Makeup Kit Must Haves for Flawless Makeup
The world of beauty can get really overwhelming if you are just starting out. Luckily, I made a list of makeup kit must haves that you ned to create a flawless makeup application every time you do your makeup. I also recorded a video on my Youtube Channel so you guys can get more details on each of these must have items. I recommend you check it out & make sure you subscribe to my channel for tons of beauty, fashion & lifestyle content.
Makeup Kit Must Haves:
Primer / Moisturizer: Primers aren’t for all skin types, but the purpose is so that your skin is moisturized and hydrated for your foundation.
Foundation: Finding the right foundation that best suits your undertones as well as getting a foundation finish that works best with your skin type is a must. Getting a foundation that matches your natural skin, is a great way to brighten and wake up your appearance.
Concealer: I recommend getting a concealer that is at least 1-2 shades lighter than your foundation is a great way to brighten up your under eyes as well as cover up any dark circles under your eyes.
Pressed Powder: I use my pressed powder to either set my under eye concealer (I would use s pressed powder that is close to my concealer color) or I use it to set my foundation. It is a great way to add some color and control some oil from the foundation & concealer.
Loose Setting Powder: This is great to help set your under eye area. many people use loose setting powder to “bake”, however you can just use a little bit and it will still set your makeup.
Blush & Bronzer: These two products aren’t outdated, they are honestly the easiest way to to shape and sculpt your face. It adds color and dimension without having to “contour & highlight”
Eyeshadow Palette: It’s important to get an eyeshadow palette with some good neutrals and some pops of color. My Jackie Aina x ABH Palette is a great eyeshadow kit for everyday use.
Mascara & Eyeliners: Mascara is something i recommend of everyday makeup application. It ties the eyeshadow look together and helps open up the eyes even if you’re not wearing eyeshadow. Eyeliner is great to have to add some definition in the eyes, I recommend getting a brown and black pencil as well as a liquid liner for days when you want to do a winged liner look.
Lip Liner, Lipstick & Lipgloss: No look is complete without this dynamic trio. I recommend getting a great nude lip combination. Nude lips go with very makeup look and any outfit.
Setting Spray: Not everyone feels like this step works for them but for people with very oily skin, this step really does help. On days when I would work long shifts, my makeup stayed fresh and in tacked after I did all these steps and sealed it with a setting spray. It’s a must have in my book.
Black Owned Makeup Brands You Need!
Hello All,
On my website, I love to showcase some amazing beauty brands that truly help enhance the beauty of black and brown skin. What better way to showcase that, than to feature some amazing black owned beauty brands. I recently posted a video on this topic on my Youtube channel. I started some amazing brands as well as some of there top selling/popular items. As well as some products that I would love to try from them or some products that I’ve tried and loved! I hope you enjoy these brands and also stay tuned because I will be sharing the second part of this video very soon!
Black Owned Beauty Brands & Products Mentioned In Video:
Juvia’s Place Top Sellers/Popular Items: The Nubian eyeshadow palette , The Zulu eyeshadow palette, I Am Magic complexion collection (foundation, concealer, sticks, powders)
Colored Raine Top Sellers/Popular Items: Cherry Blossom Liquid Lipstick, Safari Raine Collection, Queen of Hearts eyeshadow palette, Vivid Pigment eyeshadow palette
UOMA Beauty Top Sellers/Popular Items: Badass Icon Matte Lipsticks, Say What?! Foundation, Black Magic Carnival Color eyeshadow palette
The Lip Bar Top Sellers/Popular Items: Fast Face collection, Liquid Matte Lipstick (Rebel, Crown Me, Boy Trouble, Drama Queen)
XTRA AF Makeup Look
Hey guys, I hope you all are doing well! I wanted to share some makeup looks that I have been creating for IGTV or my Youtube Channel. I will be posting more content on my website very soon so make sure you join my mailing list for updates!
SKIN PREP:
NARS Skin Luminous Moisture Cream
LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask
TOO FACED Shadow Insurance
FACE:
NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation - New Caledonia
NARS Creamy Radiant Concealer - Chocolat
FENTY BEAUTY Pro Filt’r Concealer 390
IMAN COSMETICS Luxury Pressed Powder- Clay Medium
SACHA POWDER - Buttercup
KKW BEAUTY Deep Dark Highlight - I
MARENA BEAUTY N300 Ebene
MAC COSMETICS Oh, Darling
EYES:
DOMINIQUE COSMETICS x BOXY CHARM - Celestial Thunder
Storm Dust & Lunar Eclipse in Crease
Black Matter in Outer Crease Corner
MAC COSMETICS eyeshadow - In The Shadows
MAC COSMETICS Spellbinder Shadow Cosmic Clash
SEPHORA COLLECTION Jumbo Liner 17 Black
LOREAL Voluminous Curved Brush Mascara
LENA LASHES - Cassie
LIPS:
MORPHE Lipliner Trendsetter
MAC COSMETICS Lipliner CORK
PAT MCGRATH Lipstick 1995 & Blow Up
DOSE OF COLOR - Over The Top
Christmas Gift List for Beauty Lovers
It’s just a few weeks left until Christmas and if you are like most people; you may still be looking for gifts for your loved ones. Buying gifts for loved ones can be overwhelming and if you have someone on your gift list who is a beauty lover, I have some great gift ideas for you. Here are some great gift ideas from some of the biggest makeup companies out now and any makeup lover will be thrilled to get during the holidays!
FENTY BEAUTY // Glossy Posse Mini Gloss Bomb Set -$42
PATRICK TA // Major Glow On The Go -$35
PAT MCGRATH LABS // Mini Lust : Glow Trio -$25
LILLY LASHES // 3D Mini Miami & Mini Lash Adhesive -$25
FRESH // Minty Magic Gift Set -$24
URBAN DECAY // All Night Setting Spray Ornament -$15 (currently ON SALE for $7.50)
ABH // Best Brows Ever Kit $30
PAT MCGRATH LABS // Mini Lust : Matte Trance Lipstick Trio -$25
SEPHORA FAVORITES // Holiday Perfume Sampler -$65
HUDA BEAUTY // Throwback Lip Kit -$34
I hope these gift ideas helped you guys out. My personal favorite is the Fenty Beauty glosses. I purchased it as a Christmas Gift for myself! Check out my next post for some gift ideas from VEGAN beauty brands!
November BoxyCharm... Is It Worth It
Yes Guys! I DID IT! I am a member of the #BoxyCharmFam! I’m always tempted to subscribe to this beauty subscription and this month was the month! You know these companies are watching everything you browse and I started to receive ads from Boxy Charm everywhere. I usually resist when I get ads because I don’t like being told what to buy but this month they were featuring an eyeshadow palette that I actually really wanted to try out. Also if you have a Chase bank card; you can get back 10% cash back when you subscribe to BoxyCharm before December 13, 2019.
