Does Expensive Make-up Always Equal Better Make-Up?

When I started wearing make-up I was a teenager attending school and I had to use a lot of the more affordable brands.  As an adult I still use some of those brands, and others I replaced as soon as I could.

Over the years I have used a variety of make-up products from every price range available. Sometimes the expensive products did justice to their price tag, and other times they disappointed.  I have also been pleasantly surprised by some of the more affordable products.

Here is a list of products that are always welcome in my personal cosmetic bag:

Skin Care -  Simple products nourish my skin without irritating it.

Mattifier - Mary Kay gives my face a fresh, powdered look.

Foundation - Ben Nye, Iman and Mary Kay match my skin tone perfectly and feel light as a feather on my skin.

Powder - Iman and Mary Kay give my face a matte finish. 

Mascara - Maybelline Lash Stilleto and L'Oreal Telescopic Explosion lengthen my very short lashes.

Brow Liner - Milani and Kleancolour fill my brows without making them look fake.

Eye Shadow - L.A. Girl and Jordana are so pigmented that I don't have to apply multiple layers for the colour to show up on my dark skin tone. 

Lipstick - NYX Lip Smacking Fun Colours and Milani are very moisturizing.

Lip Gloss - Lancome Juicy Tubes give my lips the perfect glossy effect.

Don't miss out on all that make-up has to offer just because you can't afford the more expensive products. There are reputable, affordable products that can do the job just as good or even better. 

Which products are on your welcome list? 

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

"I've selected my outfit, but which colours should I use for my make-up?"

Considering the Time of Day, Occasion, Focal Point and Outfit (T.O.F.O) and Colour Theory help me to answer this question each time, and it can help you too.

Here is a summary of how they work:

T.O.F.O:

• Time of Day (see previous post) - Use softer colours during the day and bolder colours at night.  Depending on the look you want to create; you can also use softer colours at night or a hint of bold colour during the day. 

• Occasion - Subtle colours are suitable for professional or elegant occasions; while bolder colours are great for fun or festive ones.

• Focal Point - Equally bold colour on your eyes, lips and cheeks usually has an overwhelming effect. Apply the bolder colour to the feature that you want to stand out and you can use a softer shade on the others. 

• Outfit - Softer colours go well with boldly coloured outfits.  Outfits that have soft colours can be worn with either bold or soft make-up.

Here is an example of T.O.F.O in action:

Time of Day - Morning 

Occasion - Professional

Focal Point - Lips

Outfit - Royal blue 

Based on the T.O.F.O results above; I knew a soft look was the way to go.

Where does Colour Theory fit into all of this?  It will help you to choose the actual colours you will use.

I decided to use bronze with a hint of dark green for the eye-shadow, red-orange lipstick (for a pop of colour) and bronzer.

Never heard of Colour Theory? Find out the basics in my Facebook series on Colour Theory - Part 1 , Part 2  , Part 3 , Part 4 and Part 5 . 

T.O.F.O and Colour Theory make a great team,  they really do remove the guess work when it comes to choosing colours.

Ultimately your colour choices will reflect your personal style.  What method do you use for choosing your colours?  Are you going to give T.O.F.O and Colour Theory a try?

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

Love It Or Leave It?

There are so many make-up products available today.  Every advancement within the make-up industry leaves me wondering "what could they possibly think of next"?

Primer is no longer limited to painting,  BB does not only refer to a Smartphone, CC means much more than carbon-copy and setting spray is not only for your hair.

I often ask myself  if I really need whatever the current craze is.  Sometimes the answer is yes; other times it is a loud no.

For some women, many products are not a part of their beauty routine for one of two reasons - they are either unaware of the benefits of using the products or they are not sure how to use them.

Here are some of the products that I used to leave on the shelf; plus the reasons I now love them:

• My skin care routine consisted of washing my face with my bath soap.  After I was advised that bath soap is too harsh for the skin on your face;  I began using cleanser, toner, moisturiser and facial scrubs.

• I used to only wear face powder and thought I didn't need foundation; until I realised that both of them work together.  The foundation creates a base for the powder and helps the powder to last longer.

