My girl, Sarah from Beauty Banter rounded up a gang of her fellow beauty bloggers and asked us all our ideas on the best drugstore mascara to be found! Here's her post with all of our feedback. Give it a read - it's an invaluable resource if you're looking for the best bargain mascara! And you know I'm always on the Great Mascara Hunt!
http://www.beautybanter.com/2009/05/girls-guide-to-drugstore-mascaras.html
As you can tell from some of my recent posts, Three Custom Color Specialists is one of my new favorite brands and I find myself sporting at least one of their products quite a bit of the time! I'm so honored to bring you an interview with Trae Bodge, co-founder of Three Custom Color Specialists - a new inspiration to me, as a woman of color who owns her own beauty brand and is a renowned makeup artist. Enjoy!
Trae Bodge has over 20 years' experience in the beauty business. In addition to serving as Creative Director for Three Custom Color Specialists, a brand she co-founded in 1997, Trae specializes in clean, flawless makeup for bridal and fashion and she has been featured in Elle, Lucky, Marie Claire, Vibe Vixen, Upscale and Essence and on NBC, ABC, LXTV's First Look, Glow! on the Style Network and QVC UK as a pioneer in independent-brand cosmetics.
1) What hardships have you experienced in the beauty industry, as a woman of color? Not many, to be honest. My only challenging experience I faced based on my ethnicity and gender was many years ago when I worked for a family-owned company. One of the owners was from another generation and leery of working with women in general and women of color in particular. I made it part of my job to allay those fears and suspicions.
2) How has being a woman of color helped you in building a beauty career? I think because I have had my own share of beauty challenges with my own skin tone, I make it a priority to be aware of the challenges that women of all skin tones face. But that being said, any serious makeup artist should have a solid understanding of all skin tones, what colors work on them, etc.
3) Women of color historically have been underserved by the beauty industry. What changes are you seeing in this regard? What changes do you think still need to be made? I think that there have been great strides made in recent years in the beauty business. The first major step was with the introduction of makeup lines made specifically for women of color, like Fashion Fair and Flori Roberts. From there, many makeup companies have become more "global" with their color selections. I still think that there is more progress to be made, however. As a business owner, I understand the challenges that brands face when they try to carry shades for every skin tone - it's not often practical from a monetary standpoint, but I think it's important from a human relations and customer service aspect. When we launched Three Custom Color Specialists, my partners and I made it a priority to offer colors for women of all skin tones. This continues to be the cornerstone of our business philosophy.
4) Who has been your biggest inspiration and why? My mom. She is a driven woman who lets nothing stand in her way, who raised me with the belief that I could achieve anything I wanted to. She has always held me to a high standard and has been unfailingly supportive of my endeavors and proud of my achievements. I hope to be as good a mother to my daughter!
5) What tips can you give other women, particularly women of color, who are seeking to enter the beauty industry? For women - be good at what you do. Be willing to apprentice at the beginning and learn everything you can from those more experienced that you. Be open to criticism as there is always something to learn no matter your level of experience. If you plan to launch a product or start a business, it's not enough to have a good idea. Make sure your idea has longevity and that you have the knowledge to grow from where you've started (and if you don't, make sure you are willing to admit your weaknesses and build a team of people who can contribute what you cannot).
For women of color - Always feel pride for who you are and where you came from, but don't use your ethnicity as a crutch or consider it a hindrance. It should only be an issue if you choose to make it one.
6) Name the products you think every woman of color needs in her beauty wardrobe. This is for all women! High quality, effective skin care (with high SPF for daytime). I am partial to Aveno, Clinique, Olay and Kiehl's.
The perfect Concealer, a face powder (translucent or pigmented), Brow Gel (clear or tinted), an edited collection of lip colors, eye shadows, liners and blushes that give you flexibility with different clothing colors or for different occasions. I am partial, of course, to Three Custom Color Specialists, and our products and makeup consultations, but I encourage every woman to seek the advice of a professional makeup artist at least once every couple of years.