This month the Celestial Thunder palette by Dominque Cosmetics (MSRP : $35) was included in it! Now this is basically a smaller version of the Celestial Storm palette by Dominque Cosmetics (MSRP: $44) which is 12 shades while the Celestial Thunder palette is 8 shades. There are some shades that are missing from the Celestial Thunder palette that I actually wanted to try from the Celestial Storm palette and it makes me want to try the Celestial Storm palette which is MARKETING GENIUS! The shades are smooth and blend together so well, the shimmer shades are so pigmented and can be applied with your fingers! Christine Dominique is actually a beauty influencer and he has created some great products with her cosmetic line. So congrats to her, having her brand in a beauty subscription box is a huge deal!
The other products included in the palette were:
Tarte Park Ave. Princess Chisel Palette
Added Bonus Product : Tarte Park Ave. Princess Chisel Palette $45. I was able to get this product because I just enrolled in the program and if you use the code GobbleGift you can get either this palette or another Tarte palette.
I currently have a BoxyCharm month - to - month membership that is $25 per month. Boxy Charm offers a 3 month membership that is $23.33/month and you prepay $70 every 3 months. A 6 month membership for $23/month and you prepay $138 every 6 months. A 1 year membership for $22.92/month and you prepay $275. All of these memberships renew automatically however you can cancel at anytime free of charge.
BoxyCharm does offer 3 different box subscription services. I am a regular Boxy Charm member which is $25 (billed monthly) for 5 full sized beauty products. BoxyLuxe which is $49.99 (billed quarterly) for 8 full sized beauty and lifestyle products.And the additional BoxyCharm Premium service was $35 monthly where you will be billed separately and will receive an additional 6-7 beauty products. Personally for me, I only care to be the regular BoxyCharm member for $25 a month. I can pick one product each month and I honestly only really was excited about one product in this box (Celestial Thunder palette by Dominque Cosmetics) the other products are cool and I’m not disappointed about them at all but that’s usually how the subscription boxes are. You get one product that you are extremely excited about and feel like was worth getting in the box and then the other products are nice add ones that you may use here and there but most likely will just sit around in your makeup bag. If you can afford to get the BoxyLuxe and get more products, I do think it is worth it because they have some great brands included in that subscription. Personally for me, I am just fine with the regular monthly subscription and I’m looking forward to getting my December BoxyCharm!
I hope this review was helpful and if you have any questions about the items I received in my BoxyCharm or even some questions about other monthly beauty subscriptions, feel free to leave them below. Thank you for reading. Make sure to share and follow me on all my social media platforms!
Lancome Gifted Goodies
A few weeks back participated in a Sephora beauty advisor training with Lancome. One of my old sephora coworkers let me know that Lancome was looking for models for a Sephora training and we would get paid in Lancome product. I’ve always loved Lancome’s products and in fact; my first luxury foundation purchase was from Lancome. Even before it was trendy to have foundation shades with a large range of colors and undertones; Lancome had perfected it. They even have the option for you can create your very own foundation shade. I have a huge admiration and respect for the brand and was super excited to be able to try some Lancome products.
The training brought me back to my Sephora days. Sephora has always had the best brand training events. It was extremely special to get invited to these events by your store manager because you were representing the store and were responsible for coming back to the store with all the information that you learned and train your team. It was so nice to be on the other side of things and just sit back and be a muse for these artist.
When everything was done; all the models (maybe 100 in total) were all gifted a beauty makeup box filled with Lancome products. Inside the box was: (anything with a * next to it means I’ve tried it before)
Lancome Rose Milk Mist : $29
Lancome Bi Facil Face (Micellar Water)* : $40
Lancome Advanced Genifique Yeux (Eye Cream) : $67
Lancome Advanced Genifique (concentrate/ serum)* : $52
Lancome Renergie Lift Multi-Action Ultra (Face Moturizer with SPF 30) : $109
Lancome Bi Facil mini (Eye Makeup Remover)* : $15 for the smallest size mini not for sale
Lancome Cils Booster XL travel size (Mascara Primer)* : $13
Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara mini : $12
Lancome Hypnose Drama Macara mini* : $13
Lancome L’absolu Lacquer (Lip Color) in 312 First Date : $26
Lancome L’absolu Lacquer (Lip Color) in 134 Be Brilliant : $26
I have tried many of these products in the past. And as you can see for 2 hours of my time; I received some great products that I not only love for myself but I can also use on my clients. I absolutely the Lancome Advanced Genifique Yeux (Eye Cream) and Lancome Renergie Lift Multi-Action Ultra (Face Moturizer with SPF 30). I always have loved Lancome’s makeup removers. Both the Lancome Bi Facil Face (Micellar Water) and the Lancome Bi Facil mini (Eye Makeup Remover) work fast and don’t strip the skin of its natural oils. Lancome is one of my very favorite luxury cosmetic lines. Their Lancome Hypnose Drama Macara is my FIRST luxury mascara that I’ve ever tried and I sold SO MANY of them to my clients at Sephora as well as the Lancome Cils Booster XL travel size (Mascara Primer). If you haven’t tried out any Lancome products; I recommend trying out some of their gift sets from Macy’s . Macy’s is truly the G.O.A.T when it comes to these holiday gift sets. Not only are they great gifts for loved ones but its a great way to try out multiple products from a brand. You can try their fragrances, skin care and makeup and truly find some holy grail beauty products. Also Macy’s always has great sales during the holiday season. They have gift sets as low as $20!
I hope you enjoyed this Lancome beauty post! Thank you again to the Lancome brand training team for these goodies! Let me know which brands you would like me to review next! Make sure you follow me on my social media platforms. And subscribe to my mailing list to get notified when I create new post. Also if you’re looking for a makeup artist in the NYC area for all special occasions you can book me here!
Are Beauty/Lifestyle Subscriptions Worth The Money? #FabFitFun
I’ve been really curious about trying out some new beauty and lifestyle products but with so many different products on my market; I truly didn’t know where to start. I decided to get two beauty/lifestyle subscription boxes a try. For those who don’t know what beauty/lifestyle subscriptions boxes are, they are full-sized (sometimes travel-sized) beauty and lifestyle products that will be sent to you on a monthly or seasonal basis that are personally picked for you based on a survey or questionnaire that you fill out when you sign up for the program. After the rise of beauty gurus on social media, programs like this started to become very popular because it gives beauty influencers no matter how big or how micro your following is; new products to try and review every month. This is major for influencers who may not have a huge amount of followers to be on PR List for beauty brands. This is also huge for the beauty brands as well because if the people who receive these monthly subscription boxes and they fall in love with a product from the brands; they will most likely purchase more products from that brand.
For myself; I have so many beauty products in my makeup kit and the products that I like; I continue to purchase and I recently have stopped trying new products. The beauty market is so over-saturated that I have been a lot more mindful of the new products I try. Whenever a new beauty product launches; you see pictures and ads all over your Instagram and Facebook feed. Huge beauty influencers get sent the product in PR and they all do reviews on them a week before the initial launch. These products get so much hype before they even launch and once the checks stop for these influencers and the buzz dies down; you never hear about the products again. (This is a major issue for me and I will discuss this deeper in another post so please subscribe to my mailing list) That makes me hard for me to trust if a product is worth buying or not. I tend to just wait until I have run out of a product and then I just replace it. However, I know the importance of trying new products to share with my followers so I decided to give these beauty/lifestyle boxes a try.
