YOU ASKED!: Makeup
Nothing below is an advertisement, btw.
Everything in this blog is a personal endorsement.
Dear Foodie Fam,
OKAY, DISCLAIMER!!! I am NO beauty influencer but some of you asked for my beauty regiment and looks. PART 2 of this blog series is my beauty routine, which I prize more than my makeup routine.
Here’s my favorite makeup products as of 2018.
But first… how I got interested in makeup:
In college, I was a huge fashion fan. I was often found spending hours scrolling Vogue’s runway archives as they were published or saving fashion blog photos to fashion folders on my cluttered desktop. Fashion blogging was a dream I never realized because I can’t afford it and a back injury changed the way I dressed. Makeup was a new way for me to express myself in a way similar to fashion.
I didn’t wear makeup until college when I only used concealer under my eyes… sometimes eyeliner. Learning to apply makeup had to be an invested hobby for me to excuse the time it took to learn my preferred techniques. I learned from research: reading, pinterest-ing, youtube-ing and observing and talking to makeup artists who have worked on me.
For those who are not so confident about makeup, I’d suggest that you have fun with it. For me, makeup is not about making beauty artificially but about expressing oneself, creating a ritual or showing a lot of love to one’s favorite features. To have fun with it, I’d suggest looking up your favorite the products on Youtube to see some ideas on how to use them. I’d also suggest enjoying some fun but on point YouTube personalities like Bretman Rock, Nikki Tutorials, Carli Bybel and Jeffree Starr…
Like I said, I’m not pro… but I’m confident enough with my makeup skills to be happy with doing my own makeup for my blogging shoots.
CURRENT GO TOs
BRUSHES:
TBH, I don’t currently care about the brand as long as the shape and the softness/firmness of the bristles are what they need to be for the jobs I end up assigning them. I follow guidelines but as a painter… I tend to freestyle.
In order of application:
EYES:
Primer: City Proof 24 HR Eye Primer: Suggested from a makeup artist who’s been using it at every shoot for the past 10 years. For me, even Urban Decay can’t hold a candle to it.
Fave Eye Palettes: I invest in these palettes because my skin is sensitive, these colors are pigmented enough to last years and the formula is easy on my skin. Keep in mind: my eyes are brown. When I wear contacts, I adjust.
Colour Pop: Double Entendre: natural looks.
Too Faced Sweet Peach matte: This is great for every day AND photoshoots. It definitely has better staying power and is more opaque than the first palette they came out with.
Too Faced Sweet Peach: mixed with Colour Pop for warmer looks.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance: Dramatic… pricey! I saved a year for mine but for me it was VERY worth it. The fallout is bad but it’s so opaque that I think I’ll be having this for a while.
Juvias: The Saharan: bold, fun looks.
Limecrime Venus XL: romantic, fun looks.
Contact Lenses (colored): Since I’ve always wanted to color my hair and it’s not a great time for that, I have fun with these!
TTDeye Pony Green: my lighter option.
TTDeye polar lights Brown II: my more medium option.
Eye Liner
Maybelline New York Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner: Black, smeared with black or brown eyeshadow… other eyeliners travel on my lids and my cheeks.
Stila Stay All Day Eyeliner: Special events… soooo, I cry a lot! …when I’m happy or sad…! So I sought this out… It’s my fave eyeliner. It’s budge proof, applies smooth and dries quickly. It’s exact… when you get use to it.
Lashes
Benefit Roller Lash: Tried so many different samples of Mascaras. I have thin, short lashes that need extra curl. I’m hooked to how full and curled my lashes look minutes after using this.
I always curl my lashes.
LIPS
Lime Crime Velvetines and Plushies: I have lots of lipsticks but these are my ABSOLUTE fave for every day looks! I really like Lime Crime as a brand (Californian, Vegan, adventurous) and their products work well on me. Their staying power isn’t as great as some made to last… but their coverage feels nice, is smooth, opaque and even.
Bite and Kyle Lip Kits: The colors and the staying power are great for photoshoots.
Burt’s Bee’s Natural Moisturizing Lip Shine: on top of lip color.
Tartest Creamy Matte Lip Paint: Currently trying. I like the staying power but it may be harder to use for anyone who does not have a lip brush.
FACE
Primer
Benefit’s Porefessional: Sampled so many kinds! My skin reacts weird. The closest I got to perfect was Smashbox Photo Finish- but it got greasy after a few hours. This isn’t greasy. It noticeably makes my skin feel more even-surfaced and moisturized. Kinda pricey so I use this for special occasions… I use other primers on daily basis but I don’t think they’re even worth suggesting.
Foundation
Kat Von D Lock-It Long Lasting Foundation: 49: Light Neutral… This color is the most perfect I’ve found for my skin. Sampled lots of, too.) Smashbox was my past fave. With this, I only need a small amount for even, opaque coverage that actually feels sheer and doesn’t dry my skin… pricey, but it goes a long way.
Concealer
Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Crème: My fave Neutrogena concealer since high school got discontinued and I was sent this through Influenster. I fell in love. I apply upside down triangles under my eyes. For me, this beats Tarte Shape Tape!
Highlighter
Anastasia Beverly Hills: Nicole Guerriero Glow Kit: For glitzy… no longer available because it was a limited run!
Morphe’s Bretman Rock: Babe in Paradise!!!!! THE FRIGN BEST! I mix pretty much a little of every color for my looks. Vaygation all along the crest of my cheekbone. IMahu and Get Lei’d down an inch from there. Cheehoo like a blush. A bit of Shady Bitch to the hollow of my jaw right under my cheekbone- not past the center of my eye.
Contour
Haven’t found a perfect palette but Tarte: Park Ave Princess Chisel, for now. I sometimes break out so I am trying Kat Von D Shade and Light, now.
Finish
Catrice: Prime and Fine Waterproof Mattifying Powder: Had years of bad luck with different powders- too colored, too drying, too heavy, too messy… this works perfectly for me! Even dropped it a bunch of times and it hasn’t broken!
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray: CAN. NOT. LIVE. WITHOUT. I melt like no one’s business and this keeps things in place. I can’t use any other setting sprays because they dry me out.
So that’s me! I’m no master but I really like to explore!