Ok, let's talk shop ladies. I mean make-up talk. Now, every since the tender age of 14, I have been wearing make-up. It started with lip gloss and mascara to full coverage by the time I graduated high school. However, I would only wear it on special occasions because I couldn't put the stuff on for one thing. I remember my mom telling me to put it on right or not at all. She then began to show me how to apply my own artwork to my canvas of a face. One morning during my high school freshman year, I thought I had been doing such a great job on my own that I would put on my makeup for school. I remember walking into the school with such confidence. I was so poised..so refined. I was just oh so hot until I saw him. My big brother! He felt that it had been his duty to pull me aside in the school's hallway to whisper ever so quietly, "Get to the bathroom and wipe that crap off of your face! You look like a darn cat!" Oh, the tender loving words of older siblings. Such tack. Such warmth. Such compassion. I remember it just as if it were yesterday.
Well, over the years I grew into my own style of make-up, of course. I have tried many cosmetics but I have always returned to Fashion Fair Foundation because my mother had worn it for 30 years. I thought that it was the top of the line for women of color and at one time, it was actuall
y THE top of the line because it was the first line of products for women of color but now times have changed. The cosmetic industry has recognized that women of color wear makeup and not only do we wear it, we love to buy plenty of it. Well, this woman of color has been wearing Fashion Fair since high school which was 20 years ago and has broken into main stream. Yep. I broke the tradition. I have been battling the "ashe" look for sometime and having olive toned skinned, I have always found it difficult to find foundations. They would either be too orange or too ashe looking after application. While viewing a young lady's lovely complexion in a grocery store and inquiring about her foundation, I went on the hunt. Yep, MOM 
hunt. Mama On a Mission! Now, I have found my match and I'm in love! It's MAC foundation. Oh, how I have loooonged for Mr.Mac to come into my life. The days of looking like an orange or Homey The Clown on our family photos are behind me. I can move forward now. Yes, I have found peace. This is soooooo close to chocolate for me right now. :))Do you wear make up? What's your favorite cosmetic product? What would you not be caught without wearing? Inquiring minds would like to know. hmmm?
21 Comments:
I don't wear face make up...just mascara and lipstick...and if I am feeling really "girly" I draw on some eyeliner.:)
The reason for this "minimal" makeup look of mine is because of every time I have tried to do a "beauty regimen" it never turns out right......I always end up looking like Ugly Wanda from "In Living Color." :)
You have this Plain Jane girl giggling here in Crazyville.:)
I would love to be one of those natural beauties that could use "a little tinted moisturizer and a dab of lipgloss for a polished, fresh faced look"...
But I'm not. I have to wear the whole enchilada. I have used Anew age transforming foundation for a few years now and I love it. My sister is an Avon Rep, so most of my cosmetic purchases are from her.
Luckily I've been blessed with fairly nice skin. I wear Nuetrogena bronzing mineral powder, especially when I go out because it has SPF in it. Other than that I just use black liner and mascara on my eyes and lip gloss.
Well, I guess I had better admit my small addiction. I do indulge in all things sparkly. For special occasions, or sometimes just for the heck of it, I can be seen wearing glittery eye liner, glittery mascara, a little glitter added to my lip gloss and for kicks a little body glitter.
Sparkly is my SIGNATURE COLOR!
You're post was so funny. I had to let go of Fashion Fair long ago. My Mom is still a charter member of their fan club AND it still looks good on her. I just never found anything by them "light" enough for me. I can't stand "heavy" make up.
Hey Kysha,
I don't wear makeup now, but I used to be a mannequin model when I was in highschool. The Fashion Fair Lady always did my makeup for me because in those days Fashion Fair was the only viable option for darker skinned women.
If you get a chance, be sure to try the Mary Kay foundations. They went to a new formula in 2002 and they are absolutely fabulous in terms of blending and "lightness". I haven't tried Mac, but most of my girlfriends and the young women at church that wear makeup use it.
Happy Hunting!
I have the same problem since I have an olive complexion.(thanks to my Cherokee roots)
I have trouble finding makeup that makes me look like...well me! I find either too rosy (like I'm constantly embarrassed), or orange-like an oompa loompa! Or even worse too pale, like I've made a homemade foundation out of baby powder!
The BEST I've found is actually Light/Medium compact foundation through Proactive! It clears the complexion AND matches! (only thing, the salicylic acid in it burns the eyes if you get it too close or sweat!)
You crack me up! I have found loreal true match to be a good match, only here lately, my skin has been so pastey looking (and I have olive skin).
Now, I'm down to powder, blush, mascara, and gloss. I wear foundation only when I go out or for special ocassions.
I have to remember that just because I'm home, doesn't mean I don't have to put on my "face" LOL!