My older sister who is very much into fitness ( she runs marathons! #GOALS) told me that FabFitFun was having a promotion for their Fall FabFitFun seasonal box. FabFitFun boxes retail for $49.99 for a $200+ value in products which is a great deal regularly if you can afford it but for the Fall box; it was only $25! I would spend $25 on one a beauty without feeling guilty (and I have spent MUCH MORE on only 1 product) so I figured it was worth the try. When I signed up; I filled out a questionnaire so that I could get products that suit my personal preference and I paid $27.20 in total after tax and free shipping. The box took maybe a little less than 2 weeks to come in the mail and when it came it was pretty big compared to other beauty/lifestyle subscriptions.
The FabFitFun box came with their magazine with Meghan Tailor on the cover (All About That Bass singer) The magazine includes an interview with the singer and includes details about the products that may be featured in your box as well as discount codes to purchase products from some of the brands included in your box. Which I believe is a great bonus because again, if you fall in love with a product you can repurchase it at a discounted price. The products included in my box were:
Cosmedix Pure C: $54
$80 Gift Card to Hello Fresh
One of my favorite products. Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Mask 8 Pack: $25
My favorite little human dressed as Spiderman & enjoying our new Yoga Mat!
Overall I think it’s a great mix of products with brands that I’ve heard of before even products that I’ve purchased before. My only complaint is that I received hair products and I don’t have hair so they serve no purpose to me. I most likely will do a give away with some of these products or regift during the holidays for someone I think will be interested i these products so it’s not a total waste. As you guys can see by the list of the products; I definitely have gotten my money’s worth. However, I think the most important thing is; if the box included products that you actually will use. I’m very excited about the Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Mask; which I’ve tried and currently have in my makeup kit for my bridal clients ( Book Here for Bridal Services ) and the Harper + Ari Exfoliating Sugar Cubes In Juice Cleanse. I was also excited about the yoga mat; my 2-year-old Jaden-West enjoys doing yoga on my yoga mat and now I have an extra mat so we can do yoga together. The most interesting product was the Cosmedix Pure C which is vitamin C powder that can be added to both a serum or face moisturizer. I’ve never seen a product like this before and I love vitamin C for the skin and the benefits of it. (Click here to read about the benefits of Vitamin C from my skincare routine post) I know that I will probably absolutely love this or hate it based on if it changed the consistency of my product when I mix it.
Harper + Ari Exfoliating Sugar Cubes In Juice Cleanse $16
Overall I do believe that #FabFitFun was a great subscription box and my sister said that you can pick what products you want to have in your box, so if you are like me and don’t care for hair products you can opt-out of receiving them. I suggest that if you are thinking about purchasing the FabFitFun box; wait until they have a discounted price. Also, you can cancel at any time without any fees if you decide you no longer wish to receive FabFitFun boxes.
If you guys wish to see what other boxes I decided to get a subscription of, make sure to stay tuned for my next few posts; trust me you don’t want to miss this. I hope this was extremely helpful and informative. Make sure you follow me on all my social media platforms & comment and share!
BROWS BROWS AND OH YEAH ...... MORE BROWS
I know it has been a long time since we last spoke. My life as a freelance artist and mother can sometimes get very hectic in the best way possible. Being booked and busy is a great thing however I do miss sharing some of my beauty tips with you guys. I do suggest that you follow me on Instagram so we can see my day to day beauty tips and behind the scenes of some gigs that I get booked for. But enough about where I’ve been; this post is about brows and how I apply them. In this IGTV video that I posted a few weeks back, I show how I apply my brows and what products I use. My brow routine has changed drastically over the years. I used to use concealer to clean up my brows on the TOP and BOTTOM! It was ridiculous, a waste of product and it looked totally unnatural. For the past few years, I’ve enjoyed using less makeup to create a very beautiful yet natural makeup application.
T-B: ABH Clear Brow Gel, Brow Wiz in Medium Brown & Caramel
I want to share some products that I love to create a natural brow look as well as share how to create a more natural brow using one of my HOLY GRAIL products from a few years back. The first thing that I have changed in my brow routine is the fact that instead of using a brow pomade, I use a brow retractable pencil from Anastasia Beverly Hills called Brow Wiz. I didn’t like this tool very much a few years back because it used to break easily but they have since changed the formula and it is much more durable. Using a brow pencil instead of using a pencil gives me a more natural brow look. I feel like it suits my face much better and allows me to play around with bolder eyeshadow and lipstick looks because my brows aren’t the center of attention on my face. Another reason why I used to shy away from retractable brow pencils is that I have combination skin and my forehead gets oily. This would make the retraceable pencil almost impossible to last all day. I started to use Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel on my brows before applying any makeup (after my skin prep). I then apply the rest of my makeup routine and fill in my brows last with Brow Wiz. Waiting for the clear brow gel to dry gives the brow wiz something to grip on and also always the brows to stay on much longer. Since doing this technique this way; I never have to worry about my brows disappearing in the middle of my day. I use this technique on my clients who are going to be on set or be under bright lights because it will stay on no matter how hot they may get. It makes doing touch-ups much easier.
PRO TIP: To create a very natural brow application using Brow Wiz, I use two different shades. I use either Caramel or Medium in the front of the brow and then I use Chocolate or Ebony in the middle to the tip of the brow. Natural brows are lighting in the front of the brow and then darker and fuller in the middle to the end of the brows. I like to use colors that show the gradual change of the brow.
ABH Brow Wiz in Chocolate & Ebony
As I stated earlier, I used to use a brow pomade. This product was also from Anastasia Beverly Hills and it’s called DipBrow. This was my favorite brow product. I used to sell so many of these when I used to work at Sephora and I recommended this to ALL of my friends. DipBrow is great because you can create a brow where a brow may not exist. Before letting my eyebrows grow out (I stopped getting them waxed/threaded in 2016), my eyebrows were thin and almost nonexistent. Using DipBrow allowed me to create an arch and tip on my brows before I didn't have one. Now that my eyebrows are fuller and have a better shape, I don’t use DipBrow anymore. DipBrow is very pigmented and doesn’t give me that natural brow looks that I now prefer. However, I mention this product because I know that many people don’t have full brows. People may have sparse brows for several reasons and I do think that DipBrow is a great product for people who struggle with this issue. My biggest tip is to use a light hand with this product. Little goes a long way and less is more. Start in the center of the brow and then go to the tip. Most people start with a heavy hand or with too much product when they start to apply brow product, if you start in the middle of the brow it’s easier to fix. I would recommend applying the DipBrow with Sephora Pro Brow brush #20. This brow brush is the best that I’ve tried. It has dense bristles to hold the product and applies the product very well. It also has a spoolie to help brush and blend the brow product thoroughly on the brows.
