Ask Temptalia - Question & Answer Session #7

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.

Q: My question is about getting your make-up done at counters in stores. I’ve seen a few things about this in other blogs, but I was wondering what your opinion is on this. If you go to a make-up counter and get your make-up done, what is the
appropriate etiquette for making a purchase afterwards? What if, after getting a look you like, you just don’t really want to buy anything that day? It is okto just say “Thanks” and be on your way? Or do you have to buy atleast one thing?
A: It depends on where you go. At the counters, I believe it is free to have your makeup done, but it might have changed. MAC freestanding stores generally have a policy of $40 sitting fee which can be redeemed in product most often. If you just happen to walk into the store and they end up showing you how to do your makeup, you are not obligated to buy anything.

Q: Everytime I apply the eyeshadow, some of it falls on my face. Rubbing or swiping it off only leaves a trail. I dust my brush before applying to no avail. What do you do?
A: You can try investing in a fan shaped brush like the 205 and use that to dust off powder/shadow from your face without streaking it. I would say that perhaps your base you’re using isn’t the best choice, because generally, a good base will end up taking most of the shadow you apply with minimal fall out, especially since you mentioned you already tap your brush after picking up the color to get rid of excess.

Q: Foxy Lady kohl liner looked lovely on my hand but makes my eyes look bloodshot. I used it on my waterline and lash line. How else can I use it?
A: You could try to soften or darken it to other shades using shadow. The shadow might even soften the edge of the liner making it less defined, which might make your eyes pop rather than look bloodshot. Another suggestion is to try wearing it on your upper lash line instead, or perhaps only on the corners of your lower lash line.

Q: If I am going to purchase 2 MAC eyeshadows, 2 MAC blush, 2 MAC lipsticks and 2 MAC lipglass in shades of pink. What would you recommend?
A: For pink eyeshadows, I would recommend Expensive Pink and Passionate, because one is lighter and the other is very dark, hot pink. If you don’t want a hot pink, you could try out Da Bling, which is a great medium pink. For blushes, I recommend Dollymix to everyone, because it is a great dramatic blush. I also enjoy Well Dressed or Dame for cooler pink blushes. Sweetie is a sheer medium pink, and Girl About Town is a great hot pink lip color. As far as lipglass goes, I would recommend Pink Poodle (hotter pink) and Cultured (a tinge on the purple side, but sheerer).

Q: Is Bare Study a good base for most colors? I was also wondering if you can do a plum combo, I just brought one of the new shadow that have the purple and gold combo and I would like to see how you would use that one. I saw the one with by Jupiter and Ether.
A: Bare Study would make a good base for most colors. Painterly is another paint pot that would also do a great job of that as well. I will try and post up a plum combo, which won’t be hard with the new Smoke Signal pigment, soon!

Q: First, I know you have to have a MAC Pro account to purchase products off MACPro.com. Do you also need to have one to buy things from a MAC Pro store or can anyone just walk in and purchase something like a regular MAC store? Secondly, where can I find the glycerin you use to make a mixing medium? And what do you store your medium in? Lastly, do you let your wet pigment base dry before continuing to apply eye shadows or do you just start applying eyeshadows while the pigment is still wet?
A: No, you don’t need a PRO card to shop at the actual store. You can also call up any PRO store and place a phone order without a PRO card. I don’t have a PRO card so I know how frustrating it is not to be able to order online or anything. You can find glycerin at a local drug store, probably in the band aid aisle, and make sure to get the liquid kind! I store my mixing medium in a little traveling jar. I use very little mixing medium when I apply, so it doesn’t get too wet, and it dries before I’m even ready to apply the eye shadow. In general, you should let it dry a bit before applying anything else, though.

Q: Here is my problem, I have pretty oily skin, which is good (cause I won’t have too many wrinkles when I’m older, lol) but bad because my lemon-aid or any creme eyshadow clumps up in the crease of my eyelid. What can I do to stop that?
A: Use a good base, and it should stop all of that creasing right away! One people swear by is Urban Decay’s Primer Potion, which you can pick up at Sephora. There is also MAC’s Prep + Prime Eye, which is the same idea. MAC also makes several different types of bases you can try, like paints, paint pots, and shadesticks, too.

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!