Right now I am loving: Three Custom Color Specialists Concealer #6, Face Powder #4, Clear Brow Gel, Pink Fizz Lip Gloss and Tai Lip Shine (due out in mid-Oct), Poppy Lip & Cheek Stain, Warm Camel and Cool Aubergine Eye Shadows, Black and Navy Eye Pencils and Dark Clarifier Pencil
7) Talk about your idea of beauty. Share your beauty philosophy. I love makeup and what makeup can achieve, but I do believe that beauty comes from the inside out. Respect yourself and others, be true to yourself and be the best person you can be and you will feel more beautiful. Then consult a makeup artist and learn how to play up your features. Have fun expressing yourself yourself with makeup!
Thank you so much for sharing with my reading audience, Trae!
Beautiful Ones, I am happy to continue my Beauty Blogger/Lover of Color series by introducing you to Erica! Click on her name to visit her wonderful blog!
1. How were you introduced to makeup? When did you fall in love with it and why?
I remember seeing my mom getting ready to go out. It was a process. First, she had a bath, which filled the whole upstairs with the most intoxicatingly delicious scents. Second, she creamed her skin with lotion containing equally arousing scents. Third, she would use body powder, deodorant and finally, makeup. My mom is a lover of face powder and she always used it to minimize shine. She also always uses blush, even when many women of colour didn’t. The last was mascara. She didn’t use foundation, lipstick or eye shadows, but what struck me the most is the process. It was as though this preparation was a celebration of self; she taught me that taking care of yourself was of paramount importance. This is where my love of products comes from—it is all part of that process.
2. What do you love most about makeup?
I am a believer in the old adage, “variety is the spice of life”. I love the variation in colours, textures, patterns (think of all of those summer compacts, aren’t they cute?) and shimmer. They can be combined in uncountable ways to create the subtlest to the most daring looks. What’s not to love when makeup is also housed in the cutest packaging?
3. Do you tend to be traditional/classic in your makeup styling or are you more experimental? What are your favorite techniques or looks? What are your favorite products/beauty lines?
I tend to be classic from day-to-day, yet I love experimenting with new techniques. Here’s what I do: I will visit a makeup counter and have the artist make me over. While they are putting on the makeup I ask questions pertaining to techniques and colour choices. On the other hand, I may have a certain look in mind that I want them to recreate. From that I learn a lot about technique, colour choice, what’s good for my skin type, etc.
I don’t have a favourite look, per se. It depends on my mood, who I’m meeting, the weather, how lazy I feel that day—there are so many variables. I never plan a look. I always decide when I’m at the mirror.
I think nearly every woman has a special place in her heart for MAC, as do I. I also love NARS, Giorgio Armani, Bobbi Brown, Dior mascara, Cargo gloss, OPI, Fruits & Passion—I could go on and on.
4. Which products do you think every woman should have?
Every woman should have blush, face powder (translucent or not) and gloss. These three items are every woman’s friend. I forgot one: an eyebrow shaping technique. It’s like an instant facelift.
5. What do you think about the beauty industry and its relationship to women of color?
It’s definitely improved over the years. Women of colour have never been the bastion of beauty in our society, so we had very little that catered to us. What has changed over the years is the increased economic empowerment of women of colour and greater representation in the Hollywood
Conversely, the beauty industry’s relationship with women of colour has not improved enough. I am tempted to think that any line or product that comes out, which doesn’t have colours that work for darker-skinned women, excludes us purposefully. The same goes for any beauty editor that claims that a product “works on all skin tones” or is “universally flattering”, yet does not work for any woman who is a visible minority. We still have a way to go.
6. Share anything else you'd like to share: info about you, your business (if you have one), what area of the country you live in, etc.
I started my blog because I have trials and tribulations with my skin, body and hair. This is a catalogue of the products that work for me and those that don’t. I am not a beauty insider or makeup artist, so the information that I collect is from questions that I have had and that I have researched. My hope is that what I have experienced helps someone else.
One of my favorite blogs to read is Clumps of Mascara and I am so happy to have the fabulous blogger, Brittany, share her ideas about makeup with the LOAL audience! Read and enjoy!
