Make Up - Take Two

Last week, I tried to write a post about make up.  This week I'm going to try to recapture that post...

Quite a while ago, I agreed to test some products from Mary Kay.

Soon thereafter, I also got in play for to test Bare Minerals make up. I received both packages, but both had a bit of color issues.  I'm waiting for Mary Kay to replace one part.... (more on that when I've got the whole set).

Meanwhile -- since timing is everything -- I've been practicing with the goodies I received from the folks from Bare Minerals .  I am waiting for a replacement package from them as well (again the color they sent isn't quite right)... But here is what I received -

 1. Two pots of Original SPF 15 Foundation (one in Light and one in Fairly Light, which they claim will blend to match my skin tone.)

2. One pot of Warmth - All Over Face Color.

3. One pot of Mineral Veil Finishing Powder.

4. One wee pot of eye color in a shade that I can't now find in either the catalog or on line (which is a shame, because I like it).

5. A Full Flawless Application Face Brush.

6. A Handy Buki Brush which I'm allegedly going to want when I want more "complete" coverage.

7. And a Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush.

 

I also received a "free gift" with the above package (I've got that stuff for a 30-day trial).  That free gift includes:

1. A Refillable Mirrored Compact with half-moon brush. (I like the mirrored part, but it's space to put whatever powder you're going to put in there is significantly larger than any pot they use, so I'm not sure what is supposed to go in it.

 

2. Mascara (and I'm sorry, I don't recall which one).

3. A Precision Concealer Brush.

 

 

 

 

 So here I am with a whole lot of stuff for my face...

Now, until a week ago, I was pretty much a non-user of make up.  I kind of figured that my face was my face:

 
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It's an okay face.  It gets make up every now and then when I've some fancy event or want to feel particularly pretty.  But mostly, it is what it is...

Oddly enough, Bookworm is a whiz with make-up.  So she elected to help me try out the new stuff.  And... she took a slew of pictures so that we can show you step by step (aren't you just thrilled?)

Step one is to use the Flawless Face Brush with a bit of  Fairly Light Foundation, buffed all over my face:

(I'm reasonably sure that the make-up did not make my nose suddenly larger.  I think its a camera angle thing).

Step two - to do the same thing with the Fairly Light foundation....

It's hard to see the difference in these shots, but there is one.  In fact, the Light is a bit too golden for my skin.  But we'll address that later...

Next up... Warmth.  It's sort of a blush, and yet not a blush.  One puts it mostly on the cheeks, but also across the forehead, and even on the chin.  It's supposed to give you a healthy glow...

And no, I don't know what she did with the camera or the lighting to explain why this pic is so much brighter.  We're supposed to be looking at the even-ness of my skin tone, and the possibility that there's a healthy glow in there.

Step Five was a bit of Mineral Veil (and the Mary Kay blush)

The next step was to try the Bare Mineral's eye shadow ..

It's on there, really....

Oddly enough, even though their own magic video notes that the first thing you do when putting make up on eyes is apply eye-liner, they didn't send any.  I made do with my own.

Bookworm took matters into her own hands, and redid the eyeliner her way.

And BookWorm used the Mary Kay eye shadows for brown eyes and the Bare Minerals mascara to achieve a final look like this:

 

So... just for funsies, here's a side by side comparison -- my face as my face, and my face with "help".

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So... There we have me. and my face. I've been doing at least the Bare Minerals steps every day for a week now.... and my skin does feel better...Anyone want to lay odds on how long I can keep it up?

 

 

Comments

[Joy]

I know I used to piddle around with some makeup, and in the end gave it up in favor of more knitting/reading time ;)

[Cgirl]

The husband looked over my shoulder and said you look prettier in person.
...well, actually he said something about the picture not doing justice to your beauty...but I'm not going to flirt with my friend for my husband.
The make up does look pretty.

[Alyse Middleton]

A few notes from my experience with Bare Minerals -

I blend the base colors in the lid before applying as opposed to applying two layers.

Now my eyeliner goes on last - even after my mascara. I look at it as more of a mascara enhancer. But the BM eyeliners blend a little better than most stick eyeliners.

You might want to ask Erin (or me next time you see me) to try some of the Glee for blush.

All in all I think it looks good.

Do YOU like the results?

[Cherizac]

Helen, you have beautiful eyes.

[janna]

I agree - you have gorgeous eyes. As you've probably noticed, I am a make-up wearer -- in fact, I love playing with make-up. And I've tried Bare Minerals, and really, really wanted to like it, but I don't -- my skin feels better with a liquid base.

However, to each their own -- that's why there's not just one kind!