# Blush/Eyes/Lips Kit Suggestions



## foxykita143 (May 16, 2009)

Ok, so I've been working on building up my kit for freelance work lately, and as far as tools and foundation/concealer/moisturizers go I'm set. What I would like to know is what do you ladies suggest for eye shadows, blushes, and lip colors go? I know that for eye shadow, I would need a lot of neutrals and lighter shades but there is a wide variety of those to choose from. On top of that I also would like to know what you all would suggest for brighter, more vibrant eye shadows like electric eel and chrome yellow. Of course, this list could be huge but I just want a nice range of must have colors and some fun ones that I will actually be using. As for blush and lip color, what blushes would you guys recommend? I'm not a big blush person so thats not really my forte haha. And last but not least, lipsticks. I tend to stay in the same color family when it comes to my own, so what do you ladies love for your kits? Just like the eye shadows, I want what could be considered the essential colors, but I also want some fun ones like Show Orchid, to throw in there. 

To sum it up, I'm trying to avoid buying MAC out, which like most of us, I won't mind doing once I can afford it lol, but I am very colorful and I can't just do neutrals like a lot of people have told me to do when I'm starting out. 

Sorry for the long post girls, but thanks for reading and heelping me out!


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## VintageAqua (May 16, 2009)

Hey there,

        I would take a look at the Petrilude - makeup, music, party time.. He is a fabulous artist and has a list of MAC starter kit items. 

        For non-mac items, I would check out Coastal Scents or Ebay for inexpensive palettes. 

        Also, try "kit building" in the search since there are several links that may help you out. 

        Mods: Maybe you can merge this thread with existing ones? TIA. 

        Have fun!


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## foxykita143 (May 16, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions!


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## aeni (May 17, 2009)

Yaby!


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## naijapretty (May 17, 2009)

try Professional Makeup and Cosmetic Product Reviews - IN MY KIT by Kevin James (KJ) Bennett Emmy Award Winning New York City Makeup Artist - Film, Video, Photography by kj bennet, he gives great advice on products. when i started building my kit, I listened to what other mua said and held off buying too many bright colours but I also went crazy and splurged on mufe eyeshadow palettes and mac and others. Nixie has eyeshadows for the same/ better quality for less $12.50 and so many people here can help you with discounts for nixie. I really wish I'd have spent more money on nixie shadows, then picked up some mac and mufe shadows.
For blushes I cannot recommend enough La Femme 12-color blush palette and then get one or 2 powder blushes from Nixie. I had mac's raizin blush break on me and the Lord knows how much alcohol I used trying to fix it over and over, while I had the exact same colour in my la femme palette. 
Ben Nye makes dependably good eyeshadows and fantastic loose powder 
(luxury visage line and no-colr powders)
I got graftobian lip palettes and supplement that with some mac and revlon lipsticks and nars.
once I put together a list, I'll post it.


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## BohemianSheila (May 18, 2009)

Naijapretty gave you some great advice. Also check out camerareadycosmetics.com for great product and information on what to carry in your kit. I think it's under FAQ. If you want specific, MAC related answers, I can tell you what I keep in my bridal palette:

Shroom, Naked Lunch, Haux, Swiss Chocolate, Carbon, Print, Omega, Arena, Brule, Bamboo, Woodwinked, Embark (I may switch this to Espresso though), Mink Pink, Sketch, Vanilla, Satin Taupe, Amber Light, Ricepaper, Vex, Saddle, Brown Script, Copperplate, All That Glitters, Retrospeck (but only because it fit into a really small spot I had open, it's the first I would remove if I needed to make room). There's a couple of light, matte neutrals that I can't think of off the top of my head, but those colors cover every skintone and look (other than OTT creative looks).

I would start with the neutrals because most of the work you will get paid for can be done with this type of palette. The other stuff you can buy as needed. I say stay away from too cheap of e/s, some of them don't photograph as well because of the shimmer factor. Make sure most of what you get is matte or Satin in texture. You can control the shine yourself.

For skin - get palettes from Cinema Secrets or RCMA. Blush is a complexion's best friend, so get the La Femme palette. I just got it last week & absolutely love it - I am swapping/selling all my MAC & Bobbi Brown blushes in my kit. I may supplement with some unique colors. These colors are matte, but again, you can add the shimmer in a controlled manner yourself with highlighters. For lipstick, I made myself a palette, but if I was starting out, I probably would get the Graftobian or Cinema Secrets palette.

