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Q&A Archive
Q & A | Washing Your Make-up Brushes
Q: Hi Rhia, I know this may sound silly that I don’t know this, but how often should I be washing my brushes?
A: Hardly a silly question (and the topic is totally in tune with yesterday’s post about spring cleaning!)! I actually get asked this question pretty frequently by clients. Quality brushes are quite the investment, and the problem is that many women aren’t taught how to maintain them properly…and not taking care of them properly can translate into the brushes not lasting as long as they should!
To clean your brushes, use a gentle brush shampoo* and massage it into the bristles to cleanse it throughly. Rinse well to clear the bristles of all shampoo suds. Blot the brush a couple of times on a papertowel to get rid of excess water and sculpt the brush back into shape. Hang over a counter and let air dry overnight.
*Instead of a brush shampoo, you can swap hair shampoo and even dish detergent (international celebrity make-up artist Laura Mercier does this!) to cleanse your brushes.
In terms of frequency for washing brushes, you’ll notice how brushes work and apply better the more you clean them. But let’s be realistic – in the life of the everyday woman, amongst your tall list of things to do daily, brush washing likely isn’t one of your top 10. As a general rule of thumb, you can wash the brushes you use for powders and eyeshadows after multiple uses (I would say at most after every 3 uses, but even that’s pushing it!). For cream and liquid make-up products (such as concealers and foudations), you should ideally clean these everyday (or after each use). Again, the more often you clean your brushes, the better the results will be for your make-up application.
Keep these tips in mind to help ensure your quality brushes make you and your make-up look good – for a long time!
Posted in Artist Tip, Beauty 101, Q&A
Tagged artistrhi, brush, eyes, face, lips, rhia amio, toronto make-up artist
Q & A | Saying I Dew to Make-up
Q: Hi Rhia, Thanks for all your tips on using shimmery make-up for my wedding day. I know you said a matte face will always photograph better, but I want a sheer, dewy look to my skin (and without it looking sweaty!). I find when I use all matte products, my skin looks dull and flat. Are there any alternate methods you can recommend so I can still achieve that dewy kind of look while maybe being not-so-dewy? I’d rather not have a flat powdered face for my wedding day photos!
A: Great question. The dewy look is definitely a gorgeous one – who doesn’t want a fresh and healthy glow on their Big Day (or everyday for that matter!)? But on a day like your wedding, it’s definitely a risky look to take on (after all, weddings don’t come around that often and we want to make sure the make-up is done right on such an important day!). In terms of combatting the flat make-up look, try these artist tips for a fresh finish that’s a happy medium between a polished matte look and a healthy glow:
1. Moisturize before your make-up application.
Let the moisturizer sink in for at least 10 minutes, but ideally, let it set for 30 minutes before proceeding with your make-up application.
2. Use powder sparingly, paying particular attention to the oil-prone T-zone area.
Use a large powder brush and loose powder to set your initial foundation application. Pack a touch-up kit for later in the day with oil blotting tissues and a pressed powder. Use the tissues to absorb excess oil, and then dab on pressed powder to refresh your look (the pressed powder will cause less of a mess than loose powder, which is good because you’ll have your dress on at this point!)
3. If you find the finished look is still too matte-looking for your liking, try using MAC’s Fix+.
Hold the bottle an arm’s length away from your face and spray a couple of times to add a light mist of moisture to the face. Fix+ is infused with vitamins and minerals that help calm your skin, add radiance and finish your make-up! Lastly, powder down the T-zone once more to make sure this oil-prone zone is in check!
Hope this helps! All the best for your wedding day!
Posted in Q&A
Tagged artistrhi, face, rhia amio, toronto make-up artist
Q & A | Vichy Dermablend Concealer – How do I choose the right shade?
Q: I really appreciate your review on Vichy’s Dermablend Concealer, and I’m excited I stumbled upon your blog! It looks very fun and informative. I do have a question on this concealer. I would love to purchase it, but I’m unsure which shade to get. I’m Asian, but not with pale light skin, yet not exactly considered dark. Just very typical Chinese. Would you recommend the light, or the nude? For concealers, is it safer to go lighter or darker, or are either bad? Thanks!
