Your Tips & Product
Recommendations
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Here are the things I cant live without in
my make up bag:
Looks Weird, But looks great ! Physicians Formula Concealers.
The colors are not what you're used to, for under eye circles the concealer is
yellow, for blemishes and patches of red tones a pale icy green, and a lilac for sallow,
dull yellow skin.You can buy these at the drugstore, they are on the expensive side for
drugstore cosmetics, but REALLY REALLY worth it! They also offer trial sizes for about
$1.25 that do last a long time (you dont need t use much!) and you can get a compact that
has all 3 corrective shades + a skin tone concealer in on compact palette. If you
like using them after the trial sizes this is the way to go. I haven't tried the lilac for
sallow skin tones, but the golden yellow really hides the undereye dark circles without
being cakey or obvious. I have very pale skin, and have a reddish underglow around my
cheeks that bugs me. I use the icy green very lightly here to correct the color. The whole
concept makes complete sense, just like in photography or painting by using the color
opposite of the problem color to neutralize the appearance. You just use a wee bit then
blend and cover with either their foundation, but I just use my own... which brings me to
my next favorite...
True Illusion Foundation by Maybelline. I
think it was developed for more mature skin than mine. I am 28 and Melanie Griffith is the
spokesmodel if that says something, regardless really awesome stuff. About $4.00 for a
rather generous bottle at the drug store. Good points are they actually have a tone pale
enough for my beyond white fair skin. Also, it has the most interesting texture very light
and airy, it is a liquid but when you blend it feels like floaty whipped cream, it has
great coverage but never feels heavy thick or cakey! Their whole marketing thing is that
it floats on top of your skin and doesn't sink into fine lines, so it hides wrinkles etc.
better. For me, it just feels really natural without sacrificing smooth coverage. It is
oil free too! I haven't had any problems with break outs, many of the mature skin
foundations are to rich for my skin and I tend to get zits here and there. I can't
speak highly enough about this one!
My last favorite thing is
ANYTHING BY JANE!!!!!
All of their products are priced under $3.00 and the colors are rich and tend to be very
natural. It is marketed to a teenage audience, but I really couldn't care less! I use a
pink lipstick of theirs for lips and it is now what I use for a cream blush EVERY DAY! The
quality is really great especially considering it is so affordable. If you are blond and
as pale as me, using the pale classic pink lipstick for a blush looks insanely natural,
blends really fast and lasts without staining. I really think cream blush under the
powder looks more like the real act of blushing than powder, no matter how well it is
applied. The Jane lipsticks are the real bargain, at only $1.50 more than Wet
& Wild they will not dry your lips up into the Sahara like Wet & Wild does, never
look cakey and thick. I used to get all kinds of W&W lipsticks but after
using Jane I wont go back, the W&W really crisped my lips out and looked soooo HEAVY
and felt heavy in comparison.
Jane's Brow Beathers are also cool, very neat little mascara like tube w/
brush that has a glaze like thin gel with a hint of color that you brush your brows out
with and groom. It will hold them in place all day and the hint of color makes them look
really neat without that pencil and blended in obviousness. I have used their
foundations, and they are really cool too, just a bit to sheer for me. They have
eyepencils and lipliners, and another neat product that comes in 5 colors like "a
hint of pink" "a hint of coral" "a hint of brown" etc. They
are in a small tube like lipstick, and you can use them all over for a bit of color on
eyes, lips, and cheeks. I used the hint of pink last summer for a nice natural glow on
weekends and daytime. The hint of pink isn't really pinky, more like a light taupe with a
bit of pink in it, a pinkish brown. Really great for a quick bit of color that looks super
natural.
Okay, so I guess I wrote a book there, so anyone out there who sees this, give up the
W&W and use Jane (especially on your lips) for only a buck more the products are much
kinder to your skin, and the colors are much more refined, less trendite and for something
marketed towards teens, amazingly much more adult!
