Recommend Make-up

[MizMojoLaveau]

I am in desperate need of a makeover and have about run out of all the makeup in my drawer and have been abstaining from buying anything so I can start fresh. I normally do drugstore but would consider something more expensive as I will be in a wedding in the spring and really want to look nice. I did try the bare minerals a few years ago and really liked them (just did not like the powdery mess they leave on the bathroom sink--lol). Hoping to get some recommendations for thirty-something skin!

[salsah]

my two favorite brands are bobbi brown and bare minerals. in your situation, i would go to to a few different make up counters and sephora for consultations. consultations are free and cover everything from skin care to make up. do NOT buy anything until you have done all the consultations you plan to do. also try to do your consultations first thing in the morning so you can see how the make up wears through out the day.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Everyday Minerals is pretty popular here!

[crl]

Well, I am pretty minimalist with make-up. And despite my paranoid and green-weeny tendancies for household cleaners and anything that DS uses, I don't worry much about my exposure to nasty stuff in make-up. So YMMV.

I use one of the lines of mineral make-up that you can buy at Sephora--BareEscentuals. I only have the foundation. I find that I can apply it with a concealor brush and it works good enough to suit me for my undereye circles and such. Then I use a bigger brush to get the rest of my face. The powdery residue in my make-up case and on my sink is a definite downside though.

I also use Clinique quick eyes cream shadow in lucky penny. http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P211615&categoryId= It's neutral and blends easily so imprecise application doesn't really matter. (I am super-pale so I don't know how this particular color works for other people.) I add mascara and call it a day usually. I just bought some Clinique mascara and it does seem much less clumpy than the Sephora mascara I had previously purchased and less clumpy than the drugstore stuff I had before that.

If I want to look a bit more made-up, I add eyeliner--the cheapest stuff I can find at the drugstore in slate--and lipstick. Clinque's almost lipstick in Black Honey is a fabulous color, imo, (I've actually been wearing it for at least 14 years now) and I've seen it recommended in magazines often as working for lots of different people's coloring: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P122751&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=1254.

If you go to Sephora (which I love), play with the scents too. I always do even though I never buy any of them.

Hope that helps!
Catherine

[gatorsmom]

Another fan of Everyday Minerals. I especially like their prices!

[cvanbrunt]

Laura Mercier. A good place to start would be the "flawless face" kit. It's a great price and includes very nice brushes and applicators. I keep this kit in my handbag. I use her foundation and translucent powder as well. There is a mineral version of most things as well. You can get it at Sephora and Nordstroms.

[09Mom]

I love Laura Mercier for face products and Trish Mcevoy for color. If you live near a Neiman's Marcus they are starting with Beauty event this week. Every counter will have a gift with purchase.

[wellyes]

Get the latest edition of Don't Go To the Cosmetics Counter Without Me (http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Cosmetics-Counter-Without-Cosmetic/dp/1877988340/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266674199&sr=8-1) (Dec 2009) - very helpful & thorough advice and product reviews. I usually pick a couple of her top recommendations to try for myself..... for example, I bought 3 of her recommended mascaras at CVS, tried them, and thanks to CVS's awesome make up policy returned the 2 I didn't like as much. And she's good about saying which products are worth spending the most $$ on.

[BabyMine]

Another vote for Laura Mercier. Her foundation is the only one that matches my fair skin. You can also sign up at her website and score some good deals. For eyes and lips I usually just go for the less expensive stuff at CVS or Walmart.

[Carrots]

I wear mineral makeup too. I do splurge on eye shadow and buy Christian Dior. It is pricy, but it is excellent quality and a little goes a long way. I also like Paula Dorf products.

[MommyofAmaya]

I would love to try Everyday Minerals b/c of of all the love here, but I can't deal with the mess of most mineral make-up. We don't have any counters in our bathroom, only pedestal sinks, so I can't deal with all the loose powders. I started using Pur Minerals pressed mineral foundation and have been very happy with it. The 4in1 works great as a foundation and concealer.

[BeachBum]

I wear Trish McEvoy. I never leave the house without makeup, but I also like a very natural looking face. I've been very pleased with her products (wearing about 2 yrs now). Before that I wore Bare Essentials. The Trish counter convinced me that BE was just too much coverage for me for everyday, but good for photos, weddings and special occasions.

