It's intuitive... to a certain extent... but one should use a light touch when applying makeup or beauty products in general. But let's further explore this.
Eye Area
The eye area is extremely sensitive and there are lots of tiny blood vessels and all and, well, your eyes themselves under the eyelids, and that all can easily get irritated or damaged. So, definitely, every time you apply something around they eye area or on the eyelid, use a very light touch.
Ring finger
It's a little known fact but your ring fingers (on either hand) are your weakest fingers. (I know this from experience both with makeup and with piano lessons... even through practice of using the ring finger, it's still weaker than the other ones.) So you will want to use the ring fingers to apply products around or on the eyelids.
Eye cream
Eye creams for like wrinkle prevention or treatment should indeed be applied with your ring finger. And did you know that you're not actually supposed to apply them on your eyelids? Eye creams should be applied under the lower eyelid (slightly above the cheek bone) and on the brow bone. Your eyes blinking will make the cream go up on the eyelid all on its own. It's less damaging for your eyelids to not apply creams directly on them. And you run less of a chance to accidentally have some product go into your eyes.
Dabs/Pats
Pretty much whenever you'll apply something to the eye area, you will want to use little dabs motions instead of back and forth motions. So, for example, for eye cream, you will put a little bit of product on your ring finger and pat gently to apply. When applying eye primer, same thing but on the eyelid (this time it's okay to apply directly on the eyelid... it's the point ;)).
The same applies too for eye shadow application on the eyelid: you want to use little dabs. The back and forth motion will yield lots of fall out and will actually create a less even application (and won't deposit all the product that you've picked up, obviously, since a portion is flying in the air). This past weekend, I showed a friend the difference between the two. I should have taken a picture.
Makeup Removing
This may be counterintuitive but a gentle touch will yield much better results when cleaning up/removing your makeup than a more forceful stroke. So, if you find a stubborn spot (happens all the time), instead of rubbing harder and faster, go slower and more gently. You'll be surprised with the results and how it will come out more easily. The thing is that, if you are going hard at the spot, instead of removing the makeup (which is really trying to "lift" the makeup off your face), you're actually embedding it more in the pores... hence why it's harder to make it come off. And it's the same thing when you're trying to remove nail polish, by the way: when hitting a stubborn spot, go gently instead of harder.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Out The Door
I realized a few weeks ago that I neglected to mention this little trick for nails. I have long nails again (acrylic ones... my natural nails refuse to grow correctly) so I've been applying nail polish a whole lot more. I was introduced to Out The Door by my first manicurist back in Quebec. She swore by it and, I gotta say, it never disappoints.
So what is it?
It's really the top coat that you want to apply over your nail polish. It does two things for you: it speeds up the drying time for your nails considerably and it gives it a super shiny finish.
You can find it at CVS for 4.99$ for the small size and at Sally's for 5.49$. You can probably find it in other pharmacy/beauty supply stores but it's hit and miss.
I believe that the big size is like 13$ and substantially bigger. While that seems like a good idea at first, I gotta say that this product dries up kind of quickly so it's probably not worth your investment. It may be that the bigger bottle would keep it fresher, longer, but I'm not so sure. I've actually had to throw away some small bottles when they got to mid-level because the consistency was too thick to apply correctly anymore. So you have to watch out for that. Despite that, though, it's still a very good investment.
Another thing to watch out for is cross-contamination with colors. When you apply this top coat (and this would be true for any top coat, really, not just this one), you will want to wipe the brush on a paper towel or piece of paper before dipping it in the product again. Or else you risk having the product change color in the bottle. That can be cool if you want to bolster the color but not so cool if you're going for a different color scheme entirely.
So, use this after applying your two THIN coats of nail polish... and the Out The Door coat can be thick or thin, it doesn't matter much. You still want to wait a good 5-10 minutes before doing anything with your nails but it does dry fast and hard. And you can reapply the product if you want to refresh the shine.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Too Faced Matte and Smokey Eye Palettes Review
Many months ago, I decided to splurge on the Matte Eye palette by Too Faced (displayed above) and then last week I purchased the Smokey Eye palette (displayed on the right). While I absolutely love creating new makeups, there are days when I just like to apply makeup and not have to do a whole lot of thinking about it... obviously, it happens more on a weekday morning. ;) I tend to like palettes for that kind of situation and I have to say that these palettes by Too Faced fulfill that need very well.
The advantage with these palettes is that one look consists of a row. You generally apply the left-most color on your brow bone, the middle color on the eyelid, and the right-most color on the crease and voila! They provide little cards to explain to you how to apply the makeup but, quite frankly, the application nearly always is what I described so I'm not sure how useful they are.
