Cracked Lips and Liquid Lipstick... and a product review...

In searching for makeup inspirations on YouTube for my upcoming Halloween costume, I saw a few videos that had "do's and don'ts" of liquid lipstick application... and, yanno, the don'ts ones all looked cracked whereas the do's ones looked super smooth... and I went uh oh. You see, I am madly in love with the metallic liquid lipstick that's quite in right now but the shine is very unforgiving for your lips and any crack will show. One look at this picture from last week on Instagram told me that I needed to watch those videos... STAT!

The lip is super cute... but the cracks apparently don't have to be this apparent. Doh!

Some of the advice on the videos was no brainer stuff like apply a lip primer and line your lips... which I was already doing. So I was not completely devoid of lip skills. I use Prep + Prime Lip by MAC for my lip primer and like it quite a bit. I have a bunch of lip liner pencils from different companies and, in my experience, pretty much any lip liner will work, provided that it's pigmented enough. I tend to gravitate to the ones by MAC. The one from this pic is actually from the Sephora brand, though.

Watching the videos, I noticed that my application of the liquid lipstick itself wasn't up to par. Mostly, it was because, while I generally sweep the wand sideways as they were doing, I wouldn't apply enough pressure. I'm not saying that you need to press super hard on the lips but I noticed that I probably was applying the product too much just on the surface. So I tried re-applying the same liquid lipstick as above but with more pressure to see if that would make a difference and I realized that it actually helped deposit some of the lipstick in the lines, thereby making the lip appear smoother. I took this picture after the re-application. It's subtle but you can see a bit of a difference already (granted, it was a different day).

A habit that I have that was a big no no in this video was that I do tend to press my lips together too soon after applying the liquid lipstick. And I see what the lady is saying and, yeah, I'm trying to correct that tendency but it will take a bit of time.

Another recommendation was of course to exfoliate the lips. I've been using the Lip Scrubtious by MAC in Summer Berry and I like it just okay. I'll likely switch to something else soon. While it does exfoliate, my main issue is that it is more of a mix between a scrub and a lip balm and, as such, I wish that there was more scrubbing power per dab. (I do tend to have very flaky lips at times so I may need something a little scrubbier).

After lips are scrubbed, they are understandably dry and need some moisture back. I have this lip balm with shea butter that seemed to be doing okay... but I was starting to think that it wasn't enough, especially as the season is cooling down and we are dealing with quite a bit of wind around here. The most frequent recommendation to moisturize lips is using Vaseline but I really hate the feel and even more so the taste on my lips so decided to research other options.

I found the Agave Lip Mask by Bite Beauty via Sephora and the reviews seemed interesting enough for me to check it out. I sampled a little bit on my hand and liked the texture enough to give it a try. I have only applied it twice but my lips already feel so much better! It is a little pricey at $26 and you may find the tube really tiny for the price but you don't need to apply much at all on the lips so that little tube will last a long time. But, yes, Vaseline is an option still and much cheaper. So it's up to you. I will say that my lips feel less dry already today even with just the few applications of the lip mask. I had (wrongly) assumed that lips were bound to feel dry with lipstick on.

This picture shows my lipstick with the Agave Lip Mask on. It really helps smooth the lines on the lips and, thus, the liquid lipstick appears smoother. And this is a copper metallic color so it shows all flaws. We still see a bit of lines but I've just begun applying the lip mask and I suspect that it will get increasingly better with added time.








Here's what my (new) routine is around my lips, regardless of whether it's regular lipstick or the liquid formulation:

In the morning:

1. I apply the Agave Lip Mask after having done my facial routine and before applying the face primer. The reason here is to allow some time for the lip mask to be absorbed before applying the lipstick.
2. After all my makeup has been applied, I apply the lip primer all over my lips and a little outside of the lip area. (It helps prevent lipstick bleeding.)
3. If the lipstick is too pale compared to the natural pigmentation of my lips (they are quite pigmented), I will apply concealer all over my lips to mute my lips.*
4. I line the lips with a lip liner pencil.
5. I apply the lipstick.
6. I essentially kiss a tissue or perhaps rather gently pat the tissue to my lips. This helps smooth the lips.
7. I apply a second coat of lipstick.
8. (I sometimes will do another set of smudge/kiss with a tissue and apply a 3rd coat. It depends on how the lipstick looks after the 2nd coat.)
9. I re-line the lips with the lip liner pencil.

* I had applied concealer over my lips for the examples above with the pink metallic lipstick. It was not needed however for the copper lipstick.

It sounds like it's a long process but it really takes only like 2 minutes.

To re-apply during the day:
I personally don't carry the lip mask with me and I often have quite a bit of lipstick left anyway so that would require taking the lipstick off and reapplying... so I just essentially touch up. First, I assess my lips to see if there's any lip liner left on. If there isn't, I line the lips first. If there is or after having re-lined the lips, I apply a coat of lipstick. I will likely do the tissue kissing again to smooth out the lipstick (as some is older and some is newer) and then apply a 2nd coat. I often will re-line the lips afterwards but not always. It depends on what it looks like and, if I'm happy with it, I'll leave good enough alone.

To remove the lipstick:
If, by some miracle, I still have some lipstick when I remove my makeup (it happens more with the MAC liquid lipstick), I simply use eye makeup remover to remove the lipstick. And then I rinse my lips with water. Trying to remove the lipstick by just using a tissue will only smudge it and irritate your lips.
TIP: You want to remove your lipstick before brushing your teeth or else your toothbrush will have some color on the handle.

To condition the lips at night:

1. I apply the scrub over my lips after I've done my whole facial routine.
2. I wipe it off with a tissue.
3. I apply the Agave Lip Mask.

Reversing the process

Earlier this week, I ended up watching a video with dos and don'ts for makeup and, while I generally like the way that I do my makeup and didn't do many of those don'ts, I thought that it was interesting to see that the lady applied the eye shadow at the crease before doing the eyelid... and that she was layering colors at the crease. So I decided to try that for the past couple of days and, you know what?, I actually do like it. Here is what today's makeup looks like.

I ended up layering 3 eye shadows at the crease: a cream color, a sparkly pale brown, and a matte brown. I also layered 3 eye shadows at the lower lash line: the cream color, peachy pink that is also on my eyelid, and the matte brown. I think that it looks more crisp in a way. Hard to describe.

As the author of the video says, if you like the way that you do your eye shadows now, keep on going. But if you're wanting to try something different, consider trying this. It actually did not take much longer than usual as I typically would need to apply the same eye shadow a few times at the crease to get the intensity that I like so, instead, I just applied different colors.

Another advantage that I found by doing the crease first was that my eyelid application was bolder. Normally, it might look a little muted if some of the crease eye shadow overlaps... or I'd need to reapply the eyelid eye shadow anyway to counter that. So that actually worked out great for me.

Makeup Technique - Smokey Eye Tips

Everyone loves a good smokey eye... and everyone seems to be searching for better ways to do them. Here are some of my thoughts that hopefully will be helpful.

