Ask a Beauty Expert

[TeamBIC]

Ask 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!

[meg925]

Looking for a waterproof pencil eyeliner. I was using Marc Jacobs which is amazing but they discontinued it. Just tired Pat McGrath and it’s terrible - didn’t even stay on my waterline for 20 seconds. Please recommend me a pencil eyeliner that will stay on my waterline. 

[ShawnPRO]

Hi @meg925 ,

Thank you for your post!

Here are my top recommendations for your consideration. These pencils are what I use on my clients for major events that require staying power and the most intense color payoff for photo purposes:

SEPHORA COLLECTION Retractable Waterproof Eyeliner 

MAKEUP BY MARIO Master Pigment Pro™ Eyeliner Pencil 

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil Perversion 

Best,

Shawn

Sephora PRO Artist

[janiedee]

I am struggling to find a foundation that works for me. They all go on well then dry and look like the attached photos: It looks as if I have dry skin, which I definitely do not. I applied the foundation in the picture (Ilia True Skin Medium Coverage Serum Foundation with Niacinamide - Mallorca SF1.5) with my fingertips like I do when I put on moisturizer/serums/etc. So could that be the problem? I really don't use brushes or blender because they too have left the same effect on my skin as in the picture. My skincare routine is (1) The Ordinary Squalene Cleanser (2) The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (3) Supergoop Unseen Suncreen SPF 40 (4) The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA (5) The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer. Also thinking the primer could be the issue. Please advise 🙂

[escentualmomma]

It appears that the powder is settling onto the dry patches on the surface of your skin. I had the same problem with dryness even with some heavier creams recently that I attributed to aging. When I was getting a Silk peel the technician said that niacinamide is fantastic ingredient but it can have a drying affect. I realized almost everything I use has it in it. I scaled back and eased into using the various products together. It made a huge difference. My skin tends to be combination but is getting dryer with age. I find that primer is very tacky so it’s not very user friendly. Id recommend Charlotte Tilbury Mini Airbrush Flawless Hydrating & Waterproof Setting Spray 1.1 oz/ 34 ml I use it to set my make up after I’m done and I have sweat HEAVILY in the sun and my makeup did not budge. I love Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint. It reminds me of full coverage foundation from the 90’s. It’s really sheer but buildable. I like to warm it on my fingertips and apply. The heat helps smooth it over better. I’d stick to liquid or cream foundation as powder formulas will settle in dry spots. If I use a brush I use Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Face & Body Kabuki Brush 160 brush. You can also use a damp sponge, I wet mine and squeeze it in a towel and just dab to blend any areas left over. Hope you find relief! 

[danik8718]

I had this exact same problem and I’ll be honest, exfoliation changed my life. I use the Ordinary’s hylaraunic  acid, Niacinamide, glycolic acid and their caffeine eye serum. This all worked wonderful but when I added a chemical exfoliant Paula’s Choice Exfoliant serum) my entire texture of my face changed within a WEEK. It just sloughs all the dead skin away, helps with the appearance of your pores, and gives a healthy glow. 

girlll, I wish someone had told me earlier to research which exfoliants work best for my skin! Turns out lactic acid and glycolic acid from The Ordinary work wonderful for me- but the Paulas Choice… holy grail. just be careful about spacing out these products in your routine when/if you use them! 

hope this helps : )

[bmmxo]

I need to know what mascara you’re wearing on your bottom lashes ASAP because wow 

[ShawnPRO]

Hi @janiedee ,

Thank you for your question and providing photos and your routine! You actually have great products!

Based on the photos, you may have unseen textures that need to be addressed using exfoliators.

First, I recommend incorporating SEPHORA COLLECTION Glow Peel Pads 60 Pads . This is a kit staple for me especially not knowing my client's skin prior to makeup application. It helps to rid of unseen textures and boost radiance to the skin. You can use this every day after cleansing prior to your skincare routine. I also recommend using it at night. I also recommend incorporating  OLEHENRIKSEN 10% AHA Lemonade Smoothing Scrub​ Lemonade in your routine to deeply exfoliate. You can use this 2 to 3 times a week.

Second, I recommend changing the order of your skincare towards the end:

(1) The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser

(2) The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

(3) The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA

(4) Supergoop! Unseen Suncreen SPF 40

Notice that we don't have the primer included on here - Sunscreen should always be the last step of your skincare routine - great thing is that Supergoop! also doubles as a primer!

You can experiment with this routine first and see if it works for you.

Lastly, I recommend using a beauty sponge in patting motion, this will help prevent the textures from lifting.

