OT High End Makeup Must-haves

[RS_Amie]

Bought the Smoked palette today! I'm so excited to use it tonight, I've been hunting for it since my friend did my makeup for me on holiday over summer but it's never in stock. All the Naked palettes were sold out but somehow they had Smoked left!

What do you use the Naked palettes for? Are they more of a day look? Which one is best for fair skin? I might get one when they're back in stock!

Also stupid question, does the eyeshadow primer go over or under my foundation/powder?

Ooh I got Smoked for Christmas, I love it! I normally do eyes first so I just put my primer on first.

 

[njallday]

Just got the Clairsonic Mia 2 for christmas, anyone have it? Like it? Hate it? I've heard amazing things about it!!!!

That's what I'm worried about. I have pretty good skin, but it's a little dry so exfoliation is important so I don't get flaky. I don't want my skin to freak out since it's not bad now. Last year they went on sale during the Nordstrom anniversary sale so I'm hoping they will again this summer

i have it and absolutely love it (Mia2). like i can no longer imagine not using it. i've been using it for a year now (got it last christmas) and it is phenomenal. i use it everyday with the gentle brush and my skin is always glowing, break-out free and smooth, which it wasn't before using. there are some people who say you are not supposed to use it everyday. and they're probably right. i started using it about every other day and realized on the "other" days my skin was so incredibly oily. like oilier than it's ever been. because i guess my skin was overcompensating and trying to produce oil as fast as the clarisonic was removing it. so i sue it everyday again and haven't had any problems but if your skin is very sensitive, you probably should start out once a week or at least every other day to see how you respond. i also love the clarisonic brand foaming cleanser. (i know you can basically use anything you want with it, but i'm now obsessed with the cleanser, as well. it kind of smells like dolce and gabbana light blue which i prefer to the over-floraly and sweet smells)

regarding price - my mom purchased a similar device by olay at the the drugstore for like $10 or $15. it is not nearly as powerful and doesn't have the timer/beep settings when you should move the brush (for those who don't know what i'm talking about when you press "power" it is programmed to only turn on for 1 minute and you choose high speed or low speed. it vibrate-beeps after the first 20 seconds, then again after 20 seconds, then after 10sec and another 10 sec. it's supposed to be 20 on forehead and nose and chin and 10 on each cheek. i like it) the olay also had a regular charing system, similar to cell phone. meaning you have to be careful with water, as it can get in the opening and ruin it. the Mia has a magnetic charging system (similar to a macbook) so the charger sticks to it to charge - so there's no openings and no chance of water damage. but the olay is worth it if you're not sure you'll like the whole concept. after using that a few times i decided i definitely wanted to upgrade to the clarisonic and i'm glad i did. i got mine from the skin store Skin Care : Clarisonic, SkinCeuticals, Perricone, L’Occitane, bareMinerals, StriVectin and more Skincare Products. - currently the entire website is 20% off, or there is a promo code for $30 off $130 (MCSHOP) which takes off more. i've need paid full price or anything on that site, ever.

 

[DaniV]

Just got the Clairsonic Mia 2 for christmas, anyone have it? Like it? Hate it? I've heard amazing things about it!!!!

i use it everyday with the gentle brush and my skin is always glowing, break-out free and smooth, which it wasn't before using. there are some people who say you are not supposed to use it everyday. and they're probably right. i started using it about every other day and realized on the "other" days my skin was so incredibly oily. like oilier than it's ever been. because i guess my skin was overcompensating and trying to produce oil as fast as the clarisonic was removing it. so i sue it everyday again and haven't had any problems but if your skin is very sensitive, you probably should start out once a week or at least every other day to see how you respond.

Ah, that was exactly like what happened to me. It was almost like my skin got "addicted" to using the MIA so frequently that on the days I didn't use it, it rebelled against me. However, I started developing really really dry itchy patches on my cheeks when I was using it super frequently (even with replacing the brush and using a sensitive skin one). When I went in to Nordstroms to talk with the employee about it to see what they suggested, she told me that it happens every now and then and that I should stop using it. I absolutely loved it and wish my skin didn't hate me so much cause I wish I could keep using it. I would definitely recommend it for people with normal skin!

