My foundation routine

BUILDING MY FOUNDATION :)

Hello my beauties,
...On some days especially when I am late, I try to do the 5 minute face but it never works out because I always feel like there is something else I need to add to make my foundation flawless. Now some of you may think this is alot to put on but once you have it down pat, its a breeze to apply, with eyes and lips it can take me about 15 minutes to do my entire makeup routine on work days and about 25 minutes when I am going out.

Now these steps cater to the mood I am in, the weather (whether its raining or whether its hot like satan's pot) and whether I am trying to conceal a blemish or some past scar from a pimple.

However step one always remains the same.

Step 1: Prime your face

Primer is an essential if you want your makeup to last long especially in hot or humid climates. I use an oil free primer- usually silicone based which gives foundation a base to adhere to you skin. Have you ever felt like your makeup was melting off. Yep! I've been there. Primer helps to avoid this mishap and can help your foundation to stay on longer during your 8 hr work day. Sometimes I find my primer still leaves me with

a bit of shine. (oily skin sucks now but when your in your 40's, it actually helps to prevent wrinkles). When that happens I use my Arista Vanishing Cream for oily skin. I apply it with my foundation brush and it mattifies the oil keeping your face shine free and ready for your foundation.

Primer of choice: I used Mac's Prep + Prime Primer but it had some little sparkles which I didn't like on my face. I have recently been using GOSH Velvet Touch Foundation Primer ($25 US). It helps your foundation to go on smooth and stay on. If I am going to be out all day in the sun and extra step I take is to apply MAC's Prep + Prime Face Protect Protection SPF 50 ($26 US). Be careful with such a high SPF though. It may give your face a white or gray overcast especially if you are planning to take pictures. A little goes a long way!

Other great primers :

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer - retails for about $40 US (one of the best)

Murad (the acne products line) Oil Control Mattifier- amazon.com on sale for about $26-30 US. I saw this product in marie-claire. It got great reviews. I think I'm going to try it.

Step 2 : Apply Liquid Foundation with a brush

I did a post on choosing the right foundation. You can check that out. I have tried Revlon Photo-ready Liquid Foundation with SPF 20 in Cappuccino. It promised to look flawless in pictures and bend the light in such a way it hides your imperfections. Well that didn't happen for me. First of all, they didn't have my shade. The one I have is a bit too dark so I had to mix it with another foundation. I use it once in a while. One plus is that its a little bit thicker than MAC's liquid foundation so I use less of it on my face. I am however sticking to my good ole friend MAC's Studio Fix Fluid in NW43 with SPF 15. She hasn't failed me yet. On a side note, I went to explore MAC's new line of liquid foundations- Long wear Pro with SPF 30 i think which promised to last up to 15 hrs. The shade selection however was disappointed. I didn't even find one close enough. The line offers many NC shades and a handful of NWs so for my NW girls, hold strong, maybe some one else besides me will complain and they decide to make more NW shades. Oh and I always apply liquid foundation with a foundation brush. Sponges soak up too much product and are very hard t

o keep bacteria free. I clean my brushes every day with a spray brush cleaner from Quo and one from ELF.

Step 3: Concealer

This step is not always necessary, I get pretty good coverage from my foundation but sometimes you might need to conceal a pimple or a scar or you had a long night and some dark circles are looming. I have tried many other concealers including those brands made for women of colour but I have always come back to MACs Studio Finish Concealer in NW 40 with SPF 35. I like the texture and the shade is perfect. I apply my concealer with my fingers because my body heat helps to warm it up and makes it easier to apply. Just tap it on and blend with your fingers. Be gentle when applying under your eyes, the skin there is very sensitive. Now some of you may realize I do the concealer after foundation method, I find it easier and more pratical but its up to you, doesn't really matter when you apply it. I have seen pics of celebs with concealer under their eyes that was too pale or too grey, please avoid that by picking a concealer no more than two shades lighter than your skin colour. I can also recommend high end brands such as Bobbi Brown, Lorac and Laura Mercier when choosing concealers. They get good reviews but their lines are some what pricey.

Step 4: Set your face with Oil blotting powder or Powder foundation.

This step is necessary when applying liquid foundation, however if you use powder foundation you can just apply the primer, concealer and then the powder to set your face. I set my face however with either an oil blotting powder, I use MACs Oil Blotting Powder in Medium Dark but right now I am trying out Black Opal Invisible Oil Blocking Powder. On days when I am really shiny I also use my Mac Studio Fix Powder foundation in NW 43 to give me extra coverage. Don't worry I use it on my t-zone only. (nose bridge, forehead and chin, my cheeks also ) This I apply with my powder brush. Again I don't use sponges because they hold bacteria and waste alot of product. Even though I use the oil blotting powder , I still have to use my oil blotting sheets throughout the day to remove excess oil from my face. I don' t however reapply my foundation. This would only make your face look cakey due to the sweat and makeup you have already applied.

