Thursday, May 21, 2015

A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing Red Lipsticks According to Your Skin Tone.

My quick quide to picking the right red lipstick shade according to your skin tone.
It's beloved in Hollywood and Fashion; and for pretty much any occasion, a red lipstick instantly adds glamour and a pop of color to a girl's face. Without red the color family is bland and without a gorgeous red lipstick, a girl's makeup stash is totally incomplete!

This bold and beautiful color is recurrent in fashion worldwide, but in my experience as a makeup artist, I have come across so many young women who stay away from applying red lipsticks just because they are afraid that the color isn't for them, it wont suit their dark complexion, either they are not sure how they would carry it or they are 'afraid' of trying something new.

 Of course with the variety of shades, textures and undertones red lipsticks come with, many women get confused as to which red lipstick would be the appropriate one for them to wear. If I decide to apply red lipstick on a client, I always pick that shade which is appropriate for their skin tone, undertone and of course according to their dress and occasion. The last one goes without saying!

 So if you're on your own shopping and looking for the perfect red lipstick for yourself, read on my guide to know on what basis you should choose red lipsticks for yourself to wear and it'll be impossible for you to go wrong. 

The most important factor to picking the right red lipstick is to be aware of your skin undertone as well as your skin tone. If you do not know what skin undertone is and how to figure it out, please go to my other blog post where I have explained this step.

 As for skin tones, we all have either fair, medium, warm, tan or dark skin tones. In this guide, I shall be covering red lipsticks for fair, medium and dark skin toned ladies.

 You might ask why is knowing our skin undertone and tone important for this? Well, both of these factors limit as to which red lipstick one should go for because just like we have either warm or cool undertones, red lipsticks also have the same undertones in order to flatter ladies belonging to each category. Some are neutral and true reds, but that shall be covered in detail separately.

If you look at my quick guide posted above as well as on my Facebook page, you will see that each skin tone can carry various shades of red, from lightest to the darkest, given that you've got their undertone correct. Therefore, it is definitely possible for each skin tone to flawlessly carry various shades of red lipsticks; but how can you figure out whether a red lipstick is cool toned or warm toned?

 Cool Toned Reds:
  

    Image Source: Google
Cool toned red lipsticks are also called blue-based reds, and they will have a pink tinge of color in them. They will always flatter rosy-cheeked girls with cool undertones and fair, ivory or beige skin tones. Another big characteristic of wearing blue-based red lipsticks is that they make your teeth appear whiter!

 In case if you have a warm undertone and would still like to try wearing a blue-based red, then sure you can go for it but be cautioned! Blue-based reds against your warm undertone will look very dramatic and bright.

 For a really beautiful blue based red lipstick, try out Revelon ColorStay Ultimate Suede and NYX Chic Red, both which are medium shades for fair and medium skin tone. MAC Viva Glam I is a brownish blue-based red that will look beautiful on a fair and medium skin tone if you are in the mood for a dark shade.

Warm Toned Reds:
   
                         

Image Source: Google
Also called yellow-based reds, they will have a trace of orange color in them and they look so gorgeous on girls with warm undertone and a medium, golden and an olive skin tone. The reason why they appear gorgeous on warm undertones is because skins with this undertone can sometimes look pale and dull, and such yellow-based reds help out in giving the skin a much needed pop of color! 
In some instances, girls with cool undertone can pull of a yellow-based red given that their rest of the makeup and hairstyle is done in sync with that lipstick. For instance as you can see in the picture below, Hollywood actress Mischa Barton has a cool undertone but is wearing a warm toned red lipstick and pulling it off because her hairstyle and her eye makeup is complementing it. However, I would personally advise cool toned gals that unless you have pro stylists by your side, just skip the warm toned reds.

Image Source: Google
If you have a fair skin tone and are wanting to wear a light shade of red lipstick, then L'Oreal Red Fatale is definitely the shade to go for. Also, MAC Lady Danger and NARS Heat Wave are two really gorgeous, medium shades of red lipsticks that will look flawless on you fair skin toned ladies whereas  Illamasqua Sangers is a beautiful dark shade of red lipstick that you can wear if you're in the mood for something darker or if an occasion or your dress calls for it.

