What Makeup Products Are Your Go-To's

I think I am going to have to make this an every 6 month post! My go-tos change all the time because new things are constantly coming out. When I started this blog 2 years ago I wrote a similar post called "What Makeup Products Do You Use" reading over it I used 80% Mary Kay and the rest were drug store brands! Oh how far I have come! I am excited to share with you my go-to favorites! 

- Primers - I am in love with the TooFaced Eyeshadow Insurance Glitter Glue Primer (left) for my eye shadow. However for an all over face primer I usually use Laura Geller Supercharged Spackle Primer because it is a more cost effective primer, but it is still effective.

- Foundation - Complexion Rescue from Bare Minerals (right)

- Eye Shadow - uh.... I use so many! Right now though I have been using a lot of purples and my favorite is the Japonesque Velvet Touch Eye Shadow Duo in Shade 6. It has a purple and light lilac (purple-ish pink) color (left). Both stay true to tone even when layered over brown. If I am going for a casual look, or if I am doing a smoky brown look I stick to the Tyra Beauty Eyes in a Stick in the shade Once You Go Brown. It is creamy and blend-able and makes getting a soft blended look easy and fast!

- Eye Liner - I have yet to find anything I like better than the Bare Minerals Lasting Line Eyeliners (left). I have been stuck on this stuff since June of 2014 and no matter what else I try I am still in love.

- Brow Pencil - Brow Power is my current favorite from It Cosmetics. It is easy to use in the shade Universal Taupe. Easy to blend and it always looks soft and natural. I am big on the fot and natural look though.

- Mascara - Smack My Fat Lash by Tyra Beauty (right), is hands down no competition. It has micro tubing technology and it lengthens thickens and stay put all day. No flaking, no clumping, I recommend it to everyone.


- Blush - Currently my favorite is actually Mary Kay's (not everything has changed since 2013!). They have a decent shade selection and all the colors apply really well without being to dark. I usually reach for the shade "Shy Blush". However I tried a new one yesterday, and it just may be a new go-to in my next "what I love" update ;)

- Contouring - The current front runners are the Tyra Beauty Sculpt and Light in a Stick products (left). These products are what made Tyra Banks (the CEO of the company) want to create a cosmetics line. She wanted something easy to use so even beginners could look amazing! I love them. However the new Lorac Contour Palette is hitting ULTA stores on the 28th and I am excited to see if it passes my current favorite up! 

- Lipstick - I am newly in love with Temptu lipsticks (right). I believe they are online only. I have struggled to find a lipstick that is "kissable". To me that mean you can kiss your honey and your lipstick wont end up on his face but will stay put. The only thing I have found close to that dries my lips out so bad! But then Temptu! I bought one to bring up my order total high enough to get free shipping with low expectations. I bought 5 more the day after it arrived. It's incredible. It doesn't dry me out, it stays all day, it isn't sticky, it feels like I'm not wearing anything at all! I highly recommend it!

- Setting Spray and Powder - Another Mary Kay favorite is the translucent setting powder (right)! I have tried many others that I like as much as Mary Kay's but they all cost $25+, compared to this one at only $16. It's kind of a hidden gem in my opinion! As far as a setting spray I am hooked on Tyra Beauty's Stick With Me Spritz (left). The only other one I like this much is $42 per bottle, and this one is only $26.

- Makeup Remover - Currently It's Mary Kays. I have been stuck on their since 2012! One day I went into a high end makeup store and decided to test out removers. I put 8 lines of my favorite eyeliner on my arm and wanted to see what remover would get rid of it best. The only one that did a good job at all was Bliss's Makeup Melt Down which I would say is very comparable to Mary Kay's, however Bliss's product costs $28 and Mary Kay's is $15. I am all about a bargain.

Well there you have it. Those are my current Go-To's. Did I miss something? Tell me in the comments section!

SHOPPING TIME!
Here are links to find every single one of these item online!
Too Faced Eyeshadow Insurance Glitter Glue

Laura Geller Spackle Supercharged Under Makeup Primer 
Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Foundation

Japonesque Velvet Touch Eye Shadow Duos

Tyra Beauty Eyes In A Stick
BareMinerals Lasting Line

It Cosmetics Brow Power

Tyra Beauty Smack My Fat Lash Mascara

Mary Kay Powder Blush

Tyra Beauty Sculpt & Light in a StickTemptu Color True Lipstick

Mary Kay Translucent Powder

Tyra Beauty Stick with me Spritz Setting Spray

Mary Kay Eye Makeup Remover

How Do I Reduce Skin Redness?

