I’ve had so much fun answering your questions in my Ask Me Anything series, so today I’m focusing on your beauty-related questions sourced straight from our @BeautyLeeBar Instagram Stories. From the best face oils to my favorite haircare products, here are a few tidbits you may or may not know about me…
Though I may be a millennial, I most often part my hair in the middle. Unless I am going for vintage-inspired styles, I find it flatters my face more than a side part.
6. Any suggestions for any retinol-free anti-aging products?
If you’re not a huge fan of retinol, you can try products with bakuchiol, a plant-based alternative to retinol that has similar effects. Make sure to do your research before trying any new ingredients, however.
Advertisements
7. Do you use the same products and the same routine in the AM and PM?
In the morning, I always wear sunscreen, and at nighttime, I try to incorporate more serums and oils, along with a thicker moisturizer to hydrate my skin overnight.
8. What recommendations do you have for really dry skin?
This lip gloss/lip oil is my favorite and is always in my purse no matter where I go. I love it because it has a gorgeous shade that looks so flattering and pretty on the lips, especially on black women.
10. Do you wear natural deodorant? If so, do you have a favorite brand?
I do wear natural deodorant, and my favorite brand is Lavanila Aluminum-Free Natural Deodorant. It comes in a nice Vanilla Lavender scent that I always carry in my purse to re-apply when necessary.
Do you ever find that your foundation balls up on your skin after you apply your favorite sunscreen or face cream? Similar to when your knitwear has seen better days and small balls of fabric sit on the material, this is called pilling — and it’s the fastest way to ruin your skin-care and makeup in one fell swoop.
Pilling is one of the most frustrating things that can happen when applying your skincare and makeup, due to the fact it takes extra time to blend, correct, and can waste more of your expensive beauty products.
Makeup pilling is no fun, especially after you just applied a full face of makeup and your foundation starts sliding off in tiny pieces. Pilling occurs when twomakeup or skin-care ingredients don’t mesh well together on your skin, and although there are ways to avoid this (more on that below), we wanted to know if there’s any way to salvage your full beat in this scenario. Ahead, we spoke with NYC-based makeup artist Mary Irwin to find out how.
When your skincare or makeup pills, it looks like flakes or globs of product on your skin.
Advertisements
Pilling happens when products haven’t absorbed into the skin, whether due to:
🤍 the type of ingredient
🤍 the amount applied
🤍 the other products you’re using
🤍 the condition of your skin
🤍 The toolsyou are using to apply your skincare and makeup
With so many of us experimenting with multi-step skincare routines, the pilling struggle is all too real!
Here are some best tips if you’re dealing with this issue.
Can You Fix Makeup Pilling?
Irwin gets straight to the point: “Unfortunately, aside from taking a damp makeup sponge and trying to blend it in, there’s not much you can do besides take it off.” If your foundation begins to pill, wet a sponge (the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender is our fave) and tap it over the areas where it pilled off. Once you’ve blended it out, set it with a loose powder like the Maybelline New York Lasting Fix Banana Setting Powder and don’t touch it. “Don’t add anything cream or liquid over it after the fact.”
Advertisements
WE know and understand that you don’t want to remove the makeup that you spent hours perfecting so for that to not happen, the first thing you want to make sure you’re doing is exfoliate on a regular basis.
To be clear, the little balls that form are composed of product, not dead skin. But it’s still important to maintain a good exfoliation routine, because it will help your products to absorb more effectively, rather than remaining on top of a surface layer of dead skin.
Advertisements
How to Avoid Pilling
Irwin recommends paying attention to the ingredients you’re placing on your skin to avoid pilling all together. “Use products that have a similar formula — silicone with silicone, water with water, etc.” When applying cream makeup products (which have the most tendency to pill), she recommends starting with thin layers and building them up slowly. “Also avoid layering cream over powder, because this can result in pilling too.”
