Tools I have changed my mind about

Let’s now end this trilogy! Damn, what a delay! Like one of those production delays because of technical reasons. Only, this is not a movie and I have no reason except priorities! Hahaha! Anyways, let’s do tools! Unless you’re a makeup artist, the abundance of tools won’t really do anything to improve your skills unless they serve a purpose catered for your face. For example, wouldn’t matter how many blush brushes you have, strategic blush application can make the difference between dragging down your face and making it blotchy or, as the purpose it usually serves, make it well-sculpted and properly blended.

No more beauty blenders to apply cream and liquid products
This isn’t really a recent revelation, I noticed this as soon as I started applying foundation, concealers and other cream products with sponges. Sponges absorb product and as much as it helps with flawless application, it becomes counter-productive to take away as much product as you press onto the face and end up using twice the amount of product required. I would find myself adding more concealer just to increase coverage. Later, I tried using brushes to first apply as best I can AND THEN going on to pressing it onto the skin with a sponge. Best results!

Yeah! EATS product!

No more large eyeshadow blending brushes
Eyeshadow blending brushes is perhaps something even makeup users are not familiar with vis-à-vis how to choose one, which one to use, how to use. But I have come to realise that larger blending brushes don’t really help blending. Blending eyeshadows often require precision, over-blending can make colours muddle into each other resulting in a blotchy application. And that, in turn, is often caused by using too large a blending brush. It does, however, work perfect for nose contouring!

See! Perfect nose contour brush!

Using brush to set undereye instead of powder puff (unless stage makeup)
With learning both from more insightful YouTubers and influencers and experimenting it myself, I have come to realise that unless I am doing stage makeup, which is intended to help makeup last against sweating, over-powdering is very UNNECESSARY. And when powder is applied with a puff, one risks over-powdering. With a brush, it is effortless, controlled and appears very natural

Using your fingers isn’t a bad thing
I still CANNOT stand makeup all over my hands when working and brushes are my salvation. However, when applying makeup, some aspects can be only achieved by using my fingers. And that my friends, isn’t a bad thing! In my case, for example, highlighting the nose and the tip I can only ever achieve, to my own satisfaction, with the ring finger. YES, please use the ring finger. They apply the least pressure, especially when you intend to apply some kind of eye makeup or even undereye concealer.

Extra large powder brushes aren’t an essential product in your makeup kit
Even if you are a professional. Yes, in my humble opinion, the large powder brush, to me, is only helpful for special effects makeup artist. For beauty makeup, the large face powder brush is often reserved to dusting on a little powder on the face, or dusting away powder when baked. For that, any regular powder brush would suffice. The picture below can give you some context. It is also difficult to pack up in a kit and would take up too much additional space in one’s storage.

See how big it is? How much of my face it covers?! And I got a large face! Imagine trying to apply bronzer or contour with that big brush! There would be absolutely no precision! You risk looking like a brown muddled mess!

And I guess that ends the trilogy! Thanks for sticking through with this and if you’ve made it this far, let me tell you, I am deeply deeply grateful… Thank you…

Makeup techniques I have changed my mind about

On to the second part in my epic trilogy *insert 21st century fox intro*. Wait, or is that a little outdated? Ok, *insert epic Marvel movie intro*. There! Cooler!
On to the sequel! From products, to now, techniques I have changed my mind about.

1. Eyeliner isn’t always necessary
No, this isn’t about the liquid liner specifically from the first post. I am talking any eyeliner… I am realising, as indispensable as makeup artists and enthusiasts often swear by, eyeliner isn’t always an essential part of makeup look. I KNOW, THIS IS ME saying it! But yes, when I examine and re-examine how I do my makeup, the eyeliner is slowly becoming obsolete to me. When I say eyeliner, I mean a thick black or dark line on the eyelid.

Wearing the tiniest bit eyeliner here. I love how open my eyes are.

2. Stopped plucking brows
People who know me IRL, or at least those that know me enough, know that I am obsessed with my brows. I love keeping them trimmed, proper and well groomed. A bit too obsessed if I may add. However, I’ve realised that, and I guess this would be the harsh truth of reality and getting old, my brow hairs are becoming thinner and sparser. No, wait, I don’t have bald brow bones just yet but this is a preemptive preservation of my brows so that I’ll hopefully have luscious brows well into old age.

Full luscious brows!

3. Stopped overfilling the brows
Yes, we’re still on the brows. The overtly carved out, very filled in, Instagram brows are OUT OF TREND and style. Bushy yet well combed out brows are IN and I LOVE IT! I very lightly fill them in now and just a little detailing on the tail end to give it structure and voila! Awesome brows!

Hey, I really prefer the one on the left despite it looking a little messier.

