Oh, I need help with MMU application.. :(

[Jessica]

I just want to say I am so sorry for always bothering everyone with my excessive newbiness and queries Like I said before I'm actually quite new to make-up so there's a lot I don't know...

Anyway, I want to attempt to perfect or at least get my make-up to make me look as naturally good as possible for next Friday (it's a big day, going to SO's company dinner and I'm shy and nervous as Hell)
I've been toying with MMU at home and noticed these main problems:

1; It goes into my medium-sized pores, and makes them look larger due to the light being reflected off the minerals INSIDE MY PORES.
2; I can never make it look 'smoother' on my skin. When applied It's like dusting for fingerprints - everything shows-up and is easier to see (small clogged pores, also sometimes look a little dusty around my face cheeks closer to the nose where most of my visible pores are)
3; I always use more MMU than what everybody recommends. I don't understand how a tiny amount of dust can be enough for your entire face, so I end-up using quite a bit more (maybe that's why it looks so 'dusty' around my pores..) I'm not sure if I'm pressing the brush too hard against my face when spiralling it around. It's just, when you swirl your brush around the lid with that tiny amount of MMU, and I spiral it starting around my jawline and around my face cheek - it feels like there's barely any to spread fully around my face (I do the same with moisturiser because it doesn't feel like it's been spread all over my face)

Baahhh, I'm begging, please any tips possible for MMU. I've never applied a full face of make-up before (especially for a big night)
Maybe recs for better mattifying pore filling, face smoothing primers or whatnot? Different applications I should try? Where I'm going wrong? Bad brush application? (Btw, I live in the UK and a student, so although I appreciate all recs please name some I can acquire easily. I can't order from SN or any online websites either if it's international because I need everything ready by Next Friday)

I heard fix+ was used to apply MMU wet? Is it glycerin + water or glycerin + rosewater?

Face/Skin type: Sensitive (from retinoids) combination skin, slightly oily t-zone.
Brushes I have: SilkNaturals Vegan Kabuki and long-handle Flat Top brush.
Primers I've used: Lanacane (UK ver. of Monistat) GOSH Velvet. SilkNaturals finishing powders (which I heard could be used as primers) Perfecting Powder.
MMU I use: EdM starters (admittedly I don't have SN foundation, haven't gotten 'round to it yet)

You will not fathom how thankful I will be for your help!

[nory87]

Hi!! I hear you!!! When I first started using MMU I had the same problems and questions so don't feel bad for asking, that will be the only way you will learn. I still have some problems applying MMU, but I think I have gotten a little better! I have heard that the perfecting powder it's very good as a primer. Also the fixing mist, you can use glycerin and water or rose water and glycerin or water, rose water, glycerin, I guess is more of a personal choice, although I have heard that rose water is not good for acne skin since it may irritated. A primer that I use is smashbox primer, i bought it at sephora.

About applying makeup I am hoping for someone else to chime in since I am not expert in that subject!! lol!!

Have fun on Friday!!!!

[Rhys]

Well, you've got good brushes, so that's a start.

Sometimes the dusty look happens because you haven't moisturised properly. If you're having a real problem, make sure your skin is well-hydrated, put on your moisturiser, and leave it set for 10 or 15 minutes to make sure your skin is smooth and not tacky before you put the makeup on. A little bit of perfecting powder can help a bit, but if you have dry skin you don't want to put too much stuff on because you'll get cakey.

You can also try starting with the outer part of your face so that there's less powder on the brush when you get to cheeks, nose, or wherever large pores are a problem.

Sometimes it happens because your foundation isn't quite the right colour. If yours is a little off and you have SN samples, you could try tweaking it a little bit. If not, go with what you have, or if it's really bad, pop over to Boots and buy some Bourjois, Revlon, or other not too pricey liquid/cream brand you've got a match in for the big night. I miss the UK sometimes. Or go to a department store with some makeup counters and get a few foundation samples. Estee Lauder does have some liquid shades for the ultra pale that don't look bad if that's a problem, and so does MAC - I'm sure some other companies do, too, but that's what I've seen recently. If you really need to look good for one night, that may be the best way to go.

