Never Have I Ever!

My random thought of the day...

You could NEVER have told me that a day will come that I wouldn't even flinch when I get peed, pooped, and/or vomited on!  

Never have I ever thought that my typical singing in the shower or while I cook dinner would all of a sudden, without warning, go from songs I love to willingly humming the nursery rhymes that are stuck in my head TO MYSELF!  

Or that I would be dancing, clapping, and singing along with the worlds most ridiculously annoying toys or television shows in hopes of conjuring up a smile!  

Never did I ever think that my "washing my hair" routine in the shower would become- Lather.  Peek-a-Boo!  Rinse.  Peek-a-Boo!  Repeat.  

In a million years, I never imagined that I wouldn't be dancing the "Cupid Shuffle" on someone's wedding dance-floor, but completely music-less in my kitchen instead!  Just to entertain my little guy!  

Every bit of total JOY is worth it!  ALL OF IT!  Every smile!  Every laugh!  Every coo!  Every babble of God only knows what!  Every-time Josiah laughs at my ridiculous attempts to try and get him to say, "Mama!"  That gummy little smile, now interrupted by two razor sharp teeth, makes my world stop for a second!  Then there are also, of course, the bouts of hysterical laughs Charlie and I share together over parenthood ridiculousness!  Those moments of joy make all the "never have I ever" thoughts go from thinking I've gone crazy to feeling completely okay with having gone crazy!  

These moments of joy are the perfect encouragement that get me through some of the hardest days (and sometimes the hardest weeks).  As every parent knows not every moment of parenthood is awesome (like when your child is 5 degrees past tired and still refusing to sleep).  But every moment of parenthood is a blessing!       

Simply put- never have I ever thought that being a mom would stretch me this much...  

Some days I feel like my heart is just going to explode out of my chest because a smile or a laugh is inefficient to even express the joy I feel!  

Every day I get to wake up and see that little face, my heart skips a beat for a second!  I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to raise this amazing little life!  

God has opened my eyes, heart, and mind!  He has completely changed my world through parenting...

I think I'll be ready for round two pretty soon *wink*wink*

Stay tuned..........................................................................

Love,

Michelle

5 Essential Brushes You Need!

Hey Beauties!

I usually don't post  on the weekends but I had promised a second post this week- so here I am delivering.  Sorry for how late in the day and week this is going up (I just looked at the time and I realized I started writing this post on Saturday... but now it's Sunday... whoops!)- I haven't had a whole lot of time this week to do much of anything (clearly), so house cleaning duties were calling.  Actually, I'm pretty sure they were screaming! 

Heads up- next week will probably be a slow posting week as well- seeing as the camp-meeting services at our church have been extended for another week.  Which I am personally super, duper, excited about!  But that does mean I will be practically living at the church for another week (not literally, but pretty close...) and I won't have the opportunity to do a post every day.  But make sure you stop by and check to see what does go up!

It's not necessary to have 50 different makeup brushes (unless you do makeup for a living, then 50 brushes is the probably the minimum you'd need), but it can be confusing and totally overwhelming to try and figure out how to narrow them all down!  Well, I'm here to answer- there are only 5 essential brushes that EVERYONE needs to make sure they own!  You can create ANY look with just these essentials!  From natural looks---> dramatic ones---> even theatrical ones- You'll be equipped to do them all!  

At some point you may need more than just these, so don't disregard other brushes that you may have and love- these are just the core basics that- if you have nothing, or if you're a makeup brush hoarder (like myself) and need to narrow down your favorites in order to "pack light" for vacation (I've been dreaming of warmer weather)- here is where you'd start, and you won't go wrong!

You only need one face brush! YAY!

I suggest one of these three (click on the photo and it'll take you to the link to purchase).

  

You can use one of these brushes for just about anything you would apply to your face- moisturizer, face primer, foundation, powder, cheek contour, bronzer, and blush.  As far as the Duo Fibre brush by MAC goes- I do prefer the #188 over the #187 because the #188 is smaller, so I think it offers a little more control and precision in application... aaand it's cheaper!

For eyes you're going to need these

This flat brush is used for pressing and packing color onto your eyelid and/or your brow bone.  And the evenly tapered tip of this brush makes for a perfect smudge brush.

This fluffy brush is the "got to have" blending brush that applies a lot of pigment but keeps it blended as it applies it.  It's the perfect brush for eyeshadows you place on the outer corner of your eye and in your crease.  This brush is great for applying eye primers; you could also use it to apply and blend out the perfect amount of concealer.  

Whether you are using this brush to apply your base, shadow; or for concealer under your eye, over blemishes, or any red areas of skin, it'll get it right every time because the taper of this brush applies a pigmented amount of color right in the center while diffusing the color around the edges.

This fluffy blending brush is the "Magic Eraser" of brushes.  If you have any harsh edges of color- this little lady will make them disappear!  This is also an incredible brush to apply any facial highlights with because it's smaller in size so it'll apply the highlight in a very controlled way while diffusing it so you don't just have an awkward stripe of shimmer on your cheeks.  If you like to do any nose contouring or any other fine detailed contouring this brush is just the right size and applicator for that too.

You may be wondering why you need two fluffy blending brushes.  When you see these two gals in person and feel them, you will realize that they're totally different.  The white one (#217) is shorter, a little coarser of a hair texture, and a lot denser, so it picks up and places down a lot more color.  While the black haired brush (#224) is the opposite of all those things and is better at making colors look seamless.  Also, both brushes are tapered, but done differently.  