• I loved how mascara lengthened my short lashes but my eyes used to water and would leave my eye area messy .  Enter water-proof mascara and the end of that problem.  

• Concealer meant nothing to me until I saw how it brightened my dark under eye area.  These days I don't leave home without it.

• I believed that I could not wear blush because I have dark skin.  But a hint of blush takes my make-up to a whole new level. I also use bronzer depending on the effect that I want to create.

After I started using each of these products, my make-up looked so much better.

What about you, which products do you or did you leave on the shelf?

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

Beautiful & Unspoilt Supports a Worthy Cause

Beautiful & Unspoilt stepped out of its comfort zone on April 20, 2013.  

It all happened at the Jabez House fundraiser held in Independence Square, Bridgetown, Barbados. Beautiful & Unspoilt made its first public appearance  and donated its expertise to this worthy cause. 

Jabez House is a registered charity founded by Mrs. Shamelle Rice to "empower female commercial sex workers through educational and vocational training so that they could have an alternative source of income to support themselves financially."

Initially, I had told Mrs. Rice that I could not participate because I did not have any business cards or display materials, nor could I afford to buy any.  I believed that I would not have been taken seriously without these things and I really wanted to make a good impression.

I voiced my concerns to Mrs. Rice who encouraged me to get creative, make the most of what I had  and to stop focusing on what I didn't have.  Armed with this advice and help from my 'critique committee' (my mum and best-friend); I prepared for the big day.  Something inside of me did not want to miss this opportunity and I knew the information that I had to share was very important.

I chose the theme was 'Make-up Hygiene? What's That?' which focused on protecting your skin, make up and brushes/sponges from germs, bacteria and infections.  

Make-up hygiene is a very important aspect of make-up but it is often overlooked.  It is all about Keeping It Clean (K.I.C - pronounced kick) which involves -

1. Washing/sanitising your hands before applying your make-up
2. Cleansing your face before applying your make-up
3. Washing your brushes weekly
4. Replacing your sponges/puffs as needed
5. Throwing away expired make-up (it was not made to last forever)
6. Not blowing on your make-up or brushes because the air you blow will contain saliva
7. Not using someone else's make-up
8. Not lending someone your make-up
9. Using a cosmetic sanitizer - a popular brand is Beauty So Clean
10. Removing make-up from your face before going to bed

My mum agreed to accompany me when I asked her to come.  Somehow we ended up wearing the same colour.  We only realized when we came out of our rooms and we joked about it the whole day.  Her presence was a much needed source of support and she also helped me with the layout of my display.  

I must confess that I was very nervous leading up to the event.  This was my first time behind the table answering questions and thankfully everything went better than I could have imagined.  

I enjoyed interacting with those who came armed with their questions and I helped them to solve various make-up issues that they were having.  The lone gentleman who stopped by the table realized that skin care was important for men too.  He realized that the make-up hygiene tips (which were not relevant to him) would benefit his female friends and family.  

It truly was a special day.  I hope that you will K.I.C everyday to keep the germs, bacteria and infections far away.

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

The Make-up Challenge

No, I am not referring to a contest, but to the fact that most eye-shadows, blushes, bronzers, lipsticks and lipglosses do not show up on my dark skin tone.

The reviews rave about how pigmented the products are, but when I try them it's the total opposite.  Sometimes I would sample the product based on how pigmented it looks but when I apply the product the colour is undetectable .

Most times I have to apply multiple layers of the product before I see a hint of colour, and after all of that effort it still doesn't look look like the same colour in the package.

Image Source:http://www.eyeshadowlipstick.com/9853/an-explosion-of-color/

Yellow and orange eye-shadows are the most challenging; while the black, dark blue, dark green and dark purple are the easiest to work with.  The reds and pinks are somewhere in the middle.

Applying eye-shadows with a damp brush or sponge applicator really works wonders; it boosts the vibrancy of the colour.  I wear the lipsticks and lipglosses over another colour to add some life to them, and all I can do is hope for the best with the bronzers and blushes.

I LOVE COLOUR, I WANT COLOUR!!!

