Ask Temptalia - Question & Answer Session #4

Q: I was wondering if you could tell me what sort of colours & looks would suit my colouring? I’m very pale skinned, sort of coldly, & I have very dark brown hair and eyes. I find it hard to get the right eye shadow colours, looks often look weird on me I don’t really know why.
A: I really am a firm believer in that everyone can work any color they want to – it is just a matter of pairing it with the right complimenting colors or using various hues and concentrations of it. Because you mentioned that you feel like you are cooler toned, you would most likely look lovely in forest greens and deep browns. I imagine even purple tones paired with warm golden hues would help to add warmth to your complexion, as well. Your best bet is to start off experimenting with neutral colors, and then figuring out which types of neutral colors work best – then applying that saturation/hue to colors. If coffee browns are great on you, try a deep green with just a touch of the warmth that coffee brown has.

Q: I’m very much interested in mac eyeshadows. Can you recommend shades that suit all occasions and the must haves of mac products? How good are mac lipglosses?
A: Some great shades that I find myself always returning to are: Ricepaper (great highlight/neutral), Amber Lights (excellent deep brown), Carbon (awesome matte black), Goldmine (gorgeous gold), and Sumptuous Olive (dark olive green). In terms of must-have MAC products, I definitely suggest checking out pigments if you can; they’re great multi-purpose loose colors in jars. I adore MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid foundation for a gorgeous matte complexion. I personally like their lipglasses and glosses, but I couldn’t tell you for sure if they’re oh-so-much better than any other brand’s glosses. I do love their variety, though. They have a wide range of gloss types, from sticky to non-sticky; pigmented to sheer.

Q: I really love your C-Shock look with Goin’ Bananas, Eyepopping, Wondergrass, Big T and Bang on Blue.
Do you think you’ll be doing a tutorial for that look soon?
A: Actually, I am! I just have to find the time to put it together. I have the photos, but it’s a matter of cropping and getting everything in order. I hope to post it soon 🙂

Q: My question is, what is white eyeliner for and how can I use this effectively? Also, what’s the difference between eye pencil vs. powerpoint and kohl vs technokohl. I’m looking for a good black liner to wear on the waterline and lashline, I need it to be smudge proof.
A: White eyeliner is great for lining the inner rims or the waterline, because the whiteness of the liner helps to open up your eyes. I imagine it would also help act as a liner base for other liner colors if you wanted another color to show up more boldly. The biggest difference between all of them is the applicator. Pencils, Powerpoints, and Kohls (by MAC) come in pencil form, meaning you sharpen them as you go. Technakohls come in retractable applicators. Powerpoint liners are waterproof and smudge proof, unlike the other ones. Kohl pencils are softer and easier on the lash line, as well. I think Blacktrack fluidline is by far the best black liner, and it is one of the best in terms of how long it holds up throughout the day. Point Black liquidlast liner is also extremely budge-proof, but it can be more difficult to apply since it is liquid.

Q: I’ve heard a lot about contouring the nose but I don’t know what is used to do so.
A: To contour the nose, you want to take a small fluffy angled brush and pick up your contour color (generally a couple of shades darker than your natural complexion) and gently place the color on both sides of your nose to slim it down.

Q: I can’t afford to buy MAC, and I love make up. I was wondering if there is any other affordable brand that’s similar to MAC? I read about NYX on your website. Would you mind telling me more about it?
A: NYX is extremely affordable, and it is one of the better drugstore brands because the pigmentation and color payoff of their products is awesome! There are several close duplicates of NYX shadows to MAC shadows, and you really wouldn’t know the difference! You can check out NYX at their site.

Q: Well, the MAC stores around here don’t have the water-based mixing mediums, and they all looked at me pretty funny when I asked! I read what you said about the 1-part glycerine to 2-parts water, but even that is hard to find! I’ve tried drug stores everywhere, and nowhere do they carry liquid glycerine. My mom finally found it when she was at a small market, and she bought it for me. When I got it, it said on the bottle “vegetable glycerine”….. sooo I’m guessing I can’t use it? It has a bit of a smell to it!
A: Vegetable glycerin is fine! They use this in many beauty products (as seen here), so it is A-OKAY! It is one part glycerin to three parts water – at least that’s the recipe I go by. 🙂

Q: I was on the MAC website and I saw the diamonds and pearls bride and I really loved the way her makeup turned out! I was looking at the face chart and the description of how they applied the makeup.. I was kind of confused. i was wondering if maybe you could do a bridal tutorial using this look and colors or similar colors. I am getting married soon and I am trying to get ideas for bridal makeup!
A: First, I just wrote an article about bridal make-up, so check that out here. In regards to the MAC bridal face chart, the best way to achieve this look is to use a neutral base like Untitled paint or Urban Decay’s Primer Potion first. After you have applied that, apply a wash of a color that is extremely close to your complexion shade – think Ricepaper eyeshadow, Vanilla eyeshadow, etc. all over your lid and above your crease just a bit. Put a slightly darker shade of eyeshadow (Shale eyeshadow like they have is a good idea) on the very inner corner, but only a subtle bit of it. Apply a pink eyeshadow to the outer crease, like Paradisco eyeshadow, to finish.

Q: Are you going to review and post swatches for the new Pro extension line?
A: I posted a few swatches of the items that I picked up from the new PRO extension line, but I’m not particularly close to a PRO location so I don’t think I’ll be doing a full review or swatch session. I can tell you that the new amplified creme lipsticks are heaven in terms of how moisturizing and shiny they are. The color pay off of the ones I purchased are also amazing!

Q: Would you be willing to do a tutorial or suggest some ideas for using glimmershimmers particularly Astray Rays?
A: I actually did a tutorial with how I apply Astral Rays here. 🙂

Q: I am curious if you have to reapply your makeup during the day, or do any touch-ups? I find that my eye makeup usually wears off during the day, so I have to re-apply if I am going out in the evening. I understand that sometimes touch-ups are needed, but do you find that your makeup applications last for a full day?
A: The only touch-ups I might do during the day is re-applying lipstick/lipgloss. My eye makeup is practically budge proof! If I cry up a storm, then I might be in trouble, but normal wear and minor sweat (say I played tennis or something) doesn’t do a thing to it. Are you using a base? If you aren’t, try using one like Urban Decay’s Primer Potion or L’Oreal’s Decrease. If you are, perhaps you need to find a new base because your makeup shouldn’t fade at all with the right base.

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!