Wow. I've been neglectful for over ten months... Sorry! My only excuse is that I have a job and have trouble finding time for interesting makeup and testing things out. This weekend was a Halloween party, though, so I had to break through my tiredness and have some fun! I decided to go as Oblina from "AAAH! Real Monsters!" because she has been, still is, and always will be a favorite cartoon character of mine.
Love these guys
I tried to find stuffed big lips to complete the look, but apparently they are only available on Valentine's Day, so I decided to be a human version of Oblina. After putting it all together, I realized the costume could be interpreted as several people/characters (that are all cool): A female Beetlejuice, a deranged Harley Quinn in prison stripes, Helena Bonham Carter in any given movie role or in real life, or some degree of a goth/punk. Still works for me.
My favorite reaction to my costume was from my friend T.J, The conversation went thusly (Almost verbatim)
T.J.: So what are you supposed to be?
Me: It can be interpreted different ways, but my vision was for Oblina from "AAAH! Real Monsters!"
T.J.: What's that?
Me: 90's Nickelodeon cartoon. I loved it so much as a kid.
T.J.: What else did people guess?
Me: Oh, Beetlejuice, Harl...
T.J.: Oh, shit! I just realized who you were talking about. I know the show and now remember the monster. Damn! That's awesome!
'Twas a fun night, my first time in forever dragging out the wild makeup and having fun with it.
I love a good makeover. It can make a person feel pampered and extra glamorous for a few hours, but if handled badly, it can end up a big, self-esteem draining mess. Today, one of my bad makeover experiences came to mind and I decided to write about it and compare it to a lovely experience so anyone who comes across this post can have an idea about what to do if they are in a not-so-ideal makeover situation.
My bad experience, no one really knows about because I destroyed the evidence, meaning right after it was done, I bought some makeup wipes and cleared my face. What was so wrong? Let's start from the beginning. The lady who was doing my makeover made no effort to ask me about my skin, if I'd cleansed/moisturized it beforehand (I always do a quick cleanse/moisturize if I'm having my makeup done outside my home), what type it was, if there was a certain foundation formula and color I liked so she could use it or something similar, and many other questions worth asking. When I tried to take the initiative to tell her, she wandered off to get the products and didn't listen. She came back with no skin primer (An essential for my oily skin), a foundation that better suits dry skin (very dewy in finish, but very sticky on me), and said foundation was a shade too dark and quite yellow, which on my skin, made me look sick. The blush she picked out was very dark and I was wanting a dark lip, so this would have been overkill. She also used bronzer. If you know me, you know that bronzer and I do not mix. I will give her credit, she remembered to use eye primer, but she used so much, it left a layer that creased and flaked when she applied the eye shadows. She also tried to do a cat eye, and I thought I was horrible at the eye flick. She didn't get anywhere near the lash line, and the "flick" was completely round. The lips were the only part of the look I liked and I ended up buying the lipstick.
Moral of the story: Speak the Hell up! I was too scared to insult her by asking for skin primer or gently telling her that I have used makeup before and knew what colors and formulas worked for me. I should have asked for a different associate because this woman had no business wielding a makeup brush for Sephora. Like I said, before I could meet up with anyone, I bought makeup wipes as discreetly as possible and avoiding her and scrubbed everything off my face. The next makeover (just a few months later), I had the privilege of choosing which makeup associate at Sephora I wanted to do my makeover. The woman from last time looked smug because she recognized me and actually thought I liked what she did! I chose this guy named Matthew and I am so glad I did. This guy did everything right as far as customer service. He asked if I needed to cleanse/moisturize my face before we began, asked what products I use normally, etc. He came back with a great selection of new-to-me products to choose from for primer, foundation, eyes, and lips. He said they were very similar and what better way to test out new products than with a free makeover? He respected my wishes when I asked him not to use bronzer on me because I don't like the way it looks on me at all. The only thing that I had to fix when I left was my lips because they are weirdly-shaped. One side of my bottom lip dips in, the other dips out. It was a quick fix because I deal with it all the time. After the quick fix, I loved what I saw. Take it from me, if the person performing the makeover doesn't ask you questions, take the initiative and tell them what they need to know before they make a mess of your face and let them know during the process if you like what you see or what you would want differently. If you want to be more certain that you will get a good associate, check out the makeovers in progress so you can see how they perform. If you find one whose techniques you like, make an acquaintance of them so they will feel more comfortable working on you and you'll be more comfortable with them as well. School House Rock was right, knowledge is power...it is also a form of facial insurance. -Martha
What foundation do you use? Makeup Forever in 110 and 115, depending on the season.
