I know I normally post this on Mondays, but I was so TIRED I couldn’t even find the time to open my bag. For those who don’t know, The Makeup Show is an annual event where many major makeup brands show OUT for the industry. You get to see new products (as well as old favorites) and see new techniques performed by some of the hottest makeup artists. And one of the most fun parts aside from meeting so many cool people is the shopping! Here’s my loot:

By the way, I haven’t even found time to really try anything out aside from things I’ve previously used before in my kit,

More Make Up For Ever…

Make Up For Ever:
HD High Definition Blush in #2 (a gorgeous fuchsia but way too much product comes out so I’d recommend dishing the excess into a small makeup container)
Mat Velvet Foundation (bought because my friend Nicol loves it)
Eyeshadow in #139 (a deep brown with slight shimmer)
Aqua Black (a waterproof creme eyeshadow and liner—I bought mainly because the MUFE rep said it’s amazing…lol. But then I saw it in action during a MUFE class and knew I had a winner. It comes in a slew of other colors and can also be used as a base)
Aqua Eyes in 0L (a waterproof eyeliner pencil and this is like my 5th one—this stuff stays PUT all day even on the lash line)

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
Lip Tar in NSFW (I bought two of these because this is such an amazing red! I heard so many good things about the Lip Tars so I was dead set on getting them and sooo glad I did. The color looks amazing on my MAC NW47 skin)

Check them out here.

Inglot Cosmetics
Cream Blush in 93
Cream Blush in 81

Check them out here.

Becca Cosmetics
I seriously didn’t need anything, but since my favorite products were at a good price, I just had to
Fine Loose Finishing Powder in Nutmeg (my HG powder—sets makeup, and makes skin look like skin—totally UNpowdery…lol)
Foundation Stick in Almond (provides medium to full coverage but doesn’t look heavy on)
Compact Concealer in Almond (perfect for covering discoloration)

Crown Brush
I didn’t *need* more brushes but most of these were $2 and some no more than $8. I’ve heard so much about them that I just had to…lol
S207 Deluxe Soft Fan
C123 Mini Chisel
C115 Pro Spoolie
C212 Detail Mini Chisel
C108 Flat Bronzer
A mini angled brush that doesn’t have a number on it
A crease smudging brush that also doesn’t have a number on it

You can purchase them online here.

Parian Spirit
Brush Cleaner Set (bought because I heard so much about these fast-drying professional brush cleaner—there’s one you can dip into a container to clean your brush and it comes out clean—cool).

Check them out here.

For more The Makeup Show tea—tune in tonight to Bag Ladies Radio! I’ll be guest hosting and will talk about products, techniques, and more from the show. Celebrity hairstylist Kim Kimble will be there, too! Show starts at 7:30 P.M. EST and runs until 9 PM EST. You can listen online at bagladiesradio.com. And if you miss it, they keep archives so no excuses…lol.

MAC in Lillyland (Lilly Pulitzer) Collection

U.S. Launch Date: January 7th, 2010

When MAC meets the lore and legend that is Lilly Pulitzer, you get a fabulous and funky fun new chapter: a bit of Mar-a-Lago, some well-to-do winky-wink, and a dash of retro-modern pop culture mayhem in prints and colours that make it hip to be in permanent happy land! A collaboration that feels like the best tongue-in-chic resort retort, with all the wonderful prints and Key West colour combinations Lilly has done so beautifully since, well, forever! Fly down to South Florida, with M?A?C in Lillyland!

Lipgelee ($14.00 U.S. / $16.50 CDN)

• Lush & Bright Bright pink yellow-coral with pink pearl (Limited Edition)
• Preppy Blue-pink with pink pearl (Limited Edition)
• Shift to Pink Light violet with silver pearl (Limited Edition)
• Resort Life Off-white with pink pearl (Limited Edition)

Pearlmatte Eyeshadow ($19.50 U.S. / $25.50 CDN)

• Three shades (white, green, pink) in a flower pattern (Limited Edition)

Pearlmatte Face Powder ($27.50 U.S. / $32.50 CDN)

• Four shades in a flower pattern (Limited Edition)

Cremeblend Blush ($18.50 U.S. / $22.00 CDN)

• Joie-de-Vivre Peachy coral (Limited Edition)
• Florida Bright fuchsia (Limited Edition)
• Optimistic Orange Bright coral (Limited Edition)
• So Sweet, So Easy Light yellow pink (Limited Edition)

Nail Lacquer ($12.00 U.S. / $15.50 CDN)

• Coconut Ice Light yellow peach pink (Cream) (Limited Edition)
• Steamy Hot N Steamy pink (Cream) (Permanent)

Paint Pot ($16.50 U.S. / $19.00 CDN)

• Rubenesque Golden peach with gold pearl (Frost) (Permanent)
• Bare Study CSoft beige with gold pearl (Frost) (Permanent)
• Fresco Rose Pink with matching pearl (Frost) (Permanent)

Technakohl ($14.50 U.S. / $17.00 CDN)

• Graphblack Rich graphic black (Permanent)
• Purple Dash Intense aubergine (Permanent)

Brushes

• 168 (Permanent)
• 239 (Permanent)

Click images to enlarge

Source

What’s on your wish list from this collection?

Check out Galit’s tips:

To use your fingers or brushes when applying makeup?  The answer to this question is simple: it’s a matter of preference!  Both methods can be equally effective depending on what you are most comfortable with (or depending on whether you have brushes on hand.)

Galit Strugano, creator of Girlactik Beauty makeup and celeb makeup artist explains the techniques of applying makeup with your fingers and applying with tools to achieve the perfect makeup look (www.girlactik.com.)

