AngelBQ

I am back. I was sick so this comes a bit later than I anticipated.

Thanks so much for the comments and I am so happy to hear from you guys again.

This one’s gonna be longer since I am doing the rest of the makeup post in this one.

Before anything else, it might be useful to bear in mind, that in choosing the makeup, the same applies as with skincare, choose after your skincondition (oily, normal, combination, dry, matured, acneprone and sensitive) and in addition to that, choose according to your skin undertone. Skin overtone is whether one is fair, medium or dark, while undertone is more of whether one is cool, warm or neutral (olive, peach, pink, yellow…). Selecting right color according to skin undertone is not just in the case of make up, but also with jewelry and clothing as well.

Here are some links you can check out on that

• At Mineral make up reviews
• At Beauty School
• Also check the FAQ section in Everyday Minerals and the help in the bases section (where you find the foundations)

:::Flawless Face:::

Steps prior to applying foundation

1. Moisturize - Apply moisturizer and eye cream. Before, I thought applying powder before the moisturizer is absorbed in the skin is better, because it makes the powder adhere more. Now I found out that it should be absorbed first by the skin, around 10 minutes, before application. You should let the moisturizer work on your skin to remove flakiness and dry patches so that it doesn’t make it cakey or uneven. (Also good if you exfoliate once in awhile to remove dead skin so that the moisturizer can perform at its best).
2. Primer - Basically, priming the face is like preparing the canvas for smooth application. These products fill in the lines and holes and makes it more even. These products as I mentioned contains Silica that might clog pores and therefore not recommended for daily use. These also acts as barrier between skin and foundation which is a great solution to those whose products oxidize and turns orangey, esp. in the case of oily and/or acne prone skin (Some Recommended Products: Smashbox Photo Finish-there are many varieties on this product, the original, light which is milder and more suitable for oily skin, and then the color correcting variants which has a tint like green to hide redness and the likes, Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch, Clinique pore minimizer, Bare Escentuals Prime time, Monistat chafing gel and Glo Minerals primer).

Recommended link for tip on face primer:

• Makeupgeek’s review on primers

Foundation

Different types of foundation

There are many forms of foundations and these varies in coverage ranging from sheer (most lightweight with softest look), medium (can build up with powder to become heavier) and heavy (this will show up more so color match is important and this covers most imperfections with consistency almost as concealer)

• Tinted Moisturizer for all skin types - probably least coverage with not much staying power, especially when one is sweating. May contain sunscreen. (Recommended product: Laura Mercier which has both oil free and with oil versions)
• Liquid foundation for dry, normal and combination skin type (for oily face there are oil free versions like Stila’s) - has different types of coverage available
• Cream foundation for dry to normal skin types - some offer cream to powder formulas. It has rich and luxurious consistency. Can also be found in stick form. Medium to heavy coverage.
• Spray/airbrush/airbrush effect - relatively heavy coverage. Might need some practice to perfect. Great for evening and makes for even application. Spray is the homemade version, while air brush is more for the pros. You can also create an airbrush/pixelized effect by using a stippling brush and stipple all over the face several times. Since airbrush is considered the pixelized look, the same applies as with a picture, the more pixels per inch the better, so stipple away. These are best for acne prone skin and those with acne scarring. This method is also sparse with the product.
• Mousse foundation - gives a natural surface and a light feeling with the whipped airy texture. Light to medium coverage.
• Powder foundation for combination to oily skin types - medium to heavy coverage. Best for oily skin. These are usually found in compact form. (Recommended Products Mac’s Studio Fix and Stila Illuminating powder foundation)
• Mineral powder foundation for all skin types - the healthy choice. Sheer to heavy coverage (heavy in Everyday Mineral’s intensive formula). Can be applied dry or wet (if wet, mix the powder with mixing medium, like for example sprayin’ the brush with mixing medium and then swirl in the powder on the brush). Melts in your skin. Beware of over buffing as it may irritate skin and make sure you have a soft brush (Recommended products: Everyday Minerals flat top brush and long handle kabuki brush, Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals Kabuki brush, Jane Iredale and Glo Minerals).

