KATWARD Beauty
Where beauty secrets are shared
and your face is cared for by ME!
-
hello! I was wondering what foundations you would recommend. These are the things I am looking for: No white cast in flash photography, transfer resistant, and for warm skin tones. Usually the foundations I find that do not make my face overly white and gray in pictures, are the ones that transfer and rub off really easily. I hate laying on my boyfriend and having my foundation smear all over his t shirts. help please! :)
Asked by vanessadavis
Hi Vanessadavis,
Unfortunately, there really isn’t a makeup out there that is 100% transfer resistant. However, there are some amazing formulas that do have incredible staying power and photograph well. Formulas that are water-based, oil-free, and matte, tend to stay on much longer than moisturizing, oil-based formulas. Mineral based formulas are great too because they help soak up oil which can prevent makeup from sliding all over the place. There are a TON of formulas out there that claim to stay all day. These are my favorites that outlasted my expectations and passed the camera test:
**Yves Saint Laurent- Teint Resist-Long Wear Endless Comfort Transfer Resistant Foundation SPF 10
I LOVE that YSL made a long lasting formula that looks and feels natural for hours without caking, flaking or looking blotchy mid-day. This stuff literally looks just as good at 8pm as it did when you applied it at 8am. This glides on easily, blends exceptionally well unlike other oil-free formulas that dry mid-way through application. This does have SPF so if you plan on wearing this in pictures, I recommend blending down your neck and onto your décolletage to prevent color unevenness in pictures. This is a beautiful formula, excellent for everyday. I rank this pretty high.**Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H
This stuff is amazing too. Very similar to HD formulas and photographs exceptionally well! Definitely excellent for photographs. If you tend to be a little bit oily or blemish prone, this formula is perfect! It’s super light but conceals and evens out discoloration just as well as a full-coverage formula. No touch up’s needed at all! Color match is close to perfect with over 28 shades to choose from! This applies well with a damp makeup sponge or fingers as opposed to a foundation brush. I rank this pretty high too!**NARS Sheer Matte Foundation
You can’t go wrong with NARS. This is my favorite during the summer. Super weightless formula, buildable coverage and added anti-oxidant skincare ingredients to improve texture and discoloration. Even though this is a matte formula, it does not leave a flat, garish appearance at all! Very natural and clean finish that photographs well too! Excellent color match with over 20 shades to choose from. If you’re looking for more than just a coverup, this is it. My bare skin looked better after each use. Anything by NARS looks great in photos. It’s one of my favorite lines I use on my photographed clients.**Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder
I will admit, I am NOT a fan of powder at all, BUT this formula is an exception! This stuff lasted ALL DAY from 6am to 1am for me. I wore this to a wedding and my makeup withstood dancing and sweating, hugging and kissing people all night. My makeup lasted longer than the Bride’s lol! This definitely controls oil, shine, hyper pigmentation and redness all day. There are built in anti-aging skincare and soothing ingredients that does more than just covers. I recommend applying with your fingers or a brush because it does tend to set rather quickly. Only drawback is that color choices are very few. But after looking at pictures of myself from the wedding, my complexion looked just as fresh at midnight as it did when I applied it in the morning. Highly recommend if you like a more powdery finish without looking chalky.**Dinair Airbrush Makeup
My absolute, absolute, absolute favorite! This is the closest thing to almost 100% transfer resistant! It’s pretty much sweat proof, water proof, hug proof, you name it, this stuff will stay on for over 24 hours!
99% of my clients request Dinair Airbrush Makeup application because they look absolutely flawless in pictures, videos and up close in person. It’s 100% color match guaranteed, hyper allergenic, and just amazing! It does require purchasing the entire airbrush system and practice to get it just right, but if you’re looking for fast, flawless application every time and last you all day, then this is definitely worth the investment.A few tips to extend the life of your foundation:
- Apply a makeup primer prior to foundation. Primers give your foundation something to “grab” onto as well as acts as a barrier between the makeup and your bare skin. Primers help absorb oil throughout the day and gives you a fresh, smooth canvas to work with. I, personally cannot wear foundation without a primer. My favorites are: Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, or Yves Saint Laurent Matt Touch Primer.