Sincerely,
dakotahblu
If you like a 'shimmery' eyeshadow but don't want to buy many different shades buy a silver and scrape a little into a tray. Apply your favorite matte color and then dust it with the silver powder you scraped from the eyeshadow using one of those little blush brushes. This saves money and gives you the 'shimmery' look. - Lauren
Tip for nailpolish wearers: My experience with the best clear polish to wear over your colored polish to prevent chipping is "Beauty Secrets" brand Nail Hardener & Thickener High Gloss Top Coat. It even comes in a big round bottle, 2.5 oz, on sale for $2.99 at Sally's Beauty Supply store. It works amazingly well and I'm so pleased to discover it at such a good price! My polish lasts and lasts. - Alice
Avon just came out with a foundation called
Beyond Color that I think you might like. It has medium to full coverage,
a somewhat matte finish and is moisturizing. And unlike Avon's other foundations, there
are some light, yellow-based colors that look promising (like Classic Ivory and Nude). If
you have access to a rep, you can ask for samples.
Hope this helps,
Kerry
OK, I've kept silent long enough about my
foundation/base fetish. I've been in search for the
"perfect" foundation for the last year, or so, and it was always one thing, or
another - either the color "turned" on me before I was finished with the bottle,
or the brand was too rich for my blood (but I've been known to vacillate between the
priority of looking good, and having enough money to buy foundation and lipstick. .
.) On top of that, I wanted the "foundation experience" to be
simple. Too much to ask, you think? These are the brands I tried:
Prescriptives - turned color, kinda expensive
Bobbi Brown - kinda expensive
MAC (powder foundation-C3 and liquid) - not totally satisfied w/color
Mary Kay - too perfumey
Make-Up Forever - too expensive
Color-Stay (medium beige) - the coverage seemed overwhelmingly cakey when
dried, but was bearable if applied with a wet sponge. Still, I wasn't
completely satisfied with the color for daytime wear.
This is the one I like: True-Illusion Liquid-To-Powder
makeup in True Nude. However, to my shock of shocks, I used up the pan in
about 3 weeks!!! (I NEVER finish make up to the very end). I didn't do the
cost breakdown analysis yet, but will do so before the next Maybelline sale. As a
side note, the liquid form of the True Illusion base covers very lightly.
About [Wet 'n' Wild lip pencil] #666 (I prefer to call it #999 . . .), I'm sad to report that I no longer use it b/c my lips have become super sensitive and easily irritated by it (and other brands). But, I found a department store equivalent: Clinique Quickliner for Lips in 01 lipblush. So far, no breakouts, same great shade. - Alice
LOVE YOUR SITE!! Just wanted all of the blue-eyed, blonde hair, pale girls out there to know that using the pink color, in Revlon's quad pack eyeshadow called "Vineyards", as an eyeliner is a beautiful look. It may seem drastic, but topped off with some black mascara, it really makes blue eyes sparkle. The rest of the colors are also really nice as well. And check out the inexpensive line Prestige, for some great lipsticks and pencils!!! - AnnaBeth
Lauren, what a great website you have. I, too have always mixed my lipsticks..I purchased a little pillbox, one with several compartments and I put stubs of lipsticks in each compartment and melted them for a few seconds in the microwave . I now have a multitude of colors to take along anywhere and it takes up no room. - Joyce
I have just recently discovered a great matte oil-free foundation from L'Oreal (doesn't this sound like an advertisement?) called Mattique in Soft Ivory. Thanks to this foundation my face does not get oily 4 hours later (it's about 10 dollars, but due to the fact of the lack of success with other brands and styles-most notably Cover Girl-this was worth the money). - Miranda
I read how you use the Purpose Moisturizer. Well, Johnson & Johnson Baby Lotion with UV Protection is the same thing. It smells a like baby oil, but if you don't mind, you save $6. It's the same thing as the Purpose moisturizer. The ingredients are exactly the same. The only difference is that the Baby Lotion is $3.79 - Dain
I totally love this color also [Wet 'n' Wild
lip pencil #666], and thought that I discovered a great base color for my lips!
