omg can you please tell me what some of those exotic blue and green lippies are on the swatch pic :D :3

Asked by
homo-and-juliet

Sure. Some of them are from Portland Black Lipstick Company (here is what they look like on the lips), one or two of them are from INGLOT (not a big fan of their slimline lipsticks, however, their Pacific Blue collection is nice, here are my swatches), some from Geek Chic Cosmetics (swatches here), more than a couple are from Illamasqua, and some from Morgana Cryptoria (here is my review on those). One is from KAOIR, too…think thats about it. I didn’t swatch my OCC Lip Tars but those are nice as well. 

I think PBCO has the nicest overall formulation out of out there colors, but I’m not a fan of the packaging. Morgana is great too, but formulation is wonky depending on the color — all are pigmented though, and worth the inexpensive price tag. Geek Chic is nice but unpredictable also. Illamasqua lipsticks are my favorite, really, I love the packaging and the long lasting formula, but they are also very dry and expensive. KAOIR didn’t wow me and I was mad at my IMATS experience. And we all know I’m totally smitten with OCC Lip Tars, so, why bother even saying anything. 

Hi! I have a lot of trouble wearing bright lipstick. My lips are pretty small, and I always find that wearing vibrant lipstick makes them look even smaller. Do you have any tips on how to avoid this?? (I really want to be able to wear blue and black lipstick)

Asked by
cerastoma

Even if you have big lips (like me) blue and black will make your lips look smaller in relation to your face, however, that shouldn’t stop you from wearing it. Lisa Eldridge has a video on how to make thin lips bigger though, you could apply her tips to any lip color. 

Whenever I paint my nails, whether I use a base coat and top coat, or just do two layers of colors on bare nail, it chips and peels only a day or two after I painted them. Do you have any tips to make a manicure last longer?

Asked by
bluefeathergal

I think maybe your polish is bad?? What top coat and what polishes are you using? Even if they are a reputable brand (say, Essie) some colors just don’t last at all for whatever reason. I think NCLA and Seche have my favorite top coats at the moment — even if I’m using mediocre polish that chips fast on it’s own, those topcoats make the polish last a long time. Here are some product recommendations I did awhile back that are still my favorites at the moment. Try one of them if you don’t own them already and let me know if it works out. 

Hi! I am doing the make up for a perfomance group and am really excited. The thing is... I am not a make up artist. They just liked the thing I do to my face and asked me to do it. It's been a great experience but I am a bit concerned because there will be a lot of action, sweating, shouting, dipping their hairs into paint, etc. Do you have any tips to make the make up last a bit longer? It will eventually melt, I know, just wanted it to last a bit longer.

Asked by
isquintiwink

You can use:

  • A primer. Since you aren’t a makeup artist, and you might not have a primer already and don’t want to invest in one, E.L.F has one. 
  • Setting powder (SET. EVERYTHING!!!!!) - I think this would be a good investment product, one you could use on everyone there but also for your own use afterwards. Dermablend has a nice one — they have good, heavy coverage products — and MUFE is always used on me on photoshoots. On the more affordable end, NYX has one as well. Make sure it’s a translucent one though, not everyone has the same skin color and using a colored pressed powder on the wrong skintone would look bad.
  • Setting spray. Urban Decay is my preferred, however, MAC Fix+ is popular as well. 

However, Graftobian and Ben Nye are brands specifically formulated for theatre & performances and are probably your best bet for stuff like this. If you have a Ricky’s near you you can buy ‘em, or else online. They are really great, pigmented, heavy duty sweatproof brands. 

A Guide to Eye Primers

fringe-upon-fringe asked: Hi! I was just wondering if you had any suggestions about eye primers? Are certain primers better to prevent eyeshadow creasing and others for eyeliner smudging? Is there anything in particular to look for in different formulas?
Oh man, such good questions!!! Ok, I’ll break it down for you, and make this rebloggable for others. I’m including affiliate links to the stuff I’m mentioning but read my reviews and decide for yourself which you like.