I actually mixed my own foundation. I purchased loreal liquid foundation and lightened the tint by adding in my facial moisturizer and blemish cream. It goes on smooth and I cannot live without it. Having it all in one bottle saves me so much time when putting on my make-up.
I rub a small bit together and smooth on my entire face. Then add clear mascara and bronze eyeshadow. I finish my look off with a little lip gloss. I'm done with my make-up in less than five minutes. This is my everyday look. Not to much, just enough to add a beautiful glow.
Great topic to post about.
ROFL!! "You look like a cat"!
Unfortunately, I can't give much input, since I don't wear makeup and never have. Except for the simples, like lip gloss/chapstick, and I do curl my eyelashes a lot.
You, ladies, are sooo funny! I'm cracking up over here at your comments.
Oh, Yolanda. I use to be a MK rep as well as an Avon and none of their foundations worked on me. I recently had attended a facial party given by a church member and she went through every foundation on the list and no match.:(
Nikowa, you are hilarious girl. I use Proactive skin care products but have never really noticed their foundations. I had beautifully clear skin all of my life until my last pregnancy. Now you could play connect the dots on my face. Ha! I have Cherokee grannies on both sides also. I guess I can thank them for the olive skin. I know it wasn't my Irish great grandfather. Heehee.
Merel Norman. It's a tradition in my family. (I'm from the south!) You go there at 13 to get your first facial and learn about skin care...get to buy the skin care products. Then at 16 you go back for a full facial (w/ make-up) this time. That's when you buy and wear your make-up. My daughter is going to be 12 and is DYING to go! LOL!
I have tried the cheap over the counter stuff - Revlon, Maybelline, and Cover Girl. For eyeshadow and blush I'm okay with that. But foundation is everything and the cheap stuff just doesn't get it for me. So, right now I'm using Everyday Minerals which I love. If I didn't use that I'd use Clinique or Neutrogena. I wear make up everyday...I NEED it, if you know what I'm sayin'!
I'll be honest to say I rarely wear make-up. But like you i have the same problems of "ashe-ness" and looking too orange because of the olive tint of my skin. I do wear mascara and lip gloss. I just haven't found a foundation that doesn't make my skin itch. I'll have to look into MAC. I've heard others say that it's really good as well.
i'm in need of new make up myself. I want to try Sheer coverage but I hate to pay so much for it not knowing if I will even like it. Same with Bare Minerals. What's a girl to do? I used to sell Mary Kay so I used that for a while but I just cannot pay full price for it now that I know how much it is at cost. I'll have to check out the make up you mentioned.
I heart lipgloss more than anything!
Oh, and I STILL have the giggles over the story of your brother! Aren't they the best =P
So funny! It brought back memories of me in Jr High. Picture purple eyeshadow, turquoise mascara and hot pink lip gloss. Oh so sad. I wish I had an older brother to tell me I looked like a clown. :)
I wear Mary Kay and have for years. They just redid everything about a month ago. Everyday I wear tinted moisturizer and mineral powder. Then most days I add a touch of blush, eyeshadow and mascara. I also always wear lip gloss.
I always had a hard time finding the right shade for me too. Everything before MK turned my olive skin either orange or yellow. So... I was either an oompa loompa or jaundiced. I remember when I discovered the right shade that MK had. I was ecstatic.
I used MK for 10 years. Their foundation was too powdery for me. I have tried EVERYTHING. But I'm totally in love with Merle Norman's Luxiva Timeless Foundation... I love their whole line especially Miracol. It's truly a miracle if you have blemishes. I do still use MK lipstick and eyeliner though.
MAC is the best make-up I've ever worn. I'm not a big make-up person, mainly because most of it breaks me out. I itch after 4 hrs or so. But MAC, I can wear all day and forget I even have it on. Their Lip Glass in Star Nova is my favorit ever.
Hi! My name is Monica and I found you from the WTM forum - I LOVE MAC! (In fact I just posted about how I was cleaning out my makeup for the summer...way too much!!!) It's a great buy and I'm glad you found a color that you like.
Oh, and a couple years back, my husband told me that I looked like an Easter Egg (eye makeup) so don't feel too bad. :))
I have MAc, I am 20 years old and before than I have never put on make-up. I went to MAC in the mall for them to do my make-up and they did a great job. I love that they show me what to use and what to do.
Oh, Kysha! I have to approach your blog with caution cause I'm bound to laugh out loud - as I just did - leaving my co-workers wondering what I'm up to.
I tend to have a hard time finding a foundation that matches. I'll have to try some of the suggestions listed in the comments.
I (obviously!) don't really go in for make-up myself! Actually, neither does my wife, although she has a little, and when she wears it she swears by Estee Lauder.
The Broken Man
http://theblogofabrokenman.blogspot.com/
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