Miss Tified Beauty Blog: Make-up, Beauty, Looking Good

Creating a Canvas

Special Guest Post
I asked Krissy (the friend I'm dragging to the BE event) to tell Miss Tified's readers a little bit about her makeup regimen. Here's her response:

Whether you're wanting to play up your eyes, cheeks or mouth, make-up and color always look better when you've created an even-toned, clear canvas on your face.  Unless you were born with perfect skin, this can be easier said than done.  For instance, I've always had really dark undereye circles.   I get tons of sleep (8 to 9 hours a night), drink plenty of water and eat a fairly good diet, so I chalk up my dark circles to genetics.  My skin in this area is very delicate so I'm careful not to tug or rub on it too much.  Having very pale skin also means that any blemishes, redness and little broken veins show up pretty prominently.  I've noticed that these days I need a little more makeup than I used to, and that makeup starts to slide off my face about halfway through the day. 

Here's what I've found in my quest to create an even-toned canvas for pale skin:

Moisturizer
I use Benefit's Dear John moisturizer every morning after washing my face.  It's a thick cream that moisturizes dry areas without making my face greasy.  There's nothing worse than a watery moisturizer that feels like it's not doing anything, and moisturizers that are too thick make me worry that they'll clog my pores.  This one is, as they say, just right.

Eye area
I follow the moisturizer with Benefit's Eyecon underneath my eyes, following under the lash line and spreading down to the top of the cheekbone.  It's a thick cream that moisturizes and feels like it forms a little protective layer over the delicate skin.  I follow that up with Benefit's Ooh La Lift on the same area.  It's a light pink liquid that's supposed to depuff, firm and brighten.  Mixed together with the Eyecon, it prepares my undereye area for the next step, concealer.

For the eyelid itself, I use Clinique's Touch Base for Eyes in "Canvas", naturally.  It makes my eyelids a neutral color and covers any tiny veins or discoloration.  It can be worn by itself, or if I add eyeshadow on top of it, it serves as a nice primer to hold it in place.

Concealer
I've searched high and low for a good concealer over the years.  Concelears that are too solid never seem to be the right color and they are difficult to apply, and concealers that are too watery tend to slip right off my skin.  The best I've found is Fresh's Absolute Concealer in shade No. 1, the palest color.  The Fresh container is a little cylindrical pump that delivers a small squirt of liquid concealer.  I like the liquid because it allows me to apply a thin layer without tugging at my skin.  It's thin enough that it could melt away on bare skin after a while, but the combination of Benefit's Eyecon + Ooh La Lift forms a nice base that helps my concealer stay put.

For the rest of my face, Benefit's You're Bluffing - a yellow-hued stick that only comes in one shade - is great for redness or dark areas around the nose or at the outer corners of the eyes.  For paler areas, I dab on the Fresh concealer. 

Two things I haven't included in my routine are foundation and powder.  Do you use them?  Which brands do you recommend?

Best Beauty Tip? Take your time!

I came to a very basic realization as I put on my makeup this morning: applying makeup is all about taking your time. Yeah, the reason why I've never been able to do my eyeshadow in the past is because I usually do it with two shades of color, one lousy applicator and in about 30 seconds ... in the car. Don't get me wrong, having the right tools are important, too. I can't say that having a lot of makeup options and nice brushes doesn't help. But doing a decent eye is all about taking time and blending. It's about a lot of blending!

In writing this blog, I've realized that the reason why I'm so clueless about makeup is because I just don't take the time to do it right. I don't want to take twice as long to get ready for work and therefore I rush. That's not to say that I really am invested in spending more time doing this beauty stuff. But it means that if I don't take my time to apply makeup, I shouldn't complain that it doesn't look right.

Or, I should learn the best shortcuts.

Anyway, this was just a long way of asking the following question:

Get Your Poll Widget

Miss Tified 2007 New Year's Beauty Resolutions

Since a good beauty regimen is all about consistency, I figured January 1st would be a great time to change a few of my bad beauty habits. So I present my 7 New Year's Beauty Resolutions for 2007.