- Again, I totally dislike the look of foundation powders, setting powders, blotting powders, pressed powders, mineral powders, or anything ending in powder! Powders photograph terribly! Wrinkles, fine lines and blemishes look more prominent in photos when using powder and not to mention ghostly up close in person. Powdery skin just doesn’t look like skin. I personally, don’t wear powder nor will I put it on any of my clients especially those being photographed or video taped. Powders also transfer onto everything! So if traveling makeup is your problem and you’ve been using powder, I highly recommend a liquid, long lasting formula. For shine control, use powder-free oil-blotters and pat gently to absorb oil throughout the day in place of your powder compact. My favorites are: Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets or e.l.f. Oil Blotting Sheets.
- Keep your hands off your face! Once your makeup is done, try not to touch it. I notice many of us have the habit of resting our hands under our jaw or chin, rubbing and poking our eyes, resting the phone on the side of our face…all no, no’s! By keeping your made-up face a hands off zone, you’ll notice your makeup won’t go anywhere and you’ll be less prone to blemish breakouts.
I hope this information helps you on your journey to find your perfect makeup. I recommend trying samples of the foundation first to see how your skin behaves before investing. My biggest tip is to bring your camera with you when makeup shopping. Take a picture indoor, with and without flash and one outside. The camera never lies:-)
Yves Saint Laurent
www.yslbeautyus.com
www.sephora.comLancôme
www.lancome-usa.com
www.sephora.com
Nordstrom stores
NARS
www.narscosmetics.com
www.sephora.com
Nordstrom stores
Hourglass Cosmetics
www.hourglasscosmetics.com
www.sephora.comDinair Airbrush Makeup
www.airbrushmakeup.comLaura Mercier
www.lauramercier.com
www.sephora.com
Nordstrom storesClean and Clear
Target Stores
Walmart Storese.l.f. Cosmetics
www.eyeslipsface.com
Target stores -
Today marks the 10 year anniversary passing of the legendary makeup artist, Kevyn Aucoin. I bought his book “Making Faces” fresh out of high school almost 15 years ago, not to give my age away by no means lol! Kevyn’s gift of beauty is the reason why I decided to become a makeup artist. Everything I’ve learned stems from his beyond amazing talent to transform beautiful to breath-taking gorgeous! His books are my bibles and it is a shame that he is no longer around to touch more beautiful faces. Thank you Kevyn for sharing your beyond amazing talents and for inspiring artists like myself, to look beyond skin deep to bring out everyone’s individual beauty! I can only aspire to be just as great as you! Kevyn you are truly missed!
-
What are your feelings about bare escentual makeup?
Asked by Anonymous
Hello Anonymous Beauty!
Bare Escentuals is one of the first brands of mineral makeup that came out years ago. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of their foundations but absolutely LOVE their entire line of eyeshadows and lip products. I rant and rave all the time over their eyeshadow “Queen Phyllis,” its my all time favorite highlighter! Their brushes are awesome and work well with other brands of makeup and not just minerals. But about my experience with their foundations. I have normal to oily skin and I felt that the foundation provided great coverage and looked amazing for only a few hours. I disliked how shiny and muddied my complexion looked after only 2 hours. The Mineral Veil that you’re soppose to use as a mattifier just didn’t work on me and gave me a washed out appearance. The foundation also gives off a shiny “glow,” which I also didn’t like. I’m very picky with foundation and the ultimate test is the camera. I definitely disliked how shiny I looked even after being photographed right after makeup application. I also started breaking out and realized that it’s due to one of the ingredients called “Bismuth Oxychloride,” which is the mineral responsible for that pearlescent “glow” and that shiny look in pictures. My skin is just super sensitive and for some, it poses no bother at all. Since then, I have experimented with other lines of mineral makeup and found several that are bismuth-free. My favorite mineral foundation so far have been “Mineral Hygienics Mineral Makeup.” This is super gentle to my overly sensitive skin and even improved the texture as well. Mineral Hygienics is free of bismuth, dyes, parabens, mineral oils and a whole lot more of the nasty synthetics that you will find in other brands. This stuff lasts ALL DAY LONG, which I love! It did not make me look shiny, chalky or muddy at all and the coverage is amazing especially over blemishes. This photographs very well! Just a precautionary with any mineral makeup, almost all contain “titanium dioxide & zinc oxides” which are the mineral sunscreens. The sunscreens in makeup will look “ghostlike” in flash photography because light reflects off the sunscreen. So if you decide to wear mineral makeup in pictures, apply some to your neck, décolleté and earlobes so that the color will look flawless, natural and continuous. But back to the Mineral Hygienics, I truly love this foundation, my skin looks flawless and natural with this even at the end of the day.
