MAC Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage Review

$26.50

1.0 fl oz. 

I just realized today, that I had not done a review on the this product, which I have had for a long time now. 

MAC's description of Prep + Skin Base Visage:

An ultra-fluid lotion formulated with special-effect silicones. Calms and soothes the skin, blots away excess oil, and evens out skin redness. Improves the laydown and application of foundation or powder.

This primer has light reflecting particles in it, something I realized after I purchased it. This is suppose to help illuminate your skin. Once, you apply it on your face you cannot see them, which is a plus for me. Because I was worried about having a face full for little glitter particles.

Once you apply the primer on your face, you will notice that your makeup glides on very easily. Even after applying the primer, you can touch your face and feel smooth it feels. Also it does do a good job filling in your pores. 

However, it does not provide much oil control for me. I get oily on my t-zone and still do even when I apply the primer. However, it does help keep my makeup on longer and controls the oil a bit. 

Overall, i think this is a great primer if you have large pores or have fine lines because if really does smooth out your skin. However, If you are more concerned on your oily skin then I recommend trying another primer. 

Until next time, 

The Wicked

In a Rush? No worries! 5 minute makeup routine

1.  Cover up blemishes, marks and under eye circles with a concealer. (30 seconds)
2. Apply a light foundation or tinted foundation with a wedge sponge. (30 seconds)
3. Next apply a blush to the apples of the cheek. ( 30 seconds)
4. Apply a bronzer to you forehead, nose, cheekbones, chin and jaw. Make sure the color if not too dark for your skin tone. (30 seconds)
5. Set your makeup with a translucent powder and powder brush. (30 seconds)
6. Now apply a neutral  eyeshadow you your eye lids. Highlight under your eyebrow. (45 seconds)
7. Line the top and bottom of your eyes. If you have small eyes then just line the top. (30 seconds)
8. Curl your eyelashes for about 15 seconds each. (30 seconds)
9. Apply mascara to your eye lashes. (30 seconds)
10. Finally apply a clear or neutral lip gloss. (15 seconds) 

At first you may take more then 5 minutes but after a while you may even do it under 5 minutes. This is a great routine when you are in a hurry to get to work or school, yet want to look awake. 

Until next time,

The Wicked 

Tips on applying eyeshadow

Eyeshadow look great and can change your look dramatically. However, it must be applied correctly or it will look like a hot mess. 

Your eyeshadow should not be extended past the end of your eyebrows. If you extend it further your eye will look droopy. When you are done applying the eyeshadow take a sponge and wipe off any excess eye shadow.  In the diagram above, you see that the eyeshadow stops where her eyebrows do. When your done the eyeshadow should end in an upward angle in the outer corner of the eye. 

Another thing you will want to avoid is extending the eyeshadow too high. You cannot apply eyeshadow all the way to your eyebrows. Just go a little above your crease with the dark eyeshadow. Then use a natural matte color to highlight under your eyebrows. 

Also make sure that when you apply your eyeshadow, both eyes are even. I recommend applying each color to both eyes, instead of doing one eye completely then the other. This will help you apply the eyeshadow evenly. 

If you are older or have wrinkles you will want to avoid using shimmer because they will make the wrinkles pop out even more. Instead use matte or satin finishes. 

If you have dark circles, use a concealer to cover them before you apply eyeshadow. 

I can't stress how important blending is. You can have the best eyeshadow, most flattering colors, yet if they are not blended, it will not look very nice. Invest in a soft eyeshadow brush to blend. This will be very worth it. Apply the darker color at the crease then blend like a  car windshield. Try not to go too high. And if you want the color darker just keep applying at the crease and blending, do not apply it above the crease. 

Until next time, 

The Wicked

Girl On a Budget: Websites for affordable make-up

Pigments

http://glamourdolleyes.com/

http://www.sassyminerals.com/

http://bftecosmetics.com/

http://www.harajukuhunnies.com/site/?page_id=27

http://www.coastalscents.com/cfwebstore/index.cfm

Eyelashes

http://www.eeyelash.com/MClient.php?D1=S

All Make-up 

http://www.yabycosmetics.com/

http://www.eyeslipsface.com/

Accessories

http://lehved.com.au/index.php?p=home

Until next time, 

The Wicked 

Girl On A Budget: Makeup Brushes

Makeup brushes can be a bit expensive if you buy them from high end brands. So if you are on a tight budget I suggest trying the following:

E.L.F Professional Complete Set of 12

$12.00

E.LF Studio Brush Collection 11 piece

$30.00

I personally bought the 11 piece set and so far have no complains. It is very good quality for the price. If you are just starting out I think this is a great set of brush to try. 