Too Faced Stiletto Red is a great medium shade red lipstick for girls who have a medium skin tone but if you would like to try out a drug store brand first, then you can opt for Revlon Really Red which is a gorgeous medium shade too. Tom Ford Cherry Lush is another medium shade of red that will give flawless lips and a pop of color to olive toned ladies. 

Some Important Advice!
  • When you're at the department store shopping for your perfect red lipstick, you must always ask the salesperson to first sanitize the testers for you before you try it out on your lips.
  • If you are new to red lipsticks, I suggest you try out the drug-store ones first before spending money on the high-end ones. That way you will experience whether you like wearing reds more often or not, without spending too much. 
  • Once you do find a flattering red lipstick for yourself, wear it with confidence and remember to keep the rest of your makeup a *bit understated. 

 * Doesn't mean that you wear no makeup at all. Just enough to be in sync with your red lip. 

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

A No-Nonsense Guide to Makeup Shelf Life


We might be in the habit of buying and stocking on cosmetics, but amidst all that collection, we are unaware that all of our makeup has a shelf life. In fact, chances are that the mascara you applied today had expired a couple of months ago. 

I posted a guide on my Facebook page that showed the usual makeup products that every person owns and what their average shelf life is. I am posting the same guide here too: 



Of course these are not the only products that have a shelf life. Other beauty products such as moisturizers and even nail polishes have expiration dates. All these products usually don't have an expiration date specified on their packaging like food products do, but they in fact go bad just like an expired milk would, and there are signs through which you can know when its time to toss away a certain makeup product. 

First is to go through my 'Makeup Expiration Guide' posted above as well as on my page as it shows the shelf life of each makeup product. For instance, if you have had your liquid foundation since 3 years, you know now that it's time to let go of it.

Second, unlike food companies, it's not a standard procedure for cosmetic companies to specify an expiration date on their products. However, some do mention these dates by printing the date, month and year on a product's packaging while some have a symbol of a jar with an open lid and it will have the expiration date written inside it. It's possible that you might have paid attention to this symbol before:


             It's a cute little symbol isn't it? Now let's decipher it:
The open lid of this jar implies that the countdown to the product's expiration will start from the day you open it. The number and the letter 'M' mean that it will expire in 12 months from the day you open it. Another letter that appears on this symbol is 'Y' which denotes to 'year'. 

Therefore, do check whether an expiration date has been printed on the product's packaging, bottle, jar etc in either the jar symbol or in dates such as this:
     It will show the Batch No, Manufacture Date and the Expiration Date.
Third, if the expiration date has not been printed, then there are obvious signs through you which you can figure out when it is time to stop using and throw away a makeup product. Get your trash can ready:

  • So as you now know that a mascara will expire in 3 months and the tell-tale sign to that is when it starts getting clumpy and smells funky. Ew, get rid of it!
  • A liquid liner that has started to become dry, clumpy and smells weird, it should be thrown away immediately. Don't mess with your eyes people!
  • If a liquid foundation has changed its color, has been separated into layers or became dry, it is time to replace it with a new one.
  • An expired eye shadow will be flaky, really dry and will have a change in its smell.
  • Does your lip gloss feel extra sticky? Yep, it has expired.
  • A lipstick lasts for 2 years and when it starts getting dry and has changed its texture, it's way past its prime and should be tossed away.

While an expired mascara wont make you blind, it wont be a sensible thing to keep using it and risk problems such as eye infections or any skin problems. Always keep in mind that makeup has a shelf life, look for these telling signs to know when your makeup has gone bad, get rid of it and buy new one. Remember, makeup and beauty products are an investment!

