Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Just for fun: A few beauty related things i've realized over the years.

#1 If you should invest your hard earned moolah in one item in your cosmetic bag, it should be a good foundation.
We all know expensive isn't always better, but I do believe if you're going to splurge, splurge on a good foundation. Who really cares about your amazing eye makeup if your foundation looks blotchy? Alright.. I'm not trying to bash all drugstore foundations. There are a few good ones, but you have way more options, and a larger selection of shades to perfectly match your skin when you branch out into the higher end brands. The wonderful thing about getting your foundation from a department store is, you can sample it before purchasing it. Get color matched, and request a sample that will be enough for a few uses. Test it out at home, and see how you like it!

#2 Mascara doesn't need to be purchased anywhere else, other than the drugstore. 
When it comes to mascara, there are so many options at the drugstore. I've tried so many high end brands, along with many drugstore brands, and the high end brands never delivered more than the drugstore brands. Especially for a product that will dry up in a few weeks, I find that paying $20 and up for a mascara is a waste of money. You're better off investing in a good mascara base and eyelash curler. Don't get me wrong, curiosity sometimes gets to me and I'll treat myself once in a while, but on an every day basis, drugstore mascara works just as good!
#3 If you tan frequently, have more than one foundation shade on hand.
Especially for those who use self tanner often. Keep a foundation on hand of your actual skin shade, regardless of how light it is. I know many of you probably feel that you look your best with a nice tan, but being fair is just as sexy! I didn't abide by this for years. Can you believe my actual coloring is usually the lightest shade at the drugstore, but I've been self tanning for ten years and throughout the years have only purchased my tan shade!? Talk about pressure to tan every day - If I didn't tan, I had no makeup!

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#4 If you're on a life long journey of finding the fullest coverage foundation out there, (where using paint as foundation has crossed your mind at least once) You need to take a step back and take your focus off covering your skin, but fixing your skin. 
Of course we all want flawless skin, and we expect our foundation to do the work for us. But, a foundation will never fix the problem - it will only conceal it for a few hours. The key to having flawless skin is by taking good care of your skin. When you have no makeup on, take a look in the mirror and note your problem areas/any issues you have with your skin. Try figuring out what's causing it - improper cleansing? allergic reaction? hormones? your diet? You can find help from various skincare forums online. Or, make an appointment with a local dermatologist. Once you start catering to your skins needs, your skin will start looking better and you'll find yourself looking for foundations with less coverage. Pft! Who would have thought?!

#5 Don't purchase anything without browsing reviews first.
9 out of 10 times, if I'm purchasing any item of makeup, I've done thorough research on it beforehand. The one time out of ten is usually when I've found a too hard to pass up deal, or it was an impulse purchase. My favorite place to check reviews is http://makeupalley.com. You can check reviews for any product and narrow the reviews by skin type, coloring, etc, so you could see if a particular product would possibly work for you. It's easy to navigate and it's free. Of course, a percentage boils down to personal preference. You may love a product with terrible ratings, but if the majority of the ratings are negative, I'll usually skip and look elsewhere.

#6 Cater to your eyebrows.
Along with your skin, eyebrows are one of the most important features on your face that need a little extra care. Having well groomed brows make all the difference in your face. I've learned to work with my brow shape and pluck only my strays a couple times a week. For unruly brows (such as mine), a clear brow gel or clear mascara works great to keep them in place all day. For those with very light colored brows, a tinted brow gel works great to make your brows a little more prominent. For the most natural looking brows, a brow powder/brown matte eye shadow works the best. If you're guilty of over-plucking and are having trouble growing your brows back, check out my post on how to grow them back (here).

* I'll do an updated eyebrow filling tutorial soon!


#7 Take chances with color!
Many people out there are terrified by anything that isn't neutral. I was the same way. I always loved bright colors, but never had enough guts to actually wear them myself. Have you heard the saying "You can't knock something until you try it?" OK. Bad saying. That can go in so many different directions. Disregard that. LOL To get yourself past your fear of color, you just have to go for it. Break the ice by wearing colored eye shadow or a bright lipstick the next time you go out with your friends - you're usually more confident when you've got your girlfriends with you and you won't feel the urge to wipe it off in embarrassment. *The embarrassment is all in your head, BTW! If anyone is looking at you, they're most likely admiring your awesomeness! Then, wear it out again with your friends. After wearing it a couple of times, you should feel comfortable to wear it out on your own. 

