Loose powder VS Pressed powder

I believe that both powders has it's pros and cons.

Loose Powder is my preference of powder hands down. I prefer to use it on myself at home and is what I carry in my kit and use every time on models and clients. Loose powders can give light to medium coverage with the right application and does not look caky. I also believe that you get more product than a loose powder for the same amount of money. And because it is finely milled, loose powders look flawless on the skin and can set cream products better since it can fill in wrinkles. 

Although I prefer loose powders, I of course own pressed powders and are extremely convenient when I am doing my makeup in the car or at work. I do not carry loose powder in my makeup bag, so a pressed powder is my go to for when I do not have time to do my makeup at home. I have a pressed powder foundation palette in my kit and I use that when someone has amazing skin instead of using foundation. But know that pressed powder foundation is different than pressed powder. The foundation has more coverage. I also like to use it to contour. Also, because the powder is pressed, it contains more oils than loose powders do, and can look caky, (on my oily skin, pressed powder definitely looks cakey) since it is not as fine, which is why I prefer loose powder, but again, both serve their purposes and work great for different reasons. 

Which do you prefer?

Trip to Sephora....

Hi FFACE IT Divas,

Recently the FFACE IT! Team took a trip to Sephora to check out the 20%off Friends & Family sale ending today.   I really wanted to stock up on some personal and professional kit essentials.  I’m such a bargain hunter, and I was so excited to hear about the sale we definitely had to check it out.

A few items that I fell in love with were the following: the Smashbox – O Glow, Nars Skin Smoothing Face Primer, the Too Faced Waterproof Eyeliners, and the Too Faced Mood Swing/Petal Pink lip gloss.  I got a few samples to test out the products during the week, which was a great opportunity for me to be able to get a true feel of the overall product consistency and finish.  I’ve written a review below of some of the products that I’ve sampled from Sephora.

Smashbox O-GLOW
Intuitive Cheek Color With Goji Berry-C Complex™
What it is:
A naturally-pink hued gel cheek color.

What it is formulated to do:
Experience instant chemistry as you watch your complexion go from so-so to oh-so-glowing! This intuitive cheek color reacts with your personal skin chemistry to transform from a silky clear gel into the shade you blush naturally

What else you need to know:
O-GLOW is packed with our exclusive Goji Berry-C Complex™, ginkgo biloba, pomegranate seed for antioxidant protection, and revitalizing marine botanicals for added healthy-skin benefits.

Size: 0.5 oz

Price: $26

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

This is a very natural-looking, creamy, and a luminous sheen formula.  The shade is a subtle pink shimmer.  I was a little worried at first since I have oily skin, but the O product showed to be quite lovely. It turns powdery almost immediately and I can't feel it at all. I will probably try the O-glosses because I like this so much.

 Pro-Prime™ Pore Refining Primer - Oil-Free
What it is:
An oil-free gel primer.

What it does:
This gel primer instantly refines the look of pores, regulates shine, and creates a matte surface to the skin for smooth and long-wearing makeup application. Mineral Powders manage oil in the T-zone while blurring the look of pores, fine lines, and wrinkles.

What else you need to know:
This product is alcohol free, non-comedogenic, dermatologist tested, synthetic and fragrance free.  The active ingredients are -Lentil Seed Extract: Controls shine and diminishes the appearance of dilated pores over time to create a soft, smooth, even surface.
-Butterbur Root Extract: Calms and soothes the skin.
-Vitamins A, C and E: Provide antioxidant protection, helping to protect the skin from free radical damage which can lead to premature aging.
-Light-Diffusing Mineral Powder: Absorbs oil and imparts a silky, matte finish to the complexion while optically blurring fine lines and wrinkles.

Research results:
-87% felt that the surface of their skin was smoothed
-78% thought the product controlled shine all day long
-97% felt that this product left their skin feeling soft
-94% felt that their skin was soothed and comforted
-87% thought the product made powder, blush, and bronzer application easier

Size: 1 oz

Price: $32

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

This product was absolutely amazing.  It’s lightweight, fast-absorbing,evens out skin tone, and your makeup looks flawless and lasts throughout the evening.  I was fortunate to receive a sample size with my purchase, which allowed me to truly maximize the usage of the product and experience its consistency on multiple occasions.  My skin feels soft and my pores seem much smaller too. I plan to order my full size soon.  

Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner
What it is:
A creamy, long-wearing eyeliner that glides on with the ease of a liquid liner and locks down for eight hours of budge-proof, smudge-proof wear.