If you feel like trying out something different, you can totally use the colors in a different scheme. There isn't going to be like a palette police that will show up and fine you for going off of the "prescribed" order. :p So have fun!
I am using the Matte Eye palette for work. I find that the colors are very pretty with a good payload and have a nice muted tone that is perfect for work.
I used the Smokey Eye palette for work 2 days last week and, well, it may have been a bit intense for work. People don't bat an eye too much at me as I'm very eccentric but they were noticing me more, for sure... and I wasn't sure if it was appreciative or not. So I'm not sure that I'll use for work again unless I'm in the mood to fully stand out. :p That being said, the contrast between the colors is big enough that these colors would actually be stage worthy!
Except for the big eyeshadow to be applied on the brow bone, the other ones are small size so you will need to use a smaller brush to apply. Again, payload for all those is real good so the colors pretty much will look exactly like they do in the palette. (I hate when the colors lie. :p)
Those palettes run at about 36$ each. They each give you 3 looks: "day", "classic", and "fashion". So that's like 12$ for each look. Not bad at all. They have a few additional different palettes: naked eye, natural eye, natural at night, and romantic eye.
Obviously, I liked the first palette so much that I bought a second one. I would definitely recommend these palettes to anyone who is interested in intense colors and giving your brain a break. ;)
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
A few of my favorite things
So here are a few of my favorite items when it comes to makeup and general skin care as well. Those are products that I prefer not to leave home without. There's a whole lot more products that I really really like but that would make for way too long of a post. ;) Oh and I'm not even including my stage makeup products either, although I use some of these products for stage as well. ;)
Shea Butter Hand Cream by L'Occitane: I have very dry hands and this cream is marvelous. I have a big tube at my desk at work and apply at least twice daily. What's awesome (and should be an indication since I keep it at work) is that it's not greasy and is absorbed readily.
Dr. Hunter Foot Comfort Cream: It works very well for me to give back suppleness to my calluses while not completely getting rid of them. (I'll do a blog for dancers on that topic. ;))
Photo Finish Foundation Primer by Smashbox (original formulation/color): This is a colorless primer that I use under my foundation. It smooths my skin thoroughly, making it easier for the foundation to glide on. I'm old enough that I'm starting to get wrinkles and fine lines so this smooths it all out and they disappear more readily under the foundation. :D This primer feels oily but it's not. It's just the formulation that makes it feel that way.
Shadow Insurance by Too Faced: This is an eye primer. I always use it before applying any eyeshadow, whether I apply one color or more, for everyday use or for stage. I'll blog more about this specifically but if you've ever had issues with your eye shadows staying put, consider using an eye primer. Back when I started using eye primers, the one by Urban Decay called Primer Potion came in this beautiful little bottle with a cutesy wand... and I hated that wand. Now that Primer Potion comes in a tube too. Product-wise, for me, it was a toss up between the two in that I liked the formulations about as much. So I could switch to the Primer Potion but I'm used to the Shadow Insurance so I'll keep on using it. ;)
HD Microfinish Powder by Make Up For Ever: I love love love this powder! I wear it over my foundation as my loose powder. I can tell the difference between where I applied and where I didn't. It's really that great! Also, if I'm in a rush to get out the door and don't have time to apply foundation, I'll apply a coat of just the powder and it smooths my skin enough. I don't know how many times I've purchased this product now. I just can't live without it. ;)
Bye Bye Under Eye by It Cosmetics: This is one of my latest finds. I purchased it b/c it was on uber sale on that website around the Holidays... and I needed to round my shopping cart to get free shipping. And I'm really digging this product. A little goes a very long way. It provides great coverage for the under eye area but I use it as a general concealer as well. What's more, it has vitamins that are good for your skin.
Cream Eyeliner by E.L.F.: Well, I did do a review on this recently but, yes, it's now in my list of products that I couldn't live without. ;)
Monday, March 5, 2012
Some good links
(I have only a bit of time to share information today... and, well, life has been crazy for a bit so apologies for this blog not being as well tended to as I'd like.)
I often purchase my makeup via online stores. I don't necessarily get a better deal that way (though sometimes I do) but I'm such a makeup addict that it's actually safer for my budget if I don't physically walk into a makeup store. Though, obviously, even then, I sometimes will go overboard online too but it's a tad easier for me to rein myself in online. ;)
Sephora's website where you can find almost anything you need. They have a reward program where you get points for every dollar spent. You can get big samples after 100 points (i.e., having spent 100$) or exclusive items for 500 points. The points never expire and the membership is free. If you spend a lot each year, you can become a VIB (Very Important Buyer) where you get exclusive perks. And, huh, yes, I'm a VIB. So there's no real fee to it, it's totally based on how much you spend per year. The caveat with the Sephora website is that the free shipping point is 50$ so you need to spend that much to get it... that's really not hard for me to reach that number.
