Team Natural Hair

So I've been on my natural hair journey for exactly one year today. I must say, this has been a rollercoaster ride. I've definitely had my fair share of ups and downs, but I'm very happy with the results I have thus far. My main reason for going natural was the damaging effects to my hair after relaxing. I had so much breakage it was unreal. In my younger years my hair was always beautiful. It did whatever I wanted it to do, but once I got pregnant with my daughter my hair changed. It grew very long, but it was very thin and brittle. I relaxed it a few months after having my daughter and things seemed to be alright then all of a sudden it began to shed alot. It went from shedding to long strands of hair falling out. I had long hair with spots of very short hair throughout. I tried every hair strenthener and anti-breakage product out to try to get my hair back to it's normal condition to no avail.

I made the decision to go natural about two years ago. I went out and bought new hair products and a new flat iron. Whatever I thought I might need for this transition I had it. The one thing I failed to do was research...research...research. I went about nine months before I relapsed back to the "creamy crack". I start in the beginning of the year, things were going good.

A year ago today, I decided to try it again. I did alot of research...reading blogs, magazines, speaking with hair stylist, looking at different products, watching youtube videos whatever it took to educate myself. I didn't do the BC. I could never muster up enough nerve, but I did trim at least one inch off of my relaxed hair monthly. I developed a regimen and I stuck with it. I suffer from very dry scalp, so alot of the products I use have emphasis on moisture. Right now the products I use are as follows:

**L'Oreal Sulfate Free Ever Strong Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner-It gently cleanses and leave my hair without over drying.
**T-Gel Shampoo-To help reduce flakes and buildup, also help with itching.
**Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Smoothie-Used as a deep conditioner to help detangle hair and  moisturize
**Sulfur 8 Fresh Hair and Scalp Conditioner-helps strengthen hair and also helps reduce dry scalp.
**Garnier Fructis Frizz Ease- Helps ease the frizz due to humidity.
**Carol's Daughter Hair Milk-Used as a daily moisturizer/ hair conditioner. I normally apply before going to bed.

The products listed are good, but I'm looking for a new shampoo and conditioner more geared towards natural hair. I recently purchased shampoo and conditioner from a line called Shea Moisture. I've read alot of good reviews and I'm anxious to try it out and see what all the fuss is about. For more information check out their website ------> Shea Moisture!!

BEAT THE HEAT!!

Beating the heat and humidity can be tough espeically when it comes to ensuring your makeup lasts throughout the day. Here are a few tips to help maintain your "Pretty Face" during the summer months:

1. Cleanse your face daily using a mild facial cleanser. It is important to exfoliate at least once a week to remove dry, dull skin. I personally use St. Ives Apricot Scrub, I'm in love with it.  For people with normal to oily skin I recommend you use a pore refiner or reducer to help reduce excess oils in the t-zone area. The pore refiner/reducer can be found at your local drug store for under $10. The pore refiner/reducer helps give you a more smooth, refined complexion. For people with dry skin, I recommend cleansing with Aveeno's Moisturizer Bar, which can be found at your local drug store for under $5. For all skin types moisturizing is very important, it helps proctect your face from the harsh elements. For the summer, I use a light weight moisturizer with SPF 15 to help protect my face from the elements as well as to prevent sunburn.

2. Wearing heavy makeup in the heat and humidity can be very uncomfortable. I would avoid wearing cream and liquid foundations because the outdoor heat and high body temperatures can cause your makeup to melt. If you prefer wearing cream and liquid foundations, I would apply it very lightly. Another option is to wear a pressed powder. This provides a more lightweight feel with medium coverage. Also, try using a pencil concealer instead of the regular cream or stick. This might not provide you with as much coverage as a liquid or cream, but it will ensure that your makeup lasts throughout the day. I always finish up my look with Fix Plus aka Fix + by MAC.