What it is formulated to do:
These high-impact pencils come in various waterproof shades ranging from the necessary classics to cutting-edge couture. Each includes a flexi-firm, beveled smudger to allow a smoky blend or precise line. Once applied, this eyeliner won't transfer, smudge, or budge. This creamy smooth liner glides on effortlessly never pulling, skipping, or slipping.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens

What else you need to know:
This formula does not contain mineral oil or paraffins.  And this product comes in various shades: Perfect Black (Black), Black Orchid (Blacken Plum), Perfect Brown (Brown), Perfect Peacock (Teal), Perfect Purple (Purple), Perfect Storm (Charcoal)

Ingredients: Perfect Black:
Isododecane, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG/PPG-19/19 Dimethicone, Synthetic Wax, Hydrogenated Polydicyclopentadiene, Nylon-12, C20-40 Alcohols, Perfluorononyl Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Polyethylene, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopherol, Mica. May Contain/Peut Contenir/(+/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288).

Size: 0.04 oz

Price: $18

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

I'm constantly on the search for budge-proof liner. I've searched for years, and have tried a lot of brand on the market. These are legitimately magical. These eyeliners are not only WATERPROOF, but TEAR PROOF as well. These are delightfully creamy but not so much so that it becomes messy. They glide on like butter, with no pulling and tugging. The pigment is out of this world. All the shades are richly pigmented and stay vibrant on your lids all day long without touch ups. That's more than I can say for any liner I own. I was attracted to this eyeliner because it said "waterproof and tear proof". Incredibly smooth texture that goes on flawlessly and stays all day! But they're still easy to remove with soap and water. I highly, HIGHLY recommend these to anyone who is looking for a great eyeliner that won't make them look like a raccoon by the end of the day.

Mood Swing Emotionally Activated Lip Gloss Vintage

What it is:

Our Shade-shifting, super shine lip gloss goes on clear and gradually blossom into a range of pretty, pink hues.  A nourishing combination of Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter and Vitamin E rejuvenates and hydrates flaky lips while restoring youthful elasticity for the prettiest pout possible.

What it is formulated to do:

This lip gloss has a delicious flavor.  Each shade has its own deliciously different flavor to enhance any mood.  Moisture-Rich: Soothing formula restores missing moisture with each application.   Styling Options: Gloss can be used alone, or on top of lipstick to add a pop of glistening color.

What else you need to know:

One Tube, Multiple Colors: Heat Responsive Technology reacts to the body’s temperature and adjusts to reveal a range of lip shades within that color spectrum.

Ingredients: Petal Pink: Polyisobutene, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Cera Alba/Beeswax/Cire d’abeille, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Carnauba Wax, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexdecyl Ascorbate, Ozokerite, Myristyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Benzotriazolyl Ddeyl p-Cresol, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Aroma/Flavor, Benzyl Benzoate, Linalool, Mica, Titanium dioxide (Cl 77891), Red 27 (Cl 45410).

Size: .45 fl. Oz.

Price: $16

I really liked this lip gloss but it was kind of thick. The color seemed to change almost immediately when I put it on. It did change a little over time from a soft pale pink to a deeper shade pink.  The overall look was nice and fresh.

At the end of our beauty store journey I ended up only purchasing two of the Too Face Waterproof eyeliner, which I absolutely love and can’t wait to utilize it for my brides and photo shoots.

 Hope you guys enjoyed some of my product reviews from my trip to Sephora.  If you have any of your own selections that you have sampled, please leave them in the comments below!  Have a great day, till next time FFACE IT! Divas.

FTC Disclosure:  Products not sponsored for review.  I am not affiliated with the companies and not paid to write this review.  These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Behind the Scenes Video

