Touching up on cakey makeup

Hi hi hi everybody =) I hope everyone's enjoying summer like I am :)

Because it's summer~ so it's time to get oily XD  So today's entry is gonna be on how to touch up on cakey makeup :)


I'm gonna focus on the nose area cuz that's the only place I get oily and the foundation/powder on my nose sort of cakes up/looks shinier like it's soaked with oil =_= (haha I'm exaggerating but you know what I mean right?! like the matte finish is gone that kind of thing)

So things you SHOULD'NT do (please don't lol! Speaking from my own experience here HAHA)
1. DO NOT  just lay another layer of liquid or powder foundation! It's gonna look super thick and will clump!
2. DO NOT just take your mattifying powder and pat it on/brush it on what have you. It WILL clump I promise you! BIG NONO *wags finger*

I want to share my little horrific experience of doing #2 XD... so I have this Laura Mercier/Smooth Focus Pressed Setting Powder - Shine Control. So on Sephora, it says:


Laura Mercier Smooth Focus Pressed Setting Powder - Shine Control is a lightweight, oil-free powder that visibly eliminates shine and produces a fresh, matte complexion. The naturally derived Shine Control Complex controls oil breakthrough and the ultra-sheer, mint green shade works to correct redness and visibly even out the skintone. It's ideal for touch-ups throughout the day as it keeps your complexion flawless and shine-free.
 
Okay the highlighted part-- it made it sound like you can just take the powder and press it on then it's gonna blot the oil/mattify your skin. oh, HELL NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I did it and it totally clumped on me!!! AGHHH!!!! good thing that I was at home when I was trying to mattify my nose... cuz I was oh sh*ttttttttttttt!!!!! sh*t sh*t SH*T!!! So I ended up removing the whole thing and redid my makeup =_= (I assume MAC blot powder is the same?????? Never used it though so I don't know.. but it seems like other gurus just grab the blotting powder and put them on themselves... I wonder how they did that without makeup clumping?! O_O )
 
Enough of my rambling. Here is what you SHOULD do =) this is pretty awesome you don't have to remove and redo all your makeup! Just spotlight touch-ups.
 
What you will need... is a wedged sponge, some facial moisturizer, and your foundation and your facial loose/setting powder if you use it, and the tool you use to put your foundation on (I usually use a brush and I'd like to use the same tool for the consistent look-- fingers give thicker application. But you can even use the same sponge =] )
 
Here are the steps (or how I do it at least lol):
 
1. Use one side of the sponge, very gently use dabbing motion to dab at your nose to remove the caked up foundation/powder.
 
2. Put a tiny bit of your facial moisturizer on the back of your hand, dab a little with the other side of your sponge, and wipe off  your sponge on the back of your hand so the moisturizer is absorbed in the sponge
 
3. Gently dab the sponge (with moisturizer) on your nose (this will further remove the rest of the makeup, and at the same time re-condition your skin. The reason I don't just use the sponge with moisturizer to dab off the foundation is because it's just gross and less neat).
 
 4. Do your usual application-- foundation powder or liquid foundation or whatever :) and set with powder.
 
Now your nose should look mattified like when you freshly finished doing your makeup in the morning :) cuz that's how mine looks like *wide smile*
 
Hopefully this is helpful to some of you :) Have an awesome day beautifuls!! =)
 
<3 Frances

Hat ^__^

Hallo hello!

So just a quick post-- a fedora/hat I got from Love Culture, with straw-like material. Been on the hunt for this kind of hat for a long time... but never found a good one, until now =D yayy (TOTALLY an influence by my ex-roommie... never thought I'd even like this kind of style XD)


Here's what it looks like... it's like the perfect color! Usually the ones I saw are too yellow/too muddy/the ribbon around looks weird... but this is almost exactly what I was looking for :)  Those pics are taken a while back when I did the Kumiko makeup... lol








HAHAHAHAAHHAAHAAHA.... yeah.... -___- model pose FAIL orz

Trying to be innocent... again, FAIL.



I think this hat would be so cute with summer dresses :)

Here are more pics of the style I was referring to :) too cowboy/country for anyone? XD





Haha I think this style is super cute and extremely feminine :) I like it but I don't think I'll ever see it on myself XD too girly heehee.


:) later guys!

<3 Frances

Blog Award and Tagged~!!

Hello hello!!

Sorry for putting this off for so long... but I've been given two sweet blog awards and tagged for 7 random things by four sweet bloggers ^^  I know the rules are to give the award to 10 other bloggers and tag 7 other ppl... that doesn't mean I have to double though right O_o?? like I won't have to find 20 ppl to do the award and tag 14 ppl right? O_o aiiii ><

Anyways I was given the Sweet Blog Award by sweet Charlotte and Chung ^^ thank you guys!!!!!! <3 <3


So I have to repost the rules lol!

