I wait until I become almost 48 years old to play with makeup! I never cared much about makeup as a teen or a young adult. In college, I wore fashion fair and Flori Roberts cosmetics. I wore lipstick, blush, and mascara. I alway admired how some women took time in the morning to flawlessly place makeup on their face.
One woman I worked with, would come to work with her face looking like a super model everyday! I`am saying to my self, how in hell does she find time to do this? It looked like she spent at least an hour to look beautiful. I work in a operating room. We wear mask. The damn makeup wears off. Any how, who has time to put a full face of makeup and met the high demands as an operating room nurse?
When I locked my hair a year ago, I began to experiment with eye shadow. My locs were short and I did not have long hair anymore to accent my face. I began experimenting with eye color. My BF and my co workers loved it. When I did not wear it, my co-workers would notice right away! My OR mask did not get in the way of my eye makeup.So this became my trade mark!
Last month, in December, I celebrated my first locaversary. I was so excited about my milestone, but I was so bord with my hair. Twice I almost took them down. To distract me from my locs, one day I was reading More magazine for women over 40.
A light bulb went on! I`am not a spring chicken anymore! I will be a half of a century in 2 years, if God allows it! I have been blessed with oily skin, no wrinkles and great genes. How long will that last? I`am perimenopausal and I have noticed that the skin under my neck is thinning. Time to get a skin care regime in place!
Twice a month, I give my self an At-Home facial followed by a mud facial mask. After I rinse my face with lukewarm water, I use a clarifying herbal astringent containing witch hazel. Daily, I use earth science clarifying facial wash followed by earth science clarifying herbal astringent, completed by earth science almond-aloe moisturizer with sun protection. My skin care products are by earth essentials. They are hypo-allergenic. http://www.earthessentials.com/
I learned before I was to experiment with make up, I needed to do my home work! I watched youtube videos, read books for women of color, and surfed the web. I discovered that before I bought my makeup, I needed to purchase tools of the trade, makeup brushes and wedge sponges!
HOW TO USE COSMETIC BRUSHES
I bought:
1. Powder brush : To dust loose powder or bronzer.
2. Blush brush: To apply and blend blush or bronzer,
3. Concealer brush: To apply concealer.
3. Concealer brush: To apply concealer.
4.Wedge sponge: To apply and blend foundation.
5. Shadow brush: To highlight, accentuate, and sweep color over the eye.
6. Lip brush: To apply lipstick or gloss
6. Lip brush: To apply lipstick or gloss
FOUNDATION
Shelf life: 6-12 months/6 months for liquid and Creams.
The easiest way to finding a foundation color for you, is to visit a cosmetic counter. The young man at the MAC counter quickly identified my color by looking at me. He applied a cream to powder foundation to my face. I did not like it. I looked too made up. (Cream to powders offers medium to maximum coverage). He then applied a liquid. It looked more natural. (Liquids offers light to medium coverage).
I did not believe that the color he chose was the color for me so I made him do the classic steps for trying on foundation:
1. Pick three shades: One that seems just right, a lighter color, and a slightly darker one.
2.Place each on your jawline.
3. The shade that disappears or matches your skin color is the color for you!
I waited for my skin to absorb the color. When I looked in the mirror, MAC Select SPF 15 Foundation:NW45, was the color that the young man had picked for me!
I wanted a neutral color for my blush, the young woman behind the MAC counter recommended, SheerTone Shimmer Blush, Sweet As Cocoa
FOUNDATION PRIMER
Foundation primer is the new craze. Apparently it has been used and praised by makeup artist, and has been recently introduced to the cosmetic world for mass production. Foundation primer acts as a barrier against your skin and your makeup. Since the main ingredient is DIMETHICONE, a silicone, It allows your makeup to glide on with ease. The primer fills in any lines or large pores giving you a smooth, fresh finish. You use less makeup. I was happy to read that! My MAC foundation is $26 a bottle, so that works for me!
Foundation primer is expensive! The price is about $30 for a 1oz tube! The best primer is Smash Box, MAC, and Laura Mercier.
Makeup addicts are raving about MONISTAT CHAFING RELIEF POWDER-GEL. No its not associated with yeast infections. Its a skin protectant. The same ingredients used in the #1 primer, Smash Box Photo Finish Foundation Primer.
I did my research. As a nurse, I always compare ingredients in health and beauty products. Why pay for a name brand product, unless consumer report says its superior and it works! Reading reviews, a minority of people said it cause them to have cystic acne.
I have oily skin. I tried the monistat for a few days.I had no problems! I use products that contain salicylic acid, an acne treatment. I use a blemish concealer on areas on my chin where I`am prone to breakouts. Again, I had no issues.