Why can't I have more colour in my make-up life?

I really wish there were more affordable products out there that were pigmented enough for beauties with dark skin tones.

What is your make-up challenge when shopping for make-up?

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

Don't Be A Victim - Makeover Session Review

I signed up for the free session expecting to learn about "correct skin care and the latest make-up application techniques and trends from the experts" as was advertised in the newspaper.

I arrived at the location armed with my notebook and pen; chose my seat and waited excitedly for the session to begin.

Disappointment soon set in as I quickly realized that it was actually make up testing disguised as makeovers.  The whole thing was just a sales gimmick - you were supposed to love your makeover so much that you ended up buying some or all of the products used.  It really was a smart move on their part; kudos to them.

My first reaction was to leave because I did not want a makeover.  All of the horrible past experiences (read about them here, here and here) have left me very traumatized at the thought of someone else applying my make-up.  I eventually decided to stay and observe what was happening in the hope of learning something.

The makeovers got off to a great start.  I nodded my approval as he cleansed, toned and moisturised the faces. I was impressed when he used the correct shades of foundation and powder on both dark and fair skin tones.  Believe it or not; a small part of me was even considering getting a makeover.

BUT one thing kept me glued to my chair - the make-up artist was not sanitizing his tools/products.  He was double dipping (read Error #6 and Tip #6).  He was also using the same brushes, mascara wand and lipstick on everyone which would spread germs, bacteria and infections.  I shuddered in my chair and tried to look elsewhere during those unsanitary moments.

Image Source: www.beautysoclean.com

Sadly, the fifth person's make-over did not go as well as the others. Initially the selected shade was perfect  but as her face began to perspire the make-up started to look ashy.  By the time he finished; she looked as though she was wearing flour or baby powder on her face.

She loved it though, and bought every product that he used.  I felt so sorry for her and for the fact that I was not in a position to advise her. I was merely a fellow participant; and an unknown while the host was an international expert.

Tell me honestly; whose opinion would you have believed - the international expert and host of the session or the casually dressed, local, unknown with the neutrally made-up face?

I sincerely hope that others will learn from my experiences which I share in my posts and not have to find out the hard way like me.  It is important to know when a make-up professional is giving good or bad advice...our beauty is at stake. 

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

Don't Be A Victim - Bridal Make-up Gone Wrong

Your face should look better after applying make-up and you should feel better about yourself.

Unfortunately, this was not the case for the bride or myself when a make-up artist did our faces for her wedding in 2006.

The make-up artist set up her station in a room with poor natural lighting; and I kept wondering what had possessed her to do that.  She wasn't even close to a window; and I had seen better lit areas that could have been used.  Even I knew that good lighting was one of the keys to creating gorgeous make-up; and I realised just how important it was thanks to this experience.

It was no surprise to me that the shade used was too dark, the make-up was applied too heavily and the bride and I looked like golliwogs.  Below is an accurate depiction of how our make-up looked:

We were so disappointed and upset; especially after seeing the beautiful make-up of the other bridesmaids and the maid of honour.  They all had lighter skin tones and so did the make-up artist; she clearly lacked experience in applying make-up to dark skin tones.  The bridesmaids and maid of honour tried to console us as they quickly realised how awful we looked compared to them.

Luckily for me I had brought my Iman Cream to Powder Foundation and Luxury Pressed Powder just in case; and luckily for the bride I knew what to do to fix her face.

Without wasting any time; I wiped off the excess make-up with tissue.  I then used my foundation and powder to give our faces a more natural look.  I am happy to say that the Iman products were a perfect match.

We all high-fived each other as we rushed to get dressed.  Thankfully everyone was now equally gorgeous and the bride was a show-stopper.

The bride thanked me so much for saving the day; her moment in time had almost been ruined.  Can you imagine how horrible it would have been for her if that mess had been captured forever in the minds of her guests, in the wedding video and in the wedding photos?

This should never have happened; not for such a momentous occasion.

Make-up artists we have a huge responsibility resting on our shoulders to ensure our clients look their best -  let's not take it lightly.

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