I would like to start off today with a small apology for not writing this blog sooner. I have been busy preparing myself and my kit for a photo shoot this upcoming weekend! While I have been preparing, I have also been seeking out great deals and spent a lot of time in the cosmetics sections of drugstores and major retailers. Let me tell you...there are many to be found!
Yesterday I started out at Michael's Craft Store. Thankfully many crafts and makeup overlap! You can find all sorts of artist brushes that can double for makeup brushes. I've seen suitable: powder brushes (large and small), foundation brushes, eyeliner and eyeshadow brushes, and even fan countouring brushes! They have a large assortment and you can feel each brush to decide which you like. Also keep in mind the range of prices varies anywhere from $2 to $25 per brush, but most good ones you would need for makeup are under $10 (which is way less than any makeup counter). The important thing here is that Michael's sells quality brushes which completely blows drugstore brush sets out of the water. Also if you more of an artist like me, they also sell palette paper, metal spatula's, jewels, mirrors (which some artists use as a palette), and anything crafty you may need for makeup. Palette paper, just to be clear, keeps moist makeup wet and usable for later use...just tear of the sheet and fold it up for touch ups on a set or photo shoot. I would not, however, expect that paper to last til the following day; it's more of a convenience for professional artists.
Next I went into Walmart and get ready for lots of info here! First, you can actually find good foundations at places like Target and Walmart you just have to know what to look for. Maybelline and Rimmel are my two personal favorites for foundations because they have adequate coverage and staying power. By the way Rimmel foundations cost around $4. They have a 25hr wear "Lasting Finish" that is sweat, heat, and humidity resistant which translates to "it's not gonna budge!".(I believe I also saw that Rimmel sells a foundation primer now though I have not tried it) Maybelline carries a 24 hr wear "Super Stay" which is a little more pricey (around $9) than Rimmel but they have a better selection in some colors. Maybelline also launched a new sheer liquid foundation called "Fit" and it costs around $9. I like that foundation for sheerness and is similar to Makeup Forever HD liquid foundation...just to be clear Makeup Forever is sold at Sephora and costs around $40 per foundation! I'd also like to mention that the Super Stay and Lasting Finish are both medium to full coverage while the Fit foundation has sheer but build-able coverage. So it's a matter of personal choice and what you like for coverage.
As for powders, I usually choose Covergirl. In my opinion their foundations lack but their powders are fairly good. I mean good as far as setting; don't expect these powders to have a lot of coverage. They have many to choose from so these are the few I like ranging from sheer to moderate: Professional loose powder, Trublend pressed powder, and Fresh Complexion pocket powder. The Professional loose powder is great as a translucent setting powder; just be aware that the "light" color has pink tones and the "medium" color has yellow tones. Remember both are translucent so it is more important to get the right tone (yellow or pink) rather than worry about depth of color as there is no depth of color difference between the light and medium shades. There is, though, a deep translucent color called Tawny that has orange tones (meaning yellow and red) and works well for many types of dark skin. The Trublend pressed powder is translucent (according to Covergirl), but compact powder inherently provide slightly more coverage. Again be sure to get the right tone of powder for you. You can check the tones by grabbing two powders side by side, if one looks yellow and one looks pink, then you can choose more easily which is right for you. Just as a side note, most people prefer or look better in yellow toned powders. Choose pink if you have sallow looking or lack luster skin; also good for extremely light (blue/red) skin. Finally, Fresh Complexion is considered Covergirl's powder foundation, however I don't think it is quite up to par as a foundation. This powder is great for touch ups on your foundation throughout the day (and choose the right tone, don't forget). It can be used as a setting powder but, keep in mind with foundation and this powder, you will have opaque coverage!
Eyemakeup is next and there is plenty to discuss here! Mascara, as far as I'm concerned, never needs to be bought at a counter where you spend $30 to $40 per. Maybelline's Great Lash has been America's number one selling mascara for around two decades because it has a small brush (good for artists!) and does not clump. The only draw back to Great Lash is that it only lengthens lashes and does nothing for volume. Not to worry, Maybelle sells numerous volumizing mascaras such as: Volume Express Falsies, Volume Express Collosal, and XXL. If you like lengthening only, Great Lash and Lash Stiletto are really great. L'oreal also has a great mascara called Double Extend and it comes with a lash primer that helps to build volume while the mascara lengthens (I'll get more into L'oreal in a bit...). Revlon takes the cake on eyeliners as they make the smoothest and easiest to apply consistency. My personal choice of eyeliner is the automatic kind that click up as needed and never need a sharpener. If you are stuck on pencils, Revlon sells great pencils too. Finally, they also make bomb liquid liners that come in a felt tip pen or as a typical brush/liquid combination. (I will list a few Revlon liners at the bottom, but really any of them are great)
Eyeshadow is the bane and excitement of my existence. Truly, we have all had bad eyeshadow put on us (say at a counter makeover) or have done a lot of work to make our eyes pretty, only to have it blow away by midday. First rule for eyeshadow, eyecream! Second rule is to prime (though not hard and fast if you use foundation on your eyes) . Eyeshadow priming can be done with various products like: the Aveeno moisturizer I've mentioned in a previous blog (think dimethicone!), cream eyeshadow (use nude and let it half dry before adding powder), or you can buy a specific eyeshadow primer product. Cream eyeshadow is great as a primer if you pick the right type. It is important to be choosy because you do not want to be creasing. Clinique Touch Tint for eyes is great because it dries fully with no creasing and comes in many colors so you can bolden any powder shadow you put on top. Revlon Illuminance cream shadows work well too but apply with a light hand and let dry a bit before adding powder (smooth out cream again after letting dry). Revlon cream shadow has a tendency to crease so use only a little and really work your powder eyeshadow into every crevasse to avoid the creasing later on in the day. Phew...I know it's a lot of work but lets keep going...