What is it?
First off, what is a smokey eye? Generally speaking, it's a dark eye shadow on the eyelid whereas regular application would be a medium or light shadow. It usually evokes a vamp look. Essentially, your eye will look like there's smoke around it... hence smokey. ;)

Note that, if you're not used to doing this kind of makeup, it might take some getting used to, not so much in how to apply but more in getting used to the look on your face.

Alternative to black
When we say smokey eye, people will generally think of applying black. And while that's a good choice for it, there are other alternatives that may work best, especially if you have pale skin (I know all about that). Really, it just needs to be a darker eye shadow. So consider playing with other colors like dark blue, dark green, dark brown. It will open up a whole new set of possibilities and may actually look better depending on what you are wearing as well as your eye color. For example, I have blue eyes and, when I use a dark blue, it makes my eyes look paler (sort of icy blue) whereas, when I use a dark brown, it makes them look more intense.

If you're going to use black...
If you are going to use black, consider going for anything but a matte finish. The reason for this is that matte will make your eye look like it's receding, especially if you will be using this for a stage makeup under bright spotlights. My favorite black to use for a smokey eye has gold sparkles in it and it makes for a very nice shimmery effect. So it's still undeniably black but has a nice richness to it.

Fallout management
Whenever you apply a dark color all over your eyelid, there will be more fallout than a medium or light color... or so it seems b/c of the intensity of the color. There are several options to take care of this. One way is to wipe the fallout with a soft fluffy brush, using a light touch. DO NOT USE YOUR FINGERS! It would only embed the dark eye shadow more in your skin. Another option is to apply more loose powder after your eye shadow application, which is a similar principle as just wiping it off with the brush. You also can simply apply your foundation after you have done your eyes: it will simply erase any trace of fallout.

Don't forget the brow bone highlight!
Since you will be using such dark eye shadows, definitely remember to apply a pale, shimmery eye shadow at your brow bone to create a nice highlight. It will take your eye from looking closed to opening it back up again. It's like magic!

What about the crease?
That was something that bugged me for a bit: what do you do with the crease? Well, I do either of two things: either I will bring that dark eye shadow in the crease as well, generally using a lighter touch when applying so it sort of feathers out or I will use a medium eye shadow to have a gradient of color. Typically, I do the former if I use black whereas I'll do the latter if I use a different color. But it depends on my mood too. Just experiment and see if you prefer one or the other option.

Eyeliner
I still line the upper and lower eyelids (usually on the waterline for the lower lid) with a black liner, even if I use black. It just makes for a nicer finish as generally the eyeliner will be a more intense black. But you could skip the eyeliner as it's dark enough as it is.

Another option entirely
If you don't like using dark eye shadows on your eyes because you don't like the look or you want to keep your eye looking open, there is another option entirely. One of my favorite makeup looks that looks like a smokey eye and isn't exactly one is the one in the below picture. I applied a silver eye shadow on the eyelid and black at the crease but I made my crease bigger/more prominent than I normally do, which is yielding this smokey eye look (you can see the instructions for this makeup here). Essentially, this could be done with whichever shadow combination you want, just making sure you have a dark shadow at the crease and making said crease more prominent.

Makeup Application - The dotted line eyeliner

I've recently restarted doing this for a variety of reasons and thought that I should share. One trick when it comes to getting your eyeliner as close to your lash line as you can is essentially making little lines right at the lash line, as close to the lashes as you can.

This has a few other advantages as well:

• Smoother line: it's a little easier to make a smooth line with this method than with a continuous line;
• Better shape: in the same vein, it's easier to control the shape of the line as you'll go back over the liner to create the shape and will have fewer chances of whoopsies should your hand veer off path.

As mentioned above, what you end up doing is making those little lines, which can overlap, as close to the lash line as you can. And then you can go back over them in a continuous (or nearly continuous) line. 

For the upper lid, I typically do the dotted line starting about mid-eye and going towards the outer corner and then will work my way back from a little off from the inner corner to the middle of the eyelid. When I do the continuous line, I will start from the inner corner to the outer corner (and I flare the line).

This method works especially well for the lower lash line, if you want to apply at the lash line instead of on the water line. It helps to go under the lashes to do this. I start from the outer corner and will work my way inward. I have taken lately to ending this line around mid-eye, which makes my eyes look a little more open (a full line closes the eyes).

This application is nearly impossible to do with a liquid liner, though (unless it uses a felt tip applicator). But it works great with a pencil or gel liner.

Where to start the application?

Some may already know this but others may not: where we're starting the application may be counterintuitive at times... and as usual may vary depending on your preference. But, for example, when we say that we line the eyelid from corner to corner, you'd think that it means that you start at one corner and end at the other in one line... perhaps... perhaps not. The consideration to keep in mind is the product that you are using and the area. At a high level, the principle is that, if you are going to have a lot of product on your brush, you don't want to start at a corner or edge or else it will be too dark there and not enough where you need it.

Let's go over some considerations for different items/placements.

Foundation

When it comes to foundation, I will actually apply from a center area and push out the sides... so like say on my right cheekbone and then expand it out to the jaw line and hair line and in towards the nose. Given how foundation typically applies, it's easier to start high and bring it lower, hence why I start on the cheekbone and will expand downward and towards the hairline.

Facial Powder

I'm talking here about the powder that you may apply over your foundation. Really, this one doesn't matter so much as it's typically easy to move that loose powder around but I also typically start on the cheekbone and will expand in a similar fashion as the foundation.

Eyelid

On my eyelid, I generally start around the middle and will go towards each side. As I mentioned in another entry, I tend to use dabs when I apply the first layer. You can use your brush in a sweeping motion to move the powder around if need be. If you're using a cream eye shadow, this may be harder to move around. That's the general principle.

However, if I am applying some eye shadow specifically on the eyelid on the inner corner or the outer corner to create an accent, I will start at the corner as that's generally where I want to have the most emphasis.

Crease

At the crease of the eyelid, we typically want more intense at the outer corner and less intense towards the inner corner (if you want any eye shadow there at all). Depending on the color and the product, I may start building the crease at the outer corner, working my way in or from the middle of the crease and build it out.

Brow bone

If I'm applying some eye shadow at the brow bone, I'll start from the eyebrows and bring downwards as I want the brightness to be at the height of the eyes.

Eyeliner

Ah, the eyeliner is an interesting tricky one. If I'm using a pencil, I will nearly always work from inner corner to outer corner as the tip will generally be sharper (and thus make a finer line) at the start of use. If I'm using any other product (liquid liner or gel liner), I will start at some place away from the inner corner... it might be anywhere from like a 1/4 out to past mid eye. I make that decision based on how much product there is on my brush. If there's a lot, I will start closer towards the outer corner as that's the corner that needs to have the thicker line (if you're doing an increasingly thicker line). The motion, though, will still be from outer corner to outer corner as that gives the look that I like.

Blush

For blush, I always start on the cheekbone and expand towards the hairline. The reason is quite simply that you typically want more on the cheekbone and have a feathering effect towards the hairline.

So...

