I need Make-Up Advice!!
 

I decided that I would begin the New Year with a make over (aka new make-up).

I used to use Clinque, but it never looked like I wanted it to. I then switched to Merle Norman, but that makes my face break out. Where do you suggest I go in the mall (Perscriptives, Clinque, Este Lauder, etc.)?

Sorry for the girly post, guys :)

I go with Merle Norman, but since that doesn't work for you, you might try MAC. A bit on the pricey side, but women who I know use that line say you get what you pay for.

Good luck!

--ADD
:D

Merle Norman is yucky. Unfortunately, that's about all the enlightenment I can give you...I'm never satisfied with the way my makeup looks, either. Half the time I don't wear foundation...I think it's better for your skin not to. However, I hear that M.A.C. is pretty good, at least according to my sister.

Can you buy MAC in department stores?

Yes, from what I've seen. There's a major MAC makeup counter in Saks, and in Dillard's down here. That availability is probably going to vary by store, region etc.

--add

Ironically, Mary Kay Cosmetics work well for me...

Many folks I know are selling it...

I have names if you want to peruse the website... And the costs aren't that bad. Besides, the representatives can have a makeover party for you and bring colors that best suit your complexion... And Mary Kay sells skin care products that might help you....

If you like a natural look, you might want to check out Bobbi Brown. I lovelovelove their tinted moisturizer, which looks more natural than regular foundation and has sunscreen. I also love the pink shimmerbrick and their concealer. I like Clinique, Estee Lauder and MAC for eyeshadow, MAC Mascara X and Chanel for lipstick, although right now Bobbi Brown Kir is my favorite -- it's a nice pink color.

They also sell MAC at Macys, well, at least at the ones on the West Coast so I assume that they sell it at all of them.

I love MAC, but lately I have been moving towards NARS makeup. It is very similar to MAC but not as heavy (MAC was created for entertainment makeup artists) but have virtually the same colors and products. They also sell NARS at Macys, Saks and I believe at Bloomingdales. Trish McEvoy is great too...I love her lip gloss palette...it is the size of a credit card literally and has 12 different colors!

My fave makeup brands are MAC and BeneFit. I also like Hard Candy and Too Faced but their stuff is really glittery and better for going out than for everyday use.

Ooooh, and Urban Decay has some awesome sparkly eye shadows -- cowboy and cowgirl are good colors.

I too am a MAC believer! The trick with MAC makeup is to go to the counter and have someone do your make-up. However, make sure it is someone who will do WHAT YOU WANT. I have a "MAC girl" now, I swear by her, for every occasion I explain what I'm going to, what look I'm going for and she is amazing. Sometimes if you go to their counter their associates tend to have very bold dramatic make-up and this can be disconcerting. I had gone to one girl previously who wanted to put me in royal blue eyeshadow. :rolleyes: :confused: As with any makeover the trick is to find someone who has their make-up like you would like your to look, since most people apply make-up on other people similarly (is this a word?!?!?) to how they apply it to themselves. But again, I swear by MAC makeup it really is wonderful and stays on ALL day.

Ok. I am a makeup "whore" in that I like different products from different lines.

The best foundation I have ever used is the matchstick by Prescriptives. I think they actually market it as a concealer. But, it is wonderful. It turns to a powder and hides any skintone probs you might have.

The best lipstick is a tie between Lorac (from Sephora.com) and Lipfinity by MaxFactor.

Eye shadow and blush are all about Estee Lauder for me. My grandmother always buys me the Estee Lauder makeup set they sell at Christmas. It lasts all year and has about 15 different colors of shadow and 3 types of blush. It also has mascara and some lipsticks. You might find them on sale for next to nothing now.
-- If not Estee, then I head to Wal Mart for the Rimmel cheap stuff. It is great compared to Loreal, etc.

For an actual concealer, if I look like death warmed over, is hands down Clinique conceler.

(Here's the caveat to the story... I have some of the oiliest skin on the planet and have to choose products that abide well with my skin type...)

Hmm first off figure out which foundation you should get. If you're African American or Latina, I would say check out Bobbi Brown or Iman. If you're Asian, try Shiseido. If you're caucasion with especially pink undertones, go with Estee Lauder. For all skin tones, Clinique is good for sensitive skin and lighter coverage, Lancome is great also, and MAC has heavier coverage. Be careful of the brands with more rich textures and scents- ie Chanel, Lancome, Estee Lauder- because those can irritate skin. I haven't tried Biotherm but I bet it's good.

