Makeup thread! Post your tips/recommendations

In My Humble Opinion
1

Lately, I have been haranged into wearing more makeup. This is probably good, since I have, on more than one occasion, been asked if I ever wear makeup when I was wearing it at the time. :slight_smile:

So, I have found two products I love, one expensive and one cheap:

Expensive (well, to me at least): Benefit’s Eyebrow Zings. I have wimpy brows, and in the past filled in with various powders, but they don’t last all day. Never liked pencils. Eyebrow Zings (for a mere $30) has solved my eyebrow problems forever. It is a eyeshadow-like kit with two things–on the left is tinted wax that you apply first, then you top it with the powder on the right. Voila. Perfect eyebrows that last all day and look very natural.

Cheap: Sally Hansen (yes, that Sally Hansen of Hard-as-nails) lipstick. It is the new Carmindy Natural Beauty line. Very moist and the color I bought is FABULOUS. Seashell Nude. You will thank me. It was about $5, I think.

So, what about you? Anything you love? Tips for those of us who are makeup challenged?

2

I thought this was about making up with a SO, and I was going to remind you that makeup sex is some of the best sex of all.

Never mind.

3

I really like Urban Decay’s eyeshadow primer. It prevents creasing, so your eyeshadow will look even all day. The only drawback is that you have to work a little bit harder to get an even coat of eyeshadow, since it doesn’t “spread” as easily.

I’m also a fan of Cargo’s Beach Blush. It’s a blush and bronzer, but it also works as an eyeshadow.

4

The reason I came into this thread was to ask for tips on how to keep eyeshadow from creasing/wearing off! Thanks! :slight_smile:

5

I love Urban Decay’s Primer potion in sin. I find the applicater to be useless so I blend with my finger tip. I love Too Faced’s Smoky eye kit. It has 3 different looks with cards to show you how to obtain the best smoky eye. And Urban Decay’s gel eyeliner is awesome! Can’t wait to see what other product reviews show up on this thread!

6

I love this eyeliner from The Body Shop. It’s a liquid that I can actually apply because it’s like a wet marker rather than a dripping brush. The brown colour is almost black but not harsh. I also love that it’s not waterproof because you can correct it with a damp cotton swab. I love it so much that I actually had a nightmare where I couldn’t find it anymore and didn’t know what to do!

Edit: it looks like the formula has changed as it is now billed as “water resistant”. Still, check out the reviews - looks like I’m not the only one who raves about it!

7

As for eyeliner: this brush plus eyeshadow will do the trick on most days. If you’re looking for something easy to use but with the staying power of liquid or waterproof eyeliner without the need for a steady hand, try gel eyeliners. I use the fluidlines from MAC, and they’re great.

I like to smooth out my foundation and powder with a flat kabuki style brush, which you can find at a lot of medium-to-high-end makeup retailers. (Mine’s from MAC. The only advice I can give you on this is to not bother with Bare Minerals brushes-- they lose hair like crazy.) I also like to use a stippling brush to apply blush, as it gives a lighter and more natural touch than a lot of the regular blush brushes-- it’s more goofproof.

What do you need out of your regular makeup wearing? Is this going to be a 9-5 professional job where subtle but “put together” is the key, or are we talking something a bit more detailed and complicated? For example:

no makeup
“professional” look makeup (well, minus the red nose area-- I had a pretty awful head cold at the time)
Adding a more substantial amount of color to the eyes and/or lips and maybe a bit more blush in the professional look would take it up a notch to “out on the town” or “hot date” or just “out to impress” as a look.

Where the hell is Diosabellissima when you need her? She is a great resource for makeup tips.

8

I wear more makeup than a drag queen who works at the Mac counter most days, but I certainly see the merit in light makeup and definitely do that, too, some days.

I definitely love the Mac gel liners nashiitashii mentioned. If you aren’t wanting to drop the dough and Mac, L’oreal HIP has gel liners now, too. I’ve actually heard good things about them, though I haven’t tried them out myself. You can find them at any ol’ drugstore or Walmart.