There are many ways that you can start the application. And, as usual, whatever works for you is what you should be doing. But, if you've been unsatisfied with some applications, consider starting from a different spot than what you normally do. If you're using tutorials, also pay attention to where they're starting first, realizing that this is what worked for them and could work for you... or not... 

The cure for (makeup) boredom

So, you've been feeling blah about makeup lately... or just simply feel like you've been doing the same thing over and over again. We can easily get in a routine and will develop go to habits because, well, when pressed for time or because you haven't had any coffee in your system, you'll need something that feels simple. But that can get boring after a while.

So here are a few ideas to shake things up.

Make use of your subscription

If you have a subscription (Ipsy, Birchbox, whatever), chances are that you may not have used everything that's in there (especially if you have had the subscription for a while as these things tend to accumulate). So you can definitely look into those samples/products and use them. Just pick one and make it work. It's not your normal shade? Make it work. That will ask you perhaps to do a little research to make it work or will at least fire up your creative juices. And if your push back is that it's a shade that totally doesn't work for you, unless you've tried it, don't dismiss it yet. Oftentimes, it's what you pair it with that makes a huge difference.

Go through your stash

Even if you're not a makeup junkie, chances are that you have some stuff that you haven't used in a while. Look at your drawer/makeup bag/wherever you store your makeup... towards the bottom... that thing... use that. ;) Now, you can use it how you used to (i.e., whatever routine you had developed with it [if any]) OR you can find another way to use it that will make it all fresh again.

Look at magazines/online photos/Pinterest

I have a board on Pinterest where I collate those pics that I stumble upon that I love the makeup in. Chances are, you may as well. When was the last time you looked at the board? There's inspiration right there. If you don't have such a board, well, you can start one... or if you don't want to be on Pinterest, there's the good old fashioned looking at magazines for inspiration or just do an online search or whatnot.

Online tutorials

I like to look at online tutorials every now and then and I have to admit that this is probably my #1 source for new inspiration. Well and, besides the fact that it will be makeup that's different than my usual go-tos, it will usually involve some different application than what I normally do so that's refreshing. Remember that, even if you don't have the exact product that they are using, if you have something that is close enough, it will work. And, sometimes, it's about trying a new technique and not so much about the color scheme.

Here are the ones that I follow:
Makeup Geek: https://www.youtube.com/user/MakeupGeekTV
Queen of Blending: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZr01YgztFcF6AWNaHp9HSA
panacea81: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUmC122H07lU5BWK7XZimhg
Hollywood Noir Makeup: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSrPeIs2bEjylHrnDK-nZvQ

On the topic of blushes...

I have thus far not really talked about blushes on this blog. The reason is simple: it's just not a product that I get gaga for. Now, don't get me wrong, I do wear blush on a daily basis but I just don't have gazillion of different colors nor do I feel the need to invest in more. 

Some staples

I have some staples that work for pretty much every makeup that I can conjure up.  Here are the colors that I do have:

• a pink toned blush;
• a red with brown undertone blush;
• a red with purple undertone blush;
• a peach colored blush.

And I find that that's pretty much what I need. I did end up getting two additional ones through the Ipsy subscription, which are baby pink and coral and I do like them. But I could have lived without them.

Investment

While, yes, the exact blush color will make a subtle difference for overall look of the makeup, I just find that it's such a small difference that it's not worth spending on different shades... I'd rather buy more eye shadows instead or lipstick. ;)

Now I would advise that, if you are going to invest in just a few shades, make sure that you do love them and consider splurging for a better brand or at least a better payload. Blush is a product that not only stays good for a long time but also a little goes a long way so the product will last you a long time.

Formulations

Blushes can come in different formulation: pressed powder, loose powder, cream, and liquid. I do like both pressed powder and loose powder formulations. The application is identical. When it comes to the cream and liquid formulation, I find that it's harder (for me) to apply. I've tried to apply the cream ones using a brush and that just didn't work well. I tried with my fingers (for both cream and liquid formulation) and it's hard to have a good application with those as well. I also don't quite like the finished look and feel of those formulations. So I just stick to the powder ones.

Application

You want to apply the blush on your cheek bone, from the tip of the bone (closer to the nose) towards the hairline.  Definitely start with soft brush strokes at first and add a little bit more as needed. Blushes tend to be very pigmented so it's super easy for it to apply much more intensely than you want. If that happens, you can use your hand to smudge it away. 

How to contour your face

One of the problems that we see with stage makeup is the face appearing to be all one mask of a same color and your features essentially disappear. This is due to both distance and bright lights (if there are bright lights). If you want to add more of a 3D effect to your face, you will want to use contouring methods, which consists of shadowing and highlighting certain areas on your face.

Shading and highlights on your face will essentially be you re-drawing your face. Essentially, you want to highlight the spots where the light hits the skin on your face and shade the spots where the light creates shadows on your face.  I typically do the shadows first and then the highlights.  Make sure that the shadows don’t bleed too much on where the highlights will need to be.

Shadows:

•       Under the cheek bone;
•       On each side of the nose;
•       Crease in the chin;
•       Under the jaw line.

Highlights:

•  Do a ‘heart’ shape by highlighting over the eyebrows and under-eye area/cheek bone;
•  Middle of the forehead;
•  On the ridge of your nose;
• Tip of the chin.

Note: For the temple area, you may want to play with whether to highlight or shadow it; it will really depend on your skull.  If you have a dip at the temple, most likely you’ll prefer shadowing it. If you don’t, highlighting the area will be your preference.

Care for brushes

To keep with yesterday's post about brushes, here is some information on how to take care of them.

Storage

I highly recommend storing the brushes in a brush case. If you buy a set, it will usually come in a case or bag of sorts and you can use that. You can store them really whichever way you want but, to increase the longevity of your brushes, you want to store them in a way that the bristles can't be damaged.  So throwing them in a makeup bag is NOT a good idea, unless it's for a short period of time (e.g., when traveling) but even then, I wouldn't recommend it.  Store them carefully and they will last for a long time.

Cleaning

Brushes should be cleaned regularly. That will help both keep them in good shape for a long time and also keep them clean in terms of color cross-contamination and bacteria.  There are a number of ways that you can clean brushes. Here are some options.

Warm Water and Baby Shampoo

It's pretty much exactly like it sounds. Take your makeup brush and get the bristles wet with warm water. Then put a small amount of baby shampoo on the bristles and massage to get the color out. Rinse the bristles well with more warm water. Use a towel to remove the excess water from the bristles, making sure to reshape the brush to something close to its original shape. It's very akin to working with your own hair. ;) Let the brush air dry.

The advantage of this method is that it's fairly inexpensive as baby shampoo is not costly and a small bottle will last you a long time. The disadvantage is that it takes a long time for the brushes to dry (about 24 hours). So you likely won't be able to do this very frequently.

I usually use this method for big fluffy brushes like my kabuki brush, my powder brush, and my blush brush. That's the best method to get the colors out of the brush and clean them real good.