Method of application

• Fingers for light and soft coverage. Make sure you have clean fingers.
• Sponge - Less messy than fingers, but also sheer coverage. Since sponge absorbs product, you will find that lots of products goes to waste. Can cause streaking. Clean by boiling in water. (Recommended products: Beauty Blender)
• Foundation brush - often flat and stiffer for added control (Recommended products: MAC 190, Lancome Foundation brush, Prescriptives, Bobbi Brown, Eco Tools, Essence of Beauty and Smashbox among others)
• Stippling brush also called skunk brush or dual fiber brush - a natural finish. These are less dense on the top (some strands are longer than the others) for a lighter application. Put foundation on the back of your hand or any surface (like a cd like what Kim Kardashian’s MUA use) and rub it in the brush. Stipple/dab on face and then start blending outwards or just stipple and stipple for airbrush effect. In airbrush effect, make sure that product is only applied on the upper white part of the brush. There aren’t supposed to product in the black part.
• Buffer brush or flat top brush - same method to apply like the stippling brush. this is more dense from top to bottom so this makes a heavier coverage than the stippling brush. (Recommended products: Everyday Minerals Flat top brush - this products is highly raved about, Mac 180 and Coastal Scents Italian badger Buffer Brush large).
• Kabuki brush - Dense soft brushes for buffing powder foundation like mineral powder. These can be found in short version or with longer handles. (Recommended products: Everyday Minerals Long Handle Kabuki, Bobbi Brown Kabuki, Lumiere, Posh, Pretty Pretty, Too Faced, Cat’s and Tarte to mention some).

Recommended link for tip on flawless face:

• Marlena’s Face routine at makeupgeek

Finishing it off

Concealing - has also different types of coverage varying from its form. Apply with fingers, sponge or a concealer brush (some recommended brush: Bare Minerals maximum coverage brush and precision brush, L’oreal, Mac 194, Essence of Beauty, Prescriptives, Stila26, Mark and Bobbi Brown short handle concealer brush). Remember to not smear or blend, just dab it on, and not too thick of a layer.This is for the effect to actually stay there as well as the skin around the eyes are sensitive and rubbing might irritate it.

Different types of concealers

• Powder concealer - like Everyday Minerals and Bare Minerals. Apply with brush. Light coverage.
• Liquid concealer - under these we can find the “pen” type like YSL Touche Eclat and Dior Skinflash. Best for dry skin. These have light reflecting qualities that distracts the attention away from the flaws.
• Cream concealer - often in jar or in palette. The color correcting types are usually in this category. There are some great palettes available. Unfortunately, these has the most tendencies to look cakey. Use warm fingers or warm the product in your fingers to avoid cakiness. (Some recommended products: MAC Studio Sculpt, Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, Cinema Secrets, Makeupforever camouflage, Mary Kay and NYX).
• Concealer stick - texture like cream concealer. Applies right from the stick.

Using color correctors, one has to think of complementary colors. example green tint help reduce redness since the green neutralize the red. Here is some guides in color correction (excerpts from womanjunction.com):

• Green - Cuts and tones down redness. (I usually use this around my nose where redness usually occurs)
• Apricot - Brightens cooler skin tones
• Peach - Brightens cooler skin tones
• Rose - Lifts sallow complexions and gives a glow
• Lilac - Cuts excess yellow in the skin and lifts sallow complexions
• Blue - Takes down orangey skin tones, also corrects bad self-tan applications!
• Bronze - Brightens and lifts nearly all skin tones. Gives a healthy sun-kissed look
• Gold - Accentuates golden skin tones and suntans
• Silver - Brightens cooler skins. Usually only done in the evening!
• Yellow - Brightens warmer skin tones, downplay bluish discolorations.

The order in which to apply concealer

• Using liquid or solid foundation, apply concealer after. This way you won’t smear it off.
• Using cream-to-powder or powder alone, apply before. If applied after, it might pick up some powder and make it uneven.

Other stuff in concealing

• The heavier coverage of the foundation, the less concealing you need
• When becoming dry, apply a bit of eye cream and gel over it
• Apply only where necessary
• Use one shade lighter for a natural look in covering dark circles or blemishes
• Check this out too.