Bottom line- they totally apply color in two completely different, unique ways.  And both brushes are *all time* makeup artist favorites!  Just ask them!  

Last bust not least...

You need an angled brush.  This brush is a great little multitask-er.  You can use it for your brows; to fill in with an eyeshadow color, or to diffuse any lines created from a brow pencil.  You can use it for eyeliner (powders, creams/gels, liquids, or to blend and even out pencil liner), it's one of the easiest brushes to use for a winged liner look.  This brush is also great for creating any dramatic edges of color.  Like doing a cut-crease eye, like this  

An angled brush will help you create that line!  The sharp edge of the angled brush also makes for a super precise lip brush!

And there you have it!  Every feature and detail is covered by these 5 essentials!  

One thing to keep in mind is that if you are using only these 5 brushes to multitask through all of these products on all of these features, you're going to need some quick drying brush cleanser.  You'll need it because you can't fill in your eyebrows and then use the same brush without cleaning it properly to apply your lipstick.  And you can't apply your eyeshadow and then go straight into applying your concealer.  Well, unless you want to look like you rolled your face in a little mud, then and only then, you can do that!!!  The only cleanser I've liked out of all the ones that I've tried so far is this one

But it's on my list to try other ones that work great so, I'll be sure to keep you posted on how that goes in the future.  If you have any suggestions of ones that I should try please feel free to reach out via the "Contact Me" form on the right side of the blog and let me know which one you like!  

Makeup brushes can be pretty costly.  I recently did an entire post on which brushes are worth spending your hard earned dollars on and which ones you can get something great for cheaper, you can check that out here.  

Enjoy Beauties and I hope you have an incredibly blessed rest of the weekend!

Love,

  Michelle  

PS- I also suggest everyone own a Beauty Blender Sponge; it's not a brush, so it didn't make the list!  But just so you're aware-- this little sponge is fantastical!  I'm convinced it has supernatural powers that make you look amazing!

Foundation 101!

I've received a handful of foundation questions from several people- so lets get them all cleared up in one shot!  There are four things about foundation that you need to understand and figure out in order to know what will be right for you; they're the coverage, texture, finish, and color.  Each of these things have nothing to do with one another and you can decide what you want in each category and then find the foundation that lines up with your criteria.  The options are practically endless.  Lets break them all down...

Coverage 

This is how much of your skin you see through your foundation.  The typical stops are sheer, medium, and full coverage.  Like Pantyhose!  You have pantyhose that range from sheer - opaque, and everything in between.  They all cover your legs, but some you can still see your leg skin through them and others you can't at all. 

Sheer Coverage- This is your "sheer pantyhose" type of foundation.  It typically has enough coverage to even out any mild redness in your skin but your natural skin will be showing through.  It has a harder time covering areas of severe redness (example- areas of skin with rosacea or acne spots).  It will very slightly blur over any freckles on your skin (if you have any)- but they will still be pretty prominent.  

*Side Note*  I love freckles!  I even pretend like I have some occasionally, and I use a brow pencil to falsify a few ;) Don't cover them- God made you with freckles and he made you beautiful!

Full Coverage- This is your "opaque tights/pantyhose" type of foundation!  This one will usually cover just about anything.  You won't be seeing much (if any) of your natural skin through it.  This will (the majority of the time) completely get rid of the appearance of any redness, dark spots, freckles, or any other discoloration situations you may be dealing with.

Medium Coverage- This one is more coverage than Sheer and less coverage than Full! Haha!  Groundbreaking explanation; I know...  

Here's the thing- Most gals want the look of perfect, flawless skin, but they want to look like they naturally have it...  Which is not impossible!  Woo-hoo!  

First way to get there is to actually improve your skin!  Invest in some great skincare that works for you and drink lots of water.  That way your makeup won't have to be working as hard to get the look you are wanting.  

Most gals also think that achieving perfect looking skin means having to use a full coverage foundation.  Flawless looking skin = completely, totally cover everything!  Not true!  You can probably get away with using a sheer or medium coverage all over and then just going back into your skin with concealer on the areas you need a little coverage boost.  Just because one area of your skin is red-er than the rest of your face doesn't mean the rest of your face needs to be treated the same as that area!  That's how you can easily cross the highway from perfected looking skin to caked-face yucky-ness (I have an 8 month old- so yes, I say yucky)!  In fact, I almost never pick up a full coverage foundation to do any look.  It's not necessary, and when we're done my clients look totally flawless without feeling like they have on a heavy face.

Texture 

This is the consistency of the foundation.  There are liquids, creams, mousses, and powders.  This is purely a feeling and application preference, because the texture of the foundation has little to nothing to do with the way the foundation will look, and some formulas are simply more convenient to apply than others.  The foundation's finish may be affected slightly (you'll read about that in just a second) with certain formulas but that isn't always the case.  

I've noticed a few generally consistent "texture preferences" through experience over the years...

Darker/deeper skin tones for some reason look AAAAMAZING (smooth, creamy, and buttery) with cream foundations, I'm not exactly sure why.  But they really do.   

Liquids and powders are the most common and easily accessible textures of foundation.  I love a liquid formula, but if I'm in a mega hurry I'll grab a powder formula- just because it applies quicker.  They have totally different finishes though (I cover that in the next section).  

Gals with dry skin tend to like mousse-y textured foundation because it tends to have a bit more hydration added into the formula. 


Keep in mind- the tools you use to apply the different textures of foundation with will affect the foundation's coverage.  For example- using a flat synthetic brush with a liquid formula will apply the most coverage that foundation is capable of, while applying it with a buffing brush will thin out the appearance slightly because it'll spread it out a little more.