**A FRIENDLY SKINCARE TIP** Bacteria and heat go hand in hand...try to avoid touching your face with your hands because your hands harbor soooo much bacteria. Also, keep your cell phone screen and surface clean. I'm constantly wiping my screen because after I use my phone it has makeup residue and natural oils from my face. Keeping your face clean can help prevent problem breakouts.

***DISCLAIMER*** I am not affliated nor am I being compensated by any company, product or brand mentioned in this blog. This is my personal opinion, facts I have gathered from my knowledge and research as a makeup artist. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at myprettyfacemua@gmail.com***

How much PRIDE do you have?

I recently purchased the Pride palette by Wet N Wild. I love this brand for several different reasons. First reason being my first makeup purchase was a Wet N Wild lipstick and that was about 15 years ago. Secondly, WNW products have great quality.

So, I purchased the Pride palette because the shades really caught my eye. I immediately went home to true it out and see what look I could come up with using just the colors in this particular palette. Here is a picture of the finished product...

Now, let me give you the step by step application process that I used (FYI...I used a small shadow brush and a blending brush for this look)

1. I primed my lid...you can use the primer of your choice. I chose a matte primer/base in white.
2. I took WNW Deep Blue Color Icon eye liner and cut my crease on my brow bone (from the outside corner of my eye to the inner eye crease to just before the inner corner). With a blending brush, I blend my crease line out and up.
3. With a small shadow brush I took the matte white (very top left of palette) and  start at the inner corner going about 1/3 of the way across my lid.
4. With the same small shadow brush I took the matte white blended (a little of both colors on the brush) with the matte green (right below the white) and applied that to the remainder of my lid. 
5. With a blending brush I make sure the white and green matte colors are blended well. Apply the matte green to your shadow brush and apply that to the outer corner of the lid, blending inward towards the middle.
6.  With your shadow brush apply a generous amount of matte blue (below the green in palette) to the cut crease to darken it up. Starting from the outer corner blending inward and upward to the point where you stopped your cut crease line. Use as little or as much as you want dependent upon the look you want to achieve. I took mine up rather far...I left just enough room for highlighting.
7. After you've blended the colors using your blending brush in an upward motion (to make sure the blue does not mess up the white and green) add a little of the highly pigmented white (top right of palette) to the inner corner tear duct area of the eye (not in the eye though).
8. I added the pigmented blue (very bottom right of palette) to the corner of my crease just to add a little shimmer.
9. I lined my eyes using WNW Mega Eyes Creme Liner in black...feel free to add a wing to your liner just for the extra dramatic effect. I also used the Deep Blue to line my bottom water line.
10. To seal the look add a pair of your favorite lashes!!!

I hope these were simple step by step instructions...thank you for visiting. Please follow me!! Smooches!!!

Peacocky...MAC Cosmetics Spring Collection

Hello Beauties...

The Peacocky collection is here!!! It is definitely a must have for myself...it's very dramatic and edgy. The colors are so vibrant and bold. This collection includes Mega Metal Shadows which come in 15 different shades and Kissable Lipcolours which come in 12 shades. I haven't decided which  eyeshadow shades I'm going to purchase but I will say that I do have my eye on Top of the Posh, Mating Call, Odalisque and Spectacle of Yourself. These shadows are very creaming and are great for blending and an added extra are the crease resistance (def. a plus).

Here are swatches of the shades I mentioned above:

Top of the Posh

Mating Call

Odalisque

Spectacle of Yourself

The kissable lipcolours are amazing. The shade choices are out of this world. These glosses glide on smoothly with a rich, highly pigmented finish. I have my eye on a few of these  also, but I absolutely, positively MUST HAVE Peacocky. Here are swatches of the lip colors that are on my "must have" list.

Peacocky

Enchantee

Love Peck

Vanity Fair



I'm all for bold, vibrant, bright, edgy, highly pigemented colors. This collection definitely gives me all of that and more. If you are into neutral colors, don't be discouraged. There are several in this collection as well. If you enjoyed these colors then feel free to check out the whole collection here The Peacocky Collection. Thanks for visiting my blog, please subscribe. Smooches!!!

