1) Liquid Foundation - Sigma's F82 Sigmax Face Brush
2) Kabuki - Hands down, Makeupforever's is the best for rounded. For flat top, Sigma's Miss. Taylor Brush.
3) Stippling - Sephora's Professional Platinum Brush
4) Bronzer - Bobbi Brown's Bronzer Brush (expensive, but worth it)
5) Blush - Sigma's F80 Sigmax Face Brush - Some people use this flat top as a foundation brush, but for blush it's perfect.
6) Powder - ELF's Powder Brush - cheap yet amazing for a powder brush.
7) Concealer - Sephora's Airbrush Concealer brush - It is fantastic! Just sweep under your eyes and it gives you a PERFECT finish.
If I had to say which brushes to invest in, I would say Makeupforever's Kabuki and Sigmax Face Brushes. Both are expensive, but definitely worth the prices.
I haven't tried Sonia Kashuk's or Ecotools, but I heard they're great, too.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
20 Steps to Perfect Makeup
These are products I would use regularly or on special occasions, and would work perfectly! These are my make up must haves or will haves for perfect make up! Otherwise, when I'm tired/lazy, I would skip a lot of these steps, but here's my full, hard-core makeup routine.
Wash your hands with antibacterial soap. I use CareOne's Antibacterial Foaming Green Tea Soap that I bought from Giant (local supermarket). I just like foaming soap in general. Here's an example.
Go through with your skin-care routine. I use Proactiv.
1) Moisturizer: Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer - I have combination skin (both oily on my foreheard and dry on my cheeks). Apply with fingers.
2) Oil Control Spray: Skindinavia's No More Shine - For those who have oily skin. My sister uses this step. I don't because I don't really have oily skin. I think this spray also helped my sister's eyeliner not to smudge! "Spray 2-4 times in X-formation".
3) Primer: Lancome LaBase Pro Perfecting Primer - One-half to one pump only for entire face concentrating on forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. Apply with fingers.
4) Liquid Foundation: Lancome's Teint Idole Ultra Liquid Foundation - Wonderful. Only need one-half a pump. Blends in with skin tone, and does not look like I'm wearing any foundation. Not cakey! Apply with fingers or Sephora's Professional Platinum's stippling brush (expensive) or ELF's Powder Brush (excellent cheap alternative).
*Don't know if I want to try Laura Mercier's Silk Creme Foundation later (heard so many excellent reviews). Lancome's is so amazing already for me, so I think I might just continue with Lancome.
*Revlon's Colorstay - I have it in True Beige. Love that it actually blends in with my skin color, but it oxidizes later and changes to a darker brown-ish color :/
*Missha's BB Cream in No. 23 - Makes small breakouts, but not major. Blends in well, but the smell reeks.
*Instead of using Foundation, I may use a tinted moisturizer-type thing. I use Feiya's Tinted Sunscreen in Beige :)
5) Concealer: Shiseido's Concealer Stick in Medium - Great concealer. Can look cakey, so don't put too much. Just dab and blend with finger or brush.
6) Powder Foundation: Lancome's Dual Finish Powder - Sets the liquid foundation. Don't put too much. Does not look cakey. Apply with powder brush.
7) Eyelid Primer: Urban Decay's Primer Potion - Helps eye make up stay longer and pigmented. Apply with finger or brush (normally people use fingers for this step).
*Can use Too Faced's Shadow Insurance or other eye primers
8) Eyeliner: Urban Decay's Zero or Milani's Liquif in Black. Also, brown eyeliners are good for a more natural look. Tightline upper waterline. Then thinly apply liner above lashes. If going out on an occasion or want to define your eye shape (larger eyes), then thinly wing out liner, and line lower waterline. Personally, between Urban Decay's Zero and Milani's Black, I'd say Milani's is more for a defined look, and urban decay, for a natural look. Both smudge. Just put black eyeshadow on top of the eyeliner with a flat brush and powder underneath the eyes.
*Want to try gel liners. Possibly Bobbi Brown's or Maybelline's Black Gel liner.
9) Eyeshadow: Makeup Forever's Cream Eyeshadow in Taupe (for natural look) or Plum (for pretty look). Use NYX's Iced Mocha on top of Taupe. Use Covergirl's Berry & Cream on top of Plum. If you have monolid, try to put a little more color on the end of eye. I apply with my fingers for both cream and eyeshadow powder. I know it's unusual for the powder, but I have more control on pigmentation and blending. Use eyeshadow brush if possible however.
*BH Cosmetic's 3rd Edition Palette - Has wide variety of wearble colors. I think it's less pigmented, but it still works. It has about 80 different colors.
12) Eyelash Curler: Shiseido's Eyelash Curler - Have to use curler the right way. Make sure curler takes all your lashes. Don't deliberately try to make your eyelash go up with curler. Use from back to front of the face.
*Replacement pads at Sephora website for $6.
