Makeup Tips for Workplace from UK Makeup Artist

Hello Beautiful,

Sorry for the unintended hiatus! 

UK based Makeup Artist LISA STYLE commented on my blog post, read here Makeup Tips for Oily Skin. She shared a link for  on the comment section on makeup tips for the office.

Photocredit: FashionMakeupFitness.com

I found the article very useful and I know you would too, so I decided to share with you after-all there's LOVE in sharing! #winks.

According to FashionMakeupFitness.com (Article from: http://fashionmakeupfitness.com/makeup-tips-for-workplace/)

 Workplace is a professional place and it is important that you keep it in mind while you wear your makeup. You need to look competent and beautiful at the same time. Your makeup should make you look a strong and hard working woman. You have to balance a proper makeup which will make you look stylish in a natural way with less makeup. Office makeup should be long lasting so that you don’t need a retouch. It should not be time consuming as it is a daily process.

Follow few Easy makeup tips for workplace

It is a challenge for a professional woman to choose the right kind of makeup for corporate environment. Corporate makeup is a little tricky one, where it has to be smooth and simple to enhance personality with your own style and fashion. Let’s get to know some flawless yet simple makeup tips for the corporate ladies.

Let’s start with you face, clean your face with a good quality face wash and apply a non greasy moisturizer. Makeup looks better on moisturized skin. Use a light foundation to evenly tone your skin. Mix it well to get a smooth appearance. You may skip to apply blush on your cheek, but if you want you may apply a light blush on your cheekbones and blend it very well.

Photocredit: FashionMakeupFitness.com

Your office is not the place to try a lot of shades on your eyes. Keep your eyes simple with neutral look. Oureye makeup tips will guide to a perfect corporate look. Apply soft colors only on the lid and crease. Avoiddull and glittery shades. Try to apply black eyeliner and don’t make it too thick, make sure the lines don’t outside the eyelids. Finish youreye makeup with smudge free and water proof mascara. The main rule of our eye makeup tips is to give you a neat and clean makeup for eyes, so that you eyes to get the comfort of working all day long.

For your lips choose neutral shades of tinted lip gloss which should be delicate enough for the office. You may choose shades like pink, peach, light brown or any other warm colors according to your skin tone. Skip matt lipstick and go for creamy lipstick or gloss to ensure your lips are hydrated all day long. Keep them handy for easy touch ups during the office hours.

Nails are also a subject of fashion accessory, but it is time to say good bye to nail arts. Choose a light shade that goes with your everyday clothing. Don’t grow your nails too big, keep them neat and manicured.

Photocredit: FashionMakeupFitness.com

Now it is time do hairstyle, try something simple and new every day. A different hairstyle will give you a new look every day. You must choose your hair style according to your outfit and your makeup. Try some handy hairstyle which is easy for you to do and also office appropriate. You may choose to do ponytails, bun or braids whichever is suitable to your type of hair. You can also use bobby pins and other clips to fix your hair with simple style.

Last but not the least; don’t forget to spray your favorite fragrance before you leave for the whole day. Spray a long lasting pleasant smell to boost you mentally.

Our simple makeup tips will help you to get a beautiful look very easily for your every day rushed morning. Just make a pre plan for what to do on the next morning and you will find it easy to maintain looking beautiful every day.

Hope you found it as interesting as I did!

How To Clean Up Your MakeUp Brushes

Experts say makeup brushes should be cleaned on a weekly basis. I don't take chances when it comes to hygiene so I always clean up my work brushes after each client...it's the healthy way to go. For my personal brushes I try to stick to a weekly cleaning routine. 

When was the last time you cleaned up your brushes?

Imagine not having your bath for weeks ; that's exactly how your brush feels right now, they have feelings too....thanks to cartoons....lol

So if you haven't cleaned your brushes for donkey years, it's better late than never.....let's bathe them right away! #brushes shower time, whoop whoop!   

