The basics of selecting a "Flawless" Foundation!!!

Essence Magazine had a huge spread of all types of foundations to acheive that "Flawless" skin look! They are right there are so many options out now for women of color! We have come a long way from the days of just Fashion Fair(Shouts out to the homies)...but yet and still I receive so many calls, emails and tweets about how to match the right color for your skin tone. So I've decided to break it all down into a few simple steps into finding the perfect one for you!

1. Know Your Skin Type...The first 2 questions I always ask a new client is what their skin type is?, and what is their skin care regime? This is the basis of knowing what will look natural on YOU...Most fall in the category of oily, normal (which includes slight oiliness in the "t" zone) or dry.

2.Find your undertone...the best way to identify this is to look at your chest! This is normally a truer tone. Warm undertones fall under red, pink, and orange...Cool is yellow, gold, beige...Then there is Olive and Blue which are your very dark skin and extremely pale skin tones. Race is not biased here...across the board everyone has their own individual undertones.

3. Find the right formulation...powder, cream, liquid, and stick foundations even mousse can all look "natural"! It's all about application and choosing the right shade! Oily skin types tend to lean towards powders to counteract the oiliness that's already there. Normal can any formulation, and dryer skin types should lean more towards liquids and creams also to counteract. Oilies should stay away from foundations with shimmer or bronzer added to them, it will enhance the oily look and will break down much quicker. The same for dry skin and powder...powder foundations will settle into dry spots and enhance flakes and texture in the skin.

4 What look do you want?...matte, dewy, naturally powdered, a nice glow,or even just like skin! Are all looks that are achieved by different textures of foundations. The best way to tell is to look in a magazine or on TV, find out what you like about the persons make up? Does it look powdered with no shine? Does it look moist and dewy? This will help you to choose this ideal finish for your foundation.

5. Test the color...test the foundation color right at the jawline, where the neck and face meet. The right color will blend in like buttah! ;) You should not be able to see a distinct difference between the product and your skin. Also step back and look at it compared to your face, chest, and arms...it should work well with your whole self, and not just your face! It is normal for the face to be just a little darker than the neck and chest, so just be sure it all blends well

Last is finding a sheer or pressed powder to set your foundation with. The two go hand and hand! Setting your make up will help to keep it fresher, longer throughout the day...and it will also help with make up transferring onto clothes and what not. Not setting it makes a huge difference in all day wear! Plus you will need the powder to touch up oiliness in the t-zone...no need to put on foundation over and over again.

Feel free to ask questions at flawlessmakeupart@gmail.com...*kisses* ;-*

Break Ups to Make Ups...Or Just bad habits?

Break Ups Suck! Period! Most of us have experienced this in some shape, form or fashion. And I'm sure that men and women across the board would agree that they suck! Its already difficult enough to get to a place where love don't live here anymore! But its that grace period...that breezeway of time that makes you feel like you're "still in love with them", that I wanted to shed a lil light on! The late night phone calls (sometimes drunk ones), the passionate break up sex, the browsing through of old pictures and sentimental what nots...the "I want you back" phase. The topic of this blog is...Is it genuine? Or Just a bad habit? Because you do realize bad habits are hard to break?

There's nothing easy about sleeping alone when you're not used to it. There's no easy way to get used to not talking to the same person you talked to everyday. There won't be a replacement for the person that they were for you. These things will take time, and that amount of time will be different for each individual. When someone you love hurts you, it can sting to the core. Especially when it hurts enough to cause you to remove them from your life. It's only natural to want the comfort of that love back...to feel as if you can't live without it! Even if the love itself was abusive...physically, emotionally, or mentally. After all, the "love" became a part of your everyday routine. The first phone call when you get off work, dinner plans, friday nights and sunday dinners..who are you gona do those things with now?

When you have made a decision with YOUR best interest in mind...its often not an easy one to make. Most life altering decisions aren't. They're uncomfortable, they can be lonely and isolating, and simply hard as hell at times. But that inner voice will tell you what is real. As strong women we have to put our foot down from time to time! Women are nurturing, forgiving and loving creatures by nature. So when a woman is in love or should I say has love for someone its easy to forgive them when you want to see the best in them. Its Ok to forgive...as long as it is really deserved. All I'm saying is to make sure to ask yourself about what's real...you can't control other people, but you can definitely control yourself. Recognize the cycles in your life, and if something is not all the way for you, remove it! Life should be about progression and growth...not running around the same circles over and over again.



People will do what you let them do...just food for thought. Love Y'all! *Kisses* ;-*

Spring Pastels!!! Get you some!!! ;)

Spring is here!!!! Which means that its time for something new! ;) Out with the dark and sultry and in with the fresh and sexy!!! Yeah-ya!!! This Spring is all about pastels! And barely there make up!!! MAC has 2 new lines that reflect this trend! Too Fabulous, which I loooove! Full of wonderful new lip liners and the super moisturizing Creme Sheen Glosses! Plus new mineral blushes...Liberty Of London has great packaging...dat about it! *side eye* few new shadows and lipsticks...some beauty powders too. *shrug*

Pastels can look great on everyone! But it takes a little more work to make them pop on darker skin tones! But never fear! The "Brown Girl Specialist" is here!!!!

The main concept is to find warm, neutral browns to blend out the pastels so they blend for your skin tone! In each area of the face you can find this color that works just for you so that you don't have to be left out of this Spring's hottest trend!
For the eyes you want to find a brown shadow with a red base, more than likely a matte texture...one of my faves is Brown Script by MAC!!! Use this in the crease between you highlight and lid color with a blending brush...
For the cheeks I still love my Tarte Cheeck Stain in Sunkissed...or you can try a dab of cream blush in a deep red like NARS Turkish Red...start with these as a base and put your pastel powder blush over top. Other wise those light colors will just look ashy on darker skin tones
On the lips, liner is the key!!! But not like it used to be...Filling in the lips with a warm brown like Cushy Cremestick pencil by MAC...or go for it with the gloss of your choice, then blend it out with the Cushy or Classic Chestnut pencil for a natural look without the harsh lines! ;)

Every brown girls "neutral brown" will be a little different since we come in so many shades and tones...but as soon as you find it! You have they key to not only pastels but any color you never thought you could wear! Have fun! Practice! Kisses! ;-*