What I already knew about skin redness was pretty limited before getting this question. I basically knew that people who had red skin usually have sensitive skin, and even if they don't their skin is constantly irritated (even if they can't feel it). I also knew a little about how to cover up redness with makeup. But I decided to consult a skin expert just to be sure I am giving you the best advice possible!
I asked my amazing skin therapist what causes redness in the skin. She said it is often genetic and is caused by tons of different things. Some of the most common are consistent and regular slight temperature changes in the body, sensitivity of the skin, and consistent irritation. The reason many of us see redness around acne is actually because the acne irritates our skin causing that redness.

So what can we do about it? First you need to make sure you are using products that are good for sensitive skin and that have calming properties and ingredients. The Ultra Calming Line from Dermalogica is a great start.

However looking for certain ingredients is a great idea too. She said it is important to make sure that your skin care doesn't have a lot of alcohol in it. You should also watch out for tea tree or spearmint oils. However some of the ingredients you may want to look for are lavender (often seen as Lavandula on a label), or Willow Tree Bark (often seen as Salix). These two ingredients should not be used on their own. Getting a lavender essential oil and putting it directly on your skin would not be a good option, it is to strong. However adding a few drops of lavender essential oil to your makeup setting spray can help your spray calm your skin. You can also add a few drops to a small spray bottle full of water. This mixture will really help sooth your skin.

As far as a way to cover it up I love the Smashbox Color Correcting Primer (left). This primer is tinted green and while it goes on translucent it helps to hide the look of redness for those who have it. It also of course primes your makeup. If you have excessive redness and the primer isn't cutting it I am IN LOVE with the new Japonesque Color Correcting Crayons (right). Shade 2 (which has the green tint) is a heavy duty way of reducing redness and should be applied and only slightly blended into the skin before applying foundation. You may want to blend more once the foundation is over it. 

***Thanks to Jenn for asking this question***

REVIEW: Shill's Black Peel Off Mask

I don't think I have ever had so many requests for a single product like this! It was within one week that I got over 100 requests to try out this peel off mask. Have you heard of it? The Black Mask is by a company called Shills. They are based in Asia and have a few other skin care and cosmetic products. It has gone viral showing tons of videos of women trying it and seeing tons of blackheads and nasty stuff that was once in their pores now on the mask.

So before trying it I did what I normally do and consulted with a skin care professional. I talked to my skin therapist Ayla about the mask. She basically said that most blackhead strips and pore strips aren't effective at all. Your pores clog with oils and dead skin cells and the air dries out the top layer of it (closest to the opening of your pores) and the dried out dead part turns black, which is what we consider a black head. While the dried black crust that used to be at the opening of your pore is on your pore strip the pore is still full and soon the remaining gunk will dry out on top and create a new black layer.

She told me that she had seen commercials and youtube videos where the mask had been very effective. She basically told me that when I do my test what I need to look for is if the mask just has some whitish/black dots on it, or is it has full lines of sebum and dead skin cells, consistent to what you might see when you pop a black head (which she doesn't recommend doing by the way).

Biore Pore Strips are currently
the most used blackhead
extraction system

So then off to step two of my test. I looked for a place to buy it from. I looked at three sources. Amazon, Shill.com, and WISH. I actually bought two. Most of the people I have seen have purchased the item off of WISH, which is an app that usually has bargain items. I was worried that it would be fake or expired product. I bought from WISH ($6) and from Shills.com ($10). I have to say both products seemed to be the same. They looked, smelled and felt the same. You can also get a great deal on it at My Scheming UK where it is £5.00 or $6.26.

So step three was trying it out. I have fairly clear skin. I mean I am not acne free but in the way of black heads I only have a few. So I went ahead and did it on myself as well as my very cooperative husband (don't worry, I made him cookies in exchange). He has very large pores and constantly has blackheads.

We both used a high quality cleanser (Purity by Philosophy) and then proceeded to put a fairly thick layer of the mask on our skin. I did mine first, and honestly I didn't see much of a difference. I only counted 4 blackheads before I put on the mask and only one was gone, and I didn't see the long white tail (which is what the sebum and buildup look like) come out with it. However my skin felt soft and smooth.

