Daily Make-Up Brushes...

I got the whole $3 make up brush set from ELF 

and a travel set from MAC 

and 3 Toki Doki brushes 

and 3 Rock & Republic Cosmetics brushes 

and one Body Shop make up brush 

(I threw away the other two because they were too old and I couldn't clean them up), 

two Smashbox, 

one Tarte make up brush, 

and 2 Sephora brushes, 

and one Physcian's Formula brush 

and one eyeliner brush that came with L'oreal gel eyeliner, 

and two Sam Chapman Real Techniques brushes, 

one Sonia Kashuk blending sponge 

and two Laura Mercier sponges that came with the set, 

but I don't need all of them daily. 

So, I have 18 brushes that I use daily, 

the rest are in the make up brush bag of ELF.

The brushes I use are most ELF. I am using 6 of them actually.  

I am using ELF Complexion Brush, 

2 Blush Brush 

(I use one of them with my ELF Golden Bronzer for contouring my face), 

Concealer Brush, 

Small Smudge Brush 

(to smudge the eyeliner under my eyes), 

and Small Angled Brush for gel eyeliner.

Toki Doki Angled Blush Brush and Fluffy Brush from Pittura Brush Set Collection

Smashbox Travel Smudger Brush

MAC 212 Travel Brush

L'oreal gel eyeliner's brush

The Body Shop Flat Eye Brush

Sephora Short Smudge Brush

Revlon Lip Brush 

I carry it in my handbag

Eco Tools Kabuki Brush that I carry it in my handbag

From left to right

Real Techniques Kabuki Brush, 

ELF Kabuki Brush 

and

Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge

September Favorites...

I guess my monthly favorites do not change because once I love something I keep using it for months and months, but this way I can swear by the products that are in my monthly favorites list.


I love my Smashbox Oil-Free Photo Finish Foundation Primer.
I always loved that velvety smooth texture.


I still love my Hard Candy Tinted Moisturizer, but it's just too sheer to have any coverage.


I used Hard Candy Just Faced It Feather Light Formula. I have mixed feelings about it.
The texture is just too heavy and almost difficult to blend, but has a nice coverage and nice finish. 
It feels so soft on my skin.


I still love my ELF Golden Bronzer to contour my face. I will run out of it soon.


Has anyone outside the US ordered ELF? I wonder how good their international shipping is.


I still love my Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette-07 


I started using the blush of ELF Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder.
The bronzer is just way too dark for my skin but the blush complements my skin perfectly.


I started using Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eyeliner. Probably it's not the best liquid eyeliner in the world,
but it's the only one I have and it works for me.


I still love my L'oreal Voluminous Original Formula mascara. For me, nothing can beat it!


I love Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Roller. I use it all over my eye and it hides my discoloration perfectly and it's perfect if you slightly have puffy eyes in the morning or when you get tired.


I love my Avon Extreme Gloss Glazewear. Unfortunately I don't know what color I have but it's the perfect nude lip gloss for me. By the way it's really old so it might have discontinued I don't know.


I stopped using a moisturizer because my doctor said so, 
but I use Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster. It moisturizes my skin, feels tighter and helps with my cystic acne and lighten ups acne scars.


I still believe Boots No.7 Hot Cloth Cleanser is perfect to remove make up and deep clean your skin at home. My skin feels extremely soft and moistured after I use it.


and I love my EOS lip balms.


As for Youtube,
I love watching Gemma's videos.

Just Started Doing Make up and Want to Look Gorgeous?

First of all if you are planning to do a full make up...


--Clean your face and moisturize. 
Don't forget to use an eye cream.


Start with a primer. 


Then tinted moisturizer,foundation or powder/loose powder whatever you prefer


You have acne scars, scars, blemishes, freckles?


Use a pigmented concealer that will match your skin tone and has greens or salmon or purple color in it so it can cover whatever you want to hide.


Then...


Always contour your face with a matte bronzer.


Make a fish face and find your cheek bones and contour under that area.


Then color on top of your cheek bones lightly.


It's up to you what color you want. 


You can use mauve, pink, or coral


Finish with a finishing/setting powder to keep your make up in place during the day in case you sweat or your face gets oily


For you eyes....


Use clear or flesh color primer if you want to hide discoloration and to make your eye shadow stand out.


I never go out with out using eyeliner. 


If you have really dark and full eyelashes you may not need an eyeliner.


If you like color...


Use pigmented eye shadows in a small area.


Do not paint all your eye with one color up to your brow bone as if somebody gave you a blue eye.


Use white, golden or shimmery flesh color under your eyebrows and at the inner corner of your eyes. Your eyes will stand out.


Blend a brown or grey eye shadow in your socket to make your eye area bigger.


End with mascara. 
It's up to you what you want to achieve when choosing your mascara.


Do you want to look natural and have thick lashes or dramatic or just long lashes or curled lashes? 


