Wednesday, April 8, 2015

10 Tips- How to deal with skin texture when wearing makeup

If you clicked on this post there's obviously a problem with the texture of your skin. For me, it's acne. I have spent so many years dealing with rough texture that's as apparent as an 800 pound cow in a room with you. Thankfully, for you, I now have some tips that should help with your problem. I actually still have that problem sometimes, but when I follow these guidelines my makeup looks a hundred times better...Most of the time. 

I can't guarantee flawless skin. Raised bumbs will always be raised. Dry skin will always be flaky. Scars will always look like scars. Hair will always look like hair (unless you shave it!). However, we can make them look a lot better.



Watch what you use to wash your face
A lot of people have said this and I didn't listen. I figured since I have acne shouldn't I go to war with it? How would something "gentle" help the constant battle I was fighting everyday? Well the truth is you need to be gentle. Rough cleansers can be really harsh on your skin and cause a lot of bad texture. My current favorite cleanser is Cetaphil's sensitive skin face wash. It's only $6 at Walmart and boy does it help the texture of my skin.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
I know, you've heard this a million plus times but, honey, it's true. I have always moisturized my skin after cleansing but I just didn't notice much of a difference. One day, I decided to double the amount of moisturizer I used and bam, my flakey skin was a lot smoother. Also keep in mind what kind of moisturizer you're using. If your skin is super dry, then use a heavier lotion and vice versa. 

Setting spray for peach fuzz
I have a ton of peach fuzz. Embarrassing enough, I have been called out on it by family, ugh the embarrassment. So now I use a setting pray to lay down those stubborn hairs. Depending on how much hair you have it might work for you too. What I do is spray my primed face a couple times and use my CLEAN hands to smooth the hairs down. Works like a charm. 

Warm damp rag for Exfoliating  
Lets rewind back to flaky skin! I have horrible large flaky acne. If I do not take this step in my routine my makeup will look disastrous. If you have flaky skin, you know what I mean. It's just terrible. So now, I get a clean soft wash cloth and damp the corner of it with warm water. I then rub my face with it in gentle circular motions. Don't be too rough on your skin. If it's bleeding chill out with the rubbing, you're doing it too hard. Also be sure not to do it on white heads. You do not want that sucker to pop and spread yucky pus all over your face. Keep it nicely clean and gentle!  After you're done Moisturize again!

Primers that are made to deal with texture
This is an obvious tip. Apply a primer that deals with texture.  I find that a lot of primers that deal with large pores work for this problem. I really enjoy the Benefit Porefessional primer. It Smoothes my skin and leaves a flawless base for foundation, 

Beauty blender
A beauty Blender isn't a hyped up product that's a lie. When I say it makes your foundation apply flawlessly I'm not lying. It blends everything out and makes the texture of your skin smooth. If you're using a brush all you're doing is micro-Exfoliating your skin,which causes dry patches to flake up. Using a Beauty Blender prevents that from happening and keep in mind it can be used for multiple things. Such as powder, blush and concealer. It's a diamond in a pile of rocks. 

Dewy foundations
Matte foundations are beautiful on good skin. Unfortunately, they can highlight rough texture on people with unfortunate skin. Opt for a dewy foundation instead. The finish is much more natural and smooth. It won't highlight dry spots or rough texture as severely if applied correctly.

Smooth highlighters
Highlighters are a huge thing in the beauty world right now. But if you're skin is troublesome, highlighters can highlight that roughness instead of your supermodel cheekbones. When picking a highlighter make sure the texture of the highlighter itself is smooth. A chunky highlighter plus textured skin equals even more texture on the skin. 

Finely milled powders
This is the same as the highlighter issue. Always use a super finely milled powder on your face. I think translucent powders work the best over texture, especially under the eyes!


Patting motions for powder application
This tip is for powdered foundation, blush, bronzer, etc. Instead of swirling a brush around on top of textured skin, use patting motions. You're less likely to increase the appearance of bad skin. But if you can, use a Beauty Blender. It's still the best option out there.

Do you have bad texture? 
Do you struggle with your makeup because of bad texture?
Let me know your story in the comments below!

