DipBrow in shade Dark Brown
The very last thing that I have to mention when it comes to brow application is concealer that we clean up the brow. I used to use a very light product to clean up underneath my brows. It was very unnatural and took so long to blend out. Now I use either my foundation or concealer one shade lighter than my foundation shade to clean up under my brow. It makes my brows just look so much more natural, It’s less to blend which ultimately means takes less time to do.
I hope all these brow tips were useful and helpful. Feel free to keep the conversation going in the comments. Share some of your favorite brow tips and brow products! Remember to follow me on my social media ( My Instagram & My Youtube ) platforms and if you're looking for a makeup artist in the NYC area; you can book here. Talk to you all in my next post!
NTG Beauty Monthly Beauty Favs - Sept'19
Hey beautiful people! Its officially October and I wanted to share some of my favorite beauty products from this past month. I will be doing this every month on my website. I wanted to show you guys some of my go-to beauty products. All these products I have been using in heavy rotation because they all perform extremely well! Now that I am a mom, timing is everything. I don’t have the time like I used to have before motherhood to spend 30+ mins doing my beauty routine. I like to purchase products that perform well and will cut my beauty time down without taking away from the final look. Some products are dupes to pricer products that I believe work just as good or even better! I hope you enjoy these products just as much as I do. If you guys have tried these products before let me know your thoughts on them.
Nars - Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in shade New Caledonia -I have featured this product in the previous post and if you follow me on Instagram you have heard me speak on how impressed I am with this product. The shade range is extremely impressive. New Caledonia is my skin in a bottle. The finish is radiant yet natural. I recommend you try this foundation if you haven’t. I’m almost done this bottle and I will be buying another one when it’s done!
Nars - Radiant Creamy Concealer in Truffle - I have tried many other shades of this concealer but Truffle is a newer shade introduced a few months ago. I love how this shade conceals and also highlights. It’s a great one and done concealer. It goes on creamy but dries down to a powder which makes it less likely to move and crease throughout the day.
Anastasia Beverly Hills - Clear Brow Gel - I’ve tried this new technique of using brow gel before I put on any brow products. I personally only use this technique when I’m using it with the Anastasia Brow Wiz. It helps the product adhere to the brows better and lasts longer throughout the day. If you have used brow gel after you finish doing your brows, switch it up and try using it before. It’s a game-changer!
Anastasia Beverly Hills - Jackie Aina Palette - To be very honest, when this palette came out, I wasn’t wildly blown away by any of the colors mainly because I have almost every eyeshadow color in my collection. I didn’t think this palette would be in heavy rotation for me but once I started using it; it became my go-to product. The pigment is great and easy to blend. This makes this product a great palette to use when you have minimal time to get ready. I have created some neutral and dramatic looks using this one palette. I’m very happy with this purchase!
Pat McGrath LUST: Gloss - Flesh 4 - I have recently been loving a good glossy lip! This Gloss applicator is superb! It honestly hugs the lips without pulling and dragging the lip combo that you may have underneath. I need these glosses in every color! If you haven’t tried these yet, you are honestly missing out on something MAJOR! (Sorry I didn’t feature it in the pics, it’s currently in my son’s diaper bag and he’s having a day with Daddy)
Pond’s Cleansing Balm - When I first purchased this item, I was looking for a dupe to Cliniques Take The Day Away. I used to love this product when I used to work at Sephora, but now that I don’t have that good ole’ employee discount; I’ve been trying to find dupes to as many items as I can. This product surpassed my expectations and I will have this little jar for a while. You only need like a dime-sized amount to melt down your makeup. This makes removing my makeup so easy!
Iman Cosmetics Contour Trio - This product is a game-changer for me; I’ve never had a bronzer before. Bronzers usually don’t come deep enough for my complexion. When I initially received this product when I went to Makeup Artist Icon Sam Fine’s masterclass; I didn’t know what to do with it. But I just use the dark triangle to bronzer and use the highlighter sides to give my skin some highlight. It’s an easy product to use and helps me look like I spent 30 mins on my makeup when I only spent 10.
Garnier Micellar Water All-in-1 Waterproof - After I use my Pond’s Cleansing Balm, I take a cotton round with the micellar water to remove my makeup. I get off the majority of my makeup off with these two steps and then I continue with my nighttime skincare routine. Click here if you haven’t read the post about my nighttime skincare routine.
Danessa Myricks Beauty- Evolution Powder 03 - I also received this product when I went to Sam Fine’s master class. This powder is so lightweight and gives a very smooth finish. I take a brush and press and roll this powder under my eyes to set my concealer. This is another product that elevated my makeup look. Even though I may have less time to do my makeup; using high performing products makes my makeup look like I spend 30+ mins on it.
Pat McGrath Labs Mothership Sublime Bronze Ambition Eye Palette - I mean it’s the second time Pat McGrath has made it on my favorites list and it’s for a reason. Great colors, amazing pigmentation. Even though these palettes are pricey, they are a luxury beauty brand and all her products perform as such!
Pat McGrath Labs FetishEyes Mascara - This Mascara helps make my tiny lashes look full and thick. I also have sensitive eyes and it doesn’t bother my eyes at all. It also works great on my bottom lashes too! I have used this Mascara every time I do my makeup since I got it!
Pat McGrath Labs Mothership Sublime Bronze Ambition Eye Palette & FetishEyes Mascara
I really hope you guys enjoyed my monthly beauty favorites list. I enjoyed using them and I hope you do too. Comment below and share some of your favorite beauty products that you enjoyed this month!
Why The ABHxJackieAina Palette Is So Important To The Beauty Industry
The beauty industry has changed drastically since YouTube birthed beauty gurus. Before YouTube, beauty brands would send products to beauty magazine editors to review their products and write their thoughts in a magazines column. Beauty editors were the OG beauty influencers. Now, anyone who loves makeup can grow a following on social media and influence their following to like or dislike beauty products. When beauty brands started to see a spike in sells for specific products that were mentioned by certain influencers, they started to do a collaborative project with influencers. Many of these influencers who were able to take their career to the next level by these collaborations with major makeup brands were often always white beauty influencers. Sponsorships and collaborations are how beauty influencers make a living. Receiving free makeup in PR is nice, however, these brands receive thousands sometimes millions of dollars in sales just by these influencers doing a positive review on them, while the influencer receives no money in exchange for their post. I noticed the influx of beauty influencer collaborations and wondered why many black beauty influencers weren’t getting these same opportunities.
It wasn’t until 2014 that I was able to purchase a black beauty influencers collaboration product. Missy Lynn created an eyeshadow palette with BH Cosmetics and it was a big deal for me. It was still very hard to find eyeshadows pigmented enough and deep enough for my complexion at the time. I knew that the colors in this eyeshadow palette would look good on my skin unlike many of the other beauty influencer collaboration products. After this purchase I have seen a couple of other brand collaborations like MakeupShayla x Maybelline released a mascara and eyeshadow palette, Makeup Shayla x BH Cosmetics released two makeup collections, ItsMyRayeRaye x BH Cosmetics released two collections, and before Jackie Aina’s bigger collaborations, she did an eyeshadow with E.L.F Cosmetics. These collaborations with black beauty influencers were few and far in between and the one thing that had in common was the fact that these collaborations were with major affordable beauty brands. They would rarely get luxury brands to do collaborations with them.