Hope my guide helped you in any way and if you have any queries or concerns, let me know through posting comments. Take good care of yourselves! X

Saturday, April 25, 2015

A Comprehensive Guide to MAC Foundations

Picture Source: Google

MAC has created a lot of varieties in its foundations that (1) give a particular coverage and finish you desire and (2) to match the different skin shades and skin undertones people have. Now before buying any foundations, be it from MAC or any other brand, it is imperative for you to know your skin type, skin undertone, skin shade and the kind of coverage and finish you want. Don’t know what all of this means? Worry not and just read on.

COVERAGE AND FINISH:

One of the first things I do when applying foundation on my clients is I check their skin type and ask them about the coverage they want. That’s because you don’t want your foundation to look ‘out-of-sync’ with your natural skin type and the occasion you’re applying it for. Imagine wearing a full coverage foundation daily at the workplace? Yes, that’s horrendous! For a daily wear, you would want to go for a foundation that will give you a fresh yet a natural look which can be achieved by using a light to medium coverage foundation.

So MAC has Light, Medium and Full coverage foundations and they come in Satin, Natural and Matte finish. All these descriptions are pretty self-explanatory but for the makeup newbies out there, let me explain: a 'full coverage' foundation will do exactly that; fully cover your major skin imperfections such as blemishes, acne and discolorations whereby giving a flawless, opaque look all over and it will always be heavier than the average foundation. A 'medium coverage' foundation will be lighter than the full coverage but heavier than light coverage foundation. Obvious much? Haha! Basically applying a medium coverage foundation will help you achieve an even skin tone but some of your major imperfections will show through, unless you build a few layers of it and then you will be able to get certain skin problems fully covered. A 'light coverage' foundation will give you a natural, fresh look and will make your skin appear like skin rather than covered with makeup. Just like medium coverage, it will even out your skin tone however it wont cover major skin problems as it is quite sheer for that.

Secondly, the finishes: a foundation with a 'satin finish' will give you a dewy-glowy look but oily skin types might want to refrain from this finish and go for the 'matte finish'. Foundation with a matte finish has a formula that has no shimmer or dewiness in it and it will give you a look that is shine-free. A 'natural finish' foundation is a balance between satin and matte finish and it will feel lightweight on your skin because of which it is recommended for everyday wear.

Okay so are we on the same track till now? Awesome! 

Now below I have made a table which shows the above mentioned descriptions of *some* of the MAC foundations. Please refer to it to find which one of these foundations will give you the desired coverage and finish:


Alright, so decided on the coverage and the finish? Let's move on to the next big thing which is to find your skin shade and undertone.

SHADE AND UNDERTONE:

Skin shades are always light, dark, very dark or something in-between. Undertones are either yellow or pink and *skin types are normal, oily, dry, sensitive or a combination. While selecting the perfect foundation shade for yourself, always do this test: stand in natural light and test the foundation shade by applying a little bit of it on the side of your face or neck. If you see that the shade is blending completely into your skin, then voila! You have just found your perfect match. 

As for undertones, check the underside of your wrist; are your veins blue or green colored? If blue, you have a cool (pink) undertone and if green, you have warm (yellow) undertone. All of these are the first things I teach to my students in my makeup classes and when I tell them to check their undertones, they get confused with what the color of their veins are! So please check closely. However let me tell you, most people have warm undertones and that is especially true for us South Asians. 

*If you do not know how to determine your skin type, please let me know by posting comments on my Facebook page so that I make a separate blog entry regarding that.

PERSONAL ADVISE: 

I recommend that people who wish to buy MAC foundations should try to personally visit a MAC store because the makeup artists there will do the work of finding you the right foundation(s). I own a variety of MAC foundations in my pro kit as I get clients with various skin types, shades and skin conditions and only after checking all of that, I select the right foundation for them.

However, if going to a MAC store isn't possible, you can find your perfect foundation(s) by visiting the following link:

http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/158/13055/Foundation-Finder/index.tmpl

I hope that my guide helped you in understanding the various types of MAC foundations that are out there and how you can select the one which will give you the desired benefits. 

