Personal Make Up Kit Essentials Part 2

Welcome back for the second and final video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOuEobG3nVE) on what I suggest to have in your basic personal make up kit.  Hopefully these have been helpful to some of you.
The battery operated trimmer is called a Lumina and I use that in place of tweezers a lot of the time.  I'm not fond of tweezing and I know some of you probably aren't either.  The only "down" side to using the trimmer instead is the fact that the hair does grow back a little quicker but that doesn't bother me.  You can get the Lumina at Walmart and some drug stores or you can order it here:http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/finishing_touch_trimmer.html.  This site is pretty expensive and you have to pay a hefty shipping charge so I don't recommend getting it there.  I only paid $7.99 for mine in the store.
The next item I suggest is a good face primer to go on under your foundation or even to wear alone to mattify the skin to keep down shine and it will also fill in any large pores, fine lines and the like.  I have tried Hard Candy's primer called Sheer Envy (sold at Walmart for $8).  I'm not particularly fond of it because I have a lot to fill in...ahem.  But if you have particularly good skin you could use it.  I've also tried Smashbox's primer called Photo Finish.  It's quite a bit more expensive but very much like the one from Hard Candy.   I currently use Loreal's Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base and LOVE IT.  Controls shine for me all day, keeps my make up in place a lot longer than just on it's own and it fills in the fine lines and my large pores.  It's $10.99 at Walmart.  (I did a review on this in a past blog)  The Motives brand primer (Invisi-Line) I talk about in the video is somewhat like the Hard Candy and Smashbox primers but a little thicker.  I would recommend this for someone who doesn't need the mattifying feature (you have dry skin) because it's a good primer but doesn't control shine.  I'm going to do a review on the products I've tried by Motives so far.  I have four.
The next thing I recommend is an eye primer.  And that is a primer to keep your eyeshadows from creasing, fading and causes them to go on more vibrantly.  The one I showed you in the video is Urban Decay's Primer Potion in the color Eden which is just a flesh color and is matte.  They have a shimmery pink color one called Sin.  They are $18 for a small and $23 for the large at www.sephora.com.  It's a decent primer, I prefer Mac's paint pots as a primer however.  They come in many colors and do a better job of covering the lid and giving your shadows a place to stick to. They are $16.50 at the Mac store and website ( http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/154/1573/Paint-Pot/index.tmpl) There are also some less expensive alternatives.  Palladio (sold at Ulta and online) sells a decent primer and it's $7.99 at http://search.ulta.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1-5&lbc=ulta&ts=custom&w=*&uid=214136460&method=and&af=brand:palladio&isort=date&view=grid&srt=12.  NYX brand (also sold at Ulta and online and some drugstores like Walgreens) has one but I don't recommend that one.  A primer is a great addition to your kit even if you don't want to wear eye shadows really.  You can put on a wash of your primer and one shadow on the lid and be done with it for a neutral day time look.
This is something that helps keep your make up on your face longer and can be used to apply your shadows wet.  It's a make up setting spray.  The two I mentioned in the video are Make Up Forever Mist and Fix that can be purchased at Sephora (http://www.sephora.com/search/search_results.jhtml?command=text&attr1=mist+and+fix&attr2=&/com/sephora/search/endeca/ui/EndecaSearchFormHandler.search=search&_D:/com/sephora/search/endeca/ui/EndecaSearchFormHandler.search=+&maxRecords=18&recordOffset=0&seeAllCategory=false&searchString=mist+and+fix&x=0&y=0&_DARGS=/includes/searchFinder.jhtml).  The large bottle is $27 and the trial size is $7.  The second one was Mac's Fix Plus spray which is $19 on the Mac website as well as the store.  I like them both the same.  I also use those to apply eye shadows wet sometimes.  It helps keep your shadows in place better than just using water.  Do bear in mind that these sprays have a tendency to give a "sheen" to the skin and can cause a bit of a "plastic" effect in photos so if you are having portraits done I don't recommend using a setting spray.
