DIY Makeup Brush Cleaner

Today I am sharing my quick & inexpensive homemade makeup brush cleaner recipe. I started making my own brush cleaner a few years ago after being disenchanted by the cost of store bought ones. Personally, I find it difficult to convince myself to pay $14 {going rate for a Sephora brand cleaner} for a bottle of liquid when the homemade stuff works just as well.  The best thing about homemade cleaners is that there are so many variations out there & a lot of the ingredients are things you probably already have lying around in your house!

DIY Makeup Brush Cleaner Recipe 

1 cup of warm water

1 tablespoon liquid dish detergent

1 tablespoon vinegar

Fill a small bowl with the above ingredients. Place brushes bristle side down in the bowl & swoosh around. Remove brushes and rinse under tap water. Reshape the brushes & then place them on an old towel or a couple sheets of paper towel. Allow to dry.

It's recommended that you wash your brushes at least once a month. This will help your brushes last longer and also help you avoid spreading bacteria to your face and causing those nasty breakouts. Is it sad to say that this is probably thee only cleaning schedule I stick to around my house?! Maybe if the laundry threatened to cause breakouts I'd be convinced to stay on top of it.

Hope you all had a great weekend! Are a lot of you off for MLK day? Unfortunately, I was hit with a horrible head cold and spent most of my long weekend cuddled up with my pillow & Neti pot.

Not exactly what I had planned! 

Hope you all have a delightful Monday.

PS. Looking to win some personalized note cards from yours truly? I'm doing a giveaway over at the la chapstick fanatique blog so make sure to swing by & check it out!

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Top Makeup Bargains {Beauty on a Budget!}

How many times have you splurged on your favorite beauty item knowing that your money might possibly have been put to better use on groceries or gas? When I took a leap of faith last December and said good-bye to a nice, comfortable paycheck and started my own business, sacrifice was something I had to learn quickly. The $30 mascara and $60 moisturizers that once made my heart pitter-patter had to be swapped for less expensive but equally as luxurious finds. While I still keep my professional kit stocked with these pricy items, for my own personal use, I’ve spent the past year on a massive hunt for the best and least expensive swaps I could find.

{SPLURGE: Christian Dior "Diorshow" Mascara}

If you asked me the “if you were stranded on a deserted island” question, I would tell you I would be lost without mascara. Once upon I time, I relied solely upon Christian Dior's Diorshow Mascara to give my lashes that “false lash” look. However, with a staggering $28 price tag, I immediately vowed to find a cheaper fix. I found love in the beauty aisle of a CVS pharmacy. Maybelline’s Volume Express Turbo mascara makes me want to say, “hellooooo.. lover”{a la Carrie Brandshaw when when she discovers Manolos}. It’s less than $7 a tube and you can often find sales where Maybelline is buy one get one 50% off or FREE. Now that’s something you can bat an eyelash at!

{BARGAIN: Maybelline Volume Express Turbo Mascara} 

For quick and easy removal, I’ve also ditched the expensive department store eye makeup remover in exchange for the L’Oreal Waterproof remover. This item runs about $8 at my local drugstore.

{BARGAIN: L'OREAL Waterproof Makeup Remover}

Have you been introduced to NARS Orgasm blush or Laguna bronzer? If you’ve been following my blog posts, you read all about the Orgasm multiple stick in my summer makeup post. The geniuses at NARS decided to release a dual compact featuring their best- selling bronzer and their best-selling blush side by side. It is a $40 splurge you will love every penny out of.  Recently, I discovered a replica at eyeslipsface.com. The “blushed/bronzed” compact {pictured below}is strikingly similar to the NARS compact, but only $3. That is not a typo. This is a serious steal!

{BARGAIN: e.l.f Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder}

Some other great finds on the e.l.f site are their makeup wipes ($3) and eye makeup remover pads ($1). Long gone are the days you’ll find me shelling out $25 at the MAC counter for a package of makeup wipes!

{BARGAIN: e.l.f Eye Makeup Remover Pads}

 Did you read my last blog post about creating an airbrush finish with a stippling brush? While I do find that the $45 (#187) brush from MAC will stand the test of time, if you’re in a pinch e.l.f offers a very similar brush for only $3! It may not last 10 years like a MAC brush, but it gets the job done for a fraction of the price. My last recommendation from the e.l.f website is their $1 hypershinegloss. Not only is it virtually undetectable from the super popular Stila lip glaze, they have also been recognized in top fashion magazines like Allure and Cosmo. For only $1, you have nothing to lose on this lip treat, but a couple of quarters!

{BARGAIN: e.l.f Essentials Hypershine Gloss}

Until next time, keep up to date on all my latest tips and tricks on my Facebook page:www.makeup-by-melissa.com.

{The Makup Junkie hard at work!}

I have not been paid to promote or advertise any of these product recommendations; these are just some great beauty bargains from one makeup junkie to another!