Here's What You will need:

ü 3 bowls 
ü Lukewarm water (not too hot, not too cold)
üRunning water from tap
ü Hair shampoo 
üConditioner (Optional)
üDisinfectant
üTowel
üTray

Treat you brushes nicely, just the same way you treat your hair....be gentle on them just like you are with your hair....So I use the best, EWAMI shampoo and conditioner for hair (Ewami products are natural and awesome).

PROCEDURE:

v Mix the shampoo in the 1st bowl of lukewarm water to form a soapy mixture. 

§  Rotate the brush tip in a circular motion in the soap mixture; this allows the brush to soak up. 

§  Using your hand place the brush on your palm and rotate in a circular motion; you will begin to see the dirt/makeup water run down you palm. Continue to do this until the lather from the brush becomes clear.

§  Rinse with running water.

Remember to avoid excessively soaking up the part of the brush that connects the bristles to the body of the brush (the metal part) to avoid weakening the glue that holds it together.

v Mix the 2nd bowl of lukewarm water with conditioner, and gently rotate the brush tip in it.

§  Rinse with running water once again 

v Mix the 3rd bowl with lukewarm water and a disinfectant of your choice, and gently rotate the brush tip in it.

§  Rinse finally with running water

v Clean the wet brush with the towel and straighten the bristles as you do

v Then place in the tray; under the sun to dry.

different brushes: BEFORE and AFTER cleaning

And that's it! All my brushes are squeaky clean!

Clean Brushes Served....Winks!

When was the last time you cleaned up your brushes?

DEBATE: Which is the Best Tool to Apply Foundation - Brush, Sponge/Puff or Hand?

People are different and so are the tools to apply foundation. I think all 3 (Brush, Sponge/Puff or Hand) work quite well; have their pros and cons.....it all depends on you.

 

So in this debate of which is the best tool to apply foundation, YOU are the judge.

 

 

 

What do you use to apply your foundation? and Which is the best tool?

 

Let me know in the comments section below!

MakeUp Tips for Oily Skin

Google.com

Struggling daily with a face that shines bring like a diamond can be very annoying. Oily skin is not affiliated with any particular gender; It's a concern for all, men and women alike.

For women, it gets even more frustrating when you apply makeup; before you know it, your face is all shiny and your makeup smears, slides or even runs down your face like sweat.

Can You Completely Get Rid of An Oily Skin?

NO, it’s a combination of Genetics/Hormones.

Can You Keep It Under Control?

YES you can.

Sadly, ALL MAKEUP PRODUCTS contain oil. Whether it’s a foundation, concealer, powder, lipstick etc. ….YES they all contain oil; even the most expensive brands no matter how little. The difference is the proportion of oil in different brand varies; some are high, others are low.

To get it under control:

1.     Work out a skin regimen and follow it: It’s easy to start a skin routine but it’s difficult to keep up with it….YOU HAVE TO KEEP UP. Exfoliate, Cleanse and Moisturize. Unadulterated BLACK SOAP is also known to fight against oily, acne prone skin.

2. Go for the WATER BASED products. Yes they contain oil but in a lower proportion, with a higher proportion of water (more water than oil) and an oil control formula. Such products include Iman Perfect Response, Marykay timewise foundation, Zaron Oil free Cream to Powder, Fashion Fair Oil Free crème to powder, Black opal invisible oil blocking powder, Kuddy's powder etc.

3. Shimmer is your worst enemy. Anything that adds more shine or greasiness to your face is bad for you. Go for MATTE eye shadows or products; these are products without shimmer/shine.

4. Your best bet would be to use the compact/crème to powder products rather than the tube/bottle liquid type. compact/crème to powder has a better coverage while tube/bottle liquid type smears faster on oily skin.

5. Oil Blotting Papers are your best friend. When your face looks oily, use a blotting paper to absorb the shine. That way you can re-apply a light based of powder without getting your face caked.

6. Oil Mattifiers or Primers are also good for you. Go for a water-based primer. It reduces shine while making your foundation or concealer last longer. 

7. Lemon and egg white are very good at absorbing oil. You could add this to your skin routine.

8. You can combine any two water based products……just find the one that works best for you.

Hope this helps!

