Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kiki Marie on August 2, 2013 at 6:30am

My wife loves Sephora and the Urban Decay line. Good quality and affordable.

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Permalink Reply by Emmy Stone on August 2, 2013 at 7:56am

Oh wow! I'm actually quite jealous of your capsule collection! I have a heaving make up bag, but really I stick to one certain look (black eyeliner, mascara and a vampy red lipstick) - so in reality, most of my items don't get a good rotation.

I don't have many expensive/top range brands, and I'm quite happy with my 'drugstore' brands. For instance, I used to use Diorshow black mascara for luscious lashes, but I found that L'oreal collegene mascara did the exact job for about half the price. I must have about 20+ lipsticks, but I am also thinking of throwing out some old ones and sticking to a couple of staple shades. I currently have some reds (I can't remember the shade names) from Maybelline which I love, although I have my eyes on buying the Mac Russian Red (literally THE perfect shade of red).  If you currently go without foundation and powder, then I wouldn't think it necessary to start using them. I also have sensitive skin, and my skin is less dry now I use nothing (sometimes I use Nivea tinted moisturiser if I'm looking a bit too pale).

I pencil in my brows (they're very blonde naturally) and benefit do a couple of really good products for eyebrow contouring. I noticed a big difference in defining my eyes and features when I started pencilling them in.

My other go-to product is Maybellines 24hr gel eyeliner (24 hours is a BIG push though!) - I'm not keen on the brush, but so far it's the best gel eyeliner I've used. Previously I was using the more expensive Elizabeth Arden gel eyeliner, but I find Maybelline's has better staying power.

If you are really looking to invest in some key pieces, then I would suggest visiting some dept store counters and getting their input. Explain the situation, and as for samples and even if they can demo some products on you. That was you'll get a good idea of the effects and look you can achieve, and you'll be making sure you're not wasting your money too on products you'll never use.

Looking forward to hear what you end up buying!! x

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Permalink Reply by Desilu on August 2, 2013 at 8:38am

I agree with Emma, and hitting up the make-up counters and asking them to do a make-over, and if possible, sending you home with samples. I usually tell them that I have very sensitive skin (which I do), and would like to try it out before committing to it.

That being said, like Emma, I am completely a drugstore user. My go to always wear it can't live without it red is NYC's Retro Red, which I also pair with NYX's Deep Red lip liner. If I want a little more coral-ly a color, I use the same lipliner with Rimmel's Kate Collection #12 (which looks like ORANGE, but when you mix it with the lipliner becomes a red-orange-coral color). I have a range of colors, and although I usually use 1 or 3 always, I don't throw out the others because I do use them - just not as frequently. I just have them stashed in another place so that I don't have to go through them to get to what I want. You can find things that can do double duty, like the NYX lipliners - I have red hair, and I use one of their lipliners in addition to 2 other colors to give me eyebrows that have the red in them without looking like a clown. Anywho... My eye palettes are LA Color that I bought from Dollar Tree (yep, you read that right... they were a buck). I have found their nude palette seems to be my favorite all the time user, but when I want a little color in my life, I use the others two. And when they've broken or run out of one or two colors, I pass them on to my nieces to use when they play dress-up. As for eyeliners, my favorite stay on liner is Milani's Infinite Series. It took me a minute to figure out the key to this one, because it is a smudge-proof, long-wearing liquid liner: when you put it on, you literally need to let it dry. During the summer, I have a fan in the bathroom when I get ready because it's muggy in there and I sweat, so I just put my face into the fan for 45 secs or so. If I don't have the fan in there, I use an actual hand fan (think old fashioned hand fans). Once I figured that out, it was all good. It doesn't last a full 24hrs but it does stay on and doesn't smudge. (Use baby oil to get it off) Mascara has finally revolved around to two different ones (but use at the same time): Physician's Formula 2n1 that has the blue on one side, black on the other (made for blue eyes; they make different ones for different eye colors) - I use the black (blue for special days). The other is L'Oreal's Voluminous line in Waterproof, which I wear over it. One thickens, the other lengthens.

Ok, I hope that helps. Find what works for you, and go with that. :) Have fun with it - it shouldn't be a painful experience. And do post pics and let us know what you found!

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Permalink Reply by Shy Anne on August 2, 2013 at 8:46am

Actually everything I own at the moment is a drugstore brand. I think the favorite cherry lipstick I mentioned is a 99 cent one from dollar tree but as I don't live in the U.S. anymore I wont'be able to replace it when I'm out. I do already have a really good idea of what colors work for me, but at the moment more than half of what I own has been a gift and it doesn't always work. 

I would love to visit the department counter stores but I'm afraid that our issue is that my Dutch is passable but not awesome, and most people here don't really speak very good English. So while I could get advice it would be patchy at best! Maybe I will go to England at some point in the near future but then there goes my makeup money! 

I've also been hearing a lot of good things about Urban Decay but they don't actually have them here - I'm going to check them out online and if I fall in love I'll see if postage to here is worth the money. Thanks for the great advice so far ladies!!

