I thought it would be fun to show you a few of my favorite things pertaining to makeup so I went around snapping pictures of things on my vanity and in my makeup bag. Then it quickly turned into a "whats in my bag/what can't I live without from all over my house/what products in my life do I absolutley LOVE"
This got to be so long that I decided to break it up into parts. I'll have part 2 up soon. Today I will cover part of my makeup basics.
My favorite thing/can't live without - top of my list - if I'm stranded on a deserted island and could only take one thing with me would be:
MAC's Fling eyebrow pencil! Fling is the name of the color. Brows have always been an obsession of mine (maybe because we want what we can't have and I wasn't born with Angelina Jolie brows.) I draw mine on. If you ever see me with no brows on then I must be having a bad day. This brow pencil is the best ever. Its the perfect color of ash blond. It doesn't go on too yellow or golden. It works with so many hair tones and it is not waxy at all. It is a very dry pencil (if that makes sense- think chalk not crayon) which works so well when you draw on as much of a brow as I do. I have tried other brands. Even brands that look the same down to the slim packaging and NOTHING compares to this. Trust me!
And the rest are as follows:
Going right along with the brows is the Tweezerman Tweezers. Love this. I have the shorter version (that's because it is cheaper.) These are amazing. I have 2 pair- One in the house and one in my purse (because often the best place to tweeze those strays is in the car....parked of course!) I am not a waxer I only tweeze and since I am obsessed with brows I have to have good tweezers. These are like $12 and well worth it. If you don't have some then you should! My all time favorite tweezers are the MAC Slanted tweezers. I couldn't find them to take a picture and they are $32!!!!! Thank goodness I got them when I worked there. They are worth it (as long as you don't misplace them like I did :( they will turn up somewhere, they always do. But the Tweezerman are easy to find, cheaper, and are awesome! Don't settle for anything less when it comes to tweezers!
My handy double sided mirror. One side is regular and the other side is 5x magnification (for tweezing brows:) Don't break your back leaning into the mirror. Go pay $5 for one of these and you'll thank yourself. But don't look too close, sometimes I see things on my face that I would rather not have magnified!
Benefit High Beam. I know I have mentioned this in another post and I know I told you I like to glow. Guide ships home glow! This helps me achieve that. I like to call this my "glotion". Its very versatile - you can glow as little or as much as you'd like with this. Use in under foundation for a soft glow or over foundation for a more intense glow. I LOVE this because it is NOT glittery at all. It's the perfect pearl! It literally looks like someone melted a pearl onto your face which gives the most beautiful glow you have ever seen.
Dazzlelight Eyeshadow by MAC. Ok I can't live without this. This may fall right under the fling brow pencil. This is basically the powder version of the Benefit High Beam (when I really want to GLOW I set the High Beam glotion with this eyeshadow.) This is the best highlighter ever. I use it over the High Beam, under my brows, on my lips. Like I said it is the powder version of my glotion. Its "crushed" pearl as opposed to "melted" pearl. Even though it is an "eyeshadow" I use this in lots of different areas of the face. If you have seen any photos of brides I have done and you've thought to yourself "wow, she has a pretty glow"- well its the Dazzlelight (and the glow of a new bride:) I have sold and given this stuff to more people that I care to count. I keep this stocked up right next to my brow pencil. Those are 2 things I DON'T want to run out of!
Strobe Cream by MAC. This is a pearlized moisturizer. I like it because, well, you guessed it..... It's pearlized. But more than just that it is great for anyone. I use it in addition to my regular skincare. I use it on brides before I apply the primer. It just makes the skin look alive and healthy. Even if you don't want a "glow" this still is good to use to make the skin look healthy and awakened! It's also good to use on the shoulders and decolletage for that pretty healthy glow without using makeup on your body. After all, it is a moisturizer.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. If you have read my blog about "The Oil Cleansing Method" then you know what I love olive oil. If you haven't read it then you need to! Besides cleansing my face with it I also put a few drops in my bathwater and it makes my skin soooo soft. I also cook with it. But so do a lot of people. Now if only as many people washed their face with it as they do cook with it....that would be awesome!
Click here to read what I'm talking about if you haven't already: http://aevansmakeupartist.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-oil-cleansing-method.html
Click here to read what I'm talking about if you haven't already: http://aevansmakeupartist.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-oil-cleansing-method.html
Argan Oil. I have been using this stuff forever. Long before it was on every shelf in every store. I have long blond (bleached) hair and have been using it in my hair for years to keep is strong and soft. I also use it on my face. It has sooo many good benefits that you can't help but fall in love with it. I buy mine at Rainbow Blossom Health Food Store. I buy the 100% pure argan oil. A little goes a long way. Its so much cheaper to buy it this way then it is at a cosmetic store or salon. Try it, you'll love it. Use it after you wash your hair on combed wet hair and a little on your skin (or anywhere that needs moisture) after you have washed your face. 
MAC Complete Comfort Creme. As if I didn't pile enough on my face (I know that's what your thinking:) I also use this moisturizer. (please note I don't always use the Strobe Cream above) I don't use Comfort Creme all the time. Mostly in the winter months. Maybe its habit, maybe its because I like the clean sweet smell, or maybe it's because it feels so luxurious (and for not a lot of money) but I love this stuff. When I do use it I put it on after my argan oil. You may think I put a lot of stuff on my face but really I don't. I ALWAYS use the oil cleansing method and I always use the argan oil. I like to think of the argan oil as a treatment that happens to add moisture and suppleness to the skin. But sometimes my skin needs a little more. Sometimes it can't stand the cold weather. Sometimes I want to just drench my skin in moisture and pray I don't get anymore wrinkles! This is the only "moisturizer" I keep around the house besides the Strobe Cream which does not feel like this. The Strobe Cream is more used as a feature item to help the "look" of the skin and this is a true moisturizer. I also use this on my elbows ad hands- it really IS that comforting!
