STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Boots · Gucci

RE: Creme blush, powder blush, cheek stain?

fairywings · Dooney & Bourke

I wear NARS powder blush in Torrid or Deep Throat. But on days when I want some more shimmer and a "glow" I wear NARS th Multiple in Orgasm. I like that it's not a stain, so it looks really natural and etheral. I also hae The Balm Stainaic and it really good because it's a gel based stain, as poopsed to Benetint which is more of a liquid. You can use Stainaic on your lips and cheeks, but it dries very quickly so you need to be quick with blending. A problem with stains or creams is if you also wear a bronzer or powder foundation because all of the blending to make it look natural can rub off your makeup too. DuWop also makes a duo which has a cream blush on one side and a bronzer on the other, and they are the nicest cream blushes that I have come across in that price range. They're creamy and smooth so they blend well. Another trick for a cream blush (or stain) is to warm it up on your fingertips before application because it wil make it look more natural and be easier to work with.

XtinaStyles · Marc Jacobs

I often feel like stains are weird if you're wearing foundation. I've also noticed that any version of Orgasm other than the original powder version has made me look like a sparkly clown (or a version of myself in 9th grade when all that glittery stuff was the coolest).

Anyone remember these?

pollyjean23 · Marc Jacobs

I brush on Cargo light or medium bronzer with a powder brush, then I put a tiny bit of a pink blush (Bobbi Brown's mauve color) on the apples - -a la Carmindy's recommendation. Works like a charm.

For stain, I use an old cheek & lip stain from Morgen Schick (open attachment). It has a felt applicator on the tip (like a bingo card inker).

Here is the trick for using liquid cheekstain--a formula that is truly transparent

1. One cheek at a time, follow these steps.

2. Recommended on only on a freshly-washed face immediately after you have applied moisturizer.

1. When moisturizer is still sinking in, dot on just 2 to 3 faint touches of the stain.

2. Very quickly and briskly, spread and rub the color across and into your skin--working in a circular motion, back and up toward your hairline.

3. Once dry, you can dot on your foundation or concealer on next.

Extra Tips

* Be sure to start stain slightly closer to your hairline than you normally would start powder blush. When rubbing in, you will need to feather the stain onto your apples as well as toward your hairline. So, in order to keep the stain from landing too close to your nose, start it back a little so you have room to feather.

* Put on stain before foundation. This way is nice because it gives you a more natural, lit-from-within look. It is simply much more feasible than putting liquid or gel stain over foundation and or concealer.

* If your skin is clear, you can just dot on concealer with a brush over the places you want it to be. IMO - if your skin texture is not smooth and clear, I would recommend using a non-liquid stain. A powder blush might be better.

* Start out with the smallest amount first. You can always add more, but it is extremely difficult to remove stain without completely starting over.

* IMO, if you cannot apply stain immediately after cleansing and moisturizing, then I would choose not to use stain that day. I'm being a bit strict, but I think it's very difficult to apply stain after that short window of time has passed.

* FOR LIPS - apply a little bit of stain and rub your lips together quickly--but carefully--to distribute color around and make sure there are no "puddles" of color. I never wear lipstain without putting a gold-shimmer gloss on top. Stain is too dry and dark for what I am used to, even in the smallest amounts.

You can still get Morgen Schick Stick (that's the one I have in "healthy") from HSN.

http://beauty.hsn.com/morgen-schick-schick-stick-trio_p-5386573_xp.aspx?webm_id=0&web_id=5386573&sf=bs&attr=142&ocm=bs|142&prev=hp!sf!142&ccm=bs|142

Morgen Schick has a bunch of videos on YouTube too. She used to be a model but has been selling her own line of cosmetics and skincare for at least 9 years or so.

-- Edited by pollyjean23 at 14:13, 2009-02-22