The last time I tried EDM, it was a little grainy, but in general, start with small amounts, make sure you swirl your brush enough to get the powder on it evenly, and don't buff too hard. If you need to, you can do another layer of makeup after the first one if you need more coverage, but best to do it in light layers instead of a lot all at once.

While you're at Boots, get some floral water and a plastic bottle with a spritzer if you don't have one at home. Distilled water will do if you can't manage that - give yourself a slight misting after your makeup's done (well, not mascara, but the rest of it) and hopefully that will take away the dustiness.

But if it's a wrong colour match and you can't tweak it, I'd go for either a drugstore foundation or some samples in a pinch.

Hope this helps.

Edited to add: If you've got blush problems (like the blush you're using is very pigmented) and you don't have a fibreoptic brush, a few grains of blush on a bit of cotton wool works pretty well for application and blending.

[lcash]

This may not be helpful before your big date, but I find the zinc powder to be a fabulous primer. Are you using a swirly bowl? If you are dipping your brush into the jar or even the top of the lid, it will put on too much powder. I have a small round sugar bowl from Walmart. I just tap in a small amount of the foundation, swirl the brush around, then tap it several times against the edge to remove the excess. Then it applies very smoothly. I totally agree with Rhys. Drink lots of water to be sure you are hydrated. Moisturizer is essential for a smooth look. If your skin is dry, it will just "grab" all the little particles into your pores. About two and a half years ago, I was in your shoes - total makeup noob. The SN gals have always been great sources of information and never tired of my seemingly dumb questions. There are so many faithful SN users now, that surely at least a few folks have experienced and resolved the same issues you're facing and are happy to share their ideas. Good luck with your party. Remember that bright eyes and a beautiful smile will always be the focus as others see you. No one will be scrutinizing your makeup application techniques. Also, if it's a formal event, candlelight is VERY forgiving! Lauren

[kitten1711]

Hiya,

what the other ladies said, plus I would suggest having a nice clay mask a couple of days beforehand to help clean out your pores (which will make them appear smaller as not dilated with 'gunk') followed by a good exfoliate (love the SN microdermabrasion cream but anything else scrubby from Boots or Superdrug will do) to remove any pesky flakes of dry skin to help your face feel & look smoother.

I had trouble for ages trying to get mineral foundation to look right on me; either too dusty, too cakey or the wrong shade!!! I had totally given up on finding something that worked and you do definitely need to persevere.

I used to use EM foundation before converting to SN and whilst the SN formula is definitely superior, I found it's less to do with the application technique of the foundation and more to do with what you use for a moisturiser underneath; you need something which will moisturise your skin enough (you're applying something which tends to 'suck' the moisture out of your face), yet sink in so minerals don't cling in patches where your brush first touches. As Laurie said, apply your moisturiser then do something else for a while before starting on the foundation application - brush your teeth, style your hair etc then come back to apply the foundation. Things I found not to work were anything with a high spf (Boots 17 anti ageing facial protect spf50 or similar for example) or some of the richer, heavier more natural creams which leave a film of oil on your skin. The product that works best for me is Kimberley Sayer Ultra Light Organic Facial Moisturiser spf 25 (I always wear sunscreen due to melasma) which sinks in beautifully - you can order it from http://www.lovelula.com in the UK - they deliver next day.

