Finding the perfect foundation Part II

Finding the perfect foundation Part II
I found this video on you tube while doing research :). It shows one of the makeup artist from the Tyra Show giving tips on finding the right foundation.. Just click on the link below to watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHuTPHFfRlM&feature=channel

Tis the season ...for looking hot.. My makeup tips for carnival and the holiday season.

Since tis the season.... to experiment with makeup I thought i'd share some of my favourite looks for the upcoming events like carnival and christmas...

1. Ms. St Kitts- This is the chance to compliment your sexy dress, not out do it. Let the makeup be an accessory and the dress and shoes speak for themselves. I prefer dark colours for Ms. St. Kitts for 1. you'll be sitting outside and light colours get dirty easily. So the perfect makeup look for a show like ms st kitts woud be a smokey eye using greys, silvers and black or bronze, coppers, golds, brown. If you prefer to just do a neutral eye with maybe some black liner then a bold lip is the way to go. Don't be afraid of bright reds or pinks or purples. Check out the look from Rhi Rhi.
Bold lip with the classic "cat eye."

2. For carnival and the parades you wanna be playful and colourful just like the troupes and the masquerades. Think of using bright colours as liners. I take an angle brush and apply bright blue or green to my upper and lower lash line and jus add some pink or neutral shade gloss to my lips. Remember, a whole lotta blue or green eyeshadow or green on your lid tends to look hooker-ish and bordering drag queen.
















Eyeshadow used as liner
3. Last lap and other low key events- Think neutral and natural. One trick I learnt is to use bronzer on my eyes and cheeks then just do a pink gloss and it just gives me a glow but I don't look like I am wearing much. Bronzer is also the perfect substitute for blush when you are a woman of colour. It gives you a glow and can be used for contouring your cheeks or your nose or jawline. I use a bronzer from clinique but NYC (most drug stores) makes my shade also and its cheaper. Black radiance also has this duo cream bronzer/blush that can be used on your cheeks and eyes without looking to heavy and overdone. I found it at Dupont's- there's a gold colour and a redish-copper colour. Its $28 EC. I also use this amazing baked bronzer that has gold specks in it from a canadian line called QUO. (my fav)






















Au naturel using bronzer and a neutral gloss.

4. New Year's Ball

This is when drama is acceptable. I suggest going all out to bring in the New Year. This is when you can get away with a smokey eye and bold lip or full on bright colour on the lid but be careful not to compete with the dress. You want the attention on all of you not just your makeup.

TIP:
Notice how Rihanna adds blue to her smokey eye and Beyonce’ keeps her smokey look more traditional with black topped with some navy. Add blue to your black liner and your get a smoldering eye that is immediately brighter due to the addition of blue! Either way, the key is to keep the color below the crease! Notice also that when you do a deep smokey eye, keep the lip nude or soft so that your eyes will be the center of attraction. Don’t forget to groom your brows.














Smokey eye equals sexy
























Bold lip

Websites to check out :

www.blackradiancebeauty.com/


www.clinique.com/


www.maccosmetics.com/


www.sachacosmetics.com/


www.imancosmetics.com/

Hit me up if you need a post on how to apply these looks... Have a safe carnival and Merry Christmas!!!

Mystical Blues eye look

Give this look a try.. I will and post the pics to let you know how it turns out..

My favourite things from Sephora.com

ColorOn Envy Kit
Urban decay eye shadow primer
Nars blush in orgasm
O Gloss lip gloss

Sephora Brush set
Airbrush system
Stila Smudge pots
Makeup forever aqua eye pencils

Bare essenctuals set

This is a list of my favourite things from Sephora.com for those who want to get themselves a little treat for Christmas. The pics for each is at the top.
1. TEMPTU Airbrush Makeup System ( get the look of a victoria secret model ..lol) i might try this is i get a christmas bonus

What it is:
Achieve flawless skin with this easy-to-use, mess-proof AIR pod™ system that delivers precise, professional results. The foolproof system allows you to snap on and off the various Makeup AIR pods—including foundations, blushes, and more—so you can create luminous looks, without the fuss.

