Dump the Clump!

Don't you just HATE it when you do your eye makeup and it looks PERFECT and you feel like nothing can ruin it? Or you when you wake up early in the morning, running late and you feel like nothing else could possibly go wrong?

...and then you put on your mascara and all hope just go down the drain?

bum bum bum...CLUPM CITY!

Or do you happen to DRED that 2-3 or whatever it is marker because you have to go out and buy yet ANOTHER mascara? You know that rule.

Well, problem solved. No more clumps and discover if you really need another mascara (especially if it's the $23 a pop).

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Lets start off with what clumps are and why they're there:

Clumps in your mascara is nothing more than dried up mascara.
Mascara gets built up on the wand and is exposed to the most air and bacteria. More clumping can be caused by pumping your brush, causing clumps from the wand to get into your mascara as well as mix air and bacteria with your mascara in the tube.

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How to fix it (This method will ONLY work on NON water proof mascara):

Okay, what you'll need:

1. Your mascara
2. Dish soap

3. Warm water from a running faucet
4. Paper towels

1. Take your mascara wand out of the tube of mascara and with a drop of dish soap, put it in the palm of your hand. Roll the wand in the soap and with your fingers, go up and down the wand. After soapy, run under warm water. Repeat until the wand is free of ALL mascara. If the wand is black, you can check if there's any left over mascara by wrapping a paper towel around it and "pumping" the wand in the paper towel while the wand is wet. If any significant amounts of black are on the paper towel, keep washing the wand until there is little to no visible mascara on the towel.
2. Next, take your wand and pump it ONCE in the mascara tube, making sure there is NO soap on it and the wand is slightly damp. Repeat step one.
3. After rinsing take your damp, soap free wand and put it in the tube of mascara again. This time pump it 1-2 times, then with the wand all the way in the tube, bring it out but moving the handle of your mascara wand in circular motions. This will get as much mascara on the wand as possible. Repeat step one.
4. To check if your REALLY need to buy new mascara, put your mascara wand all the way in the tube and take it out after repeating steps 1-3. Wipe the brush against a clean, damp paper towel. If there is dark black coloring, you're fine. If you can see that there is hardly any mascara on the wand and after wiping it against the paper towel are only faint traces of coloring...time to get new mascara!!!


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Do NOT use the above meathod for waterproof, it will NOT work.
Waterproof mascara is…well…exactly that. Water PROOF. I wouldn't really suggest trying to clean out because it's so much work, but if you're determined, go right ahead :D

What you will need:
1. Your mascara
2. A good makeup remover. (This can be anything from your favorite heavy duty makeup remover to cold cream to olive oil)
3. Dish soap
4. Warm water from running faucet
5. Paper towels

You're basically going to be doing the same thing as for the regular mascara, but for one difference: your makeup remover. Because waterproof mascara is pretty much resistant to regular soap and water, you need something oil based such as a makeup remover to get it all off.
1. Take your makeup remover of choice and put some of it either in the palm of your hand or (I suggest) a paper towel. Work it into the wand of your mascara, getting all of the mascara off. Repeat this, making sure that there is NO mascara left on the wand.

2. Get your soap and water and clean off the wand of left over makeup remover. Make sure that the water is a little bit warmer than luke warm for this to make sure all the oil cleans off.
3. Next, take your wand and pump it ONCE in the mascara tube, making sure there is NO soap on it and the wand is slightly damp. Repeat step one and two.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 two to three times more. Reference step 4 in the de-clumping process for regular mascara.

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Hope I helped ;D

Fluidity

BUT SAM! YOU CONT SWIM!

Okay I've been meaning to update for a while now and I know I'm getting behind on all the stuff I want to talk about. 

Right now I just got done doing my power point presentation for my biology class and now I seriously need to get cracking on my research project for my Asian American history class because...right now I'm FUCKED. hahaha I only have 2 days before it's due and I just decided to change my topic >.> I don't know, I've just been really disorganized and posting a blog really isn't helping...so I'll make this quick.

UPCOMING TOPICS:

- Liquid and pencil eye liners

What brands, shades, application and how to keep them on!

-Face contouring

-Mascara!

I've already started a draft about mascara, mainly how to clean them and avoid clumping but I've gotten requests to do reviews ...in particular COLORED mascara from Max Factor.

-Milk of magnesia as makeup primer

Anything else, just leave me a comment or shoot me an e-mail. 

-Fluidity

SAVE THE STUPID RECEIPT!!!!

Today's blog is going to be more of a rant than anything else.

Todays Topic: Save the stupid receipt.

