Warm, Neutral Or Cool?

Before reading any further, I would like to remind everyone that I am NOT an expert in this. I only know a thing or two (maybe three) about finding the best shade or classify yourself into which chart. The biggest question and the hardest to answer is "what is the best chart for your skin tone?".

And for this article I will share a bit of my knowledge so hopefully after reading this, you will understand that we are different but there is a thin life that will help us as sisters to decide which ones are we.

That thin line is the "TINT" or you may know it as well as "UNDERTONE".

First let us separate the chart into the easiest options:

1. LIGHT
2. MEDIUM
3. DARK

Now let us find in which sections are you. I consider myself as "pretty light", i am in the middle, i am in between. Now let's find my "tint" or "undertone", I can fairly decide that i am light-medium or neutral. Then move on to the next step, decide which  UNDERTONE will suit me best :

1. COOL
2. NEUTRAL
3. WARM

This is when you get a headache, what does cool undertone mean? What is warm undertone? or more big questions to decide in which charts are you hahaha! This takes a serious science for us girls to find the best match. hahaha!
But let me help you out with this chart that I quoted from sunglasseswarehouse./com

Undertone is the skin under your surface that will crete the tint of your tone

But honestly, I am quite confident that you can always create your own undertone as your wish by using the right tools (foundation, brush, techniques, etc) to build the solid base. I know that I am light but I LOVEEEEEE COOL shades like crazy in love. So to pull that colour, I will create the right base on my face. I know building the right base or foundation is not easy if you can't even find the RIGHT foundation to match your skin.

Variation of Foundation that I own. Mostly beige, light to medium, and fair light. But I also prepare one warm colour to mix with the lighter shade.

Or you can try this way, by using metal to identify which undertone are you. If you look better with silver, you are COOL UNDERTONE. If you look better in gold, you are WARM UNDERTONE. But if you feel like you can pull the look with both metals then you are a NEUTRAL like myself.

Also you need to know the difference between NC and NW in MAC product code. I asked the Beauty Assistant once. And she told me that NC stands for NEUTRAL COOL (Cool undertone) -that explains why in Indonesia we are mostly using the NC shade- and NW stands for NEUTRAL WARM (Warm Undertone). I'm using both code NC and NW but in different products, like my studio fix is NC20-25 and my pro longwear concealer is NW20-30.

UNDERTONES does not mean more pale or more darker, it explains more about the tint under your surface tone. I hope this article will help you ladies to decide which ones are the best for you.

If you are still having a hard time, then grab one of your best foundation shade and go to http://www.findation.com to find the right shade for you based on your previously owned-foundie.

GOOD LUCK, LADIES!

Valentine's Day Makeup (LatePost)

Before Bronzer. Then I decided more bronze
 to add more dimension to my face.

This was my makeup for last Valentine yesterday.
Basically all my makeup using this equipments but only for special ocassion though :p

- Primer : Laura Mercier & Benefits Porefessional.
- Eye primer : The Balm Cosmetics.
- Foundation : Chanel Vitalumiere shade # 40 Beige
- Contour : Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit shade "Havana".
- Bronzer : MAC mineralizer "Dark".
- Highlight & Conceal under the eye : MAC prep and prime "Radiant Rose" mixed with MAC Pro Longwear Concealer NW20. Set it with Anastasia Bevely Hills Contour Kit "Banana".
- Brows : Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in shade "Dark Brown" and Clear Brow gel.
- Eyeshadow base : MAC Paint Pots "Soft Ocre".
- Eye makeup : TooFaced Chocolate Bar Palette. (won't be a Valentine without a chocolate bar, right?)
- False Lashes : Elise # 6448
- Mascara : Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Waterproof.
- Blush :  NARS Orgasm.
- Setting Powder : Makeup Forever HD Powder.
- Brushes : Sigma, Real Techniques and Zoeva.
- Lip : Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lips "Baby Pink".

We had ice cream and watched 2 movies in a row haha!

                                

After added on some bronzers to my face.
My husband sitting on the back
with his lazy eyes  :p

He shopped a little and got me THE BEST CHOCOLATE BAR for Valentine!

We sure had a great Valentine's Date together. This was our third Valentine together and we wish more Valentines together ahead! And I love how my makeup stood strong the whole day to night without looking creasing and did not need any touch up on the face and lips! Happy wife, Happy life :D

My makeup still strong at 1am in the morning!
And look at that cute "Marriage Memoir" of us in the background :D

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY !! 

How to work with Powder Brushes

It is common to use sponge for your compact powder, but in some case, the using of the powder brush is slightly more effective to gain the perfect result. Different techniques of makeup are making the using of brushes highly important. Powder brushes are actually very basic. And some of you might find it comfortable in various way. But this is what I find as the most effective way of using powder brushes.


