Long Lasting, Melt Free Makeup

Hello there beautiful! 

So it's getting hotter here in Indianapolis, and I've been finding that if I don't carefully apply my makeup or use the wrong product, my makeup will melt off my face. Since I have been dealing with some breakouts, that does not appeal to me. 

This post will not only give tips for event makeup (party, date, wedding, etc) but also tips for hot days, because I've found several of my events lately have also been outdoors. 

Make sure you face is prepped. If it's been a little while since you washed your face in the morning, take some cleansing water or a light amount of a gentle face cleanser (one of my favorite things to do since I'm a little oily, I wash my face with a clay mask. It removes any excess dirt and oil, without stripping your skin or drying you out). Sometimes I'll do minimal makeup for daytime and then I make sure to gently, but thoroughly cleanse my skin. Because long lasting makeup is reliant upon a clean, healthy canvas. If your skin feels dehydrated or tight, use a moisturizer. 

Now, some people are inseparable from their foundation primers. Let me say, good foundation primers can do wonders for longevity and I almost always use one for long lasting makeup. I usually apply it where my skin is imperfect. If makeup fades a little (sometimes it looks better if it looks a bit worn in), only your imperfections will become more prominent. So I apply primer on my acne scars, blemishes, under my eyes and sometimes on my t-zone to help with oil. I find when I use a primer on imperfections, they are much easier to apply makeup on while still looking as natural as possible. 

Now time for foundation. I think everyone needs a long lasting foundation in their makeup collection. Revlon has one of the best for drugstore, Colorstay foundation. They have tons of shades and two different formulations, one for oily/combination and one for normal/dry. I, obviously, use the one for oily skin and I love it. No joke, it will last all day. I tend to sweat a lot on my upper lip and this will still not move! When applying long lasting foundations, apply it in very thin layers. If you need more coverage in some places, add another layer there, just make sure it dries and sets between layers. I also always apply it with my fingers. I find rubbing it into your skin, much like a lotion, it will be easier when you can see what it feels like as you rub it in. I usually take my foundation down my neck just a bit, as well, and make sure all edges are blended in. 

Now when it comes to concealer, I have tried sooooo many. I have found the holy grail. It's Vichy-Dermablend foundation. You can use the teeny tiniest amount, it's quite liquidy, but the smallest dot will completely cover even the darkest imperfection 100% and still looks like skin. No cake, it stays put SO well, I love it. It's a bit of an investment , but let me tell you, it will last forever. If you struggle with acne or spots on your face, you need this product!! Days where I have a breakout, I am not worried as much now because I know I can erase it! I apply this product with either a fine liner brush or a synthetic brush like this. I'll dab the product into the skin, sometimes I'll tap it with my finger to ensure it is completely meshed with the skin. 

One rule you do not want to live without: use a smaller setting brush to set the concealer (especially over spots but also under eye) and lightly pat a small amount of powder onto the area. You don't want to go crazy, rubbing a powder brush, messing up the beautiful concealer you just spent time on! Use the big powder brush for the rest of your face, I focus on the t-zone. Remember to keep using thin layers, you can always add a tiny bit more to where you need it. I keep my cheekbones powder free to promote glowing, luminous skin in that area. 

If your blush seems to fade away quite quickly (this happens to me sometimes), it's a great idea to use a cheek tint or a long lasting blush. Cream blush can also be great, just make sure to apply this before your powder, and only use a small layer of translucent powder. Take your time to ensure there are no harsh edges with your blush. If you need to, take a drop of foundation on the back of your hand, rub some on a foundation brush and lightly go over the edges. After you've blended and blended, one of my favorite things to do for a healthy, flushed glow is I add a little extra blush to the very center of my pink cheek. This won't create any edges and can really add another dimension to your blush. 

For bronzer, I prefer buying a powder a few shades darker than my natural color. Since I'm so pale, I prefer shades that are more cool, not orangy. 

A good setting spray can also help prolong your makeup and keep it looking beautiful. If you have oily skin, Urban Decay De-Slick is great one. I have achieved great results without a setting spray, but it is still on my list to try out!

Part 2 is coming soon! It will be about long lasting brows, eyeshadow, liner, mascara and lips! 

My Lip Care Routine

Hello lovelies!

I don't know about you but my lips get chapped or peel so often! This makes applying lipstick a difficult process. Because the one thing you need before you apply any shade of lipstick is soft, smooth lips in good condition. I hate it when I apply lipstick and it settles in the lines of my dry skin and it is not cute. at all. I find my lipstick looks great and wears so much more beautifully when my lips are conditioned. Here are some of my tips for the best feeling, best looking lips of your life!