Sonia Kashuk Essential Eye Kit 

$9.99

This is a great set for those who want brushes for eye makeup. If brings 5 brushes that will help you create many looks. At $2 a brush you can't go wrong. 

Sigma Makeup Professional Brushes complete set

$69.00

So it might sound like $69 is a lot for a set of brushes, but in reality it really isn't. With $69, you will get maybe 3-4  small brushes from a high end brand. Sigma brushes are very similar to MAC brushes. So if you want quality but don't want to pay the price, this is the way to go. This set will last you very long and you will have a complete set of quality brushes. 

Until next time, 

The Wicked 

Girl On A Budget- Glitter Liners and Mascara

So continuing our theme of "Girl On A Budget", I decided to compare NYX Glitter Eyeliner to Urban Decay's Glitter liners. 

                                                           NYX  Candy Glitter Eye Liner 

Jade

$4.50

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner

Stagedive

$18.00

Glitter eyeliners are a very cool way of adding a more exciting and unique look to your makeup. The NYX liner and Urban Decay are very similar in color, they are both a jade color. When it comes to glitter liners you can't really tell the difference from a cheaper or more expensive one. Therefore, if you are looking to just try a new look I would recommend the NYX Glitter Eyeliner. 

Mascara

Loreal (left) 

Make Up Forever (right)

Loreal Extra 

Volume Collagen Mascara

about $7

Make Up Forever

Smoky Lash

$22

Before getting into details let me clarify that, that Make Up Forever wand does not come bended. I bended mine by mistake, but it does help when applying the mascara. As you can see in the photos, they both have similar wands. The Loreal one is a bit thicker. I first had tried the Make Up Forever mascara and loved it! Not that long ago I decided to try the Loreal mascara and realized when I applied it they gave me similar results. Since I use mascara everyday I have been buying the Loreal one for every day use. And always keep the Make Up Forever when I want a more dramatic set of lashes. 

Until next time, 

The Wicked 

How to apply concealer

Concealer helps cover any imperfections you may have on your face. By using a concealer as well as foundation you will be able to achieve a flawless look. It can be used to cover broken capillaries, dark circles, pimples/blemishes, and to even out skin tone. 

For the best coverage use a stick or cream concealer, since they are thick in texture it will last longer and provide more coverage. Liquid concealers can be oily and may glide off. 

Dark circles have a blue undertone, therefore you can use a concealer with a yellow undertone to counteract the blueness. For pimples and blemishes also use a concealer with a yellow undertone, if you use a pinkish undertone it may bring accentuate the redness. 

You may use a primer to help prevent the concealer from caking up under the eyes. Always use a matte concealer not anything with shimmer this will just highlight the problem. 

Applying Concealer 

Apply your concealer before your foundation. To cover the under eye, pat concealer under the eyes using the index finger. Then gently blend outwards. To hide bags, put concealer under the bag, not on the bag, if you do, you will end up highlighting the bag rather than hiding it. To hide broken capillaries or uneven skin tone, you can apply the concealer with a concealer brush or your finger. Then blend outwards. 

Until next time, 

The Wicked

Top Make-up Mistakes!

 Dark lip liner and light lipstick

This look was from the 80s and that's were it should stay. Instead use a liner that is close to your natural lip color when using light colors. If you are using a dark liner fill in your mouth completely, then you can top it with clear lip gloss. 

Lip liner extending beyond the lip line

When you color outside the lip line it will look sloppy. Make sure to follow your lip line to have a clean and flawless lip. 

Applying lipstick to chapped lips

Never apply lipstick on chapped lips. Instead use lip balm to moisturize your lips 

applying any lipstick. 

 Clumpy Mascara 

The best way to avoid clumping is by wiggling the wand from side to side, from the base of your lashes to the tips.  Also, don't wait for the mascara to dry to apply a second or third coat, do it while it is still wet.   

