Foundation, concealer, powder. The basic face -- try not to fuck it up.

Foundation. Base. Whatever you call it, it gives your skin a fresh look, and gives you a clean canvas for your makeup to sit on.

And every fucking day, y'all fuck it up.

Let us start with the basics:

Concealer: That's right, it's concealing stuff -- scars, redness, acne, bruises, that hickey where you stupidly allowed some ass to mark you -- when used correctly, concealer can hide lots of things.

Foundation: That goes on top of concealer, to blend everything in, and to make your skin look completely blemish free, no matter what your blemish is.

Powder: Goes on top of foundation. Powder is to be worn daily, no matter your foundation's finish. Powder will set your makeup, so your collar doesn't look like you've not bathed in months. It blends things, like blush gone wrong. Powder will finish any makeup look, natural to you-look-like-a-whore.

Concealer Brush: obviously for concealer. we've talked about this before.
Foundation Brush or sponge: yes, for the foundation
Powder Brush (or hell, even a sponge): for, you guessed it, powder.


And imagine that, everything is in the order in which you should use it.

First things first, let's discuss concealer. Concealer is to be used on the hot-spots only. Otherwise you will look fake, and completely over-made up.

Concealer comes in many colors. Confused on which one to buy? Thought so.

Green: This color is for people with a REDNESS-ONLY issue, typically those with rosacea (Think you have it? Ask a dermotologist.) Use this in the reddest areas -- generally on the apples of the cheeks, and on the tip of the nose. Once you calm those areas down, the rest will look normal. You typically want to use about half a pea-sized amount on those areas. Don't worry if you don't get it all; it will be covered by foundation.

Yellow: This is for very fresh, mostly purple bruising. Yellow by itself does not blend well, so mix this with your skin-tone concealer. This is to go only on the center of the purple-ness, blended into the skin-tone concealer. Again -- yellow in the center, skin-tone on the edge. blend them in the middle. This will help cover bruising from cataracts surgery (cause it will give you a serious black eye), hickeys, sports injuries, etc.

Lavender and Rose: This is for yellowed or sallowed skin. You can also blend those nasty green-yellow bruises with this, as it will tone down that ugliness.

Skin Tone: Use this under your eyes, on scars and blemishes, and to blend as needed.


Foundation is next -- It can be in a liquid or a cream, water or oil based - I'll go into more detail next time on the types, but let's talk about how much to apply, and where to put it.

Foundation should be applied from the center out. Let's dumb that down: Start at your nose, cheeks, and the center of your forehead. Use your foundation brush. Ok, picture time.

This is a foundation brush. Notice that the bristles are two-toned. That is both aesthetic, as well as useful for you to not fuck up your face.

See how you can't see that the bristles are different colors? That's cause you're using too much product.

Notice how you can see through the product to the bristle? That's how you know you're not about to fuck up your face.

That's all you need to have on the brush. You can always go back for more, but it's harder to take product off your face once it's there. Also, by starting at the center of your face, you don't have to worry about that dreaded line that people get around their jaw.

See the line near her ear? Yeah, so do I. Not sexy. 

Finally, you want to set with powder. Preferably, use a color close to your makeup, as it can be used for easy touch-ups during the day. Drier skins should use their powder brush to dust powder on to set their makeup. Oilier skins should use a sponge or puff to press (DO NOT RUB YOUR POWDER, as rubbing will remove any foundation and all that corrective concealer that you just put there!) powder onto the face. Powder will collect any excess oil and will keep your face shine-free.

Yeah, they're from the same night. Get over it. Nicole, you have on too much powder. It's fucking EVERYWHERE. Your nose, under your eyes, your cheeks. Next time, grab a clean brush and blend that shit down! You look ridiculous!

I'll leave you with the following comparison.

Now I love Xtina. Everyone who knows me, knows that to be a fair statement. However, whoever is doing her makeup should be shot. The makeup to the left is very good (and yes, it is a tad heavy, but when one is doing stage makeup (ie, anything that needs to hold up to a shit-ton of lights), it tends to be heavier. But the image to the right? What the fuck, Xtina? You have gone from grown-sexy-girl-next-door to Jersey Whore. I can't even see your skin under that pile of product. 

Ladies, please. Do not walk around looking like a Jersey Whore.

This is not what I put on this morning...

Have you ever put on a blush or a foundation in the morning, and about halfway through the day realized that it had drastically changed color? Foundation is too dark; blush is suddenly tangerine... Blame your skin.

Oily skin has a tendency to change the colors of your makeup throughout the day. It is a common problem, and one that can be solved in a few different ways:

The easiest way to avoid your makeup changing it's pigmentation is to wear a primer. Foundation primer will create a base between your moisturizer and whatever color choices you make next (foundation, powder, blush).

Foundation primer is a simple step, but one that can can save you money in the long run. Foundation primer acts like any other primer -- it seals in what's underneath, and creates a good base upon which to make your foundation. When you use a primer, you will notice that you use less of your foundation, powder, and blush, as it is sitting on the primer, and not soaking into the skin.

Primer is not to be considered a moisturizer, even if it is labeled as having moisturizing benefits. Primer should be a separate step -- moisturize, let it dry, prime, let it dry, then proceed with your color (foundation, powder, blush -- whatever it is that you do).