Finish 

This refers to the way they foundation dries down (or doesn't) and the look that the foundation gives your skin.  There are dewy, matte, and demi-matte (also called a natural finish or natural-matte) finishes.

Dewy finish foundations have a really well moisturized and a typically natural look to them.  This happens to be my favorite type of foundation for myself for everyday wear.  It leaves a sheen to your skin.  It doesn't look greasy like oil on your skin, it just has a very healthy glow to it.  As if you went to the gym and had the most beautiful and perfect looking sweat!  Like this

Matte finish foundations have NO sheen.  And as a result to the lack of sheen, this finish tends to look the most "made-up," and looks very velvety (in a good way).  People that have oily skin typically prefer a matte finished foundation because it is pretty common for them to have a few oil controlling ingredients in them to keep the shine levels down.  It looks like this on the skin

Demi-Matte finishes are mostly matte but they have the SLIGHTEST bit of a very soft dewy finish that shows up in all the right places.  For anyone that wants a matte finish foundation but doesn't want to look too heavy with it- this is the perfect finish.  This is my favorite finish to use on clients as well as on myself for special occasions because it looks the most like naturally perfect skin and it photographs like a dream!  See for yourself

Powder foundations will all fall into a matte or demi-matte category of finish.  Liquids, creams, and mousses, because of their wetter consistency, can be offered in all of the different finishes.

Color

Your foundation should always match your skin!  It's not uncommon and is recommended to have multiple shades of foundations.  At least two.  You want to match your skin mid-winter, when you're your palest, and mid-summer, whenever you're your darkest.  If you don't want to purchase any more foundation shades as you tan and as you fade you can mix these two colors accordingly to get your in between shades just right.  If you are unable to purchase two shades of foundation, need something to hold you over until you have a tan to rematch, or like to pretend you have a tan- use some bronzer in the meantime to boost the color and work it all out.

BTW if you like to fake having a tan- don't you dare just grab the shade of foundation that you WISH you were!  UNLESS YOU ARE PRETENDING TO BE AN OOMPA LOOPA- STOP DOING THAT!  Nobody else thinks it looks cute, TRUST ME!

I mean, seriously!?

You want to match your foundation from your cheekbone to your jaw line!  No place else!  It is meant for your face and just in case you were unaware- the back of your hand or inside of your wrist is NOT your face- don't match it there- it makes no sense- stop doing that too!

Don't judge a foundation by it's bottle!  Go somewhere that you can try it on or some place that has a sampling program.  You won't really know if it's the perfect shade of foundation for you until you actually have it on!  When you do get it on- take a step outside in natural sunlight to be sure of the shade.  Sunlight is the brightest lighting and is generally pretty unforgiving- so if it's not the right shade- it'll show.  And just so you know- sitting in your car checking out your foundation doesn't count as looking at it outside in sunlight.  The mirror in your car is actually one of the worst places to check your foundation shade.
   
I hope this answered all of your foundation questions, but if I missed anything or you need me to clarify something further please comment whatever it is below, or send me an email using the "Contact Me" form on the right side of the blog!  Enjoy!

Love,

Michelle

Coming Soon...

Hello Beauties!

This week is going to be a slow posting week (sorry but not sorry) because I will pretty much be at church all week...

But I'm not totally neglecting you or your beauty needs completely this week!  I have two other posts planned.  YAY!  So, I just wanted pop in and let you all know that I appreciate you and to give you all a heads up of what you can look forward to reading later this week!  

THE Top 5 Essential Makeup Brushes You Absolutely Need!

&

Basic Foundation Tips!

Keep checking back for them and catch-up on/re-read any older posts in the meantime!

BTW- If you're in the greater Baltimore or Washington DC Metro Areas and happen to be looking for a life changing experience-- at 10am and 7pm every day (through 2.21.14) I highly suggest attempting to make it out to-

Life Source International Church 

7000 Rossville, Blvd 

Rosedale, MD 21237

You'll definitely laugh.  You may possibly cry.  But you for sure will NOT be leaving the same-- I promise!  Haha!  Come and check it out!

Love,

Michelle

Makeup Tip Monday- The One Time Lip Touch-Up!

Hey Beauties!!!  I hope you've all had a wonderful Valentine's weekend!  And Happy Prezzy Day (I don't want that job- that's for sure)!

Lately I have been rocking the worlds largest handbags that can double up as a diaper bag...

But back in the day (roughly 8 months ago haha) I dreaded carrying a purse.  Don't get me wrong- I LOVE a great handbag and have tons that I used regularly.  But if I was out shopping for a day, or running a quick errand, I would prefer to travel as lightly as possible (less risk of me losing something and more free arm space to carry goodies).  My go to was a wristlet that was just big enough to carry exactly what I needed, including enough space to carry my phone.  I would then just clip my keys to it and I was set!  With one exception.  I couldn't fit in a tube of lipstick.  I was all out of room!

Lipstick is not quite my dessert island product- but it's runner up.  My dessert island products are a tie between  bronzer and mascara, but if I'm stuck on a desert island- hopefully I'd get a tan- so that leaves me with mascara in first place and lipstick still holding strong in second.

I love a great lipstick shade because you can go "celebrity airport makeup" status with it!  You know the look I'm talking about...

Just throw on some great sunnies and a fun lipstick- you'd look famously fashionable (literally)!  You could look all kinds of sleepless and un-made up under those sun glasses, but the lipstick makes everyone think otherwise!

