The Budget Beauty Episode 4

Unless you are blessed with naturally flawless skin, you must wear a foundation that will allow you to create the illusion of having flawless skin. Just like the artist who primes his canvas to mask the imperfections, we also need to do the same - with foundation. The ideal foundation should be full coverage but should not leave your skin looking pink, orange, ashy or two-toned. It should be totally natural-looking.

The first step to choosing a foundation color or really any color is to know you undertones.  “I don’t know my undertones.  How can I find out”?  There are 3 ways to achieve this.

Test 1.

The jewelry test is the first way to tell if you have warm, cool or neutral undertones.  Do you look better in silver or gold jewelry?  If you said gold, you have warm undertones.  If silver, you have cool undertones.  If you look good in both, you have neutral undertones.

Test 2.

The “white” test is the second way to tell if you have warm or cool undertones.  Put on a true white jacket and a off white jacket.  If you look better in the true white, then you are cool toned. If you look better in the off white, you have warm tones.

Test 3.

The “wrist” test is the third way to tell if you have warm or cool undertones.  For this test, make sure you are outside in natural sunlight.  Look at your wrist.  If your veins appear blue, you have cool undertones.  If your veins appear to be green, then you have warm undertones.

Now that you know what undertones you have, all you have to do is to select a color foundation that’s in your undertone range.

Suggestions: 

Remember, these are only product and color suggestions!   Please feel free to use whatever product(s) you wish.

Foundation:

Below is a list of drug store foundations that have gotten excellent reviews.  But be aware that all things don’t work for all people.  These are not listed in any particular order.

1.      Iman, Liquid Radiance

2.      Black Opal , Stick Foundation

3.      Milani, Cream to Powder Foundation

4.      Revlon, Color Stay

5.      Mary Kay (I completed an entire photo shoot with this foundation)

Blush Suggestions:

1.       Milani Blush in Luminous (Compliments almost any skin tone)

2.      NYX Blush in Cinnamon (Orange that is beautiful on brown skin)

3.      Coastal Scents 10 Color Blush Palette
4.    All Blushes from LaFemme (MakeupMania.com)

Cream Eye Liner:

1.      Hip Cream Liner in Black
2.    Wet-N-Wild Black Liner
 

Lip Sticks:
1.      Wet-N-Wild Lippies (Any Matte Color)
2.      Maybelline in the color Pink Please
3.      Maybelline in the color Pink Sand
4.      Maybelline in the color Nearly There
5.      Rimmel's Airy Fairy (Cool Tone Natural Pink)

Mascara:

1.      Maybelline Lash Blast

2.      Maybelline Great Last (Brow Set also)

Eye Shadow Palettes:

1.      LA Colors 12 Color Neutral Palette in Traditional ($1 at your local dollar store)

2.      Coastal Scents 88 Color Palette

3.      Coastal Scents Mirage Palette

4.      Coastal Scents 26 Neutral Warm Palette

5.      Coastal Scents 76 Shadow and Blush Palette
6.  Any Wet-N-Wild Eyeshadow Palette

** The Coastal Scents Palettes are now on sale up to 50% off until January 2, 2012 **

NYX Eye Shadow Singles:

1.       Barely There (A Great Face Highlighter, NARS Albatross Dupe)

2.      Sahara (Brow Bone Highlight)

3.      Taupe (Blending Color)

4.      Aloha (Tear Duct Area)

5.      Champaign (All Over Lid Color) MAC Dupe for All That Glitters

6.      Fantasy (All Over Lid Color) (MAC Dupe for Patina)

7.      Iced Mocha (All Over Lid Color) MAC Dupe for Satin Taupe

8.      Root beer (Outer V Color)

9.      Volcano (Outer V Color)

10.  Hawaiian Coffee (Outer V Color)
11.  Any Wet-N-Wild Single Eyeshadows

Lip Gloss:

1.       NYX  Pinky Neutral

2.      Any Clear Gloss

Concealer:

1.      Coastal Scents Camouflage Palette

2.      NYX Concealer Singles

Eye and Lip Pencils:

1.       NYX

2.      Whatever Brand You Prefer

Face Highlighters:

1.       ELF Gotta Glow

2.      NYX Barely There (Must Be Blended Very Well)
3.    Hard Candy - Tiki (Bronzer)
4.    Wet-N-Wild Color Icon Bronzer - Reserve Your Cabana

Translucent Powder:

1.       NYC Smooth Finish Powder

2.      Black Opal Setting Powder

3.      Cover Girl Translucent Honey

4.      Cover Girl Translucent Sable