July 27, 2010

I was fussing around this morning trying to decide what to do with my face in a rush when I thought of this discussion topic. Are there any products that have changed your beauty lives for better? Here are some of mine:

1. MAC Painterly Paintpot - I don't have oily lids but my eyeshadows would crease after 4-5 hours before I discovered this product. I used to just use concealer but Painterly is perfect. It holds everything for me and I stay crease-free until I take my makeup of (usually over 10 hours).

2. Makeup Forever HD Foundation in shade 118 (Flesh) - you've probably heard me rave about this product before but since I feel that flawless skin is the first step to great makeup, a great foundation makes my life changing list. In summary, I get great coverage and colour match from this and it photographs amazingly.

3. Lancome Hypnose mascara in Black - my lashes are my favourite feature and even on my non-makeup days, I like to show them off. As I alreday have fairly long and thick lashes, I need a good volumizer mascara and I have not found one better than Lancome Hpnose mascara in Black. This is hands down the best mascara I've ever used and it gives me the drama I'm looking for.

4. Orly Smudge Fixer - this is one of my fave products ever as I'm pretty clumpsy when I apply my nail polish. I like to change mine every other day so I apply it fast and I make a mess, lol! Orly Smude Fixer does an awesome job of fixing all that in a blink of an eye and a little goes a long way.

5. Morrocanoil Hair Mask - This product is amazing if you're hair is a little on the dry side. I have fine and wavy hair but a full head of them and my strand get weak especially in the winter. I use a teaspoon of this product in the shower once a week and it's a miracle! My hair feels much softer and I'm seeing less breakage.

What are some of your life changing products?

July 16, 2010

I have been a makeup lover for a very long time. I enjoy searching for the next best product, coming up with cool colour combination and applying makeup to my face or friends and family. I have been asked by employees when shopping at MAC or Sephora if I wanted to work there quite frequently. My friends and coworkers also always ask if I will ever consider doing freelancing. I always tell them no.

Here's the thing: I LOVE my stressful, competitive and challenging job as a mechanical engineer in the construction industry. I went to school to do engineering and this is what I like to do as a career and see myself getting far in. Makeup for me will always be a hobby. I do not want it to be more than that as my job is already taking over my 40 hours work week, lol! Also, I think it's unlikely that I will ever make the same kind of money as an artist, you know? I would have to be bored with my career (which seems unlikely, I learn something new every day). And even so the only beauty sector I think I'll be interested in is the decision making part, lol! Like I would decide what the next MAC collection will look like, as opposed to working as a MAC makeup artist at the counter. That would be pretty cool :D

I do feel like I'm one of the few who feels that way. Most other makeup lovers I speak to aspire to work as a makeup artist or already are one.

What is your position on this? If you're not already a paid makeup artist, would you like to become one? If you are an artist, do you think this is what you will do for a long time to come? I'd like to hear all your opinions :)

June 21, 2010

Hey guys! I wanted to ask your opinion on an idea I've been entertaining for a while. I used to be a big fan of the fake bake look and enjoyed some fake glow using tanning bed in my early 20's. At some point (to be precise fall of 2008) I started to worry about the negative affects of tanning and stopped going. I've had this annoying urge to go back to the beds this summer though and I don't know how to fight it :(

I'm by no means fair skinned. I do have light neutral skintone (about NW25 in MAC studio fix) that burns easily in the sun so I find the natural tanning a bit painful. This summer to fight my urge to visit tanning beds I've started to use self tanner but still haven't found my favourite. I have a glow but not the tan I'm looking for.

Here's a picture of me au-natural, from this past January:


And here one of me after a few visit to the tanning salon from a couple of years ago:


That's where you guys come in. Which look you think suites me best, tanned or au-natural? And also, what are some of your favourite self tanners? If you do use tanning beds, how often do you go?

June 20, 2010

I was doing my makeup today (will be posted tomorrow) when I thought of this discussion post. I know everyone and their entire families posted a blog post about what to do in the summer and what makeup to wear. I wanted to make mine a little different. Rather than saying what everyone should do, I will share my summer routine and please feel free to share yours :)

I definitely go for warmer tones in general in the summer. I'm pretty cliche that way. I tend to favour cool toned, matte and muted shades most of the year so in the summer I go for warm, shimmer and bright shades. I love shades like MAC's All That Glitters, Amber Lights, Bronze, Coppering, Freshwater and Teal pigment as the temperature rises. I also am a couple of shades darker June-September (coz of sunlight and spray tanning) so that is definitely another reason for my change of preference.

As far as my face is concerned, I always start with my beloved Neutrogena Dry Touch SPF45; I have neutral toned and very sensitive skin that burns easily. I also keep my foundation super light in warmer months, I alternate between a water based liquid (MUFE Face & Body) and light mineral powder (Annabelle Mineral). I totally bypass concealer as well. I tend to always wear a bronzer in additional to either blush or highlighter but never all three. In most cases I just stick to a bronzer. I keep a bottle of Evian spray in my car and at my desk to spray as needed.