I am sure you will look lovely - hope you have a fab night on friday

Tracey xx

[AgnesONutter]

Needed to create a flawless face:
- A clean canvas, of course. As the above posters have suggested a simple degunking session a few nights before might be in place, though it must be done in the right order or you risk breaking out because the gunk becomes trapped.
Night 1: Surface exfoliation. If you have some sugar and olive oil at home, just mix into a paste and apply it to a damp face and scrub around. Cheap and effective surface exfoliation, be sure to wash away any residue. A facial brush is also good for this, since it reaches down into the pores a bit to lift out the gunk.
Night 2: Pore exfoliation. If you have some uncoated aspirin at hand, just crush them and add distilled water, apply as a facial mask and rinse. The salicylic acid will deep cleanse your pores.
Night 3: Pulling out the gunk. You can get cheap clay facial masks enough for 1-2 applications at a lot of places. Preferably choose one with french green clay in it, or glacial clay. You can also go to Lush and ask for a sample of a mask that would be good for drawing out gunk, or Body Shop (I do rather like their 3 in 1 blue clay mask) or any other store that offer samples.
Now, we have a clean canvas to work with, with hopefully smaller cleaner pores.

- Smoothing the canvas. Since we are talking one night, and so breaking out from continued use is not a problem, I would suggest going to one of the high end brand counters and ask for a sample of a primer to suit your skin. For example, Laura Mercier. A good primer, with silicones in it, will fill out pores and fine lines. Problem is, with use everyday these can break you out. But used for just one night, you should be fine.
You said you have Perfecting Powder? If so, sprinkle just a bit into a bowl, swirl your kabuki and dot it on the points you get shiny, then smooth it out in gentle movements, moving in downwards circles to avoid the powdery look.

- Applying foundation. If you have a good EDM match, then sprinkle some on the bowl, swirl the flattop in it, tap of the excess, and dot on the places you need the most coverage, then smooth it out, again in downward strokes. Just use a little powder! If you feel you need more coverage, use a little more powder and repeat. Using too much powder at once will leave a powdery look. Likewise, more than 2 layers usually also turns me powdery/cakey looking. If the EDM you have is not a good match to your skintone, I would suggest actually investing in a powder based foundation that works for your skintone, considering you have an oily t-zone and are not used to working with liquid foundations. It does not have to be expensive, there's a lot of drugstore brands to choose from that will offer decent ones. Just look out for bismouth if you have an allergy against it! I'm not to good at suggesting what to try, since I just use mineral foundation.

- Concealer, if needed. If you have one, great. If you don't need one, even better. But if you need one, then really, I think this is the one thíng you need to splurge on unless you are lucky enough to find a colour that is close to your own skintone in the drugstore brands. I wasn't, and a concealer the wrong colour...well, it's frankly better not to use a concealer at all in that case. My favourite is from MAC, Studio Finish concealer (the one in the black plastic case, not the glass jar). But since it is VERY expensive for just one night, I would perhaps skip concealer if not absolutely necessary or try to use the foundation as concealer on those spots where needed (just dab and use your finger). Will not be perfect, but will save you money.

- Bringing some colour back to your face. If you have a blush that you like and use, that will be perfect. If not, I would suggest investing in a crème based or stain based blush, since I guess you don't have a blush brush? Most brands carry a generic, nice, healthy looking pink that you can apply with your fingers, along your cheekbones. Blend out with your kabuki or flattop to avoid harsh edges. Just be sure that the blush is MATTE. Since you said you have problems with your pores. A matte make-up will help with that problem.

- Setting your face. After you have applied your foundation, again take out your Perfecting Powder. You can set your foundation with the kabuki brush, but if you have the full sized jar it comes with a small powder puff. If not, I would suggest a second investment for your evening: a powder puff. A powder puff, sprinkled with some Perfecting Powder, and then pressed and rolled (not patted) onto your face, will help your make-up stay put and shine free all evening long and give you that soft unfocused look.

And that's essentially it. Though, I would perhaps actually think about getting my face professionally done for that evening instead since the costs would probably end up being the same in the end and it takes some time to learn to apply a truly flawless face even with the best of products and tools. Here in Sweden, you can get a complete face done for between 25-50 euro and then you often get to choose products for the same amount once your face is done. Ask around, see what you can come up with. Oh, and do bring your Perfecting Powder, in case you feel you need to touch up due to nervous sweating. It is great, used with a puff, to mattify and make your face look okay again.

