  Welcome to my photography website and makeup blog!! I'd like you to meet Leandra. Isn't she stunning?!?! P.s. the 2 images above have NOT been Photoshopped. I've known Leandra for a really long time. Her sister in law is a great friend of mine and was one of my best friends growing up. When I asked for model volunteers on Facebook and she was one of the first to volunteer, I was SO happy. Not only because I already know her but she has a darker skin tone which I really wanted to talk about, she was up for anything, ready to learn and had that gorgeous pear face shape. Obviously this post is going to center mostly around darker skin tones but there's always something for everyone to learn. :) It became apparent very quickly that we were going to start from the beginning. Maybe some of you can relate..... Leandra used to wear foundation and makeup and then as she got older, as we all do, her makeup just didn't look the same. "One day I put it on and it looked orange on my skin." How scary would that be? I think I'd be pushed away from foundation for a while too. It was also drying out her skin. I came to find out that it was a Mary Kay foundation that is pretty old now and I think its no longer in use. At least I hope so. So after throwing it away and not knowing where to start to find a new product, she went without for 10+ years. When I contacted her she owned eye shadow products and eyeliner. That's it. I was happy and sad at the same time. Happy that I could help her find the right products and sad that she had been without knowing what to do for her skin for so long. After I learned her skin type (dry skin) and studied her skin tone a bit, I gave her a list of instructions and recommended products and she bought it all! I was SO proud of her for jumping into it with no fear. Some of you may be wondering, "why is foundation so important. I never wear it. I don't think I need it." Well its just like its name people. Its the FOUNDATION. You've never heard a contractor say "I build this house without a foundation. It didn't look like it needed it." Now I understand that my example may be a bit exaggerated but Its true! If you want to get the most from your makeup routine, learn your skin type, (we will talk about that) learn your skin color and get a good foundation. Now lets move on to the AMAZING questions Leandra asked me when she wanted to know WHAT to buy and how to know if it was right for her.... She was so eager and asked such great questions I thought I'd share some of our conversation..... Me: Do you have any foundation? Leandra: I have really dry skin. It made it worse so I stopped buying it. Me: Here's some that I recommend... Most liquids will probably work with you as long as you have a good moisturizer to go underneath the foundation. I use Neutrogena moisturizer for my skin but you can even use a non scented lotion with no alcohol and be great too. Leandra: How do you try a foundation? Me: You would try a smidge on the inside of your wrist or on the back of your hand as long as the back of your hand is close to your neck color. (you always match your foundation to your neck color) some foundations are closed and you can't open them. that's when you simply hold it next to your skin and see which one looks like the best match. Leandra: I will have to buy more mascara, and blush.. Does that matter on shade or how do I choose that? Me: Its all good! with your darker skin try not to go too light. you need something with more depth to it. If your lips are naturally pink and rosy, then you can match your blush to them by going slightly darker or matching them. If they aren't really pink than hold the blush to your arm and see which one compliments your skin the best. We used a lot of HER new makeup products. So lets see what I used.... Hover over the images or click on them to see a small description. After seeing what I used, lets see how I used them...  Products: I'll be repeating myself on this topic a lot. When you're being photographed, I always recommend that you wear makeup that gives you a matte finish. There's nothing worse than having that horrible shine across your face in pictures because you used the wrong foundation. You might be asking, "can't you Photoshop that out?" Its a good question but the answer is no. You want to GLOW in pictures, not sparkle or have that greasy shine. The best product for you really depends on your skin tone and sensitivity. If you have clear, normal skin, you can wear basically anything. If you're like me, where I have the occasional blemish and a couple acne scars from my teenage years I want to hide, and dry skin. Than you'll want something with a bit more coverage like cream products. As I mentioned before, Leandra has dry skin. One of the key's to getting the right foundation and overall makeup is to know what skin type you have and how to care for it. keep in mind that you might be one or two of these skin types. For example, my sister has oily skin but also really sensitive skin so her skin and makeup routine works around those two things.....  