Then my husband did his. It says on the directions to leave the mask on for 20-30 minutes. I left mine on for almost 30 minutes, he however took it off at 25 minutes. I did feel like he could have used a little more time, there were a few places where it hadn't dried all the way. Although it was 95% dried so I didn't feel like we had to try it again. I would say about 80% off his blackheads were gone. However it was just the top layer. I only saw 3 longer white trails.

me trying it out during
a lazy Sunday

Final Thoughts:
I don't think this mask works better than a Biore pore strip, however I don't think either of them work well at all for anything other than getting rid of the black crust, not actually cleaning out your pores. However it is a lot less painful to take off than the Biore Strips, and it is easier to use and more pleasant. It is also a lot less expensive.

So if you feel like you would want to keep using pore strips even if all they do is make your blackheads looks less gross (even though they aren't solving the real problem) then this might be a great alternative for you. Just make sure that after the mask or the pore strips you use a good moisturizer. Click here to pick up the Shill's Black Peel Off Mask at My Scheming UK

If you want to see my official product review for this mask click here

Let's Be Honest About Tyra Beauty Products

Tyra Banks. She is seriously one of my idols! So when I heard she was coming out with a fierce new direct sales company called Tyra Beauty I was SO excited! I signed up immediately and was chosen from thousands of applicants to be one of the first 200 representatives of the brand. Currently the situation is that they aren't doing a "full launch" where anyone can sign up and sale until the late fall. BUT if you'd like to sign up under a current rep (like me) you can start selling today! However I have to be honest about this companies products. After a lot of testing and debating I am ready to share my honest feelings.

I do not sell products I do not like. I don't believe in it. One of the reasons I gave up the freedom of working in an independent salon to work for a corporate one is because the salon I work at sells over 100 hair care brands alone, so I really get to pick and choose what I recommend and sell from the best! I used to sell Mary Kay. I still do technically however if someone asks to buy a Mary Kay eye shadow I say "You know I really don't recommend these. They aren't long lasting and are so expensive. I can hook you up if you really want one, but I a recommend ____ instead." I only sell the few things by them that I absolutely love! (if you haven't tried their eye makeup remover yet, you really should!)

Tyra Beauty has a few products that are truly amazing. One of my favorites is the revolutionary Sculpt & Light in a stick products. These products were made to create the perfect contoured cheekbone with little effort. You don't have to be a makeup artist or spend a lot of time in front of the mirror to use these products! They are creamy, blendable and one shade can give you tons of different looks!

However their cheek in a stick, not so much. It doesn't do anything for Caucasian skin. If you have darker skin it gives a light flushed look, but for fair skinned folks it does nothing. Then you have the Eyes In A Stick, which I love, but there are only 2 colors and I hate one of them. The Brown (Once You Go Brown) is amazing. It makes it easy to get a smoky look. But the Black/Gold (Blold) is a sparkly dark gray mess.

BUY IT HERE

So now for my next favorite product! Oops Liner. This stuff is revolutionary! You can see how it works in the chart to the left, and it seriously rocks. It does all it says it does. It is something that I feel like we will see several knock offs of in the near future. Unlike other "liquid liner removal pens" this remover is formulated specifically for the Oops Liners formula so it is more effective and easy to use. However I have a serious problem with their other eyeliner option. It is called Line 'Em. This Eyeliner has a black kohl liner on one side and a nude cream color on the other. Not only is this one not water, tear or smudge resistant at all, but the two formulas are of the same consistency, so they mix and create a dull gray mess.

What Lipstick

And their lipsticks... they are okay but they are just not worth the money. They have two kinds of lipsticks which each come in a pink and red shade. What Lipstick is supposed to be Matte, but it is more of a shiny and more-sheer color, and it comes in the shades Ask for A Raise (berry red) and Younger Man (nude rose). Then you have the Lip Model shades. These are super shiny metallic shades that in my opinion are just too much. I suppose if you like super outrageous makeup they are okay, but I don't. They come in the shades What It Takes (fuchsia with silver sparkles) and Hater Blocker (red with gold glitter). While these have fun names neither of the lipsticks are long lasting. You have to reapply at least once every two hours. And for $24+ I expect better.

