Smashbox Full Exposure Palette Review

 Smashbox Full Exposure Palette Review



From the Brand:   
What it is:
A set of universally awesome neutrals that’s essential, effortless, and enhanced for your eye shape.

What it does:
This totally versatile palette is organized with crease-resistant, long-wearing shimmers in the top row and velvety smooth mattes along the bottom. Fourteen essential neutral shades include a range of nudes, blacks, shimmers, and mattes. Use the brilliant eye shape chart, dual-ended brush, and Full Exposure Mascara to complete any look.

This set contains:
- 0.035 oz x 7 eye shadow in shimmer shades (top row): Chocolate Brown with Golden Pearl, Deep Golden Brown with Gold Pearl, Soft Gold with Gold and Silver Pearl, Light Tan with Gold and Silver Pearl, Golden Wheat with Gold Pearl, Midtone Slate with Silver Pearl, Rich Grey with Multicolor and Silver Pearl
- 0.035 oz x 7 eye shadow in matte shades (bottom row): Matte Warm Chocolate Brown, Matte Midtone Brown, Soft Matte Midtone Tan, Creamy Matte Beige, Soft Light Taupe, Ashy Dark Brown, Suede Black
- 0.14 oz Full Exposure Mascara deluxe sample
- Get-the-look eye shape chart

What else you need to know:
Smashbox has taken the guesswork out of application with a cool, new dual-ended brush. There’s a fluffy end perfect for blending matte shades and a flat end to easily lay down the shimmer shades without sparkle overload. Plus, it’s double-sided with black bristles on one side and white on the other, so you’ll never accidentally dip a light shade into a dark shade.


Retails for:  $49.00


Where to Buy:  Sephora stores and Sephora.com, Ulta stores and Ulta.com


My Thoughts:  If you’ve read my review of the Lorac PRO Palette, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of palettes that have coordinating matte and shimmer shadows.  For each shade from soft nude to deep smokey, you get a matte version and a shimmer version in their amazingly pigmented eyeshadow formula.  I love this palette so much it’s joining my Lorac one in my professional kit.  (I’ll be popping off the heavy mirror though to cut down on weight.)  Not only do you get both matte and shimmer of each shade, the left half of the palette is more warm yellow based browns, and the right half is more cool grey based browns and a black, so no matter how you like to do your nude makeup, there’s a perfect shade for your style.

The formula of these shadows is super soft with very little fallout.  However, on first application with it I did find that the mattes are a bit dry looking on the skin and can get a little muddy when blended together.  I’d recommend using at least one of the shimmery shades with the mattes so that you aren’t looking very dated in your look.  In my video review, I’ll show you the shades I used to create the look I’m wearing.

The staying power is fantastic.  Over a primer, you’ll easily get 15 hours or more.  It also comes with a travel size Full Exposure mascara to complete the look.  I love to use the deep matte black shadow pressed over a black pencil liner to give it ultimate staying power and to soften it up a bit for a sexy look.

The highlight of this set is that it comes with a great dual ended shadow brush to give you a variety of looks.  This little baby is staying with me though!  I’ll have to slip a brush guard over one end to store it in my brush cup on the bathroom counter, but it’ll be a huge travel friendly space-saver come Christmas time when we go home to Florida for the holidays.


Final Verdict:  Great palette at a great price.  Very versatile, and cuts down on products when you travel!

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products. All the opinions expressed in this article are my own. These items were purchased with my own money. For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

Product Review- Too Faced Pretty Rebel Palette

Which shade is YOUR favorite?!

Too Faced Pretty Rebel Palette Review


From the Brand: 

What It Is:

Even pretty girls break the rules. Be as rebel as you want to be with 10 powerful after-hours approved (and all new) shadows in the deepest jewel tones, the most bad ass metallics and one scene-stealing pink.

More To Love:

The Pretty Rebel Eye Shadow Palette comes in an extraordinary range of 10 new shades in stunning, high pigment formulations for rich color payoff. Pretty Rebel comes with our signature how-to Glamour Guide with three beauty looks to get you started.