Another interesting option is to got evepearl.com. She has a kit that includes everything you need outside of brushes for $500. It's over half off. It's really basic, but you could work easily with this kit. I like her foundations, but I don't love her foundation. But as a beginning artist, it would've been great to just get a kit and be able to go straight to work with high quality products.

You have to know where to pay and where to skimp and what your clients are looking for. Brides usually are more impressed with brand names, but I don't think they'd be that upset if you used a $1 WNW lipliner versed a $15 MAC lipliner. Tell them it's an insider secret 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 HTH!!


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## foxykita143 (May 18, 2009)

Haha I like the "insider secret" part, very good. You ladies are giving me some great ideas, I really think I'm going to pick up that La Femme palette, it sounds like its going to be very useful. So I know I said I'm covered on the foundations, which I am, but I haven't purchased them yet since I am still getting my  list together. Anyway, I was planning on getting Studio Sculpt by MAC but I've been hearing so much about the Ben Nye palettes. I was just concerned about using it for the full face, since I wasn't sure if the consistency was too thick for full coverage, but I could see thinning it out with some moisturizer.


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## naijapretty (May 18, 2009)

I don't have Ben nye foundation, but I use their concealers and cream blushes and you will have to thin it out because it has a very thick consistency, its not "smooth like butter". They are still quite nice. RCMA works well, so those graftobian or cinema secrets.
Eve Pearl's salmon concealer is a dream.


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## ShugAvery2001 (May 18, 2009)

Bohemian thanks. 

I'm seriously considering getting that eve pearl kit.. I was just a little apprehensive because .. based on the fact it took so long to match my skin with mac foundation i'm still wavering on whether or not those few eve pearl foundations will work. 

I'm thinking about getting the kit for my complexion first and playing with it to see how i like it .. 

it's between eve pearl and graftonian for me


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## foxykita143 (May 18, 2009)

Maybe the Ben Nye is more for concealer, but I've see a lot of people saying its a good substitute or even a better option than buying more mainstream brands when getting foundation for a kit. What do you recommend Naija?


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## naijapretty (May 18, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *foxykita143* 

 
_Maybe the Ben Nye is more for concealer, but I've see a lot of people saying its a good substitute or even a better option than buying more mainstream brands when getting foundation for a kit. What do you recommend Naija?_

 
the consistency of ben nye is thicker than most creams, but they have correctors for everything, which is good.
 Foundation-wise, I have RCMA and graftobian and I love them. I'd suggest you get a corrector palette and only one concealer palette, because it seems we have to do more colour-correcting than plain concealing on most people. And once you correct, you can use the foundation to conceal, as pro foundations have more pigmentation in them.
Maybe start with graftobian HD foundation, its gotten great reviews all round and it'll feel lighter on the skin. 
I have posted up pics of my Ben Nye palette in the ben nye swatch thread, so take a look at that and see if you'd want that. DO get that Ben nye luxury visage powder, its nice.

but if you reaallllly wanna take the guess work out of things and can splurge, get either Amazing cosmetics concealer or Keromask concealer. Both are camouflage creams and nothing (not even my blacke eye) can get through them. 
I'd suggest checking out
Camera Ready Cosmetics 
they have a starter kit which is quite good, it includes 2 foundation palettes (RCMA), the La Femme blush palette, Crown brush set, mascara, powder, eyeshadow palette, the works, and it's about $400 with free shipping. 
Definately check out nixie eyeshadows. Welcome to Nixie Cosmetics

Please do a lot of neutrals. Unless you're in a high fashion market (major cities around the world), neutral, clean makeup will pay the bills, as that's the kind of makeup done in corporate work, adverts, most basic magazines(travel, lifestyle), television. I read some advice a top MUA gave and she said

"take all your coloured and frosty makeup out of your kit for the first 6 months"


I'm sure everyone has even better advice
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




ps: sorry this is so long


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## foxykita143 (May 19, 2009)

Girl if I could give more than one thanks I would give you 100, that is EXACTLY what I am looking for (the starter kit) and I will look into the other foundations you've mentioned. I totally agree with the shimmer thing, I've been kicking my ass lately for owning mostly shimmery eye shadows. I guess your right about the neutral thing, even though I'd prefer my customers to love colors like rainbow brite haha. Anyway, thank you so much for the great advice, and keep a look out because I'm sure I'll be coming to you for more.