Makeup Brush Cleanser

Makeup brush cleansers come in all kinds of formula. I've tried the one by e.l.f. before and wrote a review on it. I'm not using it. The one that I do like is by MAC (which I talk about in that e.l.f. product review). The instructions on the bottle say to pour some cleanser over the brush bristles and then reshape the brush and let dry. I've seen MAC stores where they have a jar of it and will dip the brush in it (just the bristles) and then they will wipe it over the a tissue. The method I use, which I've seen done by my favorite MAC consultant is to pour a little amount on a tissue, wipe the brush back and forth until all the color is out, reshape the brush, and let dry (I put it back in the case to dry). This latter method uses the least amount of product.

The advantage of the makeup brush cleanser (MAC or other one that has alcohol in it) is that, since it has a little bit of alcohol in it, it will dry off much faster and you can technically use the brush in like 20-30 minutes but I usually wait longer to make sure that it's completely dry. In addition, they claim that the product helps condition the brushes. I don't think that it's that much more conditioning than the baby shampoo would do so I'm not sure that it's an advantage really but I haven't tested it. The disadvantage is that it's a little pricey at 14$ but it does a splendid job so I feel that it's well worth the price.

I usually use this method for all my brushes for eye makeup. I clean these more frequently (see below) and they require a faster drying method.

Frequency of Cleaning

I have friends who I have had to chide for the frequency of cleaning the makeup brushes... they *may* do it once a year. That is WAY too infrequent, unless you really don't wear makeup often.

I clean my eye makeup brushes after every use. Yes, I do. The main reason for that is to ensure that there is less cross-contamination of colors. If you don't clean your brushes after use, even if you wipe them and think that there isn't color left because you can't see it, there is still color in the bristles, just not visible to the eye... but it will affect the color that you are trying to apply next. So if you've had that issue where the color isn't quite right, it could be because you're using a brush that needs to be cleaned.  Also, it's a good idea to clean those frequently since they are being used around the eye area.

I clean the big fluffy brushes about once every 6 months, though I should probably do once every quarter just for good measure. These brushes always have the same product or near same product (I don't have drastic differences in the blush colors I use) every time so there is less cross-contamination of color (or none if we're talking about the loose powder).

Foundation - Before or After Eye Makeup

I get asked this question quite a bit when I teach the makeup workshop: should the foundation be applied before or after the eye makeup?  As with everything makeup-related, the answer is: it's actually up to you, there is no right or wrong, just a matter of preference.

The main advantage of applying the foundation after you've done your eye makeup is that, should there be fallout, you will totally "erase it" when you apply the foundation.  If you're someone who has a tendency to be messy when applying your eyeshadow, it might be worth considering trying to apply your foundation after you've done your eye makeup and see if you like that.  For a while, I did apply my foundation after. One of the issues that I had with it was that you need to wait a little after you've applied your eyeliner and mascara for them to dry or else you run the risk of smudging them.  You could obviously apply the eyeliner and mascara after you've applied your foundation but I always forgot to wait. Another thing that I didn't like so much was that, while I could get close to that eye makeup, there would inevitably be a little bit of skin that wouldn't have foundation applied to it. It's not something that would really be noticeable much (unless you really don't go close enough) but it was bugging me a little.

I personally prefer to apply the foundation first because it gives me an even canvas to work from.  I apply the foundation all over my face, including my eyelids. It does happen that I have some fallout, in which case I use a fluffy brush to gently brush it away and it generally works fine. There will be times, though, when that's not enough b/c it somehow ended up being smudged or I mess up with the eyeliner and mascara and need to correct using some water or makeup remover. When that happens, the disadvantage of having applied the foundation already is that it will effectively remove some of it. But nothing says that I can't reapply a little bit to fill that "hole".

My recommendation really is that, if you're satisfied with your order, just keep doing that. Or if you're wondering which is best, really, try it for yourself and see which one you prefer. Again, there is no right or wrong answer: just preference.

If at first you don't succeed...

keep trying, keep practicing!

I often hear complaints of people saying "I tried to do the flared eyeliner thing but it didn't work." Or you could insert any technique... this was but an example.  Having tried it once is not an indicator of whether you will succeed or not with that technique in general.  Some techniques do take a whole lot of time to get right. For example, I think that it took me no less than a month to get the hang of applying liquid eyeliner in a way that looked good... and then it must have taken me another few months to be able to apply in a consistent manner.  Now there may be techniques that you get at the first try. It happens.

Fear
Often we feel fear when it comes to trying something new in general and this is no less true for a new makeup technique. You wish that you'll get it right away but it may or may not happen. That fear can hold you back from even trying... which is sad (and that goes for everything... not just makeup :p). But in the case of makeup, what's the worst that can happen? You need to redo the makeup or correct it. That's about it. No one's dying. Heck, no one has to see it!

Old patterns
So, really, when you're trying something new, you have to fight old patterns. By that I mean that you may have ingrained in you some way of applying the makeup and you will have to fight that to try the new technique. For example, you are used to flaring out the eye shadow at the crease into a pointy triangle but you're trying to do a more rounded shape... you'll have to resist the urge to point it up and strive to keep it rounded. It can be hard. I know. I've had to fight those patterns. ;)

Failure is not necessarily bad
So you haven't achieved the look that you were hoping to get. Well, maybe you still like the look! If so, make a mental note... you can redo it.  If you don't, before you quickly remove the makeup, assess what could possibly have gone wrong. Where do you think you have erred? This is important so as not to repeat the same mistake.

It takes time
So, as mentioned above regarding liquid liner application, some techniques just plain take time to get the hang of. So don't feel like you're a failure for not having been able to do it right away. Just keep at it. It's just like practicing any other thing: you need to do it multiple times before you can do it consistently.

Palettes - What to look for

As the Holiday season is upon us, you'll see more and more new palettes being released. The reason is very simple: it's an easy gift to give to someone. So, yes, indeed, you could ask for some makeup for a gift!  Or, if you get a gift certificate for a makeup place, you most certainly can purchase a palette.

(Note: I will do an entry about "if you have XX amount to spend, how would I recommend you spend it... coming soon.)

Why purchase a palette?
First off, why would you purchase a palette instead of individual colors? Well, with individual colors, you'll get your choice and get bigger sizes, for sure. However, I do love a good palette as it's a handy way to carry a bunch of colors together in a (generally) small space.  One thing that often happens as well is that, while I may not love all the colors on the palette, even those colors that I thought I'd never wear somehow end up on my eyelid at some point or another (i.e., sometimes, you don't know that you'll need a color until you actually need it :p).  In some cases (e.g., Too Faced palettes), the colors will be pre-arranged for you into looks. It will generally not be contrasting enough for stage as they assemble these looks for everyday (or special occasions) but it gives you a starting point.

Size does matter
When it comes to palettes, size does matter... but not necessarily in the way that you think. ;) I like for my palettes to be on the small size as I want them to fit in my travel makeup case. So I find that my big whole 78 eyeshadow palette rarely travels with me as it's rather big and I'd rather not have it encumber my luggage.

Also watch out for overpackaging. You'll end up paying for that packaging anyway and it takes more space than it needs to. What I mean by "overpackaging" is those palettes that have a lot of space in-between colors and like a bulky (but likely very cute) box. Things like that.

