HIP Gel Liner vs Mac Fluidline

hat attracted me to Fluidline is the intensity of the colors, which by the way are abundant. There are the basics, black, variations of brown, and navy, ofcourse. They also offer a selection of other colors for the more bold, such as a frosted white, bright aqua, platinum, and violet.
A girl can never have enough eyeliner, especially black eyeliner. For the most part, I only wear black eyeliner, I think other colors really don't suit me, but thats just me.
At first glance, the liner looks pretty solid in the container, but once I dipped my brush into it, I was shocked. It is more gel like than cream, a way different consistency then that of Loreal's.
I dipped a flat liner brush into the "gel", and wiped some on the back of my hand to apply it. Not surprisingly, it applied like butter and I was thrilled with my results.

Loreal's HIP Gel Liners are cheaper and also come in a range of colors.
The first thing  noticed about the gel liners is that they "skipped" over my lid and also were not as deep, dark, and creamy as Mac's. However, they do work well as a base, which you cans see below.







So, let's compare:
Loreal's HIP Cream Eyeliner:
Price: $11.99
Amount: 4.5 Grams
Intensity: Nice, Matte Black
Texture: Cream

Mac Fluidline:
Price: $15.00
Amount: 3 Grams
Intensity: Deep, Dark Black
Texture: Gel

So, all in all... I would go with Fluidline, just because I am a Mac addict and I really liked the application, considering that liner can be hard to apply, especially in forms other than a pencil. Mac is only $3 more and you really can tell in the quality.
Obviously, if bang for your buck is more important, go with Loreal, or if you can't get to a Mac counter.

I really enjoyed using Fluidline, and it is a new staple in my makeup routine and collection.

Skincare Basics: Oily/Blemish Prone Skin

One of the most important aspects of beauty or makeup is having an ideal canvas to start out with. No one is perfect, and therefor no on has perfect skin, but there are all things we can do that can improve the overall quality, texture, and anything else that you don't like about your skin.

First, I'm going to start off by sharing my skincare routine. I have recently been using Philosophy On a Clear Day Skin System.

This kit includes:
- 6.0 oz Oil-Free Foaming Acne Cleanser
- 1.0 oz Oil-Free All Over Acne Treatment
- 0.5 oz Oil-Free Acne Spot Treatment 
- 0.75 oz Retinol Clarifying Lotion

After trying this out for over a month now, I can say I have seen a significant difference in my skin. Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily consider myself to have acne, however, I do have oily skin and I do get a couple blemishes here and there. I have noticed that my skin has become less oily, my pores appear smaller, and I haven't had any breakouts since I started using it. Also, the Retinol Clarifying Lotion helps to push the junk that is stuck in your pores to the surface so that they can be scrubbed away. 
If you suffer from oily skin and minor acne, I recommend this kit. The only other suggestions I have as additions to this kit are a good eye cream and night moisturizer, but more on those later. 
Prior to using Philosophy's line, I was using different products from Bliss, and I wasn't unhappy with them, I just needed a change, and it's always good to switch up your skincare every so often. I was using their Fabulous Foaming Face Wash to cleanse, Daily Detoxifying Toner to tone (obviously), and a night cream and a day cream which I believe they have discontinued, since I can't seem to find them anywhere. The overall quality of the line is good, and I had no irritation or bad effects from using any of their products, however, while I don't have anything bad to say about the line, I just feel as though my skin needed a more targeted plan of action, because it is hella oily, and living in South Florida doesn't help at all. 
Everyone's skin is different and requires different kinds of care. The best way to see what works for you is trial and error, but you can always ask a skincare advisor at Sephora for help, they are pretty knowledgeable and can offer great recommendations.
xoxo,
- Samantha

Review: Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Primer Potion

What the website says:
Smooth on a little Pore Perfecting Complexion Primer Potion before foundation (or alone!) to totally minimize the look of pores and fine lines. The velvety, paraben-free formula flashes down to a soft-matte finish, without the greasy, heavy feel sometimes associated with foundation primers. The result? Flawless skin with an airbrushed look and feel. Foundation applies smoothly, evenly, and won’t fade away. Ideal for oilier skin, but dry complexions who want pore perfection will love it, too.
The convenient squeeze tube includes a twist-up dispenser (like school glue!) for easy portion control.