Oil blotting powders are every where right now, you should find a really good one very easily. I still sometimes use my NYC transparent powder that I bought for $4 us in a drug store from time to time. Most blotting powders are transparent so you don't have to find your shade but try not to apply too much because they do contain talc powder which can give you that ghost like effect.

Step 5: Check out how flawless you look in the mirror and finish up your eyes and lips.

Now this seems like a long process and alot of products but I am not advocating this for every one this is what works for me and mostly its because I have oily skin that I take extra steps. Alot of you can probably skip the concealer and liquid foundation and oil blotting powder and still look flawless, if you have really good skin. I however fake it(lol). After this I usually add my blush and sometimes I contour my cheeks and my nose.

Writing this post has made me realize one thing however, I need to start saving up for that TEMPTU Airbrush makeup system. (Wonder if its still $299 US) lol.

I am planning on doing a Q&A post every week for those of you who have beauty related questions that you need answering. I am an open book and a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the latest trends in beauty products and tips.

Remember beauty is necessary inside and out.

Pretty Nails

GOLD NAILS THAT WOULD MAKE EL DORADO JEALOUS!

Hi girls and guy, lately I have been focusing on my nails and been obsessing over finding the latest colours for my nails. I am totally gaga over the metallic trend that I've spotted Beyonce and other celebs wearing. Gold and silver are hot colours for women of colour to rock on their fingers. I have been searching for this amazing gold that I saw some one wearing in a pic. It looks like actually 24 kt melted gold on their fingers but I haven't been successful in finding that exact shade. Instead I stumbled upon LA Girls METAL Metallic nail polish collection where there are many great metallic shades to choose from including my fav which is called "GOLD PLATED". I owned one before which I found in SK from LA Girls called "China Gold" which I thought looked

more bronze than gold when I put it on. Well I used gold plated tonight and I added some bling to my gold using this top coat from LA Colors Color Glaze called "Goddess" which has flickers of diamond and gemstone like sparkle. I am loving it right now.

I also copped a very nice silver from Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear Nail Polish called "Celeb City" which I can't wait to try. I also got this really nice bubblegum pink called Power Pink from Xtreme Wear which would look really nice on toes.

I posted my nail last look on facebook from revlon called plum night which is a really dark deep eggplant colour. TO DIE 4! I also copped this really nice orange from NYC line called "Spring Street". All these colours I think would pop really well with my skin colour and other women of colour.

I was never really a nail polish gal but I am beginning to convert:). Let's face it- there is something relaxing about doing your nails or getting them done for you. I always feel proud to look at my nails when my polish is on point and other girls come up to me and ask where did i get the colour from. Pretty nails just make you feel prettier!

All these nail goodies were under $4 US dollars- compared to top brands like OPI which costs around $9 US or ORLY (pictured above) I put two coats on, they dried relatively fast- about 5 mins for each coat and the colour looks better than it did in the bottle. Here are some pics enjoy until next time when I find more goodies to share. Until then remember- "BEAUTY IS NECESSARY ON THE INSIDE- AS WELL AS THE OUTSIDE!"

Our skin needs protecting too!!!

ITS SUMMER TIME !!!!!!! So you all know I am a a big fan of suncreen. I was blessed with sensitive skin which turns red when irritated and the sun does a number on my skin especially when I go to the beach. Hence I use sunscreen every day- in my make up and in my lotion at an SPF of at least 15. Most foundations like MAC Studio Fix Liquid foundation comes with SPF 15. I prefer buying products with the sun screen already in it rather than having to apply foundation and sunscreen or lotion and then sunscreen. I also use the MAC Face Protectant which has an SPF 50 on really sunny days or days when I go to the beach. Now ladies, we need to get over this assumption that only Caucasians need protection from the sun. It is true that the melanin in our skin gives us more protection but we still need to be aware of how damaging the sun rays can be to our skin. Like I said before, good make up needs a good foundation ( healthy looking skin) I found this article in blackhair magazine that has some information on protecting our skin from the sun's harmful rays. Here are the main points from that article:

1. UVA rays from the sun can penetrate deeper into our skin and can cause a depression of our immune system which makes us more prone to skin cancer.
2. Just wearing sunscreen or sun block every time you go outside can go a long way in protecting your skin against sun damage. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 which is recommended by dermatologists.
3. Apply 20 minutes before you go outside
4. Sun block is better for your face because it is more effective at keeping our complexion even and preventing dark spots after acne blemishes and they are more blendable in brown skin tones.
5.Use oil- free sun block if you are prone to break outs.
6. While sunscreens and sunblocks are important in protecting the skin, they also block out the rays that help to make vitamin D0 which provides protection from breast and other cancers so remember to add a vitamin D supplement to your diet.
7. If you use any kind of lightening cream or lotion- SUN SCREEN IS A MUST!
8. Most sun screens and sun blocks come in many forms these days- there's the lotion, the gel and the spray. Check out your local pharmacy to see what selections they have.
Now I am a fan of the spray for my body. I find it easier to apply than the lotion. I've bought the spray over seas with an SPF 45 for about $7 US a can. However I found that they are ridiculously expensive here. Valumart sells the spray for at least $66 EC. Citydrug store is at least $45 EC. I have found though that the shops at Port Zante sell theirs the cheapest, for around $16 us at most stores. The lotions should be cheaper than the spray but you have to rub them in and most of them look ashy on our complexions. So remember this summer that your skin needs protection too. It's necessary!!! Have a great summer and stay posted for more on beauty and make up tips.

Other brands : Try Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock. It goes on lightly, doesn't turn an oily face into a greasepit and best yet, it won't cast "ghost glow," the annoying white cast that some sunblocks give.
On the more expensive side : La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Lait SPF is the best sunscreen in the world. Cost around $47 US.

Today's look using my new coastalscent 88 shimmer palette

Today is Friday! TGIF so I decided to go a little BOLD with the eye colour. To acheive this look I used 3 or 4 colours from the shimmer palette. I could see tons more possibilities with these palettes.

This colour rivals a colour I got from MAC the other day called ODD COUPLE . Its from their mineralized duo eye shadows.




This is ODD COUPLE BY MAC
























HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND BEAUTY JUNKIES!!!!
BEAUTY IS NECESSARY- INSIDE AND OUT!

Recent Wedding look

Here is my recent wedding look. I wanted something to bring out the lilac-shimmery grey in the dress and silvers and pinks are perfect for that.

On my lids :

Inner corner- The Body shop Eye and Cheek palette -02 platinum gray ( this is from the holiday collection I got long time ago)

Mid lid- MAC silver ring

Outercorner crease- MAC beauty marked and carbon

Upper brow -voilet star

Upper and lower lash line- Coastal scents true black gel liner

Mascara- Rimmel Max VolumeFlash in black

Cheeks- Loreal Blush in Cherie

Lips- NYC Lipstick and Mac lip glass ( can't see the name on the label)

Coastal scents 88 palettes review

COASTAL SCENTS PALETTES ARE HERE!

Hi makeup junkies. So I got my two coastal scents palettes today- 88 metal mania palette and 88 shimmer palette from www.coastalscents.com. I love coastalscents.com by the way. Their products are affordable and the quality is good for the price. I signed up for the news letter and got an email where they had sale on the two palettes I got for 44 US. One palette is usually 25 US so i saved a little bit of money with the sale. If you youtube these palettes you can find other reviews and tutorials with them from tons of other girls.

So I got home and tried them right away. The metal mania one first because I love metallic eyeshadows especially gold and bronze. Every woman of colour should own a gold, bronze and copper eyeshadow. If you like MAC eyeshadows you can try goldmine and coppering. Hot colours! Back to the metal mania. The colours are very pigmented which I am suprised. Usually palettes like these come in powdery washed out colours which do not show up on women of colour-waste of money. But the metal mania colours which I tried were very pigmented. I just pat a bit on my brush and it came out full force on my eye. This palette is good for a metallic smoky eye using the bronzes and golds and its also good for a neutral eye. It doesnt come with many bright colours- the purples and plums are very nice too. I love a bad purple eyeshadow! I would recommend getting this palette if you like metallic golds and bronzes and coppers. Its a steal!

Metal Mania 88 palette from coastalscents

The 88 shimmer palette is where you get your brights. I love this palette. It is kind of similar to metal mania in that the colours are very pigmented and some of the colours can also be found in the metal mania palette. But this one has all the highly pigment bright colours- the turquoise, teal, lime green, voilets, pinks. This would be great if you are a fan of bright colours. I'm going to use the shimmer palette this weekend. I am loving the blues and greens.