Now, if you're not going to travel with the palette, its (small) size is not as important.

The "a < big number > $ value" trick
Don't be fooled by the "this palette is worth 96$ but you can get it for 36$!" ploy. Companies do that to make their palettes look more attractive.  The way that they calculate the full price of the palette is based on how much it would cost you to buy each color individually at full size... but the colors in the palette aren't full size. So don't even bother looking at the other value but the actual sale price for the palette. It's really truly pointless. The question is: is the price something that you're willing to pay for what you get?

Color selection
When selecting a palette, you'll want of course to assess the color selection. I once made the mistake of purchasing a palette that I thought I would absolutely love because there were so many super nice dark colors... but that's all that the palette had: dark colors. So I end up rarely using it because I need to supplement the palette with other colors to do a complete look. Therefore, I would recommend that you look for a palette that has both dark and lighter colors. A typical makeup scheme will have a medium color on the eyelid, a darker color at the crease, and the lightest color at the brow bone; you'll want to ensure that you can do this with the given palette.  Again, it's not mandatory that it stands alone but you may find yourself not using a palette as much if it can't.

Finish selection
Pay attention to the finish of each of the colors. Are they all matte? All shimmery? Most people prefer having a mix of finishes for variety but it's really a personal thing. The only thing that I would advise against would be having all shimmery or frost eye shadows as that becomes a bit much to pull off but not impossible.

Broader palettes
There are palettes that have more than just eye shadows: they may have also some blushes and lipstick. Those can be useful if you want to have everything in one package but I have to say that, generally, you'll get a better deal out of a focused palette but, again, it's a personal thing.

Youtube Tutorials

Years ago, as I was on my quest for good makeup, I stumbled upon youtube tutorials of makeup. I believe that it was through good old Tribe (remember that site?). So here are my "go to" ladies.

Lauren Luke aka panacea81

Lauren was the one that I had found the link for via Tribe. I got a ton of good tips and tricks from her older videos.  I haven't been following her much lately.

http://www.youtube.com/user/panacea81

Makeup Geek

She often has products reviews and all and has started to do tutorials that include hair as well.

http://www.youtube.com/user/MakeupGeekTV

Queen of Blending

She can be quite outrageous in her makeups. That being said, those will be awesome for stage! You may even feel like toning it down (like I did for the silver and black makeup scheme).  She does deserve her name in that she blends her shadows like no other.

http://www.youtube.com/user/QueenofBlendingMUA

Searches

Nowadays, quite honestly, there's tutorials for anything and everything. Whether they are good or bad is in the eye of the beholder. But you are bound to find inspiration in plenty of places. Besides these lovely ladies who are my list, you could do a search for whatever makeup you're thinking of and will most likely find pics, tutorials, etc. So don't hesitate to google it up. ;)

My favorite brushes

Part of good makeup is having the proper tools: good brushes. And by "good brushes", I most certainly don't mean that you need to spend a lot of money on them. Some of my favorite brushes are a few dollars. With these tools, it will really be often a matter of preference in terms of what you like best for which application.

Back before I started on my quest for good makeup, I was sometimes stopping myself from using certain brushes because I didn't know what they were for. Well, that's just silly. The manufacturer may have stamped a name to a brush, indicating what it should be used for but, really, there is no "brush police" that will come give you a fine if you aren't using the brush exactly as intended. The only "sin" here is to not use the brushes.

Brushes sets

Again, even before the quest for good makeup, I had invested in a makeup brush set akin to this picture. If you do a search on eBay for "makeup brush set", you'll see plenty of these kinds of sets. The quality of the brushes is okay but you can get these for a very decent price (32 pieces for 10-20$ including shipping). A lot of the vendors will be in China and, actually, often these brushes are very akin to the higher end brushes.  One thing is that they tend to shed their bristles for a bit but then it stops.  It's definitely one way to get plenty of brushes for not too much money up front. And then you can subsequently replace your favorite brushes with higher quality brushes.  That's definitely what I did: I used the kit for many many years and I still use some of those brushes every now and then.

That being said, there are now a lot of options to get brushes at decent prices, so look around and you will likely find something that will fit in your budget.

My favorite brushes
Now onto my favorite brushes and what I use them for.  I use these on a near daily basis... if not daily, it's on a weekly basis for sure.

Sephora Classic All Over Shadow Brush Small - 13$
I love to use that brush to apply eye shadow all over the eyelid. It does great for pressed powders and some loose powders (especially the Bare Escentuals ones).
http://www.sephora.com/classic-all-over-shadow-brush-small-22-P188214?skuId=1014315

Sephora Pro Natural Small Eyeshadow Brush - Sold out

Unfortunately this brush is sold out but I love it and use it very frequently. It is stiffer than the one above so I love to use it to apply creamy eye shadows. So, whenever I apply the Buxom Stay There shadows, I use this brush.

e.l.f. Professional Eyeshadow Brush - 1$

I love this brush to apply loose powders eye shadows or glitter over the eyelid. It is a rather stiff brush so it's great for these applications. It does well also for regular pressed powders.

http://www.target.com/p/e-l-f-professional-eyeshadow-brush/-/A-13960346#prodSlot=medium_2_16&term=e.l.f.

Sephora Pro Smoky Liner Brush  - 17$

(note that it's not exactly the brush that I purchased but the same shape and it's the same brand)  I love this brush to apply gel or cream eyeliner. I somehow prefer to use it for a stage makeup application but it can be used for any eyeliner application. The shape of it is what makes it so great: it is akin to working with a pencil eyeliner.

http://www.sephora.com/pro-smoky-liner-24-P313036?skuId=1419647

MAC Small Angle Brush - 19$

I use this brush to apply either cream or gel eyeliner and to do my eyebrows. I generally will use this brush for my regular makeup. I've had this specific brush for like over 15 years and it's still going strong with no signs of decline. 

http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/145/823/Products/Brushes/Eye/263-Small-Angle-Brush/index.tmpl

e.l.f. Contour Brush - 3$

I use this brush to apply eye shadows at the crease of my eyes. It's a bit on the stiff side, which is real nice for when you want your crease shadows to stay put and not blend in too much. So I definitely use it for stage makeup. For regular makeup, it depends on the look that I'm going for.
http://www.target.com/p/e-l-f-contour-brush/-/A-13586149#prodSlot=medium_1_39&term=e.l.f.

Sephora Classic Rounded Crease Brush - 17$

This is similar to the e.l.f. Contour Brush in that I use it to apply eye shadows at the crease of my eyes. However, this one is fluffier and, as such, will automatically blend in the color a bit more. For regular makeup, that is generally what I want (but not always). For stage makeup, that's too much blending.