You will decide...


Then brush your eye brows. 


What I hate the most is people brushing their eye brows down to make it look shaped nice.


It just makes me want to lick my thumb and brush their eye brows myself. 


Plug your eyebrows where it is needed and brush the way hair grows not down!


You may want to use a clear mascara to keep them in place.


If you have light color eyebrows or you have empty parts in your eyebrows use an eyebrow powder or a pencil.


When you are choosing a color for your eyebrows always go for a natural look!


Unless your eye brows are too light, do not choose dark colors!


It will only make you look angry and like some beast from Mars.


and....Viola! Your make up is done and you look perfect!




My personal favorites for full make up is....


Primer: Smashbox primer or L'oreal (As a cheap alternative)


Tinted Moisturizer: Hard Candy  tinted moisturizer 
-OR-
Foundation: Laura Mercier or Amway smart shade foundation (as a cheap alternative)


Concealer: Sonia Kashuk concealer agenda palette


Bronzer: ELF Golden Bronzer


Setting Powder: Tarte Smooth Operator 


Blush: Benefit Coralista Blush or ELF Candid Coral (As a cheap alternative)


Eyeliner: Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner or Physicians Formula (As a cheap alternative)


Eye Base: Mac Paint Pot Painterly or Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Roller (As a cheap alternative)


Eye Shadow: Hard Candy or MAC or Maybeline or Lorac or R&R


Mascara: Dior Show Mascara or L'oreal Voluminous (As a cheap alternative)


Eyebrows: any clear mascara and NYC 923 Charcoal Brow/Eyeliner Pencil


If you get an eye infection (don't say ewww that would never happen to me, because it can happen even the best of us lol) don't do make up or after your infection is gone clean your eye brushes and throw away your mascara or you will bring back your eye infection!


Don't forget it is important to remove your make up and clean your face everyday in the morning and at night. So you won't get black heads, and it is important to get a facial once a month. If you can't you can do the same thing at home almost for free! :) 


XOXO
Lola

My Make Up Collection

*I have high end and drug store products in my make up collection,

and believe it or not some of my favorite products are not the expensive ones, but the cheap ones! :)

I thought I didn't have too much products, especially eye make up products, 

but it turned out that I have quite a lot of make up products.

However, I am glad I don't have as much as some people (eg:Youtube Gurus)

It shows that I have just what I need, 

I am not buying just for the sake of feeling happy.

I am not using all the products I have,

because I am either bored 

or not happy with those products.

I plan to get a BB cream,

because I know how amazing it is (my Dermalogica beautician used it on me onces)

and I want a good tinted moisturizer

and a liner that will stay on my water line,

then I can join the Project 10 Pan

('do not buy any new make up products until you finish 10 products' challange)

all my make up products before organized.

I collected these in four years since I moved to the States.

I have some more at home in Europe.

Foundations and Powders:

Revlon, Maybeline, Neutrogena, Smashbox, Almay, WetnWild, Jergens, Organics, Laura Mercier

my favorite at the moment is Laura Mercier oil free foundation

and

FYI

Organics tinted moisturizer smells weird

Bronzers:

Elf Bronzers, Physician's Formula, Body Shop, Tarte, Rimmel

Blushes:

Elf, Body Shop, Neutrogena, Tarte, Maybeline, Physician's Formula, Heidi Klum by Victoria's Secret, Hard Candy, Rimmel

Concealers:

Garnier, Benefit, Sonia Kashuk, Hard Candy, Elf, Smashbox, Neutrogena

(I love Sonia Kashuk concealer palette and Neutrogena blemish pen)

Eye Make up:

Dior, NYC, Rimmel, Sonia Kashuk, Sephora, Avon, Mac, Urban Decay, L'oreal, Physcian's Formula, LaSplash, Anastacia, Elf, Tarte, Victoria's Secret, Tarte, pix!, Hard Candy, Revlon

(I am loving L'oreal Voluminizer mascara)

 Lipsticks:

Dior, Avon, Estee Lauder, Body Shop, Maybeline, Clinique, Benefit, Lancome, Fantasy Makers by WetnWild

(My all time favorite is Benefit Rocket Pop - you can only find it on their website not at Sephora or Ulta)

Lip liners: Mac, Avon, Elf, Maybelines, Pupa

Lip exfoliator: Body Shop

(love Elf lip pencil!)

