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Nicki Minaji at The Other Woman premiere

So glad that she gave up on the over the top makeup and hair. Simple on her is way much better. I've always thought that she was way to pretty to have all that other stuff going on.

Ulta 21 Days of Beauty: Smashbox Full Face

Ulta is having their 21 Days of Beauty going on right now!!! In my pursuit of looking for long lasting makeup and curisoity of makeup in general I did their full face consultation. I knew that Smashbox makeup was used in the Smashbox studios in LA on photoshoots and movies. I have to say that I overall loved the products that she used. They say that the foundation (with Primer) lasts for 15 hours. I sat in the sun, played outside (#sweatlife), rubbed my face occasionally....and it stayed in place. I hated that I didn't take any picture of the before and after. I didn't really want to go to bed and wash it off. I highly suggest anything that Smashbox has to offer.....foundation, powder, liner, brushes, etc.

Below are the list of items that were used on my face: (sorry no photo's of my face)

Eyes

- Brow Tech-Dark Brown ($26.00)

-Litho Trio Eyeshadow ($28.00)

- Photo Finish Lid Primer ($20.00)

- Jet Set Black Eye Liner ($22.00)

- Full Exposure Mascara ($19.50)

Cheeks

- Blissful Blush ($24.00)

Face

- Photo Finish Primer ($36.00)

- Studio Skin 4-2 Foundation ($42.00)

- Hi Definition- Dark Concealer ($22.00)

- Halo- Dark Powder ($49.00)

Lips

- Eternity Lip Gloss ($22.00)

Jhene Aiko "Bed Peace" Featuring Childish Gambino

Makeup 101: Foundation

The evolution of makeup for African American women has came a long way over the past 3 to 4 years. The art of emphasizing the beauty of black women remained undiscovered for years. 

For me personally it started in 2009, when my roommates all convinced me to try makeup, more than just eyeshadow, mascara and lip gloss.  The process always start with hunting for the right line and the right products, especially foundation, which was a struggle for me. You'll have to do a lot of trial and error, which can be rather costly for some.  With anything that you do you always want to make sure you start with the right Foundation. Most African-American women are blessed with flawless skin tone, if you have been blessed then in some cases you can skin foundation all together. For those of us who are not we should always consider and never forget your skin tone and undertones when choosing the right foundation.

Coverage: You have to decide how much coverage do you want. You can choose sheer, medium and full coverage. Me personally I choose full to cover up dark marks and scares. Sheer are those that little to no blemishes. Medium is when you have some areas that you want to conceal or small flaws you want to hide. Full is for those that have uneven skin tones and/or major flaws that we want to cover up. For those that do not have that much to cover I suggest a BB cream. It gives you just enough coverage and also a glow to your face. 

You want to match your over tone to your complexion, I suggest trying different shades along your jaw line. Let the foundation set it and see if it's too dark and in some cases you can tell instantly that something is too light.

 Texture:  Foundation can be cream, liquid, matte or mineral powder. The most common is liquid, it allows you to modify the coverage (little or more) that you may need.  Matte foundations can absorb oils and ultimately leave the skin uneven with a powered-like finish. The matte tends to work better on dry skin, because it helps moisturize the skin. 

Apply:  [ Note: prior to applying foundation you should apply a primer. This topic will be discussed in a later post. Just know it's beneficial.] For those that choose to have little coverage, you can apply the foundation of your choice (preferably liquid users) with your fingers. For medium or full coverage I suggest a sponge or a brush. Some people choose to start from the top (forehead) and work your way down (to your neck). Or you can do the dot method (dots on the left and right side of your nose, one on your forehead and another on your chin). If you choose to do this method you will need to start from the center and work your way out.

After applying the foundation you will then go into applying your concealer and the remainder of your makeup. I'm pretty sure at some point I will cover all of the steps after apply foundation. If there is a professional on site do not be afraid to ask for help.