1. Big, Fluffy, Firm Brushes for Powder.
I find the using of big round fluffy brush is only efficient for powder or translucent texture. It will hold more product to the top of your brush but also in the same time will create the perfect blend on your face. That way, you will get the perfect look to lock your makeup setting. I usually apply it in a circle way, not by pressing the brush to the face.

I love using Real Techniques Powder Brush to set my translucent powder.

2. Flat Top Brush or Half round Brush for Compact Powder.
Like I mentioned previously, we usually use sponge to apply our compact powder. I honestly think that we will get more beautiful result if we are using flat top brush or half round brush instead. The texture of compact powder is clearly different than translucent one, that is what makes it also needs a different technique by using a different type of brush. My Sigma Kabuki F80 not only great for foundation application but also works great for compact powder. Sponges are great for blotting but still it will not cover your makeup as well as using flat top brush or half round brush. The technique is also different from the big fluffy brush, with flat top brush I usually stipple the brush to the face or press it to create an amazing airbrush result. This technique also really good for those who have an oily skin.

Beside Sigma Kabuki F80, I also love using Real Techniques Buffing Brush to apply my compact powder.

How To Depot All Your Broken Lipsticks

This is a very simple solution for all of you lipstick lovers who do not want to give up on your broken lipsticks. They may gave up on us, but we don't give up on them! LOL.

1. Find the replacement palette
   I prefer plastic. Any plastic storage will do. You can find this small storage in bookstores or drugstores. Clean them up before you use them with alcohol or germ-killer (this is optional).
2. Use a pointed small size knife or flat metal to depoting the lipstick
   Basically anything pointy that you can use to take out the leftover from the packaging. You can also use the Q-tip but throw the tip and use the stick only. Because if you keep the tip on, that will be a waste.
3. Use lip brush to apply your depoted lipstick
   Voila! You can use them now until the last drop! And the pros about it that you can carry the palette around with wide variations of lipstick shade. FUN isn't it? 

Top 10 Favourite Lipstick (from 2014)

Hi everyone, this will be my very first post for this blog. And let's make it simple! Straight forward to the topic, I want to share what are the best lipstick that I've ever had in my entire life! Lipstick is the main key for my whole look and make up. Lipstick performs my face the way I want it. And lipsticks are fun, have so many shades and variations, colourful and full of life :D

So let us start with the first one, this will be my MIGHTY favorite one.

1. MAC Kinda Sexy (matte)

This is by far the longest (8 years and counting) lipstick I have ever use since forever. The texture is basically matte with also matte result but I love how it has a full coverage unlike other MAC nude lipstick with sheer result. It has coral with yellow undertone, most likely nude, and blends very well with any other lipstick. I have mixed Kinda Sexy with a lot of liquid lips or other matte lipstick from other brands. I can't find anything works better like Kinda Sexy! Love love!

This is MAC Kinda Sexy mixed with
 Makeup Store Lip Pencil Bubblegum

2. Limecrime Opaque Unicorn Babette (matte).

Limecrime is my most favourite brand for their cruelty-free lipstick products. I might not be as loyal as those vegan-consumers which I still brag about my MAC or Makeup Forever but honestly though I am also trying to learn more about this controversy. Despite all that, I am soooooo very much in love with Limecrime lipstick and Babette is on my top of the list from their collection. I love the coral nude pinkish undertone works so damn well on my skin. I love how it stained even after a bowl of Ramen. I love how fresh the colour to match my favourite season, SUMMER! I completely in love with Babette and I had repurchased Babette twice from last year and I will always keep it in stock!

Softlense looks pretty insane though lol

3. Limecrime Velvetines Red Velvet (matte - full coverage)

This is the craziest yet most amazing liquid lipstick with the perfect red just for any skin tones. It is CRAZY, isn't it?!! You have to apply it carefully though, because once it applied, it'll be hard to remove it. It also dries quickly so make sure you have your lip being moisturized enough before you apply it. And also it will be great to prepare some corrector to define the perfect line. The using of lipliner is also functional, so you might want to check NYX/MAC lipliner to handle this situation. 

Perfect lipliner will create the perfect frame for your lips and the result will be unbelievably gorgeous!

I love how I match the red lips with blonde brows..

4. Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick Jeffree (matte - full coverage)

This liquid lipstick is PERFECTION! I love Kat Von D and all her passion in art, tattoos, make up and pretty much everything that she does. She brings "Swag" to whole another level. She is so edgy and so does her art. This liquid lipstick surprisingly has a super girly result. Works great on my lip and matches my skin like match made in heaven. I am pretty popular for being basically a nude/coral kind of girl. Hahaha! I am not denying anything but coral/nude is really my thang! This JEFFREE shade also has a powerful long-stay-ish. It stands through my lunch and dinner. And only need a little touch up on my inner lips (gotta blame the steak tho hahaha!) after the lunch. A must have! A must try!

Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in JEFFREE

5. Limecrime Opaque Lipstick Unicorn Geradium (matte)

Pink is the best! Pink is life! I remember last year when the first time I purchased this lipstick, my first impression after tried it out was like "OKAY I AM GOING TO PURCHASE ANOTHER ONE IMMEDIATELY!" hahahaha.. That is just who I am, whenever I feel like I find my holy grail product, I just have to buy an extra immediately. Geradium will always be my favourite! When you apply it, it has beautiful pigmented pink, not dusty nor sheer, but fully pink coverage on your lips. But after lunch and dinner, it will leave beautiful berry-stain. It is so beautiful, I swear! I also always keep Geradium on my touch-up pouch that I carry around everyday with me. My instant go-to lipstick!

I believe I mixed Geradium + Kinda Sexy here..

6. Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lips Retro Coral (matte - full coverage)

So bear with me here, please take a consideration that I am a nude/coral kind of girl. So when it comes to coral lipstick, I just can't help it. I get easily drawn to the obsession especially when Anastasia Beverly Hills announced the launch of this liquid lipstick collection on her instagram @anastasiabeverlyhills. I WENT BANANAS! And it is haaarrddd for me as Indonesian to grab this product as soon as it launched. I have to build extra patience because it'll take months to get them babies landed here safely. So after a very long waiting, finally I grabbed them beautiful babies! HOORAAAHHHHHH!! And they are exactly as I expected. The packaging is so beautiful, soft brush, and quickly dries to matte, it stays long and the variation of the shades is so wide! I love you ABH I really doooo!

Seriously, it is soooo purrty!

7. Stila Cosmetics Liquid Lips Fiery (matte - full coverage)

This one is pretty tricky but I gotta say that the colour is too pretty to even exists. But I hate how it got so clumpy after hours. It really does stay forever though but it gives a funny taste on my lips. And when it gets too dry, the texture of your lips will turn to cracks. Ugly, right? But I still vote this lipstick as my top 10 fave just because I love how it looks on my lips. I just have to maintain it moisturised by taking the right balm and drink lots of water hahaha.. Sike.

Come on... Look at that beautiful brick red!

 8. TooFaced Melted Lipstick Coral (matte - medium coverage)

The Melted series by far are what I admired the most from TooFaced (besides their Chocolate Bar Palette that I can't live without!). But to be precise, I like Coral (again... really aya?) that suits me the best! I tried nude once but hell naahhhh, I couldn't rock nude as much as Coral. But I'm also curious to try the Candy one. From what I browse, Candy might be perfect for me too. You know that I told you "PINK IS LIFE" right? Coral also impressed me because it has a great coverage but I gotta say, it didn't stay long nor stained. So I need a lot of touch-up when I wear Melted Coral. But the colour is just everything. Just perfection.

Coral is the best match for my skin!

9. NYX soft matte lip cream Antwerp (matte - medium coverage)

Finally some cheap lipstick! I loveeeeee NYX for their quality with that price, that is just amazing! NYX SMLC has so many shades but Antwerp is definitely my most favourite. I wear Antwerp for my daily look, to campus or just around the neighbourhood to do some grocery shopping hahaha.. Antwerp is cute, adorable and such a girly shade. The thing with NYX SMLC is that you keep having this situation where you thought that the lipstick ran out after a month already. The fact is : NO THEY DON'T. The complexion of the butter texture makes it as if the lipstick gone already. You just have to re-dip the brush over and over to mix the buttery texture until it is even out. Afterall, Price does not lie...

Me doing some grocery shopping with my sister :D

10. Limecrime Velvetines Cashmere (matte - full coverage)

And at last, this is the new comer on my makeup stash. Cashmere is one of the most unique lipstick shade that I ever own! It looks grey-ish with a dusty matte finish. I love Cashmere because this shade looks so edgy and different. The thing is that not everybody can pull this look. For some people, dark undertone, they will look so pale, that is why they need solid base to create Cashmere in a perfect form. I am so thankful that I look normal in this shade hahaha! Even though my husband was pretty awkward when he saw it at the first time but finally now he get used to it. Cashmere and ABH Pure Hollywood are very much alike but I have to prefer Cashmere better. The formula is sooo different, all Limecrime Velvetines are still my champs compare to some other liquid lips.

Ash-Grey-Dusty you name it! I love it!

So that wraps up everything for this very first post on my beauty blog. Please show your love and support to my twitter and instagram (@sorayahylmi) with the hashtag #AyaBeautyTips. And please let me know, what review that you want to hear next from me. I am nothing without y'all support!

Will catch up with y'all later! xoxo.