1. How were you introduced to makeup? When did you fall in love with it and why?
--I can't really remember when I was first introduced to make-up. I didn't wear it in middle school and never wore more than Black eyeliner and gloss in high school. So I guess I didn't really love in love with make-up until last year. Crazy, uh? MAC's C-Shock collection last summer is really what drew me into my make-up obsession.
2. What do you love most about makeup?
--I love that there is soooo many avenues of make-up! Mineral make-up, theater make-up, waterproof mascaras, blue mascaras, lengthening mascaras....it just doesn't end. I also love how there aren't any rules to anything in make-up. What works for one person may not work for someone else, but the options and combinations are endless.
3. Do you tend to be traditional/classic in your makeup styling or are you more experimental? What are your favorite techniques or looks? What are your favorite products/beauty lines?
--Now and days I'm more of a minimalist. When I first got into make-up I was all over bright eyeshadow but now my focus is skin and lips. I am absolutely in love with blush. I love applying blush to my lids and lips too. You would be amazed at what you can create. As far as my favorite products...can't live without eyeliner, lip liner and of course blush. I adore so many beauty lines but most of collection is MAC Cosmetics, Clinique, Bobbi Brown and NARS. But I don't discriminate. I also love Maybelline, NYX, NYC, Iman and smaller mineral make-up companies like Mineral Concepts.
4. Which products do you think every woman should have?
--Definitely a moisturizer with a good amount of SPF, a pretty blush, lip liner, mascara and gloss. That's it!
5. What do you think about the beauty industry and its relationship to women of color?
--I think it's getting better. Have we come a long way? Yes. Do we have a long way to go? Absolutely. I am proud to be apart of a circle of other women of color who understand the importance of companies incorporating more brown girl friendly products and services.
6. Share anything else you'd like to share: info about you, your business (if you have one), what area of the country you live in, etc.
-- Clumps of Mascara is celebrating its 1 Year anniversary this week. Yay! I'm a Florida girl, born and raised. I work for the Florida State Legislature but am currently pursuing a career in Public Health. "Helping" others really doesn't pay a lot but I would much rather do that than make millions doing something that I don't like.
One of my new favorite beauty bloggers and the newest member of the Beauty Blog Network is the fabulous Roselyn! You can visit her at Makeup Makes Me Happy!
1. How were you introduced to makeup? When did you fall in love with it and why?
I was introduced to makeup very young. Growing up in a house full of women, I always made sure to get the front row seat when my mom, sister or one of my aunts were applying their makeup. I fell in love with the colors, textures and endless possibilities!
2. What do you love most about makeup?
I am a creative person and also very expressive. Makeup entitles me to achieve both of those things. It is a creative form of expression and you can definitely read my mood through my makeup. There are days when I am extremely tired or upset and wear next to nothing. On days I want to be bold and am feeling excited you will definitely see the opposite!
3. Do you tend to be traditional/classic in your makeup styling or are you more experimental? What are your favorite techniques or looks? What are your favorite products/beauty lines? As far as a makeup style, it really depends on my moods. I have days where I strictly play it safe and keep it to a minimum. But then there are also times (many times), where I switch it up every day. I guess it has a lot to do with energy. As far as looks, I'm an (Capricorn) Earth sign, so i am a sucker for neutral colors like browns, golds and bronzes. I also love smokey eyes as well; and on that note eyeliner is always super classic. As for favorites, I would have to go with Make Up For Ever & M.A.C.
4. Which products do you think every woman should have?
For starters, a good moisturizer with SPF is a MUST! Then I would go on and say mascara and at least a lip balm.
5. What do you think about the beauty industry and its relationship to women of color? I think that the beauty industry has truly evolved, especially in the last five years. Before women of color were forced to choose from a minimal selection at drugstores simply because department store brands did not cater to our skin tones. The selections we were left with at drugstores never matched properly but we never really had much of an option. When M.A.C. hit the market, most women of color were relieved but even then their shades weren't as true. Actually, M.A.C. has only developed it's darkest shades in the past three years due to demand. Now however, there are companies popping up everywhere like Make Up For Ever, Becca, & Tarte which carry the darkest of shades that I though I'd never see. Naturally all of the other well known higher end lines as well as drugstore brands have caught on. Today we have more options than ever before and that is a beautiful thing!