If I was out for a whole day shopping, lunching, etc...  I just needed ONE lip touch up after lunch to keep my "celebrity airport makeup" look going- and there was no room!  What's a girl to do!?

Here's the tip-

All you need to do is take a retractable lip brush (or one with a lid) load it up with lipstick, and retract it back down.  That's it!  Just pop that into your bag- it's not as bulky as a full tube of lipstick so, it'll fit nicely and when it comes time for a lunch time touch up just pop it up and you have the perfect amount of your favorite shade pre-loaded and ready to use!  Genius; I know! 

Check out this post to find out what inexpensive retractable lip brush I recommend!  You're Welcome!  Enjoy!

Love,

Michelle

Calling All Couples!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

In today's post I'm going to talk about something a bit more important than just mommy and outer beauty stuff...

Lets talk about love!!!

So, go grab your significant other, forward them this post, or post it to your Facebook wall in hopes that they'll read it and get the hint.  This post will definitely apply to both of you!

My husband and I met at my cousin's wedding, he was a guest and I was a bridesmaid!  We were married less than one year later!  I knew almost instantly that he was the man I would spend the rest of my life with; it took him a couple of weeks to figure it out-  I secretly (not so secretly now) love teasing him about it!  One of our favorite things that we have always done throughout our relationship was write each other love letters.  Or in most cases- love emails, text messages, and we've recently added Dry Erase Marker mirror notes into the mix.  Actual letters were saved for super special occasions :)  For almost a year now we do this regularly; practically daily!

I've come to realize that our constant communication about how much we love and appreciate each other is not exactly the norm for a lot of relationships.  It wasn't always our norm either!  We've all been guilty at one point or another of putting the "I love you" phrase on verbal auto-pilot.  But sometimes a grand gesture and pulling out all the "I love you" stops is not only wanted but needed.  And there aren't many (inexpensive) ways to do that- that can top a good ol' fashioned love letter!  So here are...

7 Steps to Writing a Perfect Love Letter!!!  

Be prepared to get all kinds of cheesy and sappy!  Go get a pen and some paper...

1.  Start off by stating the purpose of your letter!

You're going to want to let your significant other know right off the bat that this is a love letter and not a grocery list!

2.  Take a walk down memory lane and write about a romantic memory!

The awesome thing about being in a relationship is that you probably have tons of memories together- so conjure one up that made you fall in love with him/her (the first time, or all over again... it doesn't matter).  Be sure to write as many details about it as you can possibly remember and write whatever thoughts you remember having during the moment of that memory.  Make sure you mention that it's a reason why you love them!

3.  Transition by telling them how much you still love him/her!

4.  Tell them everything you love about them!  And I mean EVERYTHING!

Every person loves to hear all about the things you like, love, and appreciate about them.  Write everything- from character and personality traits to physical ones.  I suggest making a list on a another sheet of paper so then all you have to do is turn that list into sentences.

**NEWS FLASH** your significant other will never tire from hearing how much you love and respect them!  We all want to love and feel loved in return!  I know I do!

5.  Tell them how your life has changed since meeting them!

6.  Reaffirm your love and commitment!

7.  End with a line that sums up all the love you feel for him/her!

Here is a little bit of inspiration for ya!

Ernest Hemingway to Marlene Dietrich

"I can't say how every time I ever put my arms around you I felt that I was home."

Beethoven to his "Immortal Beloved"

"Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, Be calm- love me- today- yesterday- what tearful longings for you- you -you- my life- my all- farewell.  Oh continue to love me- never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.  Ever thine.  Ever mine.  Ever ours."

George H. Bush to Barbara Bush

"This should be a very easy letter to write- words should come easily and in short it should be simple for me to tell you how desperately happy I was to open the paper and see the announcement of our engagement, but somehow I can't possibly say all in a letter I should like to.  I love you, precious, with all my heart and to know that you love me means my life.  How often I have thought about the immeasurable joy that will be ours some day.  How lucky our children will be to have a mother like you-"

Unknown

"Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you was beyond my control."

Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan

"The important thing is I don't want to be without you for the next 20 years, or 40, or however many there are.  I gotten very used to being happy and I love you very much indeed."

Johnny Cash to June Carter Cash

"The fire and excitement may be gone now that we don't go out there and sing them anymore, but the ring of fire still burns around you and I, keeping our love hotter than a pepper sprout."

I didn't want to write too many specific phrasing suggestions because this letter should come from you, and be in your own words!  It doesn't matter if it is super eloquent and perfectly written, all that matters is that your heart is on that page!  Follow these steps and you will have a seriously awesome Love Day ;)  Enjoy!

Love,

Michelle

Get To Know Your Skin!

What type of skin do you have?

I would ask this very simple question and the response, more often than not, would be some combination of a confused face, a bit of shoulder shrugging, raised eyebrows, and a series of "I don't know" mumbles.  Then I would have to ask a whole series of other questions to try and get down to the bottom of what their skin type was, and they would answer perfectly fine and we'd figure it out together.  What that always told me was that women know the answers to how their skin feels and responds to different products, what it looks like throughout the day, and so on but they don't always know what category of skin type the answers to those questions puts them into.  Not to fear- The Made-Up Mom is here!   

Why you need to know your skin type...

You will be able to perfectly customize your skincare to target what your skin needs!  And you'll be able to better figure out what foundation and powder combination you will need to get the best look and wear for your makeup!

Why do you need to customize your skincare?

