Eyelash curlers really aren't that painful or difficult to use.  My eyelashes naturally curl inwards, so I have to use them on a semi-regular basis.  There will be some tutorials on youtube, but basically just don't press down too hard when you curl your lashes and you'll be golden.  For mascara, I've used a lot of different ones but I like Hard Candy the best, their mascara sticks nicely and never clumps for me.  And of course, use an eyelash primer.  Although Hard Candy tends to be geared to people who are slightly younger, I tend to use it a lot more then my more expensive brands.

I highly recommend Michelle Phan's tutorials on makeup and beauty, just further back into her tutorials to get some nice basics. 

You have gorgeous lips by the way!  Try using something glossy but not too overpowering, I really like Bath and Body Work's line of lipglosses because they're inexpensive and don't hurt your lips.  Mentha mint in violet would probably be good for you, if you want to be subtle just use a little of it.  My favorite is Dark Kiss, it's scented like everything vanilla and sensual <w<

Try blues and purples on the creases of your eyelids, and have fun with it.

I think the best thing you can do for yourself is to relax!

Thanks you guys! 

Unfortunately, eye liner is right out.  I have never been able to apply it with any success -liquid, pencil, cream or otherwise- my hands shake and my eyes are very round and it's damn near impossible for me to navigate around my lashes.  Even when applied by a friend (and well) it doesn't ever look right on me, my eyes just don't have a very slanted or fluid shape to them that eyeliner adds or accents.  I did go out and get some blush per lex's suggestion (and will be finding an eyelash curler per Iris' and some purple eyeshadow per the both of you)- I was leaning towards bronzer because I also feared a clown-application- but I got a lighter pink-peach shade I'll try out (green eyed peep's are good with any shade of pink?).  Some suggest throwing out the application brush that comes with blushes - is this a good idea?  I have a large powder brush I use with my mineral foundation, but is it okay to use it for two things, like, do you have the clean the brush in some special way?

I tried out some lipsticks and glosses at a Clinique, but they all looked awful.  I find it odd you find my lips pretty, Iris, because I despise them.  In that particular light they look all peachy, but usually they are dry and washed out pale or this odd, purple-ish dark liver color of horribleness, and while paler, pink or peachy stuff would look pretty on me, they don't tend to actually appear that color once on my lips.  This especially applies to glosses, and to further worsen me and the gloss situation, the gloss shininess itself just seems to look really weird on my lips around the edges.   So the lipstick / gloss thing has been my biggest challenge.  I can't ever seem to find anything I like.

Also, there is a such thing as mascara primer?  I usually wet the tip of my finger and run it through my lashes before applying and it seems to help (it washes off any eyeshadow and separates the lashes) - that's not a big no-no I'm unaware of, right?

And those tutorials are all LUFFS.  Am watching the crap out of them right nao.  You guys are wonderful, thank you so much.

Last edited by OnlyInThisLight (01-10-2011 08:49:08 PM)

You can use the mineral brush for your blush, and if you're worried about germs...washing it with soap and water (I use shampoo) but just make sure to apply the blush after the foundation (as you already know) and do it before you add the rest of the makeup. That way you can gage how much more or less you want to add.  I think the pinkish peach shade will work out okay. If anything you don't want anything that has like brownish tones to it.

What a bummer that you're having that much trouble with lip gloss! you might have to wear matte lipstick, or a lip stain. When I apply lip gloss, I actually apply chapstick or whatever first, let it sit for about five minutes and then apply the lip gloss and actually do a 'blot' to remove excess. You could try that but I'll keep invesitgating other methods

I have not heard of mascara primer, it would be great if there was one! But if that's what works for you, I say no harm no foul.



And mocha, that is pretty rad with the eyeshadow, I find myself having to use liquid and shadow to make the liner stay put. It's also a bit more difficult for me to get a precise line with eyeshadow, that is something I will have to work on.

Last edited by lex (01-11-2011 04:54:40 AM)

So guys, look at this neato thang!




Basically, you spend over 21.50 at a participating Clinique store (I'm not sure if it is just at Dillard's locations or online as well) and it very, very easy to spend over 20 bucks on Clinique products, and you get this free make-up tote filled with freebies of awesome.  (A 60.00 value)

*Tote
*Eyeshadow trio -and looky, it comes with a regular and brush applicator
*High Impact black mascara (Pixiwoo girls seems to adore it)
*Lip gloss
*Lip Stick
*7 Day Scrub Cream, rinse off formula
*Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion


I got a similar tote in January, with a cleansing cream, eye de-puffer ointment, retractable eyeliner pencil in brown, blush, lipstick and lash-doubling black mascara (this stuff is wonderful, I have long, wanky eyelashes and it thinly coats each one with perfect, rich color, no clumping and good shape) in a more square, purple and pink tote.  Let me just say -they are amazing samples.  Not a single one of those products has run out since I got them, and I use them (except for the blush, lipstick and eye pencil, which are all regular sized products, which I wear less often because they are more dramatic) all the time - that little squidge of cream cleanser is only half-empty!  And it makes my combination skin vurrah happy.    I've never actually had my skin feel prettier after cleansing it, just cleaner -this stuff hydrates the dry areas of my face while drying up the oily, and just leaves everything softer and more awake looking.  I WOULD MARRY THIS STUFF.

