Valentines Tutorial!

Hello Beauties!
Here is a lovely Valentine's look, very natural and minimal products!
Check it out, and give it a try!

http://www.makeupgeek.com/tutorials/look-naturally-sexy-this-valentines/
Stay happy and healthy!
xxx

Foundations! Condensed*

Hello girls!
Apologies for not keeping up to date recently!
But the show must go on..

FOUNDATIONS!
This is a tricky part of makeup application. You have to find the right formula for you, amount of coverage you need, and of course your correct shade! So I will start with formulas, as shades have to be determined by the individual!
The different types of formulas are:
- Cream
- Liquid
- Powder
- Mousse

CREAM ~

Cream foundations are ones that may dry to a powder or have to be set with a powder. MAC's cream foundations are Studio Tech / Mineralized which comes in a similar form.
MAC Studio Tech is a full coverage foundation, and colours range from fair to dark. This foundation is great for people with dry skin as its 50% gel based which means it has high water content. It does not need to be set with a powder, but I recommend it is (something light, eg.. bloting powder) that way the foundation does not transfer to anything that touches it. The cream Minerlized line works the same way, just lighter coverage and contains those healthy minerals that are good for the skin!
Some alternate options are Olay and I believe Maybeline might carry cream foundations, great alternatives when the pocket is running dry!

LIQUID ~

Liquids are right now my favourite simply because with liquid foundations, you can disperse the amount of coverage you wish. Some areas of the face need a bit more coverage than others, for example if you have some redness occurring, or perhaps some scarring, a bit more application is needed in these areas in order to have an even skin tone to work with!
It's hard to say what range of coverage liquids come in.. The formula it self can be a very sheer or "runny", or it can be a medium coverage, like MAC's new Match Master foundation. Currently one of the top sellers! Women are finding nowadays, fresh healthy glows are alot sexier than a full face of makeup, packed on like a dolly. This type of makeup is only required sometimes, or when you know it's going to be a long night out and you wish your face to be the last thing on your mind!
Or lastly, full coverage. My favourite full coverage foundations are Maybeline Dream Liquid Mousse. Or, MAC's Studio Sculpt. Great for longwear, full coverage, but they are both still breathable.

POWDER ~

Powder foundations have to be my least favourite, when used alone. To set my foundation, or any one elses, is great. But I don't like using powder alone. It gives a very bland look, muted, and dry.
However, MAC's Studio Fix still remains one of the best sellers for a full coverage, powder foundation two-in-one.
If I ever do wear this, I use it in combination with MAC's Fix + Spray, a hydrator and a face setting spray. This takes away the "powdered" effect.
Another drug store powder I loveee, is True Match! They are the bomb! The coverage is great, feels great, great price! No where to go wrong with this one. I do use my MAC Fix + Spray in combination with this as well for the same non-powdered effect.
If you are looking for a powdered foundation, with little coverage, then you can use a sheer pressed powder or perhaps a loose powder with a big kabuki brush. When it comes to more sheer powders, I don't have a preference between high end and low end or drugstore products. But in conjunction with the rest of my blog, and it being completely MAC'ed out, MAC has sheer powders in both loose and pressed ranging in all the same colours as our foundations!

MOUSSE ~

And last but not least, mousse foundations. For the past couple of years, women worldwide have been using Dream Matte Mousse. And for a drugstore brand, it's amazing. They are full coverage, but buildable and easy to work with. I recommend this for younger girls now starting out with foundations. It's a light, airy formula and blends nicely with the skin. I have no complaints with this product and I do hope MAC releases a mousse foundation! Also available now are Mousse Blushers. Love love love!

Well ladies, I hope you all have enjoyed this! I had to cut it down alot. Foundations are tricky and I do recommend seeking advice on which colours, formulas, and coverage work best for you in order to get your desired look. . Feel free to ask any questions!

Stay happy, healthy and beautiful!
xo

Happy New Year!

Hello Beauties!
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
This year came so quickly! I am going to be continuing with my blog now seeing as Christmas was just so hectic I didn't get around to posting much at all!
So look out for the beginning of Foundations!
I will be updating the individual pages on my blog as well, so currently they are empty. Trying to upload all of my pictures has been a pain!
But nevertheless! I hope you all had a great season and ready to get back into the swing of things! Have a wonderful 2012!
Stay happy and healthy!

Preparation and Priming!

Hello beauties!
I have had a really busy weekend, please excuse the late post!
So I have decided that skincare we now have a pretty good idea on what you need to use, and how to perfect your own personal skin regime!
So on to the next step!
After the skin is cleansed and moisturized, they are such things as primers.
Primers are not a NECESSITY especially if you are on a budget, but I will explain why they are important..
Primers help create a barrier, even stronger than that of your moisturizer. This will prevent all the foundation and heavy makeup from getting into your pores and causing blemishes which can be a pain!

Again, there are alot of primers out there as well, but like everything else, I will give you my favorites!
MAC (of course!) has a line of "priming" products.. My favourite face primer is called Prep + Prime Skin. This is a light, colorless and fragrance free primer, and you put it on just before your foundation!

MAC also makes a primer that contains SPF 50. A very high factor often not found in any makeup! This is good for people on the go or in the sun alot during that day, taking this step, you can prime the face, help prevent blemishes, and help prevent sun damage on the face!