Have a good day! :) 

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Reviews: Face Primers


Face primers have become extremely popular over the years. One would easily find them in every girl's makeup collection as they are said to have multiple benefits such as creating a barrier between the foundation and the skin, allowing us to apply makeup smoothly and letting the makeup stay on for longer.

However, people argue about the effectiveness of face primers. Some think of them as mere money grabbing products that serve no actual purpose, while many others cannot even think of living without them. As a makeup enthusiast, I wholeheartedly disagree with the former because primers do serve the purpose they are made for, but the effectiveness of an individual primer comes down to the specific skin type of its user. Yes, read that again.

So which face primer to use? Below is my round up on some of the best high end as well as drug store primers, while keeping in mind which skin type each is best suited for.

First, the high end ones.
High quality, high price and a stellar delivery! Following are some of the all star primers in the makeup world but before you spend on one, read what are their cons too:

 Benefit 'That Gal' Brightening Face Primer
Benefit Cosmetics are loved by millions of girls around the world for their cute packaging and names, and 'That Gal' Brightening primer is one such cutely packaged product, but that's not where its cute qualities end! It excellently does its job of brightening up a dull complexion and makes the entire face have a natural looking pinkish glow. It is stated on its bottle that you can wear this product on its own too, but that will be the most effective if you have a fair complexion. In fact, darker toned girls wont find this product to be suitable for them as after applying it, their skin might end up looking ashy.

It is suitable for different skin types and will be a best friend to those with dull and an uneven skin. In fact, here's a secret: whenever I use this primer on myself, I get complimented on my illuminated complexion and get requests from people that I give them the same illuminated look too!

It has a bubblegum pink colour, it is very lightweight, non greasy, perfect for creating a beautiful radiance on fair complexions, helps your makeup stay put and it is suitable for all skin types but the excessively oily skin types might want to try it out first before spending on this one.

 Benefit POREfessional
This product is claimed to be Benefit Cosmetics' bestseller and rightfully so, because it easily does the job of minimizing the pores on skin really well thereby creating a softer looking skin. So if you find your skin to be having large pores and fine lines, this bestseller is made specifically for you!

However, don't think that it will make your pores completely disappear, but it's a total winner in helping to minimize the appearance of pores. Of a beige colour, it is very lightweight and you can apply it under your makeup, on its own or over the makeup applied to achieve a softer appearance.

This was one of the first primers I bought for my pro kit and I found that it works quite well for different skin tones and skin types, but it is best for the oily skin type as it always has more visible pores. Before you spend your bucks on this one, I would strongly suggest that you go for the smaller size first.

MAC Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage
This primer found a place in my pro kit early on and I have to say that it lives up to its name! It has a creamy consistency, a soft texture and contains a hint of shimmer.You will only need to apply a pea sized amount of it to give you a matte and a smooth base to apply your makeup on. Besides that, it helps your makeup stay on for long.

During times when you don't feel like wearing a lot of makeup, you can apply this on its own as it also helps in combating any redness on your skin and makes it look healthy as well. Also, if you are a fan of the dewy look, this primer will help you achieve that too.

All in all, a little application of this product will go a long way and it will be suitable for normal to oily skin type. In my book, MAC Prep + Prime Skin is a winner!

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
Smashbox has created products that have a loyal fan following because of their effectiveness in doing their designated jobs. Smashbox Photo Finish Primer is no exception as it effectively does what a primer is supposed to do. My mother has a really dry skin and was always troubled with her makeup application. Ever since she bought this primer, she has been calling it a gem as it helps in evening out the surface of her skin, reduces the appearance of pores, creates a silky, smooth base to apply foundation on and her makeup does stay on for a good amount of time. Brilliant!

Clear and with a gel like consistency, this primer is great for young as well as mature skin, and people with normal to dry skin type can vouch for it. Also, like with any primer, a little amount of the product will go a long way or else your skin will end up looking greasy.


Laura Mercier Mineral Foundation Primer
If you suffer from a dehydrated skin and often need help in applying your foundation evenly, then this primer will be the best solution to your makeup worries. Lightweight and creamy, this primer will keep the skin hydrated for long hours, lay down foundation perfectly and let it stay put.