Last but not least, I stay away from matte lipsticks. I go for either bold and creamy or nude and shimmer shades most of the time. Some of my summer staples are Nars Schiap layered with MAC True Babe l/g (for a super bold summer lips) or MAC's Blankety l/s layered with Nars Risky Business.

So there you have it. Please share our routines too. I love to hear what everyone likes to do with their face in the summer :)

April 30, 2010

Hey everyone and happy Friday! I'm in an excellent mood today. I was able to get a good night sleep so I put some thoughts into my outfit and makeup. When you look good, you feel good! You also become more creative with blog postings.

I started BeautySpot about a year and half ago and noticed today that I'm at 291 followers! Initially, I never thought anyone would like to read my rambling. I remember how excited I was when I got my first comment ever (from Shayla of ReveNoir incidentally). I thought it's about time I share some blogging pointers for those new to blogging or those of you who just like to know how I got to where I am (which is really not that far, lol!).

Here we go, these are not really in order of importance:

1. Passion
The first tip is that you have to be passionate about the topics you write about. BeautySpot is a makeup blog. I've always loved makeup, from buying to applying to finding what works best for me to discussing cosmetic topics with my readers. When I wake up in the morning, I get happy right away thinking about my makeup. I think about blog posts all the time; when I'm cooking, in the shower, during lunch break....If you're not passionate about your own blog, no one else will be.

2. Frequent Posting
There are days that I'm so stressed and busy with my personal life that the last thing I want to do is blogging when I get home. But I always try and maintain a pretty consistent blogging schedule despite all. If I find that my posts are lackluster one week (this week for example) due to personal issues, I make up for it next week. Which brings me to the next point,

3. Variety
My blog is mainly to share my FOTD's with you guys as applying makeup is my favourite part of the blogging journey. However, I like to mixe it up by adding reviews, favourites, polls, discussion topics, nail of the day or random thoughts. I find the blogs I enjoy the most are the ones that have variety yet remain on their main topic, I try to do the same.

4. Be Interactive
I try to reply to comments on my blog as fast as I can. I don't leave any comments or question unanswered for more than a day (I try to reply much faster than that). I also love to do topics like polls or cosmetic discussion to know what my readers like or get their opinion on everything beauty. It helps me learn more about my readers which I always enjoy.

5. Comment, comment, comment!
One of the best ways for your blog to get more exposure is to discover other blogs with similar contents and interact with your felow bloggers. We all have busy lives, but this is one of the best ways to improve your blogging skills. I personally have a very demanding day job, a husband (lol!) and a relatively busy social life but I allocate 30 min to an hour a day to catch up with blogs on my blog rolls, comment on fave posts and discover new blogs. You never know how much there's to learn out there till your expand your horizons.

6. Online Community
Being a member of online communities and forums will also help you meet like-minded bloggers which will result in a better blog. You'll learn more about topic trends and what ppl like to read. I'm a regular poster on Specktra and many of my followers found me through there. I also post on Makeup Alley, Makeup Talk and Love, Life Lipstick.

7. Contests and Giveaways
Contests and giveaways are sure ways to give more exposures to your blog. I've had two contests so far (one sponsored and one supported by me) and each of them have helped me tremendousely with more followers. I don't like to do giveaways just to get more followers, it's also a way to rewared my readers for their time and interest in my blog.

8. Wording is key
If you go to Google right now and type "Chanel Rouge Coco Swatch", what do you see? My blog is the second one on the list right after Temptalia's. This shows how important it is to tag your posts appropriatley and use key search words. This is especially important if you use blogger which is a Google feature.

wow, that was pretty long! Hope it helped you guys though. I know these pointers helped me :)

April 6, 2010

I was going through my stash last night to inspire myself for a colourful FOTD when I realized that I honestly have so much makeup that it takes forever to even glance at it! As my makeup addiction started with eyeshadows and then I moved to lip products and finally face products, I now have too much of everything!

I did some thinking and decided that I should go on a low buy. I know I won't succeed at a complete no-buy and would only result in me being disappointed so this was the best compromise. Here are the rules I've created for myself:

1. Makeup spending to be under $50 per month
2. I'm not allowed to buy any eyeshadows until fall
3. Start swapping things I don't use on MUA (already started this)

In order to help curb the spending cravings, I've decided to avoid my Nars and MAC counters, where I always spend a good penny, when I go to the mall. I'm also going to limit my visits to Specktra colour collection threads. Instead, I will be spending more time coming up with edgier and more creative looks. I probably already know how to do my makeup but I want to excel at it.

Do you guys have any tips for someone going on low buy? Who's on low buy bandwagon with me?

March 17, 2010

I was browsing Specktra and Temptalia and reading info on upcoming spring and summer makeup collections. There's lots to take in for someone who's on low buy and trying to only get what I will absolutely use.