Normal Skin is not too dry and not too oily. It has: ~No or few imperfections ~No severe sensitivity ~Barely visible pores Even though normal skin is ideal you still need to care for it properly.... ~Detoxify - cleanse for a fresh start every day ~Hydrate - to maintain skins natural moisture levels ~Protect -guard against environmental stress and damage  Combination Skin Type A combination skin type can be dry or normal in some areas and oily in others, such as the T-zone (nose, forehead, and chin). Many people have combination skin, which may benefit from slightly different types of skin care in different areas. Combination skin can produce: ~Overly dilated pores ~Blackheads ~Shiny skin How to care for combination skin: You might find that its best to use different products on different parts of your face. For example, you may need lighter-weight gels, liquids, or oil-absorbing products for your T-zone and lotions or creams for the drier parts of your face. Or it could mean using an acne treatment over areas where you breakout and moisturizers only over drier areas, including around the eyes. ~Use a gentle Cleanser ~Protect from sun damage ~Spot-treat the different skin types on your face  Dry Skin Type Dry skin can produce: ~Almost invisible pores ~Dull, rough complexion ~Red patches ~Less elasticity ~More visible lines When exposed to drying factors, skin can crack, peel, or become itchy, irritated, or inflamed. If your skin is very dry, it can become rough and scaly, especially on the backs of your hands, arms, and legs. Dry skin may be caused or made worse by: ~Genetic factors ~Aging or hormonal changes ~Weather such as wind, sun or cold ~Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from tanning beds ~Indoor heating ~Long, hot baths and showers ~Ingredients in soaps, cosmetics or cleansers ~Medications Here are some tips for taking better care of dry skin: ~Take shorter showers and baths, no more than once daily. ~Use mild, gentle soaps or cleansers. Avoid deodorant soaps. ~Don't scrub while bathing or drying. ~Apply a rich moisturizer right after bathing. Ointments and creams may work better than lotions for dry skin but are often messier. Reapply as needed throughout the day. ~Use a humidifier and don't let indoor temperatures get too hot. ~Wear gloves when using cleaning agents, solvents or household detergents.  Oily Skin Type Oily skin can produce: ~Enlarged pores ~Dull or shiny, think complexion ~Blackheads, pimples, or other blemishes Oiliness can change depending upon the time of year or the weather. Oily skin can be caused or made worse by: ~Puberty or other hormonal imbalances ~Stress ~Exposure to heat or too much humidity To take care of oily skin: ~Wash your skin no more than twice a day and after you sweat. ~Use a gentle cleanser and don't scrub. Massage it into your skin. ~Don't pick, pop, or squeeze pimples. This prolongs healing time. ~Use products labeled as "noncomedogenic." They tent not to clog pores.  Sensitive Skin Type If your skin is sensitive, try to find out what your triggers are so you can avoid them. You may have a sensitive sin for a variety of reasons, but often its in response to particulare skin care products. Sensititive skin can show up as: ~Redness ~Itching ~Burning ~Dryness The Basics of Skin CareThese tips will help your skin stay healthier no matter its type you are. ~Use a broad spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Avoid direct sunlight and wear a hat and sunglasses. ~Don't smoke. ~Stay Hydrated. ~Wash your skin thoroughly every day and never wear makeup to bed. ~Moisturize your skin. I hope that you can now start to understand more about your skin type and how to care for it. I personally have combination and sensitive skin. Here's some of the products I use for my skin... Hover over or click the images to get a small description.   The BEAUTY SPONGE... I LOVE this product. I used the disposable ones on Leandra because I can just throw them away after but THIS product is a reusable sponge. On average, using it every day, it lasts for about 3 months or more. depending on how you care for it. It only costs about $0.2 a day! The other great thing is that you can use this to blend ANY foundation product. Liquid, cream and powder. I would personally use brushes for powder but at least you know what it can do. Here's the link to buy one. Mine will be arriving soon :) http://www.sephora.com/beautyblender-P228913?SKUID=1151877&om_mmc=ppc-GG&mkwid=FC4NqsgZ&pcrid=37751273919&pdv=c&site=us_search&country_switch=us&lang=en TIP: When you apply cream products to your face, make sure you use a sponge and don't slide it on your face. Make sure you always stipple it into your face. Stipple: To apply with many light dabs in to your face. Below is a gallery of the products I used in the finished image. Hover or click on the images for more on each one.  Brush them upwards. Trim the very ends with small scissors. Pluck unwanted hairs above eyebrow with tweezers. Pluck unwanted hairs below eyebrows with tweezers. The beginning of your eyebrow line should be straight with the edge of your nose. If your eyebrows can be arched, then it should begin on the outside of your eyeball. You can use the method in the picture as well. Holding a small brush or stick at a 45 degree angle from your nose to the edge of your eye should be where the eyebrow ends. Fill in your eyebrows with a cream, eye shadow or pencil.  Lets talk about the EYES. I obviously didn't use these colors on Leandra. I used a cream, gold and black color palate for her but I used this technique to make her eyes stand out. You can use whatever color combination you'd like for this look.  LOOK UP! When Putting on eye shadow or eyeliner, the easiest and best application happens when you tilt your head back slightly and raise your eyebrows. For eyeliner, use your non-drawing hand to stretch the skin on the outside of your eye a bit. Raise your eyebrows so that your eyelid does not block your lash line at all.  Thank you for coming to my page and reading. WHEW! This was a really long post. I hope there was something you learned and that you can use some of the information for yourself. I honestly never thought I'd be writing blog posts about anything. I always thought that blog writing wasn't something I wouldn't ever do. Its funny how your life chooses you sometimes :) As usual, to end my makeup blog post, I'm going to share some of my favorites from Leandra's Glam Session.    
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