by Thea_Lowe | Mar 24, 2015 | Blog
It is very important that we keep all of our makeup tools clean and sanitary as these are items that get in close contact with the eyes, lips and skin and if dirty can cause allergic reactions, breakouts and/or infections. It also helps to avoid the spread of germs by not double dipping or allowing any dirty tools to come into contact with your makeup or sharing makeup with other persons as this can contaminate the product(s) and spread bacteria.
Makeup Brushes
These can be washed and sanitized once or twice weekly or even fortnightly depending on how often you use them. Cleaning and caring for your makeup brushes will lengthen their life and you won’t have to replace them as often.
To clean heavily soiled brushes, you can simply wash them with a mixture of 1 pt. olive oil and 1 pt. dishwashing liquid. It is important to note that when wetting the bristles of the brush, you should keep the bristles angled downwards; never soak or submerge the brush into water as it can cause the glue to gradually separate and the bristles to fall out over time thereby prematurely ending the life of your precious brush.
You can use a shallow plate to hold the olive oil/soap mixture and then apply it evenly through the bristles of your brushes and watch as it begins to dissolve any makeup.
Rinse off the bristles under cool running water while making sure that they are still angled downwards so the water just runs off. When the water runs clear, gently squeeze out any excess liquid, reshape and lay the brushes flat on a towel to air dry for at least 6 to 8 hours.
To clean brushes with mild buildup, wash with either a bit of baby shampoo, dishwashing liquid or unscented pure white soap such as Ivory or Dial. After cleansing and rinsing, squeeze excess liquid, reshape and lay flat on a towel to air dry for at least 6 to 8 hours.
Once the brushes are dry, you can mist a paper towel with a bit of isopropyl alcohol then wipe down the brush handles to clean, disinfect and remove any makeup smudges or residue from them.
Sponges
Reusing sponges aren’t good for the skin as oil, sweat and makeup begins to build up in the sponge therefore creating the perfect environment for bacteria to breed and multiply. Instead, stock up on a few if this is your preferred method of applying your foundation, then use and discard when finished.
Powder Puff
These should be washed weekly with soap and warm water; you can also toss them in the washer and dryer on laundry day. Try to replace them often.
Tools
Tweezers, eyelash curlers, sharpeners and lash combs can be cleaned by spraying with isopropyl alcohol and wiping all residue off with a clean cloth. Once all of the residue has been removed, mist them again with the alcohol to sanitize and allow them to air dry.
by Thea_Lowe | Mar 11, 2015 | Blog
Evening makeup can be bold, sultry and dramatic. This is the time to try a dark smokey eye with a soft lip colour or a winged liner with bold lips. The important aspect of doing any makeup look is to emphasize one area of the face like the eyes OR the lips, never both.
Here are a few tips on evening makeup applications:
Brows
Shape, define and fill in the brows with a pencil and/or powder and brush through gently to blend and distribute the product evenly. Conceal brows for a more defined shape and be sure to blend it out well.
Eyes
If making your lips the main focus, you can do the following:
• Eyeshadow – Apply soft colours to the eyes to define the crease and highlight the brow bone.
• Eyeliner – Apply dark coloured liner on the water line and winged liner above the eyes near the lash line. Your winged liner can be a bit thicker and longer for evening time.
• Mascara – Curl and define lashes then apply a few coats of black mascara to the top and bottom lashes.
To make your eyes the main focus of your look, you can do the following:
• Eyeshadow – Apply eyeshadows in deep rich colours rather than a heavy application of product. You can also use a bit of shimmer on the lid ensuring it does not go into and above the crease.
Remember to clean up underneath your eyes with a bit of makeup remover when using dark colours or glitter as there is usually fall-out which when mixed with foundation causes the colour to get muddled and the glitter to spread.
• Mascara – To amp up the drama, curl lashes and apply a few coats of black mascara to your top and bottom lashes
• Eyeliner – Apply dark coloured liner on the water line and winged liner above the eyes near the lash line.
Face
Apply foundation to the center of the face and then blend outwards making sure not to forget the neck. If you want you can skip foundation altogether and spot conceal any blemishes or problem areas including under the eyes. When finished, set with a bit of translucent powder.
Blush
Apply a richer shade of blush to the apples of the cheeks and blend out and upwards making sure there are no visible lines.
Lips
If your eyes are the main focus, go for a sheer lip gloss or a soft shade of lipstick.
If you want your lips to be the main focus, go for a richer shade of lipstick.
by Thea_Lowe | Mar 3, 2015 | Blog
Daytime makeup should be applied using soft shades of colour and shouldn’t be too dramatic for the workplace — occasion. That doesn’t mean you can’t wear a red lipstick, it just means that the overall look shouldn’t involve lots of dark colours, glitter and severe contouring. You should try to make one feature the main focus, either the lips, eyes or skin.
Here are a few tips:
Brows
Lightly shape, define and fill in the brows with a pencil and/or powder and brush through gently to blend and distribute the product evenly for a very natural look.
Eyes
The aim is to brighten up the eyes and make them look awake and refreshed. Avoid using Black or other dark coloured shadows and liner in the daytime as it can appear too harsh. Instead, try earth tones such as Browns, Tans, Greens, Gray, Beige, light Pinks and Lavender.
- Mascara – For persons with very light hair, Brown mascara will look very natural.
For persons with dark Brown or Black hair, you can go with dark Brown or Black mascara.
