Make Up Kit Essentials: Building a Fabulous Make Up Kit *Part Three: Little More for the Eyes and Lips

You have gone through your kit, had time to shop and play around with my suggested basics, now it is time to add a little bit more. These five items will help to bring out the eyes and finish your look with the lips.The application will still be super simple and excellent for an everyday natural look. Here are the next items I suggest you add to your make up kit:


     1. Eyeliner pencil


This is great to line the tarsal plate (the area just inside of the lashes). By lining the tarsal plate you will emphasize the shape of your eye and create a more finished look to your make up application. Also, you can line the top lid with a thin line and smudge slightly to create a more smokey effect. Eyeliner pencils are great to have in your kit because they can be used for many different techniques (which I will blog about in later posts). There is one eyeliner pencil I currently suggest. I love this product and have already published a post about it. I have not tested other brands of eyeliners, so please feel free to look for other brands.

• MAC Eye Kohl in Smoulder 

     2. Eyeshadow Duo Palette- Neutral Tone


By buying a palette with two colours (a light tone and a darker tone) you will not have to go through the trouble of trying to find two shades that work well with your skin tone and together (you are simplifying your decision). If you have a cooler skin tone choose shades more of an earthy toned brown or with a cooler undertone. If you have a warm skin tone choose shades with more peachy, orange tones. If you have darker skin choose gold or copper tones. Apply the lighter shade over the entire lid then use the darker shade to define the crease.
Brands with excellent duo palettes are:

• AVEDA Petal Essence Eye Colour Duo 
• NARS Duo Eyeshadow 

     3. Lip Gloss

Find a texture you like (smooth or sticky, light or think). Do you want clear to tinted, if you want a tinted gloss what colours do you like and how strongly pigmented (how obviously coloured) do you want it. Is scent important to you? Test different glosses and find what you like. There are so many lip glosses available everywhere I can't even begin to suggest specific ones.

     4. (and 5)

You will need brushes to apply the eyeshadow. I suggest a larger tipped brush for the lighter tone and a smaller tipped brush to define the crease. When shopping look for shadow brushes and the size you want to use. Again start will less expensive brushes and when you are ready invest in better quality brushes. I will make a post in this series that focuses on creating an excellent set of make up brushes.

Have fun, be beautiful, keep building your make up kit!


Did you find this post helpful? Questions, comments, feedback? I would love to hear them! Please comment or email me for more specific questions at karleigh@karleighjohnstone.com, or find me on facebook (Karleigh Johnstone, I am the only one).

Make Up Kit Essentials: Building a Fabulous Make Up Kit *Part Two: The Very Basics

Now that you have cleaned out you current kit I am going to start with what I believe are the absolute make up essentials to have in your kit. These items are for a simple, fresh look and excellent for people who don't want to spend very much money on their kit or time applying make up. The most basic kit I feel contains 6 items; a pressed powder foundation, a highlighter, mascara and 3 brushes (one for foundation, one for highlight and a brow comb). Allow me to explain...

1. Pressed Powder Foundation

Pressed Powder Foundations provide a light to medium coverage. They are excellent if you have generally good skin and just want to even out and liven up your face. Since it is a powder it is most easily applied with a brush (when I want more coverage I will use my finger tip as well).

Here are some powder foundations I would suggest:

• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural 
• MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation 
• AVEDA Innerlight Mineral Dual Foundation 
• NARS Powder Foundation 
• BOBBI BROWN Illuminating Finish Powder Compact Foundation SPF 12 (Bobbi Brown products are excellent for dark skintones) 

     2. Highlight

Highlight is used to create a glow and emphasize areas on the face that are high points (where the bones protrude forward). Think of areas of the face that the sun naturally hits and light reflects. My favourite places to highlight are the cheekbones. Highlighting the cheekbones can act as a mini face-lift and make you appear more awake and alert.

