Hey Glossies,

I was tasked with creating a makeup look for Ace.  I wanted her to have a neutral, classic look.  First things first, we had to get those brows waxed and shaped!

Ace - Eye Brow - Before

Since this was her first time getting a brow wax, I went easy on Ace.  I asked the woman who did the brow waxing to clean up the brows and create a slight arch.

Ace - Eye Brow - Before

Makeup

I was scheduled to do a makeup trial after Ace returned from her Senior trip in Florida.   The makeup was not adhering to her face well because of the many tiny bumps on her face, so I had to go back to the drawing board.  I realized that she had heat rash , so consulted with my Beauty Gurus. They recommended a treatment of cortisone cream and aloe vera gel.  Ace began the treatment a few days after and it started to clear up her skin.  After I did the second makeup trial, switched foundations, the makeup look was really coming together.

FOTD Details

Face

• Laura Mercier Primer
• Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse – Caramel
• MAC MSF – Sun Power

Eyes

• MAC Paint Point – Nubile
• Purley Cosmetics – CTP in Bronze
• MAC Naked Dark pigment
•  MAC Rich Life Pigment
• MAC Saddle e/s
• Kat Von D True Romance Palette – Tequila and Downtown
• Shiseido Accentuating Cream Eyeliner – Black
• Maybelline Falsies mascara – Black
• Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara

Cheek

• MAC Hello Kitty Blush – Tippy
• TokiDoki Bronzer – Royal Pride

Lips

• NYX Pink Frost Lip gloss
• Ruby Kisses Brown Lip liner

Ace After Makeup

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

I hope that you had a great weekend.

When I run errands, I like to wear foundation, eye liner, lip gloss and mascara for that ‘natural with a pop color” look.

I decided to try the Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Cream Pencil Eyeliner in Sapphire Strength.

The liner is creamy and applies easily, which means no tugging on the skin. The color is very intense and lasts a long time. I wore it for 6 hours and there were no signs of fading.

I can see tiny flecks of green in the pencil, but the color is royal blue-ish.  Definitely a great color to try for if you want to experiment with color.

Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Cream Pencil Eyeliner Sapphire Strength Swatch

I think the Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Cream Pencil Eye liner is worth a try.  The other colors include Vibrant Violet, which I want to try, Midnight Master (Black), Bold Brown, Coal Commander and Made of Steel.

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

Normally with Maybelline foundations, I have to mix 2 shades, Caramel (a bit too light) and Cocoa (too dark) to get the desired shade. I have pleaded with Maybelline to create a shade in-between Caramel and Cocoa. When I saw that the Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam Foundation was available in Light Cocoa, I had to try it out.

Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam Foundation - Light Cocoa 360 Shade

Initially, when the Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam Foundation is sprayed into the palm of the hand, the shade appears lighter than expected, but it quickly turns darker into the Light Cocoa shade.

I tried the Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam Foundation with a foundation brush and with my hands. The foundation brush seemed to make the foundation look blotchy, streaky and not a lot of coverage. On the other hand, when I used my hands, the application seemed to be more even and the coverage was medium buildable. I rubbed my hands together as if I were lathering up soap and and patted my face with the foundation. I blended with buffer

Before

brush and I repeated the patting motion twice for the right amount of coverage needed.

After

The foundation is lightweight and lasted the entire day. I did not see any signs of oxidation or the gray cast that some other Maybelline foundations cause.

Overall, I like the Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam Foundation in Light Cocoa. It was a bit messy to use (keep makeup remover wipes handy). I like that I did not have to mix colors. *3 Cheers*

I will definitely re-purchase.

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

Recently, I tried the Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel.   The gel is a combination of foundation, primer, color-corrector and powder.  The gel is formulated with rich antioxidants, and vitamins A and E  which should instantly improve skin tone and retrain proper hydration.

The Gel comes in 5 shades:  Translucent, Luminous, Radiant, Rich and Decadent.

I used the Perfekt Skin Perfection gel in Decadent.  The texture is smooth and lightweight and the product does not stain like traditional foundations.

Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel in Decadent

Before Applying Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel - Decadent

Because of the scarring on my cheeks, I do not use tinted moisturizers because I need medium (buildable) coverage.  The Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel did reduce a bit of the scarring.

After Applying Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel - Decadent

Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel - FOTD

Overall, I like this product more as a primer and color corrector.  Foundation looks fresher longer and I had a glow to my skin that was not dewy or oily.  If a tinted moisturizer does not work for you, I suggest opting for the Translucent formula. Retails for $57.50 and can be found at Sephora.

Mix Maven

Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel was provided for review from the manufacturer. Please see Pumps and Gloss disclosure policy for more information.

Hey Glossies,

I hope that the weekend was fun and exciting.

