The Beauty Betch Speaks...

Bulletproof beauty aka Long Lasting make Up

Doesn't it seem like you makeup lasts so much longer when it's applied by a professional?~It does &here are a few of the reasons why!

There are many factors involved in determining the lifespan of your makeup application whether it's product quality,application technique,incorrect product,skin care,brushes or maybe its temperature,humidity etc. but since I can't actually see you or look into your makeup bag I'm going to name the most common reasons & explain how professional MUA's avoid these issues.I hope this helps & if I don't solve your specific issue please feel free to comment below & I'll be happy to address it.

"Its not me it's your skincare"

Common reasons your makeup isn't lasting as long as you'd like it too can include your skin condition. So before you blame your makeup & try another take a good look at your skin in the mirror when you first get out of the shower,If you have one of those magnifying mirrors this is the time to use it! (But do not go over 20x, anything close to 40x magnification will send you flying to a plastic surgeon for botox & asking the nearest contractors to sand blast the craters off your face!) we aren't meant to see our skin 40 times larger,No one but your dermatologist should have to suffer thru that. 

Now notice how your skin feels to the touch,do you feel roughness in your cheeks or slickness on you nose,chin & forehead? an excess of oil in your T-Zone will make you makeup wear off around your nose,mouth,chin & forehead. if you notice yourself re-applying to your makeup in those areas to avoid shine you are most likely in need of a new cleanser &/or moisturizer. That's not to say that you want anything to strip your skin if you get a harsh cleanser you will only cause more oil production to occur so look for an oil free moisturizer & a mild foaming cleanser with no acids,no anti acne treatments & no beads,shards,nuts,seeds,pits or rocks.lol

Do you feel like the makeup is not covering your pores anymore? If your makeup isn't going on as smoothly as it used too,It may even feel like it's dragging across your skin or that it's making your pores stand out instead of covering them.If your cheeks are rough or patchy feeling,Then you may have an accumulation of dehydrated skin. the best approach for you is going to be a Micro-dermabrasion, If you have an Esthetician in your dermatologists office or at your local salon they'll be able to quote you a price & tell you your options.If you aren't that bold Veritas does have a micro-derm in a jar just for you! At $40 for 55 ml. its a fantastic buy to achieve an amazingly fresh feeling face. I recommend that my clients remove their makeup and  for the 1st application or for a very deep cleansing they should apply it to a damp or dry skin working in circular motions from the eyes outwards. But that's only for your initial application! Subsequent applications should be done to wet skin or even in the shower once a week. This will have your cosmetics staying on twice as long & will double the life of your foundation bottle.

"Hey Lady...What's in the bag?"

Now that I've managed to blame it all on your faulty genetics instead of my products let's see what you're putting on your face?Although skincare is crucial it's also just as important that you have quality,fresh makeup.
 A wise woman named Lis Rupert that I worked with years ago at Sak's Fifth Avenue in NY had once told me that it amazed her when she would see a client come in & complain about the price of the moisturizer while wearing $2000. shoes. I had never thought of it until she mentioned it! Shoes are on our feet,they go in the street! They go out of style & you throw them away! We only have one face forever! So keeping that in mind just remember just as your body is only as good as what you put in it (u are what u eat) Our faces only look as good as we make them look.

 I'm not saying that expensive is always better but what I am saying is just like the shoes that went out of style Makeup has an expiration date & believe me it isn't the same as it ever was.If I had a dollar for every time someone told me their mascara wasn't lasting all day like it used to & its crumbly under their eyes I wouldn't need to win the Mega-Millions. Cosmetics lose moisture the moment they are first opened & the first thing you may notice is that they will not stay on like they used too.
Mascaras must be replaced every 3-4months! Or they will crumble on your eyes & even worse they will grow bacteria. Eye pencils expire after a year.Lipsticks have one of the longer shelf lives at 2yrs as does face makeup,powder,blush etc

If your products are current & you are having an issue it's possible that this particular product isn't living up to your standards but don't fret because rather than throw that beautiful sable eye shadow that you just bought away maybe we can re-purpose it? I invented re-purposing cosmetics & I am an absolute genius so you must listen to me. lol.What I mean to say is maybe that shadow can be reborn as a brow powder? or you can use an edging brush & layer it on top of gel eyeliner or cream shadow for a new look. This goes the same for everything in your pouchette. How many times have you bought a lipstick & hated it at home? Why not try it as a cream blush? Speaking of cream blush why not use that cream blush as a shadow primer then layer with powder shadow & create a new color? If you've read my blogs or attended one of my classes you know that I profess "there are no hard & fast rules with makeup,keep it fun" I've gotten some really funky eyeliners out of a wine color lip liner & a bright pink shadow out of a blush. So do NOT throw away the culprit, let that product make it up to you by living out its days as something else. 

'We're gonna need a bigger boat"

Although I said you don't have to follow the rules with products; You must always follow the rules with brushes! a good set of makeup brushes can last you for many years but you must take care of them (my brush care blog is coming soon) brushes are super important in a long lasting makeup application. You need to know what brushes apply creams,concealers,HD makeup & powders! NEVER use the cheap crappy brush in the compact,you'll regret it. your brushes are about to become super important because I'm going to tell you all about layering. layering is a technique in which your MUA builds your "story". Every makeup tells a story in color whether its a bridal makeup of soft pastel hues blended gently or its a pin-up makeup with a tight rigid carbon line & a supple ferocious vixen red lip. brushes are the key to achieving your story & keeping it in place. I can't give away too much about layering because I am launching a makeup instruction on which I teach you the technique so I will give you a fail safe way to keep your makeup in tact & durable for all day glamour.


Begin by cleansing,toning & moisturizing your face allow your moisturizer a few seconds to absorb into your skin (this is a good time to sharpen all your pencils & plan your color story for the day) next you are going to take your clean foundation brush & your going to pump a dollap of foundation primer into your hand or onto your pallete with upward & outward strokes you are going to smooth an even thin layer onto your face avoiding your eye area next you will take your concealer & your eye cream using your concealer brush you will mix the two together. First squeeze a dot of eye cream onto the back of your hand then either rub the concealer stick onto the back of your hand or load it onto the brush now "warm" the two of them together on the back of your hand and either stipple with your ring finger or dab with your concealer brush underneath your eye ONLY where you see darkness ( no owl eyes here) s the cream absorbs the concealer will lie flat & blended to perfection around the eye. Now your primer is set & ready for your foundation application once again using a foundation brush will save you money on makeup because you aren't saturating a sponge that you're going to throw away constantly (Oh, dear Lord please tell me their throwing their sponges out after every use!)now using soft sweeping motions working from you center out apply your foundation if you are looking for a dewy effect mix it with your moisturizer as you did with the concealer & create a tinted moisturizer.Remember to use an eye shadow primer prior to apply shadow, for No smudge,no transfer eyeliner apply Veritas temporary tattoo eyeliner with a fine sable brush & allow 30 seconds to set before blinking or moving about it will last up to 3 days & is removable with waterproof makeup remover .If you love the liner you have & just want it to stay in place look for an eye shadow in a similar or matching color & using your flat liner brush(edger) gently rock the brush back & forth with the shadow over it to secure the color in place.once you have all your makeup on lightly mist your face with a setting spray. I prefer Makeup Forever's mist&fix for serious staying power & if that's not available in your area my old stand by is evian's brumisateur just make sure you are 10-12 inches away from your face or you will be effectively hosing yourself down. ;0) That's all for tonight my lovely ladies please feel free to share your questions,comments,tips & tricks with me & tell your friends to follow because it's about to "get crackin like a bad back" in here...The beauty betch is back