The better your skin is the more gracefully it'll age (prevention is cheaper than Botox), and the better your makeup will look!  Your makeup will only look as good as the skin underneath it allows it to look.  Makeup will only even out discoloration in skin- not texture.  So dry flaky patches, fine lines, wrinkles, acne bumps, larger pores, etc... will all still show through your makeup.  With better skin you'll have far less issues to have to attempt illusion correcting with makeup! 

Your skin type is mainly a genetic thing, however, the health and beauty of your skin later in life heavily depends on what you eat and how you take care of yourself, that includes your skincare regime.  If you don't take care of your skin it's only a matter of time before it shows, because IT WILL (no way around it)!!!  So if you can fix these issues just by figuring out your skin type and adjusting your skincare- why not!?  And we get to look younger for longer!?  YES, PLEASE!

There are 5 basic skin types!  Lets break them down!

Normal Skin

Your skin should look and feel vibrant, elastic, and supple.  You're in the super lucky bunch if you have this skin type because it's the least problematic.  It should be clear and smooth, you should have good circulation and a healthy complexion.  Even with the bare minimum care you're in luck for the long haul.  Keep up the good work and thank God for the good genes he blessed you with!

Dry Skin

Your face feels tight most of the time, you rarely (if ever) have traces of oil, and you probably deal with flaky patches somewhat regularly.  With dry skin you may find yourself touching up your makeup often, but not because things slid and moved around- it's more like your makeup pulled a full on disappearing act!  It's because your skin likely absorbed everything in a desperate attempt to hydrate itself!  Unfortunately dry skin can have a sallow tone, pores will be more visible, and it's prone to aging.  Good news- the right skincare will snap this right into shape! 

Oily Skin

Oily skin usually looks thickly greasy and shiny.  It can have a course texture (which is a major sign that the oil is caused from dehydration), usually accompanied by enlarged pores, and it tends to break into a bit of (sometimes a lot of) acne.  Bonus- Oily skin is not prone to much wrinkling- YAY!

Combination Skin

This skin type is pretty common.  It has patches of both dry and oily skin.  Usually the dry zones are the cheeks and around the eyes, and the oily zones are down through the center of the face- nose, forehead, and chin.  This skin type can be a bit of a headache because toproperly treat it you're going to have to separate the two zones and treat them each appropriately.

Sensitive Skin

This skin type often gets confused with dry skin since they share some of the same signs (tight and flaky).  But the difference is this skin type has reactions to products.  Typically, some sort of red spots or reddish scaly areas pop up and it can sometimes even feel itchy and tingly.  It's a fragile type of skin and whoever has this skin type needs to be very ingredient conscious when choosing products.  I also suggest doing patch tests with everything before you slather it on everywhere.  A patch test is when you use a product on a small area of your skin to see how it reacts.  The two spots suggested for patch tests are typically the inside of your elbow joint or behind your ear.   

A general rule of thumb to great skin is to DRINK WATER!!!  LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER!!!  I personally go through fazes where it gets really difficult for me to get my water in for the day (i;m just not in the mood for water) so I will make myself "spa water" by chopping up fruit (kiwi and strawberry is my favorite combination) and filling the rest of the pitcher with water and leaving it over night and by morning you have refreshing, naturally flavored water!  It's delicious!

What skin type do you have and does your current skincare routine seem to help?  Let me know in the comments below or email me using the "contact me" form on the right side of the blog!  If you need any skin care regime suggestions- just ask!  Enjoy!

Love,

Michelle

The Things I've Learned- What Men Really Think About Makeup!

With Valentines day right around the corner and lots of date nights happening throughout this weekend, I figured it's the perfect time to spill the beans on what men really think about makeup.  I was really hesitant to even write this post because I'm a pretty firm believer in doing makeup for yourself.  Do whatever you feel like doing, experiment with different looks, do whatever will make you feel happy, put together, and will add a little pep into your step.  But in reality we want to look as attractive as we possibly can to our significant other.  The problem is we over complicate what that entails!  We need to merge what we like along with whatever your hubby's or boyfriend's preferences might be...  

I've bared witness to PLENTY of couples "exchanges" on this topic!  Plus Charlie and I have had more conversations about it than he would prefer (since his answer is the same every time).  I just find how differently the opposite sex approaches this subject so fascinating.  Even after 6 years of marriage, it leaves me stunned every time when he compliments how pretty he thinks I look when I think I'm having my most unfortunate beauty moment of the day!  Like right when I wake up- my hair looks like I stuck my finger in a light socket, I have sleep marks on my face, and usually a couple eye boogies to boot- and THAT is when he says I look beautiful, and THAT is when I think he may be a little crazy!  But seriously, the bottom line truth- they aren't kidding when they say they like us just the way we are!  The makeup they love the most on us is usually when we are just enhancing our natural pretty and not when we're heavily contouring, over drawing, and doing all kinds of other things to look everything other than what we actually look like!  Ground breaking!!!  Who would have thought!?  Haha!  They really mean it when they say they think we're beautiful without the hours of effort that we think is required before receiving compliments!      

Here's a tip- they're already married to (or dating) you, so they're already there and interested-- buuut-- that doesn't exactly mean that they don't want us wearing anything!  It's more of a "right time and place" situation.  And date night is the right time and the right place!  

