Saturday, April 25, 2009

To Tutorial or Not to Tutorial?

I feel like I've written this in an earlier post, but oh well, I'll do it again.

I've always contemplated if I should do make up tutorials on Youtube. But it seems like everyone and their mother has a Youtube now; I think it takes an exceptional amount of skill, originality, personality, and well, even just plain luck to really be an accomplished Make Up Guru on Youtube. Still, part of me wants to do it. So here is a list, a personal list, of the Pros and Cons of posting video tutorials.

Cons (first, because, you know, I am a raging pessimist):
- I'm really shy. Like, very very very shy. I don't think my personality comes off well on camera.
- I don't like the way I look. Which I know, every woman/man has that little, eensy self-conscious voice in their head, but are still relatively comfortable. That's not me, of course. Which brings me to my next one;
- I'm not sure if I'd be able to take the haters on Youtube. I mean, I wouldn't start crying every time someone says I suck or something, but still. Bleh.
- Skill. I'm paranoid I'm not skilled enough. I see some gurus and I think I am about the same level (if not better), but still, it's not only skill. You have to have an interesting personality, and make it a joy to watch you. I don't know if I'll be able to do that.
- Money! I don't own as many cosmetics as some Youtube gurus (but I do own enough, I think), and I don't go on a bajillion hauls. Though I think this is the least important factor
- My camera. It sucks. I don't think it takes as High Quality pictures as I would want it to. And don't even get me started on my webcam.
- My age. I think there is only one guru (who will not be named) that is my age. I am seventeen. Will people take a seventeen year old seriously?

Now, on to the pros!

Pros:
- I think I have pretty original ideas. I try to stay away from the norm, and I actually have a list compiled of possible looks/video ideas.
- I know I'm not the worst at make up, haha. I know that doesn't sound very optimistic, but I don't want to come off as conceited and say "Oh, I think I'm a lot better than some make up gurus on Youtube", but, I guess I will. I think I'm better than a lot of them (of course, this is not to say I think I am better than ALL of them. Hell, there are some that so surpass the level I am at I am in pure awe of their skill).
- I have an art background. I think this goes hand in hand with the two previous pros; this background has pretty much been my saving grace. That is why Kryolan Aquacolors have been so easy to use for me; they are nothing compared to trying to control how much water you use in a watercolor painting. Not to mention the color wheel. Color wheel, schmotherwheel; been there, done that.
- I know this is going to sound really self centered, but this is an outlet for me. I really have no one to share my make up looks with. On Flickr sometimes, but I don't really have a group of friends, let alone acquaintances from the make up community. All of my friends are not interested in make up, or not to the near point of obsession (or euphemistically, dedication) that I am.
- I think I have an interesting personality, and hopefully, one that is enjoying to watch over the internet (at least, after I get over the initial shyness).



I can't think of anymore, but that's it. I think I will start putting FOTDS and EOTDS up here, as opposed to only on Flickr. And maybe, if I compile enough looks, I can make a make up looks sideshow? Because I've noticed, that is usually the first step before making actual tutorials, and it makes sense. It's like testing the waters before jumping in; if people actually express they want to see your tutorials, then, make them. If no one does then, well, you get the hint.

Monday, April 20, 2009

I Finally Got the 88 Palettes!

So, initially this was disastrous. Yesterday I was checking my mail (I didn't have time during the weekend) only to discover, to my dismay, that my 88 palettes from Starsmakeuphaven had arrived (supposedly) at my house on Friday. Uhm, yeah, I checked all day; no package in sight! I thought that there was either some sort of mistake, or someone stole my package, but I wasn't overly worried, because luckily I paid for insurance on my package, and it would be replaced. My brother, who works at UPS, and obviously is more knowledgeable about package delivery (is it just me or does that sound mildly perverse?) and told me to wait till Monday.
And I did. And I'm glad that I did because they are here! They are just as pigmented and gorgeous as everyone says they are, I am very impressed. I do not refer to mine as the "CS palettes" only because I didn't buy them there. The reason? One, Starsmakeuphaven ships from Ohio, while Coastal Scents ships from Florida. I live all the way at the end of the West Coast, so obviously Ohio is a shorter distance, and thus, shipping is much cheaper (I think it was three dollars without insurance versus seven dollars). Also, the palettes are about a few bucks cheaper. It doesn't seem that much when you think about it, but put it together and I saved about six dollars, which I used to be able to buy insurance for my package as well as some little sitck on magnets for my MAC palette. Huzzah!

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Oh No

I really have not posted in this awhile. I'm just a lazy person by nature, and I honestly started this thing, not for other people, but for me. Anyways, I guess I should post things of interest.

I've been hauling like a fiend. If I made a collective haul from the time of my last post well... that would be a lot of make up. Or not, I'll try to remember.

