Best Baking Powders Out!*

I know it has been a while since I have posted but I am back and ready to share all the new trends and help in anyway I can on how to adjust them to darker skin tones. My last post was about Baking powders and the trend of baking has not died out. It has actually evolved. The Color-Correcting trend has come and matured into creams, liquids and now powders. Many companies have come out with powders for baking to suit different skin tones so ashiness and massive flashback can be a thing of the past.

The most important thing that i have learned about baking powder is that medium to deep skintones should stay away from Mica. Mica gives that baby powder ashiness under the eyes after it sets and is photographed. Many companies have figured out this flaw and have released different powders to suit everyone's needs. The top selling translucent powder by Laura Mercier is still number one and can be used on all skin tones. She even came out with a medium deep version for us darker toned women. I love the Medium deep to set my primer and set my face for an everyday look. The Medium Deep powder is just as good as the Translucent and still leaves an airbrushed finish to the skin. Sacha Buttercup Powder was also up and coming and now is most people's favorite setting powder. The Sacha Buttercup Powder is like the Ben Nye Banana Powder but it's more finely milled and has a deeper yellow hue. Ben Nye will always be a classic but the Sacha Buttercup Powder has become one of my staples.

The newest powders I have been testing are the RCMA No Color Powder by Alcone Company, the BeautyBakerie's Yellow Flour Baking Powder, and the Translucent Powder by AC Cosmetics LLC. First and foremost, I love all of these powders and I have used the with beauty blenders, regular $1 cosmetic sponges, and setting brushes. They are all top quality powders. The RCMA No Color Powder is the best Translucent powder I've every use that was a true translucent powder. I say this because the Laura Mercier Translucent powder has a light cream color to it. The RCMA powder is pure white but sets under my eyes like a dream without the ashiness. The BeautyBakerie's Yellow Flour Baking Powder is what I'm using on my day to day basis right now. Its lightweight and a little goes along way. I've also notice I don't get that super dry look under my eyes if I bake for too long with this powder. I own The Yellow, Translucent, and the Brown Flour Baking Powder by BeautyBakerie. I use the Translucent one under my eyes and sometimes to set my eye primers, I use the Yellow one to bake and I love the Brown to set my primer just before foundation. It also give a nice little bit of coverage as well.The BeautyBakerie also has a Pink Flour Baking Powder to brighten. I believe this powder would best suit Fair to Light skin tones. Lastly I have been loving the Translucent Powder by AC Cosmetics. I use this one for my nights out. I was impressed and shocked how well it worked on my dark skin because it has a peach undertone too it and it didn't leave my under eyes ashy looking. I particularly love this powder with my beauty blender better than a brush.

Overall, I am a true junkie and love trying new products out. I hope this helped you narrow down your choices or helped you choose the right baking powder for you. Check out my last post to see The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of baking under your eyes. Below I will includes pictures of each product and links to their instagrams and where you can purchase.

BeautyBakerie Brown Flour Baking Powder

BeautyBakerie Translucent Flour Baking Powder

BeautyBakerie Yellow Flour Baking Powder

RCMA No Color Powder

AC Cosmetics by Luscious by Lynn (They have another Translucent Powder in Butternut. Didn't order that one yet)


Instagram:
BeautyBakerie Cosmetics: @BeautyBakerieMakeup
Alcone Company: @AlconeCo
AC Cosmetics:@ACCosmetics_

Websites:
BeautyBakerie: www.BeautyBakerie.com
Alcone Company: www.AlconeCo.com
AC Cosmetics: www.LusciousByLynn.com


HAPPY STAR WARS DAY!* MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!*

Baking: The Good, The Ugly, & The Fab

Baking is when you use excess powder to set the under eye area (also where ever else you apply your concealer to highlight) and leaving it on to set for a more brightening effect. Baking is good when you take photos but can be very damaging to the skin especially the under eye area, which is the most sensitive. Baking dries out the under eye, which can cause fine lines, wrinkles, and bags. But that doesn't mean you have to give up baking forever. Here's some tips on how you can still bake and take care of your skin. 1. Do not bake for long periods of time. Baking shown on social media is usually 5 to 10 minutes. That is pretty extreme. Keep baking, if you must, to a maximum of 3 minutes. If you want to give up baking, I suggest using a brush or sponge to apply the powder. Press the powder into the skin and then wipe away any excess. 2. Make sure you are taking care of your under eye area. Using a eye serum or eye cream can help the elasticity of the skin. It also helps with keep the skin hydrated and supple. Please take into account that using any skincare product you should give it at least 4 weeks to see results. Skincare products work with your individual cell turnover. 3. Drink a lot more water. Bags under the eyes are usually excess water. Keeping the body more hydrated helps the body flush out extra water the body holds on too. These are my tips on how to still bake and take care of your skin. #ownyourbeauty

Best Bronzers for Spring (By Skintone)

Its Spring time which means (hopefully) more sun and colors!* Also means people like a more warmer, bronzy look. So here are some of the best bronzers for Spring/Summer. These are products I have used on myself and my clients.