FINGER APPLICATION: Mind your pressure points!

Each of your fingers has a different pressure point affecting the pressure of touch.  Knowing them can be useful in applying makeup.  A bonus with finger application is the oils and heat from your skin melts the product better when it transfers to your skin and provides the coverage you want!

Ring finger for Concealer – Applying concealer with your ring finger gives a soft touch around the eye area with no pulling of the skin. The ringer finger pats product perfectly.

Index finger for Shadow Application – This finger possesses a little more pressure making shadow spread evenly but still has that soft touch.

Middle finger for Eye Crease – The middle finger has the most pressure so it is perfect to use to frame your eye, creating definition as you move your finger back and forth.

Pinkie for Inner Eye – Your smallest digit is perfect to apply makeup to those hard to reach parts.  Great when applying an eye brightener or when you want to highlight.   Your pinkie has a light touch so you won’t accidently glob on makeup when you’re trying to be precise!

BRUSH APPLICATION: It’s all about the texture!

When it comes to brushes, it isn’t about synthetic vs. natural but rather the firmness of the brush that affects your makeup look.  A rule of thumb:

-       The firmer the brush, the more color transfer you’ll have.

-       The lighter the brush, the lighter the color transfer will be.

Think about it this way.  You can be using the same exact blush and end up with 2 different colors depending on whether you are using a firmer or lighter brush.  Switching up brushes is a great way to use your makeup in fun, different ways!

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I can’t wait to try this line! What do you think of Galit’s tips?

Maybe I’m the last person to be giving any advice on makeup organization (considering the fact that my favorite glosses are sitting inside plastic cups on a shelf in my bathroom right now as we speak), but hey, don’t they say those who can’t do teach (who is “they”…lol).

Organizing your makeup is good for you because:
1. You can easily reach for your favorite products and cut down on beating face time
2. You can easily see what you have so you don’t accidentally “re-buy” products you already own
3. OK, so it also frees up space for you to stash more makeup in there

Ideally, I would group makeup by product type (blush, eyeshadow, lip gloss, etc.) and then group each product by color, and if you’re really feeling funky then break it down by texture and/or season (i.e. put all the pink shimmery summer blushes in one container). Wow—this is some genius stuff here I’m typing–I should actually start doing this…lol.

After you’ve got your stash all sorted out, you have to find something to put it in. Now you don’t need to go all fancy (hello–I have lipgloss in plastic cups), but you do need something that works with where you keep your stash (usually in the bathroom) and that works with the amount of stash you have. Check out these suggestions:

For the mega stash:
Sephora Large Rolling Traincase, $160

The Sephora Brand Large Rolling Traincase is equipped to accommodate makeup and more! When it’s time for all-out glam, at home or on the go, this is your stylish solution. It sports snap closures, a lock and key to keep your items secure, three roomy inner compartments, two four-tier foldout trays with subdivided sections, a regular handle, and a retractable handle for easy rolling.

As a makeup artist, I’ve gone through several of these type of cases and haven’t been able to decide if they’re not made very well or if I’m too aggressive. The jury is still out.

For the super lipstick/gloss stash:

Container Store 24-Lipstick Acrylic Organizer, $6.99

Keep tubes of lipstick and lip gloss organized and accessible with our 24-Lipstick Acrylic Organizer. Made of clear acrylic, it offers plenty of space for a wide palette of colors.

Again, I keep my lipgloss in plastic cups. Don’t feel any pressure to go out and buy something fancy.

For the modest stash:

Caboodles Black Lace Case, $25.49 at Target

# Chic Cosmetic Case
# Made of Plastic
# Black, Lace Pattern
# Includes 6 Fold-Out Trays
# Buckle Closure
# Spot Clean
# Dimensions: 11.25″x6.5″x8.25″

Don’t sleep on the Caboodles! I bought my first traincase from Wal Mart about 5 years ago and it was a Caboodles kit that I only paid maybe $15 for. After my makeup kit started to grow, I now only use it for my lip products. To this day that case is still kicking after years of being dragged to tons of photo shoots and weddings.

Container Store Large Acrylic Makeup Organizer, $34.99

This makeup organizer has plenty of room to store and organize your entire cosmetic collection. It’s crafted from exceptionally clear and durable acrylic to blend into any decor. The lipstick organizer is removable for easy clean-up.

* Heavyweight, exceptionally clear acrylic
* Compact size yet generous capacity
* Perfect for organizing a wide range of cosmetics, toiletries, jewelry and hair accessories

For the beginner stash:

Caboodles Black Lace Cosmetic Case – 9.5”, $20.79 at Target

# Chic Cosmetic Case
# Made of Plastic
# Black, Swirl Pattern
# Includes 4 Fold-Out Trays
# Buckle Closure
# Spot Clean
# Dimensions: 7.875″x7.625″x6.875″

Caboodles Clear Organizer Tray, $10.39 at Target

# Tray for organizing cosmetics and accessories
# Plastic
# Tiny compartments for things like eye shadow and cotton balls, and a raised compartment for brushes
# Clear with shimmering stars
# 9-1/2×7″

If you’re looking for cute and affordable travel bags, Target has got you covered. Check out their collection of makeup bags online and in-store.

P.S. The Style and Beauty Doctor’s Shop Your Stash Challenge officially begins Sunday, November 1st! Get your stash ready and join in the challenge. Stay tuned for more details.

Just like any handyman needs his tools, so does every makeup-ista! If you’ve been scratching your pretty little heads about what all the different makeup brushes do, read on!

Now, there’s plenty of brushes out there, but I love MAC brushes because of their quality and the vast selection to choose from. So here are some brushes that will help you beat that face!