Love the skin your in

"All women need make up. Don't let anyone tell you different. The only woman who was pretty enough to go without make up was Elizabeth Taylor and she wore a ton." 

While I agree that all women need make up I know that its not what makes you beautiful. Make up is for fun... and can only serve to add to what you already have. So the most important thing to have is good skin. But how do you get good skin... a nice complexion?

Know your skin type.

There are five types of skin. Normal. Oily. Dry. Sensitive. And combination.

Normal skin... if you are over the age of 10 you probably don't have it with out a really good regimen.
Normal skin means your skin is well... perfect or very close to it. Think baby skin. While normal skin is the easiest to care for it still requires care. Every good skin care regimen should include the following. A gentle cleanser that can be used morning and night. Soap like bar soap is not what you want to use even if you have fantastic skin. Buy something specifically for the face. Next a moisturizer. One that contains SPf is imperative for day time use even if you aren't spending hours in the sun. At night you might want to use a heavier moisturizer. Aside from your everyday basic care at least once a week you should use a good exfoliator and mud or clay mask. Exfoliators get rid of any excess dead skin and masks... leave your skin feeling like a baby's ass. More importantly they cleanse deep into the pores and get rid of any excess dirt.

Dry skin. You probably have experienced dry skin at some point. If you live where the weather changes with the seasons you know that the winter months can be brutal on your face. Dry skin can also be caused by things like genetics, hormones, and womp womp womp... aging. With dry skin you will want to follow the same steps I mentioned above but using a moisture rich wash. Avoid any scented soaps or products that contain alcohol.

Oily skin. If you are past the age of 15 and are still dealing with this type of skin... God bless you. Characterized by large visible pores with black heads, pimples, and other blemishes. Most common during puberty but can also be made worse by stress and lets face it if you have an entirely broken out face you have reason to be stressed. If you have this type of skin you may want to wash your face more than the usual twice a day morning and night routine. Still using gentle cleasners. No abrasive exfoliator. Don't ever scrub instead massage. And try to stick with products that say noncomedogenic. Products labeled as such tend not to clog the pores as much. But the most important thing and probably something I would fail at is... no picking, squeezing, or scratching! It will only prolong the healing process and make things worse for much longer and ain't nobody got time for that.

Sensitive skin. Pretty much what it says. Sensitive skin tends to turn very red when irritated. Products that are not specifically designed for this skin type can cause extra redness, stinging, burning, and itchiness. You will want to watch out for what makes your skin react this way and avoid it. Try using products that are labeled for sensitive skin or all natural products they tend to contain less irritants.

Last but not least.... combination skin. Sorry your screwed. Just kidding... but it will take work for you to figure out what triggers your skin to react in any particular way which can mean changing skin care as the weather changes.

Once you figure out your skin type and get a good regimen that works for you then it is time to talk make up.

I always start with a good primer. My personal favorite is Prime Time by Bare minerals. I use the one called illuminate it has a little bit of a sparkle to it. After primer I like to use a tinted moisturizer. This is in addition to the moisturizer I use after I wash my face. The two that I prefer are Bb flawless from younique and When hope is not enough from philosophy. Next I go with powder foundation. If you ask me Bare minerals is hands down the best! It is very light. Gives great even coverage with out looking caked on. Perfect. After foundation and this is fairly new for me but since I have discovered it I can't go back to not using it... the highlight contour kit by Anastasia Beverly Hills. Admittedly  this step took a little more practice than I like but now that I got it down I can not finish my face with out it. Last I use... and not always.,, is illuminating cream. Depending on my mood I will finish by high lighting with it but not always.

Here are some pics... beginning to end to see how it all comes together.

Hope you enjoyed :)

*I am not a dr. and nothing stated should be taken as medical advise (clearly). All products mentioned are my personal favorites. I have not been paid to endorse any company. And do not represent any of the companies named.* 

These pictures were taken with a phone camera and have not been altered.