Sneak peek of FFACE IT! behind the scenes clips of the making of the Big Sean's music video featuring Kanye West. Key make up artist: Nordia Cameron Cunningham &  Assistant MUA: Shirley St. Fort Hey Guys! I'll briefly explain what I did on a few of the models. For the eyes I started by applying MAC "layin' low paint pot" all over the lid then added samoa silk and coral eyeshadow. In the crease and along the lower lash line I applied MAC "orange creme color base" then followed by MAC "devil" blush. I used a blending brush to apply the highlight "rice paper" to the brow bone; then blended it into the crease color. Then added Lashes!!! On the water line, I applied a nude eyeliner.......NOT WHITE! Somehow I prefer that alot more on tan/darker skin tones. It still gives the effect of making the eyes look brighter without being forceful/harse........as if it doesn't belong. For the brows: I used spiked eye brow pencil (MAC) and girl boy brow set to soften it and bringit closer to the hue of her hair. For the eyes: I primed it with "painterly" paintpot (MAC) then applied Platinum pigment to the lid. In the crease & on the lower lash line I mixed "humid", which is a forest green with a deep turquoise color and blended. A matte flesh tone color was placed on the brow bone. Then use an angle brush & a black creme liner to darken the lash line. Next I applied lashes to the outter corner of each eye. On the Skin: I used a mineral power to give the skin a more skin kissed look while maintaining a natural glow to the skin. Lip: Nude dusty pink gloss This look was tons of fun to do!! It was kinda fairy tale meets modern day. On the Eyes: Lid- Neon Green color called bitter from (MAC) Crease: a moss green pencil was  used to create the line, using an angled brusd then topped with a forest green eye shadow called Humid. Blush: a soft rose mineralized blush was applied heavily to somewhat mimic a doll-like look. Followed by a pale nude lip. To create the wing liner, I used a metallic bronze/chocolate creme eyeliner instead of a black because I wanted the colors to flow in harmony with each other, while complimenting the hues in her hair. Then I applied crazy yet beautiful LASHES!! MTV’s Sway caught up with Big Sean to talk about the music video for “Marvin Gaye & Chardonnay,” the third single from Finally Famous. Check out what the G.O.O.D. Music rapper had to say about the Hype Williams-directed visual below. http://www.mtv.com/videos/news/670507/big-sean-on-the-set-of-marvin-chardonnay.jhtml And Here's the finished product! Check out the actual video. Thanks for visiting our blog. Please feel free to give us  your feedback. Check out our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/FFACE.IT

A LADY GAGA Inspiration

A LADY GAGA Inspiration Highlights;
 MU - For Make-up, we used bright eye shadow colors!  Kryolan has a great selection of electrifying pigments for eyes. Using an angled brush, we outlined, then filled in geometric shapes and lines in contrasting hues.
 Hair- We sectioned off her bags and used a large barrel hot tool for lift and volume. We teased the middle and used a medium hold hair spray to keep it in place. We formed the bun by brush the hair back onto and around the tease area to cover the tease part and then use both bobby pins and hair pins to secure. See my video http://fface-it.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-to-style-puffy-bouffant.html
 on to get a similar effect. Keep inspiring, create your own Gaga and have fun with it!

Photographer: Hector  Rodriguez
 Hair &Make-up: Cassandra Celestin
Location: Miami, Florida

How to Style a Puffy Bouffant

When you have a head full of hair like me, you try to find different options for hair styles. I admire the way artist like Nicki Minaj let their hair down and allow the hair to create a life of its own.


 
Watch below as I do my “NICKI MINAJ” doo; Cassandra Celestin, on Tyra’s type F. com 
"How to Style a Puffy Bouffant"

Make Up For Ever Pro Road Show

Make Up For Ever hosted a Pro Road Show in Miami, Florida at the W Hotel and many of the artist's from Fancy Face attended!

Here is all the fabulous makeup!

What was great was that everything was 40% off and the HD line was 50% off!

Here is a demo done by one of the Make Up For Ever Makeup Artists.

Here is Shirley (makeup artist) with Marietta Carter-Narcisse after her workshop: The Business of Makeup.

Here is Shirley with MAC makeup artist Gigi.

Gigi with famed Fred Vellon and Michael Devellis

David Hernandez, Jennifer Cruz, Fred Vellon

David Hernandez hosting a workshop on body painting

Workshop on the Smoky Eye

The Make Up For Ever Team

Shirley with Michael DeVellis after his workshop on portfolio building.

It was a great experiencing meeting and learning from senior artists at Make Up For Ever. The best part was that these workshops were free! We got to meet other makeup artists and network. 

Basics: Tinted Moisturizera

READ IT HERE or READ IT BELOW

Moisturizer + Foundation = Tinted Moisturizer!

So there are two ways you can get your hands on a tinted moisturizer. The first is buy one, and the second is make it yourself! Not from scratch though!

Almost every makeup brand has a line of tinted moisturizers; from drugstore to high end. Every brand's tinted moisturizer is different as is everyone's skin type, so you must try try and try until you find the right one for you!

When you buy a tinted moisturizer, know this:

1. It it definitely LIGHT coverage.

This can be a good thing if you like that, or have decent skin and don't need to cover up red pimples or scars.

This can be a bad thing if you need full coverage to cover up scars, etc. Although a way around this is to use a Tinted Moisturizer and use a high pigmented/concentrated concealer over only the spots that need the coverage and make sure the concealer matches your skin tone.

