Makeup 101: From BBQ to Bar

You may not have work or class on Memorial Day, but it’s definitely an on-the-go kinda day. Between the family BBQ and the night out with friends (and, of course, all that patriotism), it is easy to forget about your makeup. And makeup is important if you don’t want to look like a hot sweaty mess. Below are some tips and portable products to help you make an easy makeup transition from grill to dance floor.

Clean: To wipe away the sweat and sunscreen of the day, use some pocket oil-absorbing wipes.  Try these ones from Clinique.  They will help wipe off the sunscreen and oils on your face so you have a fresh pallet to transition into night.  If you are able to get to a sink, you can use Ponds travel-sized makeup wipes to remove grease and makeup more thoroughly.  You also may want to throw on some extra deodorant (just sayin’….).  This mini Dove deodorant will fit easily in any bag and is less than $2!

Face: You’ll definitely want to reapply your bronzer and up your blush, so try this NARS kit that has both in a tiny compact and comes in three color choices including NARS’ top selling blush, “Orgasm.”

Eyes: The most convenient thing on a day like Memorial Day is to have pallets that have daytime and nighttime colors.  Try this pallet from Urban Decay.  It has pretty light gold colors for a daytime sparkle, then, when you switch to nighttime mode, you can apply the primer to help your color stick, then layer on the deeper brown or blue shade.  Finish off with a thick brown liner pencil to create a more dramatic night party look and top it all off with a (adorable) mini mascara.  This duo by Fresh includes a bold mascara and a lighter look.  You can use the lighter one for day and then add the more voluminous one at night.

Lips: There are many great lip pallets with a variety of colors to go from day to night.  Try this little Cargo tin that has four colors.  The lighter pinks are great for daytime sheer and there are also bright colors to stand out at a party.  If these colors aren’t for your skin tone, there are many other color combos and one is bound to work for you.

All-in-one: If you have an especially small bag and less time to spare you can get this Smashbox all in one compact.  This thing is genius and every woman should have one, whether it’s Memorial Day or not. It is divided into three layers: blush and bronzer, shadows, and lip color.  There are light eye colors for day and a deep purple and brown for night.  The lip colors are also perfect for making a party switch.  Just make sure you toss a sponge and disposable shadow applicators in your bag so you can apply the makeup cleanly.