1. I Won't Hoard Old or Expired Beauty Products!
While most makeup has a pretty decent shelf life (12-18 months for most everything other than mascara; lipsticks last longer), a good rule of thumb for me should be: if I don't use it, if it hasn't been made since I was in college, if I don't love it and if it has expired, toss it. I have very limited space in my bathroom and keeping products that have either gone bad or I never use is just pointless.

2. I'll Change My Mascara Every Three Months.
Related to resolution #1, but worth calling out by name (old mascaras: I'm talking to you). When you think about how gross old makeup can be, the idea of putting it near your eyes is just disgusting. And the fact that older mascara clumps and just doesn't look as good as newer ones makes this an easy resolution to keep. I currently have three older mascaras and all of them are due for a toss. The replacement? A new container of Revlon Lash Fantasy (Waterproof) in Blackest Black.

3. I'll Drink More Water.
It's just a good thing to do and really needs no explanation.

4. I'll Apply Sunblock Daily (sort of).
You'd be hard pressed to pick up a beauty magazine and not find this advice somewhere in the pages. But do I listen? Of course not. Why? Because I feel that I'm never in the sun. Is it worth the hassle of applying sunblock when you're inside an office for all but ten minutes of your day? This year, I'll take their word for it and go back to using my favorite foundation, Cover Girl's Outlast All Day Foundation, which has two products built into it -- a foundation and a prep coat with sunblock.

5. I'll be Consistent With My Teeth Whitening Regimen
For the past couple months, I've been using Invisalign to straighten my bottom teeth. When I was given my aligners, my dentist also threw in a supply of teeth whitening solution. I've been very very good when it comes to keeping my aligners in, but I just can't stick to the teeth whitening thing. I have the products and I have the time and in 2007 I will simply use what I've got: Nite White ACP.

6. I Won't Shave My Legs Dry.
This will be the hardest resolution to keep since I've been doing this for as long as I've shaved my legs. And I'm not talking about touch-ups. I'm talking about full leg shaving. Dry. Not only is it horrible for my legs, it doesn't give all my special razors with their special gels and lotions their opportunity to shine. Not in 2007!

7. I Won't Lose Lipsticks.
Although this resolution is part of a larger "won't lose things" resolution, it should definitely apply to my lipstick carelessness as well. In coat pockets, in jeans, in purses, at my desk at work -- my lipsticks are everywhere but my makeup case. Well, the first part of this resolution may be solved with the new makeup case I purchased.

Why do I lose my lipsticks? Because I constantly have to reapply during the day and therefore bring them on the road with me. Finding a perfect lipstick that doesn't need tons of reapplication, but also doesn't make me look like a clown (I'm looking at you Revlon ColorStay Overtime Lipcolor) is key to making this resolution a reality. Or, I can always consider a daily makeup that somehow attaches to me.

What will your beauty resolutions for 2007 be?

Bathtopia Bath of the Month

What's the best sort of Christmas present? Anything that's "of a month" kind, of course. That's why I'm totally excited about the Christmas present I just received today (it was delivered to our office instead of home) from my husband, Ben.

Bathtopia's Bath of the Month delivers 12 bath goodies over the course of a year -- from bubble baths, bath salts, bath fizzies to foaming bath oils. This month's product comes from The Bubble Roome (read their blog) and is an 18oz Sandlewood and Neroli bubble bath. Also included is a little packet of foaming bath flakes from Institut Karite Paris.

Yay gifts that keep on giving!

What's in my Makeup Bag?

Here's an A-to-ZY guide to the makeup I currently own. Note that I probably have between 5-10 various lipsticks not pictured. These have been misplaced in purses, coat and jacket pockets and weren't available for the photo. I can imagine that there will be a Miss Tified post in the near future entitled "Help Me Figure Out How Not to Lose My Lipsticks!"

