Makeup brush help  

Posted by: LadyBird in

These videos are from youtube by enkoremakeup. I found them helpful hopefully you will too.









Essential makeup brushes  

Posted by: LadyBird in



1. Concealer Brush: Look for square head to tapered corners, ideal for blending (under eye -square; blemishes-tapered). Long handle, good weight, great for application precision.


2. Foundation Brush: Look for fairly large wide, tapered flat head, ideal for liquid or cream foundations (synthetic bristles okay)3. Large Powder Brush: Look for large, full, rounded brush (dome shape), ideal for loose powder, can also be used for compacts with pressed powder, and loose beads. It can also be use to brush off excess powder.


4. Blusher Brush: Look for full, large head with slight tapering (not as large as powder brush) designed for even distribution and natural looking definition across the cheeks and cheekbone.


5. Eyeshadow Brush: Look for square head, medium to large sized (just under 1/2 an inch width), with slight taper at corners, flat, a bristle head that is firm but soft for the delicate eye area. This brush is designed for sweeping color across eye lids and blending. By using its edge, it can be used for defining eyelid crease.


6. Slanted Brush: Look for a small, narrow, angled, flat brush head with soft but firm bristles. This brush is designed for application of fine lines such as close to your lash line, blending and softening color edges. It also is used for applying powder to brows.


7. Lip Brush: Look for a small, narrow, flat tapered edge brush. Designed for blending lip liner and lipstick applications. Great for blending lipstick colors too ( I always seem to wear two shades to get the color I want.).


8. Eyebrow/ Eyelash Brush: The easiest least expensive of the brushes...
Clean an old, soft bristle tooth brush or mascara wand well, with warm soapy water. This brow brush is perfect for shaping the brows, separating eyelashes and removing and mascara clumps or debris. You can also set your eyebrows with hair spray or gel by applying the substance to the wand/ brush and combing through and shaping eyebrows (of course clean bristles afterwards).


African American Skin  

Posted by: LadyBird in

This article is taken from the website of Paula Begoun.

While many women of color feel their skin-care needs differ from those of Caucasian women, nothing could be further from the truth. I suspect the belief that a difference does exist comes from persuasive marketing which seeks to segment women of color into their own specialized group. Regardless of color or ethnic background, all skin is subject to a range of virtually identical problems with similar considerations. Whether it is dry or oily skin, blemishes, scarring, wrinkles, skin discolorations, rashes, rosacea, sensitivity, or sun damage, the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment is the same for all men and women.

Please don’t misunderstand: there are certainly some distinctions between varying ethnic groups when it comes to skin problems and skin-care options, but overall these differences are minor in comparison to the number of similarities. Think of it this way: regardless of skin color, dietary needs remain the same. A high-calorie diet results in weight gain, an unhealthy diet can cause health risks, and if you don't eat you die, regardless of your skin color. As far as skin care goes, skin is an organ (the largest in the human body) and needs the same ingredients and formulations to be healthy or deal with various skin concerns regardless of its color.

Research on this topic supports the points above while also noting the distinctive traits between ethnic skin tones, though contrary to popular belief, these traits don't mean different products are needed for treatment. According to an article in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (February 2002, pages 41–62) "There is not a wealth of data on racial and ethnic differences in skin and hair structure, physiology, and function. What studies do exist involve small patient populations and often have methodological flaws.

Consequently, few definitive conclusions can be made. The literature does support a racial differential in epidermal melanin [pigment] content and melanosome dispersion in people of color compared with fair-skinned persons. These differences could at least in part account for the lower incidence of skin cancer in certain people of color compared with fair-skinned persons; a lower incidence and different presentation of photo aging; pigmentation disorders in people with skin of color; and a higher incidence of certain types of alopecia [loss of hair] in Africans and African Americans compared with those of other ancestry." While skin cancer may not be as much of a threat or concern, skin discolorations resulting from unprotected sun exposure or hormonal concerns are the same as that for women with lighter skin. Of course darker skin tones suffer less sun-induced changes to skin (including dryness) than women with lighter skin tones. This is due to the greater presence of melanin in darker skin tones, but does not mean that such skin tones don’t require a well-formulated moisturizer when/if their skin becomes dry for other reasons. [But] women of color are just as likely to suffer from photo(sun)-induced dermatitis conditions as women with light skin tones, proving that melanin only goes so far toward protecting women of color from sun damage.