So yes.  Much anticipation and want for this tote as well.  Not sure which color set I should go with.  I've tried the green trio on a Rimmel set (which sucked -the pigmentation was awful, and I later found out Rimmel is not so nice with the animal testing) which disappointed me, but I like that lighter shade of gloss and have been told that such a color palette goes well with green eyes - I just don't want to be disappointed again -with the color, not quality - I rather adore Clinique's products, if that's not obvious.  The purple set is a safer bet, but a lot of the colors I am used to wearing have pink, magenta or red undertones/shades to them, and I would like to try something a bit different.  Plus that cool-toned lip gloss sets me off a bit. :/

Also, Hard Candy eyeshadow SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKKSSSSS.  But its lip gloss (sugar rose) is effing amazing and cheap.

DIAF Hard Candy eyeshadow.

**Haha, don't care so much about what I will be buying from Clinique (prolly a liquid foundation, concealer, brush, finishing powder or toner) JUST SO LONG AS I GET MY MITTS ON THIS.

Last edited by OnlyInThisLight (03-11-2011 05:13:16 PM)

http://www.sleekmakeup.com/en/products/ … e-218.aspx
http://www.sleekmakeup.com/en/products/ … e-219.aspx
http://www.sleekmakeup.com/en/products/ … tte-8.aspx
http://www.sleekmakeup.com/en/products/ … e-221.aspx


I can has?


Pweeeeeeeeese?


Edit:  Also, linkage to this new channel on youtube.  I like Michelle Phan and pixiewoo alright, but to be honest they already have very few flaws to their faces -no acne, more even skin tone, angular cheeks, defined jawlines, oval shaped faces, etc.  Thing is, if I looked like any of these women I wouldn't bother with make-up.  This girl has a rounder face shape (like me!), acne (like me!) and very pale skin (like me!) so I'm finding her advice is lot more usable, and she tends to use more affordable products.  Give her a look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c5d7mTR … ture=feedu

Last edited by OnlyInThisLight (03-31-2011 10:50:43 PM)

Onlyinthislight, you mentioned having problems with acne(even though the pictures of you look awesome, but whatevs). The best thing I've found--and I've used a LOT of products, had to go on Accutane eventually--is 1) a bottle of mint face mask, 2) Pretty Feet and Hands. The mint face mask shrinks your pores and draws out the impurities, so use it when you feel you're getting sort of gross. However, like a lot of products, it can also dry your skin, and that can make it impossible to put on powder and not have it look like crap. The product Pretty Feet and Hands will shuck dry skin right. the. hell. off. It can be kind of hard to find sometimes, so I recommend going to their website to look up who carries it near you. It says that you should only use it on your feet and hands, but I've been using in on my face for years and it's never done any harm. Just for people who are dumb with it, I guess. It's kind of gross the first time you use it because you will seriously be full of all these gross skin flakes, but it's so worth it to just immediately solve the problem rather than moisturizing and just having dead skin on top of oily skin.

SO my skin has been freaking out with bumps and oil production for NO FUCKING REASON, especially on my forehead and cheeks. I don't know what to do!

Mine has been as well - I mean, the acne is PMS, but multiple rainy days in a row tend to make my usually combination (oily t-zone, dry cheeks and neck) skin go into oil overdrive -even my hair needs to be washed once a day.  It happens to my sisters as well.  As far as scraping the oil off goes, if you've got a lot of it and your skin can handle it, use an astringent for a day or two (making sure you moisturize afterwards, otherwise your skin will overproduce more oil to compensate).  As far as cleansers go switch to a scrub or wash -not a cream cleanser and use lukewarm water -too hot and it dries out your skin, too cold and it shock-shrinks your pores, which you DON'T want when cleansing. 


Also?  In the morning, do your skincare routine in the shower -the steam opens up your pores, and if you shower at night versus in the day, turn your shower on anyway during your skincare (not make-up!) routine so you can get a little sauna action going on. 


I'm thinking of trying a gluten-free diet for a week or two, since my mother looked at the acne on my back (which I have always struggled with) and told me it didn't look like acne, but an allergic reaction.  My older sister has the same skin problems as me, and most of hers went away when she stopped eating gluten (she's intolerant).

