Don't Be A Victim - How to Choose the Right Shade of Foundation or Powder

I believe it was 2004 when a co-worker (who was a former make-up sales rep) said to me:

"Nakita your make-up is always applied flawlessly, but I don't think that shade of foundation is right for your skin-tone   Let's set a date to go shopping for a brand that I think will be a better match for you."




At that time I was wearing Revlon Colour Stay Liquid Foundation in Cappuccino, which had been tested and recommended by the Revlon sales rep.  I decided that I had nothing to loose and we went make-up shopping.

My co-worker tested Iman Cream to Powder Foundation in Earth 4 on my face and I noticed the difference immediately.  I looked and felt amazing.

It was a perfect match compared  to Revlon which had my skin looking slightly ashy.  The Iman sales rep  recommended Clay-Medium-Dark Pressed Powder to set the Foundation but that shade was out of stock.

 I went to another location and the sales rep there was shocked when I asked for that shade.  She told me that she wears Clay-Medium-Dark and it would be to light for me.  I believed her because her complexion was much lighter than mine and her make-up looked perfect.  She told me that Earth Dark would be a better match for me, and it was.




That was a near miss for me, I am thankful that it worked out in my favour in the end.  I received so many compliments it was unbelievable.

Everyone has not been that lucky; I wasn't when I was told to buy the Revlon product.

Unless you normally use a particular make-up product you will not know which shade to buy.  Make-up sales reps therefore have a critical role and enormous responsibility helping you to choose the correct shades and types of products.  But as you have seen here; sometimes they make mistakes.

Here are some tips when testing foundation/powder

1. It shouldn't stand out e.g be lighter or darker on your skin.
2. It should blend with you skin and make it look better.
3. It should enhance and look flawless and natural.

Here is an easy way to remember -

your foundation/powder should always BE (pronounced be) - Blend and Enhance .

Do you have any make-up questions that you would like me to answer or any topics that you would like me to write about?  Leave a comment below or email me at beautiful.unspoilt@gmail.com .


"...because your make-up should always BE (Blend and Enhance)." - Nakita Squires

ERROR - That Is Not The Correct Shade For This Client (Part 3)

Click here for Part 1


Click here for Part 2


My suspicions were confirmed; the shade used really was too light for my skin tone.

I told the sales rep this but because it was the darkest shade in the store she encouraged me to buy it.  Needless to say I left the store without buying the foundation.

I went elsewhere and bought something that was more expensive but it was something I had used years ago.  The only reason I had stopped using it was because the retailer had stopped selling my shade; thankfully it was in stock.

It saddened me and angered me slightly to think that (1) had I not known what to look for I would have bought that foundation and (2) unsuspecting women would have received and accepted similar 'solutions'.

More make-up sales reps must realise the importance of what they do and take it seriously.  They have a duty to ensure that their recommendations enhance the beauty of their customers.  Please, please don't just sell what you have; sell something that meets the needs of the customer.

In the meantime we must educate ourselves so that we know what to look for.  Thankfully there is a lot of information available on the Internet. I shudder to think that I would have been styling around with an ashy looking face as was the case years ago from previous consultations.

What kind of experience have you had with make-up consultations and recommendations?  

"...because your make-up should always BE (Blend and Enhance)." - Nakita Squires

ERROR - That Is Not The Correct Shade For This Client (Part 2)

Click here for Part 1

I took a deep breath and put my doubts aside.  I left home without wearing any make-up  because your natural skin tone must be visible, and went to the make-up store hoping that this time would be different.  

Here is a summary of my experience:

It started off on a good note.  I was greeted well and made to feel at ease but then everything went downhill... fast.  

Error #1 

 She did not ask about my skin type (normal, dry, oily or combination skin). 

Tip #1 

 Some types of foundations (liquid,powder,cream) work better with a particular skin type.

Error #2

 She did not ask what conditions I would wear the foundation in. 

Tip #2 

 Air conditioning dries out your skin and being outdoors may cause you to perspire more than usual. These factors affect how your foundation will look during the course of your day.

Error #3 

She did not ask which type of foundation I preferred. 

Tip #3 

Some persons may prefer a particular type of foundation i.e. cream, liquid or powder.  

Error #4 

My face was not cleansed with a facial wipe/toner, nor moisturised, nor primed.

Tip #4 

Make-up should only be applied to clean, moisturised skin;  while on my way to the store my face would have been exposed to dust/dirt in the atmosphere.  

For persons who want to minimize the appearance of lines and wrinkles, using foundation primer is critical.

Error #5 

 The foundation was not tested on my jawline. 

It was applied from my temple and went as far as quarter-way down my neck. 

Tip #5 

Foundation must match your face and your neck.  

You should not see where it starts nor ends.  

The jawline is the perfect area for determining  if the shade matches your skin tone.

Error #6

She was double dipping i.e repeatedly dipping the brush in the product after applying it to my skin.  

Tip #6

After double dipping the product must be sanitised before using it on the next client to prevent the spread of infections/germs. She simply replaced the cover on the container and returned it to the product table with the other testers.

Error #7

 I was not invited to go outside to view the result in natural light. 

 The shade used looked too light to me but I decided to go outside to be certain.

Tip #7

 It is surprising how different your make-up looks in natural lighting vs artificial light.  

