If You Buy One Eyeliner In Your Entire Life, Let It Be This One (also, How Not To Look Like a Zombie)

I feel old. 

There was a time, not too long ago where I would go to New York City and stay out partying with my friends until the sun came up. Or worse, I would go out to the bars with my military buddies, come home and actually exercise! Now, I have a glass of wine with dinner or go to sleep a few minutes after 10 p.m. and my entire next day is ruined; even if the baby sleeps through the night.

I should just move into the nursing home now. 

My interests in beauty products and makeup have shifted slightly since I have become part of the sleep deprived masses of new parents. I used to be dazzled by feather lashes, glitter, and for some reason, anything in the color teal. That stuff is still all fine and good for fun, but lately I'm more interested in looking awake and alive and less like the undead version of me. I've replaced my buzz word of "Faaaabulous!" with "Fast".

This look would probably be ideal for me. Although beautiful and very well done (and maybe slightly creepy), is not an option. Also it's probably a total pain to do every morning and not conducive to actually getting anything done.

For appearances only: do not attempt to use your painted on eyes to drive with.

My everyday routine has been seriously pared down, so anything that saves me time and makes me look awake all at once is a serious win.

I love you, pencil.

Tarte EmphasEYES™ Inner Rim Brightener, is my new "can't live without it" product. A desert island eyeliner, if you will. It's an itty bitty problem solver.

One of the issues I personally have when I'm tired or feeling under the weather is that the lower rims of my eyelids get bright red. There is no amount of eye drops, eyelash curling, or concealer that will cover this up. The only option to cover it up before was white eyeliner, which tends to look chalky and harsh, or a nap.

This nude color is so much more natural looking and it will work beautifully with all skin tones.
Besides all the happy tag lines of being cruelty free, vegan, formulated without parabens, phthalates and synthetic fragrances, and packaged in recyclable or post-consumer recycled material as all Tarte products are, this is by far the best liner for the inner rims I have ever used of all the liners in any color that I have ever tried.

The pencil glides on with one stroke, is super pigmented, doesn't make your eyes water, and stays on until you remove it.No skipping, no tearing, and it was still on my inner rims 9 hours later when I took it off. It's a winner.

I'd also like to share with you my super-pared down, yet pretty and awake, fast, and very natural looking eye routine!

If you don't wear much eye makeup, this probably looks like a lot of effort, but if you're like the old me who required a minimum of 4 eyeshadows, 3 liners, lashes, sealant, and glue, you could probably do this one handed while brushing your teeth.

Here's what I use from my kit most days:

My eye essentials

In order of use:

• Clairisonic Brush (not shown)
• Hair Dryer (not shown)
• Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler
• Lancôme Effacernes Waterproof Protective Undereye Concealer which comes in an amazing 12 different shades (I use Beige III) 
• Sephora Collection Classic Rounded Crease Brush #13: I love this brush because it produces a well blended result and the slim design lets you fill in your crease with your eyes open.
• MAC Matte²  Eye Shadow in Copperplate (for the fairer skinned, I like MAC Matte²  Eye Shadow in Brown Script; for the dark lovelies, I like MAC Matte²  Eye Shadow in Handwritten)
• MAC Pentulmate Eye Liner in Rapidblack (the only shade it comes in)
• Tarte EmphasEYES™ Inner Rim Brightener
• Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Waterproof Instant Full Body Volume Mascara (comes in one color-Black)
• MAC Eye Brows Pencil in Lingering (A soft taupe that works on almost everyone)
• MAC Brow Set in Clear

Here are the steps:

If you have one, use your Clairisonic brush to cleanse with to get your circulation going and alleviate eye area puffiness.

Give your eyelash curler a quick blast with your hair dryer and curl your top lashes with it (touch it and make sure it's not too hot before you put it near your eyes!).

Using your ring finger, apply Lancôme Effacernes to the both the under eye area and eyelid. It makes a great shadow base too!

Using your shadow and brush, fill in your eyelid crease with a windshield washer, back and forth motion.

Apply Pentulmate liner either over your top lashes  by drawing a straight line as close to the lashes as possible or wiggle the tip of the liner between your lashes to create an illusion of fullness.

Draw Tarte EmphasEYES™ Inner Rim Brightener on....your inner rims.

Apply mascara to your lower lashes first and then upper lashes. Personally, I've found that I goof less if I do my lower lashes first and I avoid getting "mascara dots" on my eyelids as well.

Fill in sparse parts of your brows with pencil and set them with Brow Set. Even if you have lots of brow like I do, using a light touch and pencil makes your whole face look so polished that it's a shame not to do it.  Get them shaped if you have to, but PLEASE, do not shave them off and draw them back on with a Sharpie.

Seriously, It's that simple. Looks so good, but so natural.

Like you, only less like the zombie version of you.

You're welcome!