To all of my fellow recessionistas out there, what beauty splurges have you swapped out for big savings??

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How to Create the Airbrushed Look With Makeup

In my years of experience I have tried hundreds, if not thousands, of different cosmetic products. Of all of the foundation techniques out there, I am a firm believer in the flawless finish created by an airbrush gun. However, unless your last name is Kardashian, you probably don’t have a makeup artist waiting on you to roll out of bed to create a personally tailored look for you each morning. You probably also don’t want to drop several hundred dollars on an airbrush gun and a few hundred more on a compressor. All of that being considered, I want to share with you how to create beautiful, flawless airbrushed skin, with just a few products, that will last all day (and night!)

{The always flawless looking Kim Kardashian. Image via Pink Chocolate Break blog}

First, start with freshly exfoliated skin. You should be habitually exfoliating about three times each week. St. Ives Apricot scrub is one of my favorite, inexpensive exfoliators that can be found at your local drugstore. Once your skin is cleansed and exfoliated, apply your daily moisturizer (right now I’m using Moisture Surge by Clinique. I’m a little on the oily side so this lightweight formula never feels too heavy).

Now that your “canvas” is ready, it’s time to prime the skin. There are a lot of primers out there to choose from, but I will share just a few of my favorites with you:

• MAC Prep + Prime skin, this works like double-sided tape in that it helps lock moisture and oils into the skin while keeping your foundation wearing longer.
• Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. I love the varieties that this primer comes in. There’s a green tinted primer to combat red or irritated skin, a bronze primer for those of us who don’t see the sun too often, and an oil-free primer for oily skin like mine.
• Make Up For Ever HD Primer. This is a great primer for when you need to be camera ready. Not only does it keep the makeup lasting longer, but it also diminishes the appearance of fine lines and pores for a superbly flawless finish.

{Make Up For Ever Hd Primer}

Adding a primer into your makeup routine is an integral step in creating a flawless finish. Most primers contain silicone which makes for a silky smooth skin surface. This allows the foundation to glide effortlessly on the skin for fool-proof application. Since you most likely don’t have an airbrush gun at home, I strongly recommend investing in a stippling brush.

{ MAC #187 Stippling Brush}

My favorite version of this brush is #187 by MAC. At $45, it may take a minute to get past the sticker shock, but it is absolutely a worthwhile investment. The most important thing about this brush is that it contains a combination of natural and synthetic fibers that helps blend the foundation into the skin. Pour a small amount of any liquid foundation onto a small palette { a small, sturdy piece of metal or plastic works too}. Dip just the very tip of your brush into the foundation, then dot on your forehead, cheeks, and chin. In a quick, swirling motion, blend the foundation thoroughly all over your face. Make sure to blend well at the hairline and jaw line. Because there are millions of foundations out there, and choosing a foundation can take up another entire blog post, I will leave you with one recommendation about foundation. It’s worth the investment to pay a little more and choose a department store brand where a trained beauty advisor can match you up to the perfect formula and shade. Most department store cosmetic counters will even make you a sample to take it home and try for a few days. Once you find a good foundation, the brush will do the rest of the work for you!

Finally, you want to seal your look by applying a small amount of setting powder over your makeup. Setting powders differ from translucent powders in that they are white, but apply clear, not skin-toned. They also contain ingredients that are equipped to remove all excess moisture off the skin (i.e. oil or sweat) to seal the foundation. You can find a variety of setting powders at your local Sephora or MAC counter.

Try this technique at home, and let me know what you think! What techniques do you incorporate into your makeup routine when you need your look to go the extra mile?

Questions for Melissa? Contact her at melissa[at]makeup-by-melissa.com

or join her on Facebook

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How To: Winged Eyeliner a la Taylor Swift

Hello. My name is Melissa and I’m addicted to Taylor Swift. I saw her in concert last week from the front row and I fell even deeper in love with this girl when I saw how flawless she was in person. Taylor pulls off the retro red lip and winged eyeliner combo perfectly, and therefore, is my inspiration for this month’s blog post.

Winged eyeliner is a great way to transform your daytime makeup into a sultry, more dramatic evening look. It can be paired with neutral, barely there colors (as seen on Angelina Jolie).

{Image via CHOBEAUTY}

Or you can take it up a notch with bright eye shadow and a

daring lipstick a la Taylor Swift.

{Image via media.onsugar.com}

However you choose to rock the winged liner look, you must first conquer the some times tricky task of creating a smooth, symmetrical line. For the novice makeup junkie, I love to suggest using a black felt tip pen liner (like MAC’s Rapidblack Penultimate Liner, $17.50, maccosmetics.com). The pen virtually does the work for you. For those a little more skilled in the liner department, try pairing gel eyeliner (like MAC’s Fluidline in Blacktrack, $15.00) and a small angled eyeliner brush (like MAC’s #266 Brush). To apply this easy-to use liner, I take my left hand and pull the lid taut. Then I use my right hand (this will be reversed if you’re left-handed) to draw the line starting about halfway across my lid, or right above the pupil, to the outer corner. You can extend the liner slightly past the outer corner for a more dramatic look.

