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Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

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When I was 20 years old and studying abroad for a school semester in Paris, I wandered into Sephora during one of my many jaunts down the Champs-Élysées. I had been in a Sephora before, but never one so large in such a glamorous location. I felt that I should commemorate the occasion, so I spent the next hour searching for the perfect "grown up" beauty product, one that didn't have a charm hanging off of it or smell like a lab's interpretation of cherries.

 

I finally decided on Hanae Mori Butterfly, a sweet but warm fragrance that was the perfect balance of whimsy and luxury. To this day the scent reminds me of that moment in my youth when I was experienced enough to understand what made a quality beauty product and to be able to choose one for myself. 

 

It was fitting that my "beauty wings" moment came with a perfume aptly named "Butterfly". For this week's Beauty Challenge, I want to know: What product was your entree into the "real" beauty world, or the product that gave you your "beauty wings"?

 

Show and Tell!

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

Nice Thread!
I started using the whole make up thing when I was 18, at 19 I had a very successful make up blog in Brazil, had sponsors and everything. I would review products, do look, but it was all with national products or brands like revlon, Vichy, L'oreal, Cover Girl, etc...

Once I came to Canada I shut down my blog, and since I noticed that people here didn't care about how you look as much as people do in Brazil I started wearing less and less make up to the point of wearing zero, because every time it gets cold (which to me is all fall, winter and early spring) my skin would reject most make products and have an allergic reaction. I was only last years before my college graduation that I had to go buy a nice foundation for the ceremony  and a sales woman from Lancome, was so nice and helpful to me that I got the holiday 13pc set as well with a whole bunch of lancome products! That was my make up comeback, but I only stated wearing and buying again now in April, that the winter is finally gone!

Hopefully by next fall I'll have good enough products that I won't have to quit makeup! 🙂

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

Love it! I love hearing stories about how you guys got your beauty wings; everybody has a different experience (and it makes me happy to know that so many of them were at Sephora)! 🙂

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

I got my beauty wings twice, I would say. The first time was when I first tried foundation and I saw all of my acne and scars go away. I've been obsessed with makeup ever since! However, I was using that same foundation color all year round and it was way too dark for me during winter. It was perfect during spring/summer when I swam all the time, so I was tan. I honestly thought I wouldn't lose my tan haha. 

 

The second time was when I finally found a foundation that matched me perfectly. I was matched to NC40 in MAC. Now, I compare everything to NC40 and it turns out to be a perfect match. 

 

Anonymous Insider

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

Clinique's Happy was my first grown up perfume and body lotion, i was 21, before that all my perfumes came from Avon, then i tried the Clinique's 3 step system for my (then) oily skin, i loved it so much i was hooked. soon after i started buying their makeup, Sephora came much later.

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

This is a cool thread! 

I read through this and was trying to think when I got my wings... I guess it was with skincare. I'd used Clinique for years because my mom started me on it in high school. Somewhere in my late 20's it just wasn't working anymore. A friend suggested I go to Sephora; I went and was completely overwhelmed. There was just so much... stuff! I quickly asked them to give me a suggestion and take me out of the crazy! They brought me to the back and suggested Shisheido products. I got the original cleanser, took it home and realized it was the best thing ever! After that, I started wearing more "big girl" makeup. I think my first "real" item was eye shadow from Sephora. 5-7 years later, and Rouge status, the rest is history. 🙂 

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

I always loved What Not to Wear, particularly the makeup segments. I thought Carmindy did an amazing job transforming people with a little makeup and the more I watched her the more I became interested in the actual proper technique of applying makeup and more high-end products. I also loved Kevyn Aucoin's "Making Faces" book and for many years just tried copying as many techniques as I could from it. I actually should go back to that and start from the beginning all over again. It's such an amazing book.

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

Funny enough my mom took me to a Clinique counter when I started expressing interest in wearing makeup (I was 12 or 13). When she was younger, she had a really bad reaction to a drugstore brand and insisted on Clinique because it's hypoallergenic. I remember she bought me the 3-step skin care set, powder, blush, eyeshadow quad, eyeliner, and black honey lipstain! We even received a gift with purchase.. I felt so cool! I got into Sephora when I was in high school and to this day it still feels like candy land. My mom and I still frequent makeup counters and Sephora together... and now I enjoy purchasing items for her 🙂

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

Ha, was going to change wondered to wandered but no, it's still appropriate. 

