get your game face on

Football season has officially started with the NFL opening game last night, and I couldn't be happier (Go Marshall and  go Panthers!). Football and all-pumpkin-everything combined with the perfect weather, easily make Fall my favorite season.

For some, football season means wearing your favorite jersey and heading out to a tailgate and game every weekend. For others, it means yummy food and beer in front of a TV. Regardless of your preference to watch the game you want to be focused on the game and having fun, not worried about how you look.

Football games often mean spending all day outside in the sun drinking, and the last thing you want is to head somewhere after the game with a face full of smudged makeup. You know the girls who wear a ton of makeup to sporting events and look silly? Don't be that girl. You aren't there to make a statement with your bold lip or smokey eye, you're there to have fun and cheer on your team (or at least pretend like it).

In order to ensure you go from tailgate to game to post-game festivities looking flawless, stick to minimal, neutral makeup with staying power. This way, you can feel good about spending all day (and night) supporting your team and beer-drinking habits and leave all cosmetic products at home.

game face necessities

My favorite long-lasting products for game time are:

1. Tarte BB Tinted Primer: I've said it before and I'll say it again: this stuff is amaze balls. It's lightweight (read: doesn't look like you're wearing makeup on your face), but covers extremely well. A little bit goes a long way and the best way to apply is to put a small amount on your fingers, rub your fingers of both hands together, then smear all over your face and blend.

2. The Body Shop Concealer Stick: It's no secret that this is my favorite concealer. The reason I like it so much is because it covers under-eye circles and blemishes well, so I don't need two different concealers. Apply this under eyes and on blemishes where needed, but don't worry too much about covering every little spot.

3. Josie Maran Waterproof Cheek Gelee: Waterproof blush means this stuff doesn't budge. It'll stay on until you take it off, even through the hottest day for a game. Apply lightly to get a healthy flush; once again, don't go overboard.

4. Benefit Hooola Bronzer: This is a recent purchase of mine from the #FlyBenefit vending machine at the airport, and I'm already obsessed! This bronzer is perfect for game day because there's no shimmer in it (matte=natural). Dust a little on your forehead, sides of nose, chin and hollows of your cheeks for a natural-looking glow.

5. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner in Black: Stila isn't lying when they say "Stay All Day" because this stuff doesn't budge. If you haven't mastered using liquid eyeliner (yet), not to worry. Draw small dashes as close to your lash line as possible then connect them and you'll have a straight line! Since I have small eyes I like to add a small flick to the outer corners of my eyes, think mini cat-eye, but it's still appropriate for game day.

Tip: if you have lighter eyes or hair, stick to brown instead of black - it looks much more natural.

6. Make Up Forever Aqua Cream for Eyes in Warm Beige: I definitely don't recommend wearing eye shadow to sporting events, especially if it's outside in the heat, because you're basically asking your shadow to crease and look horrible within a few hours. However, I do like to put a tiny bit of this on my brow bone and at the inner corner of my eye.

7. L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara: No need to get waterproof mascara for football season, unless your favorite team loses a lot and it makes you sad.

These are my favorite picks to create a minimal game face that will last all day long!

so catty

I've been missing out for years. 

For the past four years, I've been using e.l.f.'s black liquid liner, and it's fine, but I got Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Liner and it is AMAZING BEYOND WORDS. It is the god of all liquid eyeliner gods!

It's the best because it is so easy (no, seriously) to apply, is super pigmented so you only need one layer, and stays on literally all day and all night long. I'm a harsh critic of eyeliners because my eyelids tend to get oily so most liners don't stay on, especially liquid ones.

Perfectly black 

Overall, this is by far the best eyeliner I've ever used, and I plan on only using this one until someone is able to pry it from my eyeliner-stained fingers.

santa baby

Is it too early to start talking about Christmas? Probably. But I'm going to do it anyway because I can't keep my beauty wish list to myself anymore!

This is Part One of the beauty products I want pray to find in my stocking or wrapped up under the tree this year:

all images from www.sephora.com

• Clinique All About Eyes - I have used this before at the Clinique makeup counter, and nothing even comes close for me. I don't struggle with super dark under-eye circles, but often lack sleep and need some help with "puffy eye bags." I don't even care if this stuff doesn't make me look more awake because I feel more awake. And that's all that really matters, right?

  
  
• Stila Stay All Day liquid eyeliner - I've come back full swing and am obsessed with mastering the cat eye, once again. It's a classic look, looks awesome during the day AND night, and is simply pretty. I usually buy super cheap liquid liner from the drugstore, but I think a higher-quality liner stays on longer and will ultimately look better. Meow.

• Benefit They're Real! mascara - This is my holy grail mascara to date. I got it by surprise for Christmas last year and fell head over heels for it (don't tell my boyfriend), and have to have it for my stubby/short eyelashes.

I will probably add half of Sephora to my Beauty Wish List before Christmas, but these are the three products I have to have. I'm going to be extra nice the next month...