Gel liners are my favorite.  One of my favorites is MAC fluidline. I have a few and my new acquisition is Midnight Snack, a soft black.  Sometimes, I do not want an intense eyeliner and my hope was that Midnight Snack would help me achieve a softer look.

MAC Fluidline - Midnight Snack

I found this particular fluidline to be “wetter” than other fluidlines that I have, which I find troubling only because the “wetter” gel liners tend to dry out quicker than “firm” gel liners e.g. Shiseido creamy liner and Shu Uemura painting liner.Comparison between a bold black (Shiseido) liner and Midnight Snack.

FOTD Details

I was not sure if the liner would even show up on me.  The  swatch seems fairly light. Well, I am pleased to say that Midnight Snack fluidiner shows up on me very well.  It gave me the less intense look that I desired.

Face

• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Primer Skin Transformer
• Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse foundation – Caramel
• NARS Sheer Glow foundation – Benares

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Oil control lotion
• MAC Below Ground grease paint
• MAC Subtle pigment
• MAC Saddle e/s
• MAC B-Rich e/s
• MAC Buckwheat e/s
• MAC Glamour check e/s
• NARS Mekong e/s
• Revlon Bronzed Copper e/s
• MAC Midnight Snack
• Ruby Kisses 24 Hour Eye Define Liner
• Dior Diorshow Extase mascara

Cheek

• MAC Stark Naked Blush

Lips

• MAC Pucker Tendertone
• MAC Phlox lipstick
• NYX liner – brown

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

Makeup Monday has returned. See, what had happened was my favorite camera, a Sony Cybershot, stopped working. So, finally, I  procured another camera, specifically, for FOTD pics.

I do not own a lot of Lancome products, a lipstick and mascara, so I decided to get the ‘Color Design’ Shadow & Liner Palette – Kissed By Gold, last year.   I selected this palette because of the neutral colors.  Great for any skin tone.

Lancôme 'Color Design' Shadow & Liner Palette - Kissed By Gold

The peachy pink shadow is what I used on my lid.  It is similar (somewhat) to MAC’s Expensive Pink, which shows up as gold on my skin. I used the MAC Rubenesque as the colored base.  Normally, I would use Artifact or some other reddish burgundy base, but the color did not need much for it to pop.   I also used the peachy pink shade in the Maybelline Eye Studio Eye Shadow  Palette in Copper Chic on the lid for an extra punch.  The Maybelline* eye studio palette’s shades are a bit more intense than the Lancome* version.

Maybelline Eye Studio Eye Shadow Palette- Copper Chic

Overall, I like the Lancome palette because it offers more options, but the Maybelline Eye Studio palette is less expensive and the Maybelline Eye Studio’s color payoff is better.

 FOTD Details

Face:

• Laura Mercier Primer
• NARS Sheer Glow – Cadiz
• NARS Sheer Glow – Benares

Eyes:

• Cosmedicine Oil-Free Lotion
• Purely Cosmetics CTP – Bronzed Brown
• MAC Rubenesque P/P
• Lancome Kissed By Gold
• Maybelline Copper Chic
• Revlon Bronzed Copper e/s
• Ruby Kisses Very Sexy Mascara
• Ruby Kisses 24 Hour Eye Define Liner

Cheeks -

• MAC Stereo Rose MSF
• MAC Stark Naked Blush

Lips -

• MAC Pucker T/T
• MAC Bold and Brash lipglass

Mix Maven

*Lancome and Maybelline are both owned by The L’Oreal Group.

Hey Glossies,

Please get out the calendars because The Makeup Show season is nigh!!  Last year, TMS added Chicago and Berlin to beauty convention’s lineup. This year, Orlando, FL has been added! I am happy to see The Makeup Show expanding.

I have been to The Makeup Show – Los Angeles, NYC and Chicago and I have enjoyed the education, inspiration and community that the shows provide.  I have learned so much and have met fellow beauty aficionados/artists, bloggers that I would not, otherwise, meet. The education and inspiration sessions are top notch. The shows not only teach the artistry side, but also teach the business side of the beauty industry and these training sessions are facilitated by top industry professionals.  This is must-attend for artists who want to take their skills to a higher level.

Jennifer James, the instructor, reminds me of the affable high school teacher that everyone loves.  The teacher who is not a pushover, but knows how to impart information and have fun.  The teacher who will probably have a movie made about her life. The students realize that they are being taught by one of the great ones.   Ms. James is also like the favorite aunt you want to hang with, not only because she is cool, but because she has valuable life lessons to share.

I had the honor and privilege of observing one of her classes, “Fashion Make-Up for Runway & Print.”  At the beginning of the class, she had the students explore their vision of beauty and storytelling in print work.  The exercise allowed the students to focus on the finer details of photographic works.

