The Top Three Makeup Tricks That Just Don't Work for Me

(I'm a little behind on my online reading)

1. I tried the white pencil trick, too, and felt like I looked like I was trying out for a spot on The Girls Next Door. Or trying to look like Christina Aguilera.  

Then I read - in countless magazines - that makeup artists use a nude, not white, pencil for more natural results.  So I searched for one, and found there was not a nude pencil to be found in any mall, Ulta, Sephora, Sally Beauty Supply and drugstore on the East Coast.  So I finally dropped $16 on Pixi Eye Bright Liner No. 1 in Nude.  Truth be told?  It works.  It's subtle, and I probably could live without it.  But it does takes the edge off the redness that comes with extra sleepy-looking eyes.  It'll last forever, too, because I don't use it everyday - only on days where I'm looking like I attempted to party like Kendra, Holly, and Bridget the night before.

http://www.target.com/Pixi-Bright-Liner-No-1-Nude/... ( http://www.target.com/Pixi-Bright-Liner-No-1-Nude/... )

And I enthusiastically second the Laura Mercier concealer. I use the Undercover Pot (the one with two types of concealer and a little bit of setting powder).  Dropping that much on concealer makes me cringe, but when I use it I'm downright amazed at the results.  It conceals without that chalky "hey, look at me wearing concealer!" look - that alone makes it worth the price.  (I've invested in it twice, now.)

(And for what it's worth, I'm 37.  I've had that long to road test bad concealers and such.)

For me it depends on the actual product. For undereye darkness - which I have no matter how much sleep I get - there's a product over at Shain Dee I like - http://www.shabbatcosmetics.com ( http://www.shabbatcosmetics.com/ )

It comes with three different colors in it, green which tones down redness, yellow, and a salmon-like pink that are both for dark circles. Mixed together under my foundation they do wonders. Plus being kosher gives me a confidence in it's safety.

They also have a lipstick there called Dyeceptions that, while it does eventually fade, even if you put the lipstick sealer over it, lasts for many more hours then any "long last" lipstick.

I've been told to make my eyes stand out more I should use purple eyeshadow and eyeliner. But my eyes are so deep set that all that purple makes me look like an extra from a zombie film. Anyway, I suck so much at putting on eyemakeup it always looks weird. And no one will show me how to do it right. When I tell makeup people "I don't know how to do it" they look at me like if I'm speaking Klingon. They can't seem to comprehend that I need to be taught.

BTW - I find foundation works better if you use a sponge to put it on, lightly powder it, then rub it down lightly with tissues. It's more natural looking but still helps even skin tone. Being an adult acne sufferer and a singer I have to try and disguise the zits as much as possible. (And no, Proactive and all the other ance medicines do NOT work for me!) 

~Jami JoAnne Russell~

www.jamisings.com ( http://www.jamisings.com )

    I mix a brightener from smashbox with concealer to make it thinner and more natural looking. Also try to match your skin tone, don't go lighter.

  Black eyeliner inside the rim of the eyelid does not work for me, I just look like I have bloodshot eyes, its terrible.           angie          rosieandthebutcher.com

I use Laura Mercier Secret Concealer in the inner corners of my eyes - I could never get the white pencil to work.

Secret Concealer's pretty awesome. I use it to cover up all sorts of sins, and all I do is stick my finger in the pot and spread. No powder to set, no science to it. 

Good Luck!

Concealer doesn't work for me either. I feel the same about foundation. "They" say it will look just like my skin only better, but when I put it on, I look like a person with foundation on her face. 

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A Mommy Blogger ( http://momgrind.com/ ) and a Blogger For Hire ( http://momgrind.com/hire-me/ )

I stick to applying my makeup the standard way the Mary Kay reps have been recommending for years. Nothing from magazines ever looks right on my face. And though I've been complimented many times on my skin, I have big pores that some makeups (especially any mineral makeup I've dared to try) only enhance.

And I tried those longwear Covergirl lip colors when they first came out--I loved them at first. But then my iips got really, really dry. And my lips have never been the same since. It may be a coincidence, but I tossed them all when my lips refused to go back to their lucious normal selves.

I've been tempted to try liquid eyeliner instead of pencils, but I'm not sure my hand is steady enough, and frankly, I don't really wear makeup much these days. 

¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
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((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- Jena-:¦:-
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 http://musebookreviews.blogspot.com/

Instead of using white eyeliner I use a very light and slightly shimmery eyeshadow just on the inside corner of my eyes to look more awake. I use cultured pearl by Bare Esscentuals but anything similar would work I am sure.

Also for the under eyes I use a dab of MaryKay foundation that matches my color and set it with fairly light Bare Esscentual powder. I haven't had any problems with it looking unnatural or anything.

For the listick, I can't really help because I am addicted to the Victorias Secret lip Glosses and apply them all day long... 

My one makeup - well not really trick but look - that I can't achieve is the smokey eyes. No matter how hard I try it just looks like a big mess. 

For the white in the eye corner trick, go for Benefit's Mr. Frosty -- it's a big fat pencil and is shimmery (like carrisastone recommends), so it's not a weird matte thin white alien line.

And for concealer, I use Dior SkinFlash, which is the Dior version of Touche Eclat ( http://www.blogher.com/what-heck-touche-clat-and-w... ) (or, you know, Tushy Clot).

--

Jeanne

- The Periodic Elements of Style: http://periodicstyle.blogspot.com

So the white pencil thing? Forget it. Go for a white shimmery eye shadow instead. It goes on less alien strippery.

I can't help you with the concealer thing since I don't use concealer. Also I don't get bags or puffy eyes. This may be the one advantage to have a fat face. That and fewer wrinkles.

I have always hated long lasting lip wear. Until today! Someone blogged about L'Oreal Infallible and dude... they were right. It's awesome. I put it on at 8 am and here it is 4:15 and it's still on. And not just on the edges. 

I agree to an extent.  I use (and sell) Mary Kay.  They have a new highlighting powder that works WONDERS for the inner corner and under the eye.  They have 2 kinds.  One is matte and it works great for under the eyes or in any creases that you want to hide.  I just brush it on w/ my fingers.  The other has a shinner to it.  I just smudge some into the corner of my eye and blend it in.  It adds a LOT of light, but blends awesomly!  I also use the shimmery kind under my eye brow. 

 Lipstick isnt my thing.  I put on some gloss in the AM and dont reappy.  Ever.  Oh well!