Well loves, I took a bit of a sabbatical to try and reorganize and regroup. School was starting to get a little hectic and I was getting a little overwhelmed, so I decided that I would take a little breather, gather my thoughts, and hope for a little peace! It definitely worked. My class is almost over, my grades are better than ever and the stress is no more! Woo Hoo! I've decided that being stressed and worrying is definitely overrated. God has had a plan for me since before I was born and I need to trust in that and in Him and it will all be just fine!
Since the last time we've "chatted" lots and lots has happened. I'm most excited about the fact that I won my bracket in the NCAA tournie against my family. My brother decided the family should compete and a prize should be awarded. I went along with it, thinking I would come up dead last, but low and behold....I WIN! :) My prize...a plane ticket back to Texas to visit! I'm so excited to be going home again so soon. I haven't gotten to spend this much time home since I was in high school.
Speaking of my brother....we had a little scare. He has been studying abroad for this semester and during his spring break he was traveling to Italy. He happened to be there when the lovely earthquake shook the town of L'Aquila to its core. I woke up to a phone call from my mom telling me about the earthquake and that my parents had yet to hear from my brother. I was in shock. My heart was so scared and then I remembered the message from church just the day before. Our senior pastor preached about trust. It was a hard pill to swallow but it was so true, about the fact that God has a plan and His will be done. Whatever the outcome of the event, it was because it was what God wanted to happen.
As I prayed that day, I tried to not be selfish, asking for God to be with the families that were suffering and that had lost everything. I prayed that His will be done. The day stretched on and it wasn't until dinner that evening that my family finally heard from my brother! The earthquake had woken him up that morning, but he didn't think anything of it and went on about his sight seeing and traveling. I was so happy to find out he was ok, and that my parents nerves could be at rest. God was good that day, like he is everyday. I just know he has big plans for my brother and He kept him safe that day.
Easter came around right after this. This year's Easter was a little different for me. I was with a new family, in a new state, at a new church.....and it was wonderful! The family went to church on Saturday night, a sacrifice we made to allow others to attend on Sunday morning, and the celebration was amazing. I am the kind of person that loves to worship through song and the musical performance for the Easter service was absolutely amazing!!! We have such a gifted worship team at our church and it is wonderful that God has brought that group of people together!
Sunday was a day for us to celebrate the resurrection and be with family. We were blessed with the most beautiful day and planned our events outside to enjoy the weather. I had a blast decorating Easter eggs....
and watching J construct a giant, big kid friendly, slip-n-slide......
and playing with the kids....
That's all I can think of that was important while I was gone....if I remember anything else I will let you know!!
Moving on...
Make-up, make-up, make-up!!
Our next step in the process is foundation!! How exciting!? That sounded a little sarcastic, but it wasn't meant to be. I love foundation and telling everyone my little secrets about it. As we talked about before, prepping the skin for make-up is very important. Make sure you read about how to do so here and here!
We'll start our lesson today with some of the myths about foundation. When I worked at a make-up counter I had hoards of people telling me how much they hated foundation and that they would never wear it and when they left the counter.....foundation was their best friend. It is all a matter of knowing your skin, knowing what you need, and knowing the proper techniques for application. We should already know about our skin types, so we are going to talk about what kind of foundation you need.
Foundation can be a scary thing, if you don't know what you're looking for. Foundation is a product that is used to correct discoloration in the face and create a blank canvas that is ready for color application and enhancement. You want to make sure you are using a quality product for best results. And remember quality doesn't mean most expensive!!! You can find some great products at your local drug store!
Ok....here's the low down. There are several types of foundation to choose from. You have options of coverage and formula. Here is a list of the different options and their descriptions:
Coverage Types
Sheer - This foundation is very lightweight with minimal coverage. It is used for those who don't need a lot of color correction on the face and is the least noticeable.
Medium - This foundation is the standard coverage formula. Not to much and not too little. This foundation is usually buildable, meaning you can have anywhere from a light to medium coverage in one foundation depending on how many layers are applied.