2. BareMinerals Happiness Collection ($137 Value) ( comes with a cute lil pink makeup bag)
What it is:
A nine-piece set featuring products infused with mood-boosting Happybelle, a complex containing a natural plant extract believed to mimic the effect of endorphins and induce a sense of happiness. $54

3.Aqua Eyes Collection Set (Value $49) (love the bright vibrant colours)
What it is:
A set of five travel-size Aqua Eyes.$35

4.Smudge Pot Collection ($95 value) (cheaper than mac fluid lines)
What it is:
A quartet of shimmering mini Smudge Pots and a mini Smudge Pot brush.
What it does:
This stunning set of Smudge Pots—the cult-favorite, gel-based shadow and liner in one—features four shimmering shades. $32

5. Love Sephora Brush Set ($120 Value)

What it is:
A portable set of top-quality brushes.

What it does:
Made with the same peak standards as Sephora's Platinum Brush Line, these essential beauty tools are perfect for creating your signature look, at home or on the go! These makeup-artist-tested brushes deliver built-to-last durability, and just as beautiful as they are functional.

6. Smashbox O-GLOSS . I know $22 dollars is alot for a lip gloss right but think about it .. one lip glass from mac is around $16.50 and sometimes the shade doesnt even match ur skin tone.. so I forked up the 22 bucks for a lip gloss that actually goes on clear and turns pink to match ur skin tone. It really works... I only use mine on special occassions cus hey 22 dollars for a lip gloss..lol

Intuitive Lip Gloss With Goji Berry-C Complex™
What it is:
A naturally pink-hued lip gloss.

What it does:
Get a shiny pink pout all your own! This intuitive silky gloss reacts with your personal skin chemistry to transform from clear into your own custom shade of pink. $22

7. Nars Blush ( best blush ever in orgasm!) It doesnt make u look like a clown or hooker.. many black women are afraid of blush cus of those reasons. this one however is subtle enough but still gives u that hint of colour. ($25) Works with every skin colour.

What it is:
A soft, sheer pressed powder blush.

What it does:
NARS Blush offers a range of translucent, natural shades, each with a subtle pink for natural blush undertone, created to highlight the complexion.

8. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion( the best eye primer out there)

What it is:
The industry standard for eyeshadow primer!

What it does:
Packaged in a precious, genie-like bottle, Eyeshadow Primer Potion is an ultra-sheer, totally nude eye base that glides on with the wave of a wand and then disappears instantly. It's the ultimate eye prep for smoother, more vibrant shadow and all-day wear, with absolutely no creasing. Now with a new and improved bent wand!

9. EyeEnvy - Flaunt Kit (Original Price $25) (always wanted to try these.. check on the reviews at sephora.com) takes all the work out of putting on eyeshadow.

What it is: Revolutionary new one-size-fits-all mineral cream eyeshadow appliqués. What it does: Designed by a celebrity make-up artist, the ColorOn Professional EyeEnvy Flaunt Kit contains peel-off mineral cream eye shadows that are 100% hypo-allergenic, long-wearing, and crease-proof. With stunning colors and avant-garde designs, these appliqués fit every eye size and shape and can be applied in minutes.

10. You get free shipping with orders of $50 or more and 3 free samples with every purchase... can't beat that deal.

Enjoy!!! Let me know if you have any favourites from other websites ...
Keep Shyning!!

My Jah cure show look. (dark senorita)

This look represents that romantic yet modern spanish /victorian vibe I was trying to pull off. Not every woman thinks she can wear red, at first i didn't then I decided to be adventurous and try a bold bright red colour. It worked for my complexion. If I was going for a more demure lip I would try a deeper red with brown or golder undertone.. something more burgundy or plum shade.I don't usually do a bold lip and a bold I but I wanted to try the mini pigment sets I recently got so here I tried the bronzish gold pigment called rushmetal and it worked with the look.

This look consists of:
Face
Mac Prep + Prime Primer
Black OPAL concealer in toast
Mac Studio fix liquid SPF 15 Foundation in NW43
Mac studio fix foundation plus powder in NW43
Mac blotting powder in Dark
Mac powder blush in raizin
Mac mineralized skinfinish natural powder in Medium dark

Eyes
Clinique eyeshadow duo (vanilla shade for the brow area)
Mac mini pigment in Rushmetal (from the new mischief makers mini pigment set in Haute)
Mac eye khol in smolder

Lips
Mac lip slim shine(i think) in brick red and lip liner in brick red also (not to sure)

Necessary Foundation

PS. This is also for the girls who don't like foundation or powder either.... sum'n for every body.