Their favorite facial feature is almost always eyes- so play them up!  That's where you want them looking when you're conversing anyway!  So feel free to go a little smokey, making sure to keep all your colors and edges blended.  Any harsh lines or edges are going to appear a little too artificial in their eyes.  If you're not into the whole shadow thing- a little eyeliner and mascara go a long way.  Just don't go Tammy Faye Bakker status with it all- if you don't know who that is-- Google her, you'll know exactly what not to do!  No offense :)

Skin-  USE COLORS THAT MATCH YOUR SKIN!!!!!< --- You should always do that!  They may not ALWAYS notice things, but they will notice something that doesn't look quite right.  Match it correctly and bring your foundation down your neck a bit so you can be sure it's blended to perfection.  They typically don't care too much about coverage, they just don't like it when it crosses into cake-face land.  And quite frankly, a caked on face is not really a cute look.  Go for whatever coverage you feel you need, but I suggest buffing in your foundation so it gives a more natural finish to your face.  And just because you have a breakout in one area of your face does not mean that your whole face needs to be full coverage- that's why companies create this great little thing called concealer!  Use it!

Cheeks-  use a touch of bronzer for a sun-kissed glow if you need it (I know I sure do in this cold season) and add a touch of highlight at the top of your cheeks to give your skin that perfect permanent candle lit skin look.  Back in the stone age, pink cheeks signaled that a cave babe wasn't sick; not much has changed ;) you definitely don't want to look sickly- so blush it up until you have a soft flush.

Lips- My festive brain thinks bright pinks and reds in celebration of love-day!  MOST men don't mind the look of a bold lip however, the one thought on Charlie's mind when I wear a bold lip is- is that going to rub off on me when I kiss her?  Your guy is probably thinking something similar!  If you go soft/natural/neutral, you don't really have anything to worry about but if you would like to go brighter I suggest mattifying your lipstick with a little powder; check out my most recent Makeup Tip Monday.  Or use a color-stay/lip stain/longwear type of product so you can kiss the night away without worry of any transferring.

Here are a few photos that display what I'm suggesting to get some Valentine's Day- date night- makeup inspiration flowing for ya!

Take this post with a grain of salt and tweak it to whatever you think falls in line with your style and whatever you know your man would like or whatever preferences he has that he may have already shared with you!  Enjoy your date night- you're going to look stunning no matter what you decide to do!

Love,

Michelle

PS- This post was hubby approved!

$pend it vs. $ave it! The Makeup Brush Edition!

Not being properly brush equipped is like trying to change a flat tire without a...  ummm, never-mind!  I should really stick to analogies that I know a little something about!  Haha!  Let's try that again- Not being properly brush equipped is like trying to paint your nails without a brush (that's a bit better, sort of).  Bottom line- your end result will look far from what it is supposed to look like, and It would make things a lot more difficult than it has to be! 

What you all may not realize is that brushes can make or break your look!  People really under value them because they have no idea how to work with them (stick with The Made-up Mom because I hope to remedy this issue for you).  But the best part about brushes is that they have the power to make your makeup look professionally done EVERY time you do your face!   It's like getting to take your makeup artist home with you!!!

It doesn't really matter if you spend TON$$$ on your makeup or not- if you have the right tools you are one step closer to getting your makeup to look the way you've always wanted it to.  You need brushes; and good ones at that!  So next time you're in that makeup store getting your makeup done, and you love it and you ask what you need to recreate it, and the artist tells you to get the brushes- don't brush off the brush idea!  They may be trying to sell their particular brand of brushes, but they are not "selling you" when they mention how important brushes are to recreating the beautiful (hopefully it was beautiful) look they gave you. 

The other thing that really holds people back from brushes are the cost!  They can be SOO expensive!  There is a reason for the price (hand-made, natural, cruelty-free hair, etc...), but not every brush needs to be of that caliber of quality to get the job done!  There are, however, only two brands (that I know of, from personal use) that make inexpensive, good enough quality brushes that I can vouch for because I have purchased them for my own collection!  And not every brush in those collections are worth it either...  I'll be breaking it all down for you.  Because when it comes to brushes- just because they're inexpensive doesn't mean they'll do the job properly; there is a particular craftsmanship that has to be there.  So, which brushes are worth your hard earned dollars and which are not!?

Face Brushes

(Flat foundation, buffing, stippling, powder, contour, highlighting, and blush brushes)

Save it!  
YAY!!!  These are the priciest of all makeup brushes and Real Techniques Brushes will save you a small fortune!!!  They are beautifully made and they do the job wonderfully, so wonderfully that I have actually put down my $30-$50 brushes and opted for these instead!  I kind of can't even believe it, but it's true.  I honestly never thought an affordable brand could ever match up!  Their "Core Collection" set plus their Powder Brush is a great way for you to start.  

     

You'll get all of these brushes for literally the cost of ONE face brush from a more expensive brand!!!  Also, an added bonus to getting these is that they are made of synthetic fibers- so you will have absolutely NO brush hair shedding!  Annnd the packaging turns into a stand!  Tripple whammy- YOU'RE WELCOME!

Eyeshadow Brushes

(Flat brush, medium fluffy, and large fluffy brush)

Spend it!  
Not much of a way around having to shell it out a bit for these.  You're going to need the proper brushes with just the right hair texture and density to apply and blend your shadow perfectly.  My favorites of these are MAC's

#239 (flat brush)

#217 (medium fluffy brush)

#224 (large fluffy brush)

Smudging Brush

Save it!  
I like Elf's Smudge Brush, and it's $1.00!  It doesn't get much cheaper than that!

Angled Brushes

I like to have 2 angled brushes one for brows and eyeshadow and the other for cream and gel liners.  The shadow angled brush is a "spend it;" my favorite is MAC's #266.  The liner angled brush is a "save it," and I like Elf's Angled Brush for that.