Now for my last favorite two products! Smack My Fat Lash Mascara and Stick With Me Spritz. This mascara is amazing. Seriously. I have tested a lot of mascaras. This gives you volume without clump and length and curl and awesomeness. I am an addict. Anytime I test a new mascara now I am seriously hesitant and always disappointed. This stuff is AMAZING! Then you have their Stick With Me Spritz setting spray. I have been waiting for this product. It smells good, it hydrates, it is safe for sensitive skin, and it is effective. Most setting sprays either moisturize or set your makeup. They all say they do both, but they don't. This one does both for reals! I LOVE it!


EDIT: I also have to put this out there, because I want to support brands that do good in the world. Tyra Beauty was launched as a MLM. Tyra Bnks said she wanted to help women be empowered and earn income and be bosses, and take control of their life. She cited her mother's journey in an abusive relationship where she stayed for a long time because she couldn't afford to get out, and Tyra said she wanted to help women like her mother become independent. I was actually selected as one of the first 200 reps for this company, but left fairly early on as I was not a fan of the way the company was run, and I felt the products weren't worth their price points. However many women endured some of the bumps along the way and I always said "in 10 years, it'll be a great business to jump into I am sure". Well they announced the other day that they will no longer be doing direct sales and are closing the door on all of the women who have worked very hard to build this company up. They will continue selling and promoting the brand, but will no longer be an MLM. Tyra also imparted that she never wanted it to be Direct Sales in the first place (what happened to that vision you said you had, that dream?) and only did it because her business consultant said it would be more profitable. They spent MONTHS telling these women that nothing was going on, there was no consideration or talk of closing the doors to direct sales. They said that there was nothing to worry about DAYS before the press release that announced they were closing that door. They didn't tell a single one of their consultants BEFORE they told the world. Take it for what you will, but to me the integrity of a company matters.

Priming & Setting Your Makeup

This post is all about priming your look and setting it properly. There are a million ways to do this, but I am going to go over my opinion, products, and tips and trick on both!

Priming your face is important. It helps to keep your make in place all day, it creates a barrier between your skin and your makeup, and it smooths pores, fine lines and wrinkles to make your makeup application easier. There are tons of different primers. You can get primer water, which is a spray, but I really haven't found any I like and that I think work effectively. However there are 3 primers I do recommend for different skin problems.

1 - Smashbox  Photo Finish Light PrimerThis primer is oil free and was crested for those who have oily skin types and acne a prone skin. That is exactly who I recommend it for. 

2 - Laura Geller Spackle Supercharged PrimerThis primer is pretty much great for everyone else! If you have super sensitive or oily skin use the smashbox, otherwise this one is more affordable than other high end primers, it has the right amount of hydration and it works really well!

3 - TooFaced Glitter Glue Shadow Insurance PrimerSo this is one of several primers in the Shadow Insurance series by TooFaced. They are all amazing, however this one is the strongest and my go-to. It was designed to work with the fall-out prone glittery colors we all love and hate at the same time! It really does work. 

Setting the look is your last step to all-day-long makeup perfection. There are two ways to set your makeup. You can use a powder or a spray. I have my two favorites of course and I will go over the product I prefer for each and who should use what as well.


Setting Powder
Generally a setting powder is also known as a translucent powder, and is well translucent. Setting powder is an ideal method for someone who has oily skin. The powder will help to absorb some of those oils and can of course be used throughout the day to absorb away if needed. I am not a big fan of all Mary Kay products, however they have three products that are truly dynamite, and I love them and use them religiously. One of them is the Mary Kay Translucent Powder. It works just as well as any high end powder for a fraction of the cost. My next favorite is Bye Bye Pores from It Cosmetics, and that one is $8 more and not any better. I am all about budget makeup, as long as the item you are paying less for works really well! click here to learn more or buy it



Setting Spray
Setting Sprays are usually in a spray pump bottle and are used to hydrate your skin while setting your makeup. Finding a good setting spray can be tricky. You need to find one that does not have a high alcohol content, but smells okay without being full of fragrance. Most of them either hydrate, or set your makeup, or don't do either very well. Setting Sprays are best for people with dry skin. This is the one I love. It's the Stick With Me Spritz by Tyra Beauty. The botte is actually fairly large and it really works. You just have to spray it twice over your face (eyes closed!) in either a T or X shape. click here to learn more or buy it

So which one is more important? The way I see it is the primer is more important for your skin's health, however your setting method will truly effect the longevity of your look and even the finish. I don't think I can choose one, just do both :) hahaha! Sorry that might have been up helpful but that is just the truth!

***Thanks to Kelsey B for asking this question!***

CONTEST TIME!