This goes back to this common misconception at the time that black consumers wouldn’t spend top dollar for beauty products. Black consumers were often ignored when it came to creating products. Many black beauty influencers that were popular since the rise of YouTube; would often feature affordable beauty products in their videos because they were the only brands that created products for their shades. As you can see, this had nothing to do with what black consumers could and couldn’t afford, it had to do with what products were available for them to use.
Now Jackie Aina, in particular, is a YouTube O.G, she started her channel in 2008 and has grown her following over the years. What makes her particular unique is not only does she do makeup and review products but she speaks up about a lot of the injustices against women of color in the beauty industry. She has no filter and is so honest about things that most huge beauty influencers are scared to talk about because they don’t want to lose their following. This is what makes her so important to the beauty industry.
She had her first brand collaboration with E.L.F back in 2016, it was sold only on their website. Her second collab with Artist Couture initially it was only sold on Artist Couture’s website but when the brand expanded to Sephora; it was sold on Sephora’s website and in Sephora’s store. This was a major deal. This not only showed that black women (specifically a dark skin black woman) could be marketable on a national scale but also a global scale. Jackie Aina’s following was getting bigger, she was starting to be recognized by brands In 2018 Too Faced collaborated with Jackie Aina (who was once a professional makeup artist) to expand their shades of the “Born This Way” foundation. This was already Too Faced best selling product and the collaboration was a success. Fast forward to 2019, Jackie Aina has collaborated with the biggest makeup brand to date; Anastasia Beverly Hills. This eyeshadow palette is sold on ABH’s website, Sephora , Ulta , Macy’s, Nordstrom in-store and online and that’s just to name a few. ABH is known for its superb quality and pigmentation. This palette was such a success that it has sold out online on almost all of the retailers in which it is sold. This ABH palette is my 4th ABH palette purchase. This speaks to the high quality of their eyeshadows and many people were not only purchasing because they are fans of Jackie Aina but also because they trust that the palette will perform.
Her impact in the beauty industry was major and unlike other black beauty influencers, her last few collaborations were being sold in luxury beauty stores. This showed the power of the black consumer. If beauty brands pay attention, they will notice that although Jackie Aina’s supporters will spend their money to buy any product that she creates but also that her target audience which is black women will also support any brand that creates great quality products that work on with their skin complexion regardless of the price.
I also wanted to address the lack of support that she received from other beauty influencers on YouTube. I watched a video by NappyHeadedJojoba on YouTube that influenced me to write about this topic on my website. I know that ABH has a huge PR list and we see a flood of YouTube reviews every time they release an eyeshadow palette, however, I saw almost no major beauty influencers review this palette or show support to this huge collaboration. Many micro-influencers did the majority of YouTube product reviews and tutorials. I’ve also seen Jackie Aina throughout the years, supporting many of her fellow beauty influencers products regardless of the brand or the relationship she has to person. The lack of support that she got on this palette made me question a lot of people in the beauty industry. The reality is that whenever women of color, specifically a dark skin black women become successful in any industry people find reasons to justify why they don’t deserve the success. As a huge supporter of Jackie Aina, I can’t think of anyone in the beauty industry that isn’t more deserving of this success.
Black consumers are extremely powerful in any market, especially in the beauty industry. We can make a statement with how we spend our money. Once we all supported Fenty Beauty’s full shade range of foundations, other brands created deeper shades for us. Hopefully, brands will see the power of black beauty influencers and give them the same opportunities that their non-black counterparts receive.
You can watch my first impression & review on the Jackie Aina eyeshadow palette below. Thank you so much for reading, I hope it makes you think a little deeper on who you support when you buy beauty products. Also make sure to subscribe, like and share my video. Also, feel free to share your thoughts about this post below. Stay tuned for my next post where I will get into detail about eyeshadow brush must-haves. Talk to you in my next post!
Beauty Tools: What To Use To Apply Your Makeup
Welcome back, beautiful people. Now that we know how to pick out the best foundation for our skins complexion and skin type, the next step is to understand what makeup tools are essentials to an everyday makeup application. When I used to work at Sephora, many people would buy a makeup brush kit when they were just getting into makeup. I don’t advise that. You may think you are saving money by buying 6-8 brushes for under $50, however, if you are not getting used out of the majority of the brushes, it will be a waste of money. You are better off buying single brushes that will go with the makeup products that you have already invested in. In this post, we will discuss want kind of makeup tools to buy to get a great makeup application.
Step 1: Foundations.
When finding which tool to apply your makeup, it depends on the type of foundation that you are using. If you are using a liquid as well as cream foundation, you can use a damp Beauty Blender or any other type of sponge similar to it ( my favorite inexpensive makeup sponge is the Real Technique sponge). You can also use a foundation buffing brush. One of my favorite buffing brushes is actually by Real Techniques, it’s only $7 and it is a great way to get used to applying foundation with this type of brush without spending too much money. This buffing brush usually has compact bristles which allow for a very natural seamless foundation application.
Step 2: Concealers
When applying concealer you can essentially use the same tool that you used for your foundation. I recommend this because the foundation that is left on that took from applying your foundation will help you blend in the foundation even better. If you feel like your brush isn’t giving you a very nice blended application; I recommend going in with a damp sponge to help blend the concealer in.
Step 3: Pressed or Loose Powders
After applying wet products like liquid or cream foundations and concealers, it’s important to set your wet products so that they don’t crease of move especially you're concealer. I recommend using a dry sponge or a small powder brush. When applying with a loose powder, you can use very little product on your small powder brush and gently press the product under your eye or any other targeted area on your face that my crease. This may be your T-Zone if you have oily skin. When applying pressed powder, you can press your dry sponge onto the powder and then gently press the powder in the targeted area.
Step 4: Blush & Bronzer
When applying blush, you will need an angled brush that allows you to hug the natural curves on your face. When applying the bronzer, you will need a big fluffy brush will be able to go in the perimeter of your face as well as your cheeks to add warmth. I like using a tapered bronzer brush because it always me to have more control on my placement. If the brush is too big and your face is small, you will add more product on your face than you need.
Step 4: Highlighter, Shimmer
This step is optional, highlighter adds a nice extra touch to your makeup but isn’t for everyone. It essentially is shimmer for your cheekbones. and any other high points on your face. I don’t use highlighter all the time usually at night or special occasions. Some people use a fan brush to apply their highlighter. I like using a rounded brush to apply my highlighter because it just is easier to blend for me.
