Need help for gifts

[kellyj22]

Hello! I’m sort of new to makeup but this isn’t for me. I have a friend who is a deep skin tone man who is interested in makeup. I’ve been looking into brands like Fenty, Pat McGrath, and other brands. 

I’ve been looking for a good lip combination for my friend, highlighter, blush, and mascara. If anyone has any recommendations, tips, and advice that would be great and much appreciated!

[caitbird]

@kellyj22  I would suggest checking out the Deeper Shades group and The Deeper Hues Thread (Swatches, Color Matching, etc.)  for advice. Also @danielledanielle @WinglessOne  hope you lovely ladies don't mind if I tag you in on this one! 💜

[WinglessOne]

Thanks for the tag, @caitbird (and nope, I don’t mind at all)! 

@kellyj22 a few questions about your friend:

1. Does he already wear makeup, or is he just starting to try it? 
   
   
2. What kind of look does he like? No-makeup makeup, moderate makeup (he’s obviously wearing makeup but not to a “glam” extent), glam makeup, “let’s play with all the pretty colors” makeup…? 
   
   
3. Do you know if he likes conventional/safe shades or more adventurous fun “unconventional” shades? Example: safe blush shades are typically reds, pinks, corals, mauves; unconventional blush shades include purple or yellow. (Why yes, I do have a yellow blush.) 

Meanwhile, I’ll give some general recommendations. Some of my recommendations will overlap @danielledanielle‘s, and that’s not a bad thing. 🙂 

Lip combo: 

Here’s where your answers to my questions will really help me narrow the field, because I could list hundreds of options here. 😅 (Hi, I’m a lipstick addict/hoarder.) For now, if “lip combo” means a lip liner + gloss, here are a few general suggestions (open the spoiler tag to see ‘em): 

Spoiler

Liners: 

• PAT McGRATH LABS Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil - my gold standard gel lip liner. Once it sets, it doesn’t budge. Comes with its own sharpener, which I highly suggest your friend uses with this liner. 
• PAT McGRATH LABS Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil - more of a lip crayon than a liner, but should work well under lip gloss. On its own, it settles down to a liquid matte finish that’s nearly transfer-proof. A gloss topper should help it feel less drying on lips. I just wear a good lip balm underneath. 
• SEPHORA COLLECTION Retractable Rouge Gel Lip Liner - not as good a performer as Pat’s, but a solid less expensive option. 
• Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Trace'd Out Longwear Waterproof Pencil Lip Liner - this just recently launched and I haven’t had time to play with mine yet. But it swatched well on my hand and should pair nicely with Fenty’s Gloss Bombs. 

Glosses: 

• Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer Fenty Glow - couldn’t tag it without picking a shade, but Fenty Glow works with pretty much anything. Gloss Bomb comes in several other shades and Sephora might not carry them all, so check Fenty’s site. 
• NARS Afterglow Lip Shine Gloss - Triple X is my favorite clear gloss by any brand, and other shades are lovely. 
• PAT McGRATH LABS LUST: Lip Gloss - the lighter shades are sheerer than the deeper ones. These can bleed/feather without a good gel lip liner—like, oh, Pat’s liner. 😉 
• Ami Colé Hydrating Lip Treatment Oil - one of the very few lip oils I actually like. Feels very comfy, not super slippery on the lips, and doesn’t bleed/feather a lot. 

Blush: 

• NARS Talc-Free Powder Blush 
• LYS Beauty Higher Standard Satin Matte Cream Blush 
• LYS Beauty Higher Standard Cream Glow Blush Sticks 
• PATRICK TA Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo 
• BASMA The Cream Blush 

Mascara: 

• My lashes but better - ILIA Limitless Lash Lengthening Clean Mascara After Midnight 
• Almost-dramatic lashes - Lisa Eldridge Kitten Lash Mascara 
• Dramatic lashes - PAT McGRATH LABS Dark Star Volumizing Mascara 0.43 fl oz / 13 mL, Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Lashes Vol. 2, or DIOR Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara 090 Black (also comes in a waterproof version); that Dior mascara’s a drier formula than most others. 
• Colorful dramatic lashes: Diorshow Iconic Overcurl comes in a blue shade Sephora doesn’t carry; also consider Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara Electric Blue; each November/December, Pat McGrath’s been releasing Dark Star mascara in 3 colorful shades, so keep an eye out for those later this year. 

He might also like a lash primer to wear under mascara to further enhance his lashes. My favorite is Lancôme Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Primer .18 oz / 5.5 ml, but some folks prefer #Dior Diorshow Maximizer 4D Lash Primer-Serum for Length, Volume, Curl & Definition. 

[danielledanielle]

@caitbird, didn't mind and good tip for Deeper Hues

@kellyj22, is there a feature your friend likes playing up more than others?  You could start with gifts there, like if they I should read first, 😂

Love graphic eye looks Danessa Myricks has Danessa Myricks Beauty Colorfix - Multi-Use Eye, Cheek & Lip Waterproof Liquid Pigment Lift and Danessa Myricks Beauty Linework Paintbrush Fluid Liquid Eyeliner 0.034 oz / 1 ml and Danessa Myricks Beauty Infinite Chrome Waterproof Micropencil Eyeliner

If they like something for a more chiseled/snatched/contour look, there's Danessa Myricks Beauty Groundwork: Defining Neutrals - Palette For Eyes, Brows, Face & Lips , DIOR Forever 24H Skin Contour Stick Sculpting and Bronzing Face Stick , LYS Beauty No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick , Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Match Stix Matte Skinstick 

Complexion Ami Colé Skin-Enhancing Lightweight & Blurring Foundation Stick is wonderful for a no makeup look

Winglessone can add waaaaaay more 😂

Lips Ami Colé Soft Shape Waterproof Lip Liner & Ami Colé Hydrating Lip Treatment Oil , PAT McGRATH LABS Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil , PAT McGRATH LABS MatteTrance™ Lipstick , Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

Mascara : Ami Colé Lash-Amplifying Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara Rich Black , SEPHORA COLLECTION Love The Lift Curling + Volumizing Mascara Ultra Black , DIOR Diorshow Waterproof Mascara Catwalk Black , PAT McGRATH LABS Dark Star Volumizing Mascara 0.43 fl oz / 13 mL , Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Mini Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara Cuz I'm Black 

Blush:

PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish: Divine Powder Blush 

NARS Talc-Free Powder Blush 

PATRICK TA Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo 

Ami Colé Desert Date Cream Blush & Lip Multistick 

BASMA The Cream Blush 

PAT McGRATH LABS Divine Cream Blush: Legendary Glow Color Balm 

LYS Beauty Higher Standard Cream Glow Blush Sticks 

Highlighter:

I just listed a bunch in another reply, let me find it, here it is:

Looking for a good highlighter