MAC's website. There is rarely any discount on anything MAC nor are there perks unless you are a licensed makeup artist. That being said, if, like me, you can't walk into a MAC store without overpurchasing, buying online is a boon. Plus, they always have the color that you're looking for (not always so at stores). If you sign up for their offers, you will get codes for free shipping on like a weekly basis and you'll get to see the new products right away. Again, ordering them online may ensure that you get the products.
Skin Store website: This is where I purchase the near majority of my skin care products. They have routinely sales of about 20% off of skin care products. Sometimes those sales even includes the makeup options that they have there. There is no membership with perks but, hey, a discount upfront is well received. Just like Sephora, the free shipping point is 50$ so, again, you need to purchase at least that much. For skin care products, though, that goes very fast so I rarely have to buy more than just my skin care (unless I want to).
Beauty.com/Drugstore.com website: It's a two in one in that you have access to both sites. It's more of a hodge podge of stuff than the other sites but you can find all kinds of things... it just doesn't feel as comprehensive as other sites. However, their free shipping price point is 25$ so that's much easier to reach. And you get 5% cash back that you can put on your next order, which is nice too.
This is the site where I get my Ben Nye and Mehron makeup products. I have also had some luck on eBay but it really depends. And, well, they have a comprehensive list of products there so that helps if you need to purchase a bunch of items. No discount on shipping, though, nor perks.
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While I'm on the topic of links, here are some links to makeup tutorial ladies that I follow regularly:
Panacea81 aka Lauren Luke is the very first lady that I started following and watching her makeup tutorials. I learned a ton of tips and tricks from her. She does have a funky accent. ;) She often will take requests of specific makeups from celebrities.
Makeup Geek is a makeup artist from MI. She also does great work and I love her tutorials too. She also does a whole lot of products reviews.
Queen of Blending: That lady deserves her nickname! She blends makeup like no other! She's been doing some weird makeups lately but, while they'd be way over the top for everyday life, some of them are very stage worthy. Remember that it can almost never be too much for stage. ;) But you can also look up older makeup tutorials as well, of course.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
E.L.F. Products Review
When I was at my friend Carrie's house about a month ago, she introduced me to the E.L.F. products, which can be found at Target. Namely, I ended up using both the Makeup Mist and Set on myself and did her makeup and used their cream liner on her. I decided to pick up some of the products and give them a try.
As you can see in the picture, I ended up picking up 3 brushes, the Mist and Set, cream liner, and a duo eyeliner/eyeshadow. The brush with the silver handle was 1$ and all other products were 3$ each. So these products are VERY affordable. But would they hold up to the standards that I like in makeup tools and products?
The simple and quick answer is YES. I was quite impressed, actually.
The face brush on the left is a very fluffy face brush (they call it Complexion Brush). I love using it to apply my loose powder. I have been using it every day since purchasing it. Really in love with it.
The 2nd brush from the left is their contour brush. I use it to apply eye shadow at the crease of the eye. While I do like it a lot, it's stiff so, sometimes, it's not exactly the best tool when I want a certain application. However, it's replacing what I used to do to have a crisp application at the crease where I was using a smudger brush followed by a blending brush. So I do use this brush a lot but it depends on the technique/application I'm going for.
The 3rd brush is a simple eye shadow brush. Again, it's very stiff and a bit small. But there are techniques for which it is perfect. I'll mention one use that it's quite awesome for in an upcoming blog very soon (probably later this week).
So I quite like these brushes. If you're on a budget and can't splurge on brushes, they would be a great buy. And even if you're not on a budget, I find that they have some characteristics that were very useful... and they most certainly don't break the bank to purchase.
The Makeup Mist and Set product is interesting. I've always wanted to buy one from like MAC or another brand but, yanno, they're kind of pricey for not even being sure if I'd really be into the product or not. Again, at 3$, even if I ended up not liking it, it wasn't going to be a big deal. The first bottle that I bought ended up breaking at the 2nd application. I decided to buy another one and, once it's empty, I'll transfer the product from one bottle to the other. I like the product but I'm not madly in love with this mist and set. I don't use it to set my makeup too much b/c I find that it sprays more than I want to. But it's awesome to brighten your makeup. So like if I have something after work, I can just refresh my makeup with that product and don't need to reapply anything. I may need to use it more to like it better. We'll see.