My collection of makeup is pretty sparse and I probably only religiously use a handful of items (C, I, N, T, Z). However to better understand the mess that is me, it's probably good to see my hodge podge of make-up. Hopefully there will be an updated Makeup Bag post that shows a more cohesive grouping.

For comparison, I'd love to see shots of other make-up bags.

And now, an inventory:

A Bronzer, Expired - now in trash
B Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-colored Corrector Peach-To-Glow
C L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Makeup (Classic Ivory)
D Aveda Tourmaline Charged Eye Cream
E Shiseido Future Solution Eye and Lip Contour Cream [1]
F Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
G Bliss Lemon + Sage Body Butter
H L'Oreal Colour Juice Lip Gloss (Pink Grapefruit)
I MAC Lipstick (Mocha #A76)
J Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer (Cocoa)
K Revlon LipGlide Color Gloss (Glazed Almond #150)
L Revlon Timeliner for Lips (Blackberry)
M MAC Lip Pencil (Whirl & Spice)
N Sephora Blockbuster Palette
O Sephora Colorful Mono (#06)
P Stila Eyeshadow (Ebony)
Q L'Oreal HIP High Intensity Pigment (Restless #918)
R L'Oreal HIP high Intensity Pigment (Mesmerizing #338)
S Cover Girl Shadow Squease (latte chocolate #430)
T Almay One Coat Nourishing Mascara Triple Effect Waterproof (Black #02)
U Revlon Lash Fantasy Waterproof (Blackest Black)
V Almay Eyeliner (Black)
W Coverstay Liquid Liner (Icy Black #01)
X Guerlain Meteorites (Beige Chic #03, Fresh Pink #02, Mythic #01)
Y Neutrogena Skin Clearing Oil Free Concealer (correcting green #06)

[1] Just for the record. I did not purchase this $225 product. I received it as a gift from a conference I attended (Shiseido was a sponsor). And for the double record, now that I know that this thing costs so much money, I'm actually going to use the stuff!

Free Lucky Magazine Subscription at Amazon

Spend $25 or more at Amazon.com Beauty, Apparel, Shoes, or Jewelry and Watches and receive a one-year subscription to Lucky Magazine. You have four days to take Amazon up on the offer for it expires on December 31, 2006.

Want some ideas where to spend that $25? These beauty items on Amazon seem to be the most bang for the buck:

Hard Candy Take Out Makeup Kit
Product Description: Served in a pretty pink, tri-level case, the Take Out Makeup Kit is an extra-large helping of makeup must-haves, carry-out style. A complete makeup meal, this gourmet goodie is packed with beautiful treats for the eyes, lips, and cheeks. From lashes to liners to lips, Take Out will have you decked out in no time at all. Cute, clever, and convenient, Take Out Makeup Kit is the Dim Sum of makeup palettes: lots of choices, just what you crave. Price: $25

Stila Perfectly Kitten ($53 value)
Product Description: A set inspired by Stila's award-winning and best-selling eyeshadow, Kitten.What else you need to know:This sparkly set promises to be this season's ultimate gift. This exclusive collection includes a limited-edition eyeshadow, All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer, and IT Gloss, all in Kitten's signature silvery, champagne pink shade. Packed in a pretty faux suede makeup bag, this gorgeous color looks beautiful on all skin types so it is perfect for gift giving for you. Price: $32

Bare Escentuals Field of Gleams
Product Description: Four 100 percent pure, naturally glowy bareMinerals Glimmers make it easy to give your eyes an endless array of shimmering looks that can be worn dry to add subtle highlights or wet for a high-sheen gleam.  Shades include: Azure Glimmer (peacock blue), Bloom Glimmer (French lavender), Sunshine Glimmer (baby yellow), and Wildflower Glimmer (brilliant pink), in a floral-print makeup case. Price: $38

Sephora Blockbuster Palette: Back in January

As an update to my Sephora Blockbuster Palette post from December 24th, I called Sephora and a salesperson said that they will definitely be restocking the Blockbuster Palette some time in January. The date I've seen online is January 7th.

