Make Up Tips for Brown Girls

1. Mix It UP
It's okay to mix up  different foundation colors to get that perfect shade for your face. Once upon a time I had a really hard time finding the right shade for my face. Once I figured out that I could mix to different colors it started to work out perfect for. Darker tones look best with a yellow undertones. You want to make sure you don't get anything that is too light and it looks chalky. This will help you "customize" that color that fits you. 

2. Lips
Nothing drives me up the wall more than seeing someone with lipstick that doesn't match their complexion.  I know the trend right now is wearing colored lipsticks that range from green to purples to even yellow. That's not cute AT ALL. If you ask me. You want your color to pop (not blind) so stick to maroons, reds burgundy, nudes and plum colors. If you must and want to use a lip liner, make sure that it is close the lip color as possible. 


3. Bronzer

Bronzers can be used on any type of skin tone and does a great job at highlighting your features and contouring your face. Most of the time I use bronzer on my cheeks, temples and chin so it will give a glow. 

4. Eyeshadow
Me personally I think eyeshadows can make or break your whole face. Purples, emeralds, golds really make the eyes pop and stands out great on brown girls. You don't want to cake it on to wear all you see if purple and don't go over board adding other complementary colors. To make your color pop a little more try using Smashbox Eye Shadow primer or any eye primer. This will help it last longer and also makes it pop. 


  

This is one of my favorite looks. I think she does an awesome job with her eyeshadow and her red lip is amazing! 

If you need additional help there are thousands of youtube video's out that you can watch and follow along with.

What's in my.... Makeup Bag

I always get compliments on my makeup. So this a post about what products I use. I'm not a professional, I've just watched a ton, a TON of Youtube videos. My favorite in NitraaB (hey girl!)   Majority of my products are Smashbox and they pretty much all can be found at Ulta. I know that some people change makeup's all the time, but for me once I find something that really works good with my skin and I'm able to use it not matter the look I'm going for...I tend to stick with it. I also believe that if you want a flawless look then you have to spend a little money on it. Starting out I didn't wear Smashbox. I went from Covergirl to Mac to playing around and figuring out what works best for me. So let's get into what products I use. I've also linked to the products.

1. Photo Finish Foundation Primer Adjust - If you don't use a primer currently....shame on you! If you have dark spot, red spots or blemishes then this is the product for you. This primer is lightweight and helps your foundation last longer than it would alone. You can use this on normal or dry skin--when seasons change so does my skin and this allows my makeup to look the same throughout the year. 

2.  Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Hydrating Foundation (Deep Warm Brown 4.2) - It took me a long time to find a foundation that matched my skin. When I was introduced with this hydrating foundation I knew it would be something that I would use for a long time. I bought it especially for my best friends wedding because I knew it would be hot and I would sweat. It really does last for 15 hours. I wore it from 12pm to 1am-- no smudges or drips or any retouching needed. Product goes on smooth and gives you a natural look. 

3. Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer - If you have dark circles, puffiness, or wrinkles this will help reduce them and also give your concealer will be flawless. 

4. Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer (Deep) - Prior to using this I never used a concealer before. Always thought about it but didn't really see the benefits, until I tried Tarte. It lasts throughout the day and with the help of the eye primer, you see little to no creases under the eyes. I have bad dark spots and it covers then really good. You probably can use this product for contouring, I haven't but while talking to consultants, they suggested that you can. 

5. Smashbox Eye Lash Primer - The primer adds volume and length to your lashes so they pop a little more when you apply mascara. You are able to apply it evenly to all the lashes. NOTE: if you have consider the fiber lashes and it doesn't fit in your budget--this will give you almost the same results but doesn't hurt your pockets as much. 

6. Benefits Cosmetics They're Real Mascara- Easy to apply; last longer than most mascara's. The brush gets all the little tiny lashes that most others miss. I would Highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for there lashes to pop! NOTE: I use the lash primer first then apply this and my lashes are just a little longer than just with the mascara. 

7. Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade (Dark Brown) - Pomade last pretty much all day and it also very easy to remove. I use mine everyday and it always gives me a smooth look. 

8. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner (Intense Black)- I accidently bought this liner and fell in love with it. It is very easy to apply both under eye and on the eye. I find apply on the eye the hardest, my eyes never match but everyone seems to love them. It last pretty much all day weather its a thin line or a thick dark one.

9. Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder (Medium Dark) - This powder was introduced to me as a finishing powder because I hated taking photos and always having a white powdery on my face. This is one of my favorite products because you twist the top to shave of a much or little of the powder you will need. I never really do a full turn of the top because I don't use that much of the product. 

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)

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.

New Year.....New Chapter

I have been wanting to do a blog for a while and I have been low-key stalking (no judging) blogs that discuss things that I love....makeup, fashion, jewelry, healthy lifestyles, and everything else women love. I'm self proclaimed baller on a budget. I don't always buy the latest and most expensive stuff, but I make it look good. I have a lot on my plate with school, work and family but I'm hoping to be able to update pretty regular about various things that I find interesting. I figured that since it's a new year, why not start the new year off doing something that I have on my vision board.

I hope that you stick around as I figure my way around doing the blog and also read and provide feedback on various things that are posted.