6. Share anything else you'd like to share: info about you, your business (if you have one), what area of the country you live in, etc.
Roselyn, 22, is founder and editor-in-chief of Makeup Makes Me Happy™ ; a beauty blog which features the latest reviews, tutorials and beauty advice. She is from NYC and in addition to being a beauty editor she is also a financial analyst for a top Manhattan investmant firm, a model and founder a her own publishing company; FoxyMedia™ which launched in May 2008.
Hey, Beautiful! I am so pleased to introduce Janice, the owner of Illusions Cosmetics and a makeup artist of color, from my hometown of Baltimore, MD! I'm going to post the questions I asked her, followed by her answers! Enjoy!
1. How were you introduced to makeup? When did you fall in love with it and why?
2. What do you love most about makeup?
3. Do you tend to be traditional/classic in your makeup styling or are you more experimental? What are your favorite techniques or looks? What are your favorite products/beauty lines?
4. Which products do you think every woman should have?
5. What do you think about the beauty industry and its relationship to women of color?
6. Share anything else you'd like to share: info about you, your business (if you have one), what area of the country you live in, etc.
The answers:
1. I was introduced to makeup when I was very young. I remember going to the Hechts Dept. store and going to the Flori Roberts makeup counter with my Mom and sister. My mother was going there to get a pressed powder. I remember being amazed at this makeup counter because it appeared to be a Black Cosmetic line and that fascinated me even though back then I really didnt know what that meant. After going with my mom to the Dept. store, I started to pay attention to the other makeup products she had and would visit her room often to look and play with the lipsticks. I believe at that point I was in love with it and again, it fascinated me. The colors and the different products.
2. I love the fact that there are no rules to makeup and no limits to what you can do with it and what you can create.
3. A. For myself, I tend to be more traditional/classic with my makeup looks. When I work as a freelance makeup artist, the looks that I create depend on the job. I will usually experiment a little more then.
B. I love smokey eyes, and very clean makeup looks.
4. I love all the products from illusions Cosmetics, my cosmetic line, because they were created based on my experience in the tv/film and beauty industries, as well as recognizing the needs for good products that are for women of various ethnicities. Also, for professional use, I love Makeup Forever and Temptu.
5. I believe the beauty industry is beginning to realize that there is a need to be addressed when it comes to women of color. Several cosmetic lines are beginning to capitalize on this need by offering darker shades in thier lines.
6. I've been a Makeup Artist for 11 years. My work can be seen in feature films and television print ads, and commercials. My cosmetic line is Illusions Cosmetics, that I own with my twin sister, Denise. Check us out at www.Illusionsbeauty.com. I'm from Baltimore, Md. Where I still reside. I spend my time between Baltimore, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.
