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Ask a Beauty Expert

Ask a Beauty ExpertAsk a Beauty Expert

If you know your way around the Beauty Insider Community, chances are you’ve seen a few of our Sephora Pro Artists sharing their looks on the Gallery and dropping their beauty routines in some of our favorite challenge threads.  @ElizaPRO@ShawnPRO, and @ProAmy are Makeup Artists with years of industry experience with a bounty of product knowledge to share. These beauty geniuses are subject matter experts and they give life-changing advice on how to build your basket and put your haul to good use!

 

We've created this thread to allow you all to better connect with our Sephora Pro Artists here in the BIC! This is a place for you to ask them ANYTHING beauty-related. Don't forget to bookmark this thread by clicking the bookmark icon at the top right of this thread. It will come in handy for those moments you wish you had a beauty expert on speed dial for questions like "is it a good idea to layer these skincare products?" or "what's the best brush for my foundation routine?"

 

Want to ask a question? Click the 'Reply' button below!

RE: Ask a Beauty Director!

Re: RE: Ask a Beauty Director!

@megxoxelaine hi there! so lets talk powder first. first with powder foundations be certain you are prepping your skin well. be sure you are using a great moisturizer for your skin and also a great primer . now , what may work for you is a powder foundation you can apply wet. this is an old school thing that alot people don't know about but some powder foundations can be applied with a damp sponge or wet brush which will increase the coverage alot and also allow you apply it more like a liquid even tho it will dry down in moments to a full powder. but you have to be sure the formula is capable of doing this or it won't work. i like Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Foundation Powder 10 because it works this way.  

 now another option is a liquid powder formula. so HOURGLASS - Immaculate® Liquid Powder Foundation Mattifying Oil Free has won a ton of awards for its innovation. it is a powder foundation that starts off as a liquid, its kinda incredible. so you can apply it like you would liquid but it turns to full coverage powder. and it is also has a gorgeous matte velvet finish and contains ingredients that help to maintain oil and fight breakouts. overall a great option as well.

hope this helps.

Re: RE: Ask a Beauty Director!

hey @megxoxelaine, I like bm and like it on top of concealer and/or cc cream (instead of foundation).  layering different things often works better if you can't find 1 thing that works...worth a try since you already have it!

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

Hello!  I am requesting your professional advice for minimizing and masking dark circles under my eyes, please!  I am (almost) 52 years of age, with very fair skin, auburn hair, and blue eyes.  Aside from getting enough sleep, staying well hydrated (internally and externally), what products do you recommend to minimize the dark circles?  I am able to hide the rosacea and uneven skin tone with foundation and powder, but nothing works on the dark circles.  Of course, the more concealer, foundation, and/or powder I use, the older I look because it accentuates any lines around my eyes!  PLEASE HELP!  Thank you!  P.S. I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe at this time!

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

@CDubs68 well it sounds like you need a color corrector. dark circles are the result of either shadow from loss of volume, or blood under the skin which creates a purplish circle. if its the latter then no concealer will fully cover it and it will take alot to even try. a color corrector allows you to neutralize that purple tone so then less concealer can hide that darkness. i personally use URBAN DECAY - Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid - Peach or LANCôME - Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Color Corrector.  but choosing the right color corrector shade is based more on the darkness of the circle than skin tone. so to help i made a video a few months ago that may answer alot of your questions . you can go to Sephora's Youtube and look for a video titled "Correct, Conceal, Brighten Under eyes' . ill try and put a link here too , but not sure if that will work haha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZxSJT70cKU

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

I just recently bought Double Wear Estee Lauder foundation, and I absolutely love it! It is really working wonders for my extremely oily complexion. My only issue is that the concealer I have been using, IT Bye Bye breakouts, oxidizes horribly with the Double Wear foundation. Can anyone suggest a good concealer that won't oxidize? 

RE: Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

Hi, I love the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, if you haven’t tried it! I hope this helps!