After applying your makeup you can finish it off with a lipstick, lipgloss color of your choice. Depending on how long you’re wearing your makeup you can set it with a makeup setting spray. Make sure you moisturize and prime your skin before applying makeup. We will get into detail about eyeshadow brushes on my Youtube channel. Make sure you’re subscribed. Feel free to comment under this post and share as well. Thanks for reading and I’ll chat with you in my next post.
HOW TO BUY THE BEST FOUNDATION FOR YOU
Picking out the best foundation can be overwhelming. There are so many choices and when we finally get into the beauty store, we often just pick up whatever product we see our favorite beauty guru using. But face it; not all foundations are built the same and not all foundations work best on all skin types. Let’s go over skin type again to help determine what foundation works best for you.
Fenty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Foundation in the shade 430
If you are someone with oily skin; a liquid matte foundation like Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Stay In Place Foundation may work amazing for you. This foundation is full coverage and stays in place even in the most humid climates! If you have dry skin; try a hydrating, radiant liquid foundation like Nars - Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation or the new Fenty Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation which has a beautiful natural dewy finish. If you have hyperpigmentation, then a cream is best to cover and correct dark spots while still allowing the skin to have a very natural skin finish. Try the Black Opal - True Color Foundation is a great cream foundation that I use on my clients and its under $20. This foundation looks so natural, and it isn’t heavy on your skin. They also have an amazing shade range for people in color!
If your skin is acne prone I would suggest sticking to a mineral based powered like Bare Minerals Original Loose Powder Mineral Foundation or a pressed powder foundation. Less is more when you are acne prone; you don’t want to clog your pores with heavy products adding to your skins problems. If you have combination skin, semi matte liquid foundations are great. They help lock in oil without making your skin look too powdery. Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r soft matte foundation is great for combination and oily skin. It keeps the oils locked away so your makeup looks it’s best throughout the day.
I’m wearing NARS Natural Radiant Long-wear Foundation in the shade New Caledonia and I have combination skin. This foundation keeps your skin hydrated but doesn’t get oily. I like the natural finish so I use pressed powder in my T-Zone to set the foundation & control the any oils that may come throughout my day.
Many times when you buy a foundation that doesn’t work for you, its mainly because you haven’t bought the right foundation type for your skin. Many makeup stores allow you to take a free foundation sample home to try and test out before committing to the foundation. Most foundations are over $30 and if you just buy buy buy because an influencer told you it was the hottest foundation out, you will send yourself into debt. Do your research, test it out, use a primer before the foundation. Change different variables to see if the foundation works best for you.
Foundation can cover many of our blemishes and dark marks, however, the key to a good and natural-looking makeup application is having healthy skin. Most beauty brands create products based on women’s insecurity. Foundations are branded to make you look flawless, pore-less, younger, etc. Good makeup is supposed to enhance your natural features. Foundation should emulate natural skin. Seeing pores is okay because it’s normal. Some people have big pores and that’s not a flaw. Take time to develop a skincare routine based on my suggestions in my previous post to make sure you have great skin without makeup. You should feel just as confident without a face full of makeup as you would with a face full of makeup.
Thank you for reading this post. Stay tuned for my next post where I will explain makeup tools to you. I’ll teach you what makeup brushes and sponges you will need to create a full face makeup application. This will be the first of many makeup tool post to come so make sure you’re subscribed!
WHAT'S YOUR UNDERTONE ?
Cool, Neutral, Warm. These are common ways that brands describe foundation shade categories. Most people, especially women of color struggle with finding their perfect foundation shade. The average consumer doesn’t know their undertone because they don’t understand what an undertone is. An undertone is a shade underneath your skin. Knowing your undertone will help you find your perfect complexion shade as well as help you decide what eyeshadow colors look best on you.
The color of your veins will help you figure out what your undertone is. If your veins are green, it’s safe to say you have a more warm undertone. If your skin looks best with neutral colors like black or bright white; then you have a cool undertone. If your skin is more on the neutral side; it looks best in more subtle colors like tans, browns & ivories. Having a warm undertones means that the base tone of your skin is yellow or gold. Having a cool undertone means that you may see hints of blue, pink or red. Having a neutral undertone means that you have a mixture of both color hues OR that your undertone is the same color as your actual skin color.
It’s also important to understand that someone with a lighter skin tone can actually have a warm undertone. Beyonce has warm undertones with her golden skin while a model Alek Wek has more red hues which would technique suggest that she has cool undertones. The idea that if you have lighter skin then that means you have cool undertones and if you have darker skin then you must have warm undertones is a myth.
Another way to test your skin’s undertone is the jewelry test. If your skin looks more flattering in gold jewelry than your skin has a warm undertone. If your skin is more flattering in silver jewelry; your skin is more likely to have a cool undertone. I also suggest going to stores like Sephora or Ulta to try out foundations. They have makeup on display and you can grab and try without to help of a sales associate. Test out your foundation on your chest area. Try two at one time, one with a warm undertone & then one with a cool undertone. If the warm tone or cool tone blends into your skin best; that will help determine what category you’re in. If you are still unsure, get foundation samples to take home and try it out in natural light. Lighting in many makeup stores can be very deceiving. It may look great in-store but not as flattering when you step out in different lighting.
Finding my perfect foundation match at Sephora Downtown, Brooklyn. After swatching on my hand to see the texture and finish of the foundation, I then swatched it on my chest. My hand and my face are not the same color so swatching on my hand wouldn’t have been a great way to match.
Finding your skins undertone will help you find the best foundation color, eyeshadows, lipsticks and many other makeup products. I hope these tips were helpful. In my next post we will talk all about foundations. Liquid, powder, cream, matte, dewy, satin, etc. I will cover it all. Talk soon & don’t forget to share, comment and subscribe! xoxo
The Perfect Night Time Skincare Routine
I hope you all got some great tips in my daytime skincare routine post. It’s important to know that the routine and order that you use in the day time is different than what you use at night. Why is that? When you sleep your skin your skin is working overtime. Your skin cells undergo fast regeneration during your hopefully 7-8 hour rest. What this means is that the products and ingredients that we use at night time are important and should be different from the products we use in the day. I might even say that your nighttime skincare routine is more impactful than your daytime skincare routine. You want to use products with ingredients that help the regeneration process. This will help us have smooth, even, supple skin for as long as possible. But before you apply all your fancy nighttime skincare products, remember if you’re wearing makeup CLEANSE THOROUGHLY. At night I double cleanse and what that means is that I use a product to break down my makeup and then I cleanse it off. I’ve been enjoying using Ponds Makeup Remover Cleansing Balm. I apply it on a dry face and it melts down your makeup and then you can rinse it off. After that, I use my facial cleanser to get rid of the remaining makeup. I do not use makeup wipes because it just smears the makeup around. it doesn’t remove everything and I find that I have to use another product to remove more makeup before I use my facial cleanser. You can also use micellar water after a cleansing balm to remove stubborn makeup like eyeliner, lash glue, waterproof mascara, etc.
Think of your night time skin care regime as your self care for the night. Light a candle, maybe pour a glass of your favorite wine, put on one of my YouTube video’s and enjoy it. You can use a lot of the same products from day time at night. Like your cleanser, depending on our skin type/concerns you can even use the same eye cream and moisturizer. However there are some products listed below you can only use in the night time.