Fair:
Benefit Hoola Bronzer
- Now comes in liquid and mini form. They have also come out with a body bronzer that looks amazing on the skin. I am dark skin and I like the golden glow it gives me :)

Bobbi Brown Golden Light and Natural Bronzer
- I like Bobbi Browns bronzers because they don't go orange and they aren't messy when you apply them.

Too Faced Milk Chocolate Bronzer
- It a very natural bronzer and it smells like chocolate how can you not!*

Medium:
Too Faced Chocolate Bronzer
- This bronzer is the perfect warm brown that compliments medium skintone even the medium golden tones.

Bobbi Brown Medium and Dark Bronzer:
- As the colors go on no orange under tone and it blend good into the skin. Good pigment so you dont have to use as much.


Dark:
Bobbi Brown Deep Bronzer:
- If it was a little darker it would be perfect for dark skin but it still is really nice for spring. Might want to go warmer for summer time but some may like it as natural as possible.

MakeUp Forever Pro Finish Powder (180):
- I love using this as a bronzer. It is a setting powder but as the skin tone gets deeper bronzer options gets skimp. It blends beautifully and adds the perfect warm tone to chocolate skin.

Guerlain Terocotta Bronzer (08):
- This bronzer is pricey but it is amazing. It gives a deeper tone to most bronzer I have used. I of course dropped mine and now have to get another one but its worth it in my opinion.

Black Radiance Mahogany Setting Powder:
- Nice warm tone for bronzer and whats great is that it is drugstore and great quality.

Rich:
When it comes to rich tones its best to use a darker setting powder or even a powder foundation sometimes to bronze the face because bronzers only go so deep. I usually use Lancome, MakeUp Forever, and Sephora powders to bronze and/or contour rich skintones.


*TIP*:
Anastasia Beverly Hills have contour kits that has good bronzers as well. The benefit with these is you can customize them on their site. www.anastasiabeverlyhills.com

What bronzers do you use? Make sure you put your skin tone down as well.

DymondTresses: Final Hair Review

Over all I loved this hair. It never got matted or had tangles. I could run my hair through it without a tug even when I was removing it. I washed this hair about 4 times within the last 2 1/2 months. I deep conditioned it twice. I used the Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Shampoo and Conditioner on it for every wash and I mixed up my own deep conditioner. To make the deep conditioner I mixed some of the Triple Nutrition Conditioner, 2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil, and 10 drops of Lavender Oil. I left the deep conditioner on for about 15 to 20 minutes and rinsed it out. I would then let my hair air dry for about 20 minutes before using a blow dryer on low (so I don't dry out the hair). This hair always snapped back and didn't get oily or limp. I loved how I bought the Malaysian straight but it held a curl for days and even when the curls fell the wave that was left was cute enough to wear out. The DymondTresses site is down at the moment but their new launch is April 1st!* I recently found out there are going to be bundle deals and much more to come. To keep up with updates please follow their social media accounts (Below under photos). If you have anymore questions about my install just leave them down below.

DymondTresses Info:
Facebook: DymondTresses
Instagram:@Dymondtresses
Twitter: @Dymondtresses
Website: www.Dymondtresses.com

Setting Powder: Laura Mercier Translucent Powder or Sacha Buttercup Powder?*

I love both of these powders but I also know many women want to know what is better for them and their skin tone? Which one sets better? Which one looks better in photos? I use both of them and can shed some light on which one may be best for you. I use noth powders to set my concealer. I use my Laura Mercier Translucent Powder when I want a real bright under eye. This powder is a cream color. It has some color to it so it is not only restricted to the fair to light skin tones. I am dark and I use this product and it doesn't make me look ashy or has any flashback in photos. I love this powder for my bold looks such as black smokey eyes.