Sephora Pro Allover Shadow Brush - 20$

I love to use this brush to apply eye shadow at the brow bone. It covers a lot of surface. Now, depending on the size of your brow bone, this may be too large of a brush.
http://www.sephora.com/pro-allover-shadow-brush-12-P313029?skuId=1419571

e.l.f. Studio Blush Brush - 3$

I love to use this brush, as the name indicates to apply blush to my cheeks. It is the perfect size for me. I have encountered many blush brushes that are either too large or too small. This one's perfect for my cheeks.

http://www.target.com/p/e-l-f-studio-blush-brush/-/A-13586151#prodSlot=medium_1_4&term=e.l.f. brush

e.l.f. Complexion Brush - 3$

I use this brush to apply loose powder to my face over my foundation. It has the perfect size and shape for it.

http://www.target.com/p/e-l-f-studio-complexion-brush/-/A-13586146#prodSlot=medium_1_2 

White eye shadows

Just like with black eye shadows, I think that everyone should consider purchasing a white eye shadow.  It may seem counterintuitive that someone who is as fair skinned as I am would be talking about purchasing white eye shadow but there are a few key applications that make it a must-have.

First off, this is pretty much THE color that I apply on my brow bone when I do stage makeup. I will sometimes apply a beige but 99.8% of the time, it's white. It will provide good contrast that will work great with distance .

If I'm doing regular makeup, I like to apply white at the arch of the brow on the brow bone: it gives a nice pop of light.

One of my trick to appear to have bigger eyes (believe me, my eyes are normal size... it's all smoke and mirror [and makeup application]) is to apply some white eye shadow at the inner corner of the eye. I do that especially if I've used dark colors but I may do it whichever color I used. It totally re-opens your eyes to do that.  So if you've shied from using dark colors because it makes your eyes look smaller, try this trick: it works, believe me!

Another option with white is to us it if you're wanting a vintage makeup look. I typically will go for a beige instead but white is another option.

Contrary to the black eye shadows, the finish of a white eye shadow will not make nearly as much of a difference. What will, though, is the exact shade.

• I have a blueish shimmery white pigment from MAC that I've worn only a handful of times. I can wear it on my eyelid paired with something else but I can't use it alone nor on my brow bone. The issue is that the blueish tint is making it appear as if I have a black eye. NOT the look that I'm going for.
• I have a very matte white shadow from MAC (Gesso) that I use mainly for the arch of the brow and inner corner of the eye for regular makeup. I tend to prefer something matte for regular makeup.
• I have a frosty white that I had received from Sephora (Aspen Summit) in my birthday kit a couple of years ago. (When you're a Sephora rewards member, you get a freebie each year on your birthday.) I like the shine of it for stage makeup and apply it all over my brow bone and at the inner corner.

The point here is trial and errors and finding which one you prefer. If you want to purchase only one white (and I wouldn't recommend buying more than one or two), what will matter the most is the exact shade. Stay clear of blueish tints (as evidenced by my own bad experience).  You can assess what the shade is and how it will behave by applying a little on your hand and moving the hand around under light: it will reveal what other tint is in that white. That is, of course, if you are at a makeup store like MAC or Sephora.  If you are purchasing online, then it's a little bit more hit and miss but they generally will take a portion of the product and spread it to showcase the exact color.

And as an FYI, what you're aiming for when you're applying the white eye shadow to light up your eyes is NOT the clown white effect (unless that's what you're going for, of course) but a pale dusting. Whereas I apply multiple layers of eye shadow on the eyelids and at the crease, generally just one swipe will be enough with the white.

Black eye shadows

Pretty much everyone should consider purchasing at some point a black eye shadow so here are some things to keep in mind as you're choosing it.

First off, why should you consider purchasing black? It is a very versatile and useful color to have on hand.  You can use it at your crease for your makeup. You can use it over an eyeliner to bolster its blackness. You could also use it over an eyeliner to smudge the line. And one thing that folks often forget about is that you don't need to use all over the crease but you could have just a little bit to darken it. There are many options to use black.

I think that black eye shadow has suffered from a bad rep that it makes you look like a raccoon and, therefore, shouldn't be used. That'd be only true if you do apply it in a raccoon mask sort of way.

Eye shadows come in various finishes (matte, frost, shimmery, sparkly, etc.). Which one you pick will have a different look... and may have a different use.

Matte: A matte black will make the area where you applied it look like it's receding. As such, you may want to use a matte black at the crease or over an eyeliner.

Shimmery: Here, I mean anything that shimmers (so frost, sparkly, whatever).  A shimmery black will tend to make the area appear to stand out.  If you want to do a smokey eye with a black eye shadow, I'd recommend using a shimmery black, especially if you will do this for stage.  Also, if you have a very deep crease, you may want to select a shimmery black to apply at the crease so as not to further deepen the look of the crease.

I actually own a few matte blacks (pressed powder and loose shadow) and several shimmery blacks. The shimmery blacks I own have different looks to them: one has a golden shimmer to it, one has a silver shimmer, one has an iridescent shimmer, etc.  It actually often happens that the blacks are part of a palette so they came with but I did choose certain shimmery blacks on purpose.

That being said, if your budget is tight and you can purchase only one black, I'd go with a shimmery finish as it will be the one that will be the most versatile.

Also, if you've ever tried a smokey eye with black and were dissatisfied with the result, try again but with a shimmery black. You'll see that it will help quite a bit.

Tips for separated products in tubes

Yesterday morning, I used a product in a tube that had separated so that reminded me that I should consider doing an entry about this. By a separated product, I mean that it's a cream and what comes out at first is an (often) oily clear (or near clear) goo and then the product itself.

Products are meant to be used regularly so, if you're not using regularly, it may separate.  Depending on the product, the length of time before separation will happen can be very different from product to product. Normally, it may take a few weeks for it to happen but it could happen quicker than that.

If you haven't been using a product from a tube in a while, you may want to massage the tube first (with the cap still on). It sounds weird but it will help remix the product together.  It's not going to make it all remixed but it will definitely help.  Obviously, you will want to be gentle when massaging the tube as you don't want it to explode all over. That would defeat the purpose.

For all that you may feel that it's wasteful, you may need to throw away the portion of product that will come out that is separated. While you can certainly apply it and it shouldn't have any nefarious consequence, it just will not do its job properly. For example, separated eye shadow primer just won't hold onto the eye shadow as well as it should if the product is not the perfect formulation.

So the bottom line really is that, for all that you want to conserve products, they are meant to be used... or else you'll actually need to throw some away.

Tips on trying out new products

I have super sensitive skin so I've been burnt before by trying on a new product and then having an allergic reaction or just my skin feeling weird. So here are a few tips and tricks to help when trying new products.  And by products here, I really mean a skin care product but the same could happen with makeup.

Quality matters
First off, quality matters. If the product is of poor quality, the likelihood that something in it will make your skin react is higher. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't try it but just that you should proceed with caution.  Also note that the generic products that you can find at the pharmacy will be comparable to the brand name but not exactly the same. Look for products that say "hypoallergenic" if you have uber sensitive skin. Even with these, you could react, but there might be less of a chance.  Quality does not necessarily correlate with price but it often does.