If you have an oily skin, please share your own way of dealing with it

LIPSTICK COMPARE: Candy Yum Yum Versus Sweetie

As a makeup artist I like to organize and clean my makeup box way before any event I am covering. So in the spirit of cleaning up, I check expiry dates and replace some products. Two weeks before Mariam’s wedding, I went to Kuddy Cosmetics to get some new makeup products. I had to write a list so I am not tempted to buy more than I needed, as there’s always the temptation to keep buying and buying, there’s always something new and exciting at Kuddy’s. One of the products on my list was the MAC Candy Yum Yum lipstick. While i was going through some lipsticks displayed on the side while allowing the sales girl check for the Candy Yum Yum  I requested for, the Owner of Kuddy Cosmetics, Alhaja Kudi, asked me if I had tried the new KUDDY SWEETIE and handed it over to me. It was my first time hearing about KUDDY’s  Sweetie lipstick, so I was curious. Truth is I had to look at the cover and the bottom of the lipstick to tell that it wasn’t MAC’s CANDY Yum Yum, It was everything I wanted, so bright, very neon pink and way affordable. So I found myself struggling to choose between the two as I kept comparing both products. After much time talking to Alhaja Kudi  about Sweetie, I decided to give KUDDY’s SWEETIE a try, it doesn’t necessarily have to be Western to be good, Yes, it’s Nigerian, Let me patronize what’s ours…..those were my thoughts.

Long Lasting

Just like Candy Yum-Yum, its long lasting power comes from its matte finish. I used it on Mariam's Nikah Makeover; I only had to touch up a few places after she had a meal. It barely smeared, so no full reapplication was needed throughout the event.

Colour

Just like Candy Yum-Yum, Sweetie has the ability to light up your face in an instant, it has this exciting adrenaline-rush-kinda feeling. It’s beautiful on any skin tone, light or dark alike. It screams out just like Candy Yum Yum, like HEY look at my Lips! It doesn’t need to seek attention, it is attention itself.

Texture on the Lips

Candy Yum Yum has a tendency to cause you to flake or peel if you do not apply a lip balm first.  However Sweetie is better in this regard, its texture is slightly creamy and soft, you don’t necessarily need a lip balm to make this work.

Affordable

No doubt I give this one to Sweetie. It’s everything you want in Candy Yum Yum and more yet affordable. So you save more and still pop that pink barbie doll lips. What more could a girl ask for? 

***For women out there that fall into the dark range or for people with full blown lips, a lip liner is your best friend if you want to apply either Sweetie or Candy Yum Yum. If you put it on fully without lining your lips, you may look really weird. Adding a lip liner makes it look really beautiful.

Please drop your opinion in the comment section on which one you’d prefer and if you have tried either of the two products being reviewed.

Allowing Your Face Breathe

Please quickly take the poll

If you answered honestly, imagine the number of products on your face multiplied by 365/366 days in a year.  You will be shocked to realize what your face is consuming. This could either clog your pores, give your face a dull appearance or even harm your overall skin.

Since, the face is the first thing people look at when they see you, it means your face is your identity, so be kind to it, pamper it, love it.

In the course of our day to day activities, especially with our poluted environment, we are faced with all kinds of impurities, dirts from our environment and they build up on our makeup (face) and every other part of our skin.

This is why it is important to:

-Wash off your makeup after each application everyday

-Use a cleanser for your skin type

-Exfoliate (once or twice a week depending on your skin type)

-Use good makeup products (check expiry dates)

- ALLOW YOUR FACE BREATHE from time to time

We all need oxygen to breathe and so does our face/skin.

Would you like to have fragrances, oxides, preservatives, and oils on your face everyday?

I am sure your answer would be NO.

In truth, this is what all makeup products are made of. So, imagine you going to bed everyday without taking your makeup off. That would be like sentencing your face to clogged pores, acne and all sorts of facial bumps.

Choose a day or two in a week as your makeup free day (way better) or a minimal makeup day (if you can’t go makeup free). For a minimal makeup day it’s best to use one or two products at most on your face avoiding foundations, concealers, brown powders as all these have some oil content.

Yes I love makeup but I love my face too, so here’s the key word: BALANCE

Keep your face healthy while making yourself happy, cause it's the only face you've got!