Enter for your chance to win a:

All you have to do is fill out the "Ask Me Anything" 

form on the right side of the page and ask me any question you have relating to hair, makeup, skincare, or beauty.

The ask me anything feature is not seen on mobile devices. If you can not enter through a desktop or laptop follow Angela Woodward Cosmetology on facebook and send me a question in a message through there!

http://facebook.com/AngelaWoodwardCosmetology

CONTEST RULES AND DETAILS:

contest will run from June 2nd until June 6th

winner will be announced on June 7th

the winner will have 3 days to claim their prize or forfeit their win.

winner will be announced on this page, one facebook as well as by email

you must ask a relevant and appropriate beauty question in your form in order to be entered

contest winner must be 16 years of age or older

the collection includes:
1 Healthy Sexy Hair Sulfate Free Soy Moisturizing Shampoo
1 Healthy Sexy Hair Sulfate Free Soy Moisturizing Conditioner
1 Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner

1 UniqOne All-in-One Hair Treatment

1 Living Proof Instant Restore Instant Repair

1 Ojon Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Serum

1 KMS California Hairplay Makeover Spray

1 Rusk Texture Dry Finishing Spray

CONGRATS TO THE WINNER: AMBER HILLMAN

Please send an email to AngelaWoodward01@gmail.com to claim your prize

Thanks to everyone who participated! 

The more participation I get the more often I will do contests like these! 

What Can I Do with my Over Tweezed/Waxed Eyebrows?

I got a message on Sunday from a follower saying that she has had the experience that many of us have gone through. She had her eyebrows waxed and the person who did it took to much off the inside of her left brow and now they look uneven and awful! When I was in cosmetology school one of my good friends gave me a brow wax and did the same thing! It was an accident of course, but until then I had never filled in my eyebrow before! Just like the author of this letter, I felt like every time I filled it in it looked horrible and fake.

So what is a girl to do? I had some ideas of m own, however I turned to my good friends Janely and Marcie for more insight. Janely is a licensed cosmetologist, who used to be an eyebrow waxing arch-expert and now is now a manager for a prestige cosmetics section at a beauty store. Marci is a licensed esthetician and skin care expert, who currently holds the job position of a brow waxing arch-expert. Both of these ladies had a similar opinion to mine and I am happy to share our collaborative insight!

1- Be Patient
I know this sucks but learning to fill in your eyebrows properly takes time, and is super tricky when there is no hair there to blend with. You may have to deal with a bad brow week until you figure it out. Don't give up on yourself though, you can do it! You also need to have patience with your brows growing back. It takes time.



2- Speed Up Brow Growth
There are tons of lash and brow building serums on the market. The one we are recommending is Rapid Brow (or Rapid Lash & Brow). This product works by using six highly effective ingredients that help condition and improve the appearance of eyebrows. It wont grow them back overnight, but will help them come back a little faster. I am recommending this brand over several others because it is the best one I know of that works for the lowest cost. You can by Rapid Brow at ULTA Beauty, or online.



3- Use the Right Products
After using the Rapid Brow Serum to fill your brows in you need one more amazing product under your tool belt. Brow Zings by Benefit. This small kit comes with a tinted gel and a powder, as well as a few brow tools. The best place to get it is at an ULTA Beauty store. this way you can pick up the Rapid Brow while you are there, and talk to one of the Benefit Brow Bar specialists about brow filling tips and tricks, and you can also test the colors look a lot darker than they are once they are applied to the skin. However you will be able to test them on your skin there. Also NEVER fill in just the part of your eyebrow that is missing. You will need to fill in both whole brows in order to get a decent look. You may fee like the look is heavy, and it will be heavier than what you are used to, but be patient with yourself and keep trying.

4- Finding The Right ExpertNext time the best way to ensure you are getting the best care for your brows is by either finding someone who has the same look you want for your eyebrows and asking them where they go. If you want natural and simple eyebrows don't ask someone with thick and sharp eyebrows, you want someone who you know does your kind of work. The other option is going to a ULTA Benefit brow bar. I know you are sick of hearing about it, however the brow bars are amazing. It is a whole new experience there! They don't just wax you and send you on your way. They start by doing a brow map, making a plan with you, waxing you, then filling in your eyebrows and showing you what tools you might like to use at home.

***Thanks to Karen for asking this question***

6 Half Up/Half Down Looks!