Don’t Be a Makeup Chicken

So we already covered what you might want to spend the big bucks on next up let’s talk about getting awesome stuff on the cheap.

I know that a lot of us are working looks that don’t require a lot of stuff. That is awesome. I on the other hand (after years of rocking strictly cat eye liner and lip color) have discovered a lust for color.

Not only color but lots of different colors. Somewhere around my 30th birthday I blew up with color.

I also love experimenting.

My philosophy and how I do it are as follows.

I am not afraid to try something cheap. This is paramount. If I see something at the drug store or where ever that looks like it might be pretty and I have five or ten dollars I will try it. And the thing to remember when you’re experimenting is that stuff does not have to look the way it looks on the package.  And sometimes you just have to play with something before you figure it out.

Next- teach yourself to apply loose eye shadow. There are mega butt tons of awesome tutorials on youtube and this rule applies to my next rule.

Get to know your small companies.

YES.

My personal love affair with loose shadows started with randomly stumbling on Fyrinnae a long while back. Not only are they super nice people (no really they are awesome folks HI GUYS!) but, they make excellent affordable cosmetics. I’ve long said that hand crafted things make me feel fancy and Fyrinnae was my first dalliance with this kind of fancy. And most importantly they offer samples. Most pigment/loose shadow samples from the companies I shop with are plenty to use for quite awhile. And remember you don’t have to buy the bigger more expensive product, if you’re like me unless you are butt over tea kettle in love with a color you want more.

The next thing to really get me is Mac pigments. Mac Cosmetics are awesome but, pricy. I joined some Mac Cosmetics communities on LJ and have a nice little collection of sample sized (1/4 tablespoon or so) pigments that have lasted me a long time. If you’re not on LJ I also suggest a company called The Body Needs. I have ordered from them several times and always been satisfied. Mac fabulous on a Wet N Wild budget.

I am also butt over tea kettle for Aromaleigh. Also the owner is good people. So many beautiful colors to choose from and there are always extra samples. I really love their products a lot.

And next up, my homegirl’s company Detrivore Cosmetics. I know the owner and lemme just say she is pretty awesome and if you recall I debuted her line right here at The Cheekan. For another peek have a looksy at this look (this is over at flickr.) Her colors are hand crafted as well and just freaking gorgeous. I thought I’d misplaced this color and I don’t have another green quite like that. I adore her stuff.

Now you have some places to shop around let’s talk about other ways to save.

Let’s say I am here in the Pacific Northwest but, I have my eye on some awesome stuff across the pond. Like Barry M (I LOVE their stuff too.) I might find a make up loving friend to split an order with. Matter of fact, no matter where you are, splitting an order with a friend is a damn fine idea.

You can work out shipping etc between the two of you, or more. Say you, your sister, your friend, her girlfriend all want some Mac stuff. Maybe you live near a Mac store. Make up a list, work out sales tax and have everyone paypal the buyer the loot, then the buyer ships everything off and voila. Or you get say a couple of full pigments and split them.

Learn to love the samples people is my point here. I have a metric butt ton of them. And with the fairly long lifespan of loose shadows you can play with color on the cheap for months.

What I do is save up 15-25$ once in awhile and just go nuts. There is nothing quite so lovely as knowing I only spent say 18$ and getting a package with a bunch of sparklies for my face.

So go forth and get some samples my darlings. And I expect a full report when you come back.

Next time, I’m going to talk about looking for awesome make up at cosmetics outlets, Big Lots etc. Stay tuned and fabulous.

Also for a look at all my make up pics to date see here.  I’m also still trying to work out the whole video making thing, for some reason I have no savant and I’m all idiot with it so if I can figure it out my mug in motion will be all yours.

Hi my name is Shannon and I am a broke ass chick.

My budget for fabulosity is tight so I have mastered the fine art of being fabulous on a tight ass budget.

My friends, I am going to share with you how it is that I have crap loads of make up and yet don’t really spend a lot of money. Today in the first of a series I’ll talk about the stuff I do spend the big dollars on.

When you’re getting into or are into make up but don’t have a lot of money to spend it’s important (at least in my not expert opinion) to decide what items are super important to you.

For me my main serious business items are foundation, face primers and powders.