Clarins Instant Smooth Primer. I love this stuff. It makes my skin feel like a babies bottom and wrinkle free! Need I say more? Its a primer- the bridge between your skincare and your makeup. You prime a wall to paint. You prime your nails to paint. So prime your face with this. You'll love your wrinkle free soft babies bottom face too! Please note it does not remove wrinkles it's a smoother and line filler ;)
Clarins Skin Illusion Foundation. I LOVE this foundation for me personally. Why? Because I like the way it makes my skin look. Plain and simple. It makes it look like Satin. Paired with the primer above these two could make sandpaper look like satin. It's not too dewy and it's not too matte. It's perfect!
Ben Nye Concealer Wheel- I love this because I love Ben Nye (not to be confused with Bill Nye the science guy. Although Ben is a science guy of makeup! He is in L.A. and makes makeup. Its all really pigmented and geared towards special effects/theatrical makeup. This concealer wheel is good enough for someone in Cirque du Soleil to use and its good enough for me. Its a hard brand to find. I have only found it here in Louisville at Caufields downtown. He also has a website.
MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer. I love this because it is lightweight and provides moisture which is great for concealing the under eye area. Its got enough pigment to cover the late night under eye circles but does not cake up, which we all know can look just as bad as the circles themselves. It feels so light under the eyes. Its also a great travel concealer. Throw it in your purse and go-no mess because it has a wand applicator. 
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Powder. This is a mineral powder that doesn't even look like powder when you put it on. I use this in all my makeup application on other women. It has the prettiest finish known to man and its a pressed mineral powder! I keep this in my purse with a little brush. When I apply it its like I am putting nothing on the skin yet the skin is transformed to this beautiful finish. I can only describe it as "a picture taken in soft focus"- everything is softened. I have a bunch of colors in this powder. I keep whatever one matches my skin at the time in my purse and I like to use a darker one as a bronzer. It makes a great "fool proof" bronzer with no shimmer. 
Baby Wipes. I never used baby wipes before I had a baby (and he isn't a baby anymore.) I am pretty sure I will use baby wipes while my son is in college. Not only are they good to clean sticky hands and adorably sticky faces but I take my makeup off with them. Most of the time I use the "Oil Cleansing Method" to remove all my makeup but sometimes I may need to change my look and I don't need to wash my face so I use these. Or maybe I'm super lazy and tired and don't feel like getting my butt out of bed to wash my face (GASP- we've all done it!) so I grab and wipe and at least take off what I shouldn't be sleeping in in the first place. They are also great to wrap around your pointer finger and clean up around the eyes (if you have fallout from your shadow or if you mess up your makeup.) I keep these in my kit because they are much easier than remover and water. They also get food and liquid off of shirts, dirt off of a dirty area and so on. They have so many uses and they are so much cheaper than makeup removing wipes. I figure if it's good enough for a new born baby then its good enough for my face!
MAC's 181SH Brush. I don't even know if they makes this all the time. I bought it in a special set. But the reason I love it is because its small and soft and great to apply my MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Powder on with. (I don't like to carry around powder puffs) If I didn't have this tiny cute brush then I wouldn't be able to apply my powder on the go! Love it and it's so cute!
MAC's 130 Brush. This is what I use for my foundation. Its a duo fiber brush meaning its made up of natural (black) and synthetic (white) hairs. As you can see there are less white hairs but they are longer. The black hair does the buffing into the skin (the heavy lifting as I like to say) while the white hair-which is what the foundation actually sits on- lightly dances along the skin gently and softly applying the foundation. You get a really good finish with this type of brush. Its around $40. A lot of money for something so small but you'll use very little foundation (I only use one pump) that you will save money. Its WELL WORTH IT. MAC has many duo fibers but I like the 130 brush because it's the smallest and most compact of the duo fibers. I feel like I get a better coverage with it. I use their other duo fibers that are larger for my glotion and powders for a really soft coverage. 
MAC 217 Brush. When I worked at the MAC counter I used to tell people that I could save the world with this brush. For an eyeshadow brush it is the best purchase you can make. It is the most versatile and you get the most bang for your buck. I own about 10 of them. I use it to apply, blend, and buff shadow and I also use it as a concealer brush. LOVE IT! I think it's about $24 and well worth it.
Wow. I talk/type a lot. That concludes the "These are a Few of my Favorite Things/Can't Live Without" part one. Like I said as I started taking photos of all of these things I ended up branching out into other things I can't live without from all over my house. The second part will be up ASAP!
Thank you for taking the time to read about a few of my favorite things. These are all products I believe in and wouldn't want to be without. They are staples in my makeup collection. These are tried and true products that can't be beat!
Are any of these your favorite things? If not then what is. I would love to hear about them and I ALWAYS like to try new things that come highly recommended! I think it's safe to say we all do!
Check back soon for part 2! In the meantime check out my other sites:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amelia-Evans-Makeup-Artist/217603118271715?ref=hl
AND on Instagram at:
http://instagram.com/aevansmakeupartist/
Thanks again and have a beautiful day!!
-A
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