Also CRUCIAL to figuring the whole makeup thing out is having a good set of brushes. See those little foamy brushes your eyeshadows come with? THROW THEM AWAY, IMMEDIATELY!!! They are useless. When it comes to makeup, the tools you use to apply it with are just as important as the actual makeup itself. I'll get more specific later on, but for starters, make sure you have a decent powder brush, blush brush, an all over shadow brush and an angled brush - and you don't need to drop your life savings on those, either. Target and CVS are perfectly good places to get your beauty supplies and both sell really quality brushes at a fraction of what they cost at high end places like Sephora or MAC. (I have nothing against these places - I just can't always afford the products there!) Pay attention to how you're applying your makeup - are you quickly swiping color on with your fingers? (I used to do this all the time and now I frown upon it - yes, your fingers make excellent blending tools, but you are also putting the oils from your body into that shadow pallate every time you touch it) Are you using the same brush for your lid color and the color you apply to the outside corner of your eye? There are specific brushes for all types of application. Angled brushes will obviously give you more control over where you're putting your shadows - so it makes sense to use these for your darker, outside corner colors, or for something like applying shadow under your bottom lashes or along your lash line. Bigger, fluffier brushes should be used for application on larger surfaces, like all over your face, or the neck/chest area (for things like bronzing or adding shimmer). Please, please, please, just remember to wash your brushes at least a couple of times a month. You don't need a fancy brush cleaner, baby shampoo will work just fine. Letting color build up in your brushes over time will not only lead to the brush becoming clumpy and full of your body's oils, but it will also mean that the colors you're trying to apply won't be as true, since they are competing with a month's worth of other colors loaded up on your brush. Plus, taking good care of them will mean they last longer. Most drug store brushes are made out of synthetic hairs - the more expensive brushes you'll see in places like Sephore are made from real hair - much, much softer to the touch and divine to use, but if you can't afford it, synthetic is just fine! Just take care of your brushes and your brushes will take care of you!
Showing posts with label application. Show all posts
Showing posts with label application. Show all posts
7.15.2009
Starting with the Right Tools
Also CRUCIAL to figuring the whole makeup thing out is having a good set of brushes. See those little foamy brushes your eyeshadows come with? THROW THEM AWAY, IMMEDIATELY!!! They are useless. When it comes to makeup, the tools you use to apply it with are just as important as the actual makeup itself. I'll get more specific later on, but for starters, make sure you have a decent powder brush, blush brush, an all over shadow brush and an angled brush - and you don't need to drop your life savings on those, either. Target and CVS are perfectly good places to get your beauty supplies and both sell really quality brushes at a fraction of what they cost at high end places like Sephora or MAC. (I have nothing against these places - I just can't always afford the products there!) Pay attention to how you're applying your makeup - are you quickly swiping color on with your fingers? (I used to do this all the time and now I frown upon it - yes, your fingers make excellent blending tools, but you are also putting the oils from your body into that shadow pallate every time you touch it) Are you using the same brush for your lid color and the color you apply to the outside corner of your eye? There are specific brushes for all types of application. Angled brushes will obviously give you more control over where you're putting your shadows - so it makes sense to use these for your darker, outside corner colors, or for something like applying shadow under your bottom lashes or along your lash line. Bigger, fluffier brushes should be used for application on larger surfaces, like all over your face, or the neck/chest area (for things like bronzing or adding shimmer). Please, please, please, just remember to wash your brushes at least a couple of times a month. You don't need a fancy brush cleaner, baby shampoo will work just fine. Letting color build up in your brushes over time will not only lead to the brush becoming clumpy and full of your body's oils, but it will also mean that the colors you're trying to apply won't be as true, since they are competing with a month's worth of other colors loaded up on your brush. Plus, taking good care of them will mean they last longer. Most drug store brushes are made out of synthetic hairs - the more expensive brushes you'll see in places like Sephore are made from real hair - much, much softer to the touch and divine to use, but if you can't afford it, synthetic is just fine! Just take care of your brushes and your brushes will take care of you!
7.14.2009
Ace of Base
Getting foundation right can be tricky - obviously there's the issue of choosing the right color for you, figuring out what kind you need to best suit your skin type, applying it properly...the list goes on and on. Spend a little time in the makeup aisle of a Target, Walmart, CVS - wherever you prefer to shop - and check out what your options are. If you have the money to spend on a professional consultation, any Sephora beauty consultant or department store makeup counter can recommend foundation to match your skin tone and type. Prescriptives (available in department stores) can even custom blend a foundation just for you. But if you don't have $30-$50 to drop on foundation alone, most drug store brands provide great coverage and are really affordable. Right now I'm using Dream Liquid Mousse by Maybelline and it does a great job of evening out my complexion and covering blemishes. I always go with a lighter foundation during the spring and summer, so my skin can breathe and I'm not sweating underneath a thick layer of makeup. Use foundation sparingly when it's hot out, and really take the time to blend so that you don't get that unsightly line you see on so many girls that stops at the jawline where they stopped blending. Look closely. Is your face a totally different color than your neck? You're not blending enough, and you may also be wearing a shade or two darker than you should be. You want your foundation to match your skin as closely as possible - too dark can make you look dirty and too light can make you look grayish or ashy. If you're going for a tanner look, use a powder bronzer on top of your foundation, NOT a darker foundation. Liquid foundations go on well with foundation brushes, but I prefer to just use a makeup sponge - just don't forget to toss it after a week of use.
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