Obvious line of blush 

The best way to avoid this is to get a big blush brush, stay away from the compact brushes that come with the blush. They will not help.  When applying the blush tap the excess amount off the brush. Then apply the blush in upward strokes on the apples of your cheeks, making sure to blend up to the hairline and ear. 

Caked- on foundation 

If you apply heavy cover-up will only draw attention to the problem you're trying to hide. When you need more coverage apply it only on the problem areas and blend it really well. 

Strong, hard eye liner

A strong, hard line all around the eye is not flattering and will only make your eyes look smaller and closer together. Instead blend the bottom liner with eyeshadow the same color as the eyeshadow. 

 Wrong foundation

Wearing a foundation that is too light will make your skin look ashy especially if you have dark skin. Also, for lighter skin tones wearing a darker foundation will make you look orange or yellow.  Make sure that when you are looking for a foundation to get one that matches your undertone. 

Until next time,
The Wicked

Wearing Red Lips

Pulling off a red lip can be a bit of a challenge but it can work for everyone. 

Which Hue Are you?

You first have to figure out if you have a warm or cool skin tone. 

• Cool complexions are usually lighter with pink undertone. 
• Warm complexions have yellow, olive and darker undertones. 

If you have a cool complexion, 

choose a true red, pinkish red, Berry reds, plum tones.

If you have a warm complexion 

chose a warmer red with a brown base, like a brick or rusty red, orangey reds, golden reds.

How to Apply?

Line and fill your lips with a lip liner then apply the lipstick.  Next, blot with a tissue and lightly dust your lips with a powder (translucent powder) to give it extra staying powder. Because red rip stick is very dramatic you should keep the rest of the makeup simple. Go for a flawless look. 

Tips:

If you have yellow teeth wear a red shade with blue undertones this will make your teeth whiter because it will not bring out the yellow. 

Until next time,

The Wicked 

Steps to Applying Makeup- The Professional Way

The steps below are based on what I learned during my course in Make-Up Designory in Soho, New York. This is an execellent school, pricey but worth it. http://mud.edu/School-Site-2010/. Most professional makeup artist work in this sequence to be more efficient. 

Most people like to start with their eyeshadow however, the face is first. This is because applying the makeup may take the most time since some people's skin can be a bit of a challenge to match. Also if you do the rest of the makeup first it becomes very hard to work around. By applying the makeup to the face first you will have a clean and even canvas to begin with. 

Face Make-up

1) Clean face- Fresh, and clean face with moisturizer or your skin care regime.  A skin toner works great to absorb any oil on the face. This will give the skin a fresh feel. Some like to use Witch Hazel as a skin toner just make sure to get one that does not have alcohol, otherwise it will dry out your skin after some use.

2) Primer (optional)- The face is primed with face primer and eye primer. (see previous posts for more on face primer and eye primer)

3) Concealer and Foundation- First apply the concealer under the eyes and wherever else it is needed. Next apply your foundation in small increments to have a flawless and blended foundation.

4)Loose Translucent Powder- With a large powder brush, exceed tapped away, apply the powder very lightly over the face. Especially in areas that gets oily throughout the day. If you have dry skin you may want to skip this step because it may make you skin look drier. Also, if you have combination skin you can just apply the powder where you need it instead of all over the face.

Eyes

5) Tissue (optional)- You may place a tissue under the eyes in order to catch any loose pigments that fall from the eyeshadow. Personally I do not do this, I barely have a problem with this. I find that if you tap the excess amount of eyeshadow from the brush, you will not have a problem. However, if I do have some fall out I just clean it up with a small amount of foundation and a sponge. But, when working with dark eyeshadow, like for a smokey eye, you will want to be really careful because if you make a mess it will ruin your foundation and will look muddy.

6)Eye Shadow- For most eye shadow techniques, placement of eye shadow starts with the base shade (usually the lightest) and it is applied from the lash line to the brow bone (depends on how dark the color is). Next , a slightly deeper shade is applied between the brow bone and the upper lid area, called the crease. Finally highlight along the brow bone.
For multiple shades-  Apply a base color, next place a medium shade wide and soft along the crease of your eye. Make sure to blend it and not to go to high with dark colors, meaning not close to your eyebrows. Then, apply a darker shade finely and precisely on the crease this will give you defined and dimensional look.  (for smokey eye see post: "Smokey eyes 101- Do's and Dont's" and "Smokey Eye")

7)Eye liner- Apply eye liner along the lash line. You can go thin or thick, depending on what look you are going for.

