Archive for the MAKEUP QUESTIONS Category

3 Ways to Dramatically Extend the Longevity of Your Makeup

Posted in MAC MAKE-UP, MAKE-UP, MAKE-UP QUESTIONS, MAKEUP QUESTIONS, NARS on April 17, 2013 by stylebymeli

I’ve been meaning to share some advice regarding makeup and how long it should last.  People sometimes ask me how long my products last and I could never really give a concrete answer.  I recently decided to put dates on the product labels or mark on my calendar when I started a new product just so I have an idea how long they truly last me.  

(Please note:  Keep me in mind, the longevity of a product will obviously vary from person-to-person depending on how often the product is used, the product itself, how much is applied at a time, and many other situational factors).

The last time I started my last bronzer compact, I wrote the date on the bottom just to see how long it was going to last.

In case you were wondering (and you know I have nothing to hide here ;)…I hold no beauty secrets and I’m here to blog to put it all out on the table)…it took me a whopping 9 months to the exact day to go through it!  I sometimes meet women who go through bronzer like water; they replace it every month or two and I can’t help but think, how is this possible?!  This has lead me to write this article to share with you ways to extend your makeup products so you’re not running to replace it as frequently.

Invest in high quality pigments and products:  With cosmetics along with many other things in life, I believe in the basic principle, you get what you pay for.  And cosmetics is no different.  When it comes to eyeshadows, I ONLY use MAC and NARS.  I’m always open to other brands but their shadows’ pigment quality is the best I’ve seen on the market.  What does that mean exactly?  Breaking it down for makeup novices, I mean a single swipe of a highly pigmented eye shadow will GO A LONG WAY.  Whereas with other brands that are not as pigmented, you may have to apply a few layers just for the color to show up.  This is not a good thing.  That means you will go through it so much quicker because you have to apply more of it to activate it (or show up).

Less is more…[you don't need to apply a massive amount to get the product to work]:  I like to watch how others apply their makeup and the majority of the time, I can’t help but notice that people are using WAY TOO MUCH product.  There is really no need to be digging so much into a product to get it to work.  If you do, that means the cosmetic quality is poor and it’s time to upgrade and invest in better quality.  Or you just have to practice on being more “light handed” (apply with softer strokes with light pressure) vs. heavy handed.  With practice, this is an easy habit to fix and can be fixed over time!

Switch it up:  If you have the option to not wear the same exact products everyday, naturally, the products will last longer.  I’ve NEVER gone through an entire tube of the same lipstick.  May sound shocking as a makeup artist, but it truly shouldn’t because you have to keep in mind I don’t wear the exact same shade everyday.  I switch it up.  Now with bronzer, I do wear the same exact bronzer everyday (–or I should say whenever I wear makeup, hey, I’m only human and have my no makeup days too!).  It still lasted me awhile being that the pigment quality is high and I don’t use a ton of it because again, I don’t need to use a ton for it to show up!  Again, back to this original point, if you have a variety of products to choose from and not using the same exact product everyday, it will last a long time!

[Any other tips?  Any questions regarding products I use and its usage?]

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[Makeup Question] – Choosing the Right Foundation Shade (When You’re More Than One Color)

Posted in FACE, FOUNDATION, MAKE-UP, MAKE-UP QUESTIONS, MAKEUP QUESTIONS, POWDERS on July 25, 2012 by stylebymeli

MELI’S ANSWER:  

I often explain to people it’s actually more common to be multiple skin tones than to be completely even all over.  It’s especially even more common for the face to be much lighter than the rest of the body.

Ultimately, you want to choose a foundation color that best blends in with your neck so you avoid seeing a drastic contrast between the jawline as it blends into the neck.

I further want to point out that the neck is typically the fairest part of the body being that it gets the least amount of sun exposure.  I understand for many, this proposes a problem because people rather look more tan/darker especially in the summer, but there is a better way to achieve this end result which requires some creative product layering.  As previously mentioned, I find the foundation color (in the medium form of a liquid or cream) NEEDS to match the neck as closely as possible and will serve as the initial base of the makeup application.  Afterwards, you can go ahead and build the color back with powders, both your all-over finishing powder and with the help of a bronzer.  With finishing powder, I usually go up at least a shade or oftentimes a few shades darker to add warmth and give color back to the skin (to more closely match the body if the body is more tan).  It’s okay to do this with a POWDER because powders are much more forgiving in terms of the consistency and product payoff (less concentrated in pigmentation than a liquid or cream product).

I always highly recommend seeking a makeup professional to find the best foundation match and ask them to apply it to the entire face (or simply ask to take home a sample of the foundation so you can test it out yourself).  This not only is the best way to see what it looks in terms of whether the shade matches or not, but also give you a feel for the product itself.