Serums : Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare - Ferulic + Retinol Wrinkle Recovery Overnight Serum *If you are pregnant or have sensitive/dry skin read below on my thoughts on retinol
Eye Cream : First Aid Beauty - Eye Duty Triple Remedy Overnight Balm
Moisturizer/Mask : Together Beauty - Dreamer Overnight Repair Mask or Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Glycolic Overnight Cream
Face Oil - Caudalie - Vine[activ] Overnight Detox Oil
At night you can use all the other skincare products in the same order that you would for daytime but the products I listed above is a great way to help prevent fine lines and wrinkles. Serums that contain retinol/retinoids can ONLY be used at night. Sunlight breaks down retinol which will make it inactive. Retinol/retinoids are used for anti-aging and acne may reduce fine lines and wrinkles. They also stimulate the production of new blood vessels in the skin which improves the overall skin complexion. Retinol isn’t for everyone. If your skin is very sensitive, dry, or you’re pregnant; I would stay away from retinoids. Retinol does tend to make skin dry and you can use a lower dosage of retinol if you have sensitive skin but it will be less concentrated and work slower. I suggest seeing a dermatologist prior to using retinol if you have very dry skin, sensitive, or acne-prone skin.
I also enjoy using a Lip Sleeping Mask by Laneige. I have the original one and love how moisturized my lips feel in the morning. It doesn’t end up all over your face when you wake up as vaseline or lip balm does. I also let my 2-year-old son Jaden use it too! He enjoys watching me apply my nighttime skincare products and I enjoying teaching him at a young age the importance of skincare as well as self-care. My mornings are so much better when I wake up and my skin looks healthy and moisturized after a nights rest.
I hope you all enjoyed this post, in my next post we will get into makeup. We will talk about how understanding the undertone of your skin will help you find the perfect foundation. Make sure you subscribe to my website and let’s catch up in my next post!
The Perfect Day Time Skincare Routine
Welcome back to my site! The last time we talked, we discussed our skin type. Now that you have figured out your skin type, let’s get started on creating the perfect skin care routine to get your skin looking it’s best. During my days working at Sephora, it used to be a struggle to get clients to buy a skin care product along with their makeup products. As frustrating as it may have been to get people to understand the importance of skincare; I totally understood why people would often avoid the skincare section unless they were coming to buy a specific product. Skin care can be extremely intimidating. There are tons of different products that promise to do a lot of the same things and let's be honest... skin care can be very expensive. Most people are not willing to invest the money into their skincare if they don’t exactly what their skin type is and what their skin needs.
In this post I will give you a daytime skincare routine for each skin type. Below I will list all the steps and the order for a perfect skin care routine. I will also describe what each step will do for your skin and what skin types will benefit from each step.
The order that you should apply your daytime skincare routine is:
Cleanser : Oily Skin/Combination Skin - Ole Henriksen The Clean Truth Foaming Cleanser Dry Skin - Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, Sensitive Skin - Caudalie’s Instant Cleansing Foam
Toner : read below on my thoughts and recommendations on toner.
Serums : read below on my thoughts and recommendations on serums.
Eye Cream : read below on my thoughts and recommendations on eye creams
Moisturizer : Oily Skin/Combination Skin - Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb , Dry Skin/Sensitive Skin - First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration
Sunscreen - read below on my thoughts and recommendations on sunscreens
If you have Normal Skin, you can use whatever products you want. Lucky you! Prevention is key, use ingredients that help keep your skin healthy.
Now I know what you’re thinking, this may seem like a long list BUT trust me, there are some steps that can be skipped, combined together or even not necessary based on our skin type. So don’t get scared now, listen up! I got you.
It is extremely important that you cleanse your skin every morning and night. You have to use cleansers that will deep cleanse your pores. You have to de-clog your pores of dirt and oils. Foam and gel cleansers are great for oily skin. It will remove dirt and oils without stripping your natural oils. Ole Henriksen The Clean Truth Foaming Cleanser is one of my personal favorites for BOTH oily & combination skin for that reason. If you have dry skin or sensitive, I recommend using Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, it is a cream texture and it leaves the skin filled with moisture. We all know that if you have sensitive skin I would recommend using a cleanser with more natural clean ingredients. I love using Caudalie’s Instant Cleansing Foam on all my clients because it works great on all skin types. It’s a natural, soap free cleanser that makes it harsh free. Your skin is left completely cleansed and your skin still feels very moisturizing
Toners WOULD be the next step and are used to help balance out the pH level of the skin. Toners basically refine your pores. When your skin is balanced, it is less likely to produce extra oils or too little oil. This can lead to oily or dry skin. However most cleansers specifically a gentle cleansers will help balance out your pH balance anyway. If you enjoy toners and/or have toners in your daily skincare routine, that’s okay! It’s not bad for your skin. However there are different toners for different skin types and skin concerns. Witch hazel is a very commonly used toner, however it does contain astringent and alcohol which can be very drying on the skin so be very mindful of that. Below are great toners for all skin types if toners are something you enjoy.
Oily Skin - OLE HENDRIKSEN Balance Oil Control Toner
Dry Skin/Combo Skin - Fresh Deep Hydration Facial Toner
Sensitive Skin - Caudalie Moisturizing Toner
Hyperpigmentation Skin - OLE HENDRIKSEN Glow2OH Dark Spot Toner Combination Skin - Youth To The People Kombucha + 11% AHA Exfoliation Power Toner
Serums are not very common with people under the age of 40. Serums are often marketed to treat issues like fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots, however if you know that these issues run in your family; I recommend using a serum as young as 20. For the daytime, I like using a Vitamin C serum during the day. Vitamin C is the BLT. Its the BRIGHTEN, LIGHTEN, TIGHTEN ingredient that makes all the difference in your skin care regime. Drunk Elephant C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum is one of my personal favorites. A cheaper alternative would be L’oreal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives. These two products can be used on ALL skin types. Also don’t be afraid with using more than one serum. You may have multiple skin concerns, so pack it on. For example, there are serums that specifically created to target the eye area. If you have concerns specifically in this area and you want to see fast results; packing on serums is a great idea. Just don’t use more than 3 because it’s not only costly and time consuming but it will also hinder the chances of the ingredients actually penetrating into the skin.
I didn’t start using an eye cream until I worked in beauty. I didn’t think I needed it because I thought I was too young to use it. To be truly real with you, if you’re eye cream doesn’t have ingredients retinol to treat wrinkles, fine lines or hydroquinone to treat dark circles; you really don’t need to use it. An eye cream is basically a moisturizer and if you use the skincare tips that I’m giving you; you will be moisturized enough. Don’t fall into the hype of marketing. Myself being the product junkie and beauty lover that I am does enjoy using an eye cream but I have honestly seen no difference in using it than on the days when I skip that step.