New Shades:

• Girly
• Charming
• Dainty
• Gangsta
• Instigator
• Jailbird
• Totally Fetch
• Ringleader
• Miss Sparkles
• Badass

*Limited quantities available 

Retails for:  $46.00


Where to Buy: TooFaced.com


My Thoughts:  Every time I see a new Too Faced Eyeshadow palette, I need to buy it.  As in, quivering aching need like nobody's business.  I'm addicted like a meth fiend or even just a Breaking Bad fan.  Their eyeshadows are super super pigmented and very velvety soft.  They have an almost creamy feel to them when they are the satiny finish shades like the ones in this palette.  In previous eyeshadow palettes their matte shadows aren't quite so creamy, and their sparkly ones can have some issues with fallout if you don't pack the color on in thin layers over their Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer, but the colors in this particular palette don't have those minor "issues".  (Which is a much better issue than being a meth addict I might add... just sayin'.)

I've uploaded a video to my YouTube Channel showcasing just how gorgeous these eyeshadows are, so you should check that out, too!  I swatch each individual color for you to see, and you can see exactly how pigmented these are with just a light swipe with my finger! I also talk about two other sets I purchased from Too Faced that I'll be reviewing in tomorrow's blog.

My favorite eyeshadow color out of this is definitely Girly.  I'd think that this one would be the hot pink eyeshadow shade, but then again I just associate everything girly with the color pink.  (That one's called Totally Fetch btw.)  It reminds me of the stunning MAC pigment Blue Brown, a chocolate color with duochrome that's completely transforming.  The silver {Jailbird} and gold {Instigator} are so intense, they would be amazing eyeshadows for a really metallic look.   Badass, a slightly purple toned denim blue is so perfect for fall.



Final Verdict:  I'll be wearing these all fall long and well into winter.  There are so many looks that can be created with these colors from very natural to super intense, the Pretty Rebel Palette is a major MUST HAVE for your makeup bag!

Ready to add the Too Faced Pretty Rebel Palette to your bag?  Click here to get shopping!  Don't forget, you get FREE samples when you order from them online, and FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50! Get amazing DISCOUNTS and FREE GIFTS from Too Faced Cosmetics! 

 

**Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links.  As with all my articles, the opinions expressed herein are fully my own.  For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

Summer Makeup Must Haves!

With summer comes heat and humidity and a whole lotta sunshine in most areas of the United States where I live.  This means that the products that worked for you in the drier, colder, or gloomier months of winter (and sometimes into spring!) may not be so appropriate now that the weather has changed.  Skin goes through cycles depending on the level of moisture in the air, and so as we switch our skin care to adjust, so should we switch our makeup products as well.  Here are my top picks for summer-worthy makeup for every budget!

Waterproof eyes are a must for hot humid days or trips to the beach and waterparks!

Eyes:
When your skin just doesn't want a heavy layer of foundation, but you still want to look "made up", it's easy to play up your eyes for a more glamorous look.  But when you're sweaty or oily, your eye makeup needs to be able to stay in place all day without creasing up or running down your cheeks.  I think the best all around waterproof mascara is Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Mascara.  It's worth every penny, and it's what I reach for every day in the summer.  It's lengthening, defining, volumizing, and adds curl.  It's a wonder mascara, and it doesn't budge, even after a dip in the pool!  Liquid liners are my personal favorite, and the waterproof one that doesn't run even in heat is the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner.  Sephora makes a very affordable pencil version, the Flashy Liner Waterproof.  I paid full price in the store about a month ago, but it's on clearance now online for only $3.00.  I love the color Flashy Blue, a bright blue turquoise color I think is perfect for summer.  For shadows, I love the L'Oreal Infallible shadows (following with the turquoise theme, my favorite summer color is Endless Sea, but Bronzed Taupe is a perfect soft smokey brown that is perfect all on its own) and the Maybelline Color Tattoo (in Tenacious Teal of course!).  For brows that won't go anywhere, I highly recommend the Tarte Waterproof Brow Mousse (click for review).  My favorite part is that it comes with a dual ended brush/spoolie!  MAC pigment in Tan is a super versatile product that easily makes it look like you've spent way more time on your eyes due to it's prismatic color reflection, which naturally looks darker in the crease even without a darker color on top.

Purge your skin of breakout-causing bacteria and oil with purifying skin masks to deep clean your pores!