How about concealer? I use Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy color corrector (the pink/lilac toned thing) and Tarte's Dark Eye Defense concealer for eyes. I usually just pat on a little extra foundation on blemishes.
Do you know your undertone color? Very cool/pink.
What do you think of fake eyelashes? They are a pain to put on and I hate the halo of light around everything I see, but they really add something to a look, so they are worth it for special occasions.
Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months? Yes, but I tend to keep them for longer. :\
What brand of mascara do you use? Mostly Rimmel. I love Lash Accelerator, Sexy Curves, and ScandalEYES. I also like Makeup Forever's Smoky Lash, but it's too dramatic for every day.
Sephora or MAC? If you mean brand, MAC. If you mean store, Sephora- it has Makeup Forever and Urban Decay!
Do you have a MAC Pro-card? No, but I can call any MAC pro store and place an order- the nearest I could find was Chicago. Check out MAC's store locator to find a pro store to make your own order or to see if there is any form of a MAC store near you.
What makeup tools do you use in make up application? Brushes from Real Techniques, Sonia Kashuk, and Sephora and clean fingers.
Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes? Urban Decay Primer Potion either in Original or Sin...but Makeup Forever has come out with an eye primer, so we'll see if this changes.
For the face? I'm going to try the Almay corrective one soon, but right now I use either Smashbox Photo Finish or MAC Prep + Prime.
What is your favorite eyeshadow Powder: Tie between Makeup Forever in any matte shade and Urban Decay's Sin. Cream: Benefit in RSVP.
Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner? Pencil for waterline, cream/liquid for upper lash line.
How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil? Never have, even on the band bus. YAY!
What do you think of pigment eyeshadows? You have to be extra careful with them because of potential fallout, but they are nice to have since you can use them for anything from color for nails to eyes to lips to cheeks.
Do you use mineral makeup? They smell weird to me, and I've tried several brands.
What is your favorite lipstick?
Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte in Red Taboo- it feels light but it is so pigmented! I feel so glamorous in it.
How about lipgloss? Chanel Glossimer in Spark and Rimmel Stay Glossy in All Night Long (Yes, I bought it partially because of the song.)
What is your favorite blush to use? Hard Candy in Pinup and Maybelline Bouncy in just about any color.
Do you buy your makeup on ebay? I think I got my Coastal Scents 88 on Ebay, but maybe it was Amazon.
Do you like drugstore makeup?
Depends on the product, but usually eye makeup is great, lip products are either great or terrible, same with foundation.
Do you go to CCO’s? (Cosmetic Company Outlets)
I want to, but there isn't one near where I live. Bah.
Did you ever consider taking make-up classes? I would like to go for contouring tips and how to get a good cat eye the first time, not after 1001 tries.
Are you clumsy in putting on makeup? Only with liquid liner when I need it to look perfect.
Name a makeup crime that you hate? I call this *certain sorority that shall remain nameless because I feel bad when I'm not Panhellenic* eyeliner. I have known 3 members who always seemed to have dots of mascara on their lashlines and it drove me nuts because it looked weird from far away and up close...I just wanted to take my makeup remover to them. It doesn't take much to clean up little dots of mascara, ladies.
Do you like colorful shades of makeup Yes!
Which celebrity always has great make up? Kim Kardashian. As much as I don't like how her personality is portrayed, her makeup is gorgeous! Her makeup artist is brilliant.
If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use? Mascara or a bright lipstick.
Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on? I do on a regular basis. I tend to only wear makeup when I want to experiment or if I have some event.
Do you think you look good even without any makeup on? Yes. I like my face.
In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line? Makeup Forever, hands down. Even though I have favorite products from other lines, I still like something for every makeup need in this brand.
What do you think of Makeup?? I love it! It surprises people sometimes at how much I love playing around with it because I don't wear it often. I believe everyone is beautiful as is, but makeup can be used to enhance their best features or just be creative.
Even though I like to think that I do a good job with my makeup and make it easy for people to undertand how to use it, I know that my techniques are nothing compared to many of the Youtube gurus. I look to them for inspiration and education. Heck, if it weren't for Pixiwoo, I wouldn't be playing around with makeup at all. Here are my five favorite gurus, and if you like what you see, subscribe to them! Most of them put out videos every month and they have just gotten better with time.
