MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPF35

I'm on the lookout for the best concealer out there. After much research, the candidates were:

Make Up Forever Full Cover Concealer

MAC Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage

I was looking for a concealer that gives good and lasting coverage for blemishes, doesn't require a Master's Degree in Engineering to apply, matches my skin tone/color, and won't put a hole in my pocket. After doing much research, the winner is.....

MAC Studio Finish SPF35

Bought it from Rustan's in Greenbelt, P870 for 1 pot (7g)

I have a very oily, acne-prone, medium colored skin, with yellow undertones. I asked the sales attendant to help me choose a concealer that would match my skin tone and color. She used NC35 and tried it on my chin. I thought it was too light and looked heavy. (I am spoiled by mineral makeup. I'm so used to its light and barely there feel on the skin and look so this non-mmu was new, and a little scary, for me.) Then I realized she put way too much and that's why it looked cakey and heavy.

The consistency of MAC Studio Finish Concealer is very thick and creamy. That said, this won't make a good undereye concealer but would be perfect for everywhere else. The color I chose, NC35, is pretty close to my skin but it's not a perfect match. I tried it on my face earlier using a small concealer brush and applying a little at a time. I would touch my brush lightly on the pot and then pat it on my blemish. Then blend the edges so it doesn't stand out. After doing this several times I got pretty good coverage. I also put my BareNaturals Ultimate Concealer on top just to make it blend better with my skin. I tried topping it all of with just a mineral veil/finishing powder to see if this could pass for an everyday look -- and it did. Yey! Although, I must say that if I put foundation on top, it would have looked better. My blemishes would have been better concealed. I noticed that after I swiped/buffed on the veil, the covered parts got a little exposed. So, I guess I better not buff it on next time.

So in conclusion:

MAC Studio Finish SPF35 Concealer

Coverage: 4 out of 5.

(I would say it can make your blemishes less noticeable by about 75-80% on it's own.)

Lasting power: No rating yet.

(I have yet to find out. Will let you know.)

Color: 4 out of 5.

(It's a close match to my skin but not a perfect one.)

Consistency: 5 out of 5.

(It's thick so it gives good coverage.)

Price: 3.5 out 5.

(It's P870 or about $18 for 7 grams of product. It's not cheap but it's not very expensive either compared to other concealers out there.)

Packaging: 1.5 out of 5.

(Pots are good breeding grounds for bacteria. To use the product you either have to use your fingers or a brush -- not hygenic. But then again, where else can you put it? It's too thick and creamy for a tube.)

Overall Rating: 3.6 out of 5.

Would I buy this again? Most likely.

NC35

Emu Oil as my Makeup Primer

I first heard about Emu Oil from this site.

Since I bought this product, I have been using it almost everyday as my moisturizer/primer. It helps my makeup last long, all day in fact. And I never retouch in the afternoon. In the evening when I come home my face still looks good---albeit a little less fresh looking but still presentable. I have an oily skin and EO(emu oil) does make it slightly oilier but, in my opinion, tolerable. You might be wondering how EO could make my makeup last longer when it makes my already oily skin oilier. Doesn't oil wash out your makeup? I have no explanation for this. All I know is that when I use EO I don't have to worry if my makeup stays put.

There are many primers on the market now. I've never tried any of them so I can't really compare them with EO. If you're planning to try this product, make a thorough research on the Internet first. There are a lot of sellers online that offer competitive prices.

P.S.
(I also found that EO is useful for inflammed acne. Just put a small amount on the affected area and it it will help with the pain. Ditto with insect bites and burns. There are many, many uses for EO. If you research Emu Oil on the Internet, you will have no shortage of materials--1.08 million results from Google alone. You may want to sit on a very comfortable chair. There are now Emu Oil shampoos, lip balms, soaps, colognes (!)(Animal fat cologne? People actually buy this? Why would anyone want an animal fat colone?), body lotions, etc. Products galore.)

Applying Blush According to Your Face Shape

Where you apply your blush depends on the shape of your face. Blush does more than just puts color on your cheeks, it can also contour your face.

To determine your face shape go to this website.
( http://www.hairfinder.com/tips/faceshape.htm )


It is equally important to have a good Blush Brush and a blush color that matches your skin well. It is said that the color of your blush should be more or less the same as the color of your cheeks after you exercise. That's your natural color. Personally, I think you can experiment and try other colors just as long as you do not stray too far from your natural cheek color. I use Vanora from Ocean Mist Cosmetics and a medium pink blush.


Vanora



Blush Brush




Flawless Face Brush



Now that you know what your face shape is, you are ready to apply your blush. in this interactive webpage it will show you where to put your blush and highlighter.

Go tot his website
( http://www.laurenscarlet.tv/makeup/5-03_faceshape.html )



I hope this helps!

Silver, Grey and Black Smokey Eye Tutorial

I always end up looking like a panda after everytime I try to do the famous Smokey Eye Makeup----then this video came along and rescued me. Now watch and see how professionals do it!

The woman doing the tutorial is awesome!

Maybelline's Great Lash® Waterproof Mascara

Great Lash® Waterproof Mascara

America’s #1 mascara. Waterproof. Conditions as it thickens.

Yeah, right.

