Tag: Bare Minerals

Beauty Essential: My Favorite Foundations

Published on by Lee1 Comment 
It is hard for me as a woman of color to find the perfect foundation. Luckily,  there are tools  out there to help me find the product for me. Over the years, I've went through countless brands in search of the hue that would match my melanin skin tone. I have six brands that I'm in love with. If you want to know which brands have my heart and want more information about them before buying your next foundation then keep on reading.

NARS

I have been using Nars Sheer Glow Foundation for couple of months now and honestly my makeup always ends up looking hydrated, more luminous, softer, and smoother. It has a sheer, buildable coverage foundation with a radiant natural finish.  The Sheer Glow Foundation glides on effortlessly, blurring imperfections and evening out skin tone for the ultimate sophisticated finish that allows your skin’s natural beauty to shine through. I recommend this product especially to those who have dry skin.

What it does:
Sheer Glow Foundation enhances, without masking, your overall natural complexion. Powered by the NARS Complexion Brightening Formula, this lightweight, buildable formula delivers a range of effects while evening the complexion and improving skin’s texture and brightness. Powerful antioxidants protect against damaging free radicals, while glycerin, known as one of the most effective and well known humectants, attracts and holds moisture. A vitamin C derivative helps to brighten skin and diminish the look of discoloration. Tumeric extract, a plant of the ginger family, improves skin radiance and evens the skintone.

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From Nars, I also used the Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation. It has medium buildable coverage, up to 16 hours of lightweight, natural, fade-resistant wear, featuring full-powered radiance to smooth the look of skin. 

This transfer-resistant, sweat-resistant formula stays color-true all day, and continues to look fresh and vibrant, as if it was just applied. This formula features superior blendability for an imperceptible effect that looks natural, like skin. It doesn’t look or feel cakey, heavy, drying, or masking. A unique combination of translucent base with micronized amino acid-coated pigments and mineral tone-balancing powders mimic skin’s tone, fusing with it for the closest match. NARS’ Skin Optimizing Complex—a blend of raspberry, apple, and watermelon extracts—helps support skin’s elastic fibers to smooth and improve skin’s appearance over time for optimal radiance.

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And another one! You might be over Nars right now but these are the foundations that I have tried from them which happens to my favorites. NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation is an oil-free liquid foundation that neutralizes discoloration and delivers full, natural-looking coverage with one drop, for weightless, 16-hour wear. 

What it does:
All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation delivers full, natural-looking coverage with unexpectedly weightless, 16-hour wear—all with just one drop. Tone Correcting Technology works instantly and long-term to neutralize redness, dullness and discoloration for more even, uniform skin. Unique blend of optical and skincare ingredients smooths skin while enhancing its natural beauty.

Weightless Long-Wear Technology creates a uniquely fluid formula that delivers complete coverage with unexpected weightless wear. This breakthrough technology contains a proprietary blend of pigments, treated by a unique polymer to make them water-, sweat-, and sebum-resistant. Unlike typical treated pigments, they weightlessly deliver long-wear complete coverage without masking the skin. The result is a naturally perfected look. The advanced flexible polymer moves with your skin to provide a comfortable, breathable feel and a natural look that lasts for 16 hours. It provides moisture barrier protection for a non-drying feel.

"Makeup shouldn’t cover your skin, it should enhance your natural beauty, not mask it." - François Nars, Founder and Creative Director of NARS

FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna

What it is:
A soft matte, long-wear foundation with buildable, medium-to-full coverage, in a boundary-breaking range of shades.

What it does:
Finally—the ultimate photo filter in foundation form. Born in 40 boundary-breaking shades, Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation gives skin an instantly smooth, pore-diffused, shine-free finish that easily builds to medium to full coverage. The oil-free formula is made with climate-adaptive technology that’s resistant to sweat and humidity, and won’t clog pores so that wherever you are, it’s going to work on your skin. Best of all, this longwearing, light-as-air texture is undetectable on skin—so you always look like you.

I am obsessing over Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation that provides us with a soft matte finish that’s just right—not too matte and not too shiny. The result? A comfortable long-wear formula that lets skin look like skin.

"Foundation is one of those areas in the beauty industry that has a big void for women at extreme ends of the shade spectrum. There’s this middle ground that's covered really, really well. But then if you're very pale or if you're very dark, there aren’t a lot of options. And so, I wanted to make sure that women of all skin tones were covered so they could be included in what I created."— Rihanna, Brand Founder

SEPHORA COLLECTION

10 HR Wear Perfection Foundation has a buildable coverage that instantly conceals blemishes with an invisible, flawless finish.

