By Sam Fricano
Another school year is upon us. With it comes homework, sports, and a whole new routine. Your schedule is changing, the season is changing, so why not change up what beauty products you are using, as well? These eight beauty products are essential for starting off the school year.
Primer
The first product to start of the list is primer. If you don’t know what primer is used for, it is a makeup product applied before all of your makeup to help it stay on longer. Because school lasts 7 hours, primer is essential to make sure your makeup lasts all day! Primer does not just have one use either. The silicone in primer fills in your pores providing for a smooth surface to apply makeup on to. It also mattifies your face, erasing any unwanted shine and oil. If you look in the right place you can also find primers that are different colors to help different issues. For example, Maybelline has just recently come out with a green primer which contrasts with any red on your face reducing the appearance of redness and pimples! A good primer from the drugstore I would recommend is the maybelline ¨Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraserl¨ primer. You can find it at any drugstore for around six dollars.
2. Concealer
With all the stress of back to school, a good concealer is essential. With the dark under eyes from lack of sleep, and all the stress we are starting to get back into, it is taking a toll on our skin. A good concealer that I have been loving lately is the Almay ¨Clear complexion concealer.¨ You can find it at any drugstore for around nine dollars. It is a full coverage concealer so you do not need to apply very much. It lasts the entire day and does not start to turn orange or crease while on your face. If that price seems to be a little too much, another great concealer you can find is the Maybelline ¨fit me¨ concealer. You can also find this at any drugstore for around six dollars.
3. Facial Cleanser
This would be at the top of my list as something to invest in for the school year. Again, with all the stress of school and sports starting back up you need to make sure your skin is taken care of. Facial cleansers are hard to recommend because everybody’s skin type is different. A cleanser I currently like is the Cetaphil cleanser. You can also buy this at any drugstore for around eight dollars. Cetaphil products are great because they are so sensitive on the skin. Another great cleanser is the Aveeno ¨positively radiant brightening cleanser¨ which you can also find at any drugstore. The aveeno cleanser costs around seven dollars. Make sure to wash your face at least once a day for best results!
4. Bronzer
I would not necessarily consider bronzer an ¨essential¨ but who doesn’t want to hold on to that summer tan! If you do not typically use bronzer it is exactly what it sounds like. It is a darker shade of power (you can find cream bronzer as well) that is typically used for contouring your face. Bronzer is not a necessary step in everyone’s beauty routine but if you want to make your tan last just a little bit longer before fall, I highly recommend it! A really cheap (but effective) bronzer you can purchase at the drugstore is the NYC ¨smooth skin bronzing face powder.¨ It is only three dollars and it lasts for a long time! This bronzer is great because it is completely matte and won’t leave your face with any unnecessary shine. Another great option is cream bronzer. My current favorite is the NYX ¨wonder stick.¨ It is $12 and you can purchase this at your local Target.
5. Mascara
Mascara is the makeup essential even for people who do not like wearing makeup. If you do not want to wear makeup, but still want to look as if you are, mascara is the perfect way to go. A good mascara can instantly make your eyes look larger and more awake. A cheaper mascara that I love is the Maybelline ¨Pumped up mascara.¨ It is eight dollars and can be purchased at any drugstore. A more high end mascara that I love is the Benefit ¨They’re real Mascara.¨ This is definitely more expensive coming in at $23 and can be purchased at any Ulta or Sephora stores.
6. Oil absorbing sheets
This one is for all the people with oily skin! It is a constant struggle not being able to control the shine on our faces especially throughout the school day. Believe me I know the struggle! For this I recommend oil blotting sheets. If you don’t know what oil blotting sheet are, they are extremely thin, soft sheets that come in a pack and are made for absorbing oil off of your face. You just take a sheet and dab it around your face and you’re good to go! I recommend the clean and clear oil absorbing sheets. They are only five dollars and you can purchase them at any drugstore.
7. Spray-on deodorant
Everyone has been put next to that person in class who doesn’t smell the best. Everyone knows deodorant is an essential for everyday life. However, this is a twist on your typical deodorant. Dove has recently come out with a new deodorant that you spray on instead of swipe. This is great because there is no more white marks on your clothes. All of the scents smell floral and fresh and this deodorant acts as a great antiperspirant, as well. You can find them at any drugstore for around six dollars.
8. Dry Shampoo
We all have those nights when we have stayed up too late studying and at that point we just want to go to bed. Sometimes washing your hair can wait! If you don’t have time to wash your hair one morning a great substitute is dry shampoo. This is at the top of my list for back-to-school beauty essentials. If you have never used dry shampoo, it is basically a powdered spray that you apply to the roots of your hair to absorb any grease. Usually they are scented as well! But be careful, some dry shampoo can leave a white look on certain hair colors. If you have darker hair I recommend finding a dry shampoo that is catered directly towards people with dark hair. A great dry shampoo is the Batiste dry shampoo. You can find it at any drugstore for around eight dollars.