Ahh, I can’t believe that my makeup challenge is finally coming to an end! I actually had lots of fun doing this challenge & hopefully my followers enjoyed my posts! & I think this is a great way to end the challenge- by passing on some knowledge off to some of you who are fairly new to makeup. Hopefully some of these tips will help you out or serve as some insight? These are just some things that I picked up and learned based on personal experience or just simply learning from my fellow makeup colleagues.

• When starting out with makeup, the drugstore is your best friend. A lot of drustore products are actually good quality products that are sold for a reasonable price! Brands like ELF, Wet n Wild, NYC & Maybelline are very good starter brands that are on the least expensive side of drugstore- whereas Revlon, L’oreal & Neutrogena are a bit pricier but most definitely worth trying! A majority of makeup I had growing up was mostly drugstore & some have become staple items in my makeup collection.
• Do your research! Curious about a product? Look up reviews either on YouTube, MakeupAlley or even here on tumblr! There are many beauty blogs out there that offer insightful reviews on various products that demonstrate their use, application or different ways you can use a product or if it’s even worth purchasing or not.
• Don’t be afraid of color! Experiment with it! Try it out, see what you like and get to know what works best with your skin tone! There are also tutorials out there to show you how to rock different eyeshadow looks or bold lip colors. Don’t be afraid to try something because it looks a little too bright or intimidating, just go for it!
• Get color tested! Not sure what your foundation color matches your skin best? Don’t be afraid to ask to get color tested the next time you go to a makeup counter at the department store, MAC or Sephora. Most of the time, their sales associates will gladly help you out to find your right shade & you can even ask for a sample of their foundation so you can try it out at home & see if it still looks the same without all those florescent lights. Another thing you can do if you’re shopping at the drugstore is find a shade closest to your skin tone & see if it matches exactly with the color of your lower chin and neck (my friend who works at Clinique taught me this)- this is how you find a shade that is not only closest to the color of your face, but it matches your neck as well, so you won’t have different colors going on your face and neck.
• Whatever you do, don’t go to sleep with your makeup on! Ladies, I cannot stress this enough. It is very detrimental to your skin and pores- you don’t even know the damage that you’re causing to your skin by doing that. No matter how tired you are, just wipe it all off or make an effort to rinse off whatever is left on your face (which in most cases is your makeup mixed with your natural oils and whatever pollution/debris you’ve acquired from being out- yeah, not cute). All that residue left on your face overnight will clog up your pores, cause break outs and best believe you will pay the price for it eventually. Trust me, I learned the hard way. Overnight, your skin overturns dead skin cells and your pores and sebum (natural oils) are work to restore your skin to it’s natural balance and moisturize, as well as rejuvinating your skin. If your pores are clogged- irritations and pimples will form and when you wake up- chances are… you’re not going to like what you see.
• Practice makes perfect. You don’t magically perfect the act of blending overnight- it takes practice and patience. & don’t worry if your makeup doesn’t look perfect the first couple of times, you can always try again. Don’t rush it either! (unless you’re in a hurry, then that’s a whole other issue). Give yourself ample time to get ready and figure out what colors you’re going to use or which ones work best for your eye color. Experimentation and practice are key to wearing makeup properly & not having to worry about if your face looks blotchy or cakey- or if your eyeshadow is creased or unblended. Look up beginner videos that take you through each step or see which techniques work best for you! Trust me, I learned through observation and practice- you’ll get it right eventually! :) 
• Develop your own routine! See what works best for you! Determine what steps you want to do first- whether you wanna put on your eyeshadow before you put on your foundation or even if you want to put your concealer (if needed) before or after you put on your foundation! There are no exact rules how to your makeup, just mere suggestions to see what can potentially work best for you or your preferences.
• Don’t be afraid to change things up a bit! From time to time, we all can fall in a makeup rut and start to use the same things over and over again- I’ve fallen into a makeup rut on several occasions just by wearing neutral eyes or the same colors. Every now and then I like to change it up a bit and add a hint of color! Or try a new technique I picked up from tutorials. If you’re comfortable wearing the same colors, don’t feel pressured to change your ways, but just know that there are other options out there for you!
• Stay on a makeup budget! I know I should take my own advice- but sometimes I fall into a bad habit of impulse shopping on items I know I don’t really need. Times are kinda hard nowadays, where most of us can’t afford to spend tons of money on makeup- so this is what I would suggest for you (I mean, us…) to do: 1.) Get more for your money- don’t have a lot to spend but want something to feed your make up needs? Invest in a makeup palette! There are a lot of makeup palettes available to better suit your needs- whether you’re looking for a face or eyeshadow palette- you name it, it’s out there. 2.) Looking to buy something that’s a bit pricier or high-end? Invest in something that you know you will use on a regular basis! That usually justifies the purpose in purchasing a high-end lipstick, eyeshadow, blush, etc. If you’re going to get your money’s worth, might as well use it all the time, right? 3.) Not looking to buy high-end products but want something similar to it? Look into purchasing inexpensive dupes! There are a lot of colors out there that are the same for about more than half the price you’re paying at MAC or Sephora. Sure, some items might not be of the same quality- but chances are they both work the same, but at least you won’t end up paying $20 for an eyeshadow (knowing that was some of your allowance/food money for the week).