Cheeks and Lips:
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hr Blush (click for review, video) is probably my all time favorite blush product to date, with it's wide range of bright shades perfect for adding a pop of color to cheeks in the summer.  I've yet to find a blush that lasts as long, and the clay is supposed to help control oil- a bonus for oily summer days.  The Smashbox Bronze Lights Matte Bronzer is the perfect way to add some natural sun kissed color to your cheeks, and the Suntan shade is perfectly neutral with no hint of orange.  Lips I like to either stay with a hydrating sheer color like the NYX lip butters, a natural hue hydrating lipstick like the Milani Statement Lipstick (my favorite is Dulce Caramelo), or go with a bright bold statement lip with very simple eyes like Tesorio from the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick formula.  It's a bright coral-ish red that's very summery and wears all day long with no touch ups! (click for formula review, video)

If I had to pick only four products, these would be them!  Waterproof mascara, long-wearing blush in a bright shade, matte bronzer for a sunkissed look, and a hydrating sheer lipcolor.  Plus sunglasses, of course!

My multi-tasking favorites: Stila Convertible Color and Kitten shadow stick.

Waterproof shimmer for your eyes, cheeks, and cupid's bow?  Yes, please!

If you're looking for just a few products to work into your summer routine that will double-duty, you should check out the Stila Convertible Colors.  (Got a review for these, too!)  These little babies are perfect for adding a dewey flush to cheeks or soft color to your lips, and they aren't greasy at all.  My favorite color is Lillium, a soft peachy pink color that's great for any skin tone.  You can also use the Stila Smudge Crayon Waterproof Eye Color in Kitten for all over highlights that won't wear away or even all over the lid for a beautiful budge-proof wash of shimmering color to brighten your eyes.

Last but not least, I love a solid perfume stick for warm summer days.  Alcohol based liquid perfumes can evaporate more quickly, but the oils in a stick last for hours even when you sweat.  My new favorite came in my May Glossybox, and it's by Nicka K New York.  Free Spirit 100 is a warm sweet scent that makes me think of sitting in the sand, and it's tiny size makes it perfect for tossing in my purse without added weight or worrying about broken glass.

Plus, don't forget one of the most important beauty products to keep with you at all times during the summer- a pair of sunglasses!  The skin around your eyes is the thinnest on your face, and damaging sun rays penetrate to cause pre-mature aging.  Plus, squinting in the glare of the sun will cause wrinkles just as quickly.  Even more importantly, especially those with fair eyes, you can get "sunburn" in the back of your retina through your pupils that can cause eye cancer later in life!  My husband had skin cancer removed a few years ago, and they warned him to be sure to get his eyes checked every year and to pay for the retinal photo to make sure he hasn't developed skin cancer inside his eye.  A very scarey thought!

Be safe, be beautiful all summer long with these summer makeup must-haves!  Now step away from the computer and enjoy the weather!

Makeup Tutorial- Jessica Alba Kid's Choice Awards Look

Before I moved I filmed about 10 videos I'd planned on uploading once a week or so while we waited for the new house to be finished being built. (Seems like my whole life is revolving around this house right now!  I can't wait for it to be finished so I can get my studio all set back up again finally.  I feel like my life is incredibly boring without meeting with clients every day lately.)  But then we moved, and I couldn't find the cords for my computer.  All the videos were on the hard drive, and now that I've finally gotten it all back together I can pull those files off an upload them!  Yay!

Here is the first of my celebrity tutorials- Jessica Alba from the Kid's Choice Awards.  It's a gorgeous glowing look (I mean seriously, is she ever not glowing and gorgeous?) with soft rosy cheeks and beautiful deep teal eyeliner.  I added a bit of sparkle with a line of glitter eyeliner over the top, just for a pop of fun.  I really hope you enjoy it!  Teal liner is really really in for summer, and although this is a bit more on the emerald end, you can definitely switch it up with a more blue shade.

What trend will YOU be rocking this summer for a hot date?

Products Used or Shown:

Elf Blushed and Bronzed

Clinique Blush in New Clover

Stila Waterproof Liners in Peacock and Starfish

Stila All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer

NYX Glitter Liner in  #110 Crystal Jade

MAC Eyeshadows in Orb, Gesso, and Kid

Bite Beauty Lipstick in Musk

Victoria Secret Lipgloss in Mocktail Hour

L’Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation in W 1-2

You can view my other videos here:

HOW TO APPLY FOUNDATION WITH A BEAUTY BLENDER STYLE SPONGE- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOS4HMvHzWI

HOW TO POWDER UNDER YOUR EYES- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXUVN7duRbo

HOW TO APPLY POWDER TO SET YOUR FOUNDATION- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDatlnwGArs

HOW TO CONTOUR AND HIGHLIGHT YOUR FACE- http://youtu.be/6syRC94ex7I

HOW I FILL IN MY EYEBROWS- http://youtu.be/M7TENQirOLI

What's On My Beauty Bookshelf?