Setting the makeup

1. Use a finely milled setting powder after applying foundation, blush and bronzer to prevent the makeup from budging and to give an even finish as well as preventing/minimizing oiliness throughout the day Use a translucent/sheer/opaque that won’t “interfere” with your makeup face color. (Some recommended products: Makeup Forever, Bare Minerals Mineral veil, Coastal scents silica powder spheres and Laura Mercier’s Translucent setting powder)
2. Setting spray - Model in a bottle and Mac Fix + are excellent examples of these. I usually spray Fix+ on my MAC 187 stippling brush and dab it on the entire face and even neck.

:::Defined cheeks or just flush with a blush:::

For everyday makeup, just a flush in the cheek is sufficient. But if you want to do all the steps:

1. Contour (not just cheeks) - depending on the face of the shape, contour creates the shadow to define and enhance feature or hide features. You can use a blush that is brown/neutral color that fits your skin undertone and slightly darker or powder foundation that is darker than your skin. Use matte type. Used under cheekbones or nose. For a slimmer face appearance, apply contour shadow like a number 3 starting in the forehead, then upper cheekbones and last point being by the chin. To apply below cheekbone, make a fish face and apply in the hollow part. Don’t apply too near mouth. Blend it out in circular motion. Best applied with an angled blush brush, not too soft for more control and not too stiff so that it will not create a harsh line. With an angled blush brush, you will be able to create a natural gradual effect where the highest point near the temple will be darker than the lower part. Don’t apply too dark so that it will look more natural. (Some Recommended Products : MAC’s emote blush, Nars casino or laguna bronzer and NYX and for brushes; Bare Escentuals angled blush brush as well as MAC’s angled blush brush. Coastal Scents is a bit too fluffy.)
2. Highlight (not just cheeks) - usually applied on upper part of cheekbone in the case of cheeks. Otherwise, put on t-zone; forehead, bridge of nose all the way down to the chin in a straight line. I also use my YSL touche eclat on the upper part of the upper lip, below the brow and on the inner corner of nose near the eyes. The thought behind highlighting is to put in places where the sun or light would naturally hit first. Also the pen form is nice to put where lines would make shadows like the line bridging the nose and the mouth and also under the eyes. (Some recommended products: Cream color base by MAC, NARS Albatross powder, NARS Copacabana multiples, Benefit’s moonbeam and highbeam, Everyday Minerals pearl beige concealer and Bobbi Brown shimmerbrick. In penform, there is YSL’s Touche Eclat and Dior Skinflash radiance Booster Pen).
3. Blush - Pick up some product in a blush brush and tap off excess, so that it won’t be too strong and give you as a result, a “clown” face. Smile and apply on the apple of your cheeks, blend upwards. Besides from Blush brush, you can use fan brush (check this video on how to apply with fan brush) or stippling brush for a more sheer application. There are different types of blushes. A cream blush will give a more natural, more long lasting and dewy effect. These cream blushes are also found in the form that are multiuse, meaning can also be used for lips and eyes as well, such as Clarin’s and NARS Multiples. Powder blush are in either loose (minerals) or solid form. And then there are tints (for example Benetint and Posietint by Benefit) and an innovative product by Smashbox that makes the skin react to create a natural flush (O’ Glow, they have an equivalent product for lips as well). What I usually do is apply cream blush with my fingers and blend it out and then apply powder blush over it. This makes it last longer (Some recommended products: NYX powder and cream blush, Everyday Minerals blushes, MAC’s cream and powder blush, Nars Blush, Benefit’s powder blush, Milani, Jane, Bourjois powder blush and Stila’s cream and powder blush. For brushes, Smashbox’s fanbrush, Paula Dorfs fan brush, Bobbi Brown’s blush brush, Ecotools bamboo blush brush, Bloom’s blush brush, Stila’s 21 Double Duty Cheek Contour and Blush brush, Mac’s 136 large powder blush/brush, MAC 116 blush brush and MAC’s 187 stippling brush).
4. Bronzer or allover face color - as an all over face color like Bare Minerals all over face colors like Warmth to take away some paleness especially in winter time. Be careful on applying “face tint”. I have seen many walking around with such an unnatural made up tint. Among recommended bronzer there is Guerlain’s terracotta bronzer which is the worlds most sold bronzer and NARS’ bronzer are great as well.

