This is your chance to ask any questions you may have that you want me to answer! I will try to answer whatever you may ask, and if I don’t have an answer, I’ll at least do my best to point you in the right direction. I’d love to answer your beauty-related questions, but I will take non-beauty questions, too. As always, if you have a question you’d like to ask that’s private, just drop me an email!
So, not sure whether you should get Rollickin’ paint pot when you already have Aquadisiac eyeshadow? Need to know where to buy a product? Ask anything, and ask away! (And feel free to chime in with answers to other readers’ questions–the more the merrier!)
(I will periodically do posts like these where I will take as many questions as I get to answer.)
This is your chance to ask any questions you may have that you want me to answer! I will try to answer whatever you may ask, and if I don’t have an answer, I’ll at least do my best to point you in the right direction. I’d love to answer your beauty-related questions, but I will take non-beauty questions, too. As always, if you have a question you’d like to ask that’s private, just drop me an email!
So, not sure whether you should get Rollickin’ paint pot when you already have Aquadisiac eyeshadow? Need to know where to buy a product? Ask anything, and ask away! (And feel free to chime in with answers to other readers’ questions–the more the merrier!)
(I will periodically do posts like these where I will take as many questions as I get to answer.)
This is your chance to ask any questions you may have that you want me to answer! I will try to answer whatever you may ask, and if I don’t have an answer, I’ll at least do my best to point you in the right direction. I’d love to answer your beauty-related questions, but I will take non-beauty questions, too. As always, if you have a question you’d like to ask that’s private, just drop me an email!
So, not sure whether you should get Rollickin’ paint pot when you already have Aquadisiac eyeshadow? Need to know where to buy a product? Ask anything, and ask away! (And feel free to chime in with answers to other readers’ questions–the more the merrier!)
**THIS POST IS CLOSED** Please look for the most recent “Ask Temptation Session” to ask your question!
(I will periodically do posts like these where I will take as many questions as I get to answer.)
If you have a question, feel free to send it to temptalia@gmail.com.
Q: What kind of makeup should I do for my graduation photograph?
A: So this is kind of my general take on graduation photographs based on what I wore for my photograph. The best thing you can do is take your time to make your skin look as flawless as possible. I would use a light to medium coverage foundation, with a large powder or buffer brush (my favorite is the 182 brush), spritz with water (or Fix+), and then pick up foundation and apply over. If you’d like, set with a powder. Lightly contour the hollows of your cheeks, add a touch of blusher - either glowy for a bronzed look or peachy-pink if you’re warm toned (NC) or cool-pink if you’re cool toned (NW) for a slightly blushed look. I would go softer rather than dramatic on the eyes. Play up lashes with a good black mascara, line eyes carefully with thin lines of black eyeliner. For shadow, try something neutral. I find golds to work lovely, with a warm or cool brown in the crease to define the eye better. Lips should be more dramatic than subtle, but I wouldn’t necessarily pick a red. I find dark peachy-pinks, plums, and raspberries to be great ideas to try, depending on your eye choice. If you go warm, I would look at a warm raspberry or peachy-pink lip. If you go cool, try a plum shade. Oh, and skip adding additional SPF on this day — sometimes too much SPF can wash you out in photographing lights!
Read the rest of this entry »
Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail questions to temptalia@gmail.com - if your question is time-sensitive, please be sure to let me know so I can do my best to answer it in time.
Q: Which eyeshadows have good color payoff: Fade vs. Tilt; Parfait Amour vs. Satellite Dreams vs. Beautiful Iris? Do you have any suggestions for blue and purple on the lid?
A: Tilt has good pay off. Satellite dreams I think has the best. Parfait Amour is awful. For a true blue, nothing is better than Freshwater. Purple? MAC has yet to make a fantastic permanent true purple. I love Stars ‘n Rockets, but it’s a magenta purple. Beautiful Iris and Satellite Dreams are your best bets for a purple, as you mentioned.
Q: I am slowly building my collection of MAC (getting quite obsessed with it now!) but only have one pigment pot. I love them but have only recently gained confidence in using them. Please can you recommend a few must-have pigments as staples in my makeup kit that could get me started?
A: Oh, goodness, must-have pigments? I could name you a dozen. I love Fuchsia, Golden Olive, Melon, Pink Opal (excellent cheek highlighter), and Teal. Those are all permanent, readily available pigments at most MAC freestanding stores. You may love Vanilla or Frost, both white-based pigments, too.
Read the rest of this entry »
Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail questions to temptalia@gmail.com - if your question is time-sensitive, please be sure to let me know so I can do my best to answer it in time.
Q: Where is the best place to apply eyeliner under your eye, above or below the lashes? I generally use it below the lashes but i wonder if it would look better if I put it above the lashes.
A: Above the lashes is called the waterline, and below is the lower lash line. Either one is acceptable - waterline lining doesn’t usually last very long, because of the nature of it, with how it’s slightly watery at all times. Most do both!
Q: What is the best way to clean brushes between various applications? Let’s say I have to do 5 girls’ makeup back to back, what is the quickest way to do this?
A: The best way is to invest in a brush cleanser, like MAC’s, which is meant to dry quickly. Professional makeup artist Billy B recently shared a tip with Karen from Makeupandbeautyblog.com that using Anti-bacterial Wet Ones makes a great quick cleanser for brushes in between doing models.
Q: I want to avoid buying tons of foundation at this moment. What is the most feasible way to get various shades of foundation using the most minimal approach?
A: I would try to purchase three warm shades, three cool shades. Go for the lightest and darkest in both ranges, and then pick a middle-of-the-ground one. This will allow you to mix different shades together to achieve the best shade. You can start out light, add a touch of a deeper color, and so on. Many artists end up having to do this, even if they have a whole range of shades available to them, to create the most flawless skin.