Monday, April 6, 2015

Looking for a drugstore moisturizer with SPF? Why you should wear SPF!



During the colder months I stay in my apartment like a hibernating bear. Because of that, I tend to skip on my SPF. I guess I don't really need it, right? Wrong! Some people can get away without wearing SPF but if your skin is troublesome like mine (acne), then SPF is a must have. Now that it is spring,  the climate is warming up and we'll be spending more time outside in the warm cozy sun. If there was a time of the year to start wearing SPF, it would be now. 

But why is SPF so important for our skin? If you're on my side of the situation it's because of acne/scars. For years I have been working on brightening my skin to help reduce the appearance of acne scars. When I think of a day in the sun demolishing my hard work I seriously want to vomit. Let me make this clear... If you have acne scars and you're skipping on SPF, your scars will darken from the Suns harmful rays. However, let's not forget that just because you don't have acne doesn't mean you don't need SPF. SPF prevents skin cancer, wrinkles, sun spots and more. 

Now hold up! I don't want to apply greasy sunscreen to my face! No problem. Moisturizers with high SPF are part the key. My favorite porduct is Cera Ve AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 30. It's affordable($12-14) and effective.  Every year my scars darken around this time but since I bought this product I haven't noticed that happening. So yes, it does work. 

The moisturizer comes in a 3 FL OZ bottle that features a pump. If used as a sunscreen, it's needs to be applied every couple hours. It's also non-comedogenic and non-irritating. Not a only does it protect your fragile skin from the sun but it also repairs and restores your skins natural protective barrier. This specific moisturizer is intended for normal to dry skin but I don't see why someone with oiler skin couldn't use it. 

The consistency of the product is very similar to some sunscreens. It's quite thick and white. When applied to the face heavily it leaves behind a white cast but once blended in it disappears. I do wear this under my makeup and it doesn't mess with the performance of my foundation. 

Now I don't recommend this moisturizer by itself for a day on the beach. If you can't stand sunscreen on your face then this should be ok if you wear a large protective hat along with it. Maybe even a BB cream with extra SPF would be a nice companion product with it. I mainly use it for running around town or a day at the park. 

By the way, I do have dry acne prone skin and this moisturizer moisturizes very well. It makes my skin appear a lot healthier. I also want to say I do not break out from this product (thank goodness)! 

Do you wear SPF?
What else do you do to protect your skin?
Let me know in the comments below!





Thursday, March 19, 2015

Review & Photos: Too Faced Cocoa Contour Kit

With contour kits popping up everywhere like weeds, it can be hard to know which one to buy. I have been contemplating one which one I should pick up. Like most sugar deprived woman I lust after anything that smells like cocoa. When Too Faced released their Cocoa Contour kit I literally purchased it that day in hopes of getting my fix of chocolatey goodness... But of course in the form of makeup (hello, it's Too Faced!). So it's a win win situation,  right? 



Too Faced Product details

Cocoa Contour gives you the power to enhance your most beautiful features and minimize the ones you want to hide in a few simple steps. This curated kit comes with the two essential sculpting shades, the perfect matte highlighter, and a luminous pop of light for a contoured look that never looks flat. Infused with our antioxidant-rich Exclusive Cocoa Complex, the powders blend seamlessly and indulge you with a decadent chocolate scent. Features our Contour Buki Brush for the most professional sculpting effect.

MORE TO LOVE:

  • Universal set contains all the shades needed to take the guesswork out of contouring, sculpting and highlighting.
  • Exclusive Cocoa Complex is a proprietary blend of antioxidant-rich cocoa powder and moisturizing cocoa butter that work together to hydrate and smooth skin and boost your mood.
  • Achieve lifted cheekbones, look instantly slimmer or sculpt like an A-list celebrity. 
  • Includes our signature Glamour Guide with three contour looks to get you started. 
  • Too Faced Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer Jerrod Blandino was inspired to infuse antioxidant-rich cocoa in makeup while getting a chocolate facial at a Hawaiian spa. He learned of chocolate’s benefits to the skin and included the ingredient in Too Faced’s best-selling products.