My other favorite mineral makeup is by “Jane Iredale.” This line is also bismuth-free and works extremely well with highly sensitive and acne prone skin. Also works well with more normal to dry skin too. This is another line that will help improve your skin texture if you tend to be blemish and redness prone. What I LOVE about this line is that you are not limited to just a loose powder foundation. Jane Iredale also has a pressed mineral foundation and a liquid mineral foundation, which is my fave! Personally, I prefer the look and feel of a liquid instead of a powder. Jane Iredale’s Liquid Minerals contain skincare ingredients and I love how fresh and youthful my skin looks with this. My fine lines around my eyes are dramatically diffused and the formula is light-weight and can easily be layered to your desired coverage without looking thick or cakey.
So all in all, it all depends on your preference and skin texture and type. I’ve used Bare Escentuals on many clients who absolutely love it! I find that Bare Escentuals looks amazing on more normal to combination types and for those who don’t have a whole lot of fine lines and wrinkles, for the powders settle into them and accentuate them further. If you are more prone to breakouts and skin sensitivities like me, I recommend either Mineral Hygienics or Jane Iredale. There are many other lines of mineral makeup out there. I recommend researching the ingredients and testing them first. Some cosmetic stores and counters will provide samples for you to try before you commit and buy. Generally, I give myself 1-2 weeks to see how my skin will react and if there is any visible improvement in my skin tone. Good luck makeup shopping!
“Bare Escentuals”- Ulta, Sephora, www.BareEscentuals.com
“Mineral Hygienics” - www.mineralhygienics.com
“Jane Iredale”- www.janeiredale.com (you can shop online but there is a directory where you can find a shop near you. I find this line in many spas and salons.)
-
Make-up can only make you look pretty on the outside but it doesn’t help if you’re ugly on the inside. Unless you eat the make-up.Audrey Hepburn
-
Skin, here’s what’s for a snack!
I’ve said this about a gazillion times, and yes, I will say it again…what you eat affects your skin so feed it well! BLUEBERRIES! These beauties sit at the top of the antioxidant ladder! The gorgeous purple/blue hue comes from a powerful antioxidant called anthocyanins which fight the harmful free radicals that can damage skin’s collagen. Blueberries are loaded with vitamin C, another antioxidant crucial for collagen production. Add manganese, vitamin E, vitamin K and riboflavin to the mix and you got yourself a powerful wrinkle fighter all packed in a tiny package. Just 1/2 cup a day can help combat and even reverse the aging process of the skin. I’m having mine with 1/2 cup of yogurt and granola sprinkle! So take that pesky wrinkles! -
The greatest beauty tip:
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.
Audrey Hepburn -
The best color in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!Coco Chanel
-
Ever look at past photos of yourself and wonder why your face looks like it hasn’t seen the light of day in years yet your neck was sunbathing in Hawaii? You spent hours at the makeup counter trying to get that perfect shade and yet once that flash goes off it’s as if you could cast yourself in the next cheesy vampire movie. Sound familiar? The secret isn’t just finding the right color, but it’s in the formula you choose. Knowing what is in your foundation is the difference between lifeless skin and photogenic glow! Here’s how to make sure you’re never caught in a bad photo again!