Then eye products- for shadow, MAC is hands down the best. Mascara, go with Lancome or Clinique.

Cheeks, sparkles, fun stuff- Benefit is great, and their stuff is all packaged super cute.

Lipsticks- splurge a little here (lipstick is cheap enough that you can indulge a bit), so you can get more vibrant, long lasting colors. I would say MAC or Chanel, but all the brands have good lip colors.

If you sample a bit from each place, you can get a really good variety for not too expensive. And if this is all seeming too pricey, try splurging on foundation and some good classic eyeshadows, and one mascara and blush from a department store counter. Then, for trendy colors and fun stuff, head to the drug store.

Hope this helped...

Okay, the masses may hate me, but...

Almost any brand of make up is going to work IF you learn to apply it properly! That's one of the reasons that Mary Kay sells so much, because they really take the time to teach you properly.

I use a combination of Clinique & Estee Lauder (except mascara - I'm true-blue to Max Factor's Aqua Lash!). At least twice a year, I make an appointment to have my face done at the store, and see what the new trends are. It costs you nothing, and you'll learn so much! Ask a lot of questions, and memorize everything they do - exactly where are they put which shade of eyeshadow? Then, when you get home, practice on yourself. They have just spent about 20 minutes on your face; you see your face every day and know its good & bad points much better than they do. Get comfortable making up your face, and when you do, start asking for an "evening look" or a "summer look" or whatever.

It's all about YOU, not the product!!

Can anyone recommend a mascara that does not smear?? I have tried a bunch of different ones and they all end up smeared under my eyes. I don't put mascara on my bottom lashes, but I still end up looking like rocky raccoon after a few hours.

I am a loyal Mary Kay gal.

I work under hot lights all day and their stuff does not clog my pores, the masquera doesn't run, and with some of their eye creams (prior to eyeshadow) my make up looks as fresh at 9 pm as it did at 1 pm! My lipstick also stays on better and doesn't cake or crack my lips...especially if you put on this cream before you apply lipstick (stops some colors like reds from bleeding)....

Seriously! I love their products and am extreamly fond of their Velocity skin care. The facial cream is light-weight and doesn't make your face feel oily...and their facial scrubber is AWESOME. I DIE whenever I run out and haven't gotten my new order!

Seriously - try Mary Kay! I've tried the others and swear by Mary Kay now.

The aforementioned Max Factor Aqua Lash. I discovered it when I was a lifeguard, and have been loyal to it since! It comes in a lot of cool colors, including a new one: auburn. I haven't tried that yet, though. Just make sure it's the AQUA lash, as the packaging looks all the same!

Thanks, Honeychile. That definitely sounds worth looking for. I think the auburn sounds fabu!! I like the different colors - they show up better behind the ole glasses!

You're certainly welcome!

Since I have red hair, I'm tempted to try it. But, as my mama pointed out, the object is to make my eyelashes darker! Of course, she's also made me promise that, if I remarry, that I will get my eyelashes dyed!

I'm a big fan of Clinique for almost all products. And since I am procrastinating, I will give you a breakdown of what I do. (run far away boys, if you haven't already). I have combination skin that never breaks out unless reeeally stressed, if that helps.

Foundation: Clinique Almost Makeup, really sheer finish, has an SPF, and lasts forever

Bronzer: BeneFit Hula - it's fabulous on everyone

Blush: rarely wear due to my ruddy Irish cheeks, but I usually wear Clinique sheer double-pressed or something like that or BeneFit BeneTint

Lips: I hate lipstick, so it's either Clinique SuperBalm or BeneFit BeneTint, which is a great red wash

Mascara: hands down Clinique Naturally Glossy, I adore it

Brows: I use some sort of shaper from BeneFit, it's fabulous

Other products I love are Stila Lip Shine and BeneFit Oooh La Lift! to reduce under-eye circles from cramming/drinking/etc.