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

I wondered into a sephora around four years ago (not even knowing what they sold) ha! I remember thinking 'omg, everyone shopping in here looks so glamorous!'. I was wearing jogging pants and a sweaty tank from being at the gym across the street. I' laughing remembering how out of place I felt! 

An SA came over and was sooooooo nice. I told her I didn't have a clue about makeup And felt lost. She set me up with what she thought were great beginner basics. The naked palette, too faced natural face palette, buxom mascara and a nars lipstick in dolce vita. Oh and a travel size brush set, and a TON of samples!!!!  Lol! I walked out of there so happy! So began my journey to the dark side! 

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

My very first Ah Ha moment was when I was only 14 or 15 (this was a very long time ago!) and I bought my first Elizabeth Arden eyeshadow and Clinique nail laquer. My next was EA foundation which my father thought I wore too much of, but who cared?!

 

When I was 21 I had the honor of running a Clinique counter start up and taking the Clinique message to the world!!!! Now I love the look, the smell, the feel, the everything about cosmetics. Thanks Elizabeth Arden!

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

You know, I am really not sure what I would consider to be "the moment" or "the product"... I spent years kinda struggling with makeup, I wanted to use it, knew it was cool but had no clue what I was doing. There was a lot of experimenting and a lot of youtubing, lots of wasted product XD. I guess if I had to boil it down to a single item, I would say the Vice 1, it was my first high end palette, (and pretty much marked the beginning of my Sephora addiction). And the moment(s) are whenever I get a compliment on my makeup, that always makes me feel like I have conquered epically. My friend actually said that she would have asked me to do her makeup for her wedding if I didn't live so far away, which made me feel really epic, though honestly the girl she hired did a really good job, and I am glad that I didn't have that kinda pressure put on me. 😛

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

I love this thread! I'm still trying to learn about different makeup looks (I didn't really get into makeup until this year and MAN did I get into it)... But I remember playing with the bright colours of Urban Decay when I was a teenager. 

I used to only line my bottom eyelid which, in retrospect, was absolutely HORRIBLE... But I think I would give the credit for my beauty wings to Urban Decay's eyeshadows and their bright colours. It opened my eyes (pun not intended) to the ability to do more with my makeup than just plain eyeliner.

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

I got my beauty wings when I seen the Naked2 palette come out(: I got the Naked 2for my birthday and ever since then I have been addicted and can stop buying makeup>.< hahaa:D

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

Cool story Candace! I want to say my smashbox for blue eyes palette. It wasn't the first high end beauty product I bought, but after that I started buying higher end products a lot more. Also, Beauty talk has really been a huge influence for my love and knowledge of makeup.

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

Great stories, ladies! Learning what products work on you is SUCH a huge beauty moment. 

 

@waterbaby1981  - omg when I discovered LM's tinted moisturizer it was a revelation! The first complexion I ever used that actually matched me without caking up my face. 🙂

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

My beauty wings came when I walked into Nordstrom looking for makeup for my wedding in 2006.  I used tinted moisturizer from Cover Girl in high school when it came out because most powders and foundations didn't match my skin.  Imagine my surprise when the Laura Mercier counter had a tinted moisturizer AND foundations that matched!  LM's tinted moisturizer has been my HG product ever since, along with her Undercover Pot and Loose Setting Powder.  Flawless!

 

...And then I discovered Sephora a year or two later.  My husband is probably thinking his wallet never recovered.  😉

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

Aw, great thread Candace!

I don't think I really gained my beauty knowledge until last summer. I had been wearing makeup for at least 5-10 years before that but I never looked into skills and the various methods of applying makeup until a year ago. The fact that changing up eyeshadow looks and blush colors was normal shocked me. I started looking at makeup as more of an art - being able to transform your look day to day really inspired me.

 

If I had to nail it down to a specific product, it was probably the Lorac Unzipped eyeshadow palette. It had more pinky and reddish/burgandy undertones to it, and I was used to strictly using various shades of neutral brown eyeshadow. I started looking up ways to use it, and bam, my beauty addiction began. 

 

(and I'll have to look into the Butterfly fragrance - I've heard nothing but good things about it!)

Re: Weekly Beauty Challenge: When did you get your beauty wings?

Honestly, I think it was the golden moment when I realized that raccoon eyes weren't flattering. I always say the most important thing I learned in high school was to apply my eyeliner to my top lid instead of my bottom rim. So many high school girls think just foundation and eyeliner is the perfect makeup look - but after years of being a Sephora junkie, the idea of leaving the house in just that sorta makes me shudder. 

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