If you need an in depth exploration of your routine and application, you can book a Virtual PRO Beauty Consultation with us where we can assist you on how to best use the products you own and we can even shop together for what other products you may need.

Link: https://www.sephora.com/happening/services/OLR-CD__virtualmakeupservice_60min?storeId=2502&startDate=2022-02-23T11:00:00Z&name=Virtual%20PRO%20Beauty%20Consultation%20(60%20Minutes)&city=&state=CA

I hope this helps!

Best,

Shawn

Sephora PRO Artist

[janiedee]

Hi Shawn! Thank you so much for your recommendations. I have a question about the order of my skincare routine though. I realize that Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen is a chemical sunscreen as opposed to a mineral sunscreen. Don't I need to apply the chemical sunscreen before the moisturizer since the chemical sunscreen needs to be absorbed by the skin in order to protect itself? When looking at the ingredients in my The Ordinary moisturizer, it contains fatty acids and triglycerides which would not allow the sunscreen to be absorbed and therefore not work. 

[WinglessOne]

Hi @janiedee and @ShawnPRO ! Sorry, but I gotta butt in to clarify a few things: 

A chemical sunscreen doesn’t need to sink down into your skin to work. Neither does a mineral sunscreen. Chemical and mineral sunscreens form a protective barrier on the surface of your skin: the UV blocking ingredients in sunscreen sit on your skin surface. Both types of sunscreens work mostly by absorbing UV rays that hit your skin surface, converting those rays to heat, and then releasing that heat. That’s how sunscreens protect your skin from UV rays. 

(Yeah, I know we’ve all been fed the story about mineral sunscreens sitting atop skin and reflecting UV rays vs. chemical sunscreens penetrating skin and absorbing UV rays. But a chemist can tell you that’s not true, despite what many sunscreen brands—including Colorescience, unfortunately—claim. I’m picking on Colorescience because they make such good products, yet fear monger so much about chemical sunscreens. 🤦‍♀️) 

Whichever type of sunscreen you apply, you should wait 10-15 minutes for it to set up that barrier all across your skin before you apply anything over it. The exception is applying 2 or more layers of the same sunscreen: apply one layer, then immediately apply another layer. I always apply sunscreen in layers to make sure I use enough (there’s no such thing as “a little goes a long way” when it comes to sunscreen) and don’t miss any spots. But if you’re applying 2 different sunscreens, then you should give the first one 15 minutes to set up before applying the second sunscreen over it. 

Moisturizers generally aren’t occlusive enough to stop other products from working: 

Spoiler

The Ordinary’s moisturizer isn’t nearly occlusive enough to block other products from penetrating your skin. It’s likely a very good hydrator (it contains lots of good hydrating ingredients) and probably a good moisturizer for some folks. But really, the only moisturizer that can block penetration of other ingredients is petrolatum (petroleum jelly), which is the most occlusive skincare ingredient available. And even petrolatum isn’t fully occlusive, so I can’t really say it can “block” other ingredients… it can buffer them though, and slow their penetration. That’s why dermatologists and medical estheticians often apply petrolatum-based balms (Vaseline, Aquaphor, CeraVe Healing Ointment, etc.) around patients’ eyes, noses, and mouths before applying in-office chemical peels: to protect those very sensitive areas. 

Anyway, my point is: even if chemical sunscreens needed to penetrate your skin to work (which they don’t), The Ordinary’s moisturizer wouldn’t prevent that from happening. 

Fun fact: you can wash your face, apply moisturizer (that’s not 100% petrolatum) to your damp skin, give the moisturizer a couple minutes to settle in, and then continue with the rest of your skincare routine. Heck, you can apply a leave-on AHA exfoliant over your moisturizer and it’ll still work. I’m not saying you MUST apply moisturizer before everything else in your skincare routine—I don’t do that myself—but it can help folks who have dry skin. 

Some dermatologists recommend patients with sensitive skin apply retinoids over moisturizers. This ensures skin is well moisturized and buffers some of vitamin A’s irritating side effects, which include excessive dryness. I used to always apply my vitamin A products after moisturizer. Now that my skin’s well adapted, I don’t have to do that anymore. 

Depending on your skin type/behavior, Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen can be used a moisturizer. It contains shea butter, dimethicone, and jojoba esters. Those are good moisturizing ingredients. So, you might be able to skip your usual moisturizer and just apply this sunscreen instead. Then Unseen Sunscreen will do triple duty: moisturizer, sunscreen, and makeup primer. In hot weather, I apply this sunscreen instead of my usual moisturizer and it keeps my mostly-dry combo skin happy. But in cold weather, I definitely need to use a moisturizer under Unseen Sunscreen. 