The next two items are just very basic things you can pick up at Walmart or even a dollar store.  A non-latex make up sponge which usually comes in packs of 3+ and are disposable.  You'll want to use it maybe 3 times and then throw it away as they are VERY difficult to clean and bacteria can build up in the center of the sponge.  The next is a basic powder applicator that usually comes with pressed powder but you can buy them seperately.  They are great for patting your powder into your foundation as opposed to dusting it on and having it sit on top looking, well, powdery.  ;0)
Everyone needs something to define their eyebrows with.  Even if you have nice thick brows you will need to redefine them after applying foundation or tinted moisturizer or powder etc.  They tend to get "lost" and a bit covered during that process.  Brows frame the eyes and are VERY important to a nice polished look.  So even if you aren't going to wear much else, throwing on some mascara, lip tint of some sort, a little blush and defining your brows can really rev up your look with very little effort.  Powders look the most natural as pencils can tend to look "shiny" because of the wax in them.  However, if you have very sparse or patchy brows you will need to use a pencil first and a powder over top to set it and take the shine away.  I use NYC's Browser powder which comes with a wax to hold your brows in place if they are unruly and a small brush for putting it on.  I prefer a thinner angled brush so I use a different one but you may like the brush it comes with.  Very inexpensive at Walmart. I can't seem to find the price on the site but it runs between $3 and $5.  A brow pencil is also very inexpensive and can be purchased just about anywhere in the cosmetics department.  I am currently using one by Ardell that I bought at Sally's Beauty Supply for $3.99 here: http://www.sallybeauty.com/Brow-Pencil/ARDELL04,default,pd.html?cgid=Cosm&cm_vc=SEARCH
Next let's add some ever important mascara to our kit.  Each person has a certain type of mascara that they like.  Whether it be lengthening, thickening, curling and so on.  I have thin, short, straight lashes so I need one that does all three.  So...I use two.  Sorry, it's the way it is.  HA HA.  I use Loreal Panoramic Curl and Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black.  I also use Make Up Forever's Smokey Lash that can be purchased at www.sephora.com for $22.  A bit pricey but well worth the money!  My philosophy is the darker the mascara the better.  It really helps to bring definition and attention to the eyes.
Let's get into the brushes.  For the face I recommend some sort of foundation brush because it helps to get a more flawless application than the fingers and ensures an even coverage.  You can use a host of different things all the way from the traditional flat, taklon bristle brush to a stippling brush like I show you in the video.  A sponge, a blush brush, airbrushing, you name it.  BUT for the basic make up kit I recommend either the flat foundation brush or the stippling brush to get a good even and quick coverage.  You can get these in many many places but to save you time and money I will give you two brands that are very inexpensive and easy to find.  Eco Tools makes great brushes and you can get them at Target, CVS and Walgreens for sure and possibly Walmart.  Also Studio Tools are good brushes and can be found the same places.  One more is Sonia Kashuk that can be purchased at Target.  All great options and a lot less expensive than say Mac brushes.  However, I've not seen a stippling brush in any of those brands, thus the reason I bought mine at Mac.  You can however order a good and less expensive one from www.crownbrush.com.  Great brushes that lots of make up artists use.  If the eye shadow applicators work for you and you feel more comfortable, by all means use them.  I can't get the shading, blending etc I like with those so I use brushes on my eyes.  Some things you just can't do with those applicators such as getting a precise line under the eye or getting a good blend between colors etc.  You can get all the brushes I mention in the video by the same brands I named above for foundation brushes.  The fluffy blending brush to help blend between colors as well as lay down a wash of color over the entire lid.  A soft dome brush to place a darker color in the crease and outer corner of the eye but in a fairly large area.  A pencil brush to get in the small areas like darkening the outer V of your eye and running shadows underneath the eye, a flat eyeshadow brush for patting color on the moving lid.  A small smudger brush to do detail work.  A crease brush to go right into the crease of your eye to help contour and define.  A lip brush if you prefer putting on lipstick with a brush to help get a more precise shape.  Especially for dark and red colors.  The large eyeshadow brush is one of my favorites because I can use it for both patting color on the moving lid and blending larger areas of color.  A blush brush that is soft and fluffy yet compact.  An angled blush brush for contouring the face.  You can also use your stippling brush or your contour brush to apply your highlight to your cheeks etc if you want to do that.  A powder brush if you prefer to put powder on with that.  I prefer to pat powder on.
A good matte bronzer is essential for both bronzing and contouring the face and even the eyes.  Jemma Kidd makes a great one called Show Glow Bronzing Powder in Expose and it's sold at Target and costs between $18 and $22.  There's also a good one by NYC you can get at Walmart and drugstores etc called Sun 2 Sun bronzing powder.  It costs between $3 and $5 depending on where you get it.
A highlight powder helps to bring out your features and highlight things that may otherwise kind of "disappear".  It can give the illusion of having better cheekbones, fuller lips, a slimmer straighter nose etc.  I use Mac's Mineralized Skin Finish in  Soft and Gentle.  It costs $28 at Mac but there are MANY MANY others available that aren't as pricey.  (I got mine for Christmas ;0))  Here's what it looks like in the pan:http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/159/782/Mineralize-Skinfinish/index.tmpl.  You just want something with a nice shimmer that goes with your skin tone.