Here is my make up list since like GP, I'm procrastinating: :)

Foundation- Clinique, it never makes me break out
Powder- Clinique, not too heavy and I never break out from it
Blush- Clinique
Lips- Garden Botanika or Clinique
Eyeliner- Smashbox
Eyeshadow- MAC, they have so many great colors and the color stays on all day
Mascara- Christian Dior, it never smears

Most important:
Facial Cleanser- Shiseido (sp?), so gentle on my face and it works really well with my skin type

When I worked at Bloomingdale's, I knew all the cosmetics people so they were all 100% honest with me when it came to their products and what colors would look best on me. Also, I got my discount on the stuff. I don't know what I'll do when I run out since I don't have my Bloomie's discount anymore. :(

Please forgive me for hijacking this thread, but this info is what I need to know - what about makeup remover? When I put on eyeliner, mascara and eyeshadow, it doesn't come off easily. I've tried "homemade" suggestions such as baby oil/petroleum jelly but it stilll doesn't come off easily. Any suggestions?

BTW. . . I also like Mary Kay products, although I really don't wear a lot of makeup (usually on weekends only because I"m too lazy to put it on during the week!). I need another facial consultation because the last foundation I bought wasn't as close to my skin coloring as I would have liked - but of course, that was 3 years ago!

Honestly, Maybelline makes the best eye makeup remover. My eyeliner is waterproof and the stuff doesn't budge with normal facial cleanser. Plus, if you get a normal facial cleanser in your eye, it's really painful. I can't think of the name of the stuff but it's in a small plastic bottle. It's a really greasy formula but it works so well.

I have to add my endorsement for M.A.C. products--although I am having to watch the budget while I look for full time employment--I especially like the lip color b/c it has no taste at all (very important according to Mr. dzandiloo), and it lasts for.e.ver. And don't forget, once you collect 6 empty M.A.C. containers (of any kind), you can bring them back & get a free lipstick!

I also like M.A.C. eye colors-but recently found a grocery store brand (*GASP*) that has been giving them a run for their money (and it only costs $1.99 per tub-compare that to M.A.C. prices...). Its called "Jordana" and it's packaged in a M.A.C.-like fashion. I've only tried one color, but at that price, I think I will try out some other colors (and BTW-unlike most grocery store/drugstore make-ups, they have some cool, rich colors to choose from).

M.A.C. Studio Fix is the foundation for me, though. I have oily skin, so creme foundation is not acceptable. The studio fix is more like a powder, but with full coverage. I love it.

I admit, I like Avon Glimmersticks eye-liner....fun colors & stays on. Retractable pencil, so you don't have to deal with annoying eye pencil sharpeners.

Still haven't found a mascara or a blush that I love/can't live without. Will try some of the suggestions above.

Co-sign on this! I've tried dozens, but the Maybelline eye makeup remover in the PINK bottle is the best bang for your buck! And, for the safety of your eyes, don't use a tissue, use a soft paper towel or something else that doesn't "fluzz" when you use it. Those little bits of tissue can scratch your cornea overnight!

This might sound weird but I swear by baby wipes. I use them to remove all of my makeup and then I put a little eye makeup remover on them and use that to get my eye makeup off. They work sooooooo well and my skin is so clear and soft and wonderful!!!! :D

After I wake up a little more I will come back and post MY list of makeup, I love love love makeupn and I use all kinds...;)

I have a special eye makeup remover, I think it's called "Take the Day Off" - it's from Clinique and it's purple. Slap that on a cotton ball and I am good to go! :)

Wow! Thanks everyone for the responces. I went to the mall this morning to find M.A.C. Of coarse they don't have it here, but they do have it at the mall where I am from (but I am an hour away).

I then decided to go by Clarins. She put some stuff on me, but I just didn't like the lady too much. She was a bit older, and I kind of wanted a younger person to help me. I went to Este Lauder because my Grandmother gave me a huge box kit for Christmas from there. The girl who helped me was awesome and after doing my foundation, she showed me how to use the stuff in the kit I got for Christmas.

So I ended up buying their skin care gift set for $22 dollars or so. When I get more money I can go back and buy the full size skin care stuff. I also got a foundation brush, and some liquid foundation. I really like the way it looks. I guess all there is left now is to see if it makes me break out.

Thanks again! I will check out the M.A.C. products next time I go home.

PS - Oh, and y'all don't worry about hijacking the thread with your questions!! I don't care :)

I am a really big fan of Bobbi Brown and victoria secret has some really great eyeshadows and lipsticks.

Covergirl has an eyemake up remover that works really well. I don't know the name of it but it comes in a blue bottle. I love that stuff it gets even the smudge proof stuff off.

:)

LOL.

Am I the only one who shops at CVS for makeup??