2. They most likely have SPF.

This is a great plus because we all need protection from the sun, so this is great for a day by the pool or beach.

The down side is that if you are going out for a night with friends and taking lots of photos, you will have a white over cast/glow in your photos because the flash reflects off the SPF, so you might want to stick to regular foundation for going out at night or events where you will be taking lots of photos.

Also, some Tinted Moisturizers smell exactly like sunscreen, which is a downer. For that I might as well use Banana Boats Sunscreen!

3. It will most likely leave you with shine or oil.

This is fine for dry skin who need the extra moisture, but bad for people with oily skin. For oily skin types, set it with a powder and use blotting pads throughout the day; that's the only way around it. If you don't do this, I promise you that you will be shiny. If you're out at the park all day, then it doesn't really matter does it?

Now for making your own Tinted Moisturizer!

This is great for oily skin types because you can use your daily oil free moisturizer with your regular non SPF foundation.

I pump a quarter size of my foundation on the back of my hand, pump the same amount or less ( depending on the coverage I want that day ), take my foundation brush and mix the two together and now I have a tinted moisturizer with no SPF and oil free! I also take it down to my neck.

Personal reflection:

I own two Tinted Moisturizers. One is from Cover Girl (drugstore) and the other from Laura Mercier (high end). The only difference I see from drugstore and high end is NOT quality, it's simply that drugstore brands have a smaller range of colors for different skin tones.

I prefer my Cover Girl Tinted Moisturizer over my Laura Mercier for many reasons.

1. The price is much less than high end brands.

2. It is creamy and easy to blend.

3. It does not move after I put it on, even if I sweat.

Why I don't care for my high end Tinted Moisturizer:

1. It doesn't blend as easily and sometimes get blotchy when trying to blend.

2. Even if I don't sweat, if I touch my face anywhere, Tinted Moisturizer comes off on my fingers.

Some people swear by Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer which is why I want to make it clear that this is just my personal opinion and that because everyone has different skin types, it might not do to others what it does to me.

I hope this was helpful! Have a great day!

-Makeup Artist Jessica Rivera

Review: Nurturing Force blot out offensive shine

I have had this little guy in my kit for a year now, so I definitely have my opinions about it. My overall opinion in 3 short words: ONE MINUTE MAN   hahahaha!

Let me explain. I first heard about this primer from Enkore on YouTube. He gave a description of what it did in the video and it looked amazing. It takes away shine and fills in pores. And what I loved what that it can be used as a primer for airbrush makeup as well. Here is what the product claims:

This is not a gel formulated mattifier, but a cream that dries down fast with a smooth tack to the skin. It bonds immediately and invisibly with all skin types. It provides a no slip surface that enables makeup to bond to skin completely without causing any sliding, cracking, or bubbling that can happen with other anti-shine liquids or gels.

There is much more but you get the point. So here is what the product looks and feels like. It comes in a tub and is a white cream. When I say white, I mean clown white lol. This didn't bother me as long as I could blend it to a clear finish. Swiping product off with your fingers feels slippery and soft, but if you want to grab a whole chunk it's quite hard to push through.

How does it perform? Well, after trying this on myself and clients for a year, whether applying it with a sponge, fingers, or brush, it is very hard to blend and dries extremely fast! When using a sponge, it does not seem to blend the product all that well and white streaks are left behind, same with a brush. Using your fingers is your best option but even then, you have to work lightning fast because it dries quickly and becomes hard to blend out the white streaks. Many times I have used this product and just left the white streaks on a clients face and going over it with foundation covers it up no problem, but I still don't like the white streaks!

As far as oil control, this baby takes away oil as soon as you rub it into your oily skin.... BUT..... this is not a recipe for "long lasting" oil control. I was always confused by the fact that it instantly takes oil away so quickly, but does not stand the test of time. You get oily soon after so that is why I reviewed it as the one minute man, only works for so little a time.

So I went on Cosmetic Cop's website to look up the ingredients and here is what I found. 

Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Gel (Aloe Vera Gel): There is no real evidence that aloe vera helps the skin in any significant way. There is research indicating that isolated components of aloe vera, such as glycoprotein, can have some effectiveness for wound healing and as an anti-irritant. However, when mixed into a cosmetic product, it is doubtful those qualities remain, although it may still play a role in binding moisture to skin.

Water (Aqua) The most widely used cosmetic ingredient; water is almost always listed first on an ingredient label because it is usually the ingredient with the highest concentration. Yet, despite claims of the skin’s need for hydration and the claims regarding special types of water used, it turns out that water may not be an important ingredient for skin. Only a 10% concentration of water in the outer layer of skin is necessary for softness and pliability in this part of the epidermis .