{Image via anultimateyou.com}

For extra pop, you can connect the line all the way to the inner corner of the eye, but for a more subtle finish just lining the outer half will do the trick. I tell my clients to pretend they are drawing on the lashes, instead of above the lash line. This trick will help you get as close to the lashes as possible. Using liner on the bottom lashline is totally up to you, depending on how dramatic you would like the end result to be. However, I do NOT recommend using liquid liner on the lower lashes. It’s a little too "Tammy Faye-ish" and its hard to create a natural finish. Finish the look with several coats of black mascara, and for the adventurous, a pair of fake lashes! And there you have it, the Taylor Swift signature look!

Who are your current celebrity style icons?

Questions for Melissa? Contact her at melissa[at]makeup-by-melissa.com

or join her on Facebook 

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10

Top Ten Wedding Makeup Do's & Don'ts

Hello again, Delightful readers! Thank you so much for all the feedback on last month’s blog post. Several of you told me you went out and purchased some of the products I recommended, and love them. That’s great to hear! We are, as we speak, in the peak of wedding season. You probably are getting married, are standing up in a wedding, or are attending at least one wedding this summer!

In honor of the season of love, I wanted to share with you brides-to-be, some tips on wedding day makeup. As a makeup artist, I personally recommend hiring this service to be done professionally. An expert will put you at ease and pamper you on the morning of your wedding. They will use products on you that will stand the test of time, sweat, and tears and look great in your photos. However, hiring a professional makeup artist can be costly, and doesn’t always fit into every one's budget. For those of you that choose to go at it alone, this blog post is for you!

Top Ten Wedding Makeup Do’s and Don’ts

Tip #1 Practice makes perfect. Research different makeup looks ahead of time, and try them out well before your wedding date. It’s important to have your makeup look and all of the needed products figured out ahead of time. The last thing you want is a few rounds of trial and error as you’re getting ready for your big day. Does your wedding have a theme or color scheme you’re following? Perhaps, your wedding has an old Hollywood feel, you might try a bold red lip with a winged eyeliner.

{Image courtesy of Melissa Stewart~Makeup Artist}

If you generally don’t wear much makeup, maybe you want to keep your bridal look neutral with subtle pops of color

{Meyer Photography}

Whatever look you choose, practice it several times before your big day!

Tip #2 Prime=Time. Priming your eyes, skin, lips, and lashes will provide long-lasting makeup that won’t fade or run off throughout the day. For eyes, I recommend Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (Sephora.com $19).

I use this one every single day on myself, and always on my clients.

For the skin I have fallen in love with Makeup Forever HD primer (Sephora.com $15 for “to-go” size).

It will help diminish the appearance of fine lines and pores to give you a flawless “airbrushed” finish and keep your foundation on all night.

Tip#3 Build your look on the proper foundation. Upgrade to a long wearing foundation for your big day. Try one in a medium or full coverage like MAC’s prolongwear foundation {www.maccosmetics.com}

Tip#4 Step away from the glitter. Avoid using too much shimmer on the skin or eyes, as it doesn’t mix well with the camera flash. A subtle touch of shimmer on the eyes or a sweep of highlight , like Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzer (Sephora.com $28) along the check bone, is sufficient enough.

Tip#5 Tame your mane brow. Whether you’re rocking a pair of Brooke Shield's brows or some barely there hair, always groom your brows. If needed, fill in with a brow powder or pencil, and brush over with clear brow gel or mascara. Always brush directly up, then follow along the shape of the brow.

{How To Create The Perfect Eyebrow Arch via Hubpages}

Tip#6 Lash out a little. After priming the lashes with MAC’s Prep& Prime Lash (www.maccosmetics.com $14 ), go for the bold, with Christian Dior’s Diorshow mascara (Sephora.com $24.50). I always, always, always put false eye lashes on brides for an extra pop. Try cult favorite, #7s by MAC (maccosmetics.com $15).

Tip#7 Tear proof your eyes. Even if you’re not a crier, chances are, when the moment comes that the love of your life starts saying those immortal vows, a tear or two thousand might flood your eyes. This is where eye primer comes in handy. Also, stick to waterproof eyeliner, mascara, and eyelash glue. And as always, “blot. Don’t rub” the eyes with the tissue.

Tip#8 Lip Tricks. Exfoliate your lips several times during the week of your wedding. Try LUSH’s lip scrub (lushusa.com) it’s only $8.95, smells like dessert, and it’s edible!