A surprising difference noted in the research it is the imperative need to treat darker skin tones gently. When irritated, darker skin tones can stimulate hyperpigmentation causing patches of dark or grayish skin discolorations. Though this is easily treated, the main focus should be prevention. Given my fervent belief over the years that all skin types need to be treated gently, it's encouraging there is research pointing that way for women of color as well. When skin is irritated it cannot protect itself from the environment, it causes collagen and elastin to break down, it hurts the skin's immune response, and can cause skin to become dry (ashen) and flaky.

The bottom line is that regardless of skin color or ethnicity, all skin needs a gentle cleanser, effective exfoliant, state-of-the-art moisturizer (over dry areas), a sunscreen rated SPF 15 or greater containing UVA-protecting ingredients of avobenzone, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or Mexoryl SX (ecamsule) and appropriate treatments for skin discolorations (hydroquinone-based products), blemishes, and wrinkles.

MAC paint pots  

Posted by: LadyBird in





So as I have said in previous mosts I am a MAC fan from afar. Recently in my blog browsing I am noticing the mention of MAC paint pots, which retail for$16.50USD. Now I actually saw them listed before but they were of no interest to me. But then I came across some websites where you can purchase samples of MAC pigments and MAC paint pots and all of a sudden they were within my reach. :)


So they have about 10 regular colours I belive and then the colours that come in there collections, such as Fafi.

Most people from what I have read use one basic paint pot such as "painterly" as a base for their shadows in lieu of urban decay primer potion.

I got this list from a board on Specktra.net that was discussing MAC paint pots for women of colour. This is how one person used the some of the colours
Blackground - for when I want my blues and purples to pop-

Rubenesque - Love using this for a smoky brown/black eye-
Rollickin/Deflt/Otherworldly - I wear teals and blues often so these are invaluable. Otherwordly is great for a really bright look-
Groundwork - excellent for a neutral look-

Perky - this one is okay. I use it for neutral or lighter looks-

Rollickin - Great for purple + Blue looks
Now that is just how one person uses those colours. Christine from Temptalia created a Smokey brown tut using Constructivist paint pot. I love the look. Just love it. Check it out.





Crown Brushes  

Posted by: LadyBird in ,

Big wish list item here, and bonus. It is actually within my price range. Crown Brushes. As I type this I am checking out the reviews and so far they are pretty great. I have read on various beauty blogs such as necessarymakeup that they supply costal scents with their brushes, and that they are also comparable to MAC brushes!

Now that is nice. The pictures below are of the Luna Series. The prices range from like a dollar to about 6 dollars. Which for me is super nice :)

I am also going to post a youtube video review by Lizz1901. From the reviews I gather that some of the brushes are a little scratchy so you may want to try one from a series and see. Im pretty sure that I will stick to synthetic brushes as I think that they are super soft. Though I have been told that washing and cleaning your brush regularly makes them softer.











Alima Mineral Makeup  

Posted by: LadyBird in

I am lusting after makeup from this mineral company (Alima). Through browsing the mineral makeup blog I came across this company. I have been to there website before but the second time is the charm. They have good priced samples, the foundations are $1.50 and they even let you custom mix three shades and you can get it in a sample as well. Now that is nice. and they have an assortment of colours so I think that it will fit most skin tones.






Ahhh so many things I want to buy and so little money to get them. :(


MAC Color Forms  

Posted by: LadyBird in

So I was browsing through Swipe Some Gloss when I came across her post about MAC Color Forms. Now I am a MAC fan from afar. I am not able to afford their cosmectics as they are pricer and I also fear how my skin will react to their products as I have developed sensitive skin over the past two years. BOOO . I know. Anyway said products are available exculsively through Nordstrom. They currently have pre-ordering. Warm Eyes
Cool Eyes
Cool Lips
Warm Lips
Neutral Lips