 

[kaylalalaxo]

I tried it out last night with the normal brush head it comes with, my mom also bought the acne cleansing gel and the acne brush head. I have normal to dry skin, and a few breakouts but I have realllly bad acne scaring and redness so I hope the Clairsonic will clear all that up. The normal brush head was a little too rough on my skin, I wasn't pressing down too hard, it was just that the bristles hurt my skin...so tonight or tomorrow night whenever I use it next I'll put on the acne brush head which from what I've felt is a little softer to the skin. I really want to try out the sensitive brush head too, maybe that'll work better for my skin type! I love the concept and it's really easy to use. I will come back in a few months, or whenever I see a change in my skin.

 

[NJ Coach]

I tried it out last night with the normal brush head it comes with, my mom also bought the acne cleansing gel and the acne brush head. I have normal to dry skin, and a few breakouts but I have realllly bad acne scaring and redness so I hope the Clairsonic will clear all that up. The normal brush head was a little too rough on my skin, I wasn't pressing down too hard, it was just that the bristles hurt my skin...so tonight or tomorrow night whenever I use it next I'll put on the acne brush head which from what I've felt is a little softer to the skin. I really want to try out the sensitive brush head too, maybe that'll work better for my skin type! I love the concept and it's really easy to use. I will come back in a few months, or whenever I see a change in my skin.

When I first got mine, I used the sensitive skin brush head...just in case. I worked my way up to the normal one. I love mine. I bought my mom's off qvc....and I know that's where my mom got mine and my sister's.

 

[yooolizzi]

I swear up and down over the BH cosmetics brushes and face palettes. The concealer palette was my baby and I cried when it melted in the heat of my car. I've never found a concealer that masks my dark circles to the point of being undetectable like their concealer does, and with the palette I can use the darker browns to contour my face. The ten color blush palette also works wonders for me; I can change up my look every day for the same price as one name brand blush. I also have the 88 shimmer eyeshadow palette and the 30 color lip color palettes, which are cheap and pretty good quality. I keep all four of these with me in my competition bag so I can touch up or do someone else's makeup.

Also I am obsessed with my jumbo white eyeliner from NYX (it's not pricy but super great) for going in my water line and my inner corners of my eye. It actually does help make you look more awake and it's a pretty great eyeshadow base!

 

[kaylalalaxo]

Just went to ulta and went ham lol. I saw they only had one more naked 3 palette so I took it as a sign to buy it. The lady that was helping me also suggested the benefit oxygen foundation or whatever it's called over the urban decay foundation because it isn't so sheer. I picked up the too faced shadow insurance because they were out of the UD primer potion (but there were 4 different samples in my UD naked 3 palette thank god lol) and also I wanted to try the they're real mascara by benefit. It set me back a pretty penny but well see how I like them

 

[just_kay_today]

I found that mineral foundations reflected the light on my daughters dark skin, making her looks shiny. I broke down and went to Sephora (I could live and die in that store) and got her the Make Up Forever HD foundation and Matte powder. It's professional grade makeup made for working under lights in the theatre. It keeps the shine away even after two teams! Now that she is older and her skin has changed, we've switched from the matching powder, to their translucent powder. Her skin has a sheen, but still no shine.

NARS makes a wonderful teal shadow, that we used for years. But Mabelline came out with those eye tattoo shadows! The pigmentation on them is amazing and they last forever! Not high end, but quality nevertheless:

 

[CheerRehab]

@CheerRehab what do you recommend for brushes? I too have the very dry skin like you said so I'm definitely going to try that lotion! Also, do you have a recommendation for highlighting and contouring products?

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Most of the brushes I use every day are from Sigma. Sigma brushes are high end quality, and comprable to MAC. They not the cheapest brushes on the market, but they're a lot less pricy than MAC brushes. I very highly recommend the Sigma E40. It's $14. For me, it's a MUST! It's a tapered blending brush, and I haven't come across a cheaper brush that works anywhere as well. The only problem I've had with Sigma is that my large powder brush, the SS150, sheds. HERE is the product page for the Sigma E40

Other Sigma Brushes I love are the E55 & the E30. The E65 is great for gel liner. If you decide to purchase makeup brushes that have a number on the side (like the Sigma ones) I suggest painting over the number with a tiny bit of clear nail polish. The numbers wear off over time and doing this will protect them from that. You don't need to coat the entire handel of the brush.

