What’s in your purse? My purse is utter chaos. I LOVE big purses (hello! look at how much stuff you can carry in there!!!) but when it comes time to actually, uh, find something in there, it can get a little scary. So when it comes to my makeup bag that I carry in my purse, I like to keep a few essential staples that get the job done, and reduce clutter. I am calling this mini series of posts “Take It To Go”.
Blotting Basics
I always have blot powder and blotting sheets. If you have just a bit of mid-day shine, a swipe of blot powder is fine on its own. But if you have any kind of oil issues, you need blotting sheets. If you apply blot powder more than once (maaaybe twice) a day without blotting off excess oil first, you run the risk of looking cakey.
As for applying blot powder, I recommend against using a sponge, because whatever you use to apply your blot powder will be in contact with oily skin on a regular basis and thus needs to be washed regularly. A brush will hold up better after many washes. I use a retractable EcoTools kabuki, but any fluffy brush will do. Pick something portable. I like retractables because the cover keeps things clean in my bag.
Remember with both your powder and your sheets to blot, not wipe. Use a blot sheet in a dabbing motion, applying gentle pressure to the area you want to absorb oil from. Don’t forget your eyelids. Very gently blotting them with a sheet will help battle creasing and fading without messing up your eye makeup. When it’s time to apply the blot powder, fluff it on to your face. Don’t buff it in. Use a dotting motion, or very gently sweeping strokes so as not to disturb your makeup.
Popular Blot Powders: MAC Blot, Urban Decay De-Slick, NYC Translucent, Maybelline Dream Matte.
Popular Blot Sheets: Boscia Blotting Linens, Clean & Clear Blotting Sheets (and many drugstore knockoffs of Clean&Clear which are exactly the same). In a pinch, Starbucks napkins and toilet seat covers work surprisingly well, too!
For seriously oily skin, you may want to consider using a mattifyer. Many primers and sunscreens also have mattifying properties, but sometimes in my experience their effect doesn’t last all day or through really vigorous activity like dancing, the a/c broke in your office in July, etc. A product I love as a solution to that problem is all right mattifying gel from the goodskin line at Kohls. The main mattifying ingredient is silica, which I’ve found to be extremely effective at oil control. The beauty of this product is it’s designed to use under makeup or over it for midday touchups. When I met Meghan Malloy, regional artist for the Kohls beauty brands, she noted that it was one of her favorite products and I witnessed the results on her myself!
Hope that helps with the challenge of keeping from looking like a greasy mess even as summer begins. :)
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