The reason why I like two different angled brushes is because the one I use for powder products I prefer to be a natural haired brush; it picks up more color and you have way more control with application.  Then for liner I prefer something synthetic; so the hairs will stick firmly together and I could get a really controlled, thin line of product.  If you have to pick one I would go with MAC's #266 because that one you could use in both situations, the elf one you can't (but's it only costs $3, so- who cares).

Eye Liner Brush

Save it!  
You just read my rant on this one in the Angled brush category.  I will say though I LOVE a pointed eyeliner brush to get a super sharp clean winged eyeliner and you could totally pick this up from an art supply store.  It is the ONLY brush for my makeup that I would ever get from the art store!!! Everything else is either not going to pick up enough product, scratch up your face, or have a freakishly long handle that is way too long to fit into any makeup bag ;)

Lash/Brow Comb

Save it!  
You could actually buy a cheapo one from either of the two inexpensive companies I have already mentioned oOoOrrr you could just clean off an old mascara wand instead and DIY it for FREE!

Lip Brush

Save it!  
I prefer a retractable lip brush (stay tuned for next Monday's Makeup Tip Monday post) so I like Real Techniques' Retractable Lip Brush.
  
I hope this post will help save you lots of money for lots of other beauty products!  In another post I will be getting into which brushes are the bare minimum ones that you have to have in your collection.  

So many posts, so little time!  Actually, I just wish I could just do some sort of  instant virtual transfer, download, thingy of my brain to yours so you don't have to wait!  That would be fantastic, huh?  Enjoy!

Love,

Michelle

Makeup Tip Monday- Turn Any Lip Into A Matte Lip

     

A matte lip is a classic lip trend that is back and is definitely planning on staying for the rest of the season (at least)!  So whether you love matte lips and are working on building your collection of colors, you've never tried them before but like the look, or you are really unsure about the whole thing; not to worry! With this DIY you can turn any lipstick (even your absolute favorite color) into the perfect velvety matte shade!  It's an easy, fun way to break up your normal makeup routine!

My personal lipstick preference is one without shine.  But I will have to say my least favorite group of colors to wear matte are all those mid-tone brown, taupe-y, neutrals.  I like EVERYTHING else in a matte finish except for those.  Maybe it's because I could seriously use a tan, but that's a post for another day...  I will still occasionally wear them- I just reeeaally have to be in a *dried mud smeared on my lips look* mood!  Haha!  My all time favorite lip I LOVE to do is wearing a bold or bright lip completely shine-less!  It's such a great throwback to the old days!  Deep plums, bright pinks, or reds, it doesn't matter- I love them all!  I've even been known to do this trick over top of an already matte lipstick to make it even matte-er-er ;)

Let's get to the tip!  

Grab any of your current lipstick shades you want to take for a *no shine* test drive!  Then find a shimmer-less powder product that matches the shade of lipstick you picked.  Use blushes and eyeshadows to match your reds, pinks, and corals; use face powders and bronzers to match your nudes and neutrals.  You can definitely even mix a few shades to get it "just right."  If you can't find any combo in your collection to match you can always use translucent powder (depending on the color this might dull the shade a bit, but it'll generally do the trick).

Apply your lipstick like normal and lightly blot it with a tissue; just to get any major lipstick goop off, then take the powder color and either dab a brush into it or swipe some on your finger tip (you only need a sheer coating, so don't go crazy) and press the color onto you lips.  Like this

In this photo a loose pigment eyeshadow was used- that's why there is a paper towel held underneath to catch the fall out; but you won't need to do this if you're working with pressed colors or if you have tiled floors that you could just vacuum up the mess off of :)  

I definitely suggest using lipliner or a lip brush to help you perfect this lip.  No matter what shade you choose to use; when it comes to a matte lip- a super crisp edge is a MUST!  There is no shine on your lip to reflect light and deflect attention away from any mistakes in application, so it'll look messy and feathered if you don't clean it up.  And a crisp lip line can be hard to create by just using lipstick straight from the tube.  If you can get it though- more power to you!  I sure can't!  If you choose to add in a lipliner you can apply it before or after you do this technique, whichever way you prefer will work just fine!  And TA-DAA!

Any lip texture will look more prominent with a matte lip, so fix that chapped-ness first!  If you have dry lippies, try using my DIY Lip Scrub before you do this lip.  

If you have never worn a matte lip before, try this tip on a day that you're just hanging at home and force yourself to wear the lip for an entire day.  As the day goes on you'll figure out how you feel about this "new to you" texture and you can really make a proper judgement call if this trend is for you or not!  

The beauty of this tip is that you pretty much just doubled your lip options for this cold weathered season!  Woo-hoo!  

Enjoy Beauties!  See you tomorrow! 

Love,

Michelle

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

The Made-Up Mom is One Month Old!  YAY!

When I began this blog it was just a little something for me to release a few thoughts and a little knowledge on subjects I happen to be passionate about.  I knew my Mom would probably read it but never did I expect anyone else to!  I can't even explain the absolute joy when I saw I had over 1,100 readers from around the world!!!  How did that happen!?  I feel so incredibly blessed that you are actually out there and reading my little start up blog!  THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for spending a few precious minutes of your week visiting with me on here :)

Love,

   Michelle   

Let's Get Colorful!

When I got my first department store job (Beauty Adviser at Lancome haha) I was so excited to get to see the collections of what was launching around 6 months prior to the launch date.  All the colors, the textures, and to find out before anyone else knew!!!  Oh the joy in my lil' heart!  It was like God single-handedly wanted me to be trendy!  At least that's what I thought in my 18yr old head at the time... 

