Q&A: Should I put foundation down my neck as well as on my face?

Today's Q&A received from a Facebook fan:

Q: "Should you put foundation all over your neck as well?"

A: In my opinion, only in certain situations:

1. If your face and your neck are naturally very different colors. In some cases, fake tan can help here better than foundation though. Dusting on a bit of bronzer on your neck with a fluffy brush is also an option if your neck is a lot lighter than your face.
2. If you are wearing something with an exposed neckline and you tend to get red/blotchy in that area (like me). Just be sure to use a transfer-resistant formula so it doesn't get on your clothes.

Otherwise, your foundation should be a good enough match that it's not necessary to carry it down your neck. Foundation should be tested on your jawline to make sure it matches both areas fairly well, and blended well around the jawline so you don't have the dreaded "foundation mask". 

Hope that helps and I'd be happy to go shopping with any of my local clients if you're having trouble matching! I totally don't trust the sales clerks since they've sold me the wrong color SO many times. I don't sell makeup, so I have no incentive to give anything other than an honest opinion. :)

New Series Idea: New Ways to Use Stuff You Probably Already Have

Ever feel like this is your life?

I know none of us have unlimited funds with which to feed our beauty obsessions, so I'm a big fan of multi-tasking products. Many major cosmetics lines have products specifically labeled as multi-tasking, but you really can take any product you already have and probably use it in new ways.

With that in mind, I'm planning on writing a new series of tips and tricks showing new ways to use products you probably already have, so that you can get the most out of each beauty dollar you spend!

If you have products in particular that you want to get more use out of, let me know in the comments anytime and I'll be sure to work them in.

Just a sneak peek at some of the topics:

• You can also do WHAT with lube?
• Eyeshadow, not just for eyes anymore
• Frankenpolish - it lives!
• Take a powder - and do this with it
• Brows on budget

Stay tuned and hope you enjoy!

Know your Eye Shape

Seems like a simple thing, but knowing your eye shape can make all the difference in crafting a flattering look versus one that's just meh.

Reblogged from: http://www.beautylish.com/a/vcacj/whats-your-eye-shape

Eye Shapes

Determining your natural eye shape is just as important as finding the most flattering colors for your lids. Knowing how to apply eye shadow and liner will help you better translate trends and techniques to fit your face. We turned to makeup guru Jeffrey Paul (who has worked with Christina Applegate and Zooey Deschanel) to discover tricks for each specific eye shape—so you can make the most of your peepers!


Read more...

Some great tutorials on eye shape:

http://www.youtube.com/user/pixiwoo/videos?query=hooded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks95VNxckAo&feature=plcp

Matte Blushes to Try

I don't know about you, but I'm usually shiny enough in the summer that I don't want to add anything else shimmery on my face - bring on the matte blush (and bronzer). Matte blush is great for warm weather when you may be already looking a bit *dewy*, or for anyone with any skin issues like acne or large pores, because shimmer accentuates these problems.

Reblogged from Temptalia, here are some Matte Blushes to Try this season:

5 Fantastic Matte Blushes to Try

I’ve had several requests to share some more matte finishes in the 5 Ways posts, so I thought blushes might be a nice way to go!

1. Tarte Blissful — vibrant coral
2. NARS Exhibit A — rich orange
3. MAC Mocha — dirty plum pink
4. Tarte Exposed — neutral beige with pink undertones
5. Burberry Tangerine — neutral brown-tangerine

16 Ways to Look Younger With Makeup

With the right tricks, turning back the clock can be as simple as opening your makeup bag.

http://www.allure.com/makeup-looks/anti-aging-makeup/2012/16-anti-aging-makeup-tricks#slide=1

The Truth About Cleaning Your Makeup

As I learn to be a professional makeup artist, I'm learning a lot about sanitation and cross-contamination that never really occurred to me when I was the only one using my makeup. I use 90%+ rubbing alcohol, which is hospital grade, to sanitize my makeup, my brushes (don't forget the handles!), my work area. Dries superfast, and even brushes that have been swirled in it are ready to go again in mere minutes. There are other products out there, but this one is really super affordable and gets the job done. Just don't ever spray where you can get it in your, or your client's, eyes or face. It burns!!!

Tips to make this DIY technique work well:

1. Get a misting bottle that produces a very fine mist
2. Use just one spritz on your makeup and don't saturate it
3. Wait 10 seconds for the alcohol to do its job before closing compacts or you could have condensation (which is bad for makeup).
4. If you are sanitizing a surface, wait 10 seconds and then wipe down with a soft paper towel.
5. Make your own sanitizing wipes by spritzing a tissue or paper towel or cotton pad with the alcohol and using it to wipe off compacts, lipsticks, pencil tips, etc. You don't need to buy a special product for this.

Below reblogged from: http://www.beautylish.com/a/vcgrv/the-truth-about-cleaning-your-makeup

Ever wondered why your skin is breaking out or why you have a cold sore? It could be your makeup! Dirty products (not just brushes) can cause a whole heap of skin problems and disease such as blemishes, conjunctivitis, and even cold sores! "When you think about it, you wouldn't use the same fork all week without washing it, would you? The same thing goes with your makeup," says founder of Beauty So Clean, Nancy Crossley. Nancy began Beauty So Clean after years of working as a makeup artist and noticing that there were no quick, easy ways to sanitize beauty products and brushes while on the job.

"Cleaning all of your products after every use is essential, especially those that are near your mouth and eyes, and those that you use regularly,” says Nancy. "Mascara, eye liner, and eye shadow can all transfer disease such as conjunctivitis, and lipstick and gloss can carry around old food remnants—and who wants a bout of E. coli on their lips?" It's also important to keep everyday beauty must-haves such as foundation clean, too. "If you're applying foundation—or any product—with your fingers, wash your hands before and after use" explains Nancy. "These products spread bacteria like crazy, and are often the biggest cause of acne!" Regularly cleaning your products also increases their lifespan. "By ensuring that no nasty bacteria is eating away at your favorite lipstick, it will definitely last longer," explains Nancy.

Q&A: Defeating mascara smudges

doh!

Question of the Day: "What can I do to stop my mascara from smudging, especially under my eyes?"


There are several techniques you can use to keep your mascara from straying during the day. Hopefully one or more of these will do the trick!

1. Use an oil-free moisturizer/eye cream under your eyes. Oil breaks down even the most tenacious mascaras, so the less chance it has to come in contact with oil, the better chance of it staying put. 
2. Use your eyeshadow primer all over your lids AND underneath on your lower lashline. It's designed to keep your eye makeup from wandering or creasing and will help control oil if your skin is oily.
3. Lightly dust your lashes with translucent powder before applying mascara. This will not only thicken them and give you more lash volume, but will make the mascara clingier and less likely to run.
4. Be sure to set your foundation and concealer well with that same translucent powder. Many foundations and concealers contain moisturizing elements which are a bane to mascara. Setting both will keep any contact between those elements to a minimum. For a great tutorial on how to set your foundation, click here- surprise: it doesn't involve using a powder brush until the very end!
5. Use waterproof mascara. This sounds like a no-brainer, but using a "stronger" mascara will help it stay longer and will make it less likely to budge.

Do you have any other tricks that work for you? Leave them in the comments below!

Makeup Quick Tip: Concealer

I cannot get over how educational this video tutorial from one of my favorite gurus on YouTube is:


5 ways to apply concealer - Wayne Goss


As Wayne says, when done correctly, concealer is a wonderful thing. When done wrong, it's worse than not having done anything at all. The video above should help make sure that we're all good examples and not dire warnings :)