Hi, fiction lover! I’ve done a beauty post recently that I really adore about wearing makeup. Today, I want to explore the term “baddie on a budget.” I’ve heard this so many times that I’ve begun to get sick of it, but it’s actually quite a cute and fun term. I mostly hear this in reference to drugstore makeup. But has anyone ever done a post connecting this to authors? Authors have a bad rep for always looking a bit unkempt while bent over a laptop, only focused on creating beautiful characters. But what if authors can also be baddies on a budget? I’m going to give you all my tips on how to be a baddie on a budget. Let’s get started, fiction lovers!
How to Be a Baddie on a Budget? Start With Your Base
So, the thing I love so much about K-beauty is the emphasis on your base. Just like with painting, the base matters quite a bit—and this is the face in terms of makeup. Sunscreen every day is a definite game-changer, protecting skin from the sun, which is the primary cause of visible aging. Once the sunscreen is taken care of, I’d say it’s good to focus on proper cleansing. Especially at night, a double cleanse is necessary to wash off the SPF and makeup. Depending on your skin type, you may want to just water cleanse in the morning or use a gentle cleanser. A serum that targets your specific skin concern—acne, dark spots, dryness—is crucial. After that, follow up with a moisturizer with ceramides that fits your skin type, whether it’s oily, dry, or combination.
Once you focus on your base, your skin will be shining even without applying anything extra! As an author, looking your best at the cafe while typing may not be a number one priority, but it sure does feel nice to pop into the cafe bathroom and find that your skin isn’t looking dry, dull, or tired. I am a firm believer that looking fresh is a way to feel better about writing, especially writing outside.
The base is important as well because it’s an important life skill to practice daily skincare. Sometimes, in the morning, I’m too lazy to take care of my face, but since practicing more, I look forward to treating my skin—even though I’m very acne prone and prone to scarring. Just a heads up, my base is a heavy WIP. Just like a lot of my stories!
The Three Essentials
The three essentials (in my opinion) are eyebrows, some type of all-around color to bring life to the face, and a lip treatment.
The brows are a game changer because they frame the face and bring so much more structure once you know how to do them right. Honestly, my brows are barely existent. When I started doing them, I found my face coming back to life. I’ve been having a lot of fun experimenting with different brow styles. I’m still a beginner, but it’s taking me less time to get my brows right, like a skill that I’m slowly refining. In story terms, the brows are much like the outline of your story or chapter.
The all-around color can be from any brand. Just something to apply on the eyes, lips, and cheeks. I like the pudding pots from fwee, or the sticks from e.l.f. The key is to find a shade that matches both your skin undertone and the depth of your skin—so something that isn’t too pale or dark. Once you find your color, you can basically use this for anything. The importance of a nice base is important, because I believe a lot of author baddies on a budget can skip foundation on normal days. A blush on the face is so flattering while you’re picking up your third coffee to fuel your writing hours.
And the last thing is a lip treatment. Because we already have the color problem solved with the second essential, the treatment can be as simple as Vaseline. It can also be a lip oil or a tinted lip balm, or anything that feels comfortable and doesn’t rub off your lips in ten minutes. Trust me—with brows, some color, and nourished lips, we’re well on our way to becoming an author baddie.
Extras — How to Be a Baddie on a Budget?
This section is for the baddies who want something a little more! It’s great to find products that you can use on special occasions, like an author event. Or a bookstore signing!
First thing, foundation or concealer. For me, concealer is enough to just focus on spots that need coverage. Again, undertone and depth are super important. Find out where your depth family is—for me, it’s medium light. And you may want to keep an eye out if you have olive overtones (for me, I am warm, but I have a lot of olive).
You know I love all things aegyo sal. That’s the part right under your eye, the puffy part when you scrunch your face. A good glitter will elevate our author baddie-ness. This glitter can be scattered or just as intense as you like. I like a good pink glitter moment, or something with a duochrome effect. Anything iridescent calls my name, so I have to refrain from buying too much. And you don’t have to stop at the aegyo sal. You can dust this on your eyes, on the inner corners, on your nose bridge, and on other high points of the face.
I’ll give you two more things. The first is color contacts. Definitely not a necessity, especially for those with good eyesight already, but they can really elevate a look and match with your author outfit. The last thing is a hair oil or leave-in hair conditioner. Depending on your hair type, having tame locks will really tie everything in.
Put on a cozy yet stylish outfit, make sure your shoes are on tight, and then walk out the door with confidence. Authors don’t always have to be messy and like a mad scientist. It’s so fun just to be a little stylish and to take charge of beauty—inner beauty is most important, but it’s also nice to add a little color depending on your mood. Did you enjoy this post about how to be a baddie on a budget? Follow me on my blog for more posts about beauty, fiction, and fandom.