Me & Makeup: 20 Beauty Questions Tag

This is a beauty tag where I answer 20 beauty questions relating to my makeup/skincare routine. I love reading these types of posts because it’s a great way to get to know person behind the blog. These questions are from Linda of Isortofbeauty.com. (She has a lovely blog! ^^)

I think women should wear whatever makeup they want for themselves. Makeup should be fun. 

- Emma Stone

Do you remember your first makeup item?
My first makeup item was a lip gloss from Bonnebell "Lipsmackers." You know, the brand that makes all those candy/soda flavored lip balms/glosses that all little girls love to use. :) I forgot the flavor but I remember I used it a lot when I was young. Now I hate lip gloss, haha.

Describe your perfect mascara. Have you found one that fits your specifications?
I really love Smashbox's Full Exposure Mascara. It makes lashes become lush, full, and no clumping. :D The brush is huge!

What kind of coverage do you prefer from foundation?
I like to have medium to full coverage because my skin gets blemishes easily. It can't feel heavy on my face so I like using pressed powder or a really good liquid one that is breathable.

Favorite high end brand?
I really like Estee Lauder and Lancome. They have nice color selections, products are long lasting, and always very good quality. Best of all, I have yet to have an allergic reaction from using their face and eye makeup. Splurging on these is worth it sometimes.

What cosmetic brands have you always wanted to try but still haven’t? 
Make Up For Ever, IT Cosmetics, NARS, and Dr. Jart+

Favorite drugstore brand?
NYX and Rimmel both have amazing colors and coverage for their eye makeup and lipsticks.

Do you wear fake eyelashes? 
Only for fun for a photoshoot or special occasions. I am not one of those Asian girls who can wear them everyday. It takes me forever to get it to look symmetrical so I don't get the "wonky eye."
[ Google Gia Gunn wonky eyelash. ]

If you have an Asian eye shape that is monolid, this is the secret to getting your eyes to look bigger besides using eyelid glue/tape. It's a norm to wear fake eyelashes everyday in China, Korea, and Japan.

Is there any kind of makeup you can't leave the house without?
I can't leave the house without having my eyebrows filled in unless I am really really tired and don't have the energy to do it. Recently, I have been trying to put on a full face of makeup more often so I can get more practice and figure out makeup looks that work for me. I am always carrying about 2-3 tubes of lipsticks in my handbag. A simple makeup look that is quick for me is: eyebrows filled, bb cream/cc cream with SPF, mascara, and a lippy.

What is your most cherished beauty product?
My NYX Eyebrow Powder Kit in Ash/Taupe. *-* I love it! If you have black eyebrow hairs like me then this palette is a good one to consider because it's not very expensive, portable, and it works! (I think $5.99 at Target.) I like using my own makeup brushes as opposed to the ones in this kit.

How often do you shop for makeup?
I think maybe once or twice a month. I don't wear makeup everyday to be on short supply so quickly. When I see sales or promotions on makeup for brands I like then I will probably try to pick up something.

Do you have a “beauty budget” or you spend freely?
I try to budget myself. I am a type of person that researches a beauty product a whole day before buying it to make sure it works for me and if I really want it. If I find something I like and feel that I can't live without it then I would buy it.

What type of product do you buy the most of?
Recently, I have an obsession with lipsticks/lip crayons. And a growing amount of skin care products (facial cleansers, face masks, cleansing oils, eye creams, etc.)

Do you avoid certain ingredients in cosmetics like parabens or sulfates? 
Yes! I try my best for the new makeup/skincare/haircare stuff I buy to check if these are in the products and avoid them. In my blog review posts, I try to mention if products are paraben or sulfate free for my readers.

Do you have a favorite place to shop for makeup?
I like shopping online for makeup when I can. The nearest Ulta and Sephora are a bit far from me to go in-store all the time. For Asian beauty products I go to dermstore.com (also sells western brands!), imomoko.com, or amazon.com. For Western beauty products, I shop at Sephora, Ulta, or Target.

Do you like trying new skincare products or do you keep a certain routine?
I can't get enough of skincare products. I think my addiction for skincare is stronger than makeup, lol. I don't mind trying something new because it might work better than something I am already using. Right now, I am really liking the Japanese brand DHC. (They sell it cheaper at dermstore.com) So far it works well for my skin!  I was very excited to have found my new cleansing oil. ^^ However, most of my products for my skincare routine at the moment are from The Body Shop.

Favorite bath and body brand? 
Hm..I like The Body Shop. They have great sales/promotions and all their products have been amazing for me, especially, their tea tree body wash. If it's drugstore brand, I will have to pick Dove.

Do you like multifunctional products like lip and cheek stains?
I never understood why something I am putting on my lips can also go on my cheeks so I personally don't like to buy these. Usually, the way the product is presented is in a tube or a jar = too easy a way to spread germs = skin breakouts on my cheeks so I try to avoid these. If you want a suggestion for a good lip/cheek stain that is pigmented and last long then I suggest Staniac.

Are you clumsy in putting makeup?
Of course, lol. It takes me like about an hour to get my eyeliner to look symmetrical. (Thank goodness for q-tips and friends with advice!) I think with makeup it is a "practice makes perfect" experiment. It has gotten a lot less time consuming because I figured out what looks good and what doesn't these days because I try to apply makeup more often. There's also a bunch of different kinds of makeup brushes so that can get confusing when I have a gap period from using them to remember, which is for what.

Do you ever consider taking makeup classes?
Not sure if it fits into my life at this moment to attend in-person classes but I have been reading a lot of tutorials and watching videos to help me learn more about makeup application for my face and eye shape.

What do you love about makeup?
I feel that everyone is born beautiful and makeup just helps to accentuate that beauty. Personally, I feel a huge boost in confidence when I am wearing makeup. I guess its because I feel pretty, lol. I think other people will agree with me on this.

From an artistic/creative view, I see it as a transformation because you can use makeup to change your facial structure (through contouring), hide imperfections/tiredness (with concealer), enhance your features, and even transform you to look like a completely different being. If you really want to know what I am talking about, you should look at how drag makeup is done. It's very fascinating, amazing, and beautiful.

Do you feel the same way about makeup? What do you love the most about it?

Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

x Carol

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If you want to be a part of the Beauty Tag, just copy and paste these 20 questions into a blog post and leave me the link to your post at the bottom of my comments. :)