Here are some highlight products I would suggest:

• MAC Powder Blush in Gana *LIMITED EDITION PRODUCT* 
• MAC Iridescent Powder Loose *for lighter skin tones Silver Dusk is an excellent shade
• AVEDA Eyeshadow- 492 Illumination *will suit most skin tones 
• BARE ESCENTUALS All-Over Face Colour- Radiance *different shades for different skin tones
• NARS Highlighting Blush Powder *golden sheen good for darker skin tones
• SMASHBOX Soft Lights in Shimmer *2007 best of Sephora Nominee

Note: For cooler skin tones (pink undertones) use a highlight that also has a cool undertone. For warmer skintones (tan/yellow/oranger undertones) use a highlight that has a gold undertone for the best, most natural results.

     3. Mascara

I have one suggestion. Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara. It is the number one selling mascara, it was the first mascara ever made and it is sold for under ten dollars (I saw it at Wal-Mart for just under $5.00). This is the mascara I always suggest but I encourage to find one that you like best... just try this one first!

     4. (also 5. & 6.)

A powder brush, an angled highlight brush and a brow comb. Start with inexpensive brushes to learn how to use them but be sure to invest in a good set of brushes later on. High quality brushes make a huge difference in your application results. They are generally softer (nicer for your face), longer lasting and less likely to shed.

These products are an excellent starting point for a make up kit. Go out an test the products I suggested as well as other brands to find what you like best. Before you buy take the time to test different products; see how long they stay on, feel the texture, see how well it compliments your skin. Remember you are now making an investment on you appearance, you want to make sure to find what best showcases your beauty.

Now go and start shopping! Please post comments and suggestions about great products you find!


Did you find this post helpful? Questions, comments, feedback? I would love to hear them! Please comment or email me for more specific questions at karleigh.johnstone@gmail.com, or find me on facebook (Karleigh Johnstone, I am the only one).

Make Up Kit Essentials: Building a Fabulous Make Up Kit

This will be the beginning of another series of blogs. This series consist of items you need to build a great make up kit. I will begin with the very basics; cleaning out your current kit. From there I will continue with a few items that are an excellent starting point for every woman. Each post in the series will be an addition to the basic kit until a collection has been created. I will also include tips for building an on-the-go make up kit (super compact items that you can carry with you at all times), a touch up kit (items you will likely need for touch ups that you can tuck almost anywhere *club nights out ladies, you know what I'm talking about... down the side of your bra- we have all been there). Also, I will make a post on how to pack your make up kit when going on vacation (if you choose not to take a vacation from wearing make up as well- but do you really need mascara on the beach or ski slopes?)

Allow me to start at the beginning. It is likely that most women already have a make up kit (or drawer full of make up that they have no idea what to do with). My suggestion is to go through every piece of make up you have and have a garbage bin near by. Go through and ask yourself the following questions:

1. When did I buy this? 
2. Why did I buy this? 
3. How do I use this? 
4. How often do I use this? 
5. How long have a had this? 
6. Would I buy this product again? 
7. Do I need this? 

When did I buy this?

Make up has an expire date. Mascara for example should not be used after 6 months of opening it. When you pull the wand out and push it back in, air gets into the tube and bacteria can begin to be grow. To help your mascara stay as 'fresh' as possible avoid "pumping" the wand before applying (instead use multiple coats on the lashes, building the mascara to desired look. Apply coats just before the mascara has completely dried to avoid breaking the lashes). Cream based products should be tossed after about a year and liquid products should be tossed if they begin to obviously separate. *Tip: I know this sounds odd but smell your make up when you purchase it, you will know it is time to get rid of it when the smell changes (a chemical smell).

Why did I buy this?

Was it suggested by the employee at the make up counter? Is it a friends favourite product? Was it from a product break down that your favourite celebrity was wearing in a magazine? Was the packaging pretty? (Pretty packages get me every time!) Is it one of you personal favourites that you buy all the time? Do you even remember? Look at the answer to this and if it is not that you like/use the product often chances are it's time to let it go (if the answer is that it is a friend's fav, offer it to them!)

How do I use this?

Quite simply if you do not know the answer you have two options: 1) Learn how to use it by asking someone (karleigh.johnstone@gmail.com I love to answer questions!) or 2) Throw it/give it away. *If you have had the product longer than a month chances are you should go for option two, as you have had the product long enough to know you clearly aren't going to take the time to learn to use it.