4. No more excessive highlight and contour…
…unless on stage. Yes, I preface this by saying that the excessive highlighting and contouring isn’t altogether disposed but it won’t be in practice for any other makeup looks. Even when doing the highlighting and contouring for stage makeup, there is so much that I’ve learned that the triangle of concealer under the eyes and the stripes of dark concealer all over the face isn’t applicable any longer. And yes, this is influenced by both TikTok and Robert Welsh (if you want to know more about Robert Welsh click on this link here to find out).

NOPE!!!

5. A transition shade isn’t always necessary
If you don’t know what a transition shade is, I implore you to take a look at the “Makeup Lingo Dictionary” page, linked on the side of the page or you can click here too. A transition shade has been knocked on our heads so much that it is basically stamped on every beauty makeup look at this point. Sure, it still does help blend two eyeshadows together but you can blend basically ANY two eyeshadow colours together. ANY!

Orange into green into blue and purple. No transition shade was used.

So I hope this helps in some way or another.
What are some techniques you’ve changed your minds about? Let me know in the comments! Looking forward to be more interactive with everyone!

Products I have changed my mind about

This is a three part series about how my thoughts, techniques, and application process has changed especially with the resurgence of various methods to do makeup in 2022 (wow my very own trilogy in the FiercePaint universe!).
So, this post isn’t about a specific product rather a type of product which I have changed my mind about. I must confess at least three of these was me learning off of social media and out of those three, two were because of YouTuber Robert Welsh (channel link here). Keep reading, you’ll understand what I mean.

1. Liquid liners
Hold it, I know you must be confused. No I haven’t changed my mind about the product itself but instead I am coming to realise that the traditional use of it to line my eyes isn’t something that is always necessary in a makeup look, especially if one has hooded eyes. When re-watching my Indian dance makeup videos on YouTube I’ve come to realise that the eyeliner doesn’t seem to flatter my eyes. In terms of Indian dance makeup, if I ever get to dance again, the dramatic winged liner with the liquid eyeliner would still be necessary. However, there are certain techniques I’d use to change the shape and it’s thickness. As of now, on a normal makeup look I do, both on myself and on others, I would not default to the winged liner. Having a dark line on the eyelids, depending on the shape of one’s eye, can be counter-productive and end up making the eyes appear, unintentionally, smaller.

Notice how thick the line is on the first two pictures are and how some of it disappears into my lids and to the side? Yeah…

2. Soft lip liners
This was influenced by Tati, yes that now infamous YouTuber. She raved on about the Essence Cosmetics lipliners that come in two variations; the twist up version and a pencil version that needs sharpening. Both of which I have reviewed and loved. I still think they’re great but not for their intended purpose anymore.

See here’s the problem with extremely soft lipliners, no 1, they are an absolute pain to sharpen, and no 2, they act more like lipsticks than lipliners. The frustration with the former goes without saying but the problem with latter is, lipliners are supposed to, in addition to making some lipsticks more wearable, be a long lasting base for a good lip combo. Even if the lipstick fades away, the lipliner is there to provide some colour. When a lipliner acts like a lipstick, it ends up wearing away just as fast the lipstick does, ergo completely negating its need. I would now opt for formulas that may not be as smooth to apply but are opaque, pigmented and really adheres to the lips.

3. Sharpening pencils
Vis-à-vis soft pencils let’s talk about sharpening them. In every pencil I have reviewed, be it brow or lip products, I’ve added this one ‘con’; “needs sharpening”. I hate sharpening makeup pencils with a passion! However, I’ve realised that as long as I am using a good quality sharpener and the product itself isn’t like the aforementioned soft pencils, sharpening isn’t that bad. Pencils often contain a lot more product and sharpening means you can get a sharp point for precise work. So, yea, I don’t hate it so much and won’t add into a con, unless the pencils are too soft for it.

4. Baking powders
So here’s the thing, I have done baking (for definition please visit the page “Makeup Lingo Dictionary”, link here) and still do but now, I think it ought to be reserved to stage makeup. It really does behoove performers to set their face in copious amount of powder as it will help maintain base makeup through perspiration. The flipside to this is thick, cakey makeup that does not look good up close and in person. Moving forward, I would only lightly set base cream or liquid makeup with just enough powder. No more baking for a day-to-day makeup look.

5. Eyeshadow base
Eyeshadows bases are typically liquid or cream products applied on the eyelids before application of eyeshadows to prolong wear time and/or enhance intensity. I have reviewed two, both from Essence Cosmetics, and, both loved and received good ratings.

So what changed my mind about these is, after using it on people and myself, I’ve noticed that these are essentially glorified concealers and on oily eyelids, it breaks down like a concealer does. It works only on specific skin types, and non hooded eyes. Eyeshadows on these concealer-like-eyeshadow-bases also tends to move around and smudge where it shouldn’t. The verdict is that I don’t think these make good eyeshadow bases. It doesn’t prolong wear because it has no element of adhesion. Now, what I would use are eyeshadow primers like the Urban Decay primer potion that aid eyeshadow adhesion to the eyelid rather than concealers or concealer like eyeshadows bases.