I've been surfing youtube, reading blogs, talk to people and for THE longest time I've heard the same "dilemma."

"Ohmuhgawd, I bought this stupid [insert beauty product here] and I hate it, it doesn't work and meh meh meh I don't like it. I think I'll throw it out."

....say what?

Are you freaking kidding me? You're going to spend $[insert dollar amount here] and you're just going to throw it out?

Or are YOU (yes YOU!) one of those people who spend money on things that you find out SUCK so you use it anyways because other wise it's a "waste" and then half way though you just toss it?

IT'S CALLED A RECEIPT.

USE IT!!!!!

SERIOUSLY, you CAN return makeup from WHEREVER if you have the receipt!! A lot of high reputable places (such as Nordstroms and MAC stores) are really good with their return policies and you do NOT even need a receipt!! I went to my local free standing MAC store to return a mascara (which by the way is a total must NOT have...ALL of them) because it irritated the shit out of my eyes. They did an exchange because I had no receipt, no original packaging, nothing but the mascara itself. That's IT.

...and even if you do run into no packaging/no receipt, just say you had an allergic reaction if you're really desperate because the product is so lame...bad, I know. Yes, I probably am going to hell for being guilty for this, let alone spreading it. But whatever, I'm not the only one who has done this and I'm not notorious for it either.

...and YES the mascara DID actually irritate my eyes, just in case you were wondering >:O (Which is why it's on my Banned fo Lyfe list of Unworthy of Even Being Mentioned List. For the record I HATE MAC mascara...just go get some at Longs or something)

Haha, I just had to get this out there and put an END to this miserable disease of what I call Wallet Bullemia/Receipt Disorder. I want to do you ALL (who didn't previously know/realize) that you CAN return/exchange makeup!!!

Don't torture yourselves with makeup that SUCKS.

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This rant/holy makeup gospel inspired me to do something new.

I want to hear from YOU....yes, the very few of you who read this! (haha) From now on I want to hear from you and your most embarrassing/frustrating/enraging/fearful/whatever makeup moment!

Each month I will pick a couple to post up on my blog (don't worry, you can keep it anonymous if it's that embarrassing :P) just for grins and giggles and to make everyone (from starter to pro) feel a little better about the things they've done and be able to say "Oh gawd!! I thought I was the ONLY one who did that!!"

RageMakeup@gmail.com

Start typing ;)

Eyeliner smudges and lipstick smears-

Fluidity

Get the bang your buck deserves!

I've been noticing a lot of people think they're getting a really good deal on their makeup when really...they're getting ripped the fuck off. 

The commonly thought and best example I can give you is MAC vs. HIP 

More specifically: pigments.

Okay. A lot of people look at the price and maybe at the quality, but NEVER the quantity. 

It's spread like wild fire that the L'Oreal's new H.I.P. line (pigments in particular) is comparable to MAC Cosmetics, with its brightly and more pigmented colors in comparison to typical drugstore brands. 

But is it really??

Here's the deal:

For about $12-$13 USD HIP pigments give you .05 (not 50% of an ounce but 5%) or 1.5 g 

For $20 USD MAC gives you .26 oz or 7.5g

So for around $7 you get .21oz or 6g more. 

Is that really enough reason to shell out more $$ for MAC?

Another factor you have to consider is quality. 

With L'Oreal's HIP pigmets you get less and you have to apply more for the same intensity as you would with very little product from MAC. I have both company's pigments and yes, it's true,  you CAN compare HIP to MAC and a lot of the colors HIP does have are similar to MAC's...but you need about 4-5 times the product applied wet. Applied dry? Forget it. MAC you can apply dry and have good color pay off and applied wet...whoa! Color can blow your mind! 

THUS! even though you THINK you're paying less for the same thing...you're not. Economically speaking, you're paying more for less....in quality and quality...and have to use more than you normally would to get the effect you're looking for. 

So over all, if you want to buy HIP pigments just wait until they have the 2 for 1 deals...if not, go ask MAC counters for samples or go troll around e-bay. 

Feel what I'm saying? :P

So when you're shopping for your makeup, make sure you check the price, quality and quantity. Then ask yourself, "Is this worth it? Or is it just something that's gunna end up getting tossed?"

Happy Scouting ;D

RE: Must NOT Haves

Okay, I've been surfing makeup blogspotters and I couldn't help but noticed that a lot of them put down that the MAC holiday brush sets are a must NOT have.

I completely agree with the nondeniable fact that the quality, well..SUCKS in comparison to the full size brushes....and here's where I step in and give you a nice little TIP!

