick – $6. These are my go-to for drugstore lipsticks. Cheap, true-to-color, and long-lasting. They’re a tad drying, so put a balm on before/after application.
5. Victoria’s Secret Beauty Rush Lipgloss – $9. These are sheer and have a medium shine, so you won’t blind people in the office. And, as a major plus, they taste delicious and wear for hours.

Well, that’s that! Please note, MOST of these products (if not all) can cost far less than I’ve listed them as (or they can cost more, if you go to the wrong places). Before going out and buying makeup, check out the sales at your local Walgreens, Target, Ulta, and so on. Ulta does “Buy One Get One Half Off” practically every month, so you don’t have to spend more than you need to. Also, there are coupons for these products all over the internet – just take the time to search. The more you end up saving, the more you can spend trying other products (if you so desire). Have fun!