Check out this video and this video for more visuals.

:::Disco eyes or subtle eyes:::

Maybe the most fun, experimental, but most difficult part. It’s all about the blending from here on.

There are many different looks, the classic sultry cat eye or the evening’s smoky eye which is very in right now. Any which way, having the right tools is an essential part of it.

• Shader brush - to pack in the color in the lid (MAC 239 is great for this. Sonia Kashuk has a cheaper alternative)
• Stiff dome brush - for blending the eyeshadow (MAC 217 is excellent. Sonia Kashuk an Coastal Scents has cheaper versions)
• Fluffy dome brush - for blending eyeshadow especially in the crease, also referred to as windshield wiper brush (MAC 224, Sonia Kashuk and Coastal Scents)
• Small angled fluffy brush - to facilitate outer v (MAC 272, SK and CS)
• Pencil brush - great for smoky eyes, for the smudging look. Great also for adding color to outer v and then blend from there with a blending brush. (MAC 219, SK, CS and Essence of Beauty duo set, the latter available at makeupgeek.com)
• Application sponge - for packing color on lid. Don’t really like this as some of the products get absorbed.
• Stiff angle brush - for applying brow colors
• Mini stiff angle brush - for applying eyeliner (CS has an excellent mini angle brush)
• Stiff flat definer brush - suitable for applying eyeliner beneath waterline.
• Bent pointed eyeliner brush - for better control of applying gel eyeliners (I love Sonia Kashuk’s bent eyeliner brush. I bought mine at makeupgeek.com)
• Normal pointed eyeliner brush - same as above, but I feel the angled ones gives more control.

Shadow; what to look for

• Color payoff
• Staying power
• Blendability
• Popular products that fills the criteria (MAC, NYX, Urban Decay and Stila)

Shadow application, prepping - use primer first to avoid eyeshadow from creasing, becoming oily and to make the eyeshadow stick and last longer. It also makes the blending easier and gives more intensity to color. Apply with warmed up and clean fingers. Use only a thin layer. Recommended products:

• MAC Paint pot - love the consistency of these. These are available in several color and will work well as a primer and color base as well. Glides right in lid for easy application. If you have oily lids, I think UDPP is a better bet. These takes a longer time to dry than MAC paint so you have longer time to work with the product. A little product goes a long way.
• Too Faced shadow Insurance - If you have oily eyelids, stick to UDPP. This is maybe best for dry and normal eyelids. It comes conveniently in a tube. Comes in one nude color.
• Urban Decay Primer Potion - Nice nude colored product (alternatively, they have a new one in the color Sin, a champagne color). Applies with a doe-foot applicator tip that comes with the bottle. It is in a genie shape and therefore this is both loved and hated for that reason. You have to cut and scoop out the rest of the product and transfer to an airtight container (check this video out on how to get the rest of the product out). I received a small travel size with the Urban Decay De Luxe eyshadowpalette. I like how the eyeshadow blended after applying this.
• MAC paint - I find that when I open the lid on this tube, suddenly a lot of products comes out. It’s wasteful that way. Thy say roll it downwards as opposed to rolling it upwards when your trying to get out product. These are best for oily lids. Paint pots are best for dry and normal lids. I have this in the color bare canvas that is a nude color.
• MAC shadestick - I find these a bit dry so that it doesn’t glide on the skin that well, but I think this will work better for those with oily skin. NYX jumbo pencil is an alternative for this.
• Benefit Lemon aid - has a yellow tint
• NYX Jumbo eye pencil
• Laura Gellar eye speckle

Shadow application, methods

• Applying powder dry.
• Foiling - is applying powder eyeshadow wet. Don’t use with matte finishes as this will ruin the product. Moist your brush by using mixing medium (there are readily available ones, but you can make this easily at home with 1 part glycerin to 3 parts distilled water) or even eye droplets. Some even use baby wipes. Water alone will evaporate fast and is therefore not recommended. Just dampen brush, don’t wet it too much. Wipe off excess and the pick up the powder products. Foiling is best when using pigments by MAC or other brands (Barry M, NYX chrome and Ben Nye are good alternatives) or mineral eyeshadows in loose powder form. I tried it with NARS solid eyeshadow who has shimmer and it worked excellent. It made the color so much more vibrant and gave it a nice metallic effect. The staying power is also much better.
• One can also buy liquid or cream eyeshadow that can be used alone or as a base to intensify a layer of powder eyeshadow above it.

