hmm, this thread just made me realize that i can't remember the last time i saw my mac clear lipglass..or another lipglass (i think the color was called spite) one i have. i should probably go look for them :)

Haha, Kate. Lip glass is my absolute favorite. I am not sure what I would do without them. I use Mac for most of my make up. I love their selection of eye shadows!!! As for mascara, I am using Mabeline, and it works pretty well.

Ahhhh I missed this thread! :o

I gotta put my vote in for MAC (yes I am a Mac Momma). Like some of my fellow black women, finding a good foundation is hard to find and I fell in love with MAC. My wedding day makeup was done by a MAC artist using all MAC products

I've always been a Clinique user, just because I used to always go to the Clinique counters as a kid with my mom... and just kept using the brand when I got older... use it for foundation, powder, Really Black eyeliner, and lip gloss... though I also like Sephora for lip glosses... and I'm going to start buying eyeshadow from there soon.

Chanel has great Lip Gloss, as does MAC. Also (don't laugh) I like the Hillary Duff lipgloss that you can get at Limited Too...someone gave it to me. Bloom has good lipgloss as well.

Mascara - Loreal Voluminous, Prescriptives False Eyelashes, and Lancome

Also Bibo cosmetics are a reletively new line that I like.

Have any of you tried Duwop's Lip Venom? It's supposed to make your lips look very pouty by increasing the blood circulation in your lips. My friend got it for Christmas and won't stop yakking about it.

Also, I got a jar of Cream de la Mar about a month ago. (It was a hefty investment, $150) but I love it!! I think everyone needs to try it!

I am such a sucker when it comes to make-up. I'm the girl that make-up counter people love! If you can make it look good on me, I'll buy it, and whatever you say that will look good with it, I'll buy that too. If they tell me a certain eyeshadow will look good with this eyeliner or a foundation with that powder i'm hooked. and show me almost any lipgloss and I'm sold. I don't like lipstick to much. (and Mr.PH doesn't like it at all)

And my make-up drawer seems to go through trends. Its been Clinique for the longest time, then MAC, then Benefit, then Lancome, now its back to Clinique.

But I'm so dumb, when I am in one of my trends I'll have almost everything from the same counter. Like right now, for example, I have my conclear, foundation, blush, and powder all from Clinique. Oh well, at least people can make money off me ;)

I really like Benefit's Make-up Remover. It can work as brush cleaner too! Its gentle on the eyes, which is very nice and it has lasted me for a really long time. I have had it for over a year.

a lot of my sisters are MAC freaks. They compete with each other to see who has the most stuff, or 'cooler' shades. It works out well for me though, because they all want to try their stuff out on me. For some reason we have a lot of old make-up counter employees in our chapter. hee hee

I have another question - hahhaa.

So I bought the foundation brush to apply my foundation, but how to I get it from the bottle to the brush - and how much do I use? I tried doing it, but it didn't turn out the way the girl did it in the store.

I watched stripped this weekend, and they were discussing makeup removers......it also stated that Clinique is owned by L'oreal. does anyone know of anyother conglomerates that own more than one brand?

Apply dabs of foundation on your face with your finger (make sure your hands are clean) and brush it on with the brush. Makeup brushes are great...suing a sponge gets most of the makeup on the sponge & not on your face--it wastes makeup. Anyhow, start with using a small amount, and if you don't like the amount of coverage, add more. Have fun!

Actually Clinique is owned by Estee Lauder...EL also owns MAC, Origins, Bobbi Brown, Jane, Prescriptives and Jo Malone.

Cosmair owns Lancome, L'Oreal, and Maybelline.

Proctor & Gamble owns Max Factor and Cover Girl.

Revlon owns Almay and Ultima II.

Using the Foundation Brush
 

I was taught (by the lady at the Perscriptives counter) to use the foundation brush as follows.

Pour a dab of foundation on the back of your hand (using it like a painter's palette) - grab the brush with your free hand and dab it into the foundation and apply. Repeat if you need to apply more foundation.

This is easy and works for me.

I may try hottytoddy's method and see which one I like better.