I think that if you want to do simple, every day make up, you just need to do a few things:

[ul]
[li]Even out your skin (you might have great skin and get to skip this step! Some folks just need a little concealer. Some need a little foundation. Some just need some light powder. What you need is going to vary based entirely on what you like or need). [/li]
[li]**Define your eyes **(do liner if you want- black is too harsh for most folks who don’t wear makeup on the regular, so maybe go for a brown. Definitely DO throw on some mascara, as it will immediately make you look more awake)[/li]
[li]Add some glow (there are oodles of ways to do this- a little bronzer where the sun would naturally hit you, a little blush on the apples of the cheeks, a little highlighter, etc. - whatever you want to do, it’ll make you look fresh)[/li]
[li]Groom your brows (seriously- so important. People often over look this, but a well groomed pair of brows will do the work of a facelift and make you look more put together)[/li][/ul]

So, if your skin is alright, you can pretty much get by looking very nice with just 3 easy steps that shouldn’t take you more than 2 minutes to do. Even when I’m completely exhausted, I try to do the small items listed, just because I know it makes me look more put together when meeting with clients.

The fastest way to go day to night is liner- darker liner all around, extra mascara, va va voom! You can also take that opportunity to throw a little extra blush or bronzer on.

Let me know if you have any questions about products or whatever! I think nashiitashii shouted me out because makeup is a bit of a hobby for me! :slight_smile:

9

I know so little about makeup. I just never took the time to learn, though I do own a few things for those times when I want to pretty myself up a little. I’m not really looking to change what I have - I think I manage ok with an eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, some kind of cream foundation/cover thingy that I don’t know the name of, and lip gloss. I can manage to look alright in a handful of minutes, which is good.

My question, though, is what’s the best way to get it all off, ideally also in only a few minutes? I can scrub with soap and water, and I know that all kinds of facial cleansers/wipes/whatevers exist out there, but I’m really just looking for the fastest and easiest way to remove the damn stuff without looking like a raccoon for the rest of the night?

10

I don’t wear a lot of makeup- just concealer under my eyes and lip stain- but I recently discovered the Target brand Up and Up cucumber makeup removing towelettes (I think they’re a rip-off of Dove or Olay). These things take makeup right off better than any cleanser I’ve ever used and they do not contain soap or sulfates. Water is optional, too, you can just wipe your face with the towelette without wetting or rinsing your face.

11

Get a makeup remover for the eyes or some sort of creamy makeup remover (heck, cold cream works too), then wash your face if needed. It’s way less harsh than scrubbing with soap and water. I like this stuff from Sephora for removing eye makeup.

12

This is exactly what I use. For heavier stuff (mascara, really stuck on eyeliner, etc.), the trick is to take little towelette thing and hold it on your eye for a few seconds- let it sit there for a second- then everything should come right off.

The Target wipes also come in a way bigger package than the name brands for half the price!

13

I use this to remove my makeup. I wipe it over my face with a cotton ball. It’s so gentle, I can use it right on my eyes. It takes everything off without drying me out. I love it and don’t know what I’m going to do now that it’s been discontinued.

As far as adding glow easily without looking too “done”, I use Georgia by Benefit. It’s foolproof because the color is light, yet it makes a noticeable difference in how “awake” your skin looks.

I have horrible horrible dark circles. I hadn’t found anything that gave me pretty heavy duty coverage without piling up and looking like I had piled spackle on my face until I found this. Stupid little drugstore product, but it really works! If I need more coverage, I just put a little more on without spackling!! Amazing. It’s eliminated my need for foundation. I love it.

14

For makeup removal my favorite produce is Shu Uemura’s cleansing oil. That stuff is amazing. Takes your makeup off and cleanses without leaving your skin feel dry. It’s on the pricey side but usually a big bottle lasts me at least three months, if not longer.

15

To remove makeup (with the exception of waterproof mascara–whole other ball of wax) I just wash my face with cleanser and water and then dab a little moisturizer on a Kleenex and go under my eyes to remove any remaining bits of eye makeup. I’ve tried other methods–cold cream, eye makeup removers, etc.–but this is the easiest/quickest method and since I’m going to dab some moisturizer under my eyes anyway, why not use it as a remover also?