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

@Nat6283 you could try Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Longwear Liquid Concealer 340or PAT McGRATH LABS Sublime Perfection Concealer M17, both are full coverage high impact concealers that can easily cover any blemishes and they have a similar consistency to Double Wear so they will blend in well to your foundation.

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

Thanks so much DavidBD! I'll give one of those a try. 

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

what is the best product for hooded eyes in your opinion? and why 
kisses 

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

Thank you @TeamBIC and Beauty Directors for this thread!!

 

My question is about hydrating face masks. I want to use a nice gel or gel/cream one after my weekly to bi-weekly peel, just to cool and calm my skin post peel. I want something that's like a boost of moisture, not something that inspires hydration in my skin (a la the FARMACY - Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask or Peter Thomas Roth Hungarian Thermal Water Mineral-Rich Atomic Heat Mask 5.1 oz/ 150 mL, both of which I have and love but aren't what I'm looking for on these days). I've been using the Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask Extreme Detoxifying Hydrator 5 oz, but I don't love it. I've used the fresh Rose Face Mask 3.3 oz/ 100 mL and I like the results but the scent is too much for me.

 

I was thinking maybe the ORIGINS - Drink Up™ 10 Minute Hydrating Mask with Apricot & Swiss Glacier Water but would love to have some other product recommendations. I prefer face masks to sheet masks (they just don't fit my face!). And I'm in Canada btw (just bc there are differences in products between the two).

 

Thanks!!

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

@haleyvvvv for good ole hydrating face masks id def recommend Caudalie Moisturizing Mask 2.5 oz/ 75 mLthis is great super hydrating and nourishing face mask that is perfect post peel. also you could try ORIGINS - Drink Up™ 10 Minute Hydrating Mask with Apricot & Swiss Glacier Water. also i really overnight masks especially if its after a procedure , your skin will use it most effectively in the nighttime. i love KIEHL'S SINCE 1851 - Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Mask and FRESH - Rose Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

Thank you, @DavidBD!! I'll definitely check out the Caudalie mask!! I can't believe it wasn't on my radar, I've used all their other masks and they've always performed well.

 

I'm definitely doing an overnight mask almost everynight, I'm such a fan of SUMMER FRIDAYS - Jet Lag Mask and Origins Drink Up™ Intensive Overnight Hydrating Face Mask with Avocado & Swiss Glacier Water 2.5 oz/ 75 mL, but I'll definitely check out Kiehl's and Fresh ones! Thank you so much for the recommendations!!

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

@JeffreyBD @TeamBIC 

Any feedback on the Shani Darden line? Life has perfect timing 🙄 and what feels like day 537 of quarantine I ran out of facial cleanser and body wash. I ordered Shani Darden Skin Care Cleansing Serum 5 oz/ 150 mL just wondering if you’ve played around with the line yet. 

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

@TeamBIC Love this idea and see lot's of answers.  What about supplements?  Are you in or not?  If so, which brands and products (I'm thinking hair and nails, energy, mood, sleep).  Thx

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

Hi! I am 28 going on 29 and I am looking to upgrade/update my skincare routine, but need help... I have dry skin and suffer from acne on my jaw line and hair line. Because of the dryness, my skin is also dull. I’m willing to spend some money on a new routine, but was hoping you could guide me to what I should be looking for and suggest products! 

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

@mannye59 i would suggest starting with a good cleanser that doesn't strip your skin but effectively cleans it like Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm 3.4 oz/ 100 mLthis will remove makeup, dirt ,debris, and gently exfoliate all while nourishing your skin. for dry, acne prone skin maintaining balance is key to keeping healthy skin. this will start getting you skin back to balanced. then i would suggest using a mild exfoliant , either daily or a once to twice a week style. exfoliation is beyond important, it helps reveal younger fresher skin, helps remove debris and dead skin which can clog pores, and overall boosts the health of your skin. i love  DR. DENNIS GROSS SKINCARE - Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peelthese are for daily use and ive never met anyone who hasnt tried them and fallen in love. they will help with the acne and the dryness. and seriously tho these are magical haha. next i would say consider a great overall serum to help boost your skin like The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum 1 oz/ 30 mLBuffet and Copper Peptides, this serum will provide your skin the neccessary pepetides needed for it to create essential elements like collagen and elastin , which will help the overall look and health of your skin. then you ned a great moisturizer especially if your skin is dry. i'd recommend Youth To The People Superfood Air-Whip Lightweight Face Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid 2 oz / 59 mL this a great super light weight but intensely hydrating moisturizer that is also 'clean at sephora' !!

