A/W Essentials: Beauty Bases

YSL Le Teint Touché Éclat · Armani Luminous Silk Foundation · NARS Creamy Concealer · Laura Mercier Secret Concealer

While San Francisco weather can be a bit finicky, the seasons are definitely changing and with that my makeup changes too. My base becomes more of a light to medium coverage — sticking to products with great lasting power, especially for the harsh winter winds I'll be seein' on the East Coast in a few weeks.

Foundations /

• YSL Le Teint Touché Éclat is still in rotation — I've been using this foundation for a few years and I probably will keep it around as long as they still make it. The coverage is perfect, it's buildable, and it lasts quite long which is a big thing for me when it comes to bases. It's more of my summer color but I can still get away with it (not for long I'm sure)
• Armani's Luminous Silk Foundation has finally made it into my collection. While I usually stick to the same few foundations when it comes to repurchasing, I really wanted to try something a bit new! No regrets on this purchase — it's definitely going to be added to my rotating list of repurchases (along with NARS Tinted Moisturizer, Bobbi Brown Longwear, and Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua.

Pro-tip: I love mixing these two together or topping them off with Laura Mercier's Mineral Powder for a bit more coverage or extra-long wear. 

Concealers /

I should preface by saying I've gained a new appreciation for concealers! I used to use them but wasn't really into them... until now. Now I might actually have a concealer addiction, oops.

• For under the eyes I love using NARS Creamy Concealer — a product I once thought was over-hyped. Silly me. The consistency is beautiful, the coverage is everything you could possibly want, and the subtle brightness it brings to your face is kind of glorious.
• For spots and blemishes I'm really into Laura Mercier's Secret Concealer. It's pretty high coverage and gets rid of any pesky areas I might want to cover up. On lazy days I'll use this around my nose / to cover general redness and I'll pop a powder or something light over it. Sometimes less is more, ya know? 

And that's it for my A/W base essentials. Next in the series will probably be lips, cheeks, and eyes! What are your favorite foundations and concealers for the colder months? 

Current Skincare

Skincare is ever-changing, at least for me. It's important to learn to adapt with your skin — and because of that I have a little bit of everything lying around the house. Lately my skin has been a bit finicky. It's safe to assume the weather change and frequent flights over the past few months have confused my poor face, but it's okay! There are lots of helpful products for all your skin needs.

I've been trailing Dr. Hauschka's Soothing Cleansing Milk. When it comes to skincare I'm most fickle with cleansers. This one is nice — it's not incredible by any means but the texture and fragrance are lovely and it does leave my face pretty clean. I have a feeling that one of these days I'll be reordering Aurelia's Miracle Cleanser. I went through a pot of it last fall and haven't stopped thinking about it since. It's probably time...

My moisturizer of choice is still Glossier's Priming Moisturizer. I love it! It's light and simple and leaves my face feeling like a nice fresh canvas, cuz that's what we want, right?

When it comes to masks, I've been really digging REN's ClearCalm 3 Acne Treatment Mask. I've been breaking out (womp womp) and this is definitely helping to rid and prevent any pesky spots! I was skeptical but it's definitely worth the price. It's a lil miracle worker and is easily one of the best acne related products I've ever used.

I'm trailing some Caudalie minis! I'm all about testing out before committing when it comes to spendy products. Caudalie's S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum is pretty nice as far as serums good. I feel like my face is a bit more supple and hydrated when I use this and honestly? It just feels gooooood. I'm also trying their S.O.S Morning Eye Rescue which is as great as it should be for being Caudalie. Seems to keep my eyes less puffy overall and so I can't complain. When I'm all out I'll probably pick up a full size of each of these because skincare.

If I'm spending a day around the house sans-makeup post-cleanse-and-mask, my serum of choice is Fresh's Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil. This is the kind of product that feels luxurious and stupidly nice on the skin. One that you swear works the moment you rub it in. It's like an instant shot of moisture! A little goes a long way with this stuff too.

Last but not least: Glossier's Soothing Face Mist. I use this stuff constantly— when I wake up, before the gym, after showering, after the gym, when I'm bored. Rose water forever. Don't underestimate the power of a simple face spray.

That pretty much sums up my skincare life at the current moment. I'm sure this will all change as the seasons and weather change but for now, this it! What are your favorite skincare products?!