Then the launch date rolled around and as I looked around at all the other counters and what they had launched, everything began to look somewhat similar.  Lancome at the time launched a blue liquid eyeliner (can't remember the name), then I noticed Estee Lauder launched a similar color in an eyeshadow, and Chanel launched it in a nail polish.  Almost all the collections were like that.  Then you walk around the corner in the store and see the same color pallet repeated in the fashion!  And I got to wondering-- HOW DO THEY KNOW!?!?  How do they know what colors are going to be "trendy" and how do they all end up on the exact same shades?  Did they all have the same dream or something!?  I was 18- forgive me.  I really just couldn't figure it out.  So-- at the risk of making my boss' at the time wonder why they hired me- I asked.  And now, all these years later, I get to share all that information with all of you beauties!  I'm sure there is somebody out there that doesn't know this yet and would appreciate this post...  

It wasn't a dream or any super-fashion power!  I found out it actually gets decided by a committee.  They get together and decide what the "colors of the season" are going to be.  One of the most influential committees is a group of 10 people, whose names are a total secret.  They meet in Europe twice a year- May and November- at the invitation of Pantone, a company based in New Jersey, whose ONLY business is color!

They meet in an all white room so everyone can very clearly see what their colleagues brought as color inspiration.  Apparently one time a committee member brought in a basket full of onions and they chopped up all the onions to show just how beautiful the color of onion is.  When I heard this, I literally laughed because the most hilarious image came to my mind.  Everyone must have had irritated eyes in that room since they chopped the onions there, and so- I literally imagined ten grown adults standing in a circle appearing to be hysterically weeping (like, ugly-cry-weeping) over the beauty of onions.  Maybe it's just me- but I find that pretty funny!  But as much as that all may sound totally ridiculous, the artist in me completely understands how inspiration can come at any point, from any where.  So bring on the onions, I guess!?

I got into this whole story to share with you the color boards of 2014!  You'll be seeing (and probably have already seen) these colors pop up EVERYWHERE!  In furniture, paint colors, fashion, accessories, in all kinds of fabrics for all kinds of things, and of course- in makeup and nail polishes!  I wanted to equip you to have your color trendiest year yet!  

Color Report for Fall/Winter 2014 

Color Report for Spring/Summer 2014

Now you know what colors are "in" this year!  It's pretty awesome to feel like you're ahead of the style game, huh?  Have a great weekend and stay colorful beauties!

Love,

Michelle

PS- See you back on Monday morning for the next "Makeup Tip Monday!"

Goof-Proof Glitter Manicure!!!

I know New Year's Eve has come and gone but the sparkle lover in me just can't resist a glitter manicure!  Glitter is great for every occasion!  Even non-occasion, occasions!  Right!?

A lot of times I don't have the time or patience to dote over my nails, but I really don't like not having them done!  So- easy fix- I go the glitter route!  

You can use any glitter you choose.  It can be fine milled (my preference) or chunky.  It can be cheap-o craft glitter or pricier cosmetic glitter; it doesn't matter.  It is so simple to do and it requires minimal time!  

There is a pro and con to this mani though...

The Pro- it doesn't come off!  So if you really want a fun, stress free nail this is totally the way to go!  I've sported the same glitter mani before for a VERY embarrassingly long time that I won't admit to out loud...

The Con- it doesn't come off!  Haha!  

But seriously, when the time comes to get this off your nails you may consider a chainsaw....

What you'll need to do to get it off is step away from the chainsaw and go make sure your polish remover is pure-acetone.  Then you just completely drench a cotton in the remover and just let it sit on each nail for a good 15 seconds (at least).  The patience you saved in doing this manicure will be used when it comes time to get it off!!!  I suggest having some good cuticle cream on stand-by because you're going to need it!

But it's so fun, pretty, and sparkly!  I just can't get enough sooo-- it's totally worth it! 

What you'll need (besides the usual file and nail buffer stuff):

Base Coat

Top Coat

Glitter of Your Choice

One Sheet of Paper 

A Flat Surface

That's it!!!

Step 1

File and buff your nails into shape.  If you like to push back and trim your cuticles, now is the time to do that too!  

Step 2 

Lay your sheet of paper down on your flat surface.  Your going to work over top of your paper so it can grab all the extra glitter.

Step 3 (the glitter fun begins)

Using the inside part of your glitter's bottle cap, pour a little glitter into it (about half a teaspoon worth).

Step 4 

Paint one nail with your base coat and before it dries sprinkle the glitter from the cap over top of your nail.  And by "sprinkle" I pretty much mean just dump it!  This doesn't really require a whole lot of finesse...

Step 5

Keep going across one nail at a time.

Step 6

Wait about 3-5 minutes from the time you finish your very last nail just to be sure the base coat underneath is completely dry.

Step 7

Go wash your hands in the sink to get all the extra glitter around your nails off.

Step 8

Top off your glitter manicure with your favorite top coat.  I like to do two coats just to smooth out the texture of the glitter.

Step 9

Bend your sheet of paper and funnel all the glitter that fell off right back into the container so you don't waste any and have more to do fun glitter manicures with in the future!

Step 10

Stare at your sparkly nails and be amazed!!!

That was super easy, right!?  Just in case you were wondering-- the glitter I used is MAC's Pro Glitter in Silver!  

I hope you all have a super sparkly day!

Love,

Michelle