Looking for some palettes to tide you over until the Sephora Blockbuster Palette is back in stock? How about some suggestions:

Dior Logo Palette for Eyes: "A hot-off-the-runway color collection of six eyeshadows in a portable Dior signature case, complete with a double-ended applicator is the ultimate accessory!Palette includes powder shadows in black shimmer, light pink, matte white, baby blue, peach, and deep aubergine."

Sugar Cosmetics Best Friend Makeup Palette:  "A mirrored, trifold palette containing 16 eyeshadows, 12 lip glosses, a blush, a bronzer, and a face highlighter, plus all the tools you need to get gorgeous."

Sephora Piiink My Preciiious Palette: If you can get passed the name reminding you of Gollum from The Lord of the Rings, then this kit is for you. "This pretty pink palette has it all (literally).Two slide-apart trays filled with 12 shadows and two blushers open to reveal two more trays loaded with lip gloss, and as if that wasn't enough - the fully-loaded lower compartment holds all the essential accessories and highlighters you'll ever need."

Yes to Carrots Products

Tonight I saw an advertisement to a product line called "Yes To Carrots" placed on this blog from Google. I assumed it was part of a campaign by the carrot growers of America (think Milk, Beef, Pork) but it turned out to be a beauty line with this description:

Yes To Carrots^TM is a new concept in skin and hair care that combines vitamins and minerals with juices from the 'orange color' produce groups and Dead Sea Mud. Dead Sea Mud has world renowned detoxifying properties which combined with our range of 26 minerals cleanse, detoxify and mineralize the skin naturally

I've never heard of the line but it's sold at Walgreens so I'll check it out next time I'm there. Has anyone heard of Yes to Carrots and if so, is it any good?

Guerlain Meteorites Powder: Best Thing Ever?

In the November issue of Allure (I do read other magazines), I read an article (Legends of the Mall) about the makeup/beauty items that warrant the most devotion. It was a list of items that no woman should live without. And yet, to no surprise, I hadn't heard of most of them.

The one that caught my attention the most was Guerlain Meterorites Powder. From the Allure article:

"The idea from Meteorites came from China, where women had long been condensing face poweder into tiny balls to ration it. Researchers at Guerlain decided this format would be perfect for blending colors: green to hide redness, pink to add rosiness, and white and gold to provide a soft glow...This was the product that showed women how to make their skin glow in a foulproof way, and it's popular to this day for that reason."

Make my skin glow in a foulproof way? That certainly sounded good. Inspired, I picked up a package of Meteorites in a Duty Free shop in London during my last business trip. Anyone who flies a lot knows that plane travel wrecks havoc on your "soft glow" so I welcomed the transformation.

Meteorites makes sense know since we've been introduced to a great number of products that does the blending of different colors thing. I even had a couple powers that did just that -- but they were compressed powders, not the magic little balls.

What is Miss Tified?

On a flight a couple weeks ago, I sat in my seat reading the most recent copy of Allure. Every once in a while I grab a copy of a true beauty magazine in order to see if there are just any tips that could apply to me. It's not that I'm a mess. I don't consider myself to be a mess, really. I'm just not one of those girls/women who you would call put together.

It all boils down to these facts:

1. I don't know how to put eye makeup on well.
2. I'm incredibly half-assed when it comes to applying lipstick.
3. I use foundation, but it's more psychological. I'm not sure it looks right.
4. My hair has always been my enemy. It just has never looked right.
5. I just don't know how to do a cohesive face.

I remember, one time, in grade school when a girl told me I didn't know how to put on eye makeup because I had put on eye shadow without mascara. I swear, to this day, I won't ever not put mascara on if I put make-up because of that episode alone. The point of all this is simple. I don't have the time to master make-up. And, really, I don't want to be obsessed with it. However, I'd like to use the power of the web and wisdom of crowds to figure out what I don't know how to do. So welcome to this journey!

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