1. Perfecting the skin in a high definition era! Almost all cameras and video recorders are HD now, which means EVERY flaw, blemish and wrinkle will show on camera and film. Choosing the right foundation shade and formula are key in order to look naturally flawless in photos. I recommend staying away from foundations with sunscreen (SPF) & high levels of titanium dioxide. Sunscreens reflect light away from the skin, which is the reason why when photographed using flash, your face looks garish and white regardless of whether the foundation color matches your skin perfectly. Use a light hand when applying your foundation and use only on areas that need correction. You do not have to apply all over your face. Heavy layers of makeup definitely looks obvious in HD cameras and will only accentuate the flaws you’re trying to hide.
Look for a foundation that is light and creamy in texture and blends very easily into your skin. Apply a little foundation onto your neck and if your ears are showing, apply some on your earlobes as well. You want the color to flow seamlessly from face to neck to chest. Some of my favorites:
* NARS Sheer Glow (Sephora)
* Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer (Nieman Marcus)
* Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation (Sephora, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales)
* Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation (Ulta stores)2. Reach for an HD formula! Lately, I’ve been infatuated with HD makeup especially for photo and film. HD makeup contains photo chromatic particles that reflect & disperse light evenly, therefore imperfections are blurred giving the illusion of flawless skin. HD formulation is light to medium in consistency but delivers the same coverage of a heavier foundation. Therefore, less is needed and that cakey look is unlikely. Unfortunately, if your zit is sticking out 2 inches above your skin, nothing can erase it right away. Applying 10 layers of makeup over a large blemish will only magnify the area. Luckily, I’ve found that when using the HD formulas, my blemishes are almost non existent in photos, even when a light layer is applied. So you’ll still have to deal with the hideous bump up close in personal, but at least it’s not so noticeable on film. HD makeup isn’t just for camera and film but can be used everyday as well! Some of my favorites:
*Makeup Forever HD Invisible Cover Foundation ( Sephora, Ulta)
*Smashbox High Definition Healthy FX Foundation (Sephora, Macy’s)
*NYX HD Studio Photogenic Foundation (Ulta, Target)
*Dinair High Definition Airbrush Makeup (www.airbrushmakeup.com)3. Stay clear from foundations that provide a “dewy sheen” or have shimmer of any kind. While these are great to wear everyday, on camera you’ll just look like a shiny, greasy, sweaty mess.
4. Pick your setting powder wisely. Most of these contain talc which gives off an unflattering chalky appearance in photos. If you want a matte finish, use a non-talc, spf-free loose powder like:
* Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder (Nordstrom)
* Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder (Sephora, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales)
Use these sparingly and dust lightly onto oily areas only (forehead, nose and chin).5. Bring the skin back to life with a touch of bronzer. Dust lightly around hair line, under cheek bones, under jawline and décolleté.
6. When in doubt, take a picture of your final product. Make sure to use your flash and make any adjustments if needed. Bring your camera with you next time you’re makeup shopping. The sales person at the makeup counter will sometimes lie just to sell you something, but your camera never will!
May these tips bring an end to lifeless complexions and give you a lifetime of beautiful photos! Thanks my Lovelies! -
So I decided to take a mini vacay from the beauty office to celebrate the holidays with my family, but I promise I’ll be back next week to get you all dolled up in time to ring in the New Year! It’s Christmas today and what a way to lift and brighten the face as high as our spirits than to sport a bright red lip! Pictured above, I’m wearing “New York Apple” by M.A.C.* This is a classic berry-based red that is universally flattering. Definitely one of my faves! Stay tuned next week for a complete guide to that full, sexy pout that will guarantee an irresistible lip lock when the ball drops at midnight 2012! Wishing much love, joy and kisses to all my Lovlies! May your holidays be just as beautiful as you are! *www.maccosmetics.com
-
I don’t know how a girl can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.Coco Chanel