RE: Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

Thank you! This is much appreciated! Do you have a foundation you’d recommend as well/anything I should stay away from? Again, much appreciated! 💕

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

I am 65 years old and I can not find a foundation that does not go into my wrinkles and lines. I have tried so many products and I just can't find anything that works.  I am hydrating my skin and drinking lots of water but it does not help.  Please help!!

Thank you.

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

@Mar6 

 

Generally speaking, drinking plenty of water is always a good idea, because hydrated skin does have a tendency to look smoother and more plump. BUUUT I have found that TOO MUCH topical hydration CAN cause foundation to gather in fine lines and wrinkles because the foundation remains too wet (volatile) to the touch. Conversely, too much POWDER on the skin can add layers of buildup which can make wrinkles look deeper, and drier. SOOOO Long story short, I think we just need to find the right balance of moisture on the surface of your skin.

 

If this helps, you can make references to baking. If your batter is too wet, it's will never take shape and solidify, while if it's too dry, it doesn't make for a very nice taste/texture. But I have found a few foundations that are extremely flexible and have a tendency to move with the skin and smooth texture with pigments, or soft reflectivity.

 

One of my long time go-to's is Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation because it's moisturizing enough to melt down surface texture and dry areas, while stable enough to sustain a durable wear. I LOVE applying it with a beauty blender as well, because the sponge thins the texture of the foundation so that it is easy to build in soft layers, which is IMPERATIVE when working with skin that tends to easily show fine lines and wrinkles. In this scenario it's far better to slowly build a coverage in areas that you need it and avoid areas that might show aging. But even in those areas like "marionette lines" or the forehead, where expression lines tend to be deeper, the sponge almost pixelates the foundation, turning it into a blurring/filtering tool. Think of this duo almost like liquid photoshop.

 

Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Oil-Free Foundation 7.8

Beautyblender Beautyblender® pro one pro beautyblender

 

A few other foundations that I've found that really work for this concern is Too Faced Born This Way Foundation, Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation, or the new Bite Beauty ChangeMaker Foundation. But I would strongly suggest applying all with a dampened Beauty Blender.


Too Faced Born This Way Natural Finish Longwear Liquid Foundation Brulee

BECCA - Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation

BITE BEAUTY - Changemaker Supercharged Micellar Foundation

 

Lastly, you'll probably want to lightly set with a powder. But LESS IS WAY MORE when it comes to this step. I tend to grab Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder a lot because it's tried and true and really locks makeup in place. If that is too drying for you, Becca makes a hydrating setting powder called HydraMist Set and Refresh Powder.

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Translucent

BECCA - Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder

 

I know this a LONG-Winded answer, but I hope it helps. Let me know if I can clarify anything I mentioned here. But in a round about way, it just takes a bit of trial and error until finding the right balance for you.

 

Added Bonus: A fun experiment, would be to try setting one side of your face with powder once versus twice versus not at all and see how much powder you really need. 

Re: Ask a Beauty Director!

@Mar6 hi! so there could be different reasons for this happening. i would ask first what is your skin type ( even someone at 65 can have oily skin so i would want to be sure before i make recommendations ) . second you say you are hydrating your skin , so what are you using to hydrate? and then out of curiosity ... why are you thinking hydration would fix this problem? also do you or have you tried a primer? 

looking forward to hearing back 🙂

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