I wear a lot of Avon because one of my mom's good friends is an "Avon lady". It used to be kind of the old lady brand but they have a lot of new, good colors.

I basically refuse to pay much for makeup... And not to sound stuck-up but I am really good with it so I can buy cheap stuff and work with it (assuming it's quality enough not to break me out or irritate me!).

When I lived at home and my mom was paying, I wore Lancome but now I wear Loreal foundation, Chanel lipstick (that I already had from before) or Revlon lipstick or Rosebud Salve (love it!). I wear whatever eyeshadow...it seems not to make a difference as long as you prime your lids to hold it. I like the Lancome Definicils mascara but now I am using the tried-and-true pink and green tube! Not so bad. I naturally blush, so I don't use any. I can't wait until I can afford to go back to my usual makeup!

Word to this.
Once you have a good set of brushes and know how to use them you can buy that cheap $.99 make-up from Wal-Mart and do a good make-up job on your face. How well it stays around I don't know. But, it is true with the proper know how you can really use any type of make up and look wonderful.

Try Mary Kay or go to www.gardenbotanika.com. Garden Botanika is awesome because they use all natural products in their makeup. It's the best stuff.

Sorry this is long as a book!!!
 

LOL, as a former Mary Kay Consultant, I would say that is somewhat true. Mary Kay is a great brand, especially the foundation and foundation powder! Ladies can't resist when you put the stuff on them! They atleast have to take a sample home and when the sample runs out...I would get a phone call :)

Ladies!! I know this is weird...especially since most you ya'll are probably young. But, invest in good skin care. Cleanser/Exfoliate, Moisturizer, and Sunscreen. Since I have sensitive skin, I use Origins. I love everything they have, but my all time fave is the Comforting Solution Sensitive Skin Soother. And it wouldn't hurt if you started using eye cream. If you start now, you'll thank yourself in the long run. And drink lot of water....okay now I sound like a charm school headmistress now.

As a self-proclaimed Make-up junkie and future make-up artist (I hope). I use everything from Loreal to Nars. Right now, I'm really into Make Up For Ever, Prescriptives, and O Hui (a REAL expensive Korean make-up brand). I think I will always love Clinique and the Body Shop, my first brands.

Hmmm, I guess I could make some suggestions cause I love this kind of stuff!! :

For Mascara: Prescriptives' False Eyelashes Plush Mascara. I love the stuff. If I could, I would buy it in bulk! But a cheaper alternative is Clinque's Lash Doubling Mascara. Or even yet, go for the hot pink tube by Maybelline.

For Foundation: I guess the best all-rounded foundation has to go to Mary Kay's Medium coverage liquid foundation. Once you try it, I swear you'll be hooked. Another good one to try is Nars Oil Free, my roomie swears by the stuff.

Powder: Bobbi Brown's Face Powder, great for setting foundation.

Bronzer: M.A.C's Iridescent Powder in Golden Bronze. When I use it, I look like I just got back from the islands.

Blush: Clinique's Soft Pressed Powder (I use Plum Gorgeous) It's goes on soft and it intensifies when you add more. It also lasts all day long.

Lip Gloss: M.A.C's lip glass. OMG, addicted to it. I love the color named 'Nico'. Make Up For Ever's Super Lip Gloss (shade 01), it's a pinkish brown.

Eyeliner: I use Loreal's Soft Effects Eyeshadow in Raven as eyeliner. I just use an eyeliner brush...it's better than dragging a pencil across my eye.

Okay, I'm done. I promise :) Sorry

Is the Bobbie Brown powder better than Estee Lauder' Lucidity? Lucidity has some sort of little reflector type thingies in it (I know how to wear makeup, not make it! :) ) that make lights kinder to your skin - supposedly. I just know that I feel "finished" with it on, and not quite when I don't use it.

LOL, I have Clinique's Gentle Light Loose Powder and it has light reflecting specs in it as well. I wore it this Summer, with the Foundation. I think the little light thingys make the skin look radiant and beautiful. But I'm just not lucky enough to pull it off in the winter :)

as for better...naw, probably not. Estee Lauder is some good stuff as well! I just made note of products I really loved.

I probably shouldn't admit this, but I read about Lucidity in one of Sidney Biddle Barrows (the Mayflower Madam)'s books. I thought, if a high priced hooker thinks it's an asset, it's worth a try!