Packaging 
The packaging is very similar to other Too Faced products. The powders are housed in a square card board box with a magnetic closure. It is a little bulky but manageable. A decent sized mirror is also included for on the go. The four powders that are included inside are: Light Cocoa, Medium Cocoa, Dark Cocoa and Pop of Light. A small teddy bear bristle brush is also included. Unlike other palettes, I really like this brush. It's soft, small and it gets the job done right. 

Consistency 
The consistency is definitely smooth and creamy. I did notice some powder flying around in the pan but it'sjust because the product is really smooth. The only powder I'm not too crazy about is Pop Of Light but we will talk about that later in this post. 

Application
Every powder included in this kit blends out so smoothly. Sometimes I have a hard time getting powders to blend easily over my acne but I didn't encounter that problem with this kit. Another problem with problematic skin like mine is patchiness, fortunately, the powders applied evenly. 

Longevity 
Light, Medium and Dark Cocoa lasted on my combination skin for about 7-8 hours before fading away. Pop of light stayed on my checks for a couple hours before navigating somewhere else on my cheeks.


Is this a good kit for contouring?
I think this kit is good for contouring if you have a light to medium complexion with neutral/ yellow undertones. Medium  Cocoa is the shade that I prefer for contouring. It's not as warm and acts more as a shadow than Dark Cocoa. Dark Cocoa is a little warmer and its best used as an overall bronzer to warm up my complexion. Light Cocoa is my favorite shade. It really helps brighten up my face, while still looking natural. 

Light Cocoa
Best used for a matte highlight under the eyes, on the chin, forehead, and the bridge of the nose. It won't add any sheen but it does leave a flawless bright complexion behind. I also enjoy using it to set my under eye concealer. It keeps it from creasing and fills in my fine lines. 

Medium Cocoa
Medium Cocoa is certainly the contouring powder of the kit. It's great for chiseling out the cheek bones for a nice lift. Of course it can be used anywhere for instant shadows. I enjoy contouring my nose, forehead and jawline with it as well. I'm really loving this shade because I can get a natural contoured look that blends out seamlessly, which is hard for me to do with my acne. 

Dark Cocoa
Some people might beable to use this shade for contouring. Maybe if you have a medium to dark complexion and your typical shade for contouring is warm. But as a person with light skin I find it best as an overall bronzer. 
To be honest, I was a little disappointed about how warm this powder was but I actually really enjoy it as a bronzer. It's great for a flawless bronzey glow. It doesn't look muddy whatsoever and it buffs into my skin so effortlessly. This could perhaps be my new favorite bronzer. 

Pop Of Light
I'm really disappointed with this shade. Instead of having a nice glow like everyone is expecting, it has chunks of glitter. Not only is Specks of glitter migrating all over the face unattractive but the glitter enhances my acne. That's definitely not a look I want! I'm after the kind of highlighter that catches light on he high points of my face. Not specks of gold glitter that have moved down to my contour line. However, if you like chunky highlights, then you'll love Pop Of Light! 

Overall
I really love this kit despite of the disappointing shimmery highlight. I get a beautiful matte highlight, contour and bronzer shade that smells like delicious cocoa. It's a little pricey but I feel like I can get my money's worth. I really enjoy having a highlight, contour and bronzer in one box. That makes it great for traveling and fast forwards my makeup routine by a few minutes.... It works really well if your complexion is fair but if your medium to dark+, then skip on it unless you think Dark Cocoa will work for you (some darker people have mentioned it working on their skin tone). Too Faced should really provide more options for people with darker skin tones(maybe a future release?). This kit truly is beautiful and I hate how a lot of people won't be able to use it. It's tradgic. But as a whole, this kit is certainly a hot product worth checking out! 

Photos and Swatches

















Light Cocoa


Medium Cocoa


Dark Cocoa 


Pop Of Light


Swatches in artificial lighting.
Left to right: Light Cocoa, Medium Cocoa, Dark Cocoa Light Cocoa.


Swatches in natural lighting.
Left to right: Light Cocoa, Medium Cocoa, Dark Cocoa Light Cocoa.

Are you going to purchase this kit?
Do you enjoy the cocoa scent from Too Faced?
What's your favorite product for contouring?
Let me know in the comments below!