Help please...

[hotmama]

Hi all...I'm a newbie to the SN line. I've had my goodies for a day. I find myself having a slight problem with the shadows. The colors are beautiful alone, swatched on my hand. But when I apply them they become muddled together and I'm left with just shimmer...no distinct colors on my lid. This was with dolce and boom. Also having a hard time using liner. I got really big flakes od shadow not a smooth line. Suggestions? Please?

[Rhys]

If you've not used minerals before, there is a slight learning curve. When it comes to eye shadow, I've read that you should use a 'windshield wiper' technique to blend - NOT TRUE. That'll just result in your colours all over each other (which can be interesting, but...)

First do your dark colour - then make sure to wipe it well on a microfibre cloth to get any residual mineral particles off of the brush. Then do your light colour. Or you can do your light colour with a separate brush and then gently gently use it to blend the two colours together at the crease, or other part of your eye - not like a windshield wiper, but small strokes in one direction. Or if that fails, a fingertip works quite well.

Are you using the cream liner or are you dry lining with an eye shadow? My favourite brush for either is the liner brush end of the Ultimate Eye Shadow Brush, which is a push-brush. It takes a little bit of practise, and make sure to tap off any excess powder before you put brush to eye line. Just let gravity take its course, and don't try to fill in all the way under your eye - about half or three-quarters should do the trick (it does for me, anyway, and less is more in this case). But it does take practise.

If it's a different problem entirely, give a yell, but that's what comes to mind off the top of my head.

[deepix]

One thing I've learnt is to not sweep the brush over the lids. it'll just get the eyeshadow everywhere on the face and not really have a colour on the lids. You could try lightly tapping the brush to pick up the powder and then the same all over the lids evenly until u get the effect/colour that you want. And if i want to blend a light and darker shade, i'll pick up a bit more of the lighter one and lightly tap on top of the darker coloured eyeshadow...Or something like that. I love using the ultimate eyeshadow brush. Picks up powder well and reduces my tendency to sweep the brush over eyelids.

[hotmama]

Thanks guys...sounds like I really need to buy the ultimate eye brush...also, this morning, I have the clear cream liner, I used my finger to sweep a thin coat across the lid and that seemed to grab more color on the lid. I did a single color of idolize (I think) all over just to keep it simple. Thanks for your help. I must buy that brush!

[Kahani]

For more intense colour and shine I like to "foil" (to mix with water) my eyeshadows. I like to use eye drops - so convenient and hygienic, and I think the added glycerin in the drops help seal the e/s in place for longer. It's really easy, just squirt a drop in the palm of your hand (or the back - I prefer this actually), dip the tip of your eyeshadow brush in it, dip in the e/s and away you go!

[JenW]

Hello hotmama!

You did the right thing with the Clear cream liner to sweep it across your lid first and apply shadows that way. The shadows will definitely be more vibrant by using it, too. One way to make lining 'goof proof' is to grab a little of the Clear Cream liner with a 'push brush' like Rhys mentioned, and then grab a little of your powder eyeshadow, too. (When I say 'grab', you really just need enough product to coat the end of the brush.) It should allow you to have much better control in application. The cream liner helps hold the powders on your brush until you are ready to apply them, and makes them stay on a little longer. The foiling application mentioned by Kahani also works well. I recommend eye drops (like Visine).

[frond]

I've found using the ultimate e/s brush to pat pat pat the e/s where I want them to go helps. The shape of the brush really helps u get the e/s in the corners... then I use a bigger fluffier brush to pat pat pat the edges so they get blended. Basically I don't swipe with brushes much any more unless I want to get a sheerer coverage.

Plus using a base like UDDP or Monistat helps the colors be more vibrant and also easier to blend. Ever since using Monistat as a base, I rarely foil my e/s. They are so vibrant already.

For lining, I usually use a homemade mixing medium (1 glycerin to 3 parts water) in a little spritzer. I spray my brush, wipe it off on a tissue, dab it in a little e/s and use small strokes to get it on my eye. Again the ultimate e/s brush has an excellent liner! I've been able to get the thinest lines ever since mine arrived. I'm sooo happy.

as with everything, practice practice and more practice is the way to go!

have fun!

[Hemo]

hello everyone
I'm new here & ich do need some help
I would like to order but paying without paypal -
please, how can I do this ?
hopeing to read some suggestions
a nice weekend...Hemo

[JenW]

Hemo,
I do think there are other options. However, I have always paid with Paypal myself. I think one of them is to mail a Money Order if you are in the US. There is an option at checkout to choose sending in a payment rather than Paypal. Sending payment through the mail takes a bit longer from what I remember. I will send a message to Karen about this. Are you in the States?

[JenW]

Hemo,
Here is what I found on the website.

Payment information:
We accept major credit cards through Paypal. You do not need a Paypal account to pay with a credit card from our site- it will just process it. We also accept checks and money orders from our US customers only. Unfortunately we cannot accept foreign money orders as we have no way of cashing them.