Full - This is the most coverage one can get. I don't like to use the term "heavy" because people mistake this for the weight of the make-up. Many full coverage are heavier than a sheer foundation, but aren't much different. This foundation will completely cover the skin and create an opaque canvas.
Foundation Formulas
Liquid - Liquid foundation is one of the most popular types of foundation. It comes in a wide variety of colors, coverages, finishes. Can be used for all skin types, especially dry.
Cream - Great choice for those who have dry skin. Medium to full coverage. Many people ask for a "cream-to-powder" but my experience with those aren't the best. They tend to be a little more drying to the skin. Instead you can get a cream foundation with a matte finish instead of one that leaves you looking shiny.
Powder - I love a good powder foundation. Make sure to note the difference in a powder foundation and a setting powder for oil absorption. A powder foundation gives more coverage and does NOT need to be placed over another foundation unless you are looking for extremely heavy duty coverage. Good for normal to oily skin.
Mineral - Mineral make-up is great for all skin types. If you are looking for a lot of coverage, this might not be the product for you.
Hopefully this information will help you figure out just what you need for your skin type! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! I will answer as best I can. I had one question from my first make-up blog that I wanted to answer.
"This is a brilliant post! I love St Ives Apricot scrub as well. The primer tip is great though - I'll have to try that! What do you recommend as a good long lsting foundation? I am currently running about 4 trying to find the perfect one! I find Bobbi Brown Luminous comes off by lunch time and is shiny and makes my skin look sallow, Double wear is great but too heavy ... Look forward to hearing your tips! ~ Europafox"
For a long lasting foundation, first use the primer. What this does is prevents the face from absorbing all your make-up. When you go through your day and it seems like your make-up is wearing "off", it is really disappearing into your pores! So use your primer! I have used several foundations on the market and I am hooked on M.A.C. they have a ton of great foundations that match every skin color and are long lasting. I would recommend a foundation that isn't a satin finish. If you like liquid, try studio fix fluid. It is a medium coverage, natural matte finish. It won't add excess shine and pairs well with the primer. If you like a cream, try studio tech. It is also a medium coverage, natural skin finish. It wears a little heavier than the studio fix fluid. And lastly, if you like powder, try just plain studio fix. It is their powder foundation that is amazing! It has great longevity if paired with the primer.
Another thing that might be causing the make-up to come off is how you are applying the foundation. It is very important to use a brush to put all color on the face. It reduces oil production and allows for proper placement of the product. I will talk more next week about the proper application of foundation, but for now, I hope this helps! Thanks so much for the question, Europafox!!
So there you have it! Hope you enjoyed this long post....please let me know what you think! Have a great Monday and see you soon!!
It was such a great day!
That's all I can think of that was important while I was gone....if I remember anything else I will let you know!!
Moving on...
Make-up, make-up, make-up!!
Our next step in the process is foundation!! How exciting!? That sounded a little sarcastic, but it wasn't meant to be. I love foundation and telling everyone my little secrets about it. As we talked about before, prepping the skin for make-up is very important. Make sure you read about how to do so here and here!
We'll start our lesson today with some of the myths about foundation. When I worked at a make-up counter I had hoards of people telling me how much they hated foundation and that they would never wear it and when they left the counter.....foundation was their best friend. It is all a matter of knowing your skin, knowing what you need, and knowing the proper techniques for application. We should already know about our skin types, so we are going to talk about what kind of foundation you need.
Foundation can be a scary thing, if you don't know what you're looking for. Foundation is a product that is used to correct discoloration in the face and create a blank canvas that is ready for color application and enhancement. You want to make sure you are using a quality product for best results. And remember quality doesn't mean most expensive!!! You can find some great products at your local drug store!
Ok....here's the low down. There are several types of foundation to choose from. You have options of coverage and formula. Here is a list of the different options and their descriptions:
Coverage Types
Sheer - This foundation is very lightweight with minimal coverage. It is used for those who don't need a lot of color correction on the face and is the least noticeable.
