Saturday, June 28, 2014

Deciphering MUA Speak at the Make Up Counter

Disclaimer: cr: Phil Hilkifer according to Creative Commons terms of use
"It's buildable"
 What it means:
It's not very rich or pigmented and you need a lot of it to actually cover imperfections.

"After the demonstration, you can purchase a product" 
What it means:
You are not getting any products free after your makeover. We are not the MAC counter.

"Just... keep blending till it matches your face" 
What it means:
That product does not match your face. Do not buy it.

"Take a sample and try it for yourself" 
What it means:
The product sells itself. (This is a good sign.)



Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Top 5 Make up Mistakes to Avoid

photo credit: nikisgroove

5. Not understanding what eyebrow shape best suits your face.

I'll confess that I'm still figuring out how to shape my eyebrows to compliment my face best. But I've found that it's foolproof to follow your eyebrows' natural shape and just keep the area around it clean and well-tweezed. Pro-tip: use concealer around your brows in order to hide any stray hairs that are growing out again!

4. Choosing the wrong foundation

This goes a lot further than choosing the wrong shade (though that can also be a nightmare). If you have oily skin, its wise to avoid stick foundations as they tend to be quite waxy after a few hours. Try a powder foundation instead.
If you have very dry skin, avoid powder foundations and try a stick foundation or a liquid foundation.
    Also, remember that you ideally want to have at least two foundation options. One with SPF, for outdoors (trips to town, picnics, etc.) when you know you will be in the sun. And one without SPF, which can be worn for indoor night time events, when you know you will be taking pictures. This is advisable because SPF can give an awful flashback in photos, and you will look grey!

3. Not blending out concealer, and ending up with a white halo from under eye to cheek to ear.

I've spoken on my dislike of concealer before here, and while I maintain that it should be avoided if possible, its necessary if you want to achieve that perfect flawless complexion. Even when I layer on my foundation, my strong under eye circles are still apparent, and if I'm going out on a date or out with the girls, I don't want to look like a raccoon!
  Enter concealer. Choose a concealer only one to two shades lighter than your skin tone. Concealers with an orange-y base tend to look more natural. Concealer is one product that can't be blended enough. Just blend, blend, blend and keep blending, till it matches the rest of your face. And then make sure you set it with a powder that is the same complexion as the rest of your face!

2. Not matching your neck with your made-up face

Remember to bring the foundation and powder down to your neck so you look like one even complexion.
And don't neglect your ears, and chest if you are wearing something low-cut!

1. Falling asleep in Make-up

Basically, you should only do this if you want to wake up looking ten years older. The make-up seeps into the creases of your face, giving you harsher fine lines around your eyes and mouth.
  However, I've found that falling asleep with eyeliner and eyeshadow still on is truly to best way to get the perfect smoky eye. However, the accentuated fine lines just weren't worth it!