One of the other choices you can make when your colors are changing on you is to modify what products you are using. If you realize that a light pink is going to turn peach on you, then use it with a warm color palette -- peach, oranges, browns. That way, you can use what you have -- no wasting of product!

I tend to have very oily skin in the summer time, and dry skin in the winter. I have to modify what I wear during each season, as primer doesn't help me in the summer. For me, it is easier to know what I can wear. I have 2 blushes that I know will work, no matter the season -- a soft brown, and a brown-pink. Both are from Merle Norman (Soft Mocha and Dusty Rose Lasting Cheek Color, if you're interested). I switch up my blushes from time to time -- I love MAC mineral blushes in the fall. However, my go-to blushes tend to be those two colors, as I know that no matter the season, they won't change too much on me. They are both light shades, so at the most, the color just intensifies.

Where is My Acne Coming From?

Acne. It is one of the biggest skin problems that women face. It creates uneven texture and redness that isn't always easy to hide.

Growing up, we are told that acne is the result of eating the wrong things, not drinking enough water, not washing make up off. And to some extent, that's true, but acne is caused by several different factors. Let's discuss a few of those myths.


Myth 1: If I eat chocolate/french fries/other greasy food, I will get acne.


Truth? Sorry. You would be depriving yourself for nothing. Acne is not caused by eating those foods. If you get them all over your hands, and then rub your face, maybe. But the consumption of them alone will not cause acne to form.




Myth 2: If I don't drink enough water, I'll get bumps.


Truth? You're more likely to look wrinkled than bumpy. It's always good to drink water, and it can help to clear up some skin problems that dehydration can cause (redness, dryness, cracked skin), but water alone is not going to clear your skin. That's why you don't wash your face in water alone.




Myth 3: If I don't wash my makeup off at night, I will get acne.


That one is true. Any way you look at it, you are covering your skin (and therefore your pores) with a layer of product. Leaving it there over night can be a catalyst for acne (whiteheads and blackheads). When you sleep with your makeup on, it transfers to your pillow case. Even if you don't wash your face twice a week, it's on your pillow case, and you might as well have worn it every day, all day. It's not healthy, and it's not hygienic. Just be sure to get a good eye makeup remover and a good facial cleanser. Clean your face, and keep your pillowcases (and quite frankly, your entire sheet set) washed, and it will help to prevent future breakouts.




Myth 4: If I scrub my face everyday, I will prevent new acne and will clear up current breakouts.


Truth? If you're scrubbing your face with any type of beaded 'scrub' wash during a breakout, the only thing you're doing is spreading it around. Acne is caused by bacteria, and that bacteria loves to ride around to a new home when it can. Any time during an active breakout, stick with a facial brush or your hands for gentle cleansing that won't pick up that acne causing bacteria.


Acne is described by either a blackhead, whitehead, or cystic acne.

Blackheads are pores that have become filled with bacteria, dead skin cells and oil that has oxidized (basically, air has gotten to it). Blackheads can be removed by using an exfoliating mask (clay mask, etc). It will be a gradual process, but it won't hurt or scar.

Whiteheads are exactly like blackheads, except they have no place for air to hit them, and therefore remain white. Whiteheads can be removed in a similar manor, except the mask will reduce the inflammation as well.

Cystic Acne is acne that is deep under the skin. It tends to be red, and can be painful to the touch. Cystic acne is something that most over-the-counter systems has trouble controlling, as it tends to be an internal event, and topical treatments do not tend to help. Cystic acne is best treated by a dermatologist.


One of the main rules to remember for acne: NEVER POP YOUR ZITS! This includes whiteheads, blackheads, bumps, zits, pimples, whatever you call them - do not pop them. All you are doing is breaking that skin barrier and creating a place for infection to occur.

First things first: Your Skin

The most common mistake I see women make is with their basic skin care -- they don't have any. All women have skin, but few care for it.

There are 3 basic steps every woman (and person, really) should take for their skin: Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize. Regardless of skin type, those are the steps that should be followed.

Cleansing, which is pretty self explanatory, removes makeup and soil from the face.
Toning will remove any residue from the cleanser, and will pickup what the cleanser left behind.
Moisturizing will keep your skin looking it's best.

Now to do this, one must know what their skin type is: Oily, Dry or somewhere in between? Sensitive? Acne prone? They're all different, and most people experience a combination everything at some point in their life. Telling the difference isn't as hard as it seems:

Oily skin tends to show shine early in the day, usually before noon. Oil is noticed across the entire forehead, on the cheeks, the nose and chin.

Dry skin tends to not have shine at all.

Normal/Oily and Normal/Dry skin are very similar. The oil is in almost the exact same spots -- T-zone and a little on the cheeks and chin. The difference is in how the skin feels without moisturizer: dry skin feels tight.

Acne Prone skin is skin that breaks out regularly, typically associated with teens and young adults. Acne can be present in the form of blackheads, whiteheads and cystic acne.

Sensitive Skin is skin that is, well, sensitive. To anything. To everything. Skin that turns red, or that has a condition, such as rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, etc. 

Acne prone and sensitive skin should be under the treatment of a dermatologist, but there are some over the counter items that can help the symptoms.

Once you determine you skin type, you can determine how to care for it - and then how to make it up!