Shadow applications, areas

• Lids - here you can chose just about any color you want.
• Crease - Go for a medium color for a subtle definition. Blend out well to avoid harsh lines using windshield wiper motion.
• Outer v - use the darkest shade here for definition and a bit of drama.
• Brow bone - lightest shade for highlighting. Chose a slightly lighter shade than skintone (for example, IMHO I don’t like the look of a pure white highlight color on a dark/medium skin person). You can also highlight the eyelook by putting a bit shimmery, light eyeshadow on the middle of the lid in a vertical direction and the blend the transition.

Shadow applications, other things to consider

• Balance your look. If you are going for a dramatic eye, make the lips nude or light, so that the focus will be drawn to the eyes. In the same manner, dark red lips should be paired with a more natural look for the eye.
• Vary the finishes. Don’t put glittery or shimmery eyeshadows from lid up to browbones.
• Be careful with fallouts. Especially when using pigments or dark eyeshadow, one should be careful with fallouts that lands under the eye: Otherwise there will be no point in lightening and concealing the undereye area if it will turn dark again from fallout. A nice trick is to use some loose facepowder just beneath the eyes. After finishing the eye makeup just dust it off with a swift movement away from the face and the fallout will be swept away without settling in your skin. You can use a fan brush or a light hand brush for this. Another tip is to do the eyes before doing the concealing and adding foundation.
• Light colors expands and are better for smaller eyes and dark colors contracts making eyes look smaller.
• When creating smoky eyes, make sure to blend well as this is the whole point of smoky eyes, to gradually disappear into your own skincolor. There are many excellent tutorials on this (Ford models, a Norwegian tutorial, Smoky asian eyes with budget products, Kim Kardashian , newbeginner smokey eye, Kim Kardashian inspired, MAC smoky eyes video in their website and green smoky eyes.). I’d really love to buy Chanel’s Les 4 Ombres de Chanel Quadra Eyeshadow in shades 93, smoky eyes.
• A great tip to maintain an angled shape on the outer part of the eyeshadow is to put tape diagonally where you don’t want the eye color to go beyond. Much like when you are painting walls and using masking tape to prevent paint from going to unwanted places. Blend and smooth the edges after removing the tape.
• This pointer is actually more on the concealer part, anyway, I use eyeshadow under the eyes in a lighter shade than my skintone like MAC’s vanilla eyeshadow to brighten the under eye area after using a concealer.

Eyeliner, different types

• Eyeliner pencils - the creamier the consistency, the better. Urban Decays 24 7 are really creamy and long lasting. The colors are also so nice, especially the metallics in green and blues and it glides right on. Make sure it is sharpened at all times These can be used in the waterline, just make sure they are opthalmologic tested, waterproof and suitable for lens wearer. To ensure that the product won’t run down from waterline, apply a layer of eyeliner in powderform just below the waterline to create a barrier and prevent it from running. Because it’s so creamy, it can alternatively be used as a color base to make the color of the eyeshadow pop up some more.
• Liquid eyeliner - probably the one which needs more practice, but best for strong eye makeup like arabic style or the pin up look. Not merciful on mistake. Don’t use for waterline. Best for upper lashline.
• Gel liners - the product I love the most. Applies smoothly above the powder eyeshadow. MAC has some nice ones in their fluidline series, L’oreal Hip eyeliner and Coastal Scents are cheaper alternatives. Applied with a bent or just a normal fine tipped brush, small angle brush or just use any sharpened eyeliner pencil and dip the product on it. Above the gel eyeliner, you can also apply a layer powder eyeshadow for a longer lasting, budge free effect. These can also be used as color base for eyeshadow to intensify the color or you can even smudge them before drying for that smoky look. Remember to close the lid well when not in use otherwise it will dry up on you.
• Eyeshadow as eyeliner - creates a softer look for daytime wear. When using pressed eyeshadow, use dry or wet. For mineral/loose eyeshadow, it is best applied wet. Use a small angled eyeshadow brush for application for a more defined look or a pencil brush for a smudged, smoky look.
• Check out this swell article for more info and visuals.