-nudeface
A: Thanks for the wonderful comments and question. Unfortunately, it’s difficult for me to recommend which concealer colour you should use without seeing you in person! But with concealer, going lighter is absolutely fine, provided that it is only a couple of shades from your own skin tone. The reason people primarily choose a lighter toned concealer is to brighten dark undereye areas. With this method, you still have to be sure to blend your skin tone matching foundation atop so that the colour on the face is seamless. If you are trying to conceal blemishes, I would choose a concealer colour that matches your skin tone exactly. Using a lighter toned concealer on this area of the skin would only serve to highlight the uneven surface. Be sure to blend well around the edges for a flawless finish.
I’m of Asian background myself and I mix #20 Nude and #30 Medium to get the right shade for covering up the prominent circles under my eyes. I use the #30 Medium on its own to cover up blemishes. Yes, it’s a bit more pricey buying two concealers versus one, but investing in quality foundations and concealers is definitely worth the splurge! Think of it this way: you’ll have twice as much product to work with and it will last you that much longer!
Oh the ways I rationalize my love for make-up! Hope this helps!
Related posts:
PRODUCT REVIEW | Vichy Concealer
PRODUCT REVIEW | Concealer is a Girl’s Best Friend
Posted in Product Review, Q&A
Tagged artistrhi, concealer, eyes, face, rhia amio, toronto make-up artist, vichy
Q & A | How do I prevent my eyeshadow from melting in the heat?
Q: Hi Rhia, Thanks for all your travel tips on your blog! They are very helpful as I pack for my Spring Break trip! One question I do have though is how do I keep my eyeshadow from melting away in the heat?
A: Great question! Believe me, you’re not the only one with these gripes – this question is right up there in the top ten list of what I get asked the most! So it’s worth driving the message home that eyeshadow can be low-fuss when the right products are used! I have oily lids myself, so wearing darker eyeshadows used to be tricky as it never failed – the product would gravitate towards the crease. Enter cream eyeshadows. From personal experience and from working with brides (who need their make-up to last all day), I find the combination of layering cream and eyeshadow lasts longer together, rather than wearing either product on its own.
How to Apply
Choose a neutral shade and use it as a base for your powder eyeshadow application. With your ring finger, layer on the cream eyeshadow all over the eyelid. Proceed with application of your powder eyeshadow.
Recommended Products
Some cream eyeshadows just don’t make the cut. Here are some of my favourite tried and tested cream eyeshadows:
1. MAC Paints and MAC Paint Pots
2. Laura Mercier Creme Eye Colour
Related Posts
PRODUCT REVIEW | MAC Paint Pot
Posted in Artist Tip, Beauty 101, Kit Essential, Product Review, Q&A
Tagged artistrhi, eyes, eyeshadow, rhia amio, toronto make-up artist
Q & A | Crown Brushes Review Revisited
Q: hi Rhia, I saw your post about Crown Brushes and was wondering what’s your opinion of Crown brushes now that you’ve had the chance to use them for a while? I’m hoping to build a brush collection for my own everyday use, so I was wondering if I should buy Crown or maybe get brushes from Sephora or MAC? What do you think?
A: Thanks for the question! I still like the brushes for the original purpose I had bought them – to build my make-up artist kit and have back-up brushes for consecutive appointments. After getting the chance to work with them, it turns out my favourites from what I purchased are the foundation brush, large powder brush and kabuki brush. The brushes apply and blend product well, and feel smooth against the skin. One thing I did note when washing the large-sized brushes (blush brush, powder brush) was that the dye bleeds slightly once wet. Small price to pay for such an affordable line of brushes!
For your own personal use, it doesn’t hurt to invest in a really good set of quality brushes. They feel better on your skin (and your skin deserves to be pampered!). As long as you properly take care of the brushes, they will last you a long time. You can find great quality brushes through Crown, Sephora, MAC and other department store brands. My first two professional brushes ever are by MAC and were given as a gift to me back in high school. The brushes are still in good condition to this day, and I’ve obviously gotten great use out of them as high school was a long time ago! For the larger sized brushes especially (i.e. powder, blush brushes), you’ll feel and see the difference in how the make-up is applied. For that reason alone, quality brushes are definitely worth the investment!
Be sure to check out these sites/stores:
MAC Cosmetics
Industry Cosmetics (for Crown Brushes)
Sephora
Related posts:
PRODUCT REVIEW | Splurge vs. Steal Part I – Face Brushes
PRODUCT REVIEW | Splurge vs. Steal Part II – Eye Make-up Brushes
KIT ESSENTIAL | Essential Brushes
Posted in Product Review, Q&A
Tagged artistrhi, brush, rhia amio, toronto make-up artist