1. How were you introduced to makeup? When did you fall in love with it and why?
A very warm thanks to Ms. Toya for this opportunity. I can safely say that my mother played an instrumental role in my introduction to makeup. Her role is only highlighted by the fact that I have spent my childhood in a secluded area of the island of Mauritius, which is a fairly well-developed country but access to cosmetics, of the drug store variety or high-end, was limited. Thus, the only makeup I was first exposed to was really a collection of cosmetic knick knacks from different parts of the world, purchased by my parents on their travels abroad. We’re talking about anything ranging from l’Oréal to Estee Lauder to Chambord to Lakme to Shahnaz Hussain to Constance Caroll to Revlon. While I did not enjoy watching my mother cake her skin with all the wrong shades, I relished as I watched her apply her lipstick, always a dark burgundy and always with a lipbrush. Unlike most women of south-east asian descent, she did not line her waterline with kohl. My mother was not about kohl-rimmed eyes but about sinewy lines barely touching the outlines of her lashlines. I believe that colour/makeup is in my blood and have loved it ever since I can recollect my earliest memory. As far as I can remember, I was six years old when I had my mom first apply makeup on me for the Diwali (Hindu New Year) festival. There I was in my yellow outfit, bangs and two ponytails with blue eyeliner on as well as red lipstick, very drastic for my age. Looking back, I can honestly say that I did not look as good as a teenager as I did as a six year-old. My next tryst with makeup was another 6 years later, at a wedding when I loaded my lashes with blue mascara. I’ve also had my share of makeup mishaps : I only remember too well the snickers and remarks my bright, fuschia lips brought on. As the years have gone by, I have come to appreciate makeup first and foremost as a tool of power, as I’ve observed the changes in how people react to me, depending on whether I did not have makeup or had it on and on the style of the makeup. The ability to control how people view you is without a doubt an empowering feeling. Hence while many may argue that makeup is for the vain and/or insecure, the intrinsic therapeutic qualities of makeup is one of the best kept secrets known to makeup mavens. Makeup as a form of therapy is not unidimensional, it is empowering but also fun; it’s not just about colour therapy but also about geometry. Thus a person may use certain colours to reflect her or his perception of a particular season or trend, as well as using specific tools and techniques to play on one’s ethnicity or gender.
2. What do you love most about makeup?
Interestingly enough as I answer Ms Toya’s questions, I realize that while I appreciate the aforementioned features of makeup, I truly appreciate the virtual friendships I have formed with fantastic people who share my love of makeup. I can honestly say that of my trysts with makeup, this is one unique end result that I will always cherish.
3. Do you tend to be traditional/classic in your makeup styling or are you more experimental? What are your favorite techniques or looks? What are your favorite products/beauty lines?
-I tend to experiment with both classic looks and more colourful looks. In fact, I believe that the classic look itself has so many interpretations, that one can spend hours creating different classic looks. Whether I sport an over the top look or classic look, depends on my mood, whether it’s a ‘devil-may-care attitude’ or ‘I want to look natural today’ attitude. The important thing is to carry both looks with confidence and not feel like one has too much makeup or that one should have put more makeup to feel beautiful for the day.
-My favorite techniques:
a) manipulating the application of the eyeliner to give myself a range of different looks: from innocent, doe-eyed to a vampy, sultry look, to a natural look to a Cleopatra look to the cat-eye look etc.
b) applying my NYX highlighter around the dark eye circle area, sort of a in semi-circular manner, this gives me a more awake look.
c)applying white liner only to the outer third corner of my eye and softening the look with cotton bud for an awake, diffused look.
-My favourite beauty products/lines:
-NYX: cannot love this one enough, amazing quality, amazing prices
-Annabelle:this is a Canadian brand, I love their lipglosses, , eyeshadows, blushes and eye pencils the poor man’s version of mac’s powerpoint. Drawback: not enough diversity colour-wise.
-Jamieson Laboratories: this is also a Canadian brand. I use the Vit E Cream (2000 IU) during the day and a combo of vit A cream and Vit E (30,000 IU) during the night.
-Pure luxe: HG oil cleanser. PL offers the perfect balance of essential oils and rinses right off, you don’t even need a face towel!
-MAC: I will be lost without the studio fix concealer and I just love the uniqueness of the tinted lipglass as a product.
-Mad Minerals: great deals for gel liners and paint pot like products. I also love their anti-aging mineral powder.
-Everyday Minerals: my HG foundation, minimal ingredients, caters to my dry skin, even my blemishes look beautiful with this on.
-Any peach/orangey/apricot –coloured blush and lipstick or gloss, which I think is a must for any woman of colour.
4. Which products do you think every woman should have?
-Some form of sunscreen (traditional ones or mineral makeup)
-Your choice of moisturizer that works best for you
-Your choice of concealer that works best for you
-A good soft kohl-type liner, slightly jumbo-ish in size with a tip that can easily be softened or sharpened, in brown (the darkness and undertone of the brown will depend on your skintone) would the tool to have if one did not have any other kind of makeup. Brown is fairly neutral, so you could use it to line your eyes, contour your face and blend it in to act as a blush and use it as an eyebrow filler as well as a lipliner or lipstick by ‘spreading and blending’ the liner.
