Kristin Lindemann ~ Make-up Artist

Milwaukee / Madison / Chicago

Using The Right Cleanser Is Important

September 23, 2009

I was talking with someone the other day who asked me about a body butter I had in my hand.  She said she was looking for something to put on her face because it was so dry.  I was horrified!  Body butter is meant for your body - not your face!  She was young, so there was no reason her skin should be that dry.  My first question to people who's skin is either exceptionally dry or exceptionally oil is "What kind of cleanser are you using?" 

People always look at me strangely when I ask them this.  I think they generally assume cleansers are not a terribly important part of their skin care routine.  It's true, a cleanser is only on your skin for a few minutes, and will not work the wonders of a treatment product or a serum.  A cleanser can totally make a mess of your face though, if you are using the wrong one. 

Here's why:  your skin likes to have a thin layer of oil on its surface.  This oil provides something called the "barrier function."  It does two things:  1. It keeps water in your skin.  Your skin needs water to say healthy.  If the barrier is gone, the water in your skin evaporates.  2.  It keeps bad stuff out, including bacteria and dirt. 

If the cleanser you are using is too strong, you will strip the barrier away.  This will throw off the pH balance of your skin, which stresses it out and contributes to aging.  You can dehydrate your skin, which also can contribute to aging.  People with dehydrated skin tend to be more suceptible to blackheads.  You also expose your skin to the yucky stuff I've already mentioned. 

If your skin is oily and your cleanser is too strong, the cleanser maybe contributing to the problem.  When the barrier get stripped, sometimes your skin will overcompensate to replace it.  So your skin overproduces oil.  Nobody wants that.  Using a more gentle cleanser may bring your skin back to "normal."

So what kind of cleanser should you be using?  Of course I recommend all of the Eminence Organic Skin Care cleansers:  http://www.eminenceorganics.com/products/index.php?paid=7.  If your skin is oily it is better to go with something that has a gel consistency, like the Stone Crop Gel Wash or the Eucalyptus Cleansing Concentrate.  If your skin is dry, it is better to use something that has a milky formula, like the Coconut Milk Cleanser or the Lemon Cleanser.  No matter what, stay away from the things you used as a teenager!  Clean and Clear and Noxema are not going to help you now.  If you are on a budget, the drug store brand I recommend most is Aveeno.  They have a wide range of cleansers.  None of the ones I have tried are stripping or harsh, and they get the job done.

So how do you know if your cleanser is too intense?  The most obvious sign is if your skin feels tight when you are done washing your face.  This is not the way it should feel.  Go with something more gentle.  If you are in doubt, talk to your esthetician, or contact me. 

If you have questions or would like to know more about anything I've mentioned here please contact me!  My email address is kristin2484@hotmail.com, and you can find me on Twitter as tinmakeup. 

Smokey Eyes - How To Do Them Well

August 28, 2009 

A few days ago, a friend of mine on Twitter posted the following comment:

"This smokey eye trend is leading to a lot of unpracticed hands, making people look like they've been going fistacuffs in the yard." 

This made me laugh out loud.  Unfortunately, she is correct.  Unless you have a very good eye or have studied this look it is not easy to pull off.  Here's what to do to make it work for you:

1.  Use an eye shadow primer.  If you don't know why, page down a bit and read that blog as well. 

2.  Do your eyes BEFORE your concealer and foundation.  Darker shades of shadow tend to dribble down onto your cheeks and under your eyes.  If you try to just wipe it away it usually will just smear (thus the black-eyed look).  If you do your eyes first, you can use eye-make-up remover if necessary and not have to redo anything. 

3.  Start off slowly.  It is always easier to add versus subtract when it comes to make-up. 

4.  Don't be afraid to use color.  Purples, blues, and greens can make an eye smokey.  I've even used browns, although black is the classic smokey color.  Just stick with the same color in varying shades (at least to start).  Keep it simple. 

5.  Start with the darkest shade closest to your lash line.  I will often use an eyeliner (as opposed to a shadow) because the concentration of color is more intense.  This is up to you.

6.  Use the next lightest shade on the lid, and the next lightest shade after that in the crease.  As you go from lash line to brow, the intensity and darkness of the color should decrease.  If you use a shade under your eyebrows, make it sheer, or at least very soft.  Keep the most intense shades below your eye socket.

7.  BLENDING is key.  There should not be distinct lines between the different shades you are using.  I often will use the same shade for the entire eyelid.  I just build the color intensity at the lash and blend it to a more sheer level as I go up to the brow. 