In my stash the most expensive items and the things I am most choosy about are those. I had a disasterous heart breaking affair with Mac Cosmetics Studio fix fluid that resulted in my skin going what can be deemed total insane bitchcakes.

The above is why I have no recent full face make up shots for the most part. It’s been about three months and my skin is just recovering.

Anyway, foundation is very important to me. I like buildable coverage that is not easily defeated by my immensly oily skin. I use Bare Minerals foundation in what used to be called Warm Deep. I never (or rarely)pay retail for it and here’s how.

Prior to picking out your foundation of choice head to your local Sephora, department store etc where there are make up counters and ask to be color matched. Ask the make up artists any questions you have, get a sample if you can and make note of your shade. I will also do this for face powders and primers.

Next fire up your mad Ebay skills. When buying make up on Ebay yes, sometimes there are frauds but I personally haven’t bought fraudulant or otherwise bunk products. Look for items that are listed as being sealed.

Other ways to save. Join whatever company’s mailing list and keep track of things like free shipping codes, anniversay sales, birthday discounts etc. I like to time my big purchases so that when these things happen BAM I get my fancy stuff.

Also when you find sellers you like on Ebay get their announcements. I think I may have mentioned this before but it never hurts to start a relationship with a reputable seller. It never hurts to say, hey I see you sell a lot of X product if you get some in X shade I really want some. People want to sell you things so there is the chance you will get what you want.

Next tip, seriously do these things. Join Make up Alley, then join LJ and then join some make up communities. There are lots of people who sell make up and if you has paypal you can has sparkly bits for your face.

Once you join Make up Alley you can earn good feedback and away you go.

My other tip is to save. Completely obvious of course but it works. I like to price out expensive things I want or need and even just saving the change from your coffee or making coffee instead of buying it a few times a week.

That’s it for today Cheekans. My next installment I’m going to talk about sampling, small companies, and the wonders of splitting the cost of items with a homie. Also since my skin has recovered I will take some nekkid skin pics and talk about how I work with my super oily, sensitive, prone to scarring face.

Until then.

Okay rant time.

As we have seen with photographic evidence I am a Black woman. I am a milk chocolatey shaded Black woman.

I am really annoyed today. I am annoyed because I have a love of supporting small business and whatnot but you know what, fuck you small mineral make up companies. Fuck you right in the ear.

I am saying that because I have been on the hunt for new things to try and 95% of the sites and shops I come across make products that are only appropriate for people up to a tan person and screw the rest of us.

And it’s always the same excuses. I have spent time (not recently because I don’t feel like it) emailing makers of fine sparkly bits asking why don’t they have foundations, primers, powders etc appropriate for brown people. The usual excuse is well I’m white so… Or the I don’t know anyone to help test.

I call double bullshit and shenanigans.

I would imagine if you are making make up than you probably understand that you could in all likelyhood purchase some foundations etc that are made for brown skin and figure out your own color combos.

Now my ire on this issue is not reserved for the little guys. But the big ones too and for them I’m naming names.

I have been wearing make up for a long time and once I had internet access about ten years ago I started writing letters to companies like Maybelline, Almay, etc. How was it that the cheap brand CoverGirl I’m looking at you, had figured out that women of color wanted access to decent cosmetics but the rest seem to not even think about it.

Not once did I get an answer from any of them. Just put on mailing lists and sent coupons I couldn’t use.

It’s frustrating and it makes me angry because I feel forgotten. I feel left out and there is no reason for it.

There is no reason I should have to search high and low to just find a product that’s darker than tan nevermind finding something quality. There is no reason that every drug store in my immediate neighborhood (there are five of them) carries every shade of products up until you get to the brown ones.

I can understand that huge corporations probably don’t care. They’ve done the market research and they probably just don’t care.

But the little companies stick in my craw because as we all know, once word gets out that so and so makes some awesome products people will flock there. I know that I personally have turned on other women of color to cosmetics that are affordable and beautiful.

It’s 2009 I think at this point in the game more people would be looking at these things and saying, hrm we are leaving out a potetentially huge and profitable market. In terms of that, do you then just say oh well I don’t know brown people/understand brown colors/am not brown myself and let it go?

I’m only going to say this once.

Grow some balls.

Okay now I’m done ranting under the jump I have some new reviews of stuff, things that make me feel fabulous.