What it does:
Conceal blemishes, pigmentation marks, scars, and dark spots with this foundation that provides a natural, beautiful finish. This formula blends with your skin tone to create an invisible veil, like a second skin that adapts to all the movements of the face for optimum comfort all-day long. Hyaluronic acid smooths the skin, while antioxidant vitamin E protects against external stressors. Soft focus pigments blur out blemishes and soften the appearance of wrinkles for a youthful-looking, even complexion.

Urban Decay

Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Foundation is an oil-free, lightweight liquid foundation that feels like wearing nothing at all, while leaving a demi-matte finish. 

What it does:
Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Liquid Makeup leaves skin looking natural, illuminated, and bright with a luminous demi-matte finish: like the beautiful skin you were born with. Light-diffusing spheres provide a visible reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, blurring imperfections for beautifully perfected, ultra-definition skin that looks completely real.

It provides truly buildable coverage with a weightless feel and a luminous finish. And it’s loaded with nourishing ingredients, including: Matrixyl 3000 (a powerful anti-wrinkle peptide), protective and brightening Litchiderm™, antioxidant green tea, and sodium hyaluronate for optimal skin hydration and nutrient absorption. The sleek, hygienic pump provides more control, with less waste of product.

Bare Minerals

BareMinerals Original Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 is a mineral foundation with buildable coverage and a natural-looking, radiant finish.

What it does:
With the smooth, radiant look of a liquid foundation and the breathability of a powder, it’s no wonder this is the #1 Loose Powder Foundation in America. An original from the start, this formula is made with only five skin-loving mineral ingredients. Original Foundation’s minerals transform from powder to a silky cream when swirled, then buff and melt onto the face for a luminous, second-skin finish.

Original Foundation provides customized coverage designed to be buildable from sheer to full. All-day wear means less time spent on touch-ups, and non-chemical SPF 15 protection keeps sun damage at bay, helping skin stay healthier and younger-looking. This foundation is formulated for all skin types and is safe even for sensitive skin.

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BareMinerals Matte Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 is an oil-controlling mineral foundation with skin-loving ingredients, buildable sheer-to-full coverage, non-chemical Broad Spectrum SPF 15 protection and a natural matte finish. 

What it does:
This foundation’s good-for-skin, weightless minerals buff and blend seamlessly upon application. Redness, imperfections, fine lines, and wrinkles appear instantly blurred. Silica helps absorb excess skin oil, and the appearance of pores virtually disappear after buffing onto skin. Skin looks visibly better immediately, and actually improves over time, too.

It’s the ideal foundation for normal-to-oily skin types or the perfect alternative to Original Foundation’s luminous finish on those days when you want to go matte.

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Bare Minerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Powder Foundation is a 12-hour wear, pressed mineral powder foundation formulated with 90 percent vitamins and minerals for naturally matte, full, flawless coverage. 

What it does:
BAREPRO® Performance Wear Powder Foundation provides 12-hour long-wear with stay-true pigments. Redefining high-performance foundation, the formula is dermatologist tested to be non-acnegenic and non-comedogenic, and it’s 100 percent breathable. The silky, non-drying powder delivers full, flawless coverage and is clinically shown to improve skin clarity, reduce the look of pore size, and control shine. It’s available in multiple shades—from the fairest porcelain to the deepest cocoa for all skintones.

PĂśR

Bare It All 12-Hour 4-In-1 Skin-Perfecting Foundation is this high-performance, 12-hour, demi-matte foundation that helps to cover imperfections and instantly perfect the skin while helping to correct problem areas over time so you can confidently bare it all. Designed for face and body and formulated with PĂśR’s proprietary Energy Complex and Ceretin Complex, this formula renews the look of your skin and goes the distance.

PĂśR foundation is great, the only thing which is a major thing is that they don’t have a wide variety of shades. It is very limited. I use the shade deeper which I believe is the deepest shade that they have and use it as a concealer sometimes.

I use these foundations during the day since it’s lightweight and incredibly moisturizing. My skin is always left looking glowy, flawless and fresh, which is exactly how you should feel (and look) after using a good foundation.

What’s your favorite foundation(s)?

XO Lee

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Natural Looking Makeup: Learn the Tips For Getting the Look Just Right

Published on by Lee1 Comment

natural

Finding the right makeup to wear when you’re going for a natural look can be more complex than you think. You don’t want anything too cakey, too bright, or too dark. And we all know, that looking natural does indeed require SOME makeup application – and some skill, too. The best tip that I have for you is to wear colors close to your natural skin tone, and ones that just enhance and perfect your skin. For your best natural look, follow the tips and tricks below, followed by some of my favorite beauty products to use to get that natural looking glow.