To my surprise and delight, I've recently read about this color in a magazine, and now,
this website. I would recommend this color to
everyone. - Alice
Artmatic: this is a
drugstore line with packaging and prices similar to Wet 'n Wild's. I've only tried a few
products - the regular $0.99 lipstick is decent but the "Moisturizing" lipstick
is too hard to bother with. The nailpolishes are only $0.99.
Foundation: Max Factor in general
doesn't have a great color selection, but there are a couple of standouts. Lasting
Performance, Powdered Foundation, Rain, and Balancing Act come in a shade called Light
Champagne which is great for someone with pale, yellow-toned skin (like me-I also wear
Cream in Zhen's foundation). I also noticed that the Pan-Stik makeup comes in the shades
Olive and Deep Olive. I've never tried this product, and I have no idea what the colors
look like (you can't see the color unless you open the package). Might be worth a look
though.
Petites nailpolish: These are half the
size of other nailpolish brands which gives you a chance to use up the bottle especially
if you wear nailpolish infrequently.
Lipstick for dry lips: Zhen's Cream
lipsticks are wonderful! Creamy and moisturizing feel without being too greasy or sliding
off your lips. I didn't care for Almay's Stay Smooth Anti-Chap Lipcolor-made my lips look
and feel drier than they already are. Almay's One-Coat Lipcolor is much better. - Kerry
A little Blistex (in the blue pot) will make a lipstick that is too dark a sheer version of the same. Maybelline's Blackberry Blush works on all skin shades when treated this way, and of course the lipstick last longer, too. - D.
I am naturally very pale and have a real hard time finding pale 'ivory' color foundations and powders...Some of my old standbys are 'Natural Glow' foundations by Naturistics, my favorites are Porcelain in the color FX line which has incredible staying power and another is Natural Ivory in the Naturally Matte line; neither one gives me a yellow or orange cast , and my face loves them. For powder I highly recommend 'Coty' in Rachel 1 for an almost white finish with just a hint of color , Naturelle is good for a more yellow pale skintone (more natural)...I have used Coty for about 12 years, althought I have tried other brands I am the pleased with Coty for powder that doesn't look obvious! from, Christine~
I love your site! I want everyone to
know that the Wet 'n Wild Megalash Mascara is great! For over 20
years I have been a Great Lash fan after trying even the EXPENSIVE Dept. stores' brands.
The Megalash is just as good and it's only $1.99.
I have found the perfect holiday lip color--it's Wet 'n Wild
Precious Metals Precious Ruby. It's the most beautiful red I've seen
and I can wear it even though I've never been able to wear red before. It has the
loveliest shimmer, not harsh at all. It costs $1.99--can't beat that!
I have a tip on getting more out of your mascara.When it gets kind of thick, either due to the cold weather or age, simply blast the tube with your blowdryer set on high for about 30 seconds. Alternatively, you could let the tube set in the hottest tap water either in the sink or in a cup. Do this at the start of your makeup routine and by the time you're ready to use the mascara, it'll be just right. Just make sure the cover is on tight! - Dawn
Love your site and I thought I'd pass on a tip I picked up when I sold Mary Kay cosmetics. To get what is called the "mink look", apply brown or brown-black mascara and then just do the tips of the lashes with black. It looks great! - Charlene
A lot of people on the alt.gothfashion newsgroup complain that cheap nail polishes don't last as long as department store brands. But there's an easy solution -- use the inexpensive Wet 'n Wild polish for the crazy colors, then add a high-quality clear topcoat. I'm partial to Sally Hansen's No Chip Top Coat (which is something like $4, so it's still not expensive). If I use this topcoat, my cheapie polish lasts for about two weeks. If I use the cheap polish alone, it usually chips in three or four days. - Trystan
Hi! I love your web site --you have done such a great job and the detail
is exactly what I have been looking for. I started wearing nail polish 2 years ago when my
baby brother got married and my mom got me started with Nailtiques. It worked just
o.k., then I found Renu-a Nail for 7.99 at the beauty
supply. It did the same things, only better and at half price.
