All posts tagged make-up artist

Some lovely pigments – Medusa’s Make Up at Cocktail Cosmetics

April 25, 2011

I’m liking these pigments by Medusa’s Make Up. They are great for anyone building a make-up artist kit or anyone who enjoys working with pigments for fun. I have three shades…

All three shades are shimmery, not glittery, and have a satiny feel to them. The colours are all vibrant, easy to blend and best of all, long lasting. They are essentially pure good quality pigment that can be mixed together to make unique colours.

Here are a few swatches (taken in natural light)…

The dusts are also natural and vegan friendly and are a great alternative to MAC or Shu Uemura pigments.They’re also much cheaper at €4.50 / £3.95 a pot.

I think you’re either a pigment lover or your not. The little sifting grates really bother some people. I tend to use pigments more when I have time to experiment, they can be messy to use in a rush.

I always apply pigments over an eye base for extra longevity and to help them stick. This also adds to the vibrancy of the shades. At the moment I’m using NYX eye base in skin colour or MAC Painterly Paintpot – I like both.

I have heard plenty of make-up lovers in the US talking about these dusts but they are actually available over this side of the world…woo hoo. Mine are from Cocktail Cosmetics.

Do you like using pigments?

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Luminess Air Kit

September 12, 2010

On Friday morning Mr UPS, in his smashing brown shorts, delivered an exciting package. Luminess Air sent me one of their systems to try out. I thought I would give you a little look at what arrived.

I have been wanting to try an airbrushing system for a while so I’m looking forward to figuring it out.

This is the compressor, plug and gun. The plug is two prong so I will have to get a voltage adaptor.

The kit came with four foundation – 2,3,4 and 5. I plan to use the 3 for conceling, the 2 for highlighting and 3 or 4 as foundation contour. Sounds fussy but I’m hoping it’ll be easy.

The Eye Kit box housed a black mascara, a black Calligraphy Liner and a brown one.

Now these look like fun! A primer/moisturiser, a pearlescent highlighter, a bush and a bronzer. The bronzer looks very pigmented with gold reflects. The blush is a pretty pink. I’m not sure about the pearlescent highlighter, I think a very light touch might be the order of the day.

The Eyeshadow Kit is a little alarming. I’m wondering how pecision will be achieved on the eye area so I’m looking forward to experimenting with these. There is an application tips sheet in the box too which should help me a little.

The airbrush itself. Pretty standard and hopefully straight forward.

The kit comes with an instructional dvd (thank god!) and a few brochures with product lists and tips.

Overall I’m excited and a little intimidated. Bring it on! I need to have a good play with this before I am in any position to pass judgement.

What are your thoughts on airbrushed make-up?

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Special Effects Adhesives for Make-Up Artists

August 24, 2010

When I started out in make-up the only adhesive I had to my name was Duo. While it’s great for eyelashes and latex it’s not really an all round adhesive. I have since explored other types and have found that they each have their strengths and drawbacks. So if you were wondering what adhesives to buy for your kit or are unsure about the one to choose to meet the requirements of the job at hand here is a little information on the types of adhesives used by artists and what they actually stick.

Duo – Sticks latex. Great as an eyelash glue. It can also be used to blend the edges of prosthetic pieces made from latex.

ProsAide – This sticks latex only. However, it can be mixed with water and used as a sealer on foam pieces.

Spirit Gum - sticks latex, gelatine and plastic.

Dow Corning 355 Medical Adhesive – This is great stuff. It sticks plastic, gelatine and latex quickly. It can also be thinned using the same thinner used to thin Tipp-ex (trichlorotrifluoroethane – good job I didn’t have to attempt to pronounce this!).

Some of these adhesives are only necessary for the application of prosthesis and bigger jobs. If want to explore fantasy make-up or special effects however it’s worth making sure that you have something in your kit to stick anything!

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How to: Cover an indented scar

August 10, 2010

I have been asked quite a few times to explain the process of covering an indented scar. This method is great for covering all manner of indented scars – acne indented scaring, chicken pox marks, indented surgical scars etc.

A mixture of highlighting, shading and covering can make a scar look less indented. The idea is to create the illusion that the surrounding area protrudes less.

Cover the scar with a camouflage/concealer that matches your skin tone of the surrounding skin.

Apply a slightly paler shade than this around the inside edge of the scar. I like to use a small liner brush for precision and eliminate mess. Tap this with your fingertip. Don’t rub it in.
Set with a thin veil of powder
Apply a slightly darker cream (than the one that matches your skin tone) to the area just outside of the scar (the perimeter). Once again tap don’t rub.
Set with powder.

If the scarring is mild you could pick yourself up a concealer palette with a variety of shades to experiment with. However, if the scarring is more obvious and visibly discoloured or deep I would recommend investing in some camouflage products. I use veil and dermacolor in my kit but there are plenty of brands on the market to suit your skin and your wallet.

I hope this helped!