This was the first mascara that I ever bought back in the days when I was still going through puberty and knew nothing about makeup. I read in so many reputable magazines that this is THE mascara to buy. A must-have. Here's my real-life experience with this product: It is so difficult to apply. It's almost guaranteed that your lashes will clump together like crazy. Granted, I am not a professional makeup artist and not very experienced in the art either. But I have used other mascaras (Estee Lauder at the present) and it's fine. Maybe it's my short and stubby asian lashes, I don't know. What I do know is that this won't make your lashes look great.


XoXo plamea

Mineral Makeup Series: Brushes

How many makeup brushes do you own? I have eight right now. Just wanted to show them to you and explain a little about them and what I use them for.


(From left-right: Blending/Eyeshadow Brush, Eyeshadow Brush, Large Concealer, Small Concealer/Eyeshadow, Spot Concealer, Blush/Bronzer, Flawless Face Brush, Grand Kabuki. I use that pouch, which is actually a pencil case, to hold my brushes when I travel.)


BLENDING/ EYESHADOW Brush

Bought this recently. This is good for blending your eyeshadow so there are no harsh lines and the colors mix well together.



EYESHADOW Brush

Bought this with the Blending Brush. I used it to apply the e/s wet....yeah, that was not a good idea. The bristles of this brush is soft and it's not very thick. This is better for applying e/s dry.



LARGE CONCEALER Brush

This came in a set. I use this to apply concealer on my undereye area. I think this will work well as an wet e/s applicator.



CONCEALER SMALL

The most used brush in my collection. I apply concealer wet because I find that it covers post-acne marks better this way. Just dip your brush in water, then squeeze dry. Pick up some mineral concealer and apply on your face.



SPOT CONCEALER

I have a lot of post-acne marks on my cheeks and jawline. This brush helps me to hide them. This also came with a set and to be honest, I'm not really sure what this brush is really for. But it works well as a spot concealer.



BLUSH Brush

Well, the name says it all. It's a brush for applying blush.



FLAWLESS FACE Brush

This is from OceanMist Cosmetics. It came with my mineral makeup set. I use this for applying foundation, blush, and mineral veil wet or dry. It's sort of an all-around brush.



GRAND KABUKI

My favorite brush. The hair is very soft and I love how it feels when you buff your face with it. I use this for foundation and mineral veil. it's wonderful for applying MMU wet. Just swirl foundation on your brush then spritz the brush with water or makeup fixative then buff on your face.


So, that my makeup brush collection for now!


XoXo plamea

Mineral Makeup Series: Mineral Makeup!

I don't wear makeup.

Why? For several reasons.

First, it makes me breakout. I don't understand how some people can wear any makeup brand, even the drugstore kinds, and still have gorgeous skin. It' not fair.
Second, I know as much about makeup-application/techniques as I know about brain surgery. Which is nothing.
Third, when I do try to put on makeup, I always end up looking ridiculous. You should have seen me try the smokey-eye technique. I could have been an extra in a horror movie.
Fourth, it takes such a long time. It would take less time for me to paint the London Bridge than to paint my face.

And that is why, I don't wear makeup. Then came along the Mineral Makeup.

One time my family and I were on a road trip and my sister tried the MMU (Mineral Make Up) on me. Wow. I became a believer. I love how it looks so natural. And it feels very light on your skin. In fact, it feels like you're not wearing makeup at all. Plus, and most importantly, IT DOES NOT MAKE ME BREAKOUT. Neither does it make my acne worse. I read somewhere that MMU actually helps heal acne and prevent it. I don't know about that but what I do know is that my face is not getting worse. Also, I noticed that MMU gives you that "airbrushed look" especially when applied wet. It also gives your skin a natural glow that other kinds of makeup cannot duplicate.

There are many different brands to choose from. There's Everyday Minerals, Ocean Mist, Bare Escentuals, Bare Minerals, Sheer Cover, Luminare, Ellena.....the list goes on and on. I recommend that you check out different brands to find "The One" for you. Before committing yourself to it, try samples first. They're very cheap, and sometimes free. This way you can test the waters first and see if MMU is for you. Oh and, one tip about buying foundation. It is very important, actually crucial, that you buy the shade that matches your skin tone perfectly. This is what gives you that all-natural, flawless, and fresh look. (I read in another blog that MMU is very forgiving so you can wear different shades of foundation. But still, it would be much better if you wear the shade that perfectly matches yours.)

If you want more information about Mineral Makeup, google it. You'll find tons of articles about it. Also, try watching videos on You Tube. I've seen some pretty good ones there about MMU --- application, reviews, techniques, etc.

If you've never tried Mineral Makeup before, you should. It could change your life.




(Or maybe not. But it will definitely change your face.)

UPDATE:

My Mineral Makeup. Yes, my collection is not extesive. I've been itching to buy some more but these mineral makeups last forever! Seriously. I've been using it for about 6 months now, almost everyday, and there's still a lot of it. Like half, maybe.




The brand I'm using is OceanMist.
Left to right, top to bottom: Mineral Veil in Lightly Tinted Mineral Finish, Foundation in Champagne and Sandstone, Light Mineral Concealer (waaay too light for me), Vanora Blush (love it!), Warmly Luminous Mineral Finish, Yellow corector, Brown eyeshadow and Carribean Reef eyeshadow.




Barenatural Ultmate Concealer, Peach blush from BareNaturals and Sunshine Yellow Concealer from StarMinerals.




Brushes, Mineral Makeups, Mixing dish, Spray bottle and a Pink Blush (not MMU).


XoXo plamea