Milani Rosehip has become one of my favorite lipsticks, and I wear it at least a couple days out of the week. In the past, I'd maybe wear it one day out of the year.

Agree/Disagree with any of my points? Have some things to add to the list? Share in the comments below! 

38 comments:

  1. if i had to name a few things that i've learned the last few years about makeup i would say the EXACT same things as you! fantastic, fantastic post!!

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  2. Milani Rosehip is the lipstick that finally made me comfortable with wearing bright lips out of the house <3

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  3. I agree with you on the mascara... but I will say no other mascara has got Lancome Hynose beat... In my opinion lol
    Gotta love pops of colour, they can work their magic no matter that outfit, the make up, or the mood!!
    Bella xo
    http://www.chicinvancity.com/

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  4. its good to se something fun but make up related like this. interesting!

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  5. My personal motto is "life is to short to wear only 'safe' makeup", so now I make a point of wearing bright eyeshadows and dark/bright lips during any time of the day, and not only during going out (which I never do anyways). I know it made me happier, and it helps me express myself :) And I can't tell you how many times I've gotten compliments on my "crazy" eyeshadows :)

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  6. Love #4! I wish I could use drugstore mascaras but they don't do anything for my sparse, short and straight lashes. I need to use a higher end mascara for them to be somewhat visible.

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  7. "Most likely admiring your awesomeness" lol, this is something I would say to a friend. Orrrr. "They're just jealous of you" haha. Love this post! I agree with every point completely!

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  8. So true about having the confidence to wear other colors. I always felt oranges or warm colored lipsticks were not an option for me. And even though I feel like my skin tone is on the cool side, I decided to try it anyway. It was fun, and I felt daring lol. And it didn't look as bad as I thought. Good blog post :)

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  9. Well said. :) and I totally agree with you on those points :) xoxo

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  10. I couldn't agree more...with ALL of them, except the last one. I am still a little timid to try bright colors on the lips. But I am trying to get over that fear.

    http://www.thegirlieblog.com

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  11. I find all of these points really helpful. I especially like #6 because I know that a lot of girls forget to or don't think about their eye brows. I used to not shape mine or fill them in and after I started doing it, it made an amazing difference! I am going to be doing a post on using a pencil to fill in brows vs. using eye shadow. :) Awesome post.

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  12. Such good tips and all are very true <3
    love
    xo

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  13. very very helpful u covered up pretty much everything.. thanks for sharing your experience for newbies to makeup

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  14. I agree with everything you said here. Great advice Natalie!

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  15. Great Post!! Much needed to hear! I've been so obessed with my face and having the right foundation(I wear Clinque even better skin tone corrector in porcelain beige 11) I think its good and covers my face but the real work is taking care of it. Eat, sleep and clean well. Thanks for the post.

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  16. You said it right on spot. Great post

    xo Jenn

    imperfection-isbeauty.com

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  17. Well said Natty! Took the words straight out of my mouth, I was nodding along to every one of your points. I'd say that #4 and #7 are things I struggle with too and though I've learned to focus more on skincare, I am a straight up foundation junkie at heart. As for that bold colour thing?....Well, I'm still working on it. LOL.

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  18. I love this and I agree with each and everyone!

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  19. Great advice and all of it so very true!
    ~ Amanda from perfumed-pages.blogspot.com

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  20. Excellent points! Agree with them all, especially re: skin, foundation, and mascara!

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  21. enlightening.. and prettty accurate observation. I would have said the same too :)

    http://glamagem.blogspot.com

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  22. Great post! I used to skip shaping and filling in my eyebrows, now its a must for me..makes a huge difference!


    Polaberry.blogspot.com

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  23. Lovely post and very sensible tips. Especially those about color! You definitely have inspired me to try some bolder shades!

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  24. totally agree! awesome post!



    http://www.shellzdoll.com/

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  25. I LOVE this post!
    I've gotten some great tips... I take your advice on beauty related topics 100% to heart!
    :)

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  26. Great points! I agree with taking care of your skin & having the right foundation shade.
    I hate when I get "color matched" and the sa gives me a darker color. I want it to match my actual skin color.

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  27. Great tips!! I really enjoyed this post & these are all important tips that everyone needs & can use... Loved it!

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  28. Great post!!! My approach to makeup and beauty is a lot like yours!
    Btw, I would never have thought that you're actually that pale!!!

    x

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  29. After reading many of your blogposts I staleness say i launch this fact one to mostly be top notch. I soul a weblog also and require to repost a few shears of your articles on my modeling

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