Holidays come around and you find that your local MAC store just came out (or hasn't yet sold out) on the holiday brush sets. What I suggest? GET THEM... especially if they're just going to act as dup brushes to the ones you already own (it's a pain to take full size brushes everywhere you go in your purse for those touch ups) or if you just want to save yourself a buttload of money. Cmon, 4-5 brushes for the price of ONE?

HEAR ME OUT.

Out of the brush sets I own, there are particular brushes that stand out the most with their bad quality. The 129 face brush and ESPECIALLY my notorius 252 eye brush. In a nutshell: THEY'RE ROUGH AND HURT MY SKIN!

Sound familiar?

Okay so here's the TIP:
Make sure you have ALL day for your brushes and you won't need them until TOMORROW at the soonest.

Wash them thoroughly. Then take some leave in conditioner (I used Pantine Pro-V) and just SMOTHER the brush in it. Make sure to get it all the way down into the bristles where they meet the metal, all the way into the center, on the outside, on the top, EVERYWHERE. If you can still see any black (or whatever colour the bristles happen to be) you have NOT put enough leave in conditioner!!! Leave them in for a couple of hours. The longer you leave it on, the softer your brush will be....so I reccomend ALL day.

Wash off, pat down on a paper towl and air dry...and presto! Noticably softer brushes!


Another tip: I also tried out my ISO conditoner. For Costco's price of $22 I found out this product is an expensive piece of JUNK...but great on my brushes!!!! If you find this brand's hair conditioner for a bargain price (i.e. Costco for a huge bottle or a wholesale beauty supply) give it a try, if not just skip it. It's a creme conditioner, and although it did NOTHING for my hair it did a great job at hydrating and conditioning my brushes :)


Give it a try!

<3
Fluidity

Cream of the Crop: Primers

Okay, so like many of you gals out there, I've been in the fight to find the PERFECT product that just makes me want to fall on my knees and thank God for creating such a product.


...and like most of you, with no prevail.



BUT! there is hope! Here I'll let you gals in on some of the products that I have tried. My faves and ....not ...so...faves. Best of all! I'll be covering all products I've tried from every aspect of the money spectrum! This post will be on primers :) If you want to know about my must haves and must have nots on any other makeup topic, just send a request at:

RageMakeup@gmail.com

PRIMERS

FACE PRIMERS







Smashbox Photofinish Primer LIGHT.


Cost: $36.00 USD




Found At: Sephora, Smashbox Counters


Pros: Light weight, non greasy, keeps your makeup in place!


Cons: THE PRICE. For $36.00 USD you get... 1 oz. (I think, correct me if I'm wrong); either way that's freaking EXPENSIVE.

Why I like it: Although I haven't tried the original regular formula, I used this and it is AMAZING. I have oily, acne prone skin and my pores easily get clogged and this feels so good on my skin. It keeps my makeup in place and makes everything long lasting with a smooth, even finish.

Tip: Before you run out and break the bank for this primer, go to Sephora or your local Smashbox counter and ask for a sample. There's no reason you should fork the cash for something you find out you can't live without.





Sephora Professional Perfection Makeup Base


Cost: $12.00 USD


Found At: Sephora, Sephora.com


Pros: It's a good price compared to Smashbox, MAC, etc. with $12.00 for 1 oz. A little goes a long way with this stuff! It gives a subtle glow and keeps your makeup on.



Cons: It's not the toughest primer on the block. It gets the job done, but don't expect to not touch up your makeup even a little by the end of the day/towards the evening.


Why I like it: It's considerably light and it combines 2 steps into ONE with those who like to use artificial light. It has a pink pearl iridescent to it which gives you a subtle, healthy glow to your face. It doesn't come off as shiny or glittery at all. And for those of you who I know are concerned: no, it does not make your skin/makeup look pink.








Monistat Anti-Chafing Cream


Cost: N/A
I got mine a while ago, so I don't know the current price. (I'd guess around $8-$9 USD)

Found At: Local Drugstores


Pros: For normal skin, it will keep your makeup on and help keep it matte. Yes, it will sound weird to use this as a primer (but probably not because the word's on fire now, especially from Vanessa at http://nessasarymakeup.blogspot.com/ and a few others.) but if you take the time to notice, it's the exact same consistancy of MAC's Matte Gel and Smashbox Photo Finish Primer and has some of the same ingredients found in them.


Cons: Combination/oily skin may find that this stuff makes it feel like you have about 10 pounds of mud on your face. It gets real cakey, mainly in oily places.