Stearic Acid: Fatty acid used as an emollient and as an agent to help keep other ingredients intact in a formulation. See fatty acid, thickening agent

Sorbitan Mono Stearate (Sorbitan Stearate): Used to thicken and stabilize cosmetic formulations.

Sorbitan (Sorbitan Laurate): No definition

Polyoxethylene: It is the basis of many skin creams. The polymer is used as a lubricating coating for various surfaces in aqueous and non-aqueous environments.

Isopropyl Palmitate: Used in cosmetics as a thickening agent and emollient. As is true for any emollient or thickening agents, it can potentially clog pores, depending on the amount in the product and your skin’s response.

Titanium Dioxide: Inert earth mineral used as a thickening, whitening, lubricating, and sunscreen ingredient in cosmetics. It protects skin from UVA and UVB radiation and is considered to have no risk of skin irritation 
Phenoxyethanol: Common cosmetic preservative that is considered one of the less irritating ones to use in formulations. It does not release formaldehyde. 

Benzyl PCA: a preservative

Butylene Glycol: Commonly used slip agent that has multiple functions in cosmetics, depending on the formula. Similar to propylene glycol but with a lighter texture. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review board has evaluated several toxicology tests and other research concerning butylene glycol and has determined it is safe as used in cosmetics products

Okay so those are the ingridients and from what I see, none of them are oil absorbing. Usually when a product is good at controlling oil, it will have magnesium as an ingredient listed, but most of these ingredients are fillers, preservative, and thickening agents. 

WILL I REPURCHASE AGAIN, NO!

HOW TO SURVIVE AS A FREELANCE ARTIST IN THE BEAUTY & FASHION INDUSTRY

Today's blog is aimed at helping artistic beauty freelancers get the most out of the industry, which will help to put their name on the beauty map.

Getting the most out of your business

• Know your craft - Study the time line of your craft; learn how it has evolved. Educate yourself on the current trends in hair, makeup as well as in fashion. Be able to educate your clients, by doing so you'll gain their trust- which leads to a more relaxed client and continued work, because they now know that you are not only skilled at what you do but you are also very knowledgeable on the craft.

• Keep it Real - Be yourself!! Don't pretend to be someone you think the client wants you to be, instead just be yourself. By doing so they'll be able to really connect with you, thus breaking down all the barriers. Allow your personality to shine through.

• Time is Money- As you may know in the fashion & entertainment industry TIME IS MONEY, so it's necessary that you are AWAYS on time. Just think of it this way- if you arrive in time for the "call time" then you're LATE! Always arrive at least 15-30 mins. before your "call time". You arriving early gives you the upper hand. This may allow you the privilege of knowing any last minute changes and enough time to set up your work space, check for adequate lighting and review the plan for each client.

• Meet & Greet - If you are hired as a makeup artist or hair stylist on the set of a production, you should get acquainted with as many people of relevance, such as the director, the AP, the producer, the client, the client's manager and/ assistant, and ofcourse the casting director. Leave your stamp! Be PRESENT, POLITE & PROFESSIONAL, however try not to be over zealous and annoying. At the end or in your down time try to exchange contact #'s and store it immediately in your phone with a tag line, for example (ANN WHITE - casting director 4 bacardi).

• Take  Breaks Not Vacations - Yes productions are usually long days sometimes 16hrs and it takes a toll on your body and you may feel like you need a break; it's ok to rest for a while but no more than 15 mins. at any given time unless there's a slow period. Be smart about it! Rest during major set changes or during location change (if there is one). Just ensure that you've done all that is required and then some before taking any breaks. Note: if you are aware that it's a major production which will run for an extended period then be smart and hire an assistant, this will take alot of pressure off you. It is also a good idea for your assistant to remain on set at all times to do the necessary touch ups. This will reflect positively on you because this will lessen the chances of the director having to radio you frequently to be on set. REMEMBER TO BE PRESENT!! This will determine if you'll get booked again.

• Seal It In Ink- As a freelancer every job is critical and is of utmost importance, as it is the only way you can stay a float with your personal expenses. How many of us have had a client call and arrange a date for an up coming gig, and you both review the details down to the location and arrival time; only to be informed at the last minute that there has been a drastic decrease in the # of clients you were expecting or that has been cancelled all together. This sucks!! Don't allow this to happen to you, create a contract for each job. If it's bridal, be sure to collect 50% of the cost upon signing and the balance on or before the day of the event.

These are a few tips I wanted to share with you, I hope it helps you on your road to success; we can never know too much.