Make Up Mania Newsletters

Volume 2, Number 2 - July 6, 1999

The Make Up Maniac
Volume 2, No. 2

Hoping you had a Happy Independence Day!

Now that July is here, the country seems to be sizzling in full-on summer.
     Rushing off to work this morning I passed a summer kid, riding his bike with a different a stroll. The lazy summer stroll. Remember those summer breaks? Waking up just to play! That's what I wish you this summer - time to play and feel like you have an eternity before you have to go back to school!

In this issues you'll find:
Make Up Tip ­ Pre-Foundation Tips
News - The Make Up Artist Magazine's Trade Show. Fraiche Cosmetics & the Judith August products now on our page.
Views - Make Up Mania moves into a new store.
Reviews - Glue Magazine's overwhelming hipness.

*****Make Up Tip of the Week*****

Pre-foundation. Tips for the face before the base.

What is a pre-foundation? Simply anything you use before you put on your foundation. Why should you use it? Because it allows make up application to smoother, it's good for your skin, and it makes the end result much more beautiful!

Depending on your skin type, the time of year and the type of make-up you are using this can change several times a year.

Specifically for summer you want to use a moisturizer with sunscreen in it. Remember your SPF & check the UV index. When the newscaster says 17 minutes until you burn ­ he's right! I tried it. You know that the sun is the strongest aging condition on skin. My father warned me about the skin at a very early age and I really thank him. He - by the way just turned 80 and - has the softest unlined skin. So naturally sunscreen is the basis of summer. But here we have a dilemma. Sunscreen is great for the body but for several of us, it breaks us out on the face.

For your days off you want something that is specific to your activity. Sunscreen for sports, waterproof, etc. A sunscreen you use at the beach is most likely not the one you want to use under your foundation These sunscreens are not good for the face because they are heavy and tend to clog pores. If your skin can tolerate it ­ it's okay on the weekend to use that heavy stuff, but only once a week. One strong sunscreen we adore is the Body Drench Action Sports Formula. For someone whose skin is less tolerant try the Lyphazome by Youngblood. Major blockage and not too heavy. If your face breaks out with most every sunscreen ­ my recommendation is go out and buy the cutest sun hat you can find. And wear it!! Good skin, skin that retains elasticity and vitality requires that you think of your skin as a delicate asset. One that needs to be protected.

If you don't see yourself being in a hat all summer we recommend the Eva's Sun Screen (not me - but another Eva who has been specializing in skin care for over thirty years). It is designed to be worn under make up. Find it on Floor 2 under Skin Care with Eva's other products.

The other choice is to wear a foundation that has sunscreen (SPF) already built into it. What we are doing for some of our clients is blending sunscreen into their existing foundation. (Email me, Eva Marie at eva@makeupmania.com if you would like more info on how to add sunscreen to your foundation.)

I usually have to test a sunscreen, before I get it right, for my skin. See if you can get samples before you buy!

Now for pre-foundation. Pre-foundation is part of every single make up I do professionally. It doesn't matter if it is for dry, normal or oily skin. Over the years I have developed a sense of touch, I can feel where the moisture level is. The skin should feel moist (not oily), smooth and have just a bit of "drag" to it.

Pre-foundation has one very important rule. Absorption. A lighter weight moisturizer (with or without sunscreen) absorbs faster into the skin. It will absorb faster into dry skin than oily skin. A heavier moisturizer takes a longer time to absorb. If you have dry skin ­ use a heavier moisturizer ­ but make sure you allow it time to absorb. Somewhere between 15 to 20 minutes is optimum. If you have oily skin a lightweight moisturizer is great, or your favorite mixed with a little water. Again let it absorb. If you are using a liquid foundation and it is for oil control, mix your moisturizer with water ­ let it absorb for 30 minutes!!! The oil-control foundation is not my favorite for this reason alone. It is so hard to apply evenly and any moisturizer makes it clump. Remember even oily skin can have surface dryness.

At night you don't need to have an SPF, so you might want two different pre-foundation products in your repertoire. Once you have found or two perfected moisturizers, one with sunscreen and one with out, use it under your foundation every time you make up. It will be better for your skin, make your make up apply smoother and wear prettier. Just remember to let it absorb before you apply your foundation. If you see the foundation break up as you apply, it means it wasn't absorbed enough. Hope this helps and e-mail me if you have any questions.

(Next Week ­ Foundation ­ the base that makes the face! And look for our upcoming series on Brushes 101!!!)

***** NEWS *****

NEWS FLASH! The Make Up Artist Magazine Trade Show is coming!