Why I don't like it, but you might: I came across this stuff about 4-5 years ago at the store and noticed that it had the EXACT same texture and finish on my skin as MAC Matte Gel. I tried it as a primer (mainly in oily places to help keep it matte) and it does work to keep it matte...but caution to oily/acne prone skin types: it will get cakey/thick where it absorbs oil and can easily get smeared/scratched off. I highly don't reccomend it for these skin types.


Tip: If you decide to try out this product as a primer, carry around some rice paper/blotting tissues just in case you find out you feel the same way as I do.

EYES

Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion (UDPP)

Cost: $16.00 USD

Found At: Sephora, Sephora.com

Pros: Eyeshadows stay in place...for a while.

Cons: Everything.

Why I don't like it, but you might: Okay, so I know just about EVERYONE uses this primer and EVERYONE raves and makes hype about this product...which is why I ran out and bought it. My feelings about it: it's going right back where I got it from. I'd rather spend the extra 50 cents for a MAC Shadestick.

This product (in my opinion) sucks and has created a lot more hype than it deserves. My eyeshadow, I felt, was harder to blend. It stayed in place for a little bit and then I notice that it gets kind of....muddy...like all the colors that touch just run together and it looks like a total Monet painting >.>

But for all fairness, I'll give it another shot just to see if I change my mind..but after the past couple of experiences with working with it... I HIGHLY doubt I will.


TIP: Save the receipt.

Mac Beige-ing Shadestick

Cost: $16.50

Found at: All MAC counters & free standing stores, maccosmetics.com

Pros: Your eyeshadow will NOT budge with this stuff on! Color is brighter and truer and best of all, crease proof. Another pro is that MAC Shadesticks come in a good variety of color.

Cons: None...except maybe the price, but only if you wanted a shadestick in every color.

Why I like it: I use MAC Shadestick in Beige-ing, a neutral color. Shadows are more vibrant and truer to color. Shadesticks come in a bunch of other colors too which can transform or inhance the color that you put on your eyes. It's crease proof and LONG lasting! It's absolutely great for those of you who crease easily and/or eyelids that tend to get a little oily. You can wear shadesticks alone or as a primer. Use it on the go, or for when you're waiting for your date. (LOL, if you get what I'm saying.)

LIPS

MAC Prep + Prime Lip

Cost: $14.50 USD

Pros: Keeps your lipstick on ALL DAY. No bleeding, no fading, no feathering.

Cons: None.

Why I like it: I absolutely LOVE this product. My lipstick doesn't budge, smudge, bleed, fade or feather. It stays exactly where it should: on my lips! It keeps liner, lipstick, pigment, virtually anything and everything ON. And most importantly, it helps keep my lips hydrated, soft and smooth :)

Tip: To help ensure that your lips stay moisturized and for an even more smooth application of lipstick, wear some lip balm/chapstick before you put on the prep + prime. After you let your lip moisturizer of choice set for a little bit, apply the prep + prime and allow THAT to set. It really makes a difference. Letting it set (it's like the equivalent to letting lash glue get tacky) gives the lipstick something to cling to. If you try to rub your lips together it's more difficult. This allows your lipstick to stay put :)

Chapstick Medicated Lip Balm

Cost: $7.00 USD at Costco. (Comes in a pack of..I want to say 12...with 3-4 of the Chapstick Medicated.)

Pros: 2 in 1. Prime AND moisturize your lips before you put your lipstick on. Has menthol in it for a nice cool, refreshing feeling on your lips :)

Cons: It doesn't last quite as long or gives as true of color compared to MAC or other primers.

Why I like it: I use this stuff for times like these and can't find my MAC Prep + Prime Lip. I apply it the same way as I would with MAC. Let it sit. After you let it sit, there's this texture to your lips (similar to MAC) that gives your lipstick something to cling to and stay on. (I always want to say a "tacky" texture, but that's not quite right...oh well, try it and you'll know what I mean lol)

TIP: I found this could also be manipulated into an eye primer too. Just make sure that you use a very sparing amount by rubbing a clean ring finger on the (sanitized!) chapstick and dabbing it on your eye, making sure you don't get any IN your eye, on or near the tear duct. Eyeshadow will be a little hard to blend, but hey, when you're in a hurry and can't find your normal primer or simply need to improvize on the go, grab this baby.

But careful! I don't have the box saying if it's been tested or anything for this kind of use. Just don't get it in your eye.

Alrighty, there are my favs and not so favs for primers. Try it out and let me know what you think :D Or if you have any of your own reccomendations/reviews I'd love to hear them!!!

Send all requests/reviews to RageMakeup@gmail.com

Happy Makeup-ing!

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