Every great makeup artist has to start somewhere.  Whether we are formally educated in a school or learn on our own, we need some kind of reference manual or guide to show us techniques and products and anatomy.  For some it is videos on YouTube.  For others it's articles in a magazine.  For me it was books.  Glorious books.  Maybe that just dates me as being in the over 25 group, but I've always had a love affair with books.  Something tangible I could hold in my hand, turn the pages, and lounge with by the pool on a lazy summer day.

My very first book was by Kevyn Aucoin.  Making Faces.  It was the epitome of makeup tutorial books, and I spent hours in my bedroom as a teenager emulating his techniques for applying makeup to transform the face. My face.  It was the foundation for my views on beauty and makeup, and I find myself longing for that copy I had so long ago.  Perhaps some day I will purchase a new copy, but for now its teachings remain safely nestled in my brain.  At least I still have my copy of Face Forward!

Here are some of the books I have on my beauty bookshelf right now that I love to pull as reference when I am working with a client.  Or even just for days when I want to brush up on their pearls of wisdom.  Either way, {some} have provided me with a fountain of knowledge over the years {while others I've recently picked up and put back down again}, and I hope that you can find some inspiration to transform your beauty routine as well!

Face Forward by Kevyn Aucoin
By the beauty master himself who inspired me to become a professional makeup artist, this book shows you not only amazing step by step instructions for full face makeovers, but insight into his life and relationships with some of today's hottest stars in Hollywood.  I am still amazed at the transformations he creates in this book, and his steps are both comprehensive in explanation and easy to follow.  A MUST HAVE for anyone who loves makeup!

Make-up Masterclass by Jemma Kidd
A former model, Jemma Kidd brings her perspective to the makeup artist world with a pretty good book for every day makeup wearers that want that next step in their application techniques.  I read this pretty far into my career, so I didn't find too much new information for my own repertoire, but I highly recommend it for consumers.

About Face by Scott Barnes
You see the YouTube videos everywhere on how to look like Kim Kardashian and J. Lo.  Well, Scott Barnes is the guy who created their signature looks with his highlighting and contouring techniques he describes in his book.  This has completely revolutionized how I apply cream foundations on my clients, and I love his techniques for adding shading to the skin prior to the foundation application.  This book really pulled together for me the methods only briefly described in these "tutorials", and I love the way it's looking in my own work.  A MUST HAVE for the professional makeup artist that really wants to take their foundation application to the next level.

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: For Everyone From Beginner To Pro
I think the title is a little misleading for us professional makeup artists out there.  I think it's really geared more towards the "beginner" end of the spectrum, which is why it's one of the first books I reach for when doing one on one consultations with my clients for "homework" reading.  I adore Bobbi Brown and would love to own all of her books some day, so I'm very happy to recommend this to anyone who loves a good beauty book.  But for those out there already making a living as a freelance makeup artist, don't expect too many pearls of wisdom on the application front.  There is however a great section in the back on careers in the industry, as well as a FANTASTIC reference for top makeup brand facts!

The Makeup Artist Handbook by Gretchen Davis and Mindy Hall
Once I knew I wanted to make this my full time career, I went straight out and bought this book.  I read it from cover to cover on my breaks at the Macy's makeup counter, hunched over my cup of chicken noodle soup from Au Bon Pain, slurping up chunks of french baquette soaked in broth along with my knowledge.  I think I initially bought every recommended product in this book, which touted them as the "industry standards" before learning to experiment and develop my own sense of style and what products worked best for me.  It teaches the fundamentals and science behind so much of the industry, I think it's an invaluable tool for those who want to work on production teams and sets of any kind.  It has a wealth of wisdom for set etiquette and proper procedures which can help make or break your career.