Moisturizers are so important and body lotions are not equivalent to a face moisturizer. Face moisturizers often have ingredients that help your natural skin look more radiant and more hydrating throughout the day. Hydrating moisturizers are great for people with dry and oily skin. Most hydrating moisturizers have a gel like consistency and aren’t heavy on the skin. Belief ‘s the True Cream Aqua Bomb is a great moisturizer for oily, dry and even sensitive skin. People who have sensitive skin or reactive skin may have a hard time finding products that don’t cause them irritation. First Aid Beauty’s whole skin care line is great for sensitive skin. Even if you have normal skin and you happen to use a product that causes your skin to break out, use First Aid Beauty product line and your skin will go back to normal in no time!
SPF is essential no matter what season. Most people don’t care about SPF until it’s the summer time; however as long as the sun is out… you need to protect your skin from uv rays. One great way to incorporate SPF into your skincare/makeup regime is to use moisturizers, tinted moisturizers, CC creams that include an SPF over 30. It suggested that using SPF on its own will help it perform better however if you have to add in your SPF with your moisturizer, or foundation; its better to do that than to not use it at all. Supergoop! has AMAZING products with SPF that are Black Girl Friendly! You will not look like a grey ghost after using their products. Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40 is one of the best on the market. If you are spending more than 2 hours out in the direct sun, make sure you reapply.
That is it for my daytime skin care routine. next post will be all about what products you can change for your night time routine. Stay tuned and make sure to comment, share and subscribe.
What Is Your Skin Type?
I thought it was important to start off with skincare because it is almost impossible to create a beautifully natural makeup look without understanding and taking the best care of your skin. Knowing as much as you can about your skin and your skin type will also help you when you purchase skin care products like facial cleanser, face moisturizer, etc. All skin care products aren’t created equally and don’t be fooled by price tags! Just because a product is expensive; that doesn’t mean that it works better. I’ve tried some amazing drug store/lower priced skincare products that worked amazing on my skin. Some worked just as good as luxury items or even better! So don’t be intimidated by skincare if you feel like it’s out of your price range. There is great skincare for every price bracket.
Most skincare products are created for people with these 5 different skin types, oily, dry, normal, combination, sensitive. People with oily skin usually are more prone to getting pimples, blackheads and whiteheads. They may have large pores and find their foundation not lasting throughout the day. They may notice their face being very oily in their T-Zone area. People with dry skin may often feel like their skin gets itchy and tight especially after cleansing. Their skin may get rough, flaky, or red patches sometimes. People with combination skin may be dry in the cheeks and oily in the T-zone. They may also find that some products work well in one area on their face but may irritate another area on the face. People with sensitive skin may get irritated easily. They may have allergic reactions to some beauty products, sunburn easily. People with normal skin often find that their skin is just feels balanced and looks supple without using a moisturizer. They almost never get breakouts, they aren’t easily irritated by products, and they have a very even skin tone.
Many people of color have hyperpigmentation as well as having any of these 5 skin types. Hyperpigmentation is the darkening of the skin in patches or all over. Hyperpigmentation is commonly found around the eyes and the mouth. Hyperpigmentation can just be hereditary or be caused by some type of trauma on the skin such as sun exposure, acne, burns, etc.
When going off to buy skincare products; it's important to use products on your skin that will help it thrive and be the best it can be. Buying products that cater to your skin's needs are extremely important because it is easy to do harm to your skin by using the wrong products and it’s even more common to use products on your skin that do nothing at all for your skin.
There are some key words to be mindful of when buying skincare products. If a product is hydrating; this is usually a great product for someone with dry and oily skin. Both dry and oily skin is a sign of lack of hydrating, therefore one skin type is overcompensating and producing too much oil (sebum) while the other isn’t producing enough. Oil free products, especially oil free cleansers and gel or foaming cleansers are great for someone with oily skin and combination skin. Cream, oil cleansers will be great for someone with dry skin because it will give the skin some moisture without stripping it of its natural oils. Exfoliators are great for people with hyperpigmentation so that they can remove the layers of the dark marks on their skin. Be mindful on what kinds of exfoliators that you do use because MOST exfoliators on the market are extremely harsh on facial skin and can cause a lot of irreparable damage. Stay away from nut exfoliators, or very rough beeding exfoliators because they create micro tearing on the face causing us to have premature fine lines, wrinkles, even scarring which leads to MORE HYPERPIGMENTATION and trust me, no one wants that. People with sensitive skin should stick to more natural or “clean” beauty products. Products that are vegan friendly and even cruelty free often are great for people with sensitive skin. These products are often created for people who like to look at the ingredient list of products and know exactly what is in their products. This is no shade to the people who aren’t as picky when it comes down to buying skin care, but people who have sensitive skin have had to learn the hard way over the years about what ingredients to avoid; therefore they happen to be more cautious when picking up beauty products. Skincare products often are labeled that they are great for people with sensitive skin but if they are not; try to stick to products that have more natural ingredients like natural oils, shea butter, honey, milk, aloe vera, etc. People with combination skin need to stick to gentle products that help balance out skin.
I hope all this information is helpful and makes it easier to figure out what exactly your skin is telling you by how it behaves. In my next post we will talk about what a basic skin care regime for all skin types consist of. I will even recommend products for your specific skin types needs. Make sure you’re subscribed, comment, like & share! I’ll see you in my next post! Thank you all so much for reading!
Welcome
Hello beautiful people, my name is Naomi. I am a freelance makeup artist with over 4 years of experience in the beauty industry. When I started my career, I quickly realized how under represented people of color were throughout the industry. There were very few products that catered to our skin concerns. We didn’t have the range in foundations that we have now. The only place that most people of color could find makeup in our shade was in drugstores. Now that there has been an influx of beauty products on the market for people of color (Thanks to the launch of Fenty Beauty), it actually has become quite overwhelming as a consumer to buy products. On both my blog and YouTube channel, I will help you navigate this beauty industry as a consumer. You will able to make smarter and more informed purchases. The more you know about products and how they work, the less likely you are to buy beauty products that don’t work the way you hoped. Let’s get excited about buying beauty products. I will teach you different makeup techniques through tutorials that will help spark your inner makeup artist.
“Never forget that beauty is inclusive and you should never feel like you can’t find beauty products for you no matter your skin color, your age or your gender.”
I am thrilled to share amazing content with you all. Make sure you’re subscribed to my blog as well as my YouTube Channel . I will be posting videos that compliment my blog post. I’ll be posting twice a week, so make sure you stay notified when I post new content. Don’t be shy, chat with me in the comment section and follow me on my Instagram to stay up to date with my day to day beauty finds. Never forget that beauty is inclusive! You should never feel like you can’t find beauty products for you, no matter your complexion, age or gender. There are changes happening in the beauty industry and we are all a part of that change. Consumers hold the power! How we shop, and what we support will effect what beauty products make it to store shelves.
If you live in the NYC area you can also book me for any of your special occasions, including one-on-one makeup sessions where I will teach you how to apply makeup on yourself like a pro. Click the link to my booking site for further details.