I really, really like the Trish planner concept. Basically the planner is like a 3 ring binder inside of a makeup bag. Her products are magnetic on the back, and fit into "pages" in your binder. You can put all your blushes together for example, or you could make a page with a "look". I keep my current everyday favorites in a page, but my other stuff grouped by type. It's amazing if you carry make up with you or travel. Even though I don't, it keeps my bathroom so much more organized, and honestly it keeps me from buying extra eyeshadows when I'm bored.

[mommytotwo]

I like MAC Studio Fix foundation (one of the few that seems to match my skin tone), Bobbi Brown shadow and liner (when I wear them), and Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara. I like Clinique Black Honey lipstick as well.

I agree with other posters to go to a beauty counter. I have tried countless foundations, and finally found a MAC foundation that matches my skin tone, does not cause me to breakout, and lasts throughout the day.

[Twins2000]

I have used Everyday Minerals' foundation for a couple of years, but recently switched back to using Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer spf20 with a dusting of MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural over it. I think my face looks closer to being flawless now. I'm not sure, but I think my face started to break out more when I used an EM foundation that I had just gotten recently (I hadn't had to buy it in about a year.) I read somewhere that they changed the formulation of their foundations, but I'm not sure (it is in a new looking container.)

For color, I love MAC!

[Indianamom2]

The only thing I "splurge" on is Lancome's Teint Idole foundation. It matches my skintone the best (sadly, in the second to palest shade!) and stays put pretty well through the day. I've strayed a couple of times, trying to save money, but I always end up coming back.

I also wear Maybelline shimmery eye shadow in Silken Taupe. I have recently discovered that if I apply it wet (it's very neutral) it does not crease all day.

[kozachka]

I prefer makeup artists products if you decide to go with higher end make-up. I like Too Faced (http://www.sephora.com/browse/brand_hierarchy.jhtml?brandId=Too%20Faced&categoryId=B10) palettes since they travel very well and I never use enough of each color to justify buying individual shadows. I bought mine from Too Faced website for $5-$10 during a sale. You can also get them at Sephora. I also like Trish McEvoy eye shadows and love her brushes. Mac is great for good but not too expensive makeup. You can have your makeup transferred to a paletter, there are a ton of videos on YouTube on how to do it. I've also had great luck with Vincent Longo trio eye shadows (http://beautyticket.com/vincentlongoeyeshadowtrio-1-6-1-1.aspx)and lipstick.

Whatever you decide to buy, be sure to check www.BeautyTicket.com (http://www.BeautyTicket.com), they have great prices on makeup. I also refuse to pay $$ for mascara. You need to change it often, and drugstore brands are as good as the expensive stuff.

[Tracey]

I love makeup. I have favorites for different things, but as far as entire lines, I'd rank them in this order : Giorgio Armani, Trish McEvoy, Laura Mericer, and NARS/Bobbi Brown as a distant tie for 4th.

[hillview]

I don't wear it often but I just got some Laura Mercier about 6 months ago and really like it.
/hillary

[GraceH]

I don't wear makeup in large quantities or often, but I splurge on Mary Kay, as my face doesn't feel suffocated in it.

[PearlsMom]

Go to Sephora and play! My absolute fave product is Smashbox's face primer (Photo Finish) -- it's a clear layer you put on before your foundation that evens out lines and keeps your makeup set. Love it! It makes my makeup glide right on, and reduces the amount I have to use.

Right now I'm doing Lancome for liquid foundation, Fresh for pressed powder (awesome range for very pale complections), cheapie Revlon blush, powder eyeshadow/liner in palettes I put together from Stila, and a range of drugstore mascaras. Lipsticks from Clinique (Pink Toffee is my fave) or a Covergirl lipslick gloss. During the summer when it's crazy humid I sometimes switch over to Perfekt gel foundation -- it's like a primer and liquid foundation in one. Very lightweight. Also, I've found Sephora makeup brushes to be good deals. Enjoy!

[MizMojoLaveau]

Sadly, no Trish McEvoy or Laura Mercier within 60 miles of me! Or Paula Dorf. Or Sephora. Uggh! I do see a Bobbi Brown and Mac if I drive 1.5 hours or just a Mac if I drive an hour. I think I may try Mac at Belks first and just see.............

[salsah]

do you have a nordstrom near you?