Well, I think that’s all of the tips that I can think of for the moment- if there is anything else- I’ll do another post! Feel free to ask me any makeup or beauty related questions! I can most certainly try to give you an in-depth answer to whatever you’re looking for!

xoxo-Cynthia.

50 Day Makeup Challenge- Day 49: Picture of yourself with and without wearing makeup.

Sooo… I totally look younger without my makeup on! However, my webcam didn’t pick up any of my dark circles or my blemishes (thank goodness!)- so you really can’t see that well how dull & tired my skin looks without it. I feel as though whenever I wear makeup, my skin is instantly brightened and my eyes stand out more as opposed to looking sickly or as if I was lacking sleep for the past week or something. So there you go! 

Btw here’s yesterday’s FOTD:
Face:
Primer: MUFE HD Microperfecting Primer
Concealer: Benefit’s Erase Paste
Foundation: Clinique Acne Solutions Foundation in 2
Powder: Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear Loose Powder in Creamy Natural
Bronzer: Physician’s Formula Healthy Wear Bronzer in Light
Blush: ELF’s Tickled Pink

Eyes:
Primer: UDPP
Eyeshadows: (all from Kat von D Palette in Ludwig) Lid: Tequila, Crease: Downtown, Outer-v Corner: Baroque mixed with Leather, Highlight & Inner Corner: Clay.
Eyeliner: MUFE Aqua Eyes in Black w/ Elf Liquid Liner (top liner/wing)
Mascara: MUFE Smoky Lash Mascara in Black

Lips: Revlon Lip Butter in Brown Sugar

50 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 48-A picture of your very own halloween makeup look idea.
I was inclined to do an inspired look based on “A Girl with a Dragon Tattoo” (Lisbeth Salander) mixed with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way video- or the NARS Outremer Promo Photos. It’s a very bold, dramatic look- pale faced, super sculpted features (my webcam unfortunately didn’t pick up the intense contouring I did on my face *womp, womp*) & a very dark black- heavy smoked out eye look with washed out brows and nude lips. Beleive it or not, the eyebrows were the most challenging part of this look- it took me about 3 times to get them to fade out right without looking weird.

Products Used:
Face Primer: MAC Mattifiante Creme
Foundation: Maybelline’s Mineral Power Foundation in Porcelain Ivory (1)
Setting Powder: Maybelline’s Mineral Power Pressed Powder in Light (2-3)
Bronzer: MAC Bronzer in Bronze (all over to contour forehead, cheeks & nose)
Eyebrows: Urban Decay Primer Potion, NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk mixed with MAC Painterly Paint Pot- set with Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Peach Sorbet.
Eyes: Santee Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black, NYX Matte Black Eyeshadow in Black
Lips: MAC Studio Fix Concealer in NC 20 & MAC Viva Glam Lady Gaga II Lipstick.

I’ll try do more themed makeup looks in the near future & hopefully I’ll get a better camera to take better pictures to show you different looks! 

I completely forgot that I didn’t publish this- here it goes!
Here are some things that I would most likely bring with me when I go out or travel:

• Primer: usually a travel-sized version of any samples that I have or something that I’m currently using. Two Primers that I’ve been using lately have been the MUFE HD Microperfecting Primer or MAC Mattifiante Creme.
• Foundation: depending of the time or the season or wherever I’m going (how the climate is) I take a foundation that better suits my needs. Most of the time, I bring two just incase; one full-coverage with a semi-matte finish- like Revlon’s ColorStay Foundation for Oily/Combo Skin & a light, natural coverage foundation like Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation.
• Concealer: Benefit’s Erase Paste & MAC Studio Fix concealer in NC 20
• Powder Foundation: Maybelline’s Dream Matte Pressed Powder or MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NC 25
• Blush/Bronzer: I take the ELF Blush & Bronzer duo just because it’s great for travel and both shades are great and have an awesome finish.
• Eye Primer: travel size of UDPP or Too Faced Shadow Insurance
• Eyeshadow: I usually opt for a small palette that I know I will get a great use of- so I usually take a Wet n Wild Color Icon Palette in Vanity (for neutral looks) or the Too Faced Glamour to Go Palette II (which serves as a multipurpose- all around palette that has everything you need- eyeshadow, blush, bronzer, lipgloss).
• Eyeliner: whatever I’m currently using or an automatic eyeliner (so I won’t have to worry about rummaging for a sharpener or having to sharpen my pencils while travelling)
• Mascara: Maybelline’s Falsies Mascara or any of my travel-sized mascaras. 
• Lip Products: these, I always have in handy in my purse & best believe that I have every shade I’m in the mood for in my purse. Pinks, Nudes, Berries, Plums & Reds in both lipstick and lipgloss haha. Oh, & I most certainly have to have chapstick in my purse at all times.

& I think that’s about it…. I’ll probably post up a photo of my stash when I go travelling sometime soon.