Read the rest of this entry »
Thanks for all the questions! Keep sending them in to temptalia@gmail.com. If you have a time-sensitive question, please let me know so I can try and answer it on time. If you didn’t see your question, check for it in the next Ask Temptalia post. Keep on sending them in!
Q: I’ve heard makeup artists talk about undertones. Usually, they are knowledgeable enough that they can look at someone and immediately know their undertones. Is this an innate talent or is this something that I can learn? I’ve searched online but cannot find what I’m looking for. I want to be good at matching skin tones, complementing colors and their combinations. Is there anything you recommend?
A: You can figure out your undertones by looking at the underside of your forearm (the paler part that doesn’t see the sun so often, ha!). If you have cool undertones, your skin will be slightly rosy or darker olive/brown. If you have warm undertones, your skin will be yellower or more golden. If you have a yellow cast to your skin, this means you have warmer skin than cool. If you have a blue cast to your skin, this means you have cooler skin than warm.
Q: Here are all the eyeliners I have used that still smear after an hour or so: Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner, Makeup Forever Eyeliner, NYC Waterproof eyeliner, Maybelilne Waterproof Eyeliner, & Urban Decay 24/7. MAC fluidline -works the best out of all but still smears a little. I am trying to find something in pencil form since I do my make up in the car. I was thinking about the MAC Feline kohl liner but are those really waterproof?
A: Wow, that’s a long list of trial and error! I don’t know anything in pencil form that’s really going to do that for you right now. The longest lasting formulas tend to be liquid, unfortunately. Point Black liquidlast will be your best bet, because the liquidlast formula has the most amazing staying power (I swatched some on my hand 2 days ago, still 100% there despite lots of handwashing). MAC’s kohl powers are not waterproof or smudgeproof, so while I love ‘em, they’re not going to fit your needs.
Read the rest of this entry »
Thanks for all the questions! Keep sending them in to temptalia@gmail.com. If you have a time-sensitive question, please let me know so I can try and answer it on time. If you didn’t see your question, check for it in the next Ask Temptalia post. Keep on sending them in!
Q: When I try to use the paint pots (in Rubenesque), it looks caky and uneven when I apply, even without a primer. Do you have any suggestions on how I can fix this problem?
A: Are you applying too much product? What do you apply it with? I find applying it with a firm, flat brush (249) works wonders, and I only use a sheer layer, not a lot of product.
Q: I have really small eyes, how can I make them pop and open them up?
A: Using a good mascara paired with a good eyelash curler can really open up eyes. Lashes should have decent length and a touch of thickness to really do the job. By curling the lashes, you accentuate height and open up the eye. You can also try lining either the upper lash line, lower lash line, or even both - it depends on your preference and natural eye shape. Many will argue that upper lash lining does wonders for enlarging the eye. You can make eyes pop or be more defined by accentuating the depth of your crease.
Read the rest of this entry »
Q: Can you recommend a good MAC lipstick that would give me a nice nude lip? Whenever I try to do a nude lip, it always ends up a little too white, like a zombie or something. I’m looking for a pretty nude lip that will pair well with smokey eyes, but nothing too ghost-like.
A: With nude lips, sometimes the easiest way is to take any nude lipstick but use a lipglass with a bit more pink or peach to pump up the color to the right shade for you. Brew is a great nude to start off with!
Q: Can you tell me how to do that beauty queen/pornstar (lol) eye-makeup where they have a dark color in the crease and their eyes look really defined but still natural? It always looks so pretty and natural on them, but whenever I try to do it, I end up with just a smokey eye. It may be because I don’t have a deep crease. I’m not sure.
A: It might be that they have a deeper crease than you, or they may even fake the depth of their crease by also darkening right above it. Try using a very small brush to create an ultra-defined crease like the 219 and go very slowly. It probably ends up looking more like a smoky eye because it ends up getting too blended. You really won’t want to do much blending if you want it very defined!
Q: Can you recommend a MAC eyeshadow in their permanent line similar in color to coral and one similar in color to Jardin Aires?
A: Oh, wow, I know Goldbit is a great dupe, but that was limited edition as well. A permanent color that might be similar is harder to find, but I would suggest checking out these permanent alternatives: Honesty, Mythology, or Paradisco.
Read the rest of this entry »
Q: I can’t afford every Mac brush you have for all the looks, can you list a set of eye brushes that I can use with everything ranging from smokey to natural looks?
A: I recommend the 239 for applying shadow for the most part - it is very much like my Philosophy shadow brush that I use for nearly everything. It is a good idea to get at least one firmer, flat brush like the 249 or 252 to apply cream products like paints, paint pots, your base, etc. You can always purchase less expensive brushes like Sonia Kashuk brushes (available at Target) or paint brushes from a craft store.
Q: I was wondering if you could tell me how to depot a mac eye shadow? I swear I saw it on your site before but I may be mistaken. I can’t seem to find it now. Someone said its possible to do with a flat iron and its easier? Would you be so kind as to send me the link to the page of the depot tutorial or let me know how to do it?
A: I don’t have any tutorials or detailed info about depotting on my website, but these are some excellent resources to check out: MartyGreen’s Depotting FAQ and Sara(m)’s Depotting Tutorials.
Q: How can you tell the fake MAC from the real thing?
A: A lot obviously fake MAC products are eyeshadows that open up like a compact and have a sponge-tip applicator and/or mirror - those are totally fake! In terms of fake MAC pigments, they tend to be extremely fine milled and almost chalky in texture, rather than shimmery or simply matte. Be wary of unusual looking labels at the bottom of products, sometimes the font/text will be abnormally large or in a different type.
Read the rest of this entry »