Pixiwoo
They do everything from natural to dramatic looks. The first makeup video I ever watched was Nicola's "Drag Makeup." She made it look doable, so I decided to try my hand at it. I ended up with a pretty scary drag look, but I was still so happy that I did it in some form. I subscribed immediately and looked forward to Nic and her sister Sam's videos popping up in my subscription box. They are the Jacks (or Jills) of all trades of the Youtube makeup artists. They've done reviews, natural makeup, copies of celebrity looks, editorial looks, remakes of their own makeup designs from photo shoots, the list goes on. They are still #1 of all the makeup gurus in my mind.
The video that started it all for me.
Gossmakeupartist
He is great for tips/tricks and makeup reviews. I found out about him through Pixiwoo, either from Sam mentioning him or his video popped up next to a Pixiwoo video. I'm not too sure, but no matter, I'm glad I found out about him. He doesn't do many tutorials, he's more of the review type, but when he does a demonstration, it is magical. My favorite of his videos is the Kim Kardashian/ Drag Queen concealer trick. I tried it on myself and it may be my new go-to foundation/concealer routine- it looks so good! His reviews are great as well. He answers every question a viewer may have before they are asked, so viewers know if the product(s) he's talking about are for them. Another thing I like about him is his passion for beauty- he sees beauty in everything and goes out of his way to find makeup suitable for every skin tone and skin type.
I don't see her appeal as a person, but I have to admit, her makeup is gorgeous.
Klairedelysart
As her name implies, her looks are on the artistic side. She will be the first to say she is not a makeup artist, but if you saw her work without her telling you, you'd be fooled. She is in school (for art, of course), so her videos don't show up as frequently, but she puts tons of effort into each video she posts. I've actually gotten some great tips from her regarding rhinestones- how to group them so it adds something to the look without going gaudy and how to pick them up with ease. She makes everything simple so even people with no makeup skills whatsoever can copy her look and make it look good.
This and Aztec Queen are my favorites!
Sasakiasahi (Formerly Manwomanfilm)
She is the queen of blending and makes every tutorial fun! The only downside to her tutorials is that she doesn't speak. It wouldn't help me that much, though- she's Japanese and I only know a few polite phrases. She does many close-ups so her viewers can see her techniques to make up for the lack of verbal instructions. It's amazing what she can do with a simple 88 eyeshadow palette. She also has such a personality on the screen- she's always smiling and doing cute things while creating her looks. Makes me smile every time- she makes makeup look even more fun than it already is! I'm going to cheat with this video. I couldn't choose a makeup look, so I decided to go with one of her more craft-based videos. You can still see the skill that went into the eye makeup, though.
How adorable is this?!
Petrilude
He is a master of drag makeup and dramatic/artistic looks. I have attempted two of his looks- Unzipped eye (From a 2006 or 2007 MAC design) and drawn-on mask- and I must say, they were probably the most fun looks I've ever done! There's something about strange makeup that is just so enchanting, and that's practically all he does. He has been on a drag queen kick the past few videos because he goes out in drag himself (and he's freakin' gorgeous!) and wants to share his secrets. He has everything a drag queen-in-training would want-- from how to cover up five o' clock shadow to making a gaff to the actual makeup looks that are to die for! Most readers who come across this probably don't need all of his tips (because they have different anatomy than he does...heh), but the makeup looks and techniques are still good.
Those who saw me at Halloween senior year of college, you should not be surprised I chose this video.
There are many other Youtubers that I follow as far as makeup goes, but these are the makeup gurus that make me do a little dance when I see their newest videos in my subscription box. Who are your favorites? I'm always up for new artists' visions.
If you're like me, you are on Pinterest at some point nearly every day, pinning things pertaining to weddings, slow-cooker meals, and clothes. One of my favorite pins leads to a video, demonstrating some more difficult (but cool-looking!) braids.
Isn't she awesome?!
My favorites are the 4- and 5-strand braids, but I'll be honest, I still need a lot more practice. The woman suggests practicing by sectioning the hair with small hair elastics, which is great for some, but my hair does not do well with hair elastics of any size. I need a different way to section my hair.
Tonight (March 1), I figured out how: Practice after washing your hair. As Jane Lane from the TV show Daria once said, "So simple, yet so perfect."
Wearing a four-strand braid to bed. Secure with a scrunchie since it isn't as damaging as a normal elastic
Wet hair is easier to section off than dry and you can twist the sections so they stay separate long enough to practice braiding. Plus, if you shower at night, you can braid your hair and leave it while you sleep. You'll wake up with nice, wavy hair with zero heat damage! What a perk!
Hope that all of you that love playing with hairstyles found this useful.