Eyeliner, other tips

• Using a white eyeliner on the waterline or the inner part near the tear duct, can make your eyes seem more alive and you appear more awake. Nice tip, especially for those tiring days with not enough sleep. I usually apply my Clinique frosty white eyeshadow with my MAC 219 pencil brush right on water line. I also have NYX white eyeliner, any brand will do. Besides from adding this pop in the waterline with a white eyeshadow, you can go all the way to the inner corner of the eye near tear duct.

Mascara

• There are products that will prep/prime the lashes before the application of mascara. I don’t think it really is necessary.
• You can use a lash curler before applying mascara, and even after. A cult classic product here is Shue Uemura’s. There are different types in both plastics and in metals. There are even those who run with battery and uses heat technique. As with any heating product, prolonged use may damage hair.
• There are different application tip. There are those made out of rubber (Chanel’s inimitable and MAX Factor Masterpiece is recommended), you have the comb type that separates, the regular brush and there is even one from Lancome that vibrates.There is a new one by Givenchy, Phemomen’eyes that has a unique application tip shaped like a small sphere.
• The different mascaras out there, specializes in different things. Some are meant to give volume or thickening (Dior’s Diorshow is recommended as well as Bourjouis volume clubbing mascara among others), some create extension tubes to make it longer and these can be washed off later (L’oreal), some gives definition by separating and some are experts in curling the lashes. Check out more here, here, here and here.
• Choose the type that suits your needs and your type of lashes. Some mascaras work good on others, while on others it is total crap. Mascara is probably the toughest product to match and choose. In makeupalley.com, I can’t see one single among those reviewed by many users, receive a high score.
• Remember that mascara has to be mild for the eyes. These garner bacteria fast so make sure to throw away at around 2-3 months when used frequently . Some brands dry out fast and therefore mascara is not a product you keep for a long time. Because of frequent switching, choose a cheaper brand.
• Applying; dab the tip on a tissue to avoid clumping. Start applying near the roots and in zig zag motion move upwards and flick on the upper part to create a curve.

False eyelashes

• There are many types of false eyelashes too. Some are really fun and festive with gems and feathers, while the others are more natural. You can find different lengths, a set of single lashes, just half the lash or whole lash. You can find all from subtle to dramatic ones and also thickness and space in between varies. (Some recommended products: Shue Uemura, MAC, Ardell and NYX, the two last ones being a cheaper alternative)
• Cut the length to fit your eyes. Cut on the short hair side.
• Use a good adhesive. If possible, use nothing else than DUO.
• Bend around the fingers while waiting to dry to shape it.
• Dry just enough so that the glue feels tacky. 30-60 seconds.
• Use tweezer or fingers to apply.
• Gently put just above lashline. Beware that it doesn’t stick to your real lashes.
• Press the hairs of the false with the real ones.
• Apply a coat of mascara and curl if you wish.
• Check out more here.

Brows

• The brows frame your face, so this is an important part as well. Use tweezer or thread to shape. A tip is to draw with a concealer on the part or area you want to get rid of. You can also avail of stencils that will guide you in shaping the brows. Check this and this out.
• Use eyeshadow/browshadow or pencil to fill in the lashes. Apply most products on the outer part. Set the shape with wax or gel made for this purpose. There are many available brow sets that comes with both the color and setting product.

:::Luscious lips:::

:::Ending words on our makeup 101:::

…..Stay tuned for the next post where I’ll post some pictures, swatches, reviews on products that I have and some general review on specific brands. I hope this was of help. Buzz in, if you have some questions and I will try in my best ability to come up with a decent answer.