The Sacha Buttercup Powder is more like the Ben Nye Banana Powder but it is more finely milled and has more of a yellow undertone. This is my everyday powder. I use this when I do my warm looks such as gold, bronze, or cranberry colors. I also love to set my eye brows with this powder. The Sacha Buttercup Powder is best for the medium to rich skin tones because of it yellow undertone. So it works best for the darkest woman which is a big pro in my opinion. Honestly it's all in opinion and preference. Which have you tried? Hope this helps.

Good Foundation Brushes for Buffing Technique

First things first, what is the buffing technique? The buffing technique is using a dense brush (brush with a lot of bristles compacted nicely) to blend your foundation to your face in a small circular motion. This technique helps smooth out foundation and help everything look flawless. Also in my opinion, it helps foundation blend better into textured skin (skin that has acne or large pores). I also like to buff my powder with the same technique but with a dense powder brush as well. Using a dense brush to apply a powder helps add coverage and in my experience stops the powder from getting patchy. Here are some great brushes for flawless foundation application (Prices may vary):

1. Morphe M439 Deluxe Buffer Brush $14.99
2. Sephora Domed Stippling Brush $36
3. Real Techniques Expert Brush $9
4. E.L.F Flat Top Powder Brush $6
5. Cover Fx Custom Blending Brush $40
6. Marc Jacobs The Face II Brush $48

Any other brush suggestions for me to try?

NEW MAKE UP TREND: Color Correcting

Color correcting is the neutralization of blemishes on the skin. Color correcting are usually based on the color wheel. The way to use the color wheel is whatever color you are trying to hide or neutralize you use that color directly across from it. Color Theory (Color Correcting) is the main science of makeup. The main colors of color correction are green, pink, blue, purple, yellow, caramel, peach, orange and red. These colors also range in light to darkness for certain benefits to fit all skin tones, for example caramel and peach would be under the orange corrector type for medium, dark, and deep skin tones. These seem like outrageous colors to put on your face, but once blended out and covered with foundation and/or concealer, the face looks flawless. Color corrector can be applied before or after foundation. I prefer both. I have hyper-pigmentation so I to apply orange color corrector on my dark spots and under eye circles then apply foundation. If I still see some darkness peeking through (usually under my eyes) I apply a little more corrector and then go over it with a full coverage concealer. The color correcting colors vary on your skin tone. Green is used to neutralize redness. Green is great for people with rosacea, sunburn, or broken capillaries (smaller veins under the skin). Green is usually use for fair to light skin tones. Another color corrector for fair to light skin tones would be yellow. Yellow helps neutralize purple and blue on light skin. Some people have blue veins under their eyes and or blue or purple dark circles. Yellow can also benefit darker skin tones by brightening the skin. Pink brightens for light and medium skin tones. Purple is for sallowness or very yellow skin. Sallowness is usually hyper pigmentation for light to medium skin tones. Blue adds radiance to fair to light skin tones. Caramel adds radiance to dark to deep tones. Peach neutralizes dark spots in medium skin tones. Orange neutralizes the darkness in dark to deep skin tones and Red neutralizes darkness in rich skin tones. You can also color correct to cover tattoos for events.

Here are some Color Correctors by skin type (There are many more options but this is all I have worked with and love):

Fair to Light:
LA Girl PRO HD Color Corrector in Yellow $2.99
NYX Correct & Conceal Palette $7
Sephora Color Corrector in Green, Yellow, and Pink $14
MakeUp Forever Step 1: Blue Primer $37
MakeUp Forever Step 1: Pink Primer $37
MakeUp Forever Step 1: Yellow Primer $37
MakeUp Forever Step:1 Green Primer $37 (this also helps with texture of the skin such as providing smoothness as well as neutralization)
Becca Violet (Purple) and Pistachio (Green) Color Correctors $30 (Highly pigmented!*)

Medium:
Bobbi Brown Light Peach and Peach Color Corrector $25
Smashbox Color Correcting Sticks in Look Less Tired (Peach) $23
Urban Decay Peach Corrector $28

Dark to Deep:
LA Girl PRO HD Color Corrector (Orange) $2.99
Smashbox Color Correcting Stick Look Less Tired Dark (Orange) $23
Bobbi Brown Color Corrector in Deep Peach (More Orange) $25
Becca Peach Color Corrector (Orange) $30
MakeUp Forever Step 1: Caramel Radiance Primer $37
Marc Jacobs Cover(t) Stick Color Corrector in 320 Getting Warmer $42

Rich:
Becca Papaya (Red) $30

Any color correctors your love?