Etude House Hand Cream

Etude House is a Korean cosmetics brand that has been available in Malaysia since 2008. Their price is mid-range or more of a high end drugstore range. However, Etude House is one of those brands that periodically has promotions so one can find their products at budget-friendly rates.

Makeup commonly includes an extra element that is not put on the skin; nail polish. I don’t wear nail polish but what I do use is hand cream. Every nail polish junkie knows that in order to rock beautiful nails, the hands need to be moisturised and well hydrated. As your hands glow, so will those ornamental colours on the nails! Which brings us to today’s post about the Etude House hand cream. Just so you know, this isn’t a review. It is more of a suggestion that you can try out.

Best part is, I got these at MYR 10 per tube!!! I KNOW RIGHT!!! This particular promo is over now but like I said, Etude House is constantly having sales and promotions, so do look out for them.

Pictures!!!

I got two! Hehe!

 

Descriptions on the back are mostly in Korean but there is one part that is in English which I have close-up shots of.

 

How creative is that description?!!! This one has SPF 15.

 

Warm spring sunshine!!! 😀

 

These hand creams smell nice, absorb well into the skin and leave your hands feeling soft and smooth. They are small tubes with only 25ml of product per tube, however, it does seem to require only a small amount to cover my entire man-hands so I am sure the tube will last quite substantially. They smell amazing and come in several scents so you can pick and choose your preferred scent. Although it says citrus, the one in the yellow tube smells a bit medicinal but the scent is faint so it fades off pretty fast after application. The one in the green tube does smell floral and reminds me of baby powder but like the yellow one, the scent is pretty faint so its not cloying and fades off pretty fast. Overall a lovely product and the packaging is adorable too!

Collection Work the Colour Cosmetics, Lock n Hold Lipgloss

I would like to take this opportunity to let everyone that reads my blog know that I have very little use for lipgloss. My dance makeup or even my guy makeup does not involve them. On top of that, lipgloss is the last on my list of makeup faves. So I’ll rarely do reviews for lipglosses which is why I am including this as a non-categorised post. However, I will give you all the details. And if I do use this product enough I may just do a review for it.

It’s all about the Collection Work the Colour, Lock n Hold Lipgloss. Collection Work the Colour is a makeup company based in the UK and they were introduced to Malaysians early last year. They’re available in selected Watsons and F-Block stores in Malaysia. The line of makeup was founded in 1987 which means they have been in the business 2 years shy of 30 years. I did Google it to see if any Malaysian beauty bloggers had blogged about this particular product i.e. the Lock n Hold Lipgloss. I also tried searching on YouTube if any Malaysians beauty YouTubers had reviewed/introduced the product. I failed on both accounts. I then headed over to the Collection Work the Colour Malaysian website and the product was not listed. It was, however listed on the UK website. So I am guessing the product is little known or has yet been introduced to the masses (or even beauty bloggers) in Malaysia. I got this product because I entered a small giveaway for Mother’s Day via the Collection Cosmetics Facebook page (yes, there were two and I gave mom one!!!). So I don’t even know how much this costs!

The product.

Description on the back including the shade I have it in (Body Pop).

The description peels off to reveal ingredients and other details.

It comes with a standard doe-foot applicator. However, it is very flexible as shown in the following picture.

It is really flexible.

The product has a fruity scent but unlike other lipglosses, it isn’t as thick and gloppy. The other thing to note is, the product is devoid of glitter. On the other hand, the product can bleed. The shade I have (Body Pop) is quite sheer and not very pigmented and thus it isn’t a mess to apply. Even when it does spread, it doesn’t look horrible. I haven’t tried many liglosses but I don’t hate this one.

I have some swatches too.

Just the product. It appears much more sheer on the lips.

Since the colour is quite sheer, layering it on a lipstick may be a better alternative.

A velvet matte lipstick.

The lipgloss over the lipstick.

Lipgloss junkies should definitely give this product a try if you can find it. I would love to read other reviews from other Malaysian beauty bloggers.

Daiso Facial Blotters

This isn’t a review, hence the title.

It is more like a hack plus a money saving find at the Daiso store (just type in Daiso on Google and you’ll find everything you need to know about it).

The Daiso facial blotters!!!

How adorable is that packaging???

Yes, they are colourful!!!

Love love love! There is nothing better or worse about this facial blotters than the more expensive ones.

This isn’t a review so I am not rating this. These are regular facial blotters that cost MYR 5, from Daiso, in boxes of 300 sheets. Obviously if you have extremely sensitive skin that, even using cost-effective facial blotters break you out, this isn’t for you.

Moving on to the hack. When you refresh your makeup throughout the day what most people tend to do is to just powder the T-zone. If you are in a hurry, that is ok, but putting on powder on your face on top of the oils from your face risks caking up your foundation! Especially if you have oily skin. So a very simple trick is to just blot your face before you touch up! That’s it!