-NYX mosaic blush in ‘Highlighter’, the highlighter to end all highlighters. This baby goes with every skin tone, just make sure to really blend, blend, blend to avoid a chalky appearance. I’m not talking shimmer or glitter, I’m talking real “éblouissance” – light from within, saintly halo.
-A good quality lip conditioner: guaranteed to keep the need for botoxed lips away. I speak from experience, because I have very schizophrenic lips, one day, they want to look full, one day they look like they’re ‘a- twenties lips’, à la louise brooks. Applying lip conditioner (I used NYX lipspa during the day and night or sometimes I’ll slather on vitamin E cream on my lips before bedtime), ensures they stay full and plump.
-A stress-free environment
-Sleep
5. What do you think about the beauty industry and its relationship to women of color?
As a woman of color, one has to be wary as one is exposed to the messages sent by big beauty companies. One has to always question: what is the message they are trying to send me? Why is it that they want me to believe that message? The beauty industry is global and in today’s world, as different ethnicities populate different parts of the world, one has to go back to one’s roots and really examine how consistent is a company’s stance towards its consumers of color. For example, many have appreciated and applauded Dove’s “Be yourself, love yourself” echoed in its newest ads, here in Caucasian-driven North America. However Dove is a brand owned by Unilever, the very same company that manufactures “Fair and Lovely”, a fairness cream, marketed in African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries, capitalizing on the populations’ unfortunate obsession with being light-skinned, an obsession stemming from the legacy of colonialism. The mainstream beauty industry is getting more and more aware of its consumers of colour, however not because it sympathises with the lack of options but to squeeze out, buck-wise, all it can from this segment of the population. Sure enough, marketing is a big part of it and the models chosen to represent the company are what I classify as “borderline”.
One such illustration would be for example l’Oréal’s choice of models to appeal to different ethnicities, Beyoncé, and …. are partly of African descent but were most probably chosen for their light-skinned appearance, similarly Aishwariya rai was chosen to represent the south-east asian segment of the market, and she definitely ain’t representative of the average Indian/sri lankan/Pakistani/ west- Indian Indian. Aish could pass more for a Russian/Slovakian model. Sure, well-noted personalities are a necessity but why not Alek Wek, the gorgeous Sudanese model or Ujjwala Raut/ Vidisha Pavate, the true Indian supermodels.
6. Share anything else you'd like to share: info about you, your business (if you have one), what area of the country you live in, etc.
I am a law student at the University of Ottawa, happily married to the partner of my dreams and the author of the following blog www.goldengluteus.blogspot.com . Though I am training to be a lawyer, I secretly dream of being a magazine editor and a successful writer. Thank you once again Toya, for this opportunity and thank you for reading.
1. How were you introduced to makeup? When did you fall in love with it and why? I don't remember any specific moment when I fell in love with makeup, but I do know that when I was growing up I idolized my older cousin Rhonda and wanted to be exactly like her and she wore makeup so of course I wanted to wear it too. And of course I was forbidden to wear it until I was about fourteen or so which just made it so much more alluring ( I remember I had one kind of seafoam green eyeliner that I used to sneak and hide in my pockets and put on at school when I was in grade seven, it was hideous!)
I also have very clear memories of my mother's beautiful long red nails when I was growing up; her hands were just the most beautiful, mesmerizing things I had ever seen. That definitely sparked a love affair with nail polish for me. I think I've had nail polish on pretty much non-stop since I was about twelve years old. It's funny; I recently started growing my nails again after keeping them fingertip length for a very long time. Now when I look at my hands they remind me so much of my mother. It's comforting.
2. What do you love most about makeup?
There are a few things I love about makeup. One is of course our ability to transform ourselves with just a few little powders and potions. Makeup is a very funny thing when you think about it. You schmeer all this strange stuff on your face and it makes you look a thousand times better, how odd. I also love the whole cycle of trying new products; browsing around in the store, seeing something beautiful, bringing it home in its cute packaging, and then trying it on and loving how it makes you look. It's like a little love affair but minus the gut-wrenching heartache if it doesn't work out.