Lipstick and Lipgloss together: Maybeline, Avon

Lipglosses:

Estee Lauder, Urban Decay, Tarte, Victoria's Secret, Avon, Sally Hansen, L'oreal, Clinique, Hello Kitty

Lip balms:

Carmes, Blisstex, Wegmans, Lotta Luv, Hello Kitty, EOS, Lip Smackers, Nivea, Body Shop, Biotherm

(I love my EOS and Hello Kitty Apple balm)

 Primers and Make up Setting Products:

Elf, Maybeline, Tarte, L'oreal, Smashbox, Bare Escentuals, Urban Decay, Philosophy

(Currently I have Urban Decay make up setting spray for combination skin,

but

I love oil free all night long make up setting spray more

and

my favorite primer is Smashbox oil free primer,

second best and a cheap alternative can be

L'oreal)

Sets:

Claires, Hello Kitty, Dior

(I love Hello Kitty's packaging,

but

not so impressed with the eyeshadows,

I plan to get the Spring version of it,

and

I love the powder foundation in my Dior kit)

Finished products:

Body Shop, Clarins, Benefit,

Mac (Half and Half - expired not finished)

After my concealers organized

After lipsticks are organized

After all make up products organized

Make up products that I use daily:

Laura Mercier, Smash box, Elf, Physician's Formula, Hard Candy, Urban Decay, EOS, Hello Kitty, Sonia Kashuk, L'oreal, Benefit, Maybeline, Tarte, Garnier, Rimmel, Neutrogena, GeoGirl.

These can also be considered as my favorite make up products at the moment.

*Holy Grail Products List is coming up shortly...

(Posted on May 16, 2011)

Losing my healthy skin...

I think I was really naive when it comes to make up knowledge. 

No, not in terms of my make up skills, 

but I never thought actually some make up products can cause me to break out. 

Recently, I remembered one incident... 

Because I changed my skin care products at that time I blamed the new guys in the collection for the break out. 

However, it was the mineral loose powder I used. 

I remember wanting to itch my face like crazy, and kept getting blemishes all over my face, and my combination skin dried out and I had no idea why. 

So,

...the Oscar goes to I.d Bare Essentuals Mineral Loose Powder for the worst loose powder EVER!!!!!!!!! award. 

Their powder has an ingridient called BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE. 

Ladies and gentlemen, this ingridient is not your friend! 

Cosmetics companies use this product, because it gives you a nice pearly glow. 

Screw the glow, it's allergenic!, and according to researches most of the population is allergic to this ingridient. 

The common signs are itching and blemishes on the skin and cystic acne.

Guess who got acne like thirteen year-old at the age of 20?!

Which is funny, because I never had acne before even when I was a teenager up until I used this product, and I thought poor Dermalogica caused this. 

I started using Dermalogica again, and let me say this Dermalogica is a kind angel! 

It cleared out my acne almost completely in two months. 

Deja Vu

I had the same itching like crazy feeling when I used Maybelline Dreammatte Mouse. 

I Googled the ingredients in this product and I found out that this one is also formulated with bismuth in it. 

All this time I thought I can't tolerate drug store products, because they are cheap, but the problem was one of the ingredients. 

If you have sensitive skin like me stay away from powders that has bismuth oxychloride in it. 

Bismuth oxychloride is a natural ingredient found in the majority of mineral cosmetics. It is the main irritant in some brands of mineral cosmetics that often causes itching, rashes and mild to severe cystic acne. If you choose a mineral cosmetic that includes bismuth oxychloride it may cause additional irritation. If you have had a reaction to mineral cosmetics in the past it is likely because of the bismuth oxychloride in the product. (http://www.carefreebeauty.eu/sensitiveskin/bismuth)

You can google Bismuth Oxychloride allergy for more information... Personally I haven't heard Afterglow cosmetics other than a girl talking about it on youtube. (AndreasChoice) Recently, I went to Ulta, because I wanted to get a mineral loose powder for light coverage and a natural look.  Finally, after feeling frustrated, sad and depressed about the way my skin is, I am taking care of my blemishes, and acne scaring.  I will talk about the products that made miracles on my skin later,  but now it's make up time.  Powders... So, it was time to get out of the closet and show some skin....I mean my face. Lol  So, me and the seller girl spent a good 15 minutes to find a product that does not contain bismuth in it.  Never thought it was going to be this difficult.  The only one we could find was Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder.  Although I have combination/oily skin this product is good enough for me.  However, it's extremely expensive, even more than Dior.  So, I ended up getting a smaller size, but it's a set, so I got the primer, concealer, foundation and the loose powder in the set, Complexion Perfection.  My previous powder Lorac was oil-free, but still it was not helping my T-zone.  So, I decided to try something else after I ran out of it.  After all there are so many products out there and since we are mortal, we have limited time on this planet. Lol My next mission is to find out why my eye make up products are irritating my eyes as if I suddenly develop a pink eye for few hours.  It must be something in the products! By the way did I tell you I am still dealing with the cystic acne that bismuth oxychloride in the my make product caused for years ago!  It's sad!  I never had more than one small zit at a time until I turned 20 and used BE mineral loose powder and then 2 years ago Maybelline Dreammatte Mouse.  They screwed up my skin! (Posted on March 20, 2011)