Hair and Makeup for a Rainy Day

Imagine being all nicely dressed and looking sassy and the next thing, TADA! thunder strikes really loud. Once the rain starts to  pour, its goodbye to CATWALKing and welcome to USAIN BOLTing. Unfortunately, rain doesn’t respect anyone, so getting all wet and shivery can happen to anyone.

Starting off with MAKEUP: For a rainy day, the key is to keep it SIMPLE. In the spirit of simplicity, I like to prescribe what is called the ‘nude makeup’. Come rain or sunshine, nude makeup is a very versatile look, it all depends on you and how you pull it off. It won’t leave you looking messed up especially when caught up in the rain. To achieve the nude makeup, you need the following: 

Powder (loose or pressed; your shade) 

Eyeliner

Eyebrow pencils

Mascara

Matte lip colour of your choice (matte cause it doesn’t have shine)

*For people who can’t do without foundation, you can also achieve this look using as little foundation as possible to avoid a choked up/caked face.

The Nude Look....#you can wear ear-rings though#

Generally: 

-Ensure that to use a ‘WATERPROOF’ mascara; so that you don’t look like you have black tears running down your cheeks.

-Eyeliner should be applied thinly

-Also avoid heavy use of oil-based makeup products especially foundation, powder and eye shadow. Unless you’ll really #shine bright like a diamond# the entire day. 

Whatever you do, always remember; less is more, keep it simple when it rains.

 For HAIR on a rainy day: natural hair is the best for the rain, you can play with it the way you want. Some of us, like myself, like to have our weaves or braids on most of the time. So whether it is your natural hair, weaves or braids, you can still pull off the perfect rainy day look. Wear your hair as a high bun, be it natural, braids or weaves; this would make it less exposed to the rain. You could either keep or unwrap the bun when you get to your destination. Making a loose weave to the side or to the back is also perfect for long weavons.

Braids packed as a high bun

Weaves to the side

Natural hair packed as a high bun

Braids....all to the back

In adapting to the unpredictable weather, whatever you do, be in control of the rain, don’t let the rain control how you look #winks#

Makeup Do's and Don'ts

From my honest opinion, without too much grammar, the basic thing is makeup should get you looking like 'wow' and not like 'eww'. Although, there are some rules to application and getting a flareless look, but experimenting or trying out something new is totally cool, who knows, you might end up creating a major trend in the beauty industry. So here are some basic do's and don'ts I follow:

The Do's...

Let your face 'BREATHE'  every now and then, your facial pores need oxygen too. This means little or no makeup especially when you are indoors or not going  for very serious outings.

Wash face-off/ take makeup off before going to bed, it's very important and hygienic. 

Ensure your foundation matches your skin tone, you don't want to look like you have a mask on.

Depending on your skin type, exfoliate twice a week to get rid of excess oil.

Moisturise your skin daily. 

Often check for expiry dates on the makeup products you use.

DON'TS....

Never take off your entire eyebrow, it's a complete NO NO.

Don't extend your eyebrow to your ears, they have their limit too.

Don't overdo the concealer/foundation application.

Never use black brow pencils or fillers for the eyebrow.

Don't apply too much blush on the apple of your cheeks.

The KEY to trying something new is to remember that everything has to be done in 'MODERATION' #winks#

CONCEALING AN IMPERFECTION (SCARS)

Everyone desires a smooth and flawless skin; unfortunately not everyone gets to have this on a platter of good. Scars on the face can either be raised or depressed features. They could be in form of tribal marks (inscribed incised marks) or acne scars. Acne scars are common with the oily skin type. The fact that one has these scars should not get you feeling low about yourself. With the magic called ‘MAKEUP’ you can conceal scars and have a flawless face finish. Be careful not to get your face caked in a bid to arrive at a perfect finish. The basic steps to conceal scars are:

-CLEANSE and MOISTURIZE

- Apply CONCEALER

-Apply FOUNDATION

-Then apply POWDER for the final finish.

This photo(before and after) is raw, so that you can see that concealing is actually achievable if you do it properly.