Cosmo's Sexiest Beauty Secrets  by The Editors of Cosmopolitan
I actually just picked this up from the used book store last week on a whim and found it cute.  Definitely for the everyday makeup wearer looking to find a new trick or two, or to step outside their ho hum daily routine and spice things up a bit.  Pretty much every tip in the book has been discussed ad nauseum by Comopolitan in their articles over the years, so if you're a long time reader of their magazine like I am, don't expect any new surprises.  A good, quick, light read though!

The Power of Makeup by Trish McEvoy
Got this last week from the used book store as well.  Read about a quarter of it and had to put it away.  I found this book more of a personal history for her and her brand, as well as a creative marketing piece for her products.  Perhaps I'll pick it back up again some day and finish it, but for right now I'll reach for my other "go-to's" first.

Forget the Facelift by Doris J. Day
This book is really great for those who have skincare issues they need to resolve.  A dermatologist with a thriving (as least it sounds like it is from her book!) practice in New York, she breaks down the way the skin works and the internal and external factors that play a part in it's health and aging process.  If you want to look younger, following her tips should really show improvement for you.  I love that she focuses not so much on the procedures and products, but the holistic skin care recipes and  spiritual aspect of inner peace to limit stress and reduce the aging process.  I'm looking forward to experimenting with her recipes and sharing my experiences with you!

Raising Eyebrows by Cameron Tuttle
I got this book super cheap last year at IMATS in NYC from the Benefit booth when I made a purchase.   I got a few copies and gave them to the artists on my team.  I've always been a brow girl myself, so I didn't really learn anything I didn't know per se, but it was a fun and interesting read!  One of my makeup artists, however, says that it's totally changed how she sees brows, so I'd highly recommend it to anyone who really wants to learn the perfect techniques for gorgeous eyebrows.

Product Review- Benefit Hoola Bronzer

If there's one thing that Benefit does right (and they do a LOT of things right) it's branding for their products.  From the adorable names to the super cute packaging, they make makeup shopping fun and ultra girly.  Their Hoola bronzer is no different.  It comes in a little box with it's own brush, and even the name conjures up images of lounging on a beach- exactly what a bronzer should do!  There's even a little mirror inside the lid so you can see where you're applying.  I like that the box is cardboard, so it's relatively lightweight and "crush" resistant.

For my skin tone, it's too dark to use as an all over bronzer without looking like I was outside making mud pies with my sons, but it does work really really well as a contouring shade.  I haven't had the opportunity to use in a dark skintone to see how well it shows up, but you can find tons of video reviews on YouTube featuring women of all ethnicities.

Copyright Benefit Cosmetics. Image from the Sephora website.

It's a really nice matte finish, which I love.  Bronzers with shimmer used all over the face can come across a bit disco-ball if you're trying for "color".  So as a contour product, it's right up there with my all time favorite- Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer.  If it smelled like the tropics, I'd almost rate it a #1 in my book.


Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products.  All the opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Product Review- Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 hr Blush

 

Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush


From the company:

A long-wearing, supremely soft blush infused with Amazonian clay harvested from the banks of the Amazon River and naturally baked by the sun.

Product Performance: This 12-hour blush universally benefits all skin types for a fade-free, flawless finish in shades ranging from soft to vivid and matte to shimmer to suit a wide variety of skin tones.
Powered By: Amazonian clay minimizes oil in and around pores to balance skin and keep product in place while also hydrating the skin naturally to restore moisture, reducing the appearance of dry, flaky skin.

And now for my $.02:

Let me start off by saying, nobody from Tarte paid me or asked me to do this review.  I bought their Amazonian Clay 12 hr Blush in Blushing Bride last fall all on my own, with my own dollars.  I bought another kit from them that had a travel size of a color called Adventurous (which I will cry when I run out of b/c they don't sell it on it's own!).

Copyright Tarte Cosmetics.  This is a screenshot from their website of the Blushing Bride Color.

That disclaimer out of the way... I LOVE THIS BLUSH!  I really love the Adventurous color a lot better than the Blushing Bride color, but it's still a really great product and can be totally wearable even on my super pale skin.  When I want a more mauve/wine based color for a bit more drama, or I'm wearing cooler tones for my outfit and makeup but don't want to reach for a really Barbie-pink color, the Blushing Bride looks great.  I love how it has some soft golden shimmer to it.  However, Adventurous is way more my speed- the perfect blend of peachy pink with a non-glittery glow.