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## foxykita143 (May 19, 2009)

Alright so I do have another question lol how are the brushes in the set? I already have some MAC ones that I love, but if these are good enough and I don't need to purchase any more, that would be awesome


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## Strawberrymold (May 20, 2009)

Bye Nye makes an amazing concealer palette (and it's only $30!!!) also I really love the color wheels as well, (a little bright in the pan but you can mix them down to damn near every color in the world!) As for foundation, they are super expensive but well worth it when you get them... I love the MUD foundation palettes. They are super compact so they are very easy to carry and they seriously photograph well, even in HD! As a cheaper dupe I also have The Balm foundation, they are only $18 each, huge, last forever, and 4 shades tend to match at least 90% of the clients I have used them on. They go on super full coverage though (as do the MUD) so I like to sheer them down. For lips: Smashbox makes these lip service palettes that are amazing. They are very compact but come with like 20 different colors + you can find them on ebay for under $20!!

Hope that helps!
SM


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## naijapretty (May 20, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *foxykita143* 

 
_Alright so I do have another question lol how are the brushes in the set? I already have some MAC ones that I love, but if these are good enough and I don't need to purchase any more, that would be awesome_

 
I'm about 90% sure the brushes in the set are Crown brushes, as I've bought other crown brushes and they are the same. There's a thread on crown brushes, in the Cosmetics Discussion forum if you wanna see what everyone thinks of them. For me, the face brushes shed a bit and 2 of them were scratchy, but all the other brushes were nice. Crown has very decent brushes for a ridiculously good price.


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## foxykita143 (May 20, 2009)

Yeah I've heard the same thing about Crown brushes. I do want good make up, but I do think that it is important to have the best tools I can afford, so in a way I think it would be worth it to splurge on those from the beginning. My skin isn't very sensitive at all but I dont want my customers to be poked in the face or have to wipe of stray brush hairs, that just seems a little unprofessional to me. I'm not saying this will happen with Crown brushes, I just dont want it to happen with any brush I have. Do you guys think its worth it?


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## naijapretty (May 20, 2009)

That's a good idea. Still give crown a try though. 
I have a ton of brushes from several companies, MAC, Billy B, Face Atelier, Crown, Japonesque, Adesign, Sephora and Art store (I'm a brush whore). The problem I had was buying my brushes sight-unseen, so I've posted pics of most of my non-MAC brushes in a thread in the traincase. 
I can't tell which brand is best, as they all have good/bad points, but try to get as many hair brushes as opposed to synthetic when it comes to powder products (e/s, blush, face powder), as from what I have and what I've heard, synthetic bristles get harder with time. And I have a lovely blending brush and two concealer brushes from the art store.
It's still a learning process with me. Good luck


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## foxykita143 (May 21, 2009)

Oh trust me, I have some of those art store brushes too, they are really good for detail work with the eyes (hello loew cornell lol) but there are some MAC brushes I'll definitely be buying like the 109 and the 187 but I was also thinking of getting some from smashbox, I've heard some good things about some of their concealer brushes and such. As for using brushes with real hair, I do agree that thats the way to go but have you ever heard of too faced's teddy bear hair brushes? I've seen some good reviews but I haven't actually seen them, what about you? I do know synthetic brushes can lose softness after a while but from what I've read these are supposed to be the exception.


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## naijapretty (May 21, 2009)

no, I don't have any experience with too faced cosmetics, but does perhaps someone else has tried them. If not, try google and youtube. That's what I do. sorry


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## Strawberrymold (May 21, 2009)

I have the Too Faced brushes and they are awesome!!!!! Super soft and they are made with Laser cut taklon and sewn into the ferrel not glued. I've had mine for almost two years and they have held up really well + they are pretty cheep (I think it's $65 for the set?) My only draw back is I wish they made more styles... the Urban Decay ones are similar but not quite as good. As long as you buy high quality taklon, I prefer them to most natural hair brushes because they shed less, last longer and are way easier to clean and disinfect. Hope that helps!


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## ShugAvery2001 (May 27, 2009)

I just bought the cinema secrets deluxe makeup kit 

Product Details - Details about Products and tools for the professional makeup artist for print, tv, film, catalogues, bridal and more - with quality products Cinema Secrets, Collyre Bleu, Adesign Brushes, Face Atelier, Graftobian, Illuminare, Japone

I chose this over the eve pearl kit because I'm just a bit skeptical about the range of the eve pearl foundations.. I will get her salmon concealers later though cause I hear they're the bomb

I also liked the disposable wands and sponges and things that come with it...


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