How long have I had this?

This is similar to asking yourself when did I buy this, but instead of thinking about whether your product needs to be tossed, think should it be tossed. For example going through my personal kit I found a bright blue eye shadow that I used to wear for dance recitals in the mid 90s. Am I ever going to wear this again? The answer is NO (unless I am going to and 80s themed party, but that is not very likely). Therefore it was gone. When going through your kit it is important to be unemotional. DO NOT BE A MAKE UP HOARDER! If you don't use a product, you don't need it.

Would I buy this product again?

Simple, if the answer is no, it's gone.

Do I need this?

The answer to all the other questions will help decide the answer to this question.

Now that you have an understanding of how to clean out your current kit, go and do it! Use the same rule with make up as for clothing- one in one out. Get rid of one item to make room for a new item. Also remember, I am not telling you if you don't use a product everyday you don't need it, I have eye shadows that I only use when I apply a smokey eye, which I only apply once every two months or so; I'm talking about items you really do not use. These are the items that get lost in the back of the drawer, bottom of your bag and make you say "oh! I remember this!" If you have forgotten that you have it there should be no problem kicking it to the curb (quite literally on garbage day).

Now go make room in you make up drawer, next it will be time to shop!

Did you find this post helpful? Questions, comments, feedback? I would love to hear them! Please comment or email me for more specific questions at karleigh@karleighjohnstone.com, or find me on facebook (Karleigh Johnstone, I am the only one).

Part Three: Light Coverage Foundation

This is the last part of a three part post. I was asked about what foundation is the best, although there is no exact answer (it depends what you are looking for from your foundation) here are some foundations I would suggest. Part three of my foundation posts consists of foundations that provide light coverage. I tested foundations at Mac and Sephora, I found Mac had a wide range of colours and the price was slightly lower than many of the Sephora products.

I will begin with the foundations that provide the most coverage and end with the foundations that provide the least. Mac's Pro Long Wear is liquid based and has a light to medium coverage. It is priced at $35.50 CAD and comes in a large range of colours. At Sephora Clinique's Super Balanced Makeup provided a light to medium coverage. It has a dwy finish and a range of colours and is priced at $25.00 CAD. NARS Sheer Matte Foundation has light to medium coverage and is available in with a dewy or matte finish. There are lots of colour choices and it is priced at $55.00 CAD. The last light to medium coverage foundation I found was Makeup Forever's Mat Velvet foundation. It has a matte finish is available in many colours and priced at $39.00 CAD

The last foundation with a light coverage that I tested and would reccomend is Shiseido' Lifting Foundation. There are  ten colour choices and is priced at $48.00 CAD.

Light coverage foundations are good if you have good skin and just want a light dusting to even small inperfections, or just want a base for the rest of your make up. Light coverage foundations let your natural skin come though.

This will be the final post of my foundation testing, I encourage to go out and find the right foundation for you. Decide what type of coverage you need, the finish you want (dewy, matte or a shimmer)and the type of foundation you like to use best (cream, liquid or powder), finally go shopping! Clueless as to how to find the right colour? Read on:

To find a foundation colour that matches your skin tone it is important to go shopping during the day (when the natural light is at its best) and with out make up on (I know a scary thought to leave the house with a nude face, but it will be to your benefit in the long run). To test the foundations colour place a line with your fingertip from under the cheek bone over the jaw line and slightly onto the neck. It you feel like it is a good match try the shades that are one darker and one lighter than the colour you chose. Put them on either side of the original test and the best match should "disappear". The reason you test the area under the cheek bone to the neck is because the neck can be a different colour to your face so you want to ensure it blends. Once you feel you have found a good colour test it on the forehead as well to make sure it matches the entire face.

Did you find this post helpful? Questions, comments, feedback? I would love to hear them! Please comment or email me for more specific questions at karleigh@karleighjohnstone.com, or find me on facebook (Karleigh Johnstone, I am the only one).