Winter is the season when hair goes crazy! In December, my hair had been doing any and everything weird. It went from being dry/frizzy and feeling like straw one day to being greasy the next day. That was my cue to start using hair masks again, but the ones I used to like either changed (or my hair changed) and they didn't seem to work for me anymore. I went to CVS in search of a new one and found my new hair love: It's a 10 Miracle Mask. It's pricy for a drugstore item, around $21-$30 depending on the store and location, but it was on sale and I had heard great things about it, so I thought it was a good time to try it. Plus, it should last a while because it is to be used only 1-2 times a week. It took me from December 15-February 6 to finish it. Note: This post contains my opinions, which may differ from yours.
It's a 10 promises ten things in all of their hair care products and the mask's promises are:
Detangles
Restores moisture and balance
Instantly restores elasticity
Softens
Smoothes
Imparts luminous shine
Enhances natural body
Nourishes
Defrizzes
Improves color vibrancy
My thoughts? My goodness! It changed my hair in the first use and did everything it said it would, that I could tell. I don't know if it "instantly restored elasticity" in my hair (I'm not going to stretch my hair to test that. heh.) or really nourished it (that's subjective), but everything else happened. I didn't fight with my comb, my hair looked and felt amazing, looked redder than ever (YEAH!!), and didn't get oily at the roots for two days (It would have oiled up by the next day, before.). It got better and better with each use! I highly recommend it.
Here's how I use it every week: I scoop out an amount slightly smaller than a golf ball and rub it between my hands. If I have really dry hair that day, I mix in an oil treatment. I apply the mask to my hair from where I would secure my ponytail and down to the tips, finger-combing it through as well. I pat the top of my head with the product left on my hands (There is very little left at this point.). Yes, hair masks weigh down roots, but you shouldn't neglect them, either or else you will produce sebum to compensate, making your hair greasy. After coating my hair with the mask, I twist my hair into a bun and slide on a conditioning cap (Not a shower cap. There is a difference.) for the remainder of my shower or I wrap up in a robe and chill for 15 minutes for a deep-deep conditioning. I then rinse it out with lukewarm water, then cold water. This is slightly high-maintenance, but worth it to me! :)
If you have any questions about this product, just leave a comment here or on Facebook if you know me there.
One of the most important things in makeup is to clean your brushes regularly. If you don't, bacteria will grow all over them and when you go to apply makeup again, said bacteria- along with the oil from your face (sebum...what a horrible word!) and leftover makeup- will transfer to your face, promoting breakouts. I always make a point to clean my brushes- Spot-treating after each use, deep cleansing every week. For the deep cleaning of the brushes, I use a method I learned from Michelle Phan who claimed that she learned it in her art class. I use antibacterial dish soap and olive oil to clean and condition the bristles. While this method works for me, it's a long and tedious process that I hate doing. I started looking for a brush cleanser last week. I heard some great reviews about Japonesqe brush cleanser on Youtube, so I went to Ulta to check it out. I got the only bottle the store had stocked, which was the 16 oz. bulk bottle. I didn't mind that so much, Ulta has a great return policy, so even if the product was crap, I'd get my money back. (I won't be taking it back ,though!)
When I got home, I decided to try out this new product on brushes of which I had doubles. Can't be too Cautious. I pulled out an eye shadow brush, a stippling brush, and a foundation brush for testing. (All synthetic because they don't dry out as badly as natural bristles.) The results? A perfectly clean eye shadow brush and two sticky face brushes. I tried again with some fluffier face brushes and less cleanser, thinking that the dense bristles may have played a part in the stickiness for some reason as well as the brushes soaking up too much cleanser, but the powder brushes got sticky as well. I then tried natural hair brushes and the results were the same- eye brushes came out perfect, the face brushes absorbed all the cleanser and got sticky. One big plus for the natural hair eye brushes, the cleanser didn't dry them out!
I re-cleaned the face brushes and they are fine now. At least I can say the cleanser didn't ruin, or even damage, the brushes. I have tried spraying the face brushes with the cleanser for spot cleaning and that method works just fine.
Overall opinion of Japonesque Brush Cleanser: Use only on eye brushes for deep cleaning, use on any brushes for spot treatment. I will stick to my first cleansing method for my larger brushes. It is a great cleanser, though- it dissolves all the pigment and makeup off my brushes, it's just that one side effect on the larger brushes...
There are other similar cleansers on the market. If any of you have tried them and have had good results with them, especially on face brushes, let me know! Leave a comment. If you have tried them and they were awful, leave a comment about what it did to your brushes.