@Emma I actually don't really want too much larger of a collection, I'm mostly aiming to just get everything to where it is good quality (I.E. some of my older ones are actually starting to get grainy which I presume is from age) I figure two-four lipsticks, eyeliner, lip pencil (or like Desilu said a multi-liner! great idea) etc. and then just one or two of everything :), I prefer quality over quantity any day :) 

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Permalink Reply by Nikki on August 2, 2013 at 8:48am

For a lighter mascara, I totally think Covergirl is the best (from my experience). This one (LashExact, in the skinny purple tube,) is incredible for light-weight wear:

I love Sephora basically because their staff is the sweetest ever and their products are good quality (or at least the products I have tried). If you live near a store I would recommend checking it out- I went in and was pretty much like, "Hi, I want to try lipstick but have no idea what I'm doing" and this girl helped me pick out colors and told me why certain shades would work better for my skin tone and showed me how to apply it and everything. They don't make commission to she helped me pick out a few that I could actually afford. My favorite is by Smashbox- the color is primrose. I have fair skin, blue eyes, and strawberry blonde hair if that helps any :).

The eyeliner I use is from Victorias Secret (black) and Hard Candy (blue). I think Hard Candy is a great drugstore brand for bright-colored products. Victorias Secret's makeup seems to be decently good quality overall- I have their mascara (it is thick though), lots of eyeliner, blush, and lip gloss (I don't recommend the lip gloss... it's too sticky).

I am absolutely no expert on foundation... I rarely wear it and I need help myself on choosing a better color for blush... so I am interested in the comments on this post! Good luck doll! :)

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Permalink Reply by Kiki Marie on August 2, 2013 at 12:00pm

My wife had the same experience there.  She watched the youtube tutorials on certain looks but couldn't quite get it right.  So one day we went to JCP and I encouraged her to go talk to someone.  They were very helpful and took the time to walk her through.  It's a good business model because I told her to get whatever she needed. (she did) The sales person made one hell of a sale that day just by being informative.

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Permalink Reply by Lady K on August 2, 2013 at 10:00am

Hey Shy Anne (the former Brandy C !)

I also don't have a lot of makeup but the things I do have are essentials that I wear every day.

1 - Liquid Eyeliner - I'm no expert but in my opinion liquid eyeliner is essential for the pinup look.  There is no way that I would be able to do my daily cat eye look with a pencil.  I also put it on in the morning and it stays on all day and evening without needing to retouch. I just use L'Oreal Telescopic from the drugstore.

2- Mascara - also a must, but I'm not committed to any particular kind.  Lately I've been getting L'Oreal ones.

3- Lipstick - I use Lime Crime Red Velvet - it's matte and long-lasting and more importantly doesn't smear.  I don't have the patience to constantly check my lipstick.  I had a bunch of Besame ones but while they are "long-lasting" they're just regular lipsticks which means they smear and you leave red lipstick on every cup you put to your mouth.  I also get to skip lipliner with this so anything that saves me time works for me.

Those are really the essentials...when I go out I also do my eyebrows, false eyelashes, blush, etc. but I'm a little hesitant to wear that much makeup to work.

Good luck on your makeup hunt! 

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Permalink Reply by Kiki Marie on August 2, 2013 at 12:02pm

One thing my wife never really used was a primer first, what a difference that made. It created much smoother cleaner application.

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Permalink Reply by Sammi on August 2, 2013 at 12:04pm

Favourite Brands: for me there is only one - Urban Decay.  Awesome quality, brilliant value for money, and cruelty free.

Makeup essentials (items you can't live without): all of it! lol My foundation would be a mess without primers, and I have naturally red cheeks - but it doesn't really go with my natural skin tone so I need foundation, which means I also need bronzer, blusher, and finishing powder.  I've also just fallen in love with the UD 16 hour makeup setting spray too <3  I also adore playing with eyeshadow & liner, but that is strictly a weekend game as I already get up early enough in the week lol

Essential colours: tough question, need more detail!  For an everyday look I like to go neutral, perhaps with a little pop of colour (liner or a little eyeshadow in the outside corner of my eyes).  My personal favourite colours to play with are greens, (bright) blues, and purples.

I have quite a lot of eyeshadow (6 larger palettes, two smalelrs ones and ~10 singles!!), I think because for years I felt it was hidden away behind my glasses, and now I no longer need them people can actually see my eyes lol

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Permalink Reply by Shy Anne on August 2, 2013 at 12:08pm

actually I already know my primary colors that I like but I'm a very very very pale nuetral so I can pull off almost anything. I personally thing greens, browns, greys, blues, and silver look best with my eyes, but my skin is SO neutral. The last time I had someone put makeup on me they didn't know what to do with me. 

I think I'm eventually going to have to order Urban Decay from the U.S. as I've heard a ton of great things about it. 

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Permalink Reply by Sammi on August 2, 2013 at 12:17pm

It might work out cheaper for you to order it from Debenhams in the UK - or perhaps a "branch" website closer to you if they have one (http://www.debenhams.com/beauty/urban-decay)

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Permalink Reply by Shy Anne on August 2, 2013 at 1:36pm

oh, thank you very much! 

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