Small area first
If you're unsure of the product (due to quality or other reason), try it on a small area first... and consider even trying out on, say, your forearm. If your forearm breaks into hives, it's not ideal, of course, but it's less bothersome most oftentimes than on your face. Now, the skin of your arms and of your face is not exactly the same so, while your forearm may not have reacted, there is still a possibility that the skin of your face would but the likelihood is much much lower.

Introduce one thing at a time
I'm a scientist so, when we do experiments, if at all possible, we try to change one parameter at a time. So, similarly, I recommend trying on one thing at a time. The reason is simple: if something happens, then you know that was the likely due to the new product.  The problem when you're trying more than one product is two-folds, really: 1) should there be a reaction, you wouldn't know which one prompted it (and may need to go back a step and try one at a time) and 2) should you get benefit from the products (e.g., clearer skin), you won't know which one prompted the benefit.  While the latter doesn't seem like a big deal, if you have budget constraints and want to purchase only one item, which one would you purchase?

Interactions between products
One thing that sometimes happens is an interaction between the products. So it's possible that the new product, by itself or in combination with other products doesn't make you react but, in combination with other products, may create an allergic reaction.  If that happens, you obviously need to judge which ones you want to keep but, worst case, you just work them separately (e.g., on different days).

Same brand
The caveat to the general rule of introducing one product at a time is that, if the products are from the same brand, you can try more than one product at a time. The products should be more or less similar formulations and most brands develop their products to work with each other, complement each other, etc.  The interactions between products should be very minimal and you can generally rely on, if a product from a brand works for you, it's very likely that another product from the same brand would work as well. It's not 100% guaranteed, of course, as nothing ever is.

Pick your day
Pick your day when you sill sample a new product. If you have a big event, you'll be tempted to try a new fancy product because you heard good things about it but, let me tell you, that's a good way to invite a Murphy's Law. Should you react, you probably don't want to go to the event with hives on your face or looking like a scientific experiment gone wrong or something.  And consider weekend vs. weekday. Depending on your job, your hobbies, events you have coming up, you'll have a preference for one vs. the other.

Challenge/Dechallenge
If you do react but you're not sure if it's a fluke or it really happened you can do a "challenge/dechallenge" test. "Challenge" is trying on the product again and seeing whether you react. "Dechallenge" is stopping the product and seeing if the reaction subside. Now, depending on the reaction, it may be hard to tell if stopping the use of the product is directly linked to whatever reaction you have. This is when the challenge comes in: if you want to be sure if it's the product, then use it again and see what happens. Note that you definitely DO NOT need to do this. But if, for some reason, you're wondering, you can use this method.

Developing a reaction to a long time product
It sucks but it sometimes happens that, for all that you've been using the same product(s) for a long time, you may develop an allergy to it. It happened to me with L'Oreal makeup (which is what made me discover MAC): I had been using those makeup products for years and then, one day, I reacted to them. My eyelids became all red and flaky. It wasn't fun. This is where the challenge/dechallenge can be most useful: if you want to be real sure that it's a developed allergy (and not something else that was going on that made you react), you can use that method to assess that.

Look at the list of ingredients
If you break out or have an allergic reaction, look at the list of ingredients. There might be something in it that you'll discover is your allergy trigger. I have a personal example of this albeit it's with tea vs. skin care/makeup products.  I had bought a bunch of loose leaves teas... awesome stuff! I enjoyed those teas quite a bit. But then I noticed that, sometimes, I felt nauseous. It took me some time to connect the nauseous feeling with taking tea but I eventually did. The reason why it took me some time to make the connection is that not all teas made me feel bad. But, eventually, I realized that those teas that contained anise seed were the ones that made me feel nauseous. So the same could happen with beauty products or makeup: there might be one or more ingredients that make you react. So look into that and, if you notice a pattern, just stir clear of that ingredient.

Assessing the benefits
Obviously, if you're trying a new beauty or skin care product, you're hoping to get some benefit that you weren't getting before: clearer skin, smoother skin, less wrinkles, etc. With makeup, you will see the benefits right away because makeup is essentially colors on your skin so it's a straightforward thing. It's important to know, though, that, for skin care, you may not see the benefits the first day... it may take a week or several weeks to see the benefits.  If you've ever received the "pouch" samples, that's generally not enough to know whether a skin care product will work for you or not. You will be able to know if you will have a bad reaction as those happen rather quickly generally. However, when it comes to the benefits, you'll have to take a chance and guesstimate whether it will give you the anticipated benefits or not. This is where the deluxe samples that you can get from Sephora, Birchbox, or other places are very useful: by having more product, you'll be able to assess better whether you will actually get benefits before investing for the full size product.

Nighttime daily routine

So the nighttime routine will feel a lot like the morning routine minus the makeup application. In this case, obviously, we're removing the makeup... and I do a few additional steps some time during the week.

Before we go into the routine, let me make a plight: DO NOT GO TO BED WITH YOUR MAKEUP STILL ON! That is oh so very bad for your skin. See, during the night is when your skin rejuvenates itself: it breathes a lot and repairs itself. If you still have makeup on, it clogs the pores and prevents the repair process from happening. That is one sure way as well to increase your likelihood of having some breakouts.  So, if you're dead tired and can't do the whole routine (which takes about 5-10 minutes, by the way, so you have very little excuse), then at the very minimum, do Steps 1 and 2.

1. Eye makeup remover
I sometimes use eye makeup remover and sometimes I'll use the makeup remover towelettes. It depends on my mood and, when I travel a lot, I keep those towelette handy and will use them regularly so as not to let them dry out on me.

If I'm using an eye makeup remover, my product of choice is the Gently Off Eye and Lip Make Up Remover by MAC. http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/179/1480/Products/Skincare/Removers/Gently-Off-Eye-and-Lip-Makeup-Remover/index.tmpl  I apply some on a cotton pad (I prefer the square ones... don't know why) and will wipe it gently over the eye area, making sure that I remove all the eye makeup, including what I've applied at the lower lash line and in the eyebrows. Now, after I'm done, the area around the eyes may look a bit like a raccoon. That's okay, I'll wash my face next.

If I'm using the makeup remover towelette, I apply the same principles but using a portion of the towelette. I've tried a bunch of towelettes and my favorites are the Neutrogena Make Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes.  I buy those either at Target or CVS. I've also used the CVS version of these and they worked fine though I still have a slight preference for the brand name.

As a reminder, as I've mentioned in a previous entry (see http://celestesmakeupcorner.blogspot.com/2012/08/light-touch.html ), you will want to use light strokes when removing your makeup (especially the eye makeup) and especially if you hit a stubborn spot.

2. Cleanser
If I've used the eye makeup remover, I'll use again the Nutritive Cleanser by Perricone MD. http://www.skinstore.com/p-9373-perricone-md-nutritive-cleanser.aspx

If I've used the makeup remover towelette, I'll use the remainder of that towelette for the rest of my face. I generally have to turn it around because it has the eye makeup on one side. ;)

3. Moisturizer
I actually use the same moisturizer, which is the Face Finish Moisturizer by Perricone MD. http://www.skinstore.com/p-9372-perricone-md-face-finishing-moisturizer.aspx

4. Eye cream
Again, this is the same as in the morning so the StriVectin Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles. http://www.skinstore.com/p-15008-strivectin-sd-eye-concentrate-for-wrinkles.aspx

5. Lip treatment
I don't always do this but will do it 2-3 times a day.  I will either apply a lip balm (I use one by Badger... they don't make that specific one anymore; I've had it for years!) or the Whipped Cherry Lip Scrub by Bite Beauty.  The two serve different purposes: the lip balm will moisturize my lips whereas the lip scrub will (as the name implies) scrub the lips.