2011...very random!!!

There is so much I want to do and so many places I want to go/take my makeup artistry. At times things seem very overwhelming, but I have so much fight in me that I will not let the worries, negativity, pessimism, etc stop me. I've come this far...too far, to even fathom stopping now. I'm still a "newbie", but with any profession there are always new things to learn to improve your skill, your talent, your passion. As much as I may think I know and as much as I do know about makeup (my passion for it, my application technique, the brands and products) I will never know it all. Things constantly change, that's just a simple fact of life, but as long as I keep studying, practicing, reading and continue to learn I'll be alright. Just a little inspiration for myself and whom ever else may need it!!

I did not forget about the peacock spring collection...it's definitely my next post.

It's Prime Time

There have been a lot of questions about eyeshadow primers and bases. There are sooo many out there to choose from, but I'll give you my opinion on the products I use.

For starters, my absolute favorite primer is Urban Decay's Primer Potion. It really helps make the shadow pop, keeping it in place. It dries smoothly and helps prevent creasing. It comes in three different shades Nude, Tawny Matte and Champagne Shimmer. I use Nude which is the purple one.

My second favorite is M.A.C. Paintpots. I use Rubenesque which has a shimmer finish for my shimmer shadows and I use Groundwork for my matte shadows. They work great with all eye shadows to brighten up and bring out the pigment and keep the shadow in place. The picture below is Groundwork.

I also have several NYX jumbo eye pencils that I have depotted (melted into eyeshadow form) that work great as a base or primer. Out of th eight I have the one I recommend the most is Milk (first one from the right). It's also great to be used as a highlighter.



I would recommend any of these primers. I have also heard great things about Too Faced Shadow Insurance. There are also several brands of inexpensive primers sold in local drug stores. Expensive is not always better or best, it's all about what works for you.

First Things First

Let's talk about the fundamentals of skin. As most of us know, everyone has a different skin type therefore everyone should have a different skin care regimen. Let's break it down...

Normal Skin

Normally people with this skin type has a smooth even texture. They may experience the occasional shine on the forehead, nose or chin area, but it's definitely nothing to be worried about. When it comes to caring for normal skin, it's pretty simple. Cleanse daily (I recommend twice) using a foaming cleanser.  Also, exfoliating twice a week is good for removing dead skin cells, it adds that extra natural glow to your skin. Then lastly, moisturize. This is a VERY important step. A light weight mositurizer works well for normal skin.

Dry Skin

I suffer from very dry skin. A sign of dry skin is tightness of the face after washing, flaking, dry and/or rough patches. There may even be some sensitivity. Caring for dry skin is a little more intense (for lack of a better word). A rich cleanser should be used. A light weight mositurizer is good during the day, but I recommend a night cream for bedtime. Jergens has a good all purpose face moisturizer. I recommend exfoliating once a week instead of twice to avoid skin irritation. Products with alpha hydroxy acids are good for dry skin, they also help remove dry, dead skin.

Oily Skin

A sign of oily skin is frequent breakouts. Oily skin should be cleansed twice daily using an oil free cleanser, it helps to prevent dirt accumulation and it won't clog pores. Also use an alcohol free astringent  to remove excess oil and a oil free moisturizer.

Combination Skin

This skin type consist of an oily t-zone with dry spots on the cheek areas. Cleanse with a mild cleanser and use a dense moisturizer preferably with alpha hydroxy acids to help target the dry spots.

Sensitive Skin

This skin type can range from dry to oily. It can be itchy and blotchy and it is very easily irritated by makeup, cleansers, moisturizers, etc. To care for sensitive skin cleanse with a mild perfume free cleanser, a alcohol free toner for the blotchiness and a moisturizer developed specifically for sensitive skin.

I recommend Wal-Mart, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens or any local drug store in your area for your skin care products. These items are very inexpensive and come in several different brands. You don't have to spend alot to have healthy skin.