8.  Also be careful about where on the lid you are placing the color.  If your eyes are closely spaced, it is better to spread the color out from the middle to the outer corner.  If your eyes are spaced farther apart, it may look better to bring the color closer to the inner corners.  Be careful to match what you do on one eye to what you do on the other. 

9.  It will brighten your eyes to put a little light colored shadow in the corners of your eyes.  I like to use a creamy, shimmery color here, but you can use something matte if you prefer.  Just keep it light - almost white. 

10.  Be careful with how much, if any, liner you use under your bottom lashes.  I think this is where most people loose control of the look.  It can look very rocker/80's/trashy if you go too far here.  The other problem is that enclosing the eye with color all the way around can make the eye apprear smaller.  When doing smokey eyes I almost never use liner on the bottom.  If I do, it is usually in the rim of the eye, above the lashes.  Again, use a light hand.  You can always add more, but removing color here is difficult if you go too far.

11.  I love mascara, and I use lots of it, especially on the top lashes.  I use it on the bottom ones too, but I try to use a lighter hand to make it look more natural.  

12.  Go easy on the color on the rest of your face.  Using more neutral colors on your cheeks and lips will keep you from looking clownish.  I do prefer shiney lips with this look though, so feel free to be extra glossy.  

That's it!  Here are links to a few smokey eyes that I think are well-done: 

http://kristinlindemann.webs.com/apps/photos/photo/next?photoid=29695986

http://kristinlindemann.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=33234549

http://kristinlindemann.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=29695577

http://kristinlindemann.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=29689829

Good luck, and practice makes perfect!  Take your time and have fun with this look.  If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me on Twitter (@tinmakeup) or through email (kristin2484@hotmail.com).     

Make-up Artist As Model - What I Learned 

July 16, 2009 

A couple of weeks ago I a photographer contacted me on Facebook with an unusual request (for me, at least).  She is primarily a wedding photographer.  She was organizing an all-day shoot to get new images for a revision of her website, and was wondering if I would model for her.  WHAT?  That was my first thought.  I am NOT a model.  I work behind the scenes.  Was she confused? 

So I re-read her request.  She was hoping to do a "trash-the-dress" sort of thing. (If you have not heard of this trend check out my friend Simon's blog.)  She was looking for real people, not models.  I began to re-think my initial response.  I have never been married, and might never get married.  How fun would it be to get my hair and make-up done (by someone else for a change!),  dress up like a bride and get my picture taken?  I decided to say yes.  Why not?  I figured I would get some fun pictures and hopefully a new perspective on my job.  And did I ever. 

Lesson #1:  No matter how tired you are, do not let the model/client know it.  Not that I didn't already know this.  But it was really driven home to me.  My time slot for hair and make-up was one of the last ones of the day.  The make-up artist passed me off onto the assistant (who did a fine job, don't get me wrong, but really?) and the hair stylist wouldn't do my hair!  "It looks great the way it is!  You don't need anything!"  Bull *%&#.  She was just tired.  Not that my hair looked bad, but I drove two and half hours to be here!  Put some crap in my hair!

Lesson #2:  Don't be afraid to take your time and be a perfectionist.  This was a new one for me.  Photographers are usually the ones who organize shoots and choose the people invovled.  They almost never leave an appropriate amount of time for hair and make-up.  (Sorry y'all, but it's true.)  I always feel rushed.  And I usually cave to the pressure and don't putz as much as I would like.  It's very frustrating.  But now that I have been on the recieving end of the process I believe that models would prefer me to take my time.  I sure did!  Don't leave the model/client with any reason to feel they don't look perfect.  Let the photographer wait.  The shots will be better and it will be worth it.

Lesson #3:  Don't pack up your kit until the shooting is over.  Again, this is something I've learned through experience.  But these ladies had not learned this one.  The assistant used an extremely bright red on my lips, but had not used a lipliner.  So between the time she finished and the time we were ready to shoot the lip stick had run a little outside the line of my lip and was looking a little sloppy.  I went to look for her, but they were hauling all their stuff down to the car.  So all I could do was dab at it with a napkin and make the best of it.  But it made me feel (even more) self-conscious in front of the camera. 

Which leads me to Lesson #4:  It is really nerve-racking to pose for a photographer!  I had no idea what I was doing.  And she gave me almost no direction.  There are quite a few shots where the fear is written all over my face.  Of course no one will ever see those photos!  The point is that I have a new-found appreciation for how hard it is to stand still and look pretty.  Thank you to all of the models I have worked with for doing such a fantastic job.  Better you than me! 