The class included contouring, highlighting, lip application and brow boot camp. Each student brought in his/her own model.  A couple of them are working print models. Ms. James was engaged with each student making sure that he or she was on the right track.  Posing questions that challenged how the students view the application process as well as recommending tools and products to use.

I find that even the makeup artists who practice their skills everyday found the class to be challenging, yet fulfilling.  I could definitely see several “A-ha” moments from each pupil and even the models took an interest in the application process.  The students also shared their tricks of the trade with each other. One tip that I found very useful was, pressing down the tip of a lip pencil.  The flattened tip allows for a more precise lip line.

Below is a slideshow from the class, including students’ work:



• Jennifer_James_Teaching_Class

   

  http://pumpsandgloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Jennifer_James_Teaching_Class.jpg

• Example of Contouring 1

   

  http://pumpsandgloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Example-of-Contouring-1.jpg

• Example of Contouring 2

   

  http://pumpsandgloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Example-of-Contouring-2.jpg

• Example of Contouring 3

   

  http://pumpsandgloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Example-of-Contouring-3.jpg

• Example of Highlighting 1

   

  http://pumpsandgloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Example-of-Highlighting-1.jpg

• Example of Highlighting 2

   

  http://pumpsandgloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Example-of-Highlighting-2.jpg

• Example of Highlighting 3

   

  http://pumpsandgloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Example-of-Highlighting-3.jpg

• Example of Lip 1

   

  http://pumpsandgloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Example-of-Lip-1.jpg

• Example of Lip 2

   

  http://pumpsandgloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Example-of-Lip-2.jpg

• Example of Lip 3

   

  http://pumpsandgloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Example-of-Lip-3.jpg

I, highly, suggest taking one of her classes, if she comes to your area. She also does Skype classes, so there will is no excuse not to take a class. Ms. James has updated her class offerings, so please check them out and enroll today!

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

Initially, when I embarked on the idea of doing my  lil’ cousin’s makeup for prom, J’s aunt (my cousin) and I had a nice conversation about which colors to use. My cousin had purchased some  MAC products as a starter kit for college. *What a wonderful aunty* One of the colors J received was  MAC Expensive Pink.  J really liked the idea of the Expensive Pink, which is a great color really, but it did not work well with her dress because of the gold undertones.  In the picture, below, we tried Springsheen blush, which melts my heart every time I see it.

First Idea

Her dress was a magenta pink, so I decided that Nouba 51 would be the best shade of pink rather than expensive pink, which, in my opinion, is just a fancy peach. She was tepid about wearing any kind of smoky look. But with her mom’s help (my cousin), we got her to understand the purpose of “smoking it out.” LOL

I used the Laura Geller Baked Cake Eyeliner Duo – Blueberry/ Dutch Chocolate  <– Blueberry side (as a shadow) in the crease and outer v.  I also used LA Girl Mark My Eyes e/l, TheBalm Mischievous Marissa (luxurious champagne gold) as the highlight (blended out to match her skintone), Covergirl LashBlast Volume mascara and NYX Barbie Pink l/g.

Second and Favorite Idea

J is a huge fan of the pink!! *I mean HUGE!!* So the Nouba 51 was a huge hit!! She was totally ecstatic about the Prom look we created.  It is a soft, yet sassy look.

Mix Maven

Who remembers the The Wu-Tang Clan’s song, C.R.E.A.M (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)?

In the FOTD, I tried the Cinema Secrets Hollywood Lights (loose e/s) in Dolla Bill.  This brand is popular among professional makeup artists who work in the theatre and/or movie/tv production .  The Hollywood Lights are similar to MAC pigments and Reflects Glitters (both of which I love!)  I prefer foiling the (non-glitter) Hollywood Lights as the color payoff is more intense.  The cost is 7.50/USD and be easily found on the web.

All MAC Products unless stated.

Face

• NC 50 Studio Sculpt Foundation
• NW 43 Studio Sculpt Foundation
• Natural MSF in Dark

Eyes

• Matte Gel
• Pharoah P/P
• Electro Sky P/P
• Purely Cosmetics Cream To Powder Bronzed Brown
• Smut e/s
• Signed, Sealed e/s
• Cinema Secrets Dolla Bill loose e/s
• Era e/s (highlight)
• Stila Smudge Pot – Black
• Black Russian Pearlglide e/l
• Milani Black e/l
• NYX Teal e/l
• Napoleon Perdis mascara

Cheek

• Warmed MSF
• Stark Naked Blush

Lips

• Sweet Tooth T/T
• NYX Mauve l/l
• Hello Kitty Cute-ster
• Cremesheen Glass Boy Bait

My Sassy Lips need an agent.

Mix Maven