I love color- from bright pink nail polish, to a smoky purple eye, to a vibrant red lip- but there's something about a nude and beige makeup look that feels so comfortable and brings out a sort of "prettiness" in everyone. Nude colors, or neutrals as they are otherwise called, are colors that resemble different skin tones and shades that compliment your existing skin tone, enhancing your existing features to create that "no makeup" makeup look. It's an easy way to put together a look without the guess work of what color goes with what, and using neutral colors are great for a put together, on the go look for those busy moms out there. I feel you ladies- a toddler that won't sit still and the infant that screams at your feet, begging to be picked up, all while you're trying desperately to put some kind of makeup on to hide the sleepless night you thought would never end! And if you're not a mom, well, just wait, your turn will come ;) Here are my top picks for neutrals: Eyes When using neutrals on the eye, think soft earth tones and the varying shades of skin tones that we see all around us. Browns to use in the crease to create depth in the eyes and cool tone shimmers to highlight the brows and inner tear ducts to make your eyes pop and appear larger. Makeup Geek Eyeshadows in Creme Brûlée, Cocoa Bear, Beaches & Cream, and Vanilla Bean Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Cheeks When using neutrals, coral and bronzy colors for the cheeks are great at adding color and also to sculpt the cheekbones. Lips Nude lips doesn't necessarily mean no color- think of it as your lips, but better! You can enhance your natural skin color by wearing a lip color 1 to 2 shades darker than your natural skin shade, or make a bold move with a darker earthy tone color for a more dramatic look. I love, love, LOVE nudes!! Flattering on any skin type, color, and face shape- it really is the universal go to look for fool proof, no brainer, beautiful makeup. It's also a great way to incorporate a bright color against a neutral backdrop. So when in doubt, just stay in the nude ;)
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In yesterday's post, I offered a list of 12 essential brushes to have in your makeup kit that will help you achieve any look that will fit anyone's budget. I shared that you don't have to break the bank to get great brushes in achieving a beautiful makeup application. So here are my recommendations for must have brushes, many doing two jobs in one, with detailed use description for each one. These are the brushes I use in my makeup videos. This might be the one brush that has changed it all for me! It is extremely soft, superbly crafted, has dense bristles that don't lose its shape, and is multi purpose. As its description states, its meant to be used with powders. You can use it to apply powder all over the face or to dust off any extra that you may have put on. What I love it for is to give a good "buffing" to my face as a final touch. I use this after applying powder, bronzer, blush and highlighter to continually blend in every product, creating a seamless canvas on my face. This brush is so soft you'll get addicted to using it! I use this brush as both a blush brush and for its intended stippling purpose. This brush is a dual fiber brush, meaning it is made with two types of bristles, each in a different length. This is to create a blurred or airbrushed effect. When used with blush, it lightly applies the product, making it easier to diffuse and build on the color, creating a natural flush on the face. As a stippling brush, it can be used to buff in cream products, such as foundation, cream blush and highlighter. Crown Brush C441 Pro Blending Crease This is a must have in achieving a beautifully, blended eye. It's soft bristles are easy on the eye lids and its dense bristles help in grabbing the product. In a back and forth, windshield wiper motion, place this brush in the crease to blend in eyeshadows. E.l.f. Essential Eyeshadow Brush This brush is great for packing on color on the eyelid. It's dense bristles make it great for precise application. This brush packs a punch because its like getting 2 brushes in one, and with its low price, you could afford to get more than one! I love to use it as a fluffy eye blending brush when applying a neutral transition color on my eyelid after my eye primer. You could also use this with powder to set any under eye or spot concealer on the face. It gives a precise application when working with small areas. This brush also performs as two brushes- a foundation or powder buffing brush and as a contour brush, which is my preferred use for it. It's dense bristles are great for precise application and its softness allows for ease of use and application of product. Crown Brush C413 Brow Duo Brows are so important because they give structure and character to our faces. A spoolie, or eyebrow brush, is a great tool for grooming the eyebrows. Remember to brush in the direction of the hair (up and over) and not down. Some spoolies come with a stiff taklon bristle end like the one shown for applying powder or gel color to the brows. Filling in any sparse areas with these types of products will make a big difference. Beauty Sponges Although this may be a personal preference, I really prefer to use beauty sponges instead of brushes to apply foundation. Their shape and texture allows for a soft, airbrush application. However, not all sponges are alike. Depending on the material and quality of product, application results will vary. My top 3 picks are: Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, Graftobian GalmourGrip, and any generic brand of latex free beauty wedges. The trick is to soak each one completely in water, squeeze out the access, then use a bouncing motion when applying foundation. This is what creates that airbrush like look on the face. You can find a more detailed description of my favorite one on my essentials page. Crown Brush Metal Eyelash Definer Not only do well groomed brows make a difference in the face, but well separated lashes do too. This comb will help you avoid falling culprit of the "spider lashes"- thick, clumped together lashes caused by too much mascara and not enough separating. This is often a tool I see missing, if not absolutely clueless about, in a makeup kit. Crown Brush IB113 Taklon Angle Liner This brush can be used with gel, pencil, and even eyeshadow to create a defined line on the eyelid. With gel liner, you dip the brush in the product and apply. With pencil liner, you can use the brush to buff out the pencil to create a softer line. When applying eyeshadow with this brush, it creates a soft and subtle line on the lid for those days you want to go lighter on the eye. Quick tip: to darken and hold any pencil or gel liner in place, apply a matte shadow in the same color as eyeliner and your liner will stay in place all day- a great way to make any eyeliner waterproof! My hopes for this post was to show how it's possible to own great brushes at great prices to get the most out of your makeup. Although this list may be a bit long, each brush is very beneficial in an everyday makeup routine and will quickly become must haves you can't live without!
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When I'm not spending way too much time getting ready or drooling over the newest beauty product, I'm a stay at home mom of a rambunctious 4 year old boy, a sweet baby girl we lovingly call "sissy", and a wife to my high school sweetheart. Archives
August 2014
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