You don't have to break the bank in order to own good brushes. I love the Essense of Beauty Dome Shadow Brush from CVS. It's $5! HERE is the product info.

e.l.f also makes some great brushes. My favorites are Studio Complexion Brush, $3. Product info HERE, The e.l.f Studio Kabuki Face Brush, $6. Product info HERE. If you want a Kabuki brush for your collection, get this one. It works just as well as those $40 brushes. Also, the e.l.f Essential Eye Shadow Brush is a MUST! They cost $1 and are pretty great. I bought a bunch of them, because they really are that good. Product info HERE.

Another awesome inexpensive shadow brush is from Target. It's the generic Target brand and sold individually. Target's website isn't being nice, so I can't provide specifics.

I apply my foundation with the Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge, $10.49. Product info HERE. I like using a sponge because i have more control over where the foundation goes. This one is shaped like an egg which makes it easy to apply product to the crease of my nose. I also don't wear a lot of foundation. I apply a light layer. (It's not super light, but my freckles are still visible through it. There are cheaper sponges out there. If you're going to use a sponge, remember to clean it! The package of disposable triangle sponges from the drugstore are disposable. They are not meant to be used multiple times. Sponges hold bacteria.

When buying brushes it's temping to buy complete sets. My advice is this, don't waste your money on brushes you won't use. Also, your brushes don't have to be from just one company. I have a ton of shadow brushes because I'm lazy and don't wash my brushes every day. You don't have to wash them after a single use, but I don't like dipping my brushes in different products. As we all know, once glitter touches something, it's EVERYWHERE. Stay away from double ended brushes. They are an absolute pain to store.

If you'd like recommendations for other types of brushes let me know. I'll get back to you with the highlighting & contouring products. I'm at a friends house & need to wait until i'm home so I can physically see my makeup & consult my notes.

 

[sarah_cheergirl]

I have the naked 2 palette and love it but I wish I could get my eyes to look as pretty as everyone elses.. lol

For all of you guys with the clarisonic, what cleanser do you use with it? I never really liked the one they sent me with my mia, so I didn't purchase the full size. I know a lot of people use philosophy but I've never splurged for it...

 

[NJ Coach]

I have the naked 2 palette and love it but I wish I could get my eyes to look as pretty as everyone elses.. lol

For all of you guys with the clarisonic, what cleanser do you use with it? I never really liked the one they sent me with my mia, so I didn't purchase the full size. I know a lot of people use philosophy but I've never splurged for it...

I use philosophy lol. I get the huge one, with the pump, (a little pricy, but it lasts a long time) and then take a travel container...pump the philosophy in there, and just keep refilling that one little container.

 

[cheernerd5678]

I have the naked 2 palette and love it but I wish I could get my eyes to look as pretty as everyone elses..

I feel you! I'm sooooo bad at eyeshadow it's not even funny. I can do cheer makeup and that's about it.... I stick to eyeliner and mascara for my daily makeup because even if I wanted to do eyeshadow... I can't.

 

[megan:)]

I'm thinking about using my Christmas money to get either the naked 2 or naked 3 palette, which one would you all recommend? I have the naked 1 and love it!

 

[kaylalalaxo]

I'm thinking about using my Christmas money to get either the naked 2 or naked 3 palette, which one would you all recommend? I have the naked 1 and love it!

I loveee the naked 3 with the rosy gold colors its bound to look great on all skin types! You could go up to your nearest ulta and ask them which palette would compliment your skin color!

 

[njallday]

I'm thinking about using my Christmas money to get either the naked 2 or naked 3 palette, which one would you all recommend? I have the naked 1 and love it!

the naked 2 palette is perfect. like i haven't met one person who some combination of the colors doesn't look wonderful on. the naked 3 is very pretty, but if you don't have the right skin tone for it, it won't work. i have kind of yellow skin (olive in the summer, but in the winter it really is yellow) and pink/gold eyeshadows makes me look diseased. and that's all that's in that set so it 100% does not work for me. it does look pretty on naturally tan or darker skin tones. it even looks pretty on porcelain skin. it's just those in between skin tones that are questionable. i'm sure someone super talented at makeup application could make any colors work, but that person is not me, so i'll stick to the 2.