New Discoveries on the Path

So, it's been a while since I've added a blog post... I've found myself immersed in creating tutorials and also in learning from others' tutorials. I can't say enough good things about the generosity of makeup gurus on youtube. They genuinely have a desire to share and teach what they know, and there is truly a wealth of information that I am only beginning to tap into! So it's not really a surprise that I've found myself less inclined to write and more inclined to practice, practice, and more practice!

I will post new tutorials on my tutorial page, and I want to share and update information pertinent to other Asian women with small eyes/creases who wish to create beautiful complex looks given the smaller canvas that we have to work upon.

I no longer find myself relying as much on the Sephora small eyeshadow brushes. Though they do work to pack on color in smaller areas, I have discovered the Loewe Cornell brushes, which are less dense and are a paddle shape. The 3/8" Maxine's Mop (Loewe Cornell) is often suggested as an alternative to the MAC 239 brush. After watching numerous tutorials, I have noticed that most professional makeup artists tend to have an arsenal of MAC brushes and makeup as their standard go-to products. While a number of other gurus do use other brands, MAC does seem to be the standard for makeup artists all over the world. I won't get into the makeup at this point, as I haven't the funds to invest in the makeup products, but I have been much more intent in researching brushes, as I believe that the proper tools can make a huge difference in how easy or difficult it is to create a look. Without exception, the MAC 239 is touted as one of the best and most versatile brushes. When asked, many gurus and professionals will say that the MAC 239 and 217 are the best brushes to invest in - for beginners and beyond.

Although the Sigma SS239 was originally meant to be a dupe for the MAC 239, Sigma brushes are increasingly making an effort to separate themselves from MAC. Their SS239 may have been simiar to the MAC brush at one time, but is now a much denser brush. Though I initially believed that denser brushes were better for packing on color, I now believe that the thinner paddle shaped brushes allow for more control and versatility in use. Not only can the MAC 239 be used for packing on color, the sides can be used to gently move and manipulate color to blend smaller areas. The larger blending brushes (from the 217, 222, and 224) can't blend the very small areas in which one color morphs into another color. Also, on the smaller Asian eye, almost all color shifts require smaller tools to blend the colors, as a large blending brush will create a muddy effect - not pretty at all.

So rather than spend the 24.50 on a MAC 239, I opted instead to try the Loewe Cornell brushes in 1/4" and 3/8", which are only a few dollar each, but reputed to be just as good as the 239 by many gurus. Since the brushes are priced so reasonably, I was also able to purchase several of them, rather than just one or two. The local Michael's crafts store doesn't carry the 3/8", so I am waiting for an online order to arrive. However, in the meantime, the 1/4" has been a godsend, giving me the ability to both pack on color in very small areas as well as blend and manipulate the colors.

Also, the MAC 219, or Sigma SS219 (although Sigma is now changing their entire numbering system, and I don't know what the exact numbers are right now), or the pencil brush, is an excellent tool for the Asian eye. It does what the MAC 222 and 224 are supposed to do, in my opinion. It can be used with a neutral color to blend out colors in the crease, or alone for the same purpose. It can also be used to add a crease color when creating a cut crease look. For more precise definition of the cut crease, I still prefer the Sephora smokey eye brush, as it has a finer tip and smaller body. But the pencil brush is good for a lot of other purposes as well, such as creating a thicker line underneath the eye or for packing color onto the lid.

The other major shift in products lately has been in the use of eyelash curlers. I still prefer the Shiseido lash curler for the first curl - to get all the lashes in that first curl up nearest to the lash line. Because it's flatter and wider, it gets most of the lashes curled, whereas the Shu Uemura curler is more rounded and can miss the lashes on the ends of the eye,. However, to curl the lashes themselves, I have found that the Shu Uemura curler is better to create a nice curl as we Asians have to curl multiple times to create a graduated curl... otherwise our lashes would just stick straight up if we only curled once, as many caucasians do. This was actually good news for me since I have two Shu Uemura curlers, and didn't want to waste them.

These are not the only changes in routine/functionality that have been happening for me. However, I'll detail these changes in another blog post.... there is just so much to learn! It's wonderful and sometimes daunting, but always growth-inducing, and that's really the point for me... :)

Review: E.L.F Mineral Eye Primer

I've been using this product for a few days, and can't profess to know everything about it. But I will say that I have definitely formed a pretty strong opinion in a few days' time. When I test out primers, I don't mess around. I put on an intense eye look, and I go to dance classes, martial arts classes, and even the sauna. What I discovered after a night of dancing (from about 11pm-2:30am, nonstop) is that the E.L.F. primer really does not hold a candle to my Too Faced Shadow Insurance or UDPP. Another clue that the quality is not really comparable: when I used a wet-wipe to remove my eye makeup, it came off pretty easily. When I use a wet-wipe to remove eye makeup over Shadow Insurance or UDPP, it does not want to budge. It will come off, but grudgingly, like trying to pull a child away from a candy store. And it usually leaves some streaks of color behind.

Overall, for the price, it's not a bad purchase. If you wanted to create a ratio of strength of primer to cost, I'm not really sure which product would come out on top. However, if you want to look good come rain, shine or sauna... pick the Shadow Insurance or UDPP. If you are going to have a day indoors, then the E.L.F primer is not a bad choice (unless your work really stresses you out and you find yourself sweating and/or wiping your brow a lot, lol).

Update: 8/6/2010

I have been wearing the E.L.F. primer almost every day since I got it, as I wanted to make sure that I was giving a fair review. I did wear the primer to a martial arts class that was only an hour, and it held up pretty well. I still find that it comes off a little easier (even just when wiping off makeup to change looks, for instance) than UDPP or Too Faced. But I think, like all things, the type of base used over the primer; the type of shadows/colors used; the type of liners used, etc... all those things play a role in how the look holds together as a whole. But truly, for the price (3 dollars!!) it really can't be beat, price to quality ratio-wise. And even without price as a factor, it does its job as a primer pretty well. On the whole. I'm really happy to have found E.L.F. products!