13) Mascara Primer: Lancome's Cils Booster XL Mascara Enhancing Base - I love this mascara base. I use it EVERYDAY. After i put on my actual mascara, it helps the lashes not to feel heavy or sticky!
14) Mascara: Clinique's Lash Power Long Wearing Mascara in Black Onyx - Amazing. Never clumps. Ever. Great for everyday use. Only con is, it doesn't hold a curl. So, keep your curler with you!
Lancome's Hypnose Drama in Noir- Clumps sometimes, but lengthens lashes like never seen before. Makes my short asian lashes look like longer, fuller-looking lashes! One coat is enough to NOT get clumps.
*If you want, you can get Sonia Kashuk's Full Glam False Eyelashes for those special occasions. Use a dark colored eyelash glue like Duo's Dark Tone to carry around with you in case your eyelash starts to come off.
15) Brows: Revlon's Brow Fantasy Pencil in Dark Brown: I only use the pencil lightly. The gel leaves flakes which are unattractive.
16) Bronzer: Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Bronze Palette - Great natural glow. Apply with stippling or blush brush. Apply along side from temple to cheek. Do NOT overapply.
*Want to try NAR's Laguna
18) Highlighter: Benefit's High Beam - Not too much. One tiny dip under brow bones, cheek, and nose tip then blend with finger or small brush. May look cakey if used too much.
19) Lips:
General: Vaseline - Great for under lipstick or substitute as lip gloss over lipstick, but makes your lips a bit sticky.
Lipliner: ELF's Natural Liner - works with any color lipstick...crazy!
Lipstick: Favorite is Lancome's Vintage Rose! - Wonderful natural everyday wearable color. Color does fade and does need reapplication, but worth it. Sometimes I use a lipbrush to blend the color out evenly well.
Lip Gloss: NAR's Turkish Delight - Can use on top of ANY color lipstick.
*MAC lipsticks are great as well as their lipglasses (lipgloss)! It's not sticky! I promise you my word.
Wash hands again to get rid of makeup residue on fingers.
I use Sigma Brushes, but I would highly recommend getting MAC brushes instead. My sister uses MAC brushes and they are actually much better quality (makes sense because of the price). However, do not get the MAC stippling brush. Get the Sephora Stippling I mentioned above or the inexpensive alternative, ELF's Powder brush.
Hope you all enjoyed this blog.
Questions? Comment below.
Wash your hands with antibacterial soap. I use CareOne's Antibacterial Foaming Green Tea Soap that I bought from Giant (local supermarket). I just like foaming soap in general. Here's an example.
Get tissues, and Q-tips just in case you need to wipe off make up from fingers or face (of you mess up or from possible fallouts).
2) Oil Control Spray: Skindinavia's No More Shine - For those who have oily skin. My sister uses this step. I don't because I don't really have oily skin. I think this spray also helped my sister's eyeliner not to smudge! "Spray 2-4 times in X-formation".
3) Primer: Lancome LaBase Pro Perfecting Primer - One-half to one pump only for entire face concentrating on forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. Apply with fingers.
4) Liquid Foundation: Lancome's Teint Idole Ultra Liquid Foundation - Wonderful. Only need one-half a pump. Blends in with skin tone, and does not look like I'm wearing any foundation. Not cakey! Apply with fingers or Sephora's Professional Platinum's stippling brush (expensive) or ELF's Powder Brush (excellent cheap alternative).
*Don't know if I want to try Laura Mercier's Silk Creme Foundation later (heard so many excellent reviews). Lancome's is so amazing already for me, so I think I might just continue with Lancome.
*Revlon's Colorstay - I have it in True Beige. Love that it actually blends in with my skin color, but it oxidizes later and changes to a darker brown-ish color :/
*Missha's BB Cream in No. 23 - Makes small breakouts, but not major. Blends in well, but the smell reeks.
*Instead of using Foundation, I may use a tinted moisturizer-type thing. I use Feiya's Tinted Sunscreen in Beige :)
5) Concealer: Shiseido's Concealer Stick in Medium - Great concealer. Can look cakey, so don't put too much. Just dab and blend with finger or brush.
6) Powder Foundation: Lancome's Dual Finish Powder - Sets the liquid foundation. Don't put too much. Does not look cakey. Apply with powder brush.
7) Eyelid Primer: Urban Decay's Primer Potion - Helps eye make up stay longer and pigmented. Apply with finger or brush (normally people use fingers for this step).
*Can use Too Faced's Shadow Insurance or other eye primers
8) Eyeliner: Urban Decay's Zero or Milani's Liquif in Black. Also, brown eyeliners are good for a more natural look. Tightline upper waterline. Then thinly apply liner above lashes. If going out on an occasion or want to define your eye shape (larger eyes), then thinly wing out liner, and line lower waterline. Personally, between Urban Decay's Zero and Milani's Black, I'd say Milani's is more for a defined look, and urban decay, for a natural look. Both smudge. Just put black eyeshadow on top of the eyeliner with a flat brush and powder underneath the eyes.