Another thing I really love about makeup is how it can unite people. I'm on makeupalley.com pretty much non-stop and the message boards are an amazing thing. (What's up Café ladies!). That whole site just blows my mind; thousands of women from all over the world who are into makeup a little or a lot and share tips and PSA's and tutorials, there is just so much to talk about when we're talking about makeup. And of course that just sparks a whole slew of other conversations, which is great.
The thing I love the most about makeup though is that it truly is art. Just look at the work of Kevyn Aucoin, or Billy B, Sam Fine, or Pat McGrath and I dare anyone to say that these people are not artists. That one series of looks that Kevyn Aucoin did in his book "Face Forward" where he transformed celebrities into other celebrities? That was amazing!
3. Do you tend to be traditional/classic in your makeup styling or are you more experimental? What are your favorite techniques or looks? What are your favorite products/beauty lines? In theory I love experimental looks with makeup, in practice I veer very much to the classic looks. For work I have about three different shadows that I rotate depending on what colours I'm wearing that day; pink or peach blush and I usually don't bother with lipstick. When I'm going out at night I try to be a little wilder, but I usually reign myself in. I do have though a folder that I keep on a USB key with over a thousand different beauty looks that I like and want to try. It's just the strangest thing ever. I've been collecting photos online for about three years now and whenever I'm going out and need inspiration, I browse through that folder for ideas. There's a print version also with pages ripped from magazines, but it's not quite as extensive.
One of my favourite looks is lining my inner eyelids in black. I've been doing that for as long as I remember when I want to look mysterious or edgy. I've heard a lot of people say you shouldn't do that because it makes your eyes look smaller, which is true. But I love it. I feel like it really accentuates the shape of my eyes.
A few of my favourite lines are MAC because I believe they are just the cutting edge in terms of a mainstream company making products for women of colour; NARS for their amazing blushes and Multiples but for the love of God why are they so expensive? I love Dior for lip glosses and shadows, and L'Oreal for mascaras; to me they make the best.
If I had to choose one favourite product it would be highlighter; I use Too Faced Caribbean in a Compact in Snow Bunny all mashed up. Highlighter is to me one of the most slept-on products; most of the women I know don't ever use it whereas I have about 10 different ones. It makes a huge difference.
4. Which products do you think every woman should have?
Concealer for sure. Some kind of blotting powder to just calm everything down. A lip gloss that makes you feel like a sexpot. Highlighter, obviously. And a really really great smelling perfume.
5. What do you think about the beauty industry and its relationship to women of color?
Well to give credit where credit is due, things have definitely changed in the industry for sure. There are a lot more options out there now than there were when I was coming up. Again I have to give credit to MAC because when I was a teenager, they were pretty much the only line that was selling anything that would work on Black women. From a marketing perspective it was pretty ingenious because now 10 or 15 years later there are tonnes of Black women who only use MAC because they're still of the mindset that they're the only ones making colours that suit them which of course is no longer true. But you can't buy that kind of brand loyalty.
We still have a way to go though, I go batty every time I hear about a product that works on all skin tones and then you look at it and it's the colour of bandaids. What black woman is that going to work on? Also being Canadian, your choices are a bit more limited; not everything that is out there is available here (Cover Girl Queen Collection being one example). And depending what neighbourhood you live in, your drugstore choices can be a little or a lot limited and you often really have no choice but to go department store; which is a bit unfair. To paraphrase SJP, I think great beauty products should be universally available.
6. Share anything else you'd like to share: info about you, your business (if you have one), what area of the country you live in, etc.
Well first and foremost thank you so much for giving me this opportunity Toya and sorry for rambling on… this was so much fun! Also I have to shamelessly plug my own little blog (http://willitworkforme.blogspot
(Don't worry, Maxine! I'm not thinking in terms of competition - the more, the merrier! Women of color deserve as many options for beauty information as we can get! Welcome to the beauty blogosphere! - T.)
1. How were you introduced to makeup? When did you fall in love with it and why?