Sephora was having a Benefit promotional thing, buy at least 1 Benefit item and spend over $50, get a free gift. And since Dr. Feelgood is my absolutely favorite primer and necessity (both me AND my mom use it) I figured, why not? I was pleasantly surprised when I got my order; it was said to come in a make up bag, and I was expecting a dinky little thing. It was quite the opposite; it's made a black shimmery and green plastic, with a handle (very lunchbox-esque!) and even has little insert things (I apologize for my lack of verbal finesse, it's early) for putting in brushes, etc. Also included was Rush Hour (a berry colored lip and cheek color), BADgal Blue mascara, and California Kissin' gloss. I'm not super crazy about the products in general, but I like them enough. I already own California Kissin', it's pretty much this very sheer blue shimmer infused lip gloss. It's okay, but I don't think it's worth the money. BADgal blue isn't as blue as one would expect, which is a good or bad thing depending on what side of the "I love bright make up" spectrum you lay on; the mascara itself is decent, it lengthens and separates my lashes pretty decently, and is surprisingly non clumpy, but it can get a bit flaky and dry quickly. Of the three free products, I liked rush hour the best; put on lips sheer, it's a nice pink-berry lipstick, but the more you add on the more dramatic it gets. I also like it as a cheek color. This gift also comes with a shower cap, but it's too cute, so I haven't used it yet!

I also got a few MAC products, because for my birthday (I forgot to mention that! My birthday was on April 11. I am seventeen now, huzzah!) I got a Macy's gift card. This of course, doesn't mean only MAC make up, but Benefit, Prescriptives, Lancome, Estee Lauder, Chanel, Dior, Clinique, Shisheido, and other make up brands! I'm wondering what else to buy, I hear Dior has good products, but I've also been wanting a Chanel lip gloss (I only own one, a gift from my cousin. I absolutely love it). Anyways, I picked up Refined MSF from the Sugarsweet collection, it's my first MSF! I wanted to pick up Petticoat and So Ceylon before, but I didn't have money at the time, so I never did. Boo; I just hope they get re-released! I also got Fig 1 eyeshadow, which I am TOTALLY in love and impressed for. I don't own that many matte shades, which I am trying to add more to my collection (I hate the stereotype/look of the high school girl with a face full of glitter/shimmer). I heard Vintageortacky rave about it, and she was absolutely right. The texture is AMAZING, non chalky at all, and it's so pigmented, I am so stoked. I always play around with make up as soon as I get it, but I made about three looks using Fig 1 yesterday! Lastly, I bought Amber Russe Lipgelee, from the recommendation of one of the M/A there. At first, I was a bit iffy; it looked like a color i have already own. But applying it, I have to say I own nothing like it. Also, one of the main reasons she recommended it was because I tried on one of the Dazzleglasses, and hated the stickiness (which I hate; I really loved the glittery aspect of them). Either way, the Lipgelee has a nice, non-sticky texture, and the color is so hard to describe... kind of like a rose, silvery shimmer? Oh well, but I love it; it's very natural looking. Lastly, I got one more MAC product, but surprisingly, I did not get it from MAC, nor did I get it from the CCO or online. So where did I get it? COSCO! I was really surprised and found both Bronze and Antiqued Gold CCB at Cosco, but I only picked up Antiqued Gold. They were only $7, which is about less than half of them at full price!

I also ordered from Urban Decay, because of the friends and family sale. I picked up the two eyeliner sets (V.I.P. and Velvet Rope). I never have owned colored eyeliner pencils before, and I've heard good things about the 24/7 eye pencils. So far so good, I really like them (yesterday I layered Covet, the green pencil, over a black liquid liner and made a cat eye, it was such a deep, gorgeous green color!). I also got Lovechild lipstick, and a free sample of Sellout lipstick. I love both! I am also trying to cut back on frost/shimmer lip colors, and both are creme formulations. Lovechild is this pale pink which I love to death, it's very retro; I own nothing like it; I love how you can build up the color with it. Sellout is this amazing neutral color, and I'd recommend it for ANYONE who is a bit iffy on trying lipstick; it smells great and applies very sheer; I'm pretty sure it also suits all skin tones.

I think I also picked up some NYX lip glosses in Smokey Look, Very Clear (which I giggled at, as what, opposed to mildly clear?), Soap Opera Queen (which is a slightly brighter pink dupe for Smashbox's Electric lip gloss), and Strawberry.

OH. One last thing; my mom bought some stuff from Lancome, and they gave her a free gift. She doesn't use them so she gave them to me, I got two lipsticks in Luxe (a sort of bronzey copper color) and The New Pink (a shimmery, kind of bright pink). I also got a mascara, make up remover, and a mini eyeshadow quad that came with Latte (a matte taupe), Waif (a matte off white/ light tan), The New Black (a metallic, shimmery black that reminds me of Black Tied), and Mannequin ( a shimmering deep brown). I think this is a pretty versatile palette, easily transitioning from day to night. It also comes with a giant mirror, which is handy for those on the go.