*Want to try gel liners. Possibly Bobbi Brown's or Maybelline's Black Gel liner.
9) Eyeshadow: Makeup Forever's Cream Eyeshadow in Taupe (for natural look) or Plum (for pretty look). Use NYX's Iced Mocha on top of Taupe. Use Covergirl's Berry & Cream on top of Plum. If you have monolid, try to put a little more color on the end of eye. I apply with my fingers for both cream and eyeshadow powder. I know it's unusual for the powder, but I have more control on pigmentation and blending. Use eyeshadow brush if possible however.
*BH Cosmetic's 3rd Edition Palette - Has wide variety of wearble colors. I think it's less pigmented, but it still works. It has about 80 different colors.
10) Highlighting Front-Corner Eyeshadow: Victoria's Secret in Crystal Ball - A lovely white, shimmery color. Cheap eyeshadow. Use small flat brush and lightly wet brush. Then apply eyeshadow and put on front-corners of eyes. If looking for a more elaborate look, pull the eyeshadow under your lid half-way.
*Bought Urban Decay's Yeyo White Glitter powder - Came with brush that was horrible (product spills everywhere using that brush). If you are going to use UD's Yeyo, use your own flat brush.
11) Finishing Powder: Makeup Forever's HD Finishing Powder - Great for mattifying and making skin feel soft and silky like never felt before! However, can make face white in photography. Use Makeup Forever's Kabuki Brush (BEST KABUKI BRUSH OUT OF ALL OTHER KABUKIS. TRUST ME!) WARNING: Do not put TOO much of this powder!
12) Eyelash Curler: Shiseido's Eyelash Curler - Have to use curler the right way. Make sure curler takes all your lashes. Don't deliberately try to make your eyelash go up with curler. Use from back to front of the face.
*Replacement pads at Sephora website for $6.
13) Mascara Primer: Lancome's Cils Booster XL Mascara Enhancing Base - I love this mascara base. I use it EVERYDAY. After i put on my actual mascara, it helps the lashes not to feel heavy or sticky!
14) Mascara: Clinique's Lash Power Long Wearing Mascara in Black Onyx - Amazing. Never clumps. Ever. Great for everyday use. Only con is, it doesn't hold a curl. So, keep your curler with you!
Lancome's Hypnose Drama in Noir- Clumps sometimes, but lengthens lashes like never seen before. Makes my short asian lashes look like longer, fuller-looking lashes! One coat is enough to NOT get clumps.
*If you want, you can get Sonia Kashuk's Full Glam False Eyelashes for those special occasions. Use a dark colored eyelash glue like Duo's Dark Tone to carry around with you in case your eyelash starts to come off.
16) Bronzer: Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Bronze Palette - Great natural glow. Apply with stippling or blush brush. Apply along side from temple to cheek. Do NOT overapply.
*Want to try NAR's Laguna
17) Blush: Lancome's Subtil Shimmer in Pink Pool - Realized after using several blushes, this was one I kept going back to.
* Best Drugstore: Physician's Formula's Happy Booster in Rose - My favorite drugstore blush. Work as both a highlight and blush.
* Canmake's Cream Blush in [4] Orange or [5] Apricot: Good, fades quickly. A bit too much glitter for my taste, but gives a natural look.
*NYX's Cream blush in Orange - Too red for my taste, but great all-day wear and super creamy. Only need half a centimeter of this which is crazy. Does not fade. Will last for years.
*Want to try NAR's Orgasm.19) Lips:
General: Vaseline - Great for under lipstick or substitute as lip gloss over lipstick, but makes your lips a bit sticky.
Lipliner: ELF's Natural Liner - works with any color lipstick...crazy!
Lipstick: Favorite is Lancome's Vintage Rose! - Wonderful natural everyday wearable color. Color does fade and does need reapplication, but worth it. Sometimes I use a lipbrush to blend the color out evenly well.
Lip Gloss: NAR's Turkish Delight - Can use on top of ANY color lipstick.
*MAC lipsticks are great as well as their lipglasses (lipgloss)! It's not sticky! I promise you my word.
20) Finishing Spray: Again, my sister uses this step with her No More Shine Spray before AND after her make up. On the other hand, I use Skindinavia's Bridal Makeup Finish ONLY after all my makeup, which leaves a dewy look. Both sprays help keep makeup on for about 16 hours. "Spray 2-4 times in X-formation". I use the T-formation AND the X-formation.
Wash hands again to get rid of makeup residue on fingers.
I use Sigma Brushes, but I would highly recommend getting MAC brushes instead. My sister uses MAC brushes and they are actually much better quality (makes sense because of the price). However, do not get the MAC stippling brush. Get the Sephora Stippling I mentioned above or the inexpensive alternative, ELF's Powder brush.
Hope you all enjoyed this blog.
Questions? Comment below.
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