These are just two of many primers MAC has to offer. Primers are available for lashes, eyes, lips, anything! But the most important one to protect your face from makeup are either of the two above! 

As I said, they are quite pricey, but do visit your nearest MAC, try them and see which one you prefer! 

If you have any questions about primers, or any of the other primers MAC has in store, feel free to contact me! 

Stay happy, healthy and beautiful! 

xxx

Morning beauties!

I have decided to change up my blog a bit! Hope you all like it!
Look out for the upcoming of all my portfolio pictures and some fun tutorials for you guys to check out! also keeps eyes peeled for some looks that inspire me, and product reviews! :)

Stay happy, healthy and beautiful!
xxx

Skincare!

Hello Beauties! <3

So today we are going to have a look at the different types of skincare products. As many brands have different products that do different things, I am just going to go through a basic skincare regime, something similar to what I use and what works best for me. If you have acne your dermatologist may prescribe certain washes and creams for you to use, but if you don’t and are lost as to how to take care of your face, here are a few tips that may help!

SKINCARE:

Cleansing the face.....

So the first step in skincare is cleansing the face. You want to clear all the bacteria off of your face, open your pores so they suck up your moisturizer! I cleanse my face before I put on my makeup and also when I take it off. I do it before because I want my skin to absorb my moisturizer before any heavy makeup goes on. The moisturizer helps create a barrier between your skin and your makeup. The moisturizer will take place in your pores where makeup would if you didn’t use it. I will explain that later! But for now, cleansing the face after removing your makeup is just as important as before you put it on. There are many different types of cleansers out there, and deep cleansers can be used once a week to really tackle problem areas. Otherwise, a fresh wash by Simple or Clean and Clear works just fine.

Moisturizing the face.....

Moisturizer is a big deal for me. I have dry skin and I need the extra moisture under my makeup to avoid it looking ashy and drying my face out even more. I use a deep moisturizer before bed, and a lighter one for everyday use. The deeper one helps to moisturize my face while i sleep so that in the daytime, I don’t have to load it on! Please if you take one thing from this post, let it be “I need to moisturize!” As said in my first post, people with oily skin need to use moisturizer as well!

Priming the face.....

Priming the face is an optional step in skincare, but it’s one I would recommend to everyone. If you have problematic skin, or your skin reacts to heavy makeup, or maybe you break out because of makeup, priming your skin will make all the difference. MAC makes a few primers, some that contain the SPF and some that don’t. What primers are good for is to create even more of a barrier between your skin and your makeup. This is why I suggest it to people with problematic skin. They need that extra protection from heavy makeup so that it doesn’t result in zits or pimples. Check out MAC’s Prep and Prime collection!

Toning the face....

I am not a big fan about toning the face, this is usually done after cleansing.. however, I prefer “hydrating” the face. This can be done with MAC’s Fix +. It is a hydrating spray that refreshes the face and dually helps your makeup to stay. I use Fix + not only after my makeup to set it, but before my makeup, when  my face feels tight, sometimes after you get burnt, really anytime you wish to use it!

Well Ladies, that seems to be all I have today, and basically my pre-makeup regime. I hope it may help some of you! And please moisturize! Don’t hesitate to ask any questions! I will be happy to help where I can.

Stay happy, healthy and beautiful! – Kia.

Skin Types!

Hello Beauties!

So I have decided that I am going to go through everything MAKEUP from beginning to end. I will upload tips, trick, tutorials, pictures to enjoy, anything I think you may like!

So before I get started on the makeup, I wanted to discuss a bit on skincare!

I am going to start by posting bits of info on skin types.

Some people think because their skin is oily, there is no need for moisturization. This is incorrect! And I will explain why.

OILY SKIN:

Oily skin can be a result of many reasons.. But many mistake sweat and perspiration for oil. Many believe that because the skin is oily that there is no need for that extra moisture before applying your foundation! The fact is, if you have oily skin, most of the time it is your skin telling you to hydrate it! When the skin does not receive the required amount of moisture it needs, it produces extra sebum (oil) and disperses it on the face. The face does this to try and compensate for you lack of hydration! This is why, before you apply your makeup, or even if you aren’t wearing any makeup at all, HYDRATE THE SKIN! You will gradually see your excess oil production decrease.

DRY SKIN:

Dry skin is due to lack of hydration as well. However, dry skin needs EXTRA hydration.  A tip for extra hydration is using a thicker moisturizer perhaps before bed! My trick is to use Ponds, I know it’s one of the oldest creams out, but it works for me, and keeps my skin balanced as I do have normal-dry skin. Ponds may not work for you, and it took me a few different brands to find one I like. So try some out, play around, and you’ll get the best results.

If you have normal skin, it means your moisture is balanced, and your skin is “content”. This does not mean you don’t moisturize! Again, if you don’t, it may result in oily skin because it will automatically try to produce the sebum it lacks!

So ladies! Feel your skin, scope out your skin, and determine what skin care is best for you! As I said, many people take a few different brands/product lines to find one that works for them. All Skin is different, and something that works on one person, may not have the same reaction or result as another.

I hope you all have been informed! And lookout for my next post on Skincare!

Stay happy, healthy and beautiful - always, Kia.