:cool:

I always do my foundation with my hands...most of the time I also blend it with a thin layer of moisturizer and it's easier to rub in.

I have actually been doing this a lot lately too. I used to always use a brush..and I started out doing it the way honeykiss did. But I think sometimes I just get lazy. I don't feel like taking the time to wash my brush so I just use my fingers. It's the next best thing.

yay make-up! glad to know i'm not the only junkie.

well, before this christmas i too was a MAC addict. i LOVE their eyeshadow, and the lipglass is my can't live without product.
i'm also a fan of stila, benefit, urban decay, rocket city, too faced, and anna sui for when i'm going out. actually, i love sephora, and will wear pretty much ANYTHING in there. i love that place.

but as of this christmas, my godmother bought me some elizabeth arden make-up that i've found goes on BETTER than the MAC stuff i have. i'm loving the stuff.

so, for me...this is my everyday make-up:

foundation- clinique or if my skin is clear enough benefit's "you rebel"

mascara- anna sui, or if i'm at home it'll be the good ol' maybelline in the pink/green bottle!

eyeliner- urban decay, or sephora (if i'm going out it'll be rocket city or urban decay's glitter stuff)

eyeshadow- MAC, but right now it's definately elizabeth arden

blush- too faced has this creme blush w/ real rose petals in it that i LOVE, but when i don't wanna use that it's MAC

lips- i have naturally full lips so i rarely wear lipstick...if i do it's MAC. lip gloss is my friend and i wear anything shiny. shimmery or glittery stuff from urban decay/too faced/stila is fun for going out.

when i'm doing a performance i'm a fan of the CVS brands like Jane, NYC, and wet & wild so i can pile it on and not feel like i'm wasting anything

also- one of my sisters SWEARS by NARS. i thought it was MAC at first...she always looks good so i can't say anything bad about the stuff.

cleansers- i love me my neutrogena. ponds cold cream, takes off EVERYTHING and leaves your skin soft. baby wipes were my high school gym class staple for make-up mess.

hi my name is sarah and i'm a make-up junkie.

Mac Mommas of the world unite!!!!!!! :D :D :D I went to the MAC store last night and purchased some more foundation, the clear lipglass and Nymphette lipglass, which goes well with just about any color lip pencil. Next month, I will purchase the Russian Red lip lacquer. When you put Nymphette on top of the Russian Red, it looks sooo good! :D

This thread has made me decide to go to a counter this weekend and get a complete makeover. Man, I wish some of you ladies lived close so you could show me how to do it all!

LOL @ MAC Momma. Right now, I'm only using MAC mascara, which I actually bought at my favorite jobber in Costa Mesa, Calif. I've also used MAC lipstick, Lipglass (both in purplish shades) and nail polish (a hot pink,LOL).

As for me, I use Prescriptives Traceless as my foundation, Level 3 (I'm a light-skinned African American). It is more of a tinted moisturizer and stays on OK.
Powder: Sephora translucent, which is no longer made. :mad: I don't know what I'm going to do when it runs out. I may have to break down and spend money for a Prescriptives custom-blend.
Eyebrow pencil: Prescriptives Soft Black. I just got my brows threaded last night, so I'm laying off the pencil.
Eyeshadow: Stila. I switch between Sun, Jezebel (a copper color) and Twig (dark brown).
Eyeliner pencil: L'Oreal. Either dark brown or gold for the Sun shadow.
Blush: Prescriptives. I usually use a dusty rose color.
Lip liner: Prescriptives. Today, I have wine. Also aubergine, so brown, fudge and cafe.
Lipstick: Varies. Prescriptives, Clinique, Club Monaco. Today, I'm wearing a raspberry lipstick from Clinique.
Lip gloss: Bobbi Brown. Today, I have black cherry tint. I also have tea rose tint and maple tint.
:)

OK I'm gonna kinda hijack the thread here...

I don't really wear makeup very often, pretty much only when I'm going out, and I hardly wear it then. I have some Clinique stuff but I mostly just use drug store brands.

