Tag Archives: eye shadow

Crease Lightning

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Forever on the search for the perfect under-eye concealer, I have spent a not-so-small fortune and have endured a lot of slipping, sliding, and creasing. There has been one too many false alarms when I think I’ve found the perfect formula, only to find that the concealer has sunken into the folds under my eyes, making it look as if I’ve tried to caulk them like bathroom tiles. Not a good look. From cream formulas to liquid; from waterproof to mineral; from powder to mousse; all have creased on me (even with face primer and/or eyes shadow base), except for MAC Pro Longwear Concealer.

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Although this is my Holy Grail fixer, I go through this tiny vial very quickly and as a result, I end up spending a lot of money–US$18.00 every time really adds up. And honestly, sometimes my dark circles need more coverage than the Pro Longwear provides them (I’m all about the vampire life—I’ll sleep when I’m dead or I’ve achieved world domination, whichever comes first). So on the days when I need a stronger war paint, I’ve been at a loss as to how to combat creasing…until now, that is! After much experimentation, I have amended my application procedure. Let me introduce you to a trusty standby and a new friend, and I’ll show you how I use them both.

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The first step in my new regimen is to layer my eye cream; the more moisture you infuse into your skin, the less lines and creases it will have (common sense). I apply one layer of rich eye cream, put on my face moisturizer, and wait a couple of minutes to let everything sink in. In the meantime, I line up all of my cosmetics onto my sink to cut down on time. Then I apply second layer of eye cream and wait another minute (put my headband on and blow my nose)—this is the new part of my routine, using my trusty standby (I use eye cream every day and night). Next, I use eye shadow primer under my eyes—this is my new friend. Side note: I bought a cheapie for this experiment, just in case, figuring I can invest in a more expensive and/or better primer in the future if this trial actually works. However, if the Ruby Kisses is effective, I might not change at all! From this point on, everything else in my morning regimen is the same. For this experiment, I’m using Kat Von D’s Lock-It Tattoo Concealer because this has creased on me a lot in the past and will therefore be the perfect test product.

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Face primers and eye shadow bases haven’t worked, but eye shadow primer has some kind of magical power that hasn’t allowed this concealer to crease ALL DAY. 10 hours later and the above pic is the end result. I couldn’t be happier, and neither can my dark circles!

*Coincidentally, the makeup artist/guru Wayne Goss just posted about this exact same solution on YouTube not long ago. The saying is true: Great minds definitely think alike. 😉

**UPDATE: Since writing this post, I’ve switched from the Ruby Kisses primer to the Sephora brand and it works even better!

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Dust to Dustbin…? I Think Not.

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Picture it: You’re making up your face and carrying on as you do every day. The routine is running on autopilot when, while applying your brow powder/eye shadow/powder blush/face powder/bronzer, you all of a sudden get a case of the Butterfingers. Your palette crashes to the floor/sink/tabletop and powder fragments are everywhere. You shriek or moan (depending on your personal style) and dejectedly gather up all the pieces and clean up the mess.

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Don’t get angry and don’t throw it out! It can be saved! Rid yourself of the powder palette woes with this little trick:

*Add a few small drops of rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) into your broken powder makeup compact or case

*Re-form the mud-like mixture by smoothing it out and pressing it flat with your finger or the bottom of a spoon. You will know what to do naturally because you’re smart like that.

*Let it dry for a few hours or even overnight for best results.

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I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that this experiment worked. When I tested out my shadow to make sure nothing about it had changed, I was truly impressed. Why alcohol as opposed to water, you ask? Because alcohol is a gas, the vapor causes it to evaporate quicker and leaves the substance more solid and without residue, chemically speaking. The water would work temporarily, but break apart again into even tinier particles. Also, water on a product that is being used on your face would cause germs and bacteria to multiply—that’s a big no-no. For this reason, do not attempt this with hydrogen peroxide either, as it turns to water when exposed to air. And no need to worry; because you are using such a small amount of alcohol, it’s safe to use on your face, even if you have sensitive skin. Remember, most cosmetics have various alcohol-based ingredients already, another reason that rubbing alcohol works so well.

So  the next time you order makeup in the mail and it comes to your doorstep shattered, or your compact breaks in your purse, you’ll know exactly what to do. BONUS: create your own shadow and blush colors by breaking them on purpose you can mix them together! Makeup is supposed to be fun, yes?

 I thank my lucky stars that I paid attention in chemistry class. 😛