- Eyeliner – avoid wearing black eyeliner on the water line with Black mascara during the day as the combination can be too harsh. Instead, try wearing a soft Brown, Purple, Gray, Green or Beige eyeliner to enhance the eyes.
An example of a daytime eye makeup look is as follows:
1) Matte Beige eyeshadow applied from the eyelid up to the brow bone
2) Soft Brown eyeshadow applied in the crease for definition
3) Brown pencil applied on the waterline
4) Thinly Line above the lash line with a light Brown pencil
5) Apply Black mascara to lashes
Face
During the day, try to avoid using heavy foundations on the face. You can use any formula you like as long as it’s used in moderation. The aim is to even your skin tone by using the least amount of product as possible. To apply, place the product in the center of the face and then blend outwards making sure not to forget the neck. When finished, set with a bit of powder.
Blush
Apply blush to the apples of the cheeks and blend out and upwards. Always start lightly and build. You want to appear as if the colour is coming from underneath the skin, so do make sure to blend it out properly so there are no visible lines.
Lips
Depending on if you chose to have your eyes as the main focus, go for a sheer lip gloss. If you want your lips to be the main focus, go for a brighter coloured lipstick with liner and mascara on the eyes to balance the overall look.
Thank you for reading! To book an appointment please contact me via email at info@theamakeupartistry.com
by Thea_Lowe | Feb 10, 2015 | Blog
Understanding the following terms will help you in choosing and deciding what products will work best for you.
Eyeshadow
Eyeshadows can come in a variety of forms with various finishes:
- Loose Powder – Highly pigmented loose shadow
- Compact/Pressed Powder – This is the most common type that you can purchase anywhere
- Baked – Shadows are usually dome shaped and can be applied wet or dry. If applied wet, the application will create an intense colour payoff for a more dramatic look. A dry application will yield a softer more natural colour payoff.
- Cream – This can come in a pot, tube, pencil or stick
Eyeshadow Finishes
Eyeshadow finishes vary by brand; some companies have more variety compared to others. The following are most of the finishes available on the market and do not come from any one specific brand of cosmetics.
- Matte – Usually has a high level of pigment with no shimmer, sheen or shine. This is perfect for reshaping and defining the eyes. Matte shadows work well on every age range especially mature skin as it won’t attract attention to fine lines or create a crepe like texture on the lids. Do be careful as matte shadows do sometimes tend to be chalky or patchy but will blend better and work great once an eye shadow base is applied.
- Satin – Has a soft sheen instead of an intense frosty effect. It is a medium between matte and frost and is great on all skin types. Persons with mature skin can use a little of this shadow on the eyes.
- Metallic – Shiny look that resembles actual metal like gold, silver, foil, copper and bronze. This works well on ebony or darker skin tones. Persons with mature skin or with fine lines and wrinkles should avoid this as it will settle into the lines.
- Frost – Iridescent with the most shine. It usually has reflective white or silver particles and can be layered on top of other shadows. This finish can accentuate fine lines and wrinkles.
- Shimmer – Sheer coverage with a subtle shine and hint of sparkle.
- Lustre – Similar to frost but contains finely milled glitter particles to give an intense sparkly effect. Persons with mature skin should avoid this type.
- Glitter – This is usually pure glitter particles that may require a tacky base for adhering it to the eyes.
- Marbled – These consist of various colours marbled together in one pan. You can apply the colours individually or swirl your eye shadow brush through and apply to the lids. This creates a unique colour each time you apply.
by Thea_Lowe | Feb 2, 2015 | Blog
Premature aging is the unnatural acceleration of the normal aging process or, in short, when your skin makes you appear a lot older than you really are. It can be in the form of fine lines and wrinkles and dry or sagging skin due to a decrease in elasticity.
Premature aging or extrinsic aging can be caused by various factors such as:
- Going to bed without removing makeup
Throughout the day, environmental dirt and toxins build up on the skin and can seep into the pores causing breakouts and skin problems. The more you fail to remove these toxins, the more damage they do as they prevent normal skin shedding and contribute to the breakdown of Collagen and Elastin which is responsible for youthful skin.
To prevent these problems, cleanse and moisturize twice daily and exfoliate skin two to three times per week.
- Lack of Sleep
Skimping on sleep can show up in the form of dark circles and a dull complexion. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases Cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol unfortunately, can break down skin collage which keeps your skin smooth and elastic. Sleep is extremely vital as it allows stress hormones to drop to normal levels to give cells time to repair and rejuvenate – patching the day’s wear and tear.
- Rubbing your eyes
The skin in the eye area is very delicate and has little fatty tissue that becomes less plump as we age. It is very sensitive to stress from facial movement, tugging, pulling and rubbing which can all contribute to darkness and wrinkle development.
Also, when applying moisturizer and makeup, gently use your ring finger (the one before your pinky) to pat the product into the skin.
- Sleeping on your side or stomach
Pressing your face into a pillow eight hours a night for years can break down skin and cause wrinkles. To prevent this, train yourself to sleep on your back.
- Drinking from a straw
Pursing lips on a daily basis to drink from a straw can create wrinkles from the repetitive muscle movement. The damage occurs over time so it’s never too late to stop.
- Not wearing sunscreen
Sunlight that reaches us is made up of long wave Ultraviolet A (UVA) and short wave Ultraviolet B (UVB). UVA penetrates deep into the dermis and ages the skin while UVB causes sunburns to the superficial layers of your skin. Overexposure to either can damage the skin and in some cases lead to skin cancer. To prevent sun damage, it is best to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen that blocks both types of UV rays with at least an SPF of 15 or greater.