Stand back, we're about to do science.

The pores thing is actually a bit of an urban myth, as I understand it. The pores themselves have no muscle action in them, so they don't "open" or "close" as such. What warm and cold environments will do however is cause local vasodilation and vasoconstriction, which in turn shifts the cutaneous layers around a bit. What does this mean for pores? Well, not too much, as dermatologists understand it.

The advice is still sound though (kinda), because of the temperature's other functions. Shock shrinkage is definitely still a problem for particularly cold water, but it's the whole upper cutaneous layers which do it, giving you that "tightening" feeling if you wash with particularly cold water. Much like really hot water, this just gives your skin a real hard time as the action is pretty abrasive. Similiarly, the warm water will trigger your natural skin cooling reaction, the pushing out of stored secretions from sweat and sebaceous glands. If you have particularly "oily skin" (over-produce sebum), pulling this away without stripping all the other skin goodies you'll naturally have is obviously gonna help your skin appearance, as you'll just go on to produce and secrete later in the day. Don't get prone to particularly oily skin during the day? Lucky you, beyond ex-foliating and typical cleaning you can leave your skin to do it's own thing.

Why did I just fret over whether the pores themselves open/close, if it's all the same advice in the end? Well, understanding how your skin works is pretty key to getting it to look how you'd like. It also helps you stop wasting time on voodoo treatments.

The warm / cold combo is an interesting one. Aside from giving you a sensation of "clean" by tightening up the upper cutaneous layers, I can't quite work out the purpose of finishing up with a cold wash. Your pores will largely be in whatever state of opened / closed the surrounding skin happens to push / pull them in. I'm not going to straight up rule this out as pointless, because I'm hardly an expert. If anyone knows the dermatological rationale for this bit of advice, that would be grand I think.

This is the situation, as best I understand it.

Guys.


We need to create a wearable make-up look inspired by Jareth.


Now.

[Holy shit, I would love to do this, the only stitch would be a brow-kit, which are expensive]

If you're just absolutely itching for one of those huge palettes right NOW, go to Coastal Scents. All of the people that sell them get them from the same wholesaler, though, so you just have to hunt down the cheapest one. I think CS is it right now. I linked you directly to the eye palettes, but I recommend going through the whole site.

As for general recommendations, E.L.F. and Wet-n-Wild are super good and super cheap. E.L.F. has stuff starting at $1, including their brushes. WnW has really stepped up their game in the last few years, and they're worth a look.

Oh, and Urban Decay is having a super sale if you didn't see my Tumblr post about it. I think they're reformulating, so a lot of stuff is being discontinued to bring out the new batches.

Last edited by Raven Nightshade (09-23-2012 09:05:30 PM)

http://www.lecosmetique.com/default.asp :  has a lot of MUA supplies and large palettes of eyeshadow, concealer, you name it, including make-up palettes you can use to fill with de-potted products you already own. 


I second Urban Decay, they have a variety of shadows going on clearance and a good rap.  Wet N Wild in particular makes AMAZING nail polishes -bubble-free and chip resistant in chic colors- for as little as 99 cents.  If you want high quality brushes, Real Techniques brushes by the Pixiwoo gals are comparable to MAC in quality.  Synthetic, soft, sturdy and brilliantly designed, and you can get sets of them as cheap as 15.00, typically on Ulta.  ELF's angled eyeliner brush has yet to shed on me for its puny pricetag.  If you do go for a brand like Coastal Scents make sure to invest in a good shadow brush and primer to offset their less than stellar wear and to reduce fallout.  Generally, though, their pigmentation is great. 

If you check your local Sephora, they may also be clearing out their Cargo -an amazing brand for blushes and bronzers- at ridiculous prices, around 40 percent off, since I hear they will soon stop carrying them (rumor has it).

Just make sure you put your money into the products that last, like foundation, blushes, bronzers, eyeshadows and brushes, where you can justify the wad of cash spent because they can last up to a year.  Stuff with shorter shelf lives, like glosses, lipsticks and especially mascara can be bought on the cheap and expensive buys saved for special treats.  Revlon's Lip Butters are a super cheap, well pigmented and versatile choice for lippies.  They go on smooth and moisturizing, but with only the slightest of glossiness.

Says the girl that just splurged on a 19.00 tube of Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes! mascara.  IT'S SO GOOD, BRO.  My lashes are long and naturally tangled, and this is a dry formula that separates.... the sparse looking brush with it's thin but sturdy and medium length um, BRUSH THINGS, is actually ingenious.  They wedge right in between every lash without being so long or bulky that they get mascara on my eyelids or push my lashes back against my lids. 

Last edited by OnlyInThisLight (09-24-2012 07:30:59 PM)