8)Eye Lash Curler- Curling your eyelashes will open and brighten your eye. This will also make you lashes longer since they curl up.

9) Mascara- Place the wand at the base of the eye lashes and jiggle it as you move the wand up through the eye lashes. By jiggling it you will avoid getting spidery lashes and will give you a more defined look.

10) Brow- Fill in your eyebrows (see post) brush, or put eyebrow gel to keep them in place. ( you can do this step before applying eyeshadow, doesn't matter. I do my eyebrows right after my foundation)

11) Clean up- clean up any fallen eyeshadow or mistakes with a Q-tip.

Cheeks and Lips 

12)Contour- Apply a conturing powder on your cheek bones, this goes right below your blush or do the fishy face to have a better idea of placement.

13) Blush and highlight- Apply blush above the contour and then highlight below your eyes.

14) Lips- Apply liner (if needed), lipstick or lipgloss.

All done now!! This seems like a very long process but once you get used to it you will do it in a few minutes. Practice makes perfect!!

Until next time,
The Wicked

Spring/Summer Makeup Trends

So just like fashion makeup trends change very quickly. Makeup can help make an outfit, so keeping up with the latest makeup trends can always give you a boost. It is also a easy and quick way of looking different throughout the week, or occasions.

Bold Lips 

Lip color can really make you stand out from the crowd. For a sexy lip try red, orange or even a hot pink in a matte finish. Keep the rest of the makeup simple and flawless. You should try and emphasize your eyelashes, so try a black colored mascara. For a evening look add black liner on the top. 

TIP: When applying bold lipstick, use a lip liner first this will keep the lipstick in place and will prevent it from bleeding. Also, in order to get the color  closest to what you see in the case, apply foundation on your lips, then the lip liner. By applying foundation on you lips you will be able to get almost the exact color of the lipstick. Otherwise, when you apply it will look different because of the color of your lips. (this works with any lipstick)

Natural Makeup

The natural look is always a trend that we see over and over in the fashion shows. The idea is to wear makeup yet look as if you have very little on, keeping a very natural look. To create such a look you will use concealer and foundation. A very small amount of blush, apply mascara and a natural looking lipstick. If you want you can also add neutral eyeshadows just to brighten your eyes a bit. 

Matte Bronzer 

So for a golden glow this spring matte is the trend. For this look you will need a bronzer powder and lightly apply it (look at the Bronzer post for tips on how to apply it). Use a big fluffy brush to prevent any harsh lines. 

Until Next time, 

The Wicked

What is a Face Primer?

Face primes allow the foundation to stay put throughout the day and hot weather.  People with oily skin can benefit a lot from using a face primer. They also give you a smooth and even finish to apply your foundation on. 

Longer Lasting Foundation

As pores breathe, they consumer makeup. Primer creates a block between the skin and the foundation coat. Therefore, by using a primer you will have longer lasting foundation. 

More Coverage

Primer smoothes the skin's surface, adds coverage and provide a more finished look than foundation alone. They minimize pores and blemishes. 

Camouflage

Some primers provide more benefits such as adding moisture, tinting to help even out the skin tone. 

Smoothing Effect

Silicone based primers provide a coating for foundation to glide over. This helps stop the oil from the skin get mixed in with the foundation. 

Top Face Primers

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer 

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

MAC Prep+Prime Skin

Until next time, 

The Wicked 

My Favorite Makeup Products

MAC Pro Longwear Foundation- $29.50

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer-$16.50

MAC Loose Powder in Silver Dusk-$23.00

I love this loose powder as a highlight. I place it on my cheek bone and place my bush below it. This is also a great powder to place in the inner corner of your eye. 

NARS Blush in Orgasm-$27

This is there most popular shade it works great with almost any skin shade. 

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack-$15.00

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Scratch-$18.00

This is my favorite eyeshadow for everyday use. It's a light champagne color, since I have brown eyes it helps brighten my eyes. 

Make Up For Ever Aqua Smoky Lash mascara-$22.00

MAC Fix+-$19.00

This spray is great to put on your face before or after applying your makeup. It helps set the makeup and feels really good on the skin. You can also use is for your pigments when you want to wear them wet. 

Until Next time, 

The Wicked