-Give this award to 10 sweet and friendly bloggers
- Make a post about the award including the picture above
- In your post, mention the person who gave it to you
- Put the award on your blog
- Let your nominated 10 know you've awarded them by leaving a comment

I'd like to give the award to these other sweet bloggers ^^

1. Leenda
2. Bunny~
3. Justine
4. Dai Dai Bel
5. Ken 
6. Victoria
7. Jo
8. Fiona
9. Sana Choi
10. Jinna

And I was tagged by two other lovely bloggers... Fiona and Leenda :]

The rules are:
- Link to your tagger and list the rules
- List 7 random facts about yourself
- Tag 7 people (and make sure you check back and see what they say!)
- If you're tagged, play along and pass it on!

So... 7 random facts about me huh O__o
 
1. I LOVE Stich!!! :D 


Violent yet cute, kind of like me ;D *hahah omg vomits and kicks fly myself*

2. I take notes/write comments on a post-it when I read fashion magazines..... XD nerd.

3. I want to move to California!!!! ><"

4. I DON'T like Hello Kitty (except the Hello Kitty's on MAC's Hello Kitty Collection haha!)

5. I DON'T like wearing heels... which sucks cuz I'm short as hell haha

6. People always think I'm a high school student =_= When I went to buy my guinea pig at Petsmart this year... the guy who worked there *as he was taking Charlie out of his cage* looked at me and said ... "people who are 18 and under need a parent supervision form..."

Me: uh.... I'm 22....

(in my mind... ╭∩╮（￣▽￣）╭∩╮ )

Well I guess I kind of look like this -___-

So I guess I have no one but my genes to blame... haha... -__-

7. I like to sketch... it takes my mind off things... 
here are some of my work =) I'm not trained or whatsoever never taken a class... so please no bashing XD

Used to be obsessed with this anime called "Detective Conan"... (still a little :P) anyone knows what it is? Or is it more of a my generation thing XD haha.
 


Last year I realized I've never sketched real humans in my entire life O_O like I sketch animals, anime, disney pictures, objects... but never tried humans. So it was my goal to practice on that XD

a very old picture of Angelina Jolie... lol yeah doesn't look that alike but oh well I'm an amatuer XD

Can you guys guess who this is? XD man she is HARD to draw... somebody teach me how to draw human hair O_O the whole time I was like AHH!!

lol that concludes 7 randome things about me lol!

And I tag:

1. Chung
2. Bunny
3. Justine
4. Dai Dai Bel
5. Ken
6. Victoria
7. Charlotte

;)
Have a wonderful week~!

<3 Frances

S factor Creamy Molding Wax (Updated on 6/15)

Hello! So this is sort of a review thing for this product-- Creamy Molding Wax by S Factor.





I got it on Amazon.com for around $17, but I know it usually retails for $27 at salons.

As you can see it doesn't seem like a lot of products for $27, but the product is very dense so I've been using it for a while and I still have a lot left.

I'd say this is the best wax I've used so far... (but then again I have NOT used many at all!!!) I've used wax from Redken (ugh double thumb down-- super sticky and smells horrible) Sebastian Craft Clay (too sticky and really weighs me hair down, and smells just like clay) and Mod's Hair Clay (smells good but also sticky and heavy)

I'd say this is by far the most light-weighted texturizing product I've used, so it doesn't weigh my hair down as much, and it also gives really nice and natural texture :)  But what I also really like about this stuff is that even if my hair gets flat after a while, I can just stick my hands in my hair and ruffle it up a little and it'd have the initial effect as when you first put the product on (the other products I've mentioned failed to create the same effect after you put them on). So I really like that. It's also the most un-sticky product I've used compared to the others. And another very important thing-- it smells so wonderful!!! It actually smells like strawberries >w< I've come to care a lot about the smell of the product I put in my hair (even for wax/clay) because I'd feel nasty when the wind wafted the clay smell toward my face... EW. So yep =)

I'm very inexperienced when it comes to hair products so you might want to check out other reviews =) just being honest here. But overall I do enjoy this product! :)

Any good hair products you guys like? :)

<3 Frances
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A couple of things I forgot to mention...

- although it's a wax, but really the texture is more like clay. And it is very creamy like stated :)
- I forgot to mention the holding power-- I usually only use it to get texture, but I used it to hold my curls today and I'd say they held up pretty good :)


this was taken around 11am. lol look so bloated. oh well

around 5:30pm. Btw I did ruffle it up a little before I took the pic (my hair did get flatter over the day lol can't fight gravity) but see what I mean? The hair still looks good, and compared to other products I've used this product doesn't make your hair stick/clump together so you can't ruffle it up. It doesn't make my hair look sticky/gross :)

not much difference yeah? But I did use some heat protectant prior to styling my hair so that might have helped holding the curls (my hair is pretty easy to style and usually holds up pretty well).

Okay that's officially it :P

How to prevent makeup from smudging (6/19 Updated)

Hey everyone =)

So I think how to prevent makeup from smearing is a topic that will never cease XD Especially being Asian my skin type and eye shape really make my makeup prone to smearing than other races =T I have been wearing makeup consistently for the past like 3-4 years? Not that long compared to a lot of ppl I know XD 
But here are my personal tips that have helped me... I know this will be a long article but please bear with me and I actually DO have different things to share than the general advice vids from other makeup gurus lol!!