[ShawnPRO]

Hi @WinglessOne ,

No need to be sorry. We are a community and this is what I love about us!

Thank you for your comprehensive clarification!

Best,

Shawn

Sephora PRO Artist

[ShawnPRO]

Hi @janiedee ,

Yes, you are correct! I will add that chemical sunscreens have come a long way - and either way (before or after moisturizer) the Unseen Sunscreen will work just fine. Supergoop! added clean silicones to their Unseen formula to give it makeup-gripping power, designed to double as a primer for your foundation.

Please let us know how your foundation looks after trying out my recommendations!

Best,

Shawn

Sephora PRO Artist

[klarrissa]

First things first, I'd try DR. Jart color corrector to cancel out your red. Second Id use a primer that is extra hydrating, also id try the @fenty Hydrating foundation, when your using a beauty blender make sure it's damp before applying and your gonna Pat at your face with the product 🙂 

-Klarrissa ( Sephora beauty advisor 🙂 

[crystalina1984]

I can confidently second the Dr Jart Color Corrector. It also has SPF,always a score.

I have some redness in my cheeks as well and I use the Dr Jart daily to combat it with either Glossier Stretch Concealer lightly patted over or sometimes Pat McGrath concealer,always using fingers for all three.

Definitely try the small pot first as you only need a tiny bit of this color corrector and the smaller size lasts forever. 

[alyssaaa07]

Hi!

I recently ordered 2 items from glow recipe, the nicidamide drops and the hyluranoic acid serum. In all the pictures for the products, it shows a pump applicator. I’m writing this because I’m trying to figure out if I’m just being dumb and missing something, or if it was a package mistake. Both of my products came without pumps. So when you take off the lid, it’s literally just the inside of the bottle, so I have no clue how I should be putting it on. So I’m writing this trying to figure out if this is just a mistake on my end. Please let me know. Thanks!

[Fieldsmutha]

I think I thought this too until I realized I wasn’t supposed to unscrew it rather just pull the cap off. 

[ProAmy]

Hi alyssaaa07! Call 1-877-SEPHORA if your ordered them online. Take them back to the store to exchange them if they didn't come with a pump. Some brands have refills and it is possible you could have purchased a refill instead of a full product. I would call to make sure that is the case and if so, proceed to exchange for the one you need.

I hope this was helpful.

~Amy

Sephora PRO

[BeautySurferJ]

Oh no! That’s frustrating. 
I know glow recipe sells refill packaging ie you can buy the moisturizer in a package that you insert into the jar. I wonder if it’s similar for serums and you bought a refill? 

[tgibb]

Hi, I have no idea what color foundation or concealer to try. I also have a lot of allergies to makeups. I was wondering if there's a way I can have samples of your foundation in regular and/or matte and if I could also get a sample of concealer as well before deciding which shade if like to purchase. 

The colors I'm thinking of are cream puff, pearl, nude, and taffy. 

Thank you,

Traci 

[ElizaPRO]

@tgibb Thank you so much for reaching our to us on here:) We want to suggest a couple of options for you:)

- With samples double check if your local Sephora is allowing them at this time. 

-Get a color match with MCIQ and communicate your need for a clean allergen free makeup. (they may what to know exactly what kind of allergy you hae)

-Alternatively you can book a session with a PRO artist via this link and we can answer all your questions and suggest the best products for you from the comfort of your own home!

https://www.sephora.com/happening/home

-With regaurd to shade it looks like you may be referencing Too faced? The MCIQ will help intuitively match you based on your preferences of coverage, finish and formula plus it will link directly with your beaut insider account.

[kristinafh]

Eliza, 

Please accept my apology for whining… 

I live in the Indianapolis area and I’ve visited 3 different Sephora’s - no one seems to know what the heck MCIQ is. This is frustrating for me. Every foundation shade I have tried this winter - none have been a good match for me. I realize that MCIQ isn’t the answer to world peace but when I had my color IQ back in the day, I had a baseline to start with. I would do a search on Sephora’s website and then find samples that aligned to the foundations I wanted to try.  

i now have 3 different foundations - my fault - that people shade matched for me in the stores and while they may have looked fine under their lights - not so much when I’m outside or in different kind of lighting. 

i looked into the appointment with the beauty pro from home however that doesn’t address the MCIQ and I don’t want to take a chance purchasing another foundation that doesn’t look good on me. 

Do you have a list of Sephora stores that do MCIQ? 

PS to everyone that has told me to go to findation - that would mean I’d have an idea of what already works for me….I don’t. 

[glossfiend]

Very beautiful 🙂