And I got hooked - no pun intended!!! ;)

I am pissed that I was out of town during this thread. I am a makeup artist! Taken classes & everything!

I will try to make this short.

OK--There isn't just one great type of makeup or anything. You first need to evaluate your skin. Most makeup lines have different kinds of foundation for different types of skin.

Foundation - Prescriptives has an excellent line of foundation. No matter what kind of coverage you want they all feel light on your skin. If you want to spend less $$ Neutrogena also has a good line of foundadtion.

Concealer - again prescriptives.

Powder - I like Lancome for this. I have also found that MAC is great.

Blush - MAC has a great selection of colors. Also NARS has has great colors and they stay on great. If you aren't looking for a whole lot of cheek color then try Benetint by Benefit.

Eyeshadow/eyecolor- Mac (except for the creme shadows), Laura Mercier, Nars, Chanel, Clinique

for Blue eyes - use pinks and oranges/peach. Doesn't mean you have to use bright orange or anything just something with that pigment

Green eyes - Purples

Brown - golds

Eyeliner - Prescriptives, Revlon, and Givenchy liquid eyeliner. I also use dark shadows with liner brushes most of the time


Makeup Brushes . Mac has great brushes, and they are less expensive then others. Prescriptives has great brushes.


Books - Kevyn Aucion's Making Faces and Face Forward. Also there is a book that they have NARS counter..not sure if you can buy it though..

Mainly they're all made by CosmoLab. MAC is owned by Estee Lauder. Loreal is owned by Lancome I think...yada yada..They're mainly all the same..you just need to play with it and learn what looks best on you.


I could go into detail about how to highlight & countour...yada. And smokey looks.

i'll try and keep this short, but heres what i use

foundation- i dont use foundation becuase it makes my skin breakout and look really bad overall, so instead i use revlon skinlights face illuminator

concealer- stila

loose powder- estee lauder so ingenious multi-dimension loose powder. i think it looks great.

blush- MAC. i have a matte blush and a shimmery blush. i layer or alternate depending on the time of day/season/etc

eye shadow- i use either MAC, stila, estee lauder, or sephora. personally, i think sephora and stila are the best.

eye liner- i dont use, you'd have to ask other people

mascara- i use maybelline or maxfactor... i like maybellines lash extension (the one that curls your lashes), but i dont like how it doesnt come in water proof. and i always curl my lashes... i think it makes you look more awake...

lipstick- i dont use lipstick... but i use a lip liner as a base and i layer a gloss on top. i use lip liner from the body shop to outline and fill in the lip, and then i put MAC lipglass on top. i blot that off, then put philosophy lip balm on top of it and out the door i go.


i have a TON of makeup (like, a full drawer in my dresser) that i switch off depending on my mood, the season, where im going, etc etc etc... but thats what i use now :) i find it best to find a line that works best for me and then get several different colors in that brand/line.

eta: oh, and make sure that you get a good set of brushes and such. they really can help make your make up look better...

Here are my favs. As a women of color, I have pretty much tried tons of stuff, but I find that I am most satisfied with Lancome.

Foundation/Pressed Powder: I have tried everything under the sun (I'm African American and it is EXTREMELY hard to find a foundation/powder to match me) and I keep coming back home to Lacome. It is by far the BEST! I love both the Adaptive and Photogenic foundation and I the Dual Finish powder.

M.A.C. comes in second for their range of colors and formulas. This is THE ONLY thing I like about MAC. I think the rest of their stuff comes in colors that are too "teeny" (sparky blue, white, pink, orange shadows and lipsticks) for me.

Eyeshadow: Again, Lancome is my favorite. The colors are SO sheer! In second, are Revlon's new color palette.

Mascara: The new Dramatic mascara by Clinique is GREAT! If you have no lashes, buy this and an eyelash curler and honey WATCH OUT!!! I have had people ask me if my lashes were fake because they looked THAT full and long. :D

Blush: I don't wear it that much, but the one I do have is Lacome's Blush subtil. It is a powder and goes on very sheer.

Lipstick: Lacome, Max Factor's Lipfinity, Perscriptives. This item has been discontinued, but I absolutely LOVED Mary Kay's Lip Laquer!! Whomever got rid of that needs to be caned! :mad:

Brushes: I use Perscriptives Foundation brush to apply my foundation and I use a set of Estee Lauder brushes (powder, blush, eye shadow).