Blush is another thing that is great to have in your kit.  It puts color back into your face once you've created a blank canvas with foundation or powder etc and can also help the structure of your face appear "different".  A cream blush is best for those of you with especially dry skin.  You can get a mousse blush by Maybelline in their Dream Mousse collections at any drugstore.  NYC carries a good one in a stick form called a Blushable Creme Stick.  They come in several different colors and the formula is very nice.  Mac also makes cream blushes as does many many other cosmetics companies.  Powder blushes are a better choice for us oily skinned ladies.  For a low end brand I really like Loreal's powder blushes.  A high end brand that is great is, again, Mac.  I also love Chanel and Make Up Forever.  A "middle of the road" brand would be the Laura Gellar I showed you in the video.  Her's are "baked" blushes.
As far as eyeshadow's go it's really a preference as far as what you like and don't like.  Some people really like a lot of color like purples and blues and greens etc.  Others like to stick with the more neutral family.  Either way you go with it it's still a good idea to have one or two "base" colors that you can use with anything and to give you a nice blank canvas on your eye to work with.  You want to make sure you cancel out any redness and cover any veins etc that may be on your eyelids.  It also helps to blend your other shadows easier.  Choose a matte color that is close to your skin tone.  The one I show you in the video is Vintage Lace by Revlon and can be purchased at any drugstore/Walmart/Target etc.  I paid $3.99 for mine.  I use this as an all over wash before applying any other shadows but after my primer.
Also on the subject of eyeshadows, a lot of people like to just use a one color "wash" and throw on their mascara and be done.  Cream eyeshadows are good for that and come in a plethora of colors and finishes.  You can get matte, shimmer, satin finish which is nice.  Always remember this rule on your entire face:if you apply something wet or creamy ALWAYS top it off with a powder to set it and keep it in place.  A cream shadow is great but if you don't set it it will slide right off your eye within the hour.  So you can use a powder in the same color family or if you want to layer colors you can do that very easily.  Like using a black cream shadow and topping it off with a green powder or blue or silver etc to give a different effect.  Quick and pretty!  The one I am showing you is the NYX brand sold at Ulta and some CVS stores.  They are $5.99 and have a TON of pretty colors, they're called Jumbo Eye Pencils.  The one here is called Rust:http://www.nyxcosmetics.com/index.php?pf=JEP.
A GREAT investment that actually ends up saving you money as well as time is an eyeshadow palette of some sort. The one I am showing you in the video is by ELF (eyes, lips, face) and was $5 at Target at Christmas time.  You can order them on their site here:http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elf/eyes/eyeshadow/beauty_encyclopedia_basic_eye_edition.  Just be aware that you may run across a few of them that tend to be a bit more "chalky" and need to be worked with more to get them to go on and stay where you put them.  Another great place to get palettes that are inexpensive but good quality is http://www.coastalscents.com/cfwebstore/index.cfm.  They have tons of different kinds, color schemes, ones you can put together yourself etc.  They also have great brushes, face products etc and are super inexpensive.  LOVE IT!  What you want for a basic kit for every day is something that has a good array of neutral colors, some mattes, some satin finishes and maybe even a shimmer or two.  Remember to keep those satins and shimmers contained on the moving lid ladies! We don't want sparkle to the brow.  ;0)
And don't forget a good matte black eyeshadow for setting eyeliner, smoking out a look for evening, defining the lash line and crease for different looks and much more.  I use Carbon from Mac but NYX sells one just called Black that is just as good and a quarter of the cost.  (again, I got it for Christmas.  WOO HOO!)
A nice basic black and a basic brown eyeliner are essential to your kit.  They work wonders at defining the lash line or amping up a daytime look for the evening, for smudging them out etc.  I find that Loreal makes very nice retractable soft and smudge-able (in a good way) eyeliners called Pencil Perfect and the Lineur Intense pencils.  That way they aren't dry, hard pencils and you can't get the color to transfer to your eye without doing a science project to do so.  And again, remember your wet/dry rule!  I really enjoy gel liners but they are more difficult to work with if you're not used to it.
And finally, let's finish off the look with a nice nude lipstick in your shade.  If you are fairly light skinned you'll want to stick with one in the shade family that I show you in the video.  It's called Birthday Suit by NYX and is a great color for any look really.  You just want to find something that is 1 to 2 shades darker than your natural lip color and in the same color family as your natural lip color.  I also recommend a cream formula as opposed to a matte or a shimmer/shine/sparkle.  That way it's not dry and you can add a gloss if you want to add some shine.
Sorry about the end of the video being so abrupt..ahem.  I might have mentioned it's been very difficult for me to get anything filmed lately due to the work being done on one of our bathrooms among other things.  Hopefully the bathroom will be done this week and I can get back to my regularly scheduled filming!  If you have any questions, concerns, need help finding a color or brand or anything at all please don't hesitate to ask.  I have a special "from my heart" video coming up next that I really want all of your input on.  God bless you all and thanks for stopping by!