The monistat works very well! I will continue to use it until I have problems! I`ll keep my Smash Box in the drawer and use it for special events!
CONCEALER
Shelf Life: 4-8 months
Concealers are used to hide dark under eye circles, pimples, and dark marks.
You should choose a concealer one shade lighter than your natural skin color.Use a yellow- based concealer. It is the most natural looking on skin of color.
Use a concealer brush to apply the concealer. Apply some concealer to the back of your hand to warm it up. It will glide and blend very well!
POWDER
Shelf life: 8 months/8-12 months for loose powder.
The purpose of powder is to set your foundation and to control shine. If you want to control shine, Use loose powder. It is sheer. If you need more coverage to even out your skin color, use a pressed powder. It is opaque.
SHELF LIFE
Eye Shadow
6-12 months for powder and cream.
Mascara
3 months
Lipstick
3 years
In my opinion, foundation, concealer and powder are the most important when it comes to makeup. If you get those wrong, you will look jacked up!
Here are some makeup books that are a must!
The Beauty of Color by Iman
Essence Beauty basics & Beyond
Making Faces by Kevin Aucoin
HAVE A FUN AND BLESSED NEW YEAR!
13 comments:
OMG! Now I see what you mean! I just did mine last night! Your's is more detailed and you know me, I was reading and absorbing every word you wrote. I used to hate my oily skin when I was in school, now in my later years, I find it a blessing. Another thing I noticed we have alike..You mentioned you have the Queen Afua Heal Thyself and I have the Sacred Woman. I've had it for a few years now and I keep saying I'm going to try some of the things in there, but I haven't yet. But I'm gonna, no more putting stuff off.
I just looked at your blog again, you wrote yours Friday, girl, I promise you I didn't copy, I didn't even know you wrote about makeup until I got your comment today about us writing about the same thing! What's so odd is we had almost the same experiences with makeup.
I couldn't sleep last night so at 5in the morning, I'm taking pictures and writing blogs. I need a life.....or a man.....or both.
You look adorable and got some hangage going on with those locks girly!!!
Hi thanks for this information. My skin is so sensative that I dont usually wear much make up at all to go to work just lipstick and mascara and when going out I will occasionally try some Mary Kay foundation and powder and of course false eyelashes. I notice you have not tried these yet. I know for work you may not be able to wear them. They are a must have for me now and I love them!
Thank you Kumina, Iasade, and Kittylocs. I`am so glad my hair is getting longer! Kittylocs, my skin is sensitive. That is the reason why I did not wear foundation and blush for many years. If I put on foundation and my skin does not tingle, Its a winner!I have long eyelashes. When I build them up with mascara, people think they are fake.
What? You're nearly 48? You look so young. I'm 48 next month. I think we 40s are now the new 30s. I use a mineral powder and eyeliner everyday and only use foundation and mascarra occasionally.For some reason, I forget to wear lipstick. I just use my sheabutter/wax/jojoba oil lip balm.
Great info and tips. I am clueless when it comes to makeup, I wear mascara, lipgloss and on very special occasions blusher. I have a bottle of Mac's Tinted Moisturiser that's been sitting on my table for 2 years, guess I better throw that away! I think I might delve into the world of makeup using some of the great tips you've provided. Thanks.
Regarding how expensive primers can be, I behoove you to look into
Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel. Yes, you heard correctly. Not sure if you've heard of that before but it DOES NOT have any medication in it and is NOT used to treat yeast infections or anything like that. It has been compared to NARS, Smashbox, Laura Mercier, and many others because they share a comparable list of ingredients. There was a nice video on youtube that compared quite a few of them and also listed the ingredients of each. That really solidified my decision to try it. I have very oily/acne skin and the Monistat has done wonders to not only keep my oil in control, but serve as a beatiful matte layer that my makeup can adhere beautifully to. I love it, and can't beat the price. I'm not a saleswoman or anything here, just sharing my experience....
Some links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S3JhIReDfc
http://review-monistat-face-primer.uncensoredguides.com/
Sorry I should've read the rest of your post before I got all happy to start talking about my discovery of Monistat, lol! By the way, I ended up on your blog from watching your youtube video on interlocking. I have $isterlocks right now and I'm giving the consultants and the whole SL enterprise the BOOT! Thanks for the tips!
My blog: http://bloglorious.com
Thank you Neci baby for looking at my blog, but the info that you gave me is already on my blog including your link! Blessings!
Wow, you did a great job! Don't worry, i'm just now experimenting with eye shadow and learning how to properly apply it with the help of my friends. I'm still using the beginner's box (or at least that's what I call it) LOL!
Many women feel uncomfortable without their make up and wish they had the natural beauty and self confidence to look good as soon as they wake up, or at the gym or beach. It would be great to save time each morning.
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