It is great for people with normal, combination and dry skin types and I am sure they will feel that this primer is made for them! Also it is effective in keeping oily areas under control so people with an oily skin can use it too. So if you really want a high end primer that actually works, I would say give this one a try.

Now, from the drugstore.
While it is good to invest in a high end primer, that certainly does not mean that you forget about drugstore primers. Some of the best drugstore primers are as effective in doing their job while being easy on your wallet. That sounds like a pretty good deal so I don't see any reason why you wouldn't want to have one. Below are some of the best drugstore primers that deserve your try:

Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer
Before I write anything about this primer, let me inform the people with dry and combination skin to skip this one...

...whereas people with an oily skin can happily read on! The texture of this primer alone will make you have confidence that it will do a wonderful job. It has a lotion like consistency and has a pale pink colour. It is very lightweight so it goes on smoothly on the skin, it is quite good at minimizing fine lines and pores, effective in controlling oils and makes your skin appear like silk.

Therefore, it gets 10 on 10 for giving a lovely texture to the skin! So you can apply this primer on its own and just leave it at that; or if you are to apply makeup, then this primer will assist in your blending.

E.L.F Mineral Infused Face Primer 
E.L.F products are known for being low on price and fairly good at delivering the job that they are made for. This primer comes in a small bottle and one may not find the amount of product inside to be enough for a regular use. It is transparent and has a gel like consistency, it goes on the skin easily and evenly, helps in a smooth application of foundation, eliminates any dry patches on the skin and helps the makeup stay on for a good amount of time. It is suitable for all skin types and while it is not the perfect primer, but for its price, it is quite good at doing its job!



 L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base
L'Oreal likes to call this one a 'magic perfecting base' and its pink, silky mousse like texture does easily turn your skin into a smooth, matte and a slightly luminous base to glide your foundation on. You can either wear it alone because of the velvety feel it will give to your skin or wear it under your makeup to help it stay on longer. It is suitable for all skin types and skin tones.

It doesn't make for an easy use though, as while taking the product out of its glass jar you might end up picking an excess amount of it and some might even go under your nails! Therefore, it doesn't make for a hygienic use either.

Important Note! 
I hope my review was helpful in your quest to finding the perfect primer for yourself, but before you buy any primer, I would strongly suggest that you try a little bit on your hand to see if it will be well suited to your skin or not.

Also, you should always moisturize your skin before applying a primer, and let it first set properly on your skin before you carry on with your foundation and rest of the makeup.

Take care and have a great day! :)

Monday, January 19, 2015

A Brief Introduction to this Blog!


Hi!

I warmly welcome you to my blog! Creating a blog was never on my list of 'Things To Do', but life gives you many surprises and one ends up doing the unexpected of himself.

Though I am often regarded, by people I know and people I barely know, as someone who has a talent for writing and *gasp* story-telling, I never take their compliments seriously enough to start writing anything. That is simply because I am not that fond of writing. However like I stated above, life is unpredictable and all its contents and people can sometimes compel a non-writer like me to pen down their honest thoughts in order for these to reach out to the world. Or at least a few people here and there.

But even the above stated reason, personally, isn't good enough for me to make an entire blog. So without further ado, let me tell you that the driving force behind making this blog is the requests I have been getting on my Facebook page by various damsels in distress to give them makeup and beauty advice, and I think that as a formally trained makeup artist and a strict believer of personal grooming, I am obliged to answer their queries. Therefore, I decided to help all of them on an open platform rather than sending each a private message.

 Before I forget, let me mention that as of now I only have a Facebook page and an Instagram account.

So there! I hope you like reading my blog and find it helpful in any way through my views, reviews and advice about beauty and makeup. X

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

About me

Beauty Tales.

No fancy template, just an honest blog!

Popular Posts

Subscribe and Follow

Instagram

recent posts

Ads

Contact Form

Flickr Images

.