It also serves as a quick-dry "freeze-type" topcoat.
To indulge in many many colors (my little 4 & 5 year old
girls like to have "girl night" with me -- we watch Buffy, then I give them a
bubble bath and paint their toenails!) I get either the tiny "Prestige" bottles
for $1.29 at the grocery, or stock up on Avon promotional bottles of new colors.
These bottles differ from their $3.50 Avon regular-price counterparts ONLY in that
the bottles are plastic, not glass -- and they actually contain MORE(!!?) nail polish!
Isn't that weird? SO I simply grab all the colors I want when the catalog lists them
at the 99 cent promo price. And girl night continues! -
Amy
I just wandered in and wanted to tell you
how much I enjoyed it. A definite bookmark.
Some of my tips:
1.) I nuked my concealers and my lipsticks
and transferred them into pill cases. GNC makes one with compartments that's clear and has
sturdier covers than the seven compartment kind. You can get rid of the GNC logo
with nail polish.
2.) Buying brushes at art supply
stores. Concealer brushes are a few bucks. A pig bristle eyebrow brush is about $2.
3.) Great places for cheap makeup:
Ricki's in New York City, New York Cosmetics in San Francisco, Mycoba in South Beach,
Miami.
4.) Isn.com is Home Shopping Network's
auction site. I got $200 worth of Adrien Arpel treatment products for $40.
5.) Nordstrom's housebrand,
"Sane," has great French-made brushes very reasonably priced.
6.) Lord & Taylor and Saks have lovely
housebrand make-up kits (five nail polishes, five different lipsticks, etc.) for Christmas
that are reduced to next-to-nothing the day after.
More later,
Susan
Since the day I started college at 17 I have had a healthy set of my own dark under-eye circles. They are almost a symbol of my daily grind. The one product that really works for me is Revlon ColorStay under-eye concealer. It is very expensive running about $8 for a mascara sized tube but it really works on my oily skin. It goes on and stays on. It's the one product I swear by. - Wendi
Try using Baby Shampoo to remove makeup. It is very inexpensive and the 'no tears' makes it great for removing eye makeup too. - Anon
I have to tell you how much I LOVE your website! It is so much fun to
experiment with all the neat formulas!
I have found that if you mix frosted eyeshadow with matte,
you get a teeny bit of glitter just to dress up a little but it's not overpowering.
I found that after I had mixed a few nice shades of
eyeshadow, a one week pill case is good for storing them. The pill cases
come in all different sizes. I bought the seven-day case with compartments that are about
an inch high and wide. The one I bought has a lock on it that you
have to press before the lids will open. This is probably a good idea for eyeshadow
storage especially if you want to carry it in your purse. -
Wendi
I agree that Joe Blasco is great for color
selection (I'm fair and blonde but the extra-light Asian is the best color), but I have
found the coverage is heavier than I like. My solution for this is to mix a smear of the
pancake with a small amount of sunscreen until the foundation is the consistency I like.
If you live in the West, shop at Trader Joe's (good for hand
& body lotion, too) for good bargains on sunscreens. Paula Begoun
recommends using a sunscreen with zinc oxide for both UVA & UVB coverage. I finally
found one with the correct formula——Springbrook ultra mild sunblock lotion. Most
sunscreens burn my eyes, no matter how careful I am to avoid getting them near my eyes but
this one does not irritate. In addition, it was less than $4 (4 oz.) at Trader Joe's. It's
a bit on the oily side so use a light dusting of powder to stop shine and avoid it if
you've oily skin.
- Melody
I really love Kiehls Lip Balm #1.
The stuff lasts forever, has a great consistency, makes lipliner much easier to
apply, doesn't wear off too quickly, and doesn't have a strong taste or
odor. It isn't waxy or too greasy. I take it with me everywhere! A pot
costs $4.50 (a bit on the expensive side) but I've had mine for over 6 months and I'm not
even half-way through it -- a little goes a long way. Another plus is that it is
sold at Neiman Marcus stores, so I can get the expensive department store beauty counter
experience, but make a relatively inexpensive purchase. -
Amanda
I really like Fetish Fat Boy Mascara!