Powder eyeshadows can really be hit or miss on pigment content. But remember even a "bad" eyeshadow can be made to look better and last with a primer. Anyway, I prefer to buy shadows in palettes because it's just easier to see how colors go together and it's also a waste to buy a single shadow. Coastal Scents, Shany, BH, and Fash cosmetics brands sell wonderful palettes of shadows ranging from 6 to 120 colors! As a tip, Coastal Scents has a free Fedex ground shipping promotion going on until August 2011! Also FYI those brands are all professional and easily found on their websites or amazon. By professional I mean highly pigmented and super blendable. Common knowledge is that MAC has the best color eyeshadows, but they didn't invent high pigment and the above brands have very comparable color selection and quality. In fact, I just ordered a number of palettes from Coastal Scents and I love them!
I'm going to keep on my budget friendly rambling with lips. My number one tip for lips is DO NOT get attached to any one color! Manufactures are constantly changing colors and formulas up to keep competitive. If you are attached to a single color, I would say buy many of them at a time because next time it may not be there (unused lipsticks can last a while). My second tip is to make your own lip colors. I know you're thinking "what?" but it's really easy. Find a suitable container like a weekly pill box or empty acrylic paint holders that have a few pots stuck together (can be found at craft store). Next you slice off your remaining lipstick or scoop out the bottom (can also be done with glosses). Place the product in the wells, and you can even mix colors together for custom shades. after putting the lipstick in the wells you can microwave for 30 seconds, check to see if melted, if not then do one more 30 second round but that's it! Stir while liquid and then place in freezer for an hour. It is important to note that after it's been frozen back into shape, you cannot microwave the color again (even if it's some time down the road after use).
To continue with lips, I also need to talk about L'oreal like I promised. The hands down best stay on all day and vibrant color is L'oreal's Infallible Lipcolor. It even comes with a gloss you can put on top, although the gloss fades and needs reapplication, the color itself stays on. I used Infallible on the day of my wedding even, because I knew I'd be kissing and eating all day! The other reason I want to talk about L'oreal is because it really is the cheaper, yes cheaper, version of Lancome. Do you like Juicy Tubes from Lancome? L'oreal makes Colour Juice tubes. Their Double Extend mascara is really Lancome Definincils. As I mentioned Double Extend even comes with the primer. At Lancome you have to buy the primer separately for an extra $30! I have not bought L'oreal powders or foundations personally, but I have used Lancome and will say they know good makeup. So if you LOVE Lancome, spend some time in the L'oreal section to find similar products that you like. It's totally worth trying because afterall with cheaper prices you can afford to be wrong...I wouldn't want to buy the wrong thing at a counter that's for sure!
On the subject of makeup counters, I do have a few tips there as well. If you buy something, take it home and try, and it doesn't work...then you have the right to return or exchange even if somewhat used. But as a warning, they are not nice about returns or exchanges! It messes up the counters sales numbers and they have to damage out used product which hurts them. If you are insistent on buying powder or foundation at a counter, be color matched and let it sit on your skin a few minutes and walk outside in real light. If you are satisfied then go back in and buy it, otherwise ask to be re-matched and go outside again. You may drive them crazy and they work on commission, but ultimately it is your face and your money! If you really aren't sure, ask them for a sample and head to out to Target or Walmart to see if you can find it cheaper.
I sincerely hope I have helped shed some light on the plight of shopping for makeup. I hope I've made it easier too! The thing is, there are rules to makeup and rules that are meant to be broken. It's up to us to decide what is right for ourselves, guidance helps but it always our choice in the end. I have worked at makeup counters and I sold well in part because of my philosophy...it's the customer's choice and it was my job to guide, not pressure. Don't be talked into something you don't really like or aren't sure about.
The other thing about makeup is that it is so individual! That's why I love it, I think, because I believe in individuality to my core. Nothing in makeup is permanent and tomorrow is a new day, so keep practicing, trying new things, and learning about yourself. Do not focus on your flaws; view them as a learning tool! We learn from our flaws, both inner and outer....and makeup application does not escape that reality.
Products and Places I mentioned:
Michael's Craft Store (but really any craft store has useful things)
Target and Walmart
Maybelline Super Stay and Fit Foundations, Volume Express Mascaras (Falsies and Colossal), XXL, Great Lash and Lash Stiletto
Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 hr Foundation, Foundation Primer
Covergirl Professional Loose Powder, Trublend Powder and Fresh Complexion powder
Makeup Forever at Sephora or find online...although this is not a cheap brand!
Revlon Illuminance Cream shadow, automatic and regular eye pencils, and liquid eyeliners (felt pen and regular liquid)
Coastal Scents Cosmetics, Shany Coesmetics, BH Cosmetics, and Fash Cosmetics...sold online at amazon, their own websites, or at professional makeup supply stores.
L'oreal Infallible lipcolor, Colour Juice tubes, Double Extend mascara (comparable to Lancome, don't forget!)
Lancome Definicils mascara... not cheap but I did mention it, found at the counter
MAC eyeshadows....also not cheap but found at the counter
Aveeno body lotion...works well for face and priming, it's probably one of the most versatile products that I use.
This is really informative!
ReplyDeletehttp://talkfastandpretty.blogspot.com