My Makeup Look: Joy O Designs Test Shoot

I'm pretty excited because I recently updated my makeup arsenal from MAC. And I learned some great application techniques that allowed me to do my makeup myself for my test shoot with Joy O Designs.

I thought it'd be fun to let you know how I did my makeup and what products I used. You know, a little insider stuff...what female model doesn't want to know about makeup? LOL. Mind you, I don't wear makeup on a daily basis and only for when I have shoots and castings but the girl in me can't help but be interested in makeup for what it's worth!

My skin type is combination (dry cheeks and oily T-zone--forehead, nose, and chin) and I have eczema so my complexion is naturally slightly discolored. I got lucky and had the manager of the MAC store advising me that day so she totally filled me in on what I would need and showed me how to apply everything.

This is a picture of me the day of my test shoot (ah, the perks of having a photographer for a boyfriend!). The designer told me to go natural with the look so I kept it simple with foundation, powder, light pink lipstick and mascara with no eyeshadow.



So how did I get that natural look? First, I cleansed with the Clinique 3-step mild facial cleanser. Then I applied a Biore pore strip to minimize the appearance of my large pores (which I hate!). I followed that up with the Clinique 3-step mild facial lotion, which is their term for toner. My oily T-zone loves toner! Afterwards, I moisturized thoroughly with Atopalm MLE Cream, which is a special skin care item that is only sold through online retailers. It's unscented and created by dermatologists so it's ideal for those with sensitive skin, and skin conditions like eczema, rosacea, and acne.



The line of Clinique 3-step facial cleanser, based on skin type.



Biore Pore Strips (I only use them on the day of shoots or once a week when I can't stand my pores anymore on my nose).



The line of Clinique mild facial lotion (toner), based on skin type.



Atopalm MLE Cream. A bit pricey (between $25-36) but worth it. I haven't used a different moisturizer in three years! It's great for prepping the skin for makeup.

After this skin care preparation, I let the moisturizer sit on my face for 5-10 minutes. Makeup always goes on smoother when your complexion is well moisturized. Once my face was ready, I used a makeup brush to apply my foundation.

Then I used a large brush to apply my powder to take care of shine and followed up with brow powder to fill in my eyebrows, using an angled brush to line them. After my foundation and eyebrows were taken care of, I then applied two coats of mascara (with no eyeliner as requested by the designer) and used a lip brush to apply my lip color.


I used to use MAC's spray on foundation, but the MAC manager put me onto this liquid foundation that contains spf 15 (it comes in handy for protecting your complexion from those harmful UV rays!). To apply it evenly, I used a makeup brush and basically painted it onto my face and used my fingertips to blend when needed.


For powder, I used MAC Mineralize Skinfinish and used a large brush for application.



Brow powder definitely comes in handy, especially for my crazy eyebrows. Angled brushes are ideal for getting the right lines and blending naturally.



Sometimes I find that the MAC Zoom Lash tends to make my lashes a little clumpy so after I apply one or two coats, I follow up with a regular unused mascara wand to break up my lashes. The lip brush works wonders for applying my lipstick evenly, whereas using the actual tube of lipstick tends to make the color get caught in the creases of my lips. Since I didn't use any eyeshadow, I made sure to apply foundation and powder to my eyelids as well. Had I chosen to wear eye color, the foundation would serve as a great primer.

All in all with practice, I can do this makeup look from start to finish in about 10-15 minutes max. Often I'll get up very early just so I'll have plenty of time to apply my makeup. It takes practice but if I can manage it, knowing full well that I hardly ever wear makeup, then I know you'll be able to do it, too!