I haven’t tried Urban Decay’s eyeshadow primer but I recently bought Smashbox’s version and I do notice a definite improvement in the amount of time my eyeliner/shadow sticks without fading.

My only problem is…I have very shallow eyelids so I can’t really wear eyeliner by itself without the line of it imprinting on my eyelid…if anybody can help me find an eyeliner that doesn’t transfer at all once applied I would appreciate it. (I’ve tried a million and they all end up melting onto my eyelid eventually, which makes me look all sloppy and crazy.)

And one of my favorite tips ever–which sounds obvious once you hear it but it was news to me years ago–is to match your blush to the palm of your hand. I’m quite fair-skinned, so I don’t know if it will work for darker complexions, but lighter-skinned women usually have some pink on their palms, and if you match your blush to this color, it will be the perfect shade. Ditto for lipstick/lip gloss. Your “color palette” is in the palm of your hand. :wink:

Also…beware lipgloss with any kind of glitter in it. I find that it travels further than your lips and can give you an odd glittery mess around your mouth…which if you’re me, you won’t notice til you look like a mess for far too long…

And finally, fake eyelashes aren’t nearly as hard to apply/wear as they seem, and for special occasions, they are ridiculously fun! :smiley:

16

Thanks for the concealer recommendation, torie, I’m going to go out and get it today! I ran out of the clinique one that I loved and they don’t make it anymore, so I tried a couple of others, both of which made me look like I was turning into an oompa loompa.
I touch my eyes a lot, wear contacts, and have sensitive eyes, so I spent years looking for a mascara that didn’t cloud up my contacts or irritate my eyes, until my mother got me some of 100% Pure’s fruit pigmented ones. I love them with an unnatural love.
Do you guys have any eyeshadow palatte recommendations? I was thinking about getting this one (the 12 color one), because I saw it recommended online, but I don’t know what others I should look into. I’m looking for matte colors, not sparkly ones.

17

I really like The Balm’s Shady Lady eyeshadows. The brand seems to be wannabee Benefit, but those eyeshadows have a lovely texture.

For Dutch doper ladies (if you’re reading), I love Hema lipstick and it’s super cheap. Particularly the Brilliant Colour and Volume series. I always buy lots when I’m on holiday in The Netherlands.

I also have a question. I’m due a treat for myself and I want to buy an expensive black eye pencil or kohl. Not a liquid liner. I want it to be jet black. I normally go with Bourjois but would be willing to pay more if it was worth it. Does anyone know of a eye pencil worth paying extra for, beyond packaging and brand prestige?

18

The only product I am really loyal to is my Jane concealer. It’s a brand I generally consider “toy” makeup, but the liquid concealer in the tiny tubes is good stuff! The medium shade is just the right color for me and I just pat it on with a fingertip until it warms up and blends right in.

19

Jane makes surprisingly awesome makeup, I also like their mascaras, but I can never find the brand anymore.

My current favorites:
**BeneFit erase paste concealer **- it looks darker in the pot than it really is, and it’s the best stuff ever. You hardly need any so even though it’s expensive it lasts a very long time
**Maybelline Great Lash BIG mascara **- better than the original Great Lash, and cheap! I’m a mascara junky, I try them all from cheap to high end, and this is the one I use the most. For pricy ones, I like DiorShow.
Everyday Minerals mineral foundation - I use their semi-matte which is really light, lighter than other mineral foundations I’ve used (most looked cakey on me).
Everyday Minerals eyeshadows - they have a zillion colors, and you can buy samples for $2.50 - I only ever buy the samples, b/c they last forever.

20

This one, 10000000000%. I’m lucky to have a good eyebrow shape that I just need to maintain by plucking occasional stray hairs (here’s a picture a few years and several hairstyles ago with no glasses (rare!) (and bad exposure, haha) that shows my natural brow shape). Or me kind of channeling Lisa Loeb; you can see brow shape with my glasses. I still, every single day, fill my brows in. I use a brow powder and the small angled brush that was linked above.

Seriously, if I go outside at all, that is the one thing I’ll do above anything else (above mascara, above powder, anything). It takes literally under 30 seconds to do and instantly frames your face and makes you look naturally put together.