1. Moisturize. Creating the perfect base for your makeup is very important. Moisturizing boosts hydration in your skin, prevents flaking and dullness, and creates a protective layer of moisture that lasts all day. Plus, proper application of a face cream will help anti-aging ingredients work better – increasing the odds that they’ll work.

Beauty Tip:

  • I use Shea Moisture Head-To-Toe Nourishing Hydration 100% Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
  • Sometimes, I feel like I have a dry skin so I have been using POND’S Dry Skin Cream. It deeply hydrates for smooth, soft, radiant skin. *Don’t worry, it won’t clog pores. Pond’s Dry Skin Cream is hypoallergenic and is suitable for sensitive skin. It has been Dermatologist tested for the ones that are concerned.
  • Since I have discovered a ULTA Beauty close by me, I have been going insane. A month ago, I purchased Luminizer Primer Base Lumiere by Dr. Brandt. You can either wear it under your makeup or by itself. If you want to control those pores of yours then Dr. Brandt is the way to go plus it adds a natural glow to your beautiful face.
  • Also, I use Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist. Here is the bonus: It formulates with certified organic ingredients. Tones with this refreshing blend of rosehip, ylang ylang, resveratrol-rich grapeseed oil and antioxidant-rich organic botanical juices for a fresh, radiant complexion.

2. Conceal. Hide away any dark circles, fine lines or blemishes with a concealer. This will get rid of any imperfections and leave your skin looking flawless

Beauty Tip: My go-to concealer is NARS honestly. I have many concealers by different brands but I always end up using NARS.

But sometimes I end up using PUR Bare It All foundation by itself without a concealer because it is a high performance, 12-hour, demi-matte foundation that helps to cover imperfections and instantly perfect the skin while helping to correct the problem areas. Designed for face and body and formulated with PUR’s proprietary Energy Complex and Ceretin Complex, this formula renews the look of your skin and goes the distance.

3. Powder or light foundation. I recommend to use a powder or an airy liquid foundation. The illusion that we’re going for is natural makeup, so using a thick cakey makeup doesn’t fit the bill. Be sure to apply evenly with a brush or sponge for an even, non-streaky, look and your face will appear naturally perfect.

Beauty Tip: For powder, I either use BLACK RADIANCE, IMAN, or Bare Minerals Matte. But remember, if you are using a matte foundation then you don’t want to use a matte powder because you might end up looking cakey.

I also love, I mean I LOVE IMAN Second To None Cream Powder Foundation . It is not heavy on the face and surprisingly, it is full coverage. When wanting to look natural but still be flawless, IMAN Second To None Cream Powder Foundation is the IT FACTOR!

If you still have the desire to bake then lets go bake! I tried the Too Faced Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder and loved it. Now I can’t get enough. I also use the Black Radiance Soft Focus Finishing Powder to bake and the IMAN Second To None Semi-Loose Powder .

* I don’t use all these powders at once, I use 1 or the other depending on what makeup look I’m going for or usually what my hand grabs first. These are the products that I have used or is still using.

4. Subtle blush. Creme blushes work well because you can rub them in as much as you like for a dramatic or subtle look. Depending on your skin color, blush colors will vary – but peaches tend to look great on everyone. Blend in to your natural cheekbone line where pink undertones normally show.

Beauty Tip: I don’t normally wear blush but when I do, I go for Too Faced Blush.

5. Neutral shadows. Sweep a neutral color over your lids for a muted but beautiful eye. Choose a color that is just a shade or two darker than your skin tone, anything too dark will create a more dramatic eye and won’t look natural.

Beauty Tip: You don’t have to wear eyeshadows, it is totally up to you. Try the L’OrĂ©al L.A Palette Nude or The Nudes Maybelline New York. 

6. Nude lip. When choosing a lip color, go for the light pinks, peaches and sand colors. You could also apply a little gloss for an even simpler lip.

Try Burt’s Bees for the lip balm, Lucie + Pompette lipglosses, ColorKillMakeup, NYX, Fenty Beauty, LipLand by Amrezy, fullips, NARS, Sonia Kashuk lipliners, or Maybelline lipliners.

7. Little mascara (if any). A thin layer of mascara is all you need for a natural look. You still want your eyes to stand out, so if you have light lashes, adding a layer of mascara may be a good idea. If you naturally have dark, full lashes you may skip out on the mascara.

My Favorite mascara is Benefit Roller Lash and my two favorite eyelash primers so far are L’OREAL Voluminous Primer or the Elf Cosmetic Primer. *Benefit they’re Real mascara is a good one as well and Maybelline has good mascarars as well, it is so hard to choose.

8. No liner. While eyeliner is great for a dramatic eye, it doesn’t fit with the natural makeup look. Don’t apply any eyeliner on the top or bottom. Not only will your face look naturally stunning but you’ll love how easy taking off your makeup is!