The cream liner comes in with a little brush. I threw it away b/c I really didn't like that little brush: the handle was too short and the brush was too thick to my liking. I apply the liner with my MAC liner brush instead because I'm so used to working with it and I like its shape and size better. If you don't have a liner brush, though, the brush that comes with the product can be a good starting point. But, again, I find that the super short handle would make it hard to apply easily. I started using the product b/c I was running low on gel liner (I use the MAC one). So I figured that I would use the cream liner for everyday use and the gel liner for performances. I started only being lukewarm about the cream liner. It's definitely a different formulation compared to the MAC liner. Well, as the names say, one is a gel, the other is a cream. So I kept thinking for a while that I preferred how the gel glides on more easily. But, honestly, I often had to add black eye shadow over the gel liner to make it super black. I don't need to do that with the cream liner: it is extremely black... it's really the crisp black that I like. After having used it for a couple of weeks now, I'm used to the formulation and have changed slightly my application technique and, lo and behold, I actually like the cream liner better! I used it Friday and Saturday for my performance makeup and discovered that, not only does the line look a more crisp black but it's much easier to do a thick line than with the gel. I used it also on the lower lid waterline and it stayed put real nice and was easier to manipulate to do the contour at the inner corner of the eye. I discovered that it doesn't smudge easily, which is actually pretty awesome as I rarely like to smudge my liner. If I did want to smudge it, though, I think that I'd need the gel liner or just a straight up pencil. Anyway, so I'm really sold on this product now.
The duo eye liner/eye shadow was just okay. I do like the eggplant color of the eye shadow and it's a great shade for a simple work makeup. It went on the eyelid easily enough. However, the eye liner, though it was a deeper purple, wasn't contrasting enough to my liking. I wear such dramatic makeups on a regular basis that these tone on tone schemes look way too tame on me. I can see, though, that it could look great on someone else.
So all told, I was very impressed by these products. Whether you are on a budget or not, I would encourage everyone to check them out.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Mascara and shelf life
Most should know this by now but not everyone does: the shelf life of a tube of mascara once you open it is 3 months. That's it! And that's whether you use it every day or just once in a blue moon!
How come?
My B.Sc. is actually in microbiology so I know the details and will spare you those but suffice it to say that microorganisms grow in your mascara real easily. It's just a great environment for them. If you've ever put on your eye makeup and you had a tingling or burning sensation, there's a high likelihood that your mascara was past its prime.
So please, oh please, for the love of your eyes, don't use it past 3 months! And, no, the whole putting it in the fridge method won't help much.
I have 3 tricks to remember when to throw your mascara out:
- I try to start using a new tube at the start of a quarter. My day job works in quarters so it's easier for me to remember. Or you could go for the last month in a quarter. Whatever mental note works for you.
- You can make a note to yourself on the calendar. Make sure that it's prominent enough that you won't miss it.
- Or you could put a sticker on your mascara tube with the date when to change (or the date when you opened it).
With that said, you want to carefully consider your investment in mascara.
Definitely, if you're one of those persons who only use mascara for special occasions or performances, you'll want to minimize your investment. You can purchase one of those pharmacy brands mascara. I really like the ones by Maybelline, personally. You can also find (in some places like Sephora) travel size or sample size mascaras. It minimizes your investment and you can still get good quality. The problem with sample size mascaras, though, is that the brush will be much smaller and may not give you the best application as the regular size would.
Another option is that you could simply put on false lashes... that would work well if your natural lash color isn't too pale. Mine are super pale so they'd totally show against the false lashes. But if yours are a dark enough brown, you could get away with not having any mascara but wearing false lashes because they would blend in well enough... at least well enough for stage.
I personally use a lot of mascara so purchasing a big tube is totally fine for me. By the end of the 3 months, I actually need a new tube because I'm getting to the bottom anyway. My current favorite mascara is called "They're Real" by Benefit. I've also loved the Mascara X by MAC for many years but they have stopped making it (at least for a while).
So when it comes to purchasing a mascara, it's really about trial and error and finding what YOU like. You'll need to find the best combination of brush and formulation that you like. Every year, Sephora has a sampler of mascaras that they put together right around the Holidays. That's one way that you can figure out which mascara you like best. But, again, sampler size means a smaller brush so it's not a perfect representation of the actual full size product.
The cool thing, though, is that, since you need a new mascara every 3 months anyway, that means that you can try at least 4 mascaras each year. ;)
One note on travel by plane: I have a belly dance student who used to work for MAC and she was telling me that, when you're flying, you don't want to take your good tube of mascara with you because "something" happens in the travel where it makes the mascara formulation go weird. And "weird" will vary on the exact mascara. I traveled enough by plane last year to have tested this multiple times. Before she told me this, I thought that it was just because my mascara was approaching the end of its shelf life (which it often would) but, no, she's right! Travel by plane will indeed mess up your mascara. So that's another time when you will want a cheaper mascara or a sample size one. And, hey, that means another time when you can try a new mascara. ;)
If you take only one thing from this blog post, at least make it this: THROW THE MASCARA AFTER 3 MONTHS!
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