This is going to be a super in depth post including recommendations, so I’m putting it under the cut:
Some are better for different skin types, for example, people who like Urban Decay Primer Potion, might not like Too Faced Shadow Insurance, and vice versa. Also, some have pigmentation and are more of a sticky pigmented base color than a clear primer, and so you want to take that into consideration as to how you want it to impact the rest of your eye makeup.
There are a few different formulations to UDPP, as in, they all technically do the same thing, but the original formulation is a sheer, pale color and the others are more pigmented, either shimmery or matte. This will impact whatever shadows you choose to apply over them, whereas the original formulation won’t. Some people with darker skintones find the original formulation looks chalky and use the darker colors.

If you wanted to use glitter, you probably wouldn’t want to prime with either of those, rather the Glitter Glue Eyeshadow Primer. It’s a very tacky, thick primer, not like UDPP or the NARS primer. I would not use this one for anything but glitter glue, because it’s so tacky applying shadow or liner over it would probably be a hassle. Your eyelid could probably get caught if you were blinking mid application and mess up your makeup, this stuff is so tacky. It’s great though. Now onto drugstore recommendations and our favorites.

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My blow dryer died on me today (rip, my friend). Any recommendations? Looking to keep the cost under $60. Thanks!

Asked by
bunniesareforlovers

Sure. My own hair dryer is the Sedu Revolution Pro Dryer but it’s $150 or so so it’s out of your price range (but I’ll still mention it to people looking for an investment). My suggestion to you is the Infiniti Pro by Conair, this orange sucker, it’s $40. Both give salon quality results, it’s just the Sedu one has a shorter drying time and prevents frizz better. 

Heyy, you said on your day to day eye makeup routine that you only use asian eyeliner, I was just wondering what makes it different? I've been struggling to find the right liquid eyeliner forever! Thanks, love your... everything by the way! x

Asked by
furcoat-noknickers

Aw thank you. I use K-Palette and Dolly Wink because they are very fine, very black felt tip pens that do not budge at all even on oily lids (both Chi-Chi & I use these liners, or she did before she ran out). Dolly Wink is super popular in Asia for a reason — it’s REALLY good. Whenever I’m in Taipei or Tokyo I stock up when I can, they are honestly perpetually sold out in the drugstores there because they’re so well known and popular. I mean, I used to use the Urban Decay liquid liner and it’s still good, but K-Palette and Dolly Wink are pens, which i find more practical and easier to use, and also they come off much easier and don’t slough off like the UD formulation.

I was wondering if you had any advice on preventing eyeliner smearing? I have a gel liner that I use (covering up to my browbone in pale shadow to help prevent it) but by the end of the day (and no matter what liner I use) I end up with a reflection of the liner above my eyelid. It's not a great look, ngl. (Thanks in advance.)

Asked by
toforgo

Setting your liner with black shadow (or shadow that matches whatever color your liner is at the moment) helps prevent it from moving. You can also use an eyelid primer beforehand as an extra precaution.

Girl, you gotta help me out. I consider myself to be pretty skilled at the art of makeup, I can pretty much handle anything....but glitter gel. It confuses me! Any products that you can recommend? I have a Hard Candy shadow in green that could be described as a glitter gel but it's finicky and usually ends up around my temples and just pretty much anywhere else but my eyelids by the end of the day. Any advice?

Asked by
jazn

Can you clarify what you mean by glitter gel? Glitter liner? What do you want it for, lining, as a shadow, pigment… Graftobian has a nice sparkly one. Glitter is super finnicky in general, it’s so important to have a good base for it to adhere to. So I’ll talk about that specifically.

I am super fond of Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue, it’s very tacky and glitter sticks to it so well, compared to clear gel based glitter primers. For TFSI GG you PAT the glitter on, don’t brush it on (I mean brushing on glitter is a terrible idea anyway). Also, when applying glitter or pigment in general, it’s a good idea to cover the rest of your face or at least the cheek area with a little bit of tissue paper to catch any fallout or glitter so you don’t ruin any makeup you’ve already applied.

So far I haven’t found any glitter liner that I like enough to recommend, whenever I use glitter in makeup, it’s usually a glitter from Naked Cosmetics (I have QUITE a few!).