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So I am an obsessed..er avid youtube make up video fan and I was inspired to try out one of xSparkage’s (AKA Leesha) looks. She has done some awesome themed looks and I decided to try out her Hulk inspired look today.

See her version here.

And here’s a preview with my eye closed.

More under the jump.
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So I got a bonus at work and went a little (okay seriously) make up crazy.

My friends I paid full retail for Mac. Now, the fact is I hardly ever pay full retail for anything muchless full priced Mac. However they happened to have a free ship code and I took advantage.

And I have fallen in love with Studio Fix Fluid foundation in NW45.

Here is what I was looking for, medium to full buildable coverage, non oily/won’t make my skin go bitchnuts (yes that is the technical term for skin irritation), and matched my occasionally odd undertones.

Studio FIx Fluid fits the bill like WHOA.

Pics and comparisons under the jump.

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I have to tell you guys about my adventures in video software before I give you my new youtube links.

So apparently yours truly is a video software dumbass.

I also can’t figure out how to use the video function on my digital camera. So after some cursing and angry, the Man Unit found me the easiest video software ever.

Now onto the substance.

I made my first slideshow tutorial on, how to henna your hair. I have been hennaing my hair for about a year or so every 6-8 weeks and I just love it. I love how henna smells, I love the changes in my hair color, I love the mixing part. I love it.

If you have any questions, comments post em. Have a youtube account? Add me as a friend.

Next up since I got my haul of samples I am doing a blue fantasy look tutorial. Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Happy Eat Pie day for my US homies, everyone else. Go have some pie.

Video under the jump.

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And first can I just say I am a Wordpress noob? Maybe I got it right this time.

Take two.

Okay my darlings.

I had a big hair tutorial planned but, my pictures (which are essential) did not come out well at all and doing this tutorial is going to requre some help from my resident man unit.

So in lieu of that I bring you my favorite super easy, super versatile, I-have-no-goddamn-time look.

And a bonus quick shot review of a my new favorite eye shadows.

If you are just starting out with color and make up this is my favorite look to teach people.

See here.

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How many times have I heard people tell me that pairing a bold or dark lip with a smokey eye is a no no.

As you get to know me you’ll discover that I habitually break the rules.

Lately I have been doing some really enjoyable smokey looks.

BAM.

This is my usual face routine (my skin is astonishingly oily and I prefer a very matte look and at some point will do a picture by picture or youtube video about matte skin) Milk of Magnesia primer, a little Happy minerals powder primer to smooth things out, BE foundation in Deep and Mac Blot powder in deep dark.

If you click on that picture for the big version you’ll also spy my very pretty Nars Orgasm knockoff MIlani blush. And the lips, a Chanel Vamp knockoff made by Sinful Colors a few years ago with some Mac Cherry Blossom lipglass.

And the eyes.

I used L’Oreal H.I.P paint in a color that I’ve forgotten the name of (creamy beige-y color), Mac pigmenti n French Violet on the lid, Mac Grape Pigment in the crease, mac fluidline on the waterline and a crap ton of mascara.

The only thing I would change, next time I’m doing matte lips.

It’s a little goth and very glam. And yes this is a daytime look for me.  I wore this last Thursday.

If you want to know my steps or what brushes I used just ask.

Happy Monday my Glamorous Homies.

Hi I’m Shannon and I am a make up addict.

I am 31 years old and since time out of mind I have had a love affair with all things sparkly, shiny, and occasionally absurd. As a little girl I did not condescend to play with those fake make up kits. No, I had actual cosmetics passed from Mom or girl babysitters (I know gross but I was a kid I didn’t know). I proudly wore my first lip gloss at age five. It was bubble gum scented transluscent pink gloss from Avon and there you have it.

As I’m getting older I find myself returning to many of the beloved things of childhood. Petticoats, strange and maybe ugly jewelry and color. I love big bright colors, strange shapes, and well glitter.

So okay I kind of suck at introductions.

Here are a couple of old BAM bright looks. Click to see them full sized.

I’ve just recovered from the flu and I’ve got loads to share. Including I am really hoping to get the hang of video making because I want to teach other brown girls (and not so brown folks) how to get those big bright banging colors.

Questions? Comments?

Bueller? Bueller?

Yes I’m also kind of a nerd.