[Jessica]

Ohhh, thank you so much ladies for your very informative posts! I'm very happy for your help - you're all so very sweet

As for skin care, this is what I use -
[*][/b]Neutrogena Healthy Skin Retinol Night every two evenings. SIMPLE Hydrating toner every other evening (which I don't think is moisturising enough, and unfortunately, actually nips my face a little)
[*][/b]Depending on how dry my skin gets from using oils to and follow-up cleanser to get make-up off, I use Nivea in the Blue Tin (the really amazing although rather thick cream) it makes my face look REALLY shiny/oily so I only use this at night time. I also sometimes add the SN Oatmeal serum to it sometimes.
[*][/b]Fortunately I'm not very acne prone so I have no problem using products that may trigger acne ^^

Rhys - I have Shiseido Dual Balancing liquid foundation in O20 (natural light ochre) but I think it was a bit too light for me. (Damn John Lewis' make-up area's lighting!) Bad thing is when I try applying liquid foundation it looks worse than MMU, Tried stippling it, using a flocked sponge, using fingers... so my usage and knowledge of liquid foundation is just as bad! Maybe I tried using too much. I'll try again tonight. I also have a sample of MAC's face & body C2 which I'll test.
I usually go here for foundation recs but unfortunately doesn't have many DS brands listed; http://www.editgrid.com/user/apbunz/meg ... tion_chart
EdM's Buff Light Neutral actually kind of looks OK on me (tad light I guess), and I do sometimes tweak it by adding a different colour foundation from the kit i got, so apparently I'm NC25.
And thank you so much for your blush advice! I can't give myself a glow without looking old.
Oh, and what is floral water? I did a Boots search and only found perfume. I'm thinking of purchasing glycerin from iherb.com.

nory87 - Lol nake-up noobs rejoice? I wish I had sephora here! No wait.. we have Smashbox here but the primer is like £27 >_< Can't use too much money. Need it for Christmas presents!

Icash/Lauren - LOL you're so right! My room light is kinda tinted light amber so I can't trust doing my make-up in my room because everything looks blended and well. But when I go into my bathroom (highlights!) my make-up is SOOO light and application looks weird and terrible haha (thankful I'm testing it at home and not going anywhere) I can only handle drinking about 4 bottles of water a day (50cl)
But no, I don't use a swirly bowl. I swirl on a big lid. Will any supermarkets do small swirly bowls?

Kitten1711 - That's so funny - I actually use Boots No7 SPF30 Anti-dark spot sunscreen and I was thinking about how much I hate the finish - it makes my face look really shiny and feels a little greasy, ESPECIALLY because of the mica in it! Looks like I've just sweated.
I'm going to buy that moisturiser when I get home from College. Are there anything else on that site you think I should give a try?
I also have Queen Helene's Mint Julepe Mask, and Burt's Bees Green Pore-Refining Face Mask. What do you think I should be using? With BB's clay, it's powdery so I can actually mix it with other things. Any ideas? (No fruit though, I'm allergic ) As for exfoliants, are there anything that's gentle to use? Kinda sensitive skin

AgnesOnutter - So great and informative! Amazing help. I was in the middle of writing my post and previewing it and I saw a new post in this thread!

Anyone from the UK (Scotland) know any good good salons that won't ruin my bank account to do my face professionally?

Thank you so, so ,so, so much by the way I appreciate everyone's help so much!

Btw, thought I should show you what I'm going to wear http://www.janenorman.co.uk/fcp/product ... lour=black
And this is where I'm going for the dinner! http://www.ferniecastle.demon.co.uk/winterwedd.htm (click around for more pictures. The Great Hall, The Ballroom, etc...) THEY ALSO HAVE A FRIGGING TREE HOUSE SUITE.