When applying your lipstick, first line and fill in the entire lip with a lip pencil. The drier texture of the lip pencil will give the lipstick something to stick too. Make sure to carry your lipstick in your “touchup kit” as you will need to reapply it several times throughout the day and evening.

Tip#9 Take pictures (with a flash) before you head out the door. This will be the telltale way to determine if your makeup stands out in pictures and how it will turn out in your professional shots.

Tip#10 Pack a touch up kit: Lipstick, oil blotting sheets, tissues, lash glue, deodorant, perfume, Qtips. You will need these few survival items for freshening up throughout the night.

And there you have it, 10 tips and tricks, to use and share, to create a perfect wedding day (or any day) look that will last and last!

What are you favorite products to use when creating your makeup looks for weddings or other special occasions?

You can follow the Makeup Junkie and all her makeup adventures on  Facebook.

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6

Summer Makeup Trends:Confessions of a Makeup Junkie

Hello Delightfully Noted fans! I want to take a quick moment to thank Jennifer for inviting me to be a part of her blog. She shares so many inspirational tips and tricks with her readers, and that’s partly why I’m here. I’m Melissa, and I work as a freelance makeup artist. Before I took the leap and ventured out to start my own business, I did everything from working as a beauty advisor in a small cosmetics boutique, to a regional makeup artist for a retail giant, and most recently I worked as a MAC artist for several years. Collectively, this experience has led me to where I am today, a small business owner who caters to brides, photographers, and women just like yourself who are seeking a little guidance in makeup application.

There are so many topics I’m excited to explore with you: how-tos, product recommendations, makeup FAQs…but I figured since this is my first post, I’d keep it pretty simple and relatable to the season: Summer makeup trends. If you’re anything like me, when I roll out of bed on an 80 degree morning, the most effort I want to put into my appearance is throwing on a sundress, pulling my hair into a pony tail, and if I’m feeling adventurous, slathering on some coconut scented lotion. However, with just a little more effort, and about five minutes of your time, you can have an on-trend summer look put together before you head out to enjoy the weather.

{Image via becomegorgeous.com}

 

First, start with clean, dry skin. Apply a tinted moisturizer all over your face. This will help keep the skin hydrated, provide a sheer tint of coverage, and usually some level of UV protection. Just about every cosmetic line carries tinted moisturizer these days, so look for one in your price range whether you’re a drugstore or a department store beauty shopper. Secondly, apply an all-over color stick to your cheeks and eyes. My absolute favorite product for this is, hold your giggles…the Orgasm multiple stick by NARS cosmetics

{The Multiple in Orgasm from Nars $39}

Not only is this a long-wearing, multiple use product, but the subtle coral color is right on trend for this summer, and it’s flattering on all skintones. Apply several coats of Maybelline great lash waterproof mascara, still a #1 seller, and only about $7 at your local drugstore. Finally, apply a sheer tint of lipstick with an SPF in a fun summer shade, like Clinique High Impact Lip Color SPF 15.

{High Impact Lip Colour SPF 15 from Clinique $14.50}

Et Voila! A fresh faced, five minute, makeup application, that’s ready for the beach or dining on the patio of your favorite local café. So what do you think? Simple as pie, right?

What are your summer must-haves in your makeup bag?


Looking for more makeup mania?  Join Melissa on Facebook!

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Sneek Peek: {NEW} Series "Confessions of a Makeup Junkie"

I’m super excited about today’s post because I get to introduce a new series starting here at the Delightfully Noted blog!  From day one, I knew I wanted to share my corner of the web with other uber talented women-not saying that I’m uber talented but let’s be honest I can make a mean piece of toast. Melissa Stewart, a makeup artist, who recently dived head first {curled eyelashes and all}into the world of entrepreneurship is one those talented type of gals. I am beyond delighted she agreed to join me in my crazy endeavors here at DN {yes, I’ve become too lazy on typing out my full biz name}.  I’ll be the first to admit I’m a major girly-girl and I love my cosmetics but now that I run my own business I can barely keep up with laundry let alone the new beauty trends.  That’s where Melissa comes into the picture! She’ll be joining us every 3^rd Monday of the month for her guest series “Confessions of a Makeup Junkie”. Yep, that’s right she’s kind enough to share all of her makeup magic with us! I’ll let her introduce herself next Monday {be here or be square} but in the mean time I want to share some of her gorgeous work.

Meet Melissa, the "makeup junkie". See people this is why you want to make sure you drop by next Monday! She just may be able to pass on her beauty through some kind of weird osmosis thing a ma jiggy.

She’s done everything from fashion shoots….

to weddings......

to everyday wear!

Isn't her work just amazing?

Join Melissa next Monday for her first post "Confessions of a Makeup Junkie".  I hear she's going to be sharing some summer makeup trends.  Just in time for the rising temps! Make sure to stop by and welcome her to the blogging world.

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