I want to go to a counter and have my makeup done because I pretty much have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to make up. While I wouldn't be opposed to buying a product or two there, I don't want to load up on makeup that I may not wear that much.

Is the counter lady going to pressure me to buy a bunch of stuff? I hate looking like a cheap wuss for not buying stuff but well, I am a cheap wuss. Also, does anyone have any suggestions about what I should buy (e.g. it's more important to have a good conceler than mascara or something like that)? Thanks gals!

When I was in high school, I used Estee Lauder because my mom bought it. When I was in college, I used Avon because I could afford it:p

Now that I'm a woman of means:rolleyes: (whatever), I still hit CVS for my Maybelline mascara. Can't beat the hot pick tube, and why spend 4x as much for something that doesn't work as well.

I've fallen in love with Sephora. I go in there and play for hours. And and Ulta store has opened up near my home. Not as many brands to play with as Sephora, but still fun. I HATE beauty counters at department stores. I just want to shop and try stuff out and not have to ask for help. That's just me.

I recently tried Victoria's Secret Beauty. The lipstick and lip liner are great. I'm not a fan of the foundation, however. I mean, it's ok, but the colors don't work too well for me. I need to hit Sephoa and start shopping.

I use Mary Kay. I love it! It keeps my skin clear and stays on all day long. In the past year or so they have really changed their line. So for users who used it in the past...and didnt like it...try it again...it has many new products!! Also, I do not have to pay shipping from my Mary Kay rep!!

Some counterlady's are overzealous, but the majority that I have encountered are not. If she tries to get you to buy something that you don't want or need, simply say no. If she keeps at it, simply say thank you and walk away to the next counter.

The make-up I believe that you shoud invest in is your Foundation and Powder. These MUST match your skin tone and be appropriate for your skin type (oily, dry, combo.).

You could have the prettiest eyeshadow/liner/lipstick on, but if you foundation and powder are "off " (i.e. wearing shades that are lighter or darker than your actual skin tone), then it ruins everything.

For some women, this is all they wear with gloss or lipstick

Since you don't wear that much, unless your skin is oily, a creme to powder foundation or maybe just concealer and translucent powder may be what you need.

co-sign on HoneyKiss's post, with an addition: Sunscreen, ladies, sunscreen!! You're never too young to start thinking about skin care, and the biggest part of skin care is avoiding skin cancer!

Spoken by somebody who is almost a year from getting an "all clear" after getting skin cancer removed. It can happen to anyone!

Girls I found a new love! Its Clinique Superbalm - only its in Grape Tint. Its glossy - but not gummy, and its terrific for keeping your lips soft!!

I forgot to mention: I was playing around on ebay last night, and I saw name brand cosmetics at super deep discounts!! The Estee Lauder foundation that usually is around $24 was $2 or $3!!!

I've gone to Clinique and BeneFit counters (like 9 Clinique ones and 3 BeneFit ones) and I've never ever been pressured - I'd tell them what I liked, they'd make some suggestions, and I'd walk away with anything from a lipstick to a shopping bag full of stuff.

I think the most important thing to get that's "nice" is skin care and foundation products. A lot of times if I want to try a trendy new color I'll buy the Target version of it, then upgrade to the Clinique one if I like it - but I always want a nice foundation, blush, and bronzer.

And this is why my freckly Irish self wears makeup with SPF 15 in it. :D

Three times in a row in a makeup post
 

I can't stop myself in this thread! Anyway, I wear this in Mango Tint almost every day and I adore it. The best part is that it's SPF 15. :D

Got a question for you, and I hope it's not a stupid-sounding question: Is the smokey look still in?

When I wore makeup (1 day of the month, tops!) I could do my eyeshadows with the smokey look, but now I notice that it's the light on the lid and dark in the crease and lighter still just below the brow. I had to ask my cousin how to apply the stuff (she's 12 years younger than I am!) and she showed me. Then I went and spent about $5.00 on some shadows, experimented and still wasn't pleased. To my surprise, I lined my top lid (which I never did before) and was amazed at what a difference it makes! So now I line my lids then do the eyeshadows and it does look pretty good. But can I still do the smokey-look thing still?