I am going on focus on eye makeup smearing (eyeliner smudging/coming off and eyeshadow creasing) cuz that's my main issue and focus. I'm not that experienced when it comes to other parts of the face lol but I will put up some advice from other gurus =)

Few things to bear in mind when it comes to makeup-smearing:

1. Quality of makeup itself
- Go for waterproof stuff. Finding a good eyeliner is VERY important. It is kind of in vain to do all the work if the eyeliner itself sucks lol. Now eyeliner works differently for everyone so you will just need to try and find something that suits you best. I'd recommend Bobbi Brown, MAC fluidine blacktrack (**I'd stick with blacktrack when it comes to MAC cuz I found that their formula for different colors is very inconsistent... I have one in purple and it doesn't stay AT ALL**), Stila smudgepot and Buxom (for more info please refer to my eyeliner reviews) 

2. Prepping your eyelids
-  Find a good eye shadow primer that actually works for you. For example, everyone raves about Urban Decay Primer Potion... no offense there but that primer doesn't do crap for me, haha.

3. Things to avoid
basically things that would make your eyes water should be prevented... for examples....
- Avoid products that contain high SPF around your eyes (I'd say within 20 is safer). Having products that contain SPFs around your eyes/on your eyelids is likely to make your eyes water under bright light/sunlight.
- If your mascara flakes and falls into your eyes(especially those ones that are promoting length), you can prevent so/minimize it by applying an extra coat of clear lash gel.
- I'd say keep your waterline clear of anything if you don't want any smearing/eye-watering
- Liquid eyeliner always makes my eyes water!!! Especially when I'm outdoors in the sun (like I will be fine indoors lol isn't that weird) I have no idea why, maybe it's just the formula (setting with eye shadow doesn't help me. I've even tried putting on gel liner first then use liquid eyeliner over it... still made my eyes water 0_0 ). If you have the same problem, avoid liquid eyeliner on the outer corner of your eye, as well as the bottom line.  Replace with gel liner to do the wing/cat-eye, as well as the bottom liner. Or you should just avoid liquid eyeliner like I do lol.
- If you like to mist your face (with MAC Fix+, Evian Spray, Vitamin E Spray what have you), avoid your eye area. Shield your eyes when you mist your face. I found that when I just close my eyes and mist my whole face, my eyes tend to get irritated.
4. Makeup Shelf Life
- Makeup has shelf life too lol. So if you've had your beloved eyeliner for a while and it hasn't been working great that means you need to get a new one :) Usually the shelf life of eyeliner is 6 months-12 months afer opening, you can check the container.

5. Most basically, start out with a fresh, clean face!
- "Painting" on a oily/dirty canvas is just not gonna work, so wash your face and moisturize thoroughly so your face doesn't get irritated later on lol. A comfortable face holds up makeup better

How I prevent my eyeliner from smudging

1. Foundation helps!
I don't know how many of you out there are like me who doesn't like to do full face application
I noticed when I use foundation all over my face, my makeup almost doesn't smear at all.
when I apply a very very thin layer of foundation around my eyes (thinner than your face application-- or else it'd crease on your folds!) I found that my eye makeup smears less.
***make sure the foundation is matte finish formula*** or at least set with face powder***

2. primer
- a good eye shadow primer not only prevents eye shadow from creasing, but it also helps eyeliner from smearing
- when applying, use just enough. I found when I apply a thick layer hoping for better results the effect is opposite.


3. Set eyeliner with eye shadow
That's what all makeup gurus say lol!
For me I like to put eyeshadow on first, then eyeliner (instead of the usual eyeliner, then set with eye shadow). This works a bit better for me. :P
(or you can even do primer- eye shadow- eyeliner- eye shadow again. I've done it before but it tends to make my eye really dry [because you're using the dry eye shadow to dry up the products twice if that makes sense]. Plus too many steps so I always got lazy to do it XD)

How to prevent eyeshadow from creasing
- find a good primer that works for you
-Urban Decay Primer Potion and MAC paintpot didn't do the trick for me: my eyeshadow still creases where my eyelid folds
a MAC artist told me to apply a layer of each and it helped her-- I haven't tried yet because I found the right primer :) (bareMinerals primer does the trick).  So the important thing here is to find something that works for you


Face Liquid foundation
-Always wash your face before to get rid of residing oils on your face
-Properly moisturize and WAIT until products are absorbed
-Prime your face if it helps(personally don't feel a difference and primers tend to make me break out)
-Set with loose powder (makes the biggest difference!)


Blush
cream blush+ set with powder blush (personally never had a problem with blushes so I've never actually done this ^^)

Lips
- Use warm wet towel to gently rub your lips to get rid of dead/thick lip cells to prevent feathering
- moisturize and wait till products are absorbed
-line your lips
- apply lipstick and gloss
- use a similar eyeshadow to set (never tried this step but all the gurus said this makes your lip products stay forever lol)

In a very rought conclusion, the very basic principles for preventing makeup from smearing include...
1. Provide a clean, oil-free canvas for longer-lasting makeup application.
2. Set fluids/gels/creams with powder (to dry up the products)


WOW this was super duper long. But I hope it helps some of you :)

<3 Frances