First of all, I use pure vitamin E oil to help my lips heal from being damaged or dry or if they are peeling. This works wonders and is a much more natural way of moisturizing lips and truly healing them. You can usually find it in a dropper bottle, and it also works amazingly on any dried wound or scab or scar. I at least apply this on my lips every night and let it soak in for 10-20 minutes. 

With a little vitamin E oil still left on my lips, I layer the most amazing lip balm over it before I fall asleep. It's the Aveda lip saver. It has been the one and only lip balm I have used up completely TWICE and repurchased. It is a must have for me. I wake up the next morning and just a little bit of the balm will be left on my lips. I take my finger and gently rub my lips and the dead skin just easily peels right off and I am left with shockingly soft, smooth lips for the rest of the day!

Another tip for great lips is always remember to apply lip balm with an SPF when you're outside. Otherwise, the sun can quickly dry them up and you're left with rough, uneven lips or even worse, sunburned lips. 

Having well moisturizer lips helped lip pencils go on more creamy as well. I have found that lip pencils are a great way to prolong any lip color. A trick I like to do it I use a white eyeliner pencil that's very creamy and I put a thin layer of it on my lips as a liner. I do this mostly because I have pretty dark colored lips for how pale I am. It helps the true color of whatever lip product I use really show up. 

If you are in a situation where your lips are in bad condition and you have somewhere to go, try a lip scrub. Now, I don't like sugar or salt for scrubbing your lips, I find it too abrasive. A great DIY lip scrub is mixing coconut oil and coffee grounds. The grounds will gently but effectively slough off dry skin and the coconut oil is a great moisturizer. If you do not have coconut oil in your life, it is amazing! It does wonders as a hair mask. Check out my blog on healthy, multidimensional hair to see instructions for a coconut oil hair mask!

All About Eyelashes!

Hello beautiful! ❤

These are my secrets for how I achieved longer thicker lashes. I have in turn, have worn false lashes less often. Which, I feel like that has made my lashes thicker, not applying and removing falsies as much. 

Ok, so first off, I use Boots No. 7 lash serum every night. This has made a huge difference with the length and thickness of my lashes. I've also used L'oreals and it works well, not as well as Boots though. You can also splurge a little more and get Revitalash, I've heard absolutely amazing things about that brand. 

Another routine I have adopted into my evening face cleansing is the way in which I remove my eye makeup. I take oil-free makeup remover and two round cotton pads and soak the center of the pads, big enough to cover most of your eye. Lean your head back, place the cotton rounds on your eyelids and gently massage on your eye for 30-45 seconds. Also, gently press the cotton rounds into your lashes and around your eyeliner. When you remove the pads, most of your makeup and any falsies should be removed. To get every bit of makeup off, I flip the pads over and repeat. Remember, the skin around your eye is extremely sensitive and will wrinkle years earlier if you rub or stretch the skin. Really, I am for thorough, yet extremely gentle, cleansing on my face. You should treat your face very delicately and with care. Look into getting a cleansing lotion, as well. Soap is awful for your skin, stripping it of natural oils that help your skin keep looking healthy and glowing. 

Now let's talk about eyeliner. The closer you get your eyeliner to your lash line, the better. This step alone will help you lashes look thicker. Another great trick is to "tight line" your eyes, which is lining the upper waterline. This subtle step makes a big difference, especially when I'm doing a heavy liner look.

Now, when it comes to curling your lashes, the right eyelash curler can make all the difference. If you have very straight lashes and they lose their curl easily or are hard to curl, then you need to invest in a Shu Uemera or Kevin Aucoin eyelash curler. They are worth the $20 and will last you more than a decade, they are so well made. I get by pretty well with my Revlon one. But my lashes stay curled a long time.

When curling your lashes, start near the base of your lashes and pump, pressing down for about one second each pump. Inch your way to the end of your lashes. If you only press down on one place on your lashes, you'll get a weird clamped look.

Mascara, in my opinion should always be black. I know brown can be more natural but I'm a platinum blonde and think it can look perfectly fine to wear black mascara for even the most natural of looks. 

Start at the very base of your lashes, really move the brush back and forth, wiggling it as you swipe the length of your lashes. I love brushes with very hard bristles, I find them much easier to control and they tend to do a great job with lash separation. 

Right now, my routine for getting full on, thick, long lashes is I start out with Prestige My Biggest Blackest Lashes. This is such an amazing mascara. It has great color payoff and
still leaves my lashes feathery and plush feeling. I use this for two coats on top and one coat on the bottom. Then, I go in with Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara. I LOVE this mascara for a second or third coat. It leaves my lashes with zero clumps and the bristles are very rigid so it does a great job at going in and separating every little lash so my lashes look super thick.

Also, I get every mascara in waterproof. Eye makeup remover has come a long way and waterproof mascara comes off with ease. 

Hope these tips help!

No falsies!