It's good stuff. Thanks! It's as good as the L'Oreal stuff and cheaper.
- Cheers, Ivonne
You can make your own colored lip glosses by melting lipstick and Vaseline together in the microwave. I have little Pyrex containers and I just soften the lipstick and Vaseline together on a low setting. - Kimberly
I keep one brown and one red lip pencil: you can use a light touch in brown to outline your lips and go over with the red which creates a natural tone.
When you mix a lipstick shade and the color
isn't to your liking I found putting lip gloss over it will often help the
color to become more pleasing.
In regard to eye shadow; first I try to look
objectively at my own eye for shadows and use shadow from my own natural shadows; this way
you don't create a shadow you work with the natural shadow you have; we often don't see
the shadows because we think of our faces as wrong and immediately apply highlighter to
the whole area between the eyelid and brow; but stand back and observe and see if there
are darkened areas you can accept as is and then use highlighter where its needed. - Sandy
1. Plan your drug store purchases carefully.
Check for sales, specials, and coupons so that you can save even more money on the
products you love. Many fashion magazines or Sunday papers have coupons and drug stores
often have in store sales, coupons and specials. However, you should resist the
temptation to buy something you normally don't simply because it is on sale or you have a
coupon
2. Time department store purchases right.
Many times, department store cosmetics brands offer free gifts. The best gifts I find are
offered in the early fall and early spring. If you buy your department store
products when they offer a free gift, you can get some nice goodies to try at home for
free. Or, like me, you can use these trial sizes when you travel. I also save the
containers and fill them with my own drug store makeup and skin care products when I
travel. However, you should look at the gift and see if the products would work for
you or would work with your coloring. If most items in the gifts are not useful, you may
want to wait until the next gift. Also, you should resist the temptation to buy something
you don't normally buy just because you get a free gift.
3. Keep organized and go through your makeup and skin
care products periodically. Pitch products that are too old or do
not work for you and when you go to buy makeup, keep a list
of what you need so that you avoid accumulating 5 tubes of the same
burgundy lipstick. By doing this, I have saved a lot of money and I have a lot more
room to boot! - Jennifer
I saved a tiny glass jar from a dept store makeup promotion. I then scooped out the lipstick from several tubes that that were supposedly empty. Since I generally use similar warm shades, mixing colors was not a problem. I put the little jar in the microwave until the lipsticks melted together. This took about a minute and I watched it closely while melting. They turn into a uniform new color. I have a jar of pinky coral and a jar of a nice toffee shade. I line my lips with a pencil and fill in with a little lipstick brush.You can also " blush" your dried roses with makeup when they fade. - Marilyn
I found some very nice matte eye shadow--Physicians Formula. It was a 4 color compact in browns. It goes on beautifully, blends easily, and is very silky! the only problem--it doesn't come in single colors, only compacts. - Leanne
Use cornstarch for face powder. just a bit or you will look like a geisha ..... -Steve
Whenever I have lipstick that is broken, melted, or otherwise damaged so that it can no longer be used from its original tube, I scrape it all out and put it in a section of a weekly pill box (you know, the ones with the different compartments for MTWTFS, for people to keep pills in). Well, I have several different shades in mine and it makes mixing really easy and I can keep all my favorite shades together in one neat package. Also, I wanted to tell you about a book that has become my makeup bible. It is called "MAKING FACES" by Kevyn Aucoin. It is super! It is packed with makeup tips and beautiful pictures to show you how-to! There are many celebrities in it as well as regular people. Kevyn is an amazing makeup artist. Check it out! - Ami
To spread foundation equally without creating a "make-up-face," put some of your daycream on your hand and an equal amount of your foundation. Now mix them and apply with your fingers. The result is beautiful, soft skin!! - Esther