Medium - This foundation is the standard coverage formula. Not to much and not too little. This foundation is usually buildable, meaning you can have anywhere from a light to medium coverage in one foundation depending on how many layers are applied.
Full - This is the most coverage one can get. I don't like to use the term "heavy" because people mistake this for the weight of the make-up. Many full coverage are heavier than a sheer foundation, but aren't much different. This foundation will completely cover the skin and create an opaque canvas.
Foundation Formulas
Liquid - Liquid foundation is one of the most popular types of foundation. It comes in a wide variety of colors, coverages, finishes. Can be used for all skin types, especially dry.
Cream - Great choice for those who have dry skin. Medium to full coverage. Many people ask for a "cream-to-powder" but my experience with those aren't the best. They tend to be a little more drying to the skin. Instead you can get a cream foundation with a matte finish instead of one that leaves you looking shiny.
Powder - I love a good powder foundation. Make sure to note the difference in a powder foundation and a setting powder for oil absorption. A powder foundation gives more coverage and does NOT need to be placed over another foundation unless you are looking for extremely heavy duty coverage. Good for normal to oily skin.
Mineral - Mineral make-up is great for all skin types. If you are looking for a lot of coverage, this might not be the product for you.
Hopefully this information will help you figure out just what you need for your skin type! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! I will answer as best I can. I had one question from my first make-up blog that I wanted to answer.
"This is a brilliant post! I love St Ives Apricot scrub as well. The primer tip is great though - I'll have to try that! What do you recommend as a good long lsting foundation? I am currently running about 4 trying to find the perfect one! I find Bobbi Brown Luminous comes off by lunch time and is shiny and makes my skin look sallow, Double wear is great but too heavy ... Look forward to hearing your tips! ~ Europafox"
For a long lasting foundation, first use the primer. What this does is prevents the face from absorbing all your make-up. When you go through your day and it seems like your make-up is wearing "off", it is really disappearing into your pores! So use your primer! I have used several foundations on the market and I am hooked on M.A.C. they have a ton of great foundations that match every skin color and are long lasting. I would recommend a foundation that isn't a satin finish. If you like liquid, try studio fix fluid. It is a medium coverage, natural matte finish. It won't add excess shine and pairs well with the primer. If you like a cream, try studio tech. It is also a medium coverage, natural skin finish. It wears a little heavier than the studio fix fluid. And lastly, if you like powder, try just plain studio fix. It is their powder foundation that is amazing! It has great longevity if paired with the primer.
Another thing that might be causing the make-up to come off is how you are applying the foundation. It is very important to use a brush to put all color on the face. It reduces oil production and allows for proper placement of the product. I will talk more next week about the proper application of foundation, but for now, I hope this helps! Thanks so much for the question, Europafox!!
So there you have it! Hope you enjoyed this long post....please let me know what you think! Have a great Monday and see you soon!!
I was wondering when you were going to resurface in blog world :D First, I am so glad to hear that your brother was okay - that would have been so scary for you all. Second, the slip and slide - AMAZING. Looks like so much fun. Although I once had a friend who had to go to the hospital because she got a piece of glass from a broken beer bottle stuck in her butt when sliding on one of those. LOL!! And lastly, I wish you could come to my house and teach me how to put my makeup on. I am such a lost cause when it comes to knowing what to use and how to use it. Thanks for all the tips.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're back...I've missed you!!! I love the Easter eggs you decorated - seriously, so cute! And I'm so glad your brother is okay. It's hard to trust God sometimes, but I love what you wrote. He is good and knows what is best for us that's for sure! And I'm glad you're going home again so soon...I am too! My brother is getting married May 2 so I will be home for a few days again!!!!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! So happy to hear your brother is a-okay. Whew!
ReplyDeleteThanks Meagan! Once again you have helped me to have a bit of a better understadingin the world of makeup...now will you come to MAC with me?
ReplyDelete:-) hehehe!