Necessary Beauty

So, I’ve always been asked for makeup advice from my family and friends and random strangers who admire my different looks and thought why not just write a blog and give advice there …(I don’t think I do anything that special but apparently some people like it)….. well it didn’t exactly click in my head like that but nonetheless here I am writing a blog about makeup. The plan is write on my little makeup tricks and my favourite products and provide insight on to what I think is necessary when enhancing one’s natural beauty so here goes…blah blah blah

My first topic starts with the foundation for good makeup… literally…. Necessary foundation (a nightmare for many black women)

How many of us have pics where our neck is a different colour to our face and hairline? Or your face is so “chalky white”, you look like a ghost?( avoid face products with talc powder, same thing tha’s in baby powder). Or you have this crazy oily shiny face? Or you look like your wearing a mask? --------------------------------> GUILTY!!! Point in case , my 6th form grad pics.. i look like Michael Jackson after the plastic surgery. i will post a pic of the evidence later

I’ve tried every type of foundation known to man from powder to matte to cream to mousse to airbrush to gel to liquid to skin to loose powder and I know I’m not the only one esp. if you’re a makeup lover. Then I’ve tried every brand from Iman to covergirl. Since the age of 17, I’ve been through foundation like a fat kid with birthday cake. At first I started wearing foundation to hide blemishes and acne scars… my friends also didn’t understand y I wanted to wear makeup (foundation or powder)… it wasn’t a very popular trend in my group. We would do the lip gloss thing (lips so greasy looking like we were eating fried chicken) and get our eyebrows done maybe even a lil eyeliner or shadow but as for foundation they saw it as unnecessary. But then later on when I hit my 20’s I started appreciating the properties of a good foundation some of which can actually help your skin instead of making it worse. Foundation as the word suggests is the basis of all good makeup routines. It is meant to enhance your skin’s’ beauty, camouflage your flaws and perhaps help to give you a distinctive je n’ai sais quoi. (that glow)

So here’s my guide in picking the right foundation and other fab skin tips.

ANALYZE YOUR SKIN AND FIND OUT YOUR SKIN TYPE

My skin tone has a golden reddish undertone (FIND OUT WHAT YOUR TONE IS) which makes it difficult to find the right shade so I end up mixing shades or using bronzer or powder to make up for the difference. But every black woman even if you have perfect skin should get a skin analysis done by an esthetician or dermatologist. I had one done at a drug store using a machine that analyses your skin and the damage you've done to it over the years. This way you know what your skin lacks or what you should stop using too much of.

I've also been to my dermatologist for acne and got prescribes some very powerful medication such as Retin-A (works wonders after 2 or 3 weeks when your skin stops peeling). I also visited a spa where I did a peel and I think my skin type is A which means I have thick skin.( sticks and stones lol) I found out that I have combination oily to dry skin also. You can go to www.ultimate-comestics.com/guides/skin-types/ and it will tell you how to find out your skin type.

Most black women also have skin type A which means our skin is slightly thicker so we won't get too many wrinkles but we might get drooping/ sagging skin ( some how wrinkles don't sound so bad after all). So again before you get your foundation YOU SHOULD:

1. Find out your skin type

2. Get a skin an analysis

3. Find out your undertone whether its golden or red or yellow..

4. Find out what you want from a foundation. Whether you want full coverage, medium coverage, you want extra sun protection, extra moisture during the cold season.

5. Do you research on the market for brands that cater to women of colour. The market is huge right now from expensive brands like Iman and Fashion Fair to cheaper one such as Black Opal and Sacha. There is also Covergirl Queen Collection (Queen Latifah) Black Radiance, Kiss.. just to name a few

6. Trial and Error stage. That's when you taste all the different brands and types of foundation to find out which suits you best. Always test your foundation on your jawline and blend downwards to your neck that way you can see the difference or it will make between your face and your neck. Also alot of black women aren't the same colour all over their face.my chin is a different colour to my cheeks and so on so you would have to take that into consideration.

7. Choose one foundation and stick with it so you get used to it on your skin.

So I think I'll stay here for now as to not confuse or bore any one. The next post would continue on the actual types of foundation now that you've analysed your skin and considered your brand options and what you want from a foundation. Any questions you can just post them here and I will try to answer ASAP. Also I will post some links for the different brands so you can check out their websites when you are foundation hunting.

So girls or guys :) u never know.. Good look building a solid foundation and thanks for reading my first blog ever about my secret obssession with make up.

Remember , make up is about enhancing your real beauty but it can't hide and ugly personality so Keep Shyning and stay beautiful.

Over on the side is a pic of the one black woman I think has the most flawless skin. She made me by into the whole neutrogena thing after I saw her in the commercials... Gabrielle Union