(Sorry I wrote a novel - I've never known how to keep it short. . .) :rolleyes:

That would make two of us!

You only have to hear the words "You have a skin cancer" once before you swear off the sun for life! I just get mad at myself because I knew better - four generations of my family have had small to large to fatal skin cancers. The red hair should have been a giveaway, too.

Yep it still looks good, I'd do what you're doing and add a lil of the darker color in a triangle at the outer corner of your eye. Curl eyelashes and wear mascara (and maybe darken the color a lil) if you want to make it a nighttime look.
What you call smoky is really just eye contouring...you can do it with light lilac and darker purple....light silver and darker blue....in neutrals its a day thing....with "smoke" darker colors, its a night thing.
You're fine :D

I'm a Stila kinda guy.

-Rudey
--Ghey

I'd file Stila right there with the Juicy track suits and Sevens, buddy.

I don't know anything about it except it has vintage looking pictures.

-Rudey

It's perfectly good makeup, but everyone was so hyped up about it a year or 2 ago, just like Sevens.

I had to bump this thread back up! There are some wonderful products on here! I am an African-American woman also, and I have gone through some stuff looking for products and shades that compliment my skin tone. I wear everything from MAC to Wet-n-Wild. Here's the short list of what I wear:

Lips: I swear by MAC lipliner in Chesnut. This lipliner is heaven-sent! I also use Sebatian Trucco lipliner. Just like MAC, but slightly cheaper. I am into gloss now, so I wear MAC lipglass in Clear and Oh Baby. I also like lipglass in Nymphette. My favorite night look is lining my lips with the liner and filling in with the clear lipglass. Looks wonderful, gloss lasts for hours and my lips stay moisturized. Tonight, I bought 2 L'oreal lip glosses called Glam Shine-one in Diva and one in Prima Donna. They both have sheer coverage and they are very sparkly-great for a night out on the town!

I am also a lip balm junkie! What good is great lip color if your lips are jacked up? My favs right now are Carmex (in the squeeze tube), Lip Medex, Chapstick All Natural, Blistex and Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm. Yes...I carry all of these in my makeup bag!

Face: I use MAC Studio Fix in NW50. Awesome coverage! If I'm being cheap, I use Posner Pressed Powder in Golden Bronze. It took me forever to find a foundation, so I currently use Iman's foundation in a compact. It's ok, but I'm still on the lookout for something that doesn't feel so stiff going on my face. In the interim, I also use Posner's Compact Foundation in Golden Bronze. It actually covers better than the Iman.

I haven't found a blush that doesn't make me look like a clown yet.

Eyes: I wear either Prestige or Nat Robbins eyeliner in Black. I also use Cover Girl in Black with the smudge Tip. I wear Cover Girl eyeshadow when it moves me. I'm not really partial to any particular mascara.

I am starting to get more into makeup since I now find myself slightly on the other side of 30! :) Keep sharing your favorite products!

Just out of curiosity, for those of y'all who use eyelash curlers: Which do you prefer, the metal scissors-type one, or the new plastic one?

Has anyone tried the heated one yet? I just give mine a blast with my blow dryer first - seemed much less expensive!

What does everyone think of the new MAC products that smell like candy? I've only seen them in the stores, but haven't tried it yet. They've also relaunched their nail polish.

I am pretty much a die hard loyal clinque fan. there are a few things i will use otehr than clinque

Foundation: clinque super balance foundation ...
Powder: loose and pressed...definitely clinque

Eye shadows: clinque duo colors... i do love playing with different colors of shadows

Eye Liner: clinque
mascara... now this is where i love Loreal Voluminous

Lips: difintely clinque colors i love the chubby stick but i use avon lipsticks and clinques...love them!

cleanser: i have been using clinque 3 step since High school and other moisturizing items by them



perfume: estee lauder beautiful---first and foremost
Pleasures and tuscany
Victoria Secert" angel wings and rapture
Elizabeth Taylor: white diamonds
Red ( dont know who it is by)
Calvin Klein: eternity and escape