Click to shop

The 12 Hour Claim:

I find that this product goes on beautifully and really holds up to it's claim of 12 hours of wear.  It actually lasts longer than that on me, as I am often putting on my makeup in the wee hours of the morning for weddings and hitting the hay after midnight.  Can't say I'm totally stunning at that witching hour, but it's definitely better than 12 hours.  I do wear a high quality foundation (most times over a high quality makeup primer like Makeup Forever HD Primer), so I'm sure that helps with staying power vs applied over cheap foundation or just a powder.  No matter how good a product is, you have to give it something to grip to!

Copyright Makeup Forever from the Sephora website.

My favorite thing about these blushes, other than the fact that they wear so well, is that the case color matches the product color. Ingenious!  I don't know why more cosmetic manufacturers don't do this!  It's really such an amazingly simple idea, yet it makes it so nice for when I'm looking for exactly the color I want.

Watch my YouTube review video for more about why these blushes rock!  Looking to add some Tarte products to your makeup bag?  SHOP HERE and don't forget to sign up for their Pretty Perks program to earn great rewards for shopping online and FREE SHIPPING on orders of $40 or more!

How To Contour And Highlight Your Face

For this tutorial, I used powder products to contour (add shadows) and highlight (bring forward) my face.  I like using powder products, because I prefer to set my foundation after applying with a loose hydrating powder.  My favorite is Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder.  You could use a cream or liquid product to add your contour and highlight prior to your foundation for a more natural look or after the foundation for a stronger look and then add your powder over the top.

Products Needed:

*Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer- a matte dark bronzer with a delicious chocolate smell!
*Stila Eye Shadow in Kitten- careful this color is very very shimmery so use sparingly!
*Real Techniques Contour Brush
*Real Techniques Setting Brush
*Crown Brush IB106 Angle Blush Brush- from their Italian Badger line

Step 1:

* After you apply your foundation (watch how I apply it with a Beauty Blender™ style sponge here!), concealer, and powder, dip your angled blush brush into the bronzer and apply it under the cheekbone from the back of your cheek forward. Stop it just below the apples of your cheeks.  Repeat on the other side.  (Check out the video to see how I hold the brush and how to find where the perfect placement for your contour shade.)

Step 2:

* Using your angled blush brush, apply the bronzer at the temples and along your hairline to give some dimension to your forehead.  This will make the center of your forehead look brighter without having to apply a shimmery highlight in your t-zone, which could make you look oily or shiney in photos.

Copyright Too Faced Cosmetics. Image from the Sephora website.

Step 3:

* (Optional) Using the setting brush, apply bronzer in a narrow line down the sides of the nose to make it appear thinner.  Be sure not to take it all the way to the tip of your nose, or it could look dirty.  Blend it out very well so it's just the hint of a shadow and not a dark obvious line.

Step 4:

* Swipe the contour brush over Kitten and tap the excess.  Apply the highlight over the top of your cheekbones from just before the temples to just over the center of the apples of your cheeks.  Do this for both of your cheekbones to highlight.

Step 5:

* Without adding any more product to the brush, swipe the brush in a "C" shape over the outer edge of your eyes to bring a touch of radiance to your eyes and really bring out this area of your face.

Step 6: 

* Use your setting brush to get a very tiny bit of Kitten on the tip of the brush and swipe it down the center of your nose and over the bow of your lip.  Make sure to blend away any edges with your fingertip so there is no obvious makeup here.  You just want it to catch the light a bit and add a glow, not a frosted stripe.

Step 7:

*  If you need to tone down any of your contouring or hightlighting, use your buffing brush to soften the edge with a bit of your face powder.

Step 8:

* Don't forget to add some color to your cheeks!  Even if you don't want a real "pink" or "peach" color to your face, you should use a blush to blend the area between the highlight and the cheekbone together.  You can always try a very nude color with a hint of brown to it for a very "no makeup" look, but honestly I prefer something with a touch of pink.  Nobody's face is completely devoid of natural flush, so eliminating it has the tendency to make it look very unnatural.

How to Powder Under the Eyes and Around the Nose

Keeping your concealer from creasing under your eyes can be a major headache for some people.  Not only do you need to find a product that doesn't move and still gives you the right amount of coverage, you can't go and ruin that by applying your powder incorrectly.  Even if you don't have the perfect product, knowing how to powder it can at least give you better staying power until you do find that perfect product for you.