Keep in mind that a foundation may match perfectly but may not be your “perfect” foundation if you find the coverage doesn’t suit your needs or you don’t like the overall finish it leaves your skin.  It is for this reason that I always advise testing out a foundation on the entire face, rather than just a swatch.  

[Do you have any tips to share on choosing the right foundation?]

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[Makeup Question] – Bottom Mascara (Is it necessary or can it be skipped completely)?

Posted in EYE MAKEUP, MAKE-UP, MAKEUP QUESTIONS, MASCARA on July 14, 2012 by stylebymeli

This is a question that was recently asked by a client of mine and one that I find many people wonder about.

MELI’S ANSWER:  

For me, this answer is situational meaning I cannot provide a yes or no answer.  

Regarding whether it makes a visual difference, yes, eyelashes (when enhanced with mascara or false lashes are applied) will always make a visual difference than when left completely in its natural state.

Personally, I NEVER wear bottom mascara and tend to skip mascara the majority of the time.  Reason being that I don’t have naturally very long/full eyelashes and my bottom lashes are pretty non-existent.  I don’t see the point in putting in the effort to apply bottom mascara when there is very little hair for the mascara wand to grab on to.  Keep in mind, this is for me personally.

However, generally speaking, I like when the eyelashes (both top and bottom) are enhanced because it not only defines the eyes more but really makes them more pronounced, especially in photography.  The majority of the time, I will first ask a client if they have a preference towards bottom mascara or not.  (I’d say it’s about 50/50 in terms of whether people already wear it or not).  If I’m given the, “whatever your professional opinion is” as the answer (which is always the answer I most often like to hear), I will judge the situation based on a couple factors:  

1)  Does the person have long/full bottom lashes to begin with?

2)  Is the hair too light/fair (such as blond)?

If the answer is YES to any of these questions, I will go ahead and apply bottom mascara.  More specifically, if the person has bottom eyelashes, I like to pop them even more with mascara.  If the person has very light hair, I find that a coat of black mascara is necessary to create contrast so they don’t just blend in with the face.  As I mentioned previously, the only time I will opt to skip it completely is if the person has barely any bottom lashes to begin with.  

[What are your thoughts on bottom mascara, do you like to wear it or skip it?]

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[Makeup Question] – Tinted Moisturizer with Face Primer…(Is it Necessary and in What Order?)

Posted in FACE, FACE PRIMER, FOUNDATION, MAKE-UP, MAKE-UP QUESTIONS, MAKEUP QUESTIONS, SKINCARE, TINTED MOISTURIZERS on June 8, 2012 by stylebymeli

MELI’S ANSWER:  This is a great question and one that I get a lot as a makeup artist.  I am also a huge fan of tinted moisturizers and wear one pretty much everyday as my form of foundation.

In terms of the face primer, YES!  Personally, I never skip a face primer.  I totally see a visual difference in the appearance of my skin when I use one versus when I don’t use it.  I realize that not everyone is a visual perfectionist like myself and may not see much of a difference, but besides making the surface of the skin look ultra smooth and flawless (by filling in lines and masking pores) prior to foundation, the face primer will also extend the longevity of your face makeup.  

Face primer is one of the few products that actually accomplishes a whole lot within one product, so I cannot even imagine life without it at this point.  It’s one quick, easy extra step and totally worth it if you take the time to wear face makeup.

Okay, the second part of this question really comes down to a personal preference (meaning there is no right or wrong answer in my professional opinion).  As I had mentioned, the tinted moisturizer is serving as my FOUNDATION.  So, I completely pretend it’s my foundation.

Meaning I still go ahead with my normal skincare regime:  serum, moisturizer, and primer.  Then afterwards, I conceal and apply the tinted moisturizer.  I know some are thinking, why are you using two moisturizers?  Isn’t that overkill?  Honestly, I don’t see the harm in using two moisturizers.  Perhaps if one has oily skin, it may be completely unnecessary to use two.  Keep in mind, I’m also using all of my skincare products very sparingly.  I may use a ton of products to create the perfect face, but when using more products, you can get away with using such a lesser amount of each product and so in the long run, the products are going to last much longer.

FYI, the first moisturizer I use usually has a high dosage of SPF and other properties to suit the needs of my skin (such as anti-blemish and anti-aging).  That’s why I do not like to skip it completely and have the tinted moisturizer replace the first moisturizer.

I do NOT believe there is such a thing as one product that is going to create the perfect face because there are so many elements to the face that need to be addressed in order to create visual perfection; however, if you are just looking for something to throw on in a minute and run out of the door, can you get away with wearing just a tinted moisturizer?  Why, of course…you can totally get away with it and I won’t stop you at the door.  I realize that everyone’s standard for how their skin looks varies, so for most everyday people that are not looking for flawlessness, just something that will kind of get the job done and within a short amount of time…then a tinted moisturizer is the best choice.

[How do you like to layer your face products?]

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