*Image from derma-rollerplanet.com

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Blink in Pink Make-up Brushes

July 12, 2010

In a video I made months ago I gave you a quick flash of some make-up brushes that were sent to me. I was inundated with questions about where they came from, how much they cost etc. I made this video a month ago and have finally gotten around to uploading the review. I left close up photos of the brushes below the video. Enjoy!

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uFhJ8Qir6s

and some photos…

Please excuse the make-up all over my brush roll, it’s used frequently :) You may have noticed that there is a brush missing. It may/may not be in my suitcase, that I have not unpacked yet. It is however, a slanted blush/contour brush. I will add a picture in at the end of the post when I locate it.

And some close ups…

and some more..

and my favourite brushes from the brush roll…

I like the first one for washing colour over a wide lid space or if I’m in a hurry and want to apply a base shade from lash to brow. The fluffy brush is very very fluffy, I know, I’m so articulate ha ha. It’s great for blending although it’s not comparable to the MAC 224 or Sigma SS224 since I can still apply shadow with those. This brush is definitely just for blending. The third is my favourite. It’s completely round (close-up below). I use it in the socket. I do the same with the last brush but this one is more precise and great for working on the outer corner and socket on smaller lid space.

Here’s a close up of the round brush I was going on and on about in the video

They are available from http://www.blinkinpink.co.uk

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Make-up Musings: 8 Reasons to Say Yes to Powder

March 22, 2010

I have a bit of a love hate relationship with powder. When applied well it can leave me looking polished but if too heavy handed it can look cakey.

In the Summer I rely on my MAC Mineralise Skin Finish Natural. But during the rest of the year I can get away without it as I’m not too oily. In the interest of wearing less make-up I have abandoned my powder in the last few months. Aside from my makeup not lasting as long, I do look a lot less polished. This has led me to ponder a little more about benefits of powder.

I have come up with 8 reasons to say yes to powder:

1. It sets make-up – It makes your make-up last longer and stops transfer and smudging. It also stops liquid products slipping.

2. It prevents shine – Powder absorbs moisture. The key is to keep it light to avoid cakiness.

3. It mattifies – An essential for ladies with oily skin.

4. It blends make-up – It softens edges and blends make-up bringing your Read more…

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Make-Up Artist Discounts – What’s available?

February 21, 2010

Here is a list of the discounts available for make-up artists. Pro discounts make building your kit much easier. Each company will have different requirements for application so you will need to check their website for a full list. Here is some more information on the brands that offer a pro discount, what percentage they offer and how to apply.

MAC Pro – www.macpro.com

Makeup Artists receive 40% off when you download their pro membership application online and send 2 credentials (certificate, letter from employer, credits etc) Read more…

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Make-Up Artist Series: Different Types of Foundations

February 15, 2010

Here is a list of the different types of foundations used by Make-up artists and what they are used for:

Liquid: Used when trying to achieve a natural look. Perfect for young or clear skin. Usually applied with a foundation brush, stippling brush or damp make-up sponge. Professional liquid foundations are best.

Cream: Use for more coverage or on older skins. Use a very light touch.

Tint: Used often on mens skin or very clear skin.

Panstick: Used for theatre work. They are grease based so they need to be set with powder. It’s best to buy them in a palette to have a variety of shades.

Camouflage: Used to cover scars, acne etc

Pancake: Used when trying to create flat make-up. It’s usually used on the body or fantasy work. They are water based, dry quickly and doesn’t rub off on clothing. It is applied with a damp sponge.

There will be more from my Make-up Artist Series tomorrow.

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Maybelline Quad – Enchanted Forest

February 9, 2010

I picked up the Maybelline eyeshadow quad in Enchanted Forrest for a couple of dollars in the US a few months ago.

I have tried a few of the Maybelline quads before and I wasn’t impressed with the quality. But this particular quad came highly recommended. So I decided to give it a go today.

The colours work really well on blue and green eyes. These quads come with instructions on where to apply them. I didn’t follow this. I used the highlight shade on the lid, the lid colour in the crease and then the outer corner colour in well, the outer corner. I used the crease shade under the eye.

the pigmentation isn’t outstanding but it is nice. It’s perfect for day wear. I don’t think they are pigmented enough for a big night out though. They’re soft and easy to apply. Best of all, they are cheap!

Have you tried these yet?

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How to wear Foundation with False Tan

February 7, 2010

I had a question from a reader which I decided to post since there are so many tan lovers out there.

And the question:

“I have blonde hair and fair skin but every foundation I wear on a night out always looks different compared to my tan in pictures what do I do? I see loads of girls with blonde hair and they look fine”

My answer:

The problem could be how the false tan photographs rather than the foundation. My suggestion is to bring whatever foundation you wear onto your neck, face and chest on a night out. That way you photograph evenly. MAC sell Face and Body Foundation for this purpose, Make Up For Ever sells one too.

If you use liquid be sure to powder the neck and chest so the make-up doesn’t transfer to your clothes.

Also check your powder make-up to see if it contains Titanium Dioxide as this would make your face photograph whiter.

It would also help to buy 2 different shades of the same foundation as your false tan won’t be the same colour as it fades each day.

Thank you for your questions :)

Image: beautyhype.com

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