Personally, I love the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer.

Then, I set my concealer with loose powder. Smashbox's Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder is great because it works to hydrate the skin throughout the day, so it won't dry out your under eye and make it look more creased.  You can purchase both of these products at Ulta.  If you don't have an Ulta near you, the Maybelline products are available at any drugstore, and Smashbox is available both online and at Sephora.

Step by Step:

1. After you apply your concealer to your undereye area- Take a two-ply tissue and peel it apart so that you are left with an even thinner piece of tissue, and then wrap it around your ring finger.  Use that finger to gently pat away any excess pigment and oils from the products.  Once the concealer has been warmed up by your body, the concealer can move, so this takes away an extra that can settle into the fine lines and look cakey.
2. Dip your small fluffy brush into your loose powder and shake the excess off.
3. Lightly run the brush under the eye area to add some of the powder to the concealer and set it into place.
4. Lightly run the brush around the sides of the nostrils, upper lip, and your bottom lip to set any concealer you may have placed there.  The small brush will also allow you to target these smaller creases a larger traditional powder brush would miss.

Check out the video I filmed for my YouTube channel here!

Products used in this video were:

*Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder in Fair
*Real Techniques Setting Brush

How To Apply Foundation With A Beauty Blender Style Sponge

I never used to use sponges for anything other than applying moisturizer to clients before putting their foundation on.  I certainly never used them on myself, and I always saw them as a disposable product necessary only for sanitation needs in a professional environment.  Having worked for makeup counters for so long, I was a firm believer in applying foundation with a foundation brush and a foundation brush only.  Even after I discovered the world of airbrush makeup, I still put my own foundation on the traditional way day in and day out.

Then I discovered the "beauty blender style sponge".  The original is called the

Beauty Blender™.  It came out a few years ago, but I never paid much attention to it.  I got one as a gift from someone once and didn't even take it out of the package.  Through some industry friends, I found out about a generic version online from Qosmedix.com, and I decided to buy a few (since they are only about $2 a piece there) for friends and stick them in with the makeup gift baskets I'd made for them that Christmas.  I had an extra one laying around for myself, and this past October I tried it out for the first time.  I wasn't impressed.  But little did I know, I was using it incorrectly!  The most important thing to remember is to use it wet, and use it to dab the makeup on the surface of the skin!  It made all the difference in the world.  Now I don't use anything else to apply my foundation, and it's changed the way my makeup wears on my skin for the better.

Here's how I compare the "original" to the "generic" version:

* The generic version has an indent in the center of the egg shape which makes it perfect for blending and softening out the edge of your makeup around the jawline and smoothing down the sides of the nose.

* The generic version is available in either pink (perfect for girly girls) or black (which doesn't exactly hide the dirtiness the way you'd think).  Either color will have some staining that even the amazing original Beauty Blender™ sponge cleaner can't remove.  Once the sponge starts to break down and not work well, it's time to toss it, but with regular cleaning, you can reuse it over and over and over!

* The generic version is sooooo much cheaper!

Copyright Qosmedix.com Oblong Blending Sponge, Pink

Now for the Step by Step to applying your foundation with the sponge:

1. Wet your sponge thoroughly with water, then squeeze out as much as you can.  The sponge will swell to twice it's size and give you ample surface area to apply your foundation with.
2. Apply your moisturizer and primer to the skin and allow it to sink in.  In my YouTube tutorial, I used Ren Ultra Moisture Day Cream and Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Primer.
3. Apply some foundation to the back of your hand and dip the flat "butt" of the sponge into the foundation.  I used Benefit's "Hello Flawless!" Oxygen Wow Liquid Foundation in Ivory.
4. Start in the center of your face to the side of your nose and start patting the foundation onto the surface of the skin.  Work your way to the outside of your face, applying the foundation in areas where you need the most coverage.
5. Use the pointed end to smooth out any edges under your eyes and around the nostrils and the indented side to smooth out the edge around your jawline and down the sides of your nose.

And there you have it!  Beautiful, natural looking foundation!  Be sure to watch my Tutorial on how to use the sponge as well as the other videos in my "Basic Face Series" on YouTube which covers getting the perfect canvas for your makeup application.  Don't forget to like the videos and subscribe to my channel to see more great tutorials and product reviews!