The more you touch your skin, the more you disturb the products and encourage them to pill. It goes without saying that rubbing your face is a a big no-no, as this will only cause surface residue to bunch and roll up. Use light, patting motions to apply your products, and resist the urge to touch your face any more than absolutely necessary.
Advertisements
Just give yourself plenty of time in between layers and after the final layer. That will ensure you’ve absorbed most of the beneficial ingredients.
Here are 3 more videos that can be helpful when it comes to pilling:
The Influencer world has completely evolved and transformed in ways none of us could have ever imagined. Today, one 42-minute “tell all” YouTube video can create drama heard all around the world. Vloggers are fighting and the internet is eating it up.
But it goes beyond petty feuds and fueling “tea accounts.” The opportunities that come from social media are endless. Just a few short years ago, it was almost unfathomable that you could make a living by being an Influencer, but here we are.
Tiana Musarra, a New York City native who currently resides in Miami. She started her YouTube channel in 2019 to share fitness tips and to showcase her style with brands who she was working with. One year later, she has more than 340,000 YouTube subscribers with over 30,353,346 views, and an Instagram follower count of more than 330,000.
Tiana is a 22-year-old positive upbeat Latina that continues to grow and strive while mixing beauty with self-worth, which has grown her channel in a positive light that keeps her supporters entertained which is impressive and admirable. She has been able to work with different brands because of this.
Read on to find out how Tiana’s life has evolved since launching her channel and the new ways she learned to connect with her subscribers.
when I started making videos on YouTube I started using my Instagram more and being consistent led into that realm.
Q2: How did you get into modeling?
I did modeling when I was younger and was signed to an agency, but stopped for a while. When I started using social media more I started taking it more seriously.
Q3: What doyou enjoy most about Modeling and YouTube?
Love being able to create, travel and work for myself.
Q4: Can you recall one unforgettable moment that happened on a photo shoot set?
Hmmm… probably walking my first runway at Miami Swim Week. I always wanted to do that so getting the opportunity to do it was awesome.
Q5: Do you have any beauty and skincare routine that you follow religiously? If so can you tell the viewers some tips on how to get beautiful clear skin like you!
Yes, I always put eye cream in the morning and at night no matter what. Best thing would be to drink a lot of water and always wash your face before bed. I also make sure I get facials twice a month at the Box Med Spa too. I’m obsessed with skin!
Q6: You are always positive and upbeat! What about your spiritual routine? How do you keep zen?
Wake up and say what I’m grateful for then pray. Throughout the day I pray and before bed I do the same ritual that I did in the morning. Of course, I go through some tough times but my faith gets me through them.
Q9: What advice can you give to the younger generation who is interested in following your footsteps?
Be consistent, be yourself no matter what and ignore the negative people. If you let someone upset you on the internet in this life style you won’t make it far. You have to have thick skin.
Q10: What aspect of this artistry excites you the most?
Always having somewhere new to see and learn about. Also how it pushes me to come out of my comfort zone.
Q11: Do you haveany upcoming events that we should watch out for?
I have a few things coming, like a new song that I wrote which is dropping very soon.
Q12: Speaking of music, heard you wrote a song called “Heaven”, which is beautiful by the way. Are we going to hear more music from you?
Thank you so much. Yes definitely, I have a new song dropping in May and some more cool stuff on the way.
Q13: Is there any woman who inspires you? Why? (In life, fashion, music, etc)
My mom. She used to be a model in Colombia and is always teaching me valuable things. Sofia Loren, because she is classy but still sexy at the same time. Kim Kardashion because she does what she wants and never worries about what other people think which admirable. She is smart, successful, and family oriented.
Q14: What are your plans for modeling and how are you preparing yourself for all the wonderful blessings?
I’d like to sign to an agency that feels right me. While that is in motion, I’m just making sure to stay busy and creative. Whatever God brings my way, I’m thankful for.
