If Bob Ross were a MUA, he would have probably come up with "Eyebrows should be sisters, not twins" a long time ago.

And honestly, I haven't really bought anything lately, either. I want to buy implements for contouring/highlighting, because that is a thing I don't really know how to do, which means I need to play with it.

I'm fairly dark, NW45/47ish, so I may need to focus on highlighting instead of contouring due to the Law of Diminishing Returns. I almost bought a concealer duo from Black Radiance for $5, but I couldn't decide which one to get, so I'm going to research and try again next week.

I could never wear acrylic nails (I am terrible about follow up appointments for my beauty routine so I know I'd go too long without fills and risk breakage) but I find acrylic nail tutorials on youtube so so so relaxing.

Raven Nightshade wrote:

I've worn them three times over a nine year period. I think that if I had the cash to spend every two weeks at the shop getting fills, I would do it.

On the other side of the coin, the tips have been too thick all three times I've had them done, and it makes it hard to type because I already have sausage fingers to begin with.

Yeah, if I did get them they'd have to be short anyway, since I type on a eeensy little netbook at work all day.

I've been trying to do better by my nails.  When my shirts are a bit wrinkled because they fell off their hangers in the closet (and to be honest work runs me so ragged that most mornings i just don't have the energy for make-up), a nice pair of earrings and well cared for nails make me look a bit more put together.  I've been pushing back my cuticles and using a remover regularly, using a nail oil, a glass nail file (stopped cutting my nails, and stopped filing "back and forth" and now file in one direction from the corner edge in) and a nightly moisturizer and cotton gloves.

The more professional I look the less likely a provider will confuse me for a client's family member instead of their caseworker... but that's hard to do when the job doesn't give you much money to keep an updated wardrobe and you're in and out of your car, client's (often messy and animal and bug filled) apartments and provider's offices all day.  You want to be at least somewhat comfortable. 

I have lost so many nice slacks to client's cats.  I lost an entire outfit turning it into police as evidence. The cigarette smell is so bad in some client's home and on their person that I can't get away with wearing an article of clothing twice, which is my saving grace because I own no washer/dryer. 

So yeah.  Anyway.  Keeping hair and nails neat, one small bling, is my best shot at looking business casual.

pagetheplush wrote:

So I have a problem where whenever I put on foundation, be it liquid or powder, rather than covering up blemishes and such it highlights how dry my face is and just makes things look worse. It's not visible when I don't wear it, but when i put it on you can see flaky patches on my forehead. No matter what I do, nothing seems to fix it, so i usually just avoid foundation altogether. Is there something I can do to improve the skin itself or am I just putting my foundation on wrong?

Exfoliate at least once a week moisturizing along won't slough off the dead skin (dah flakies), always always always apply a moisturizer on before your foundation and after you exfoliate, and beyond that you either need a moisturizing primer or it is the brands of foundation you are wearing.  Some foundations will cling to dry patches, especially if they contain ALCOHOL (Such as the Maybelline Dream liquid foundation, or the YSL Ink Foundation).

Avoid matte or silk finish foundations, look for dewy finishes.

Last edited by OnlyInThisLight (08-20-2016 10:44:13 PM)

Yeah primers are pretty important. It kind of makes this layer over your skin that the foundation goes on top of a bit more smoothly.

I have fussy skin (oily and dry, acne prone - until very recently hallelujah) so what worked for me is weekly masks (clay-based kind), a sugar exfoliate, then moisturizer or sunscreen, then make-up primer, then concealer stick, then foundation and finally a bit of powder for setting. And FINALLY I got a 'wow your skin looks so beautiful' comment. BB creams are also quite nice, less fussy and much lighter, more natural-looking.

I have also stopped wearing foundation because I can't be fucking bothered. XD I don't mean that in a negative way towards anyone who does go the full hog with makeup - you have my admiration. But for me, a swipe of eyeliner and I am set.