In its third year, this Hollywood insider make up magazine has brought professionals the best trade show around. Now with over 100 booths, 45 vendors and a great mix of movie magic & fashion chic speakers, this year's trade show will be the best ever! Make Up Mania will be there (in full character) and we'll be giving away an iMac. Stop by our booth - # 13 - for a chance to win!

Some of the speakers will be Michael Westmore (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Todd Macintosh (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and the fashionable Mr. Vincent Longo. You'll see lots of SPFX stuff plus some of your favorite Make Up Mania lines such as Youngblood, Japonesque, and girLActik. Advance tickets & info can be found at the Makeup Artist Magazine web site - www.muamag.com.

Fraiche Cosmetics
We have two new lines on the site this week that deserve special attention. The first one is Fraiche (pronounced "fresh"). We found this and could not resist. It is the first mineral foundation we've found that has vitamins too! It is actually good for your skin! The foundation is in palette form, and you work out of it just like an artist's palette. You have a base that you can lighten & darken (for summer or winter and for highlight or contour). The minerals in Fraiche help to balance the skin's natural oils and to prevent dehydration, while reflecting light to make your skin appear younger. They are all non-comedogenic, providing weightless concentrated color & coverage while defying humidity and protecting from harmful UV rays. The vitamins in Fraiche promote healthy skin that glows! The packaging is sleek, sexy silver and slim enough for your purse or make up kit.

There are cheek colors and eye colors too, also containing skin-loving ingredients. Don't let the price point scare you away. $65 a palette, but comparatively, it lasts longer than liquid or cream foundations. The Jewel Box Cosmetic Kit contains one Face Palette, one Eye Palette, one Lip & Cheek Palette, a set of five brushes, a set of three Duo Wands, a foam sponge and a mirror. You won't find this line readily available, but it is here and it is a gem of a find! Look for all these items on the Glamour Make Up Floor!

Fraiche Duo Sets
Here is an absolutely brilliant idea! The Duo Wands hold the "vehicle" for lip color, eyeliner, brow, and concealer. You add the color! They are $45 a set. This is my favorite product of the season. Talk about Independence Day - here's a product that let's us create! You can find these on Floor 2 in Eye Make Up or Lip Make Up.

Judith August Zit Zapper
I wish I'd bought this and brought it with me for the holiday trip to Denver! In fact, I think this is a product one can never leave home without! The Judith August Zit Zapper is an ingenious little pencil that covers and gives a healing boost with aloe, vitamin E, tea tree oil, camphor and oil absorbers. Look for this item with Skin Care products on the Glamour Make Up Floor.

Judith August Allergy Relief Kit
And if it's not little breakouts we're suffering from, it's allergies - right?! One thing or the other it seems, but Judith once again comes to the rescue. With her Judith August Allergy Eye Kit you get Aloe Vera & Tea Eye Pads, Sea Kelp Eye Masque, Orange Masking Creme, and confidence - all in one nifty little tote. Thanks Judith for making cover-ups a bit healthier. You can find it on Floor 2 under Skin Care.

*****VIEWS*****

We have moved! We now have our very own, new cyber showroom for all our local Maniacs and an LA destination for out-of-towners. It is so cute!

As Make Up Mania turned 1, we said goodbye to our little warehouse just across the street, and moved into fancier digs. We will be open to the public July 6th, but look for a very cool Grand Opening in late August. If you would like an invitation, please let us know - we'd love to meet you. Send a snail mail address to Eva Marie if you can (the invitation could land a prize!)

*****REVIEWS*****

Flying home for the 4th gave me just enough time to read the new issue of Glue Magazine - July/August 1999. In case you haven't heard, Glue is a hipster mag that covers style & action in Los Angeles. But unlike it's glamorous sisters and brothers in LA mag haven - Glue stands out unique in showing the nitty gritty cool underworld of the Los Feliz side and art of Hollywood. And if you are a fashion maven - this is the zine for LA's not-so-famous but ultra-talented designers. This issue has a great history of the Largo (club of the ultra-cool breeders) and a fashion spread for LA designers' fall shows - outstanding Mona Li and Elektra inspired Rick Owen leather silhouette. Tres chic. Also restaurants architecture and even some steamy fantasies(?) from Miz V. Davis. This issue proves - Glue has it together and is hands down the coolest read in LaLaLand. You'll find it on Erika's Artists' Tools Floor (#3) with Books, Magazines & Videos! Though not for everyone...if getting to know the underworld of LA cool is your thing, then Glue is definitely worth checking out!

Until next time -

Keep chilled!
Eva Marie and MUM!!!!