Q15: Tell us some fun facts aboutyourself that your supporters don’t know
Used to play the trumpet. People always laugh when I tell them that.
Q16: Are you in college? Ifso, what is your major?
Yes, I am. Almost done with my Bachelors Degree in Hospitality Management.
Q17: Describe your typical day to day life?
Wake up, pray, have coffee, work out, record a video, take photos, edit, do school work. If I still have time after all that, I’ll watch anime or write music.
Q18: What motivated you to start your own YouTube Channel and to start writing music?
For YouTube, a friend gave me some advice and pushed me to do it. And for music, I always wrote my feelings down in my notes or a book , and one day I was like I need to hear this sung. The song came to life and so from that day on I just never stopped.
Q19: Your supporters tune in for your style and fitness advice all the time. But, where do you get your daily inspiration from?
I get a lot of inspiration from women from back in the day like Sofia Loren. As well as Kim Kardashian-West, I love her style. As far as fitness goes, I always workout to be healthy and do feel good.
Q20: What would you say is your go-to fitness routine and meal prep?
I train lower body, upper body and cardio each 2x a week and I actually don’t do meal preps. Just try to get enough protein in the day and eat enough meals.
Q21: When was the turning point for you when you realized that your social media presence was shining brighter than ever before? And how did the newfound popularity transform your personal life and your professional?
I don’t consider there to be a real turning point because I don’t think I’m anywhere close to being where I want to be yet. But, what has been cool was when my videos hit over a million and when I would go to random places and people knew me. The way it transformed my life is that I realized you have to be really careful who you are around and who to trust.
Q22: Do you have any other interests/hobbies unrelated to fashion and fitness that you are also passionate about?
Love looking at art and listening/learning about music.
Q23: Being an Influencer comes with a lot of criticism, so how do you keep your faith alive?
I pray and talk to God about everything and go to church on Sundays. you have to remind yourself no matter what you do, people will have an opinion so you can’t worry about it. Just live your life.
OK, so you’ve probably cleaned and sanitized every square inch of your living space lately in an effort to keep your home germ free, but have you thought about your makeup products? We’ve all read about how important it is to clean makeup brushes and sponges on a regular basis, but your eyeliner pencils, powder compacts and palettes need love, too. Ahead, we chatted with makeup artist Frankie Padron about the best methods for sanitizing your products and how to do so at home.
Why Sanitize Your Makeup Products?
There are plenty of reasons why you should sanitize your makeup products in addition to your brushes, says Padron. For one, if you are sharing products in your collection with others, you want to make sure they’re clean. “I sanitize after every person because I’m using makeup on different people daily,” she says. Another reason to sanitize your products is if you’re prone to acne and breakouts. “If you have a breakout, I recommend cleaning your tools after every use so you avoid spreading bacteria.”
How to Sanitize Makeup Products
According to Padron, a cosmetic sanitizer mist is a must-have for cleaning your makeup powder and cream products like eyeshadows and face palettes. She recommends using the Beauty So Clean Cosmetic Sanitizer Mist which comes in a no-mess spray bottle that can be distributed on any product.
“I would avoid using any products that have a high concentration of alcohol in them, as this may dry out your makeup.Frankie Padron, MUA
As far as pencil products are concerned, Padron takes a slightly different approach. “For eyeliner and lip pencils, I sharpen them before it touches anyone, making sure I shaved off the area I used on someone previously,” she says. This works the same for any lip liners or eyeliners you use on yourself if you feel like you need a fresh tip before application.
Padron notes that when picking your makeup sanitizing products, make sure to read the label. “I would avoid using any products that have a high concentration of alcohol in them, as this may dry out your makeup.” While brushes and sponges have a reputation for holding and spreading bacteria, it is important to give your powders, palettes and creams a little cleaning, too.
“I would avoid using any products that have a high concentration of alcohol in them, as this may dry out your makeup.Frankie Padron, MUA
beautyleebar.org 