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