I have yet to purchase the full product but I had received a deluxe sample from Sephora of that lip scrub. http://www.sephora.com/whipped-cherry-lip-scrub-P303109  If you have problems where your lips flake, this is a good product to help with that: you'll essentially be scrubbing your lips for a bit and then remove the product. The product is made in such a way that it does leave some moisturizer on your lips so they don't totally dry out.

Several years ago, a MAC representative had given me the tip of using your tooth brush on your lips to get rid of the flaky skin on your lips. That totally works and is obviously cheaper than the lip scrub product. However, if you will use the tooth brush method, just note that you'll likely need to moisturize the lips as the bristles will dry out further your lips.

6. Foot cream
I bet that you weren't expecting this one! I don't do this nightly. However, if I've been dancing barefoot (so that's at least Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays), I will generally apply Dr. Hunter Foot Comfort Cream.  It's something that I apply right before I go to bed as I don't like to walk around with this cream on my feet. http://www.drugstore.com/caswell-massey-dr-hunter-foot-comfort-creme/qxp155717?catid=51846

The quick morning routine

In the last entry, I was talking about those mornings when I'm pressed for time, which seems to be nearly every morning lately.  I have a corporate job so I still need to look polished even when pressed for time. Or at least I like to look polished. :p

So here are my steps for what I do on most days.  It looks like a very long list but, believe me, it's longer to write out than to actually do it.  At the bottom, I'll pare it down even further but the list here is what I do on a near (work) daily basis.

Note that I'm citing the names of the products that I'm using to give an idea of what I'm using.  Also note that the websites that I'm linking are actually where I've bought the product.

1. Cleanser
I've been using Perricone MD products for a few years now. They've changed formulation for the cleanser so the one that I use now is the Nutritive Cleanser. http://www.skinstore.com/p-9373-perricone-md-nutritive-cleanser.aspx

2. Moisturizer
I've been using the Face Finishing Moisturizer by Perricone MD for a couple of years. http://www.skinstore.com/p-9372-perricone-md-face-finishing-moisturizer.aspx

3. Eye cream
I use the StriVectin Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles (yeah, I'm getting old enough to start seeing those). http://www.skinstore.com/p-15008-strivectin-sd-eye-concentrate-for-wrinkles.aspx

4. Dr. Jart+ Beauty Balm
You can refer to the previous post for my thoughts on this product. Up until I discovered it, I used to skip this step. ;)  I apply this all over my face: make sure to go all the way to the hairline and in the jaw line when applying.  http://www.sephora.com/water-fuse-beauty-balm-spf-25-pa-P285402

5. Concealer
I currently use Bye Bye Under Eye by It Cosmetics. I apply it under my eyes and over any weird skin thing (e.g., pimple).   http://www.beauty.com/it-cosmetics-bye-bye-under-eye-full-coverage-waterproof-concealer-light-ultra-fair/qxp218123?catid=12974

6. Loose powder
I'm using the HD Microfinish Powder by Make Up For Ever. It's really an awesome product! I would recommend it to everyone. Don't be scared by the white color of the powder: it blends in with your natural pigmentation. http://www.sephora.com/hd-microfinish-powder-P210400

7. Eye primer
I never leave home without it on my eyelids... unless I'm not wearing any eye shadow, which is very rare indeed. I use Shadow Insurance by Too Faced. http://www.sephora.com/shadow-insurance-P202625

8. Eye shadow
If I'm pressed for time but have a little bit of time, I'll do some full blown eye makeup. But if I'm really pressed for time, I'll go for just one eye shadow. I like to use the Buxom - Stay There eye shadows for this. Note that I've discovered that not all of these work well on my eyelids. That being said, I have 2 colors that I use on rotation: Chihuahua and Pug. While they look similar on the computer screen, Chihuahua is a white shiny silver while Pug is a grey matte silver. http://www.sephora.com/buxom-stay-there-eye-shadow-P267305  I do sometimes wear other eye shadows but, when I'm really pressed for time, these are the ones that I use. Given that they are cream eye shadows, they are super fast to apply.

9. Eyeliner
I use the e.l.f. gel liner (3$ at Target or Meijer or other stores) for my eyeliner nowadays.  I always like my top eyelid and flare it out. That's kind of my thing that I like to do. ;) I generally will also line my waterline on my lower eyelid but I will sometimes mix it up by not lining it at all or just partially or really into the lash line (again full or partial). As minute of a detail as it may sound, it does make the makeup look slightly different.

10. Mascara
I never leave home without mascara... or VERY rarely. See, I'm blonde underneath this black hair so my lashes are blonde too. Without mascara, I end up looking like a ghost. :p I currently am using something by Rimmel that I bought it at Target.

11. Eyebrows
Just like I rarely go out without mascara on my lashes, I rarely go out without having done my eyebrows for the same reason: without some black over them, I look like I'm missing eyebrows.  The lucky thing, though, is that, since my hair is black, it's easy for me to do my eyebrows. If I'm really pressed with time, I can just use some mascara over them. It doesn't give them a very full look but it's a fast and relatively fast (provided I don't accidentally smudge the mascara) way to do my eyebrows. Otherwise, my preferred method has been to use that e.l.f. gel liner to fill in my eyebrows and shape them the way that I want. I will let them dry a little (so I'll wait until the next step is done to the this) and then I'll use a mascara-like brush to brush my eyebrows. It makes them look more natural when I do this.

12. Blush
I then apply blush on my cheek bones. If I've used the Buxom eye shadows, I will generally wear the shade Mocha by MAC.

13. Lips
I tend to gravitate towards lip glosses nowadays given that my lips are so small.

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Here are other scenarios; I will use them depending on the time that I have left to get ready but, again, it's not my preference:

• Mascara only: At a very minimum, as I've stated above, I'll at least wear some mascara on my lashes and eyebrows. I rarely do this but will if, say, I need to run to the store because I need milk or something.
• Eyeliner and mascara
• Eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara
• Powder, eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara

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Edit: I've had a question on Facebook as to how long this all takes. Steps 1-12 take me about 15-20 minutes. That is, if I've used the Buxom eye shadows so have done a quick eye makeup application. If it's a different eye makeup application, it can take longer.  If you're going "there's no way that I could do this in 15-20 minutes", do not despair: the more you do it, the quicker you get. ;)  Now you may wonder why I didn't mention Step 13 (lips) just yet. Well, I do my makeup before I have breakfast so I usually will do my lips in the car on the way to work... at a stop light, of course or in the parking lot. ;) Doing my lips is about a 1-minute process, especially if I'm using a lip gloss.