Need I say more? haha. They have all my other favorite high-end brands and I just love going in there to try new products. I could spend hours in Sephora and not get bored; there’s so much to look at and explore.  Also, the fact that you get point perks & a birthday gift every year is a total plus! :)

Guilty. I honestly don’t know how much a year I spend on makeup & if I did… I would probably wouldn’t disclose it due to minor shame haha. On average per month, I would say that I spend around ~$50 on makeup products… but once the holiday season comes around & there are custom kits, new palettes and limited edition/seasonal items… I drop some mad $$$. To be fair, most of the palettes and kits that I purchase are very practical in the sense that you get more for your money (most of the time) & get the most use out of them for a complete look.
Makeup is my personal hobby and pastime; I like buying and trying new things. It’s my way of experimenting with new and different items, as well as expanding my personal makeup collection. & I honestly do not mind at all spending a lot or most of my money on makeup if I wear it almost everyday.  

Can I say that I prefer a kohl liner? I’ve actually always been very fond of the tradition eyeliner application & form. Every now & then I use liquid liner for darker looks, but for everyday use, I go to my eyeliner pencils. I own sooo many of them & in different shades! They’re so versatile & easy to use! Not to mention that you can get it ‘automatic’ form, so you won’t have to waste your time sharpening pencils or losing some product through shavings. I’m just going to go with pencil eyeliner ftw.
 

Different variations of a neutral eye. It’s my go-to, favorite everyday look :)
Here’s a semi-old picture of me with my typical neutral eye (with a hint of shimmer). Excuse the messy bangs & cheesy smile.
 

YES. It’s one of my personal hobbies and enjoy trying new looks on people. On numerous occasions I’ve done makeup on people, whether it was just for fun or for a special occasion. However, one night will always stand out to me- Halloween 2008. I did about 10 people’s makeup (including mine) in about 2.5-3 hours- that’s pretty impressive by ameteur standards.  
I was at UCSB & living in the dorms at the time, and everyone decided that Cyn should do their makeup for the big night because I had the biggest makeup stash and was overly prepared for the occasion. Don’t get me wrong, I was thrilled, but caught off guard & in a mad rush. Especially since I ended up being the last one to do my own face. From my own recollection- I remember doing my suitemates makeup (there were 6 of us- granted on 2 of them I just helped them on their eyeshadow look & winged liner)- 2 guys (one was batman & needed extra shading under his mask to create hollows under his eyes and the other dude, was well, a tranny maid); & 2 of my other friends who originally asked me to do their makeup the night before.
I’m not going to lie, I thought that it was pretty awesome that people came to me for help and wanted me to do their makeup for Halloween- but it was a bit overwhelming, since I had plans and was set back 2 hours on getting ready myself. However, I felt extremely accomplished and satisfied after seeing all of the progress and the thankful look on my friend’s faces when I transformed them into their desired Halloween look. It was a good night, indeed. 
Sorry for the bad quality/ low-res lighting… but here are some pictures from that night (I’m the ‘Vikingnette’):
 


Me & some of my Suitemates :)
 

+Mini Review of Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear Loose Powder.
(yesterday’s post- 12.17.11) Most of you by now would probably already know the answer to this question- given that my mvp product of my collection would be Benefit’s Erase Paste & the countless times it’s been brought up on my blog haha. However, to shake things up a bit and bring another product into the B&E spotlight, I would have to go with Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear Loose Powder.

I’ve used this powder foundation for almost four years! It’s another consistent item in my makeup collection that I always seem to go back to and it’s great to wear by itself and offers great coverage. I was introduced to this product by my friend Joanie and saw how much of a difference it made on her face and how much she loved it. So, I decided to try it out and fell in love with it. At the time mineral powders were becoming a big thing and Bare Minerals was really popular, but I really didn’t have that much money to splurge on makeup at the time since I was starting out in college, just getting my first part-time job & pretty much spent all of my money on school, books & film (for my photography class). This was my one of my staple makeup items throughout all of my four years of college (when I really started using makeup and doing a full-face on a regular basis) & it didn’t hurt my wallet at all. One container easily lasts me about 3 months. 
I love that this mineral powder doesn’t look heavy or cakey on your face and can be used by itself. You can also pair it with liquid foundation if you want super-flawless, full-on coverage for your skin. I usually alternate between two shades- Creamy Natural (for Fall/Winter) & Buff Beige (for Spring/Summer). I feel that both colors suit me well and don’t look too powdery or pasty- since in the past I honestly had a hard time finding the right shade of powder foundation- they were either too light, yellow or really pink. I’m really glad that I was introduced to this product because it really came in handy when I was going through that awful time period in my life, when I was constantly getting break outs and redness/unevenness all over my face. I loved that it felt lightweight, it wasn’t irritable and didn’t cause anymore break outs & the fact that it helped conceal my acne fairly well. Also, a big plus about this powder foundation is that it already comes with SPF & essential vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to your face, so that’s awesome. 
Overall, I would call this one of my top 5 hero products in my makeup collection, along with erase paste. With those two, I feel satisfied and complete for a foundation/base face routine.