What I say:
Having been a huge fan of Smashbox Photofinish Primer, I was a little apprehensive about trying something new, however, I am glad that I did. This primer honestly does exactly what it says it is going to do: give you a pore-free complexion and makes your foundation last. When I first smoothed this primer onto my face, I immediately noticed a huge difference in the size of my pores, especially on my nose and cheeks, which is where they appear the largest. This primer makes those pores almost invisible. This primer also makes my foundation last much longer. The texture itself is a mix between a lotion and a silicone feel. It is thicker and a different formula than Smashbox, but I have found that although thick, you don't need to use too much to achieve the desired result. I smooth this over my entire face, let it sit for a few seconds, then apply concealer and foundation (either Temptu or Mac Studio Fix Fluid).
I recommend this primer to anyone with large pores. I personally have oily skin, and this primer didn't add to my oily dilemmas. It is rare to find a product that does exactly what it states it will do, and this really does deliver. Try it out and let me know how you like it.

Available at Sephora for $30 USD.

Black Eyeshadow

 I've come to notice that there are different variations of the basic black eyeshadow. 

Eyeshadows: Nehru, Carbon, Typographic, Black Tied

Depending on the look you are going for, the depth of black is important.It is also important to use a base under darker shadows so that they appear more true to color. A good base for black shadows is a black cream or gel eyeliner or a Mac Paint Pot.  

There are also more blue based blacks (Typographic) and more grey based blacks (Black Tied); the same is true for other colors such as grey or silver. 

When going for a more natural look, you may want to consider using a less intense black and when going for a more dramatic look you may want to consider using a more intense black, such as Carbon.

Holiday Series: Red Lips

In addition to my series on different brushes, I also wanted to begin a series on different holiday looks – and what better to start this off with my favorite holiday look: red lips.

My all time favorite red lip combination has always been:

• Mac Russian Red Lipstick
  
• Mac Russian Red Lipglass
  

These reds are both blue based red, and according to the Mac Cosmetics website Russian Red Lipstick and Russian Red Lipglass are both " vivid-intense blueish reds"; meaning they are bright true reds with no orange undertones. They are shown below individually as well as together on a model.



Many people do not understand the difficulty in actually achieving a red lip. Red is a difficult color to work with an requires maintenance throughout the time in which it is being worn.

A fellow beauty blogger, Temptalia, whose blog I read religiously, has an amazing tutorial on how to achieve the red lip (which can be found here) In her tutorial, she uses Mac Viva Glam I Lipstick and Mac 316 lip brush, Mac 194 concealer brush, however you can substitute for whatever you have.



Start with bare lips. (Mine have a touch of foundation from applying it to my face, but this is not an issue, as you'll see in the next step.)

Using the 194, apply a layer of foundation all over your lips. Alternatively, you could use Urban Decay's Primer Potion or MAC's Lip Erase (PRO product). The purpose is to neutralize your lips and reduce pigmentation and undertones.
Your lips should resemble something like this.

Using the 316, pick up a generous amount of Viva Glam I lipstick and begin applying it to the bow of your lip.

Using the 316, you want to line your lips with the lipstick itself, before applying it all over the lips. Alternatively, you could use a matching lip liner (Red Enriched cremestick liner is my recommendation) to get a cleaner line or for added bleed prevention if your lips have a tendency to bleed.
This is how your upper lip should appear.

Now, utilize the same technique to line the bottom of your lower lip.

Since we are using the same lipstick to fill in the lips, perfection is not key! It doesn't have to be an exact line.

It's time to fill in your lips. Keep brushing the 316 against the lipstick itself and then apply the color generously to your bottom and upper lips.

Keep repeating the process until you get to the desired level of redness. It will start off as a light to medium pink and get darker, eventually to the truest red that you see from the lipstick itself.

After several applications, your lips should have a color like this.

Fix any imperfections by slowly going over the edges of your lips. If you find yourself with a few bits that are outside the lines, there are two ways to remove it. One, use a cotton swab with a touch of make remover, and erase the flaws. Two, use foundation or concealer to go over the flaws. Either way will usually accomplish what you need, but if there is a significant stray red mark, makeup remover is the better option.

Here is the final version.

And here is Temptalia, in all her gorgeous glory:

Makeup Basics: Face Brushes

When I was working with clients they would always say, "I wish I could do that", and I would reply, "it's not really me, it's the brushes". It's true, while makeup application does require a bit of skill and artistry, having the right brushes for the right techniques does make a huge difference. In the earlier post, I shared a video on proper brush  cleaning, which is fundamental in general makeup, but proper implementation of your brushes is just as important. Many of my clients were amazed at what a difference using the right brush can make. I am going to set up this series by post.
- Face
- Eyes
- Detailing (optional)

First, just to give you an idea of just how obsessed with makeup I am, I will show you my brush collection.

