Sunday, March 10, 2013

Foundation: To Use or Not to Use?



That is the question!

There are quite a few products that simply complete a look. Even on days when I'm in a rush, I always try to fill in my brows, apply a coat of mascara to my lashes, and pop a moisturizing tinted lip balm on my lips. Certain products or steps are what make a certain look complete. Foundation, however, is NOT a must-have.

In a world of beauty, where you can find any makeup look with a search in Google or YouTube, it's easy to get caught up in the hype, or even the steps. Regardless of which steps each person takes first, there are always key elements in each video to complete these looks, and although the looks come out wonderfully, this often leads most watchers or readers thinking if they don't do those steps the look won't come out the same. The fact of the matter is, depending on your skin, you can skip a major step: Foundation.

There are likely those out there with skin blemishes or discoloration who are screaming at me now, but rest-assured I am not telling you to give it up (although it could only help, allowing your skin to breathe). If you have minor skin discoloration, or just a blemish here and there, this advice is for YOU! It's easy to feel like you have to do a full face of foundation to even out your skin, but you don't! As long as you have a matching concealer you can simply cover your blemishes or discoloration, making sure to blend out the edges, set your whole face with powder, and you're set! This will help out your skin, because come on, why would you want to add more layers to your skin than what's necessary?


Monday, March 4, 2013

How To: Custom Lip Color Palette


I don't know about you, but I have a ton of lipstick. So much that when I open my lipstick drawer I am immediately overwhelmed with all of the options. Not only that, but I'm super annoyed that the packaging on some does not allow me to see what the color actually is. So, instead of sifting through to find my favorite color, I figured it was time to customize a palette.

The following are instructions to help you create your own custom lip color palette:

Step 1: Order a ZPalette. (www.zpalette.com) They are empty magnetic palettes, with a clear window on the lid, that you can fill with pans of makeup using tin pans or magnets. Each large palette is $20, and comes with round flat tin pieces to stick to any pan that is not magnetic. Plus, you can get fun designs, like leopard or zebra print! They even have larger palettes to fit more shadows, or the domed baked shadows and blushes, as well as smaller palettes to create custom travel sized palettes.

Step 2: Order empty tin makeup pans. We recommend the ones at TKB Trading. (www.tkbtrading.com) You can get 100 26mm round pans for $12.00! Not only that, but they also have mixing kits to make your OWN makeup products! How fun!

Step 3: Grab a butter knife, small makeup spatula (or any tool you can use to scrape lipstick from it's tube), a spoon, a plate, and a lighter.

Step 4: Using your butter knife, cut the lipstick right at the base, and place the solid shaped piece on a clean plate. This allows you to get the product in the bottom of the tube without ruining the classic shape of your lipstick, as you won't be using the entire tube.

Step 5: Grab your spatula (or tool of your choice) and scoop out the contents of the inner tube and place them in your clean, metal spoon. Using the lighter, place it a few inches below the spoon. Allow the heat from the lighter to heat up the bowl of the spoon, which will melt the lipstick.

Step 6: Once the lipstick is completely melted, grab an empty makeup tin pan and pour the melted lipstick inside. Be careful not to fill it to the top, as it will slightly expand once it cools and returns to its solid state. (If you have leftover lipstick liquid, pour it into the lipstick tube you emptied and place the shaped solid piece back inside. Once cool it will help secure the lipstick back into the tube, making it look like it never even happened!)

Step 7: As soon as your pan of lipstick is cool, and the lipstick has returned to a solid state, pop it in your zpalette!

Tada!



You now have a customized lip color palette of all your favorite colors! You can organize the colors however you want, and have a constant, easy to use, supply at your fingertips when doing yours or others makeup! Get creative and have fun!