Brush Hour III

99% of the time when we do a makeup job I hear "I wish you could come do my makeup everyday!" Although I am flattered, I cannot help but wish the I had someone come and do my makeup everyday as well. I understand it is a total pain in the butt being a woman, (Men have it so easy it's disgusting.) but there are some ways to save time and improve your chances of recreating any look that a makeup artist gives you.

When women come to me and say "I have tried to do my makeup how you did it, but I just can't." I always feel a little frustrated. Being an ex-theater major, I wrote a script to inform you why:

Woman: "I have tried to do my makeup how you did it but I just cant!"

Ally: "Oh really? I am so sorry to hear that! How many times did you try the new techniques I showed you out?"

Woman: "Once."

Ally: "Oh. Well you didn't give it much of a chance missy! Did you use the same products I did?"

Woman: "No."

Ally: "Oh. Okay. Well did use the brushes I recommended?"

Women: "No. I didn't have any of them."

Ally: "Oh. Umm well then how did you apply your makeup?"

Woman: "With my fingers."

Ally: "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

*Ally faints*

AND SCENE.

Thank you. *Ally takes a bow* So now that I have preformed my little skit, let me tell you about the many problems I have with it.

1) Trying out what I teach you in a lesson/consultation is not something you can just practice once. Do you think that I woke up one day, said "Oh. I think I am going to be a makeup artist today" and started doing perfect makeup the next day? Heck no! I have done some terrible makeups, but over time I have learned from my mistakes. Practice makes perfect right? And if you do mess up, lets look at the bright side. It's JUST MAKEUP. If you mess up, all you have to do is swipe a little makeup remover over it and start over. I don't want to ever hear you complain about "not knowing how to do something" until you have practiced AT LEAST everyday for a month. I promise you will be doing it perfectly. If you still can not do it by the end of the month, then we can work together to find a new game plan for you.

2) If you don't use the same products as I do, it is not going to look the same. It is as simple as that ladies. I use certain products for a reason. There is a world of difference between an eyeshadow that you buy at Wal*Mart and a MAC eyeshadow. Sure, MAC eye shadows are a little bit pricey (Around $15.00 a piece) however they will last you ten times longer because the color payoff is so amazing, all you need is one little swipe. I am NOT saying to abandon all of your makeup and run out and spend your whole 401K on brand new products for your brand new makeup routine, I am simply saying know how to use what you have, and once you cycle through your old makeup, seriously think of investing in higher end products. The good thing about our consultations/lessons is we take what you already have, show you how to use it properly, and then we explain how to fill in the missing pieces by recommending things that would work well for you.

3) BRUSHES. BRUSHES. BRUSHES. They are so important (and expensive, I know) I really can not stress it enough. Since brushes are so pricey, I try to replace or add one brush to my collection every other time I go makeup shopping. This way, I am not stressing myself out too much by purchasing $500.00 in brushes, and I can slowly filter out older brushes. (I have had my set for over 7 years and I am just now starting to replace some of them) When you walk into a makeup store, it is a little overwhelming to look at all of the brushes and try to decide what will work best for you, so I am going to tell you all the brushes you could possibly need to create a perfect makeup (anything else you choose to purchase is totally up to you and how comfortable you are using them)

I use only MAC brushes. I have tried several other brands, but many of them are more expensive than MAC. I feel with MAC, I get a great brush for a very fair price.


*Brush #217. This is the ONLY brush you need to do an eye makeup. It is soft enough to blend, but firm enough to place color.

*Brush #224. This can also be used on the eye if you are searching for a softer look. I also use this brush for concealer. This brush blends it in and gives you an airbrushed look without removing any facial primer or eye cream.

*Brush #209. This is the only brush for eyeliner if you ask me. It doesn't matter if you use liquid, gel, or shadow, this brush is it.

*Brush #266. This brush is your eyebrow brush. it fills in your brows flawlessly. You can also use this one for eyeliner if you want to save some money. I just personally prefer the #209 for eyeliner.

*Brush #188. This is your foundation brush. Whether you wear powder or liquid, this one does the trick every time.

*Brush #116. This is the perfect sized blush brush. You never over do the blush with this little guy.

And there you have it. 6 brushes. (5 brushes if you just get the #266 instead of the #209 and the #266) You can ALWAYS add more brushes to do different things once you get more skilled. I have hundreds of brushes and I use them all. But if you just have 5-6 amazing brushes that are great quality, you will be totally set. I can't stress that enough.

These brushes will last you forever if you take proper care of them. You can purchase brush cleanser for $11.00 at MAC. All you need to do is dab a little bit of this magic potion on a paper towel, swipe your brush back and forth a few times, and it releases all the color and dries instantly so that you can use the same brush with multiple colors. Then once a week, use a gentle shampoo (I like to use baby shampoo) with a bit of water to deep clean your brushes. Leave them out to dry overnight, and you are good to go! Just be sure not to get water into the ferrule of your brushes (where the metal ferrule meets the wood handle.) This will rot the wood over time and it will eventually ruin your brush.

I hope this helps a tiny bit. Love you all, but it is time for bed because I am one tired little "blogger." Eww.

xoxox
Allyson Stagg
CEO of The Las Vegas Style Sirens

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