[kitten1711]

Hi Jessica,

no problem

If you are looking for a better value primer than the Laura Mercier one AgnesONutter suggested, you might want to try GOSH's primer - it's colourless and comes in a nifty pump dispense; costs about £8 from Superdrug. I don't use it often but when I do, makes a huge difference (especially for a night out). It is silicone based and gives a ridiculously smooth surface.
http://www.superdrug.com/Primer/GOSH-VE ... nvt/483176

Re. the floral water question - you should be looking for either rose water or orange flower water (will probably be in the pharmacy section at Boots; ask one of the bods behind the counter if you can't find it; it's dead cheap, very gentle & refreshing and ideal for setting makeup in a spray)

Ideas for a swirly bowl - basically anything with a smooth surface that you can wash regularly to keep it hygienic will do; I've got a titchy ceramic dish which came as part of a set with a jar of mustard one Christmas which I use most often, but you can start off with a saucer or anything you have to hand (when travelling instead of my bowl I use the little saucer from an espresso cup & saucer set I had but broke the cup ages ago).

Face mask suggestions - you can just mix the Burts Bees clay mask with plain tap water, or make a cup of green tea (if you drink it, don't bother buying the tea bags especially because it tastes revolting IMO) let it cool & then use that to mix instead - or in fact any herbal tea you like (chamomile for example) or perhaps natural yogurt; just depends on how your face feels

Ideas for exfoliating - if you are going to buy an exfoliator, with sensitive skin I would suggest something containing round beads rather than scratchy particles (ground fruit stones etc) as they are less likely to irritate. A nice budget one to try is from Boots in their own brand Essentials range (come in either blue or green packaging, green is cucumber based and the blue is the one for sensitive skin if I recall correctly - just checked & they don't have them on line unfortunately but I know they still sell them because I bought my other half the clay face mask from the green range on Saturday & saw them in my local branch then); they are a couple of quid each and actually very good.

Concealer - Agnes suggested some cracking concealers but if you are looking for something more affordable, Boots (them again!!) have just brought out a little triple concealer palette in the No.7 range so you can custom blend your own shade. I don't use a 'regular' cosmetic concealer very often (usually just stick with the minerals) but got this for a particular evening out where I wanted to make my skin extra flawless looking.
http://www.boots.com/en/No7-Compact-Concealer_1015731/

LoveLula product recommendations - I only really buy the Kimberley Sayer stuff from them; I really like the Healing Calendula Night Cream (which is the one they recommend to use alongside the spf25 stuff I use in the daytime). I have tried the Madara foaming cleanser but wasn't that keen, but can definitely recommend the 2 Kimberley Sayer things.oduct recommendations[/b] - I only really buy the Kimberley Sayer stuff from them; I really like the Healing Calendula Night Cream (which is the one they recommend to use alongside the spf25 stuff I use in the daytime). I have tried the Madara foaming cleanser but wasn't that keen, but can definitely recommend the 2 Kimberley Sayer things.

Hope that helps.

Txx

[sewwies]

Ooo that dress is so pretty! I have the same problem if I don't exfoliate really well. Before a night out I crush up a couple of dispersible aspirin and mix it with a little honey from a squirty bottle and some water, scrub my face really well with it then leave it for about 5/10 mins then rinse it off in the shower and have a good ol' moisturise. Boots do a little yellow moisturiser for younger skin (Ammie I think it's called!), I used to use it before I discovered hemp. It moisturises really well but sinks in fairly quickly. Its a good idea to wait a while for the sinkage before trying to put anything powdery on top. I use a candle holder as my swirly bowl, but aaanything will do, you can use a regular bowl, just make sure you do plenty of tapping so there's barely anything left on the brush so it doesn't cake then you can always have a check and then put more on if you want. Also if your skin's pretty good try cutting the foundation with some perfecting powder in your bowl to make it a little sheerer? The tinted ones are perfect for that and add a hint of glow. If you like smashbox primer you can order it cheaper on justbeautydirect.co.uk! Good luck!

[darkhairedgirl]

That dress is gorgeous!!! You're going to look amazing.
I'm no makeup pro, but I find my makeup looks best when I put it on in light layers- when I'm in a hurry and don't do as many layers, it doesn't look as good.
I personally love Burt's Bees clay mask, it pulls out stuff from my pores on my nose, and for a little while, my pores are less noticeable.
Good luck and have fun!