Avoid Eyeshadow Creasing - Use a Primer 

July 9, 2009

I see SO many women who take the time and make the effort to put on eyeshadow only to have it crease and fade.  To me, creased eyeshadow looks worse than no eyeshadow at all.  The simple solution to this problem is to apply an eyeshadow primer before putting on eyeshadow.  It takes 30 seconds and will make your look last all day.  This is a must-do in my book.

There are several good options in a range of prices, application methods and level of environmental friendliness.  The cheapest and most "natural" product I have tried is the E.L.F. Mineral Eyeshadow Primer:

http://www.eyeslipsface.com/products_minerals.asp?dept_id=1388

It contains no parabens, preservatives, or chemical dyes, is not tested on animals, and it's packaging is recyclable.  It is also only $3.  I have been using it for about a week and am happy with it.

One of the most popular eyeshadow primers on the market is the Urban Decay.  Their Eyeshadow Primer Potion is more expensive ($17) and full of parabens and other synthetic ingredients, but this stuff WORKS:

http://www.urbandecay.com/categories/EyeshadowPrimerPotion.cfm

The product I use on brides and models is M.A.C. Paint in Bare Canvas.  This product is also probably full of bad stuff.  The website doesn't list the product ingredients.  To be honest, I don't really want to know!  It works so well that I don't want to have to give it up.  This would be the better choice over the Urban Decay product if your eyelids are on the oily side.  They are about the same price (M.A.C. Paint is $16.50), but this will give a thicker base than the Potion.  This product will also last you a LOT longer, so in that regard it is the better bargin:

http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/spp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CAT154&PRODUCT_ID=344   

If you have any questions or comments about this post please contact me at kristin2484@hotmail.com.

June 26, 2009 

I met a lady last night who I haven't been able to stop thinking about since.  She's a teacher, and she was talking about how much she's been enjoying her summer so far - water skiing, volleyball on the beach, etc.  She's only been off of school for about a week, but by the look of her skin I would have thought it was late September.  She was beyond tan, and her nose was burned to a crisp. 

When the topic of her tan came up she got very defensive.  When I told her I was an esthetician and that I try very hard to stay out of the sun and protect myself she became even more so.  She rationalized her tan by stating that it's the chemicals in sunscreens are what is really causing so much skin cancer.  Americans have become hysterical about everything, especially sunscreen.  So wearing no protection at all is the best option?  This sounded like a huge cop-out to me.

As an esthetician I have been thoroughly educated on the way the skin is structured and how it functions.  I know that the two most damaging things to the skin are smoking and the sun.  So I decided to do some research, and here's what I found: 

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, about 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.  Up to 90 percent of the visible changes commonly attributed to aging are caused by the sun, and contrary to popular belief, 80 percent of a person's lifetime sun exposure is not acquired before age 18; only about 23 percent of lifetime exposure occurs by age 18.  (http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-facts/) 

There is nothing on their website about avoiding certain ingredients, or any problems at all with sunscreens.  They actually say you should wear a minimum of SPF 15 every day for prevention (http://www.skincancer.org/Guidelines/). 

I do believe that some sunscreens can be irritating if you have sensitive skin.  There are two types of sunscreen - chemical and physical.  Physical sunscreens (like zinc oxide  and titanium dioxide) literally block UV rays from getting to your skin.  The stereotypical image of the 1950's surfer with the white stuff on his nose is a how I usually visualize these sunscreens for people.  Chemical sunscreens (like avobenzone, oxybenzone and PABA) work by absorbing the UV rays once they are already within the layers of the skin.  These chemicals, and the reaction they cause within the skin, can be irritating, especially for someone who has sensitive skin.  The other problem with physical sunscreens is that they don't always block all kinds of UV rays (UVA, UVB, and UVC).

That all being said, sunscreen is very important, and there are a variety of options for everyone when it comes to type and strenght and application.  I believe that physical sunscreens are the best since they block the UV rays from even getting into the skin and they don't cause irritation.  It is possible to find all-natural (even organic) sunscreen that is safe to use on all parts of the body for anyone six months of age and older.  Here is a link to the brand I use for myself and my clients:

http://www.eminenceorganics.com/products/index.php?paid=90

This product is intended for the face.  The body sunscreen is brand new and will be available in a few weeks:

http://www.eminenceorganics.com/products/index.php?paid=4#252

These products are all natural, organic, and produced in the most environmentally way possible.  And they work. 

I won't even get into how much premature aging the sun can cause.  I'll save that for another blog.  The point today is to protect yourself from something that has been proven to cause cancer.  There is no reason you have to stay out of the sun as long as you take basic precautions to protect yourself. 

If you have questions or concerns about this information please contact me at kristin2484@hotmail.com.