88 shimmer palette

Better Skin = Better Makeup

Hey girls and guy lol... sorry I have been MIA for way too long. Between trying to start my own eyeshadow line catering to Caribbean women ( which Im hoping to get by next year) and my actual 8-4 job, writing an article on 101 Kittitian dates- look out for that one pretty soon and going on vacation where i was buying all my new products- I have not had time to post anything new. I also just got a new laptop yay! So its music fest time- time to express yourself with makeup and outfits- we know how SK girls roll. I decided to re-introduce myself. While on vacation I acquired some new makeup goodies so I am gonna try and do a review on them. I am also going to post a review later on my new 88 coastal scents palettes that I just got today- the metal mania and the shimmer palette- super hyped about the colours- they look so pretty. I will rock the metal colours this weekend for sure and post pictures.

So I always say beautiful makeup starts with beautiful skin. I unfortunately wasn't born with perfect skin so I have to work on it- alot! I suffer from acne since I was a teenage and still do at 21 (lol) so I have been learning over the years how to take care of my skin. I pretty much accepted that I will always have breakouts- I just have to learn to deal with them properly. I also scar easily from my breakouts so most of my skin care regimen is dedicated to the black marks left from the pimples or blemishes.

I have tried AMBI FADE CREAM (about $15US)- you can pretty much find it anywhere. One thing AMBI claims is that it helps to give you an even skin tone and it caters to women of colour. I have been using this cream on and off for about 4 months and the results were pityful- no significant change at all- and don't worry there's no bleaching effect- the marks subsided just by 10% but they were still pretty noticeable. Then I kept seeing the commercial on tv and the ad in magazines for Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark spot corrector ( I love clinique products). It claims to visibly reduce dark spots by at least 53% in about a month or so, unfortunately it retails for around $50 US in places like sephora. I bought mine at Sears for around $60 CAD. This is from the sephora website "Dermatologist-developed to be safe, comfortable. Yet in clinical trials our serum was comparable to a leading prescription ingredient in creating a more even skin tone. A verified 53% improvement in skin tone. For all ethnicities: See results starting in as little as 4 weeks. At 12 weeks, see a visible reduction in dark spots, age spots, and traces of acne past. "

I have been using it since early May and its now June and I must say I am impressed. It has reduced most of my scars so much I even forgot they were there. I break out on my cheeks mostly so I just apply it there (just a dab will do). I love this product compared to the AMBI fade cream. I will post pics of me without make up later on so you could see.( yep without make up) Before I found this I used to be a concealer freak which just used to make my face look pale in the spots where I put it or feel cakey. Since I found this I have not put concealer on where I had dark spots. Before I found this, I also used the Clinique post blemish stick which costs about $20 US. This worked well also but the problem with this is the stick is so small I had to buy it every 2 weeks because I used it every day. NB ladies- If you are going to try and get rid of dark spots using a fading cream- MOISTURIZER AND SUNSCREEN ARE A MUST! THE REASON YOU GET DARK SPOTS IS BECAUSE THERE IS A BUILD UP OF MELANIN IN THE AREA (THE STUFF THAT GIVE YOU YOUR COLOUR) AND MELANIN LOVES SUN LIGHT! Please don't think because you are black you don't need sunscreen. I recently bought MACs Prep + Prime Face Protector in SPF 50 (yes 50). It can be used as a primer for your foundation also. I love this but be careful because such a high SPF can turn out to look grey or white on your face when you have colour and it can look ghostly in photos. I just use a little bit on the places the sun hits the most on my face- forehead cheeks and nose. It retails for about $30 US at MAC stores. Your skin is worth the investment. My foundation from MAC- Studio Fix Liquid Foundation in MW43 also comes with SPF but its only 15. We need at least 30 seeing that we live in a tropical climate.

MAC PREP + PRIME FACE PROTECTOR

If you have severe acne- mine is very mild. PLEASE SEE A DERMATOLOGIST! When I was in school I had a bad break out period ( must have been the weather or stress) and I went to see a dermatologist and she was amazing. I was using a cream for the acne and one for the scars which is called (RETIN-A) its basically vitamin A which helps to remove old cells so new skin cells can appear) I was in love with this product. After 2 weeks my new skin looked 100 times better. But it also used to dry out my skin so I had to wear moisturizer and sunscreen so that my new skin wasn't exposed to too much sunlight. TOO MUCH SUNLIGHT IS BAD FOR YOUR SKIN!

So now that you know you have to take care of your skin for your makeup to look gorg, Part 2 will look at 2 products that help your makeup stay on your skin and go on smoothly.

PS I just realised this post will be really long so it will be in 2 parts- This is part 1.