Make-up viewed in artificial light can be very deceptive.

I asked for a mirror and went outside to view the result.  What would I find when I got there?

To be continued... Click here for Part 3

"...because your make-up should always BE (Blend and Enhance)." - Nakita Squires

ERROR - That Is Not The Correct Shade For This Client (Part 1)

As the days passed, I watched my foundation get lesser and lesser.  I had to buy a replacement ASAP but I continued to delay completing that task.

You see, I was using Ben Nye foundation which is not sold in Barbados, and I was not enthusiastic about buying another brand.  Buying another brand required a make-up consultation with a sales rep so that I would know which shade to purchase.

Unfortunately for me, in all of my years of buying make-up I have never received an accurate recommendation from make-up sales reps, who ironically enough, were selling internationally acclaimed, high end brands. I was forced to conclude that they clearly don't have a clue about what they are doing - maybe they need to be trained or maybe they just don't care.

As a result, the only person that I trust to apply my make-up or recommend products to me is myself.  I would love to rely on someone else but I have yet to find someone who will rise to that occasion.

The time had now come when I could delay no longer.

To be continued...  Click here for Part 2


"...because your make-up should always BE (Blend and Enhance)." - Nakita Squires

Colour Choice - Soft vs Bold

Words fail to express how much I love make-up.

I love its versatility,  I love its wide variety of colours and I love how it can enhance or transform the person wearing it.

Make-up is worn for a multitude of occasions; during the day or night.  A very important factor that must be considered when creating your look is the colours that will be used.

"How do I know which colour to wear for which time of the day?"  - Softer colours should be worn during the day (especially for the office) while the more intense, dramatic colours should be worn at night.  

If it is a fun occasion during the day; bold colours can be used but the colours should not be overpowering.  You want people to see the impact of your make-up not only the make-up itself.

Here are a few examples of make-up looks created and modelled by yours truly :

At the Office

Nightclub

Fashion Show

Bridal

No matter which look you are creating, your make-up should always be well blended and enhancing.

Which is your favourite occasion to get all dolled up for?



"...because your make-up should always BE (Blend and Enhance)." - Nakita Squires

Nightmare on Make-up Street - Eye-shadow Fallout

Eye-shadow can be so horrifying sometimes.

You apply it to your eyelid but it ends up underneath your eye, on your eyelashes,  cheek, nose bridge or even next to your eye.

 It is not a pretty sight.  *GASPS*

"How can I end this nightmare?" you may ask.









Well, this tip that I learnt at Out of the Beauty Box (O2B2) in 2011 from Koren Zander and Elessa Jade should turn your nightmare into a beautiful dream.

It's so simple and it works.  I call it D.T.A (Dip Tap Apply) -

1. Dip the brush or applicator into the eye-shadow
2. Tap the brush or applicator until all of the excess eye-shadow falls off 
3. Apply the eye-shadow to your eyelid

Easy, right?

They also taught me to apply my eye-shadow first so that I can wipe away any fallout without removing any primer, foundation etc.  Make-up can be costly and should never be wasted by wiping it off and reapplying unnecessarily.

I have tried the 'loose powder technique' but that did not work for me.  It involves putting translucent powder underneath your eye, applying your eye-shadow and brushing away the loose powder when you are done.

Some persons use Shadow Shields but I have not had the opportunity to try those as yet;  I have not seen them in the Beauty Supply stores here in Barbados.

Whichever method you choose; please remember to clean off any fallout before leaving home - even the smallest speck.

I have found a way to end my nightmare; which method will you use to end yours?


"...because your make-up should always BE (Blend and Enhance)." - Nakita Squires

About Beautiful & Unspoilt

Beautiful & Unspoilt is based in Barbados, and helps primarily women of colour to flawlessly enhance their natural beauty with make-up, through Product Reviews, Product Swatches and Make-Up Tips/Advice.

You can contact Beautiful & Unspoilt by email beautiful.unspoilt@gmail.com.

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*NEW* Beautiful & Unspoilt is now available for guest blogging  and writing newspaper/magazine articles on topics related to Make-up Artistry, Skin Care and Blogging.



"...because your make-up should always Enhance" - Nakita Squires

The Origins

Once upon a time, many years ago, there lived a little girl who would watch her mum get dolled up. 

All this little girl wanted was to be glamorous just like her mum, and she would eagerly imitate what she saw her mum doing. Unfortunately, the only outcomes were the many scoldings for making a mess and wasting the products.

As the little girl grew older; her love for make-up grew stronger and her skill improved. That little girl was me - Nakita Squires.

During my teen years I attended make-up seminars hosted by  top Barbadian make-up artists Dawn-Lisa Callender-Smith and Adzil Stuart that changed my life forever.  I learnt about make-up techniques, skin care and the critical role of make-up in the movie industry. The knowledge gained in these seminars birthed a passion within me that I can't resist sharing with others.   

Career Make-up Look 'Reddy For Work'

Make-up is so amazing, wonderful and exciting and it is my mission (yes I have chosen to accept it) to help others solve their make-up issues.    

Contest Entries

Join me as I continue to explore the fascinating, intriguing, fun world of make-up.


"...because your make-up should always Enhance" - Nakita Squires