These are the majority of my brushes. I have a lot of them. Most of them were given to me when I began working at Mac Cosmetics, and the rest I have acquired from working for other cosmetics companies as well as bought myself.

The importance of variety in brushes is important because different brushes will achieve different looks and have a different outcome.

As I mentioned above, I have chosen to divide this post into facial brushes, eye brushes, and detailing or other brushes. These are only the basics and based on my opinion. While I am going to mainly focus on Mac brand brushes, it is only because of my familiarity with the brand and because that is the majority of the brushes that I own.

When applying makeup, it is important that your brushes are clean. As I mentioned in my last post, brush sanitation is incredibly important. Sometimes just washing brushes can aid in clearing blemishes, acne, etc. Cleaning brushes regularly will disinfect them and make it less likely to contract any infections or have any reactions.  

Face Brushes:
- Foundation Brushes
- Concealer Brush
- Powder Brush

 


Mac 190 Foundation Brush
 This is the typical foundation brush which many people think of when they hear foundation brush. This brush is typically a flat, rounded, synthetic brush. This brush offers a range of coverage from sheer to full. It's flat surface fits easily into the contours of the face. As many benefits as this brush has, recently, many artists have veered away from this conventional type of brush for a few reasons. First, this brush can often get streaky, especially when applying foundation over a silicon based primer. This brush also tends to let the makeup sit on top of the skin, leaving a cakey and overdone look. Because of this, artists, such as myself, have opted for other, newer and better methods of applying foundation.

Mac 109 Brush
This brush is not what many think of when they are looking into foundation brushes. This brush is a small, full, natural fiber brush.
The best way to use this brush is to apply foundation directly on top of the bristles and "buff" the foundation into the skin using small circular motions. This brush allows the skin to "melt" with the foundation and gives an airbrushed effect. This brush minimizes streaking and gives an even flawless application.
This is my favorite brush for applying liquid foundation as well as cream foundation. The brush head is small so it fits into tighter areas and the bristles are firm enough to give me just the right amount of flexible coverage.

 

Mac 195 Concealer Brush

Having a concealer brush is so important because it allows the artist or the person applying the makeup the flexibility to control full coverage. By using a synthetic concealer brush, the brush is not absorbing any excess product and it is providing for full coverage in areas where it is needed, such as under the eyes or on areas of discoloration.

This concealer brush is medium sized, which is perfect for under the eye area as well as covering larger areas of redness or discoloration. Concealer brushes are available both larger and smaller, but I find that the size of this brush works nicely.

 

Mac 134 Powder Brush

This brush is a dense, full, and natural fiber brush. It allows for maximum coverage and pick up of powders. This brush works especially well with setting and transparent powders but is also ideal for applying bronzer or any all over washes of color. 

This brush is large and soft but not soft enough that you aren't able to get full coverage. This brush is perfect for setting liquid or cream foundation with a setting powder and manages to reduce shine while remaining natural and not cakey looking.

Now you have your basics on facial brushes - next post I'll discuss eye brushes. Until then, you can watch this youtube video which demonstrates my friend Tiffany's foundation routine.

Introduction & Makeup Brush Cleaning

Being my 1st entry, I would like to accomplish a few things.
First, I would like to introduce myself. I am Samantha and I am a 22 year old student at a University in South Florida. I was a freelance makeup artist for 4 years, but recently I have decided to place my priorities elsewhere and focus on becoming a Doctor. I worked for Mac Cosmetics and have a vast array of knowledge of not only Mac products but of many products, ranging from drug store cosmetics to high end cosmetics.
Secondly, I would like to explain the purpose of this blog. My purpose in writing this is to inform, help, and communicate with others who have the same or similar interest.
And finally, I would like to share a video on the most basic of techniques: brush cleansing.

Brush cleansing is so important because without proper brush care, you are vulnerable to bacteria, which could cause facial blemishes, discoloration, and rarely, disease. Brush cleaning not only minimizes these risks, but it also gives your brushes a clean canvas which makes the colors you choose to apply go on smoother, more true in color, and make them easier to blend. The YouTube clip below is from a fellow Professional Mac Makeup Artist, whom I know very well. He is incredibly talented, and I can assure you I will be posting more of his videos in the future.



- Samantha <3