I thought that I should ask myself, what do I look for in a makeup collection? I gave it some thought since last night and came up with this:

1. I need unique yet wearable colours. I adore bolder and brighter shades as well but I do have a tone of those in my stash already. How many times do I really use MUFE #75? What I'm looking for are more unique versions of shades I wear frequently (green, gold, purple and neutrals with a kick).

2. I need the right amount of product for the price I'm paying. This is why I started getting into Nars. I pay more but I also get a lot more. I highly doubt I'll ever buy another MAC Dazzleglass. Chanel's Glossimers are similar but better quality and you get more for the price you pay.

3. Unlike a lot of ppl, I do not like multi tasking palettes. I would not pay for a palette of eye/cheek/lip product. I know the palette will sit in my drawer untouched. I rather have full version of each in separate packaging.

What do you look for in a makeup collection? Packaging? Product quality? Price? Multi tasking palettes? Please share your thoughts, I'd love to hear them.

March 10, 2010

Hey guys, hope it's sunny where you all live, coz it's just beautiful here in Ottawa. For the first time since October, I ditched my boots and am wearing my red stilettos, yay! There's still snow and ice on the ground but I don't care.

I thought of a discussion topic for today coz I always love hearing your opinions of various beauty related topics. I was doing my makeup in a hurry yesterday and was struck by my usual makeup weakness; I cannot apply eyeshadow to my lower lashline as precisely as I'd like! I feel like the line is always too thick and not blended enough! I guess I spend more time on my actual lid and by the time I get to lower lashline I get lazy :/ Arghhhhh, I just need to be more patient with it I guess.

My other weakness is applying flase lashes. I know that one is a weakness as I have never in my life have put on fake lashes *gasps*. It might have to do with the fact that my lashes are pretty long so I never felt the need but I do want to try them for extra drama. I'm just too scared to screw up, lol! Any tips?

What are your makeup application or technic weaknesses? What do you want to improve on?

February 23, 2010

I thought about this discussion topic when I was browsing the Makeup Talk Forum and came upon this thread. The thread is basically about a user who is annoyed at MAC for increasing the price of their products and coming up with all these LE collections. So basically, she wants to back away from MAC and use other brands (MUFE, Nars, Illamasqua...).

I actually posted a reply to the thread but I wanted to share my opinion with you guys as well. I don't think of a brand (MAC or other) as a person to whom you have to be faithful to or you break away from. I like and use MAC most of the time as despite their price increase, they still provide the cheapest high end products for overall decent quality. I'm a big fan or their lipsticks, eyeshadows, lipglosses, pigments (I have too many from before so the size change doesn't phase me), paint pots, brushes and blushes. That's a handful already. Yes they do increase their price, but so do all other companies (not just cosmetics).

With regards to the LE fatigue, MAC has always been on trend, that's what the brand is all about. Complaning about too many LE collections is like complaining about too many fashion trends. You don't have to buy an entire wardrobe for every trend change the same way you don't have to buy every single thing from each LE collection. That's exactly how I look at it; if I like the trendy skirt and it suites me, I buy it. If the trend was not made for my body, I skip it! It's the same with LE collections. I don't care how big neutral stuff was past few months, I didn't buy the whole All Races, All Sexes collection coz I'm not a neutral girl.

Another reason I think some folks get tired of the brand is that all they bought for the longest time was MAC. Obviousely after a while you'll get tired of it. I always experiment with all brands available in Canada. I love Nars for their semi-matte lipsticks, matte velvet pencils, duo eyeshadows and blushes; I adore MUFE matte eyeshadows and foundation; Bobbi Brown makes amazing gel liners and shimmer bricks are divine; Stila has awesome Smudge Liners and high quality eyeshadows; Lise Watier is great for eyeliners, glitter liners and concealer. I also have had good luck with drugstore brands like Annabelle and NYX.

I don't think I'll be feeling MAC fatigued anytime soon, due to my line of thinking. What is you guys' take on this topic?

October 20, 2009

I've been very drained emotionally lately and hence the lack of makeup posts. I should be over it soon and get back on track though. I slept in for much longer than I thought possible today (due to lack of sleep/stress last night) and then had only 3 minutes to do my face. That's when I thought about my quick routine. This is what I do when I don't have a lot of time:

1. Moisturizer face
2. Put on powder foundation (MUFE Duo Mat)
3. Wear my neutral eyebase (Painterly p/p)
4. Put on an overall shimmery champagne lid colour (Your Ladyship p/m)
5. Place a taupe or brown e/s in the crease and blend (either one of Copperplate, Smut, Cork or Mothbrown)
6. Line with a deep taupe liner (Clinique Smokey Gray gel liner), add mascara
7. Wear a brighter than usual blush (Love Thing mb)
8. Wear purpley pink lipstick (Up the Amp)

What is your quick routine like? What are some of the steps you'll be skipping and what are some of the steps that are still a "must" even in a hurry?