[MizMojoLaveau]

Sadly, I do not. I have access to a military base and I just called their cosmetics counter. They have Clinique, Lancome, Elizabeth Arden, Smashbox and some Philosophy at their counter (and the Mac and Bobbi Brown at the other location).

[MizMojoLaveau]

Another speed bump since the limited choice in makeup in my area. I guess trying two or three different kinds won't be an option, as I just made an appointment for a consultation at a MAC counter for tomorrow (1.5 hrs away) and they made a point to tell me that a $50 purchase is required! Geez, hope I like it! I have never had a consultation, but I guess I just thought those things were free. So much for trying out several makeups for a day and then deciding which way to go. I was excited to have it done, but now I have this bad feeling of being "locked in."

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

I think Mac is kinda heavy. JMO. I used to wear it, but when I was younger. Also I think BB is better for my complexion. Mac was made for make-up artists so there stuff tends to have a bit more pigment. I am really fair.

[toby]

I don't think that I would do a consultation if I was locked in to buying $50 in products...that is annoying!

[MizMojoLaveau]

Yes, it bothered me so much that I just called back and cancelled and booked with Bobbi Brown (no $$$ requirement)!

[AnnieW625]

I don't know if I would start out with MAC either esp. if they require a $50 purchase, esp. since it requires an 1/1/2 drive. Most of the time you can just walk up to the counter and they will show you some products you are interested in and there is no consult fee. I will say that I do love their Studio Tech cream foundation and they have every lipstick and eye shadow color under the sun, but honestly I can't stand their eye shadows, they do not last on me (the makeup artists there think I am on crack when I tell them this!). I do like their lipsticks, the Studio Tech foundation, and their blushes and you could easily spend $50 if you just get those but it's also quite costly if you don't like the stuff.

I would go to the military base store first and try the brands they have. All of the ones that you have listed are good brands. I am currently really loving Clinique's Super Balanced Mineral Powder makeup, and I have also heard that Smashbox's Halo powder is suppose to be great. Also Estee Lauder makes some nice lipsticks, as well as eye shadows. Clinique also makes great lipsticks (not big on their shadows though).

Clinique Mineral Powder Foundation: http://www.clinique.com/product/CATEGORY4900/PROD15124/Makeup/Foundations/index.tmpl

Good luck and let us know what you get.

ETA: Bobbi Brown is nice stuff and very wearable. I'd still pop on over to the MAC counter though and look at some lipsticks and blushes.

[salsah]

i'm glad that you cancelled with mac. that is ridiculous that they make you agree to buy before you even try it. i've never heard of that before.
bobbi brown is great! don't forget to ask to take a mirror outside and so that you can look in natural light.

[essnce629]

I'm another Everyday Minerals lover! I love the free sample sets you can get to figure out what colors you like. The samples last a long time too.

[sheleo]

What did you decide on the makeup? I recently bought MAC studio tech in the tube to use specially if pictures will be taken. I also got the the concealer. I just stopped by the counter and said I was looking for new make-up. They put it on me and I liked it (no charge:)). Bobbie Brown also makes a stick foundation that has wonderful coverage but can be a bit heavy. The third makeup I really like (I still have the empty bottle in my car so that I can get the same thing) is by Make Up Forever. I think that has been my favorite. Beautiful finish. I used this everyday and this reminds me I need to get some more.

Cheers,
Patricia

[twowhat?]

OK, someone educate me...what the heck is mineral makeup??

BTW I use Bobbi Brown (only for special occasions, I won't wear makeup every day) - it doesn't feel heavy and the yellow undertones are great for ethnic skin.

[gatorsmom]

OK, someone educate me...what the heck is mineral makeup??

BTW I use Bobbi Brown (only for special occasions, I won't wear makeup every day) - it doesn't feel heavy and the yellow undertones are great for ethnic skin.

Do a few searches here and you'll find some really good past threads discussing mineral makeup, pros, cons, how it's applied, etc. Honestly, other than Everyday Minerals, I don't have much experience.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

as for recommendations, i like Bare Minerals. Sheer Cover is good too, i used to use that a lot but then while i was prego my skin tone changed somewhat and it started looking a bit too orange-y on me. and yeah i know what u mean about how messy it leaves the counter. but i guess that's a small price to pay for good makeup..for me once i tried mineral makeup there's no turning back..it is the only type of foundation i use now. applying liquid foundation everyday is just not practical for me, especially now as a mom. plus traditional foundation feels cakey on me no matter what i do.