The Makeup Bandit

Happy 2012!

So I have been getting requests to explain what skin care & foundation I use, so here’s my answer!

Meet my skin: Generally normal all over with oil through the T-Zone. OIL?!?!?! I’m not complaining. Oil keeps your skin lubricated and protected, preventing aging. Yea my pores will be the size of New York by the time I’m 65, but who really cares then?

Back to my dilemma.. I have WAY sensitive skin. I’m talking any fragrance, weird dye, or word you can’t fully pronounce in the ingredient list will make this horrible red rash appear all over, and worst of all? I am also allergic to antihistamines, the dude that calms down allergic reactions. Sucky? Yea.

SO, 3 years ago my face had an allergic reaction and hasn’t been the same since. :(

I have peeled, scrubbed, exfoliated, Glycolic’d, and salicylic’d. I have bought little machines that spin in circles to cleanse with, used Alpha and Beta Hydroxy, every fruit acid or enzyme you can think of, everything! NO DICE.

For 2012 I looked at my box o’ skin care and said SCREW THIS NOISE.. I am going to stick to Clean and Clear Cleanser for Sensitive Skin, Oil of Olay Oil Free Moisturizer with Spf 15, whatever random eye cream I find, Bliss Steep Clean once a week (to control blackheads), and…. Drum roll pleaseeeeeeeeeee: DRINKING 8 GLASSES OF WATER A DAY.

Can I tell you how much my skin has improved in 2 weeks? I’ve gotten 2-3 compliments a day on my complexion.. How friggin exciting!

Its all thanks to waving the white flag on the war against my skin, proper diet/water intake, and the cosmetics products I’ve listed below…

FIRST: Under eye..

Givenchy Mr Brite: only on the areas of darkness, and a bit on my upper lid.

Tarte Smooth Operator Waterproof Concealer: THIS PRODUCT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE. Please go and buy this now so it can change yours.. Its creamy, doesn’t set in wrinkles, IS WATERPROOF and doesn’t dry out under eyes. I use my fingers to apply so it warms up the concealer.

SECOND: Foundation..

MAC Face and Body: I mix C4 and N2 together to get my current color. (They are my summer and winter foundations) I buff around my face with the Sephora Pro Foundation Airbrush #55. I like both of these products because they allow for coverage where I need them, but allow my skin to show through.

(I switch back and forth from MAC to Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free Spf 20 *ANOTHER AMAZING COMPLEXION PRODUCT*)

THIRD: Set with Powder..

My ALL time favorite is MUFE Duo Mat Powder Foundation, but I have come to love and currently use MAC Studio Fix in NC25. They are both pretty much the same, but I started doing makeup with MUFE so I gotta give them a HUGE shout out. **User note, they tend to run a bit yellow**

Also! The powders above are MAT. Meaning they do NOT contain anything luminous (good for me and my oily face) and they are also full coverage. I only recommend full coverage in powder, as most of the time you will be off by a shade or two and you are less likely to have a line with powder then with liquid.

Until Next Time!

TMB

                   

*courtesy of sephora.com -cat eye*

Everywhere I go, I am always looking at/analyzing makeup. Whether its a person who passes me on the street, a billboard, a store front in Vegas, a promotional ad displayed in a retail chain. Its such a blessing to be aware of your surroundings constantly, but then SUCH A CURSE. (It recently ruined the last Twilight movie for me)

You know what normally seems to have the least attention paid to it? Eyeliner.

As a Makeup Artist I have found: SUCCESS IS IN THE DETAILS & this is one of the things it has taken me the LONGEST time to master. I know right?! BUT ITS SO SIMPLE! Yeaaa.. Think again.

 I was unable to create matching eye liner (or at least that I, the over analytical perfectionist, found acceptable) smoothly. The left eye was always the hardest and I didn’t get it! Until the one day that a good artist friend of mine said ‘Just go with it. Don’t second guess yourself.’ What? Confidence? Ok… I’ll try it.. Four years later? A straight line no longer haunts my dreams. ;)

Quick tips to drawing a straight line: For me? An angled eyeliner brush makes it easy. You are able to nestle the point into the inner corner of the eye lid beautifully! As well as maneuver the brush so you can work from outside in as well. I’ve posted an example below because I find that ‘angled eyeliner brush’ can have many different meanings.

               

Whenever explaining an application to a newbie, I always include that you don’t have to draw the line in one swoop. Take your time! CONNECT THE DOTS. Start from the inner corner and draw 1/3 of the way across; pick your brush up, dip it in more liner and draw over the center of the lid; pick your brush up again and finish out your line. See!! Its not so bad :)

If you mess up? Its ok! Its just makeup, it can be washed off. That or try smudging it and applying a bit of matching shadow on top. It will give you a sultry eye, and who doesn’t want to be sultry?

I put eyeliner on after the shadow when I want a precise line. If you put it on before it will set the liner, yes, but that will also make it flake underneath your eye. So unless you like looking like someone ashed their cigarette on your face, I don’t recommend this. (When smudging the line? Liner before shadow is awesome.)

I tend to work with cream liner over liquid (Mac Fluid Line or Tarte Emphaseyes Cream Liner Waterproof), NOT TO SAY THAT LIQUID ISN’T OUTSTANDING, there is a time and place for everything. Guerlain has an AMAZING liquid liner.

***PHENOMENAL product that everyone is scared to try - Guerlain Terracotta Loose Powder Kohl Liner. Are you looking for a liner to last ALL DAMN DAY in your water line? Here you go. I have solved all your problems. It will change your life. Coolest thing about this? This is how the Egyptians used to put eyeliner on their waterline. JUST SAYING***

-TMB