Monday, December 31, 2012

Esthetician Course F.A.Q.

I was considering making a video for this topic just to go more into detail, but for now I shall just start with a few questions that I commonly get asked on becoming an Esthetician.

What exactly do you learn/do as an esthetician?

The answer to that is... PLENTY. A majority of it is facials and waxing, I can say that. However, estheticians also include performing Microdermabrasion, Electrical Modalities, Makeup Artistry, Chemical Peels, and my course included Body Wraps (Although that is not required, & most schools do not offer body wraps included in their skin care course.).


How long is the Esthetician course?

Each state requires their own minimum amount of hours, but for myself, residing in California, the course is 600 hours.


Do you have to have an esthetician/cosmetology license to perform services even if you finish your course?

YES. I've have been asked this so many times. Just because you recieve your certificate from your school, that does not mean really ANYTHING until you have passed your state board. You will not be hired without having your license, and cannot LEGALLY perform your services with your license.

What is cosmetology school like?

OKAY, this is the number 1 question I often get asked. Understand that if you decide that esthetics or cosmetology is completely what you want to do, don't let the fear of beauty school hold you back. I CANNOT SAY THIS ENOUGH, DO YOUR RESEARCH! DO YOUR RESEARCH! SO many beauty schools will say anything to get you through those doors & signing your enrollment papers. PLEASE, do your research. BBB any school you may be considering, YELP is also a really great tool! Check out different schools, go INTO the schools to look inside, take a tour! But most definitely, CHECK OUT MORE THAN ONE. NOW! As far as actually attending cosmetology school, your school will more than likely or not be close to 100% female. Because of that, there tends to be quite a bit of drama. The way I have always avoided this is simple, I have always minded my own business & stayed out anyone else's drama. That is best advice that I have. Don't let your surroundings at school interfere with coming in between yourself & your goals. It is WORTH IT, I can promise you that.

Any other questions, feel free to ask!

Favorite Eyeshadow Palettes (Swatches Included!)

For today's post I decided to share some of my all time favorite eye shadow palettes! & The best part? They're all affordable! Even with the MAC, Lancome, MUFE that I own.. These palettes more than compete! They are better than most of the high end palettes that I own! SO let's get the ball rollin'!!

  1. Maybelline Stylish Smokes in "Natural Smokes"




The colors in this quad are beautiful! They all work well together to create a light, neutral smokey eye. The highlight color is definitely my favorite! Even one of my favorite highlights just in general. It is a satin, cream beige color..A+ for a drugstore highlight! Since most drugstore highlight colors tend to be overly-chalky, shimmery, or just don't show up at all! The "Lid" color is a mid-tone taupe, it reminds me of a less pigmented, less purple toned version of M.A.C.'s Satin Taupe. The "Crease" color is an espresso brown with excellent pigmentation. The "Liner" color is a grey brown which glides on perfectly! It is such a versatile color to have, and has great pigmentation. I love this quad for a quick, out the door look! I usually use the "lid" on the lid, "crease" as my transition color, "liner" as my outer v/crease color, and "base" as the highlight. Less than 10 minutes & BOOM! Good to go.

    2. Wet'n Wild the "Lust" Palette




OH MY GOODNESS! This palette is a must have regardless of eye color, skintone, haircolor..ETC! The variety of looks that can be created with this palette will suit anyone! The colors in this palette are gorgeous! I prefer the purples in the palette more than any purple that I own by M.A.C., period. The pigmentation of the shadows is AMAZING! AMAZING! They are incredibly smooth with or without a primer (Although I always recommend using a primer!). The colors are vibrant so you only need a touch! The only downfall is that there is quite a bit of fallout upon applying, but once they're on-top of a primer, they stay put! What I love about this palette is that one side (left) is completely matte, and the other (right) has shimmer shades. The shimmer shades are not chunky glitter, just enough shimmer for a pop!


3. Nyx For Your Eyes Only "Smokey Eyes" Palette


This HANDS DOWN is my all time favorite eye shadow palette. I use this palette every single day! I'm a smokey eye type of girl, and if you are too I suggest that you get your hands on this palette pronto! The colors are the best that I've found for smokey eyes. There are so many varities of smokey eyes that you can do with just this one palette! I tend to stay away from the shimmery colors in the palette just out of preference, but they just as pretty as the matte/satin ones. I came across this palette 2 years ago, and I have gone through about 5! I recommend this to everyone! The eyeshadows are extremely pigmented, it ranges from browns, greys, blacks, and two highlights:champagne and a white. The chamgpagne is my absolute favorite highlight, and the black is a staple for me everyday!
I purchased mine at Ulta for $10, and the palette has 10 eyeshadows, so you're paying $1 an eyeshadow! A steal!! Lol. I can't recommend this palette enough, go out there & give it a try if you're a smokey eye lover!




Sincerely,
Lipstick & Headphones...

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Holy grails for dry skin!

Holy grails for dry skin! ...


I, as do many, deal/have dry skin. If you have dry skin yourself, you know how much of a challenge it is to find products to work well with your skin! I decided to share some of my all time favorites that have yet to let me down! On with the items!

1: Pond's Dry Skin Cream

 






This incredibly rich cream moisturizer is AMAZING for dry skin! I cannot say that enough. I use this at night before bed, and by morning my dry skin is completely hydrated. Especially through winter months, i cannot go without this! I wouldn't recommend this for use during the day unless you have extremely dry skin otherwise it can become quite greasy. This cream is affordable and will leave your dry skin transformed, what's not to try?!




2: Clean & Clear Morning Glow Moisturizer







This is my everyday moisturizer, it doesn't irritate or cause my skin to breakout like 90% of the moisturizers on the market do! What I really love about this moisturizer is that it definitely brightens the look of dull skin! Having dry skin, it can tend to look quite dull, I notice an improvement immediately after applying this.




3. M.A.C. Fix +




MAC describes Fix + as follows (directly from the Mac website):

An aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. Adds radiance, finishes makeup. Spray it on. Skin drinks it up!

This product is a lifesaver for dry skin! Throughout the day when my skin begins to feel dry, I spritz and it's an instant feeling of hydration. I always use it once my foundation and concealer have been applied to prevent it from looking cakey. Overall it's a great multi-use product to have. It is a tad expensive, but each bottle lasts me between 3-6 months with everyday use.







4. M.A.C. Studio Tech Foundation




MAC describes this foundation as follows (directly off of the website):
Totally tech. A tri-system blend of water, emollients and powder. Looks solid, glides on as a soft, creamy emulsion. Provides a natural matte, powder-perfect finish. Smooth to blend, easy to work with: provides a full range of coverage. Water-cooled - refreshes and hydrates skin. Light diffusing: softens lines, creates a fresh, flawless finish. Good on all skin types. Studio Tech is dermatologist tested, ophthalmologist tested, non-acnegenic and safe for contact lens wearers.

I LOVE this foundation! It is the only foundation that I've come across that doesn't accuentate the dry areas of my face or cause a reaction to my skin. If you have dry skin, I REALLY suggest that you give Studio Tech at least a try.The MAC website lists that it is a powder-perfect finish, which is the only part that I definitely disagree with. The finish is a beautiful, dewy (without being shiny/oily looking!). This foundation is creamy, easy to blend, and looks amazing! Although it is quite pricey at $30, I use mine everyday and it lasts me anywhere between 2-4 months. The coverage is medium-full depending on how you apply it. I use my MAC 190 brush to get the most out of the coverage, and it still never looks cakey.



If you have dry skin or try any of these products definitely let me know what you think, and what some of your favorite products are!

Sincerely,
Lipstick & Headphones...