Benetint by Benefit Review

In makeup artist school, one of the most touted products is the Benefit benetint. In theory, it sounds like a good idea, a sheer stain that stays put and makes you look natural as a blush.

But I have found that the true red wash looks clownish on yellow skin. If you have light pale skin with pink undertones, this will look natural and clean, but on Asian skin, it looks very unnatural.

Some great alternatives of this product are Tarte gel stains, or LORAC liquid stains. They have the same concept but the color is not a bright true red, there are purple or brown undertones that look much more natural and beautiful on asians. You can buy these at Sephora stores or on their website.

Cheap Thrills

In the sea of crappy drugstore makeup to be found across the nation, there are a few fiamonds in the rough. So, if you are on a budget, read on for some of the best drugstore finds I have found:

BonneBell Lipsmackers in Dr. Pepper is only, like $1, but it keeps your lips moisturized, smells delish, and gives a berry stain color that looks so natural and innocent. The shine is very natural, not a glaring lipgloss shine, its perfect for everyday use.

Milani~ this brand of makeup is my favorite drugstore line. If you haven't checked it out, I highly urge you to do so. Their eyeshadows and highlighters are spectabularly pigmented and smooth. Their blushes are also wonderful as well. The highlighters are called "shimmerstrips" and resemble my favorite Bobbi Brown Shimmerbrick highlighters, although I do not find them to be as smooth or intense, but nonetheless, a VERY good product for the price. Their eyeshadows can also be used as a MAC substitute, although I definately suggest MAC for blendability.

Sally Hansen line is also very good. Their polishes are very long lasting on the nails, and their lipglosses (Lip Quencher and Diamond Treatment) have a high end sticky quality that makes it stay on, and the colors are beautiful.

My Favorite Products

Here are some of my favorite indispensable products that I use on myself or clients:

Best Everyday Wear Foundations:

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation~gives a luminous sheen to the face (hence the name), the coverage is perfect, being not too light or too heavy, and is buildable. If you prefer a more matte finish for oilier skins, the Matte formulation is also very nice. This is sort of hard to find online, due to licensing issues, but they carry it at most Saks Fifth Avenue stores.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation~good medium coverage, buildable, this foundation lasts the entire day and would be ideal for everyday wear that does not have time to do many touch ups on their makeup throughout the day. This product is widely available, and can be found online or in department stores like Nordstrom, Saks, Macy's, etc. Visit their online websites as well if you don't have one nearby.

Bobbi Brown Stick Foundation~Bobbi Brown makes good colors in foundations because there is a slight yellow base in all of them, which complements asian skin, and does not make it look fake like foundations with pink or white undertones in them. I know that it is the trend in the asian community to make their face "whiter" but if that is your choice, you can still do that by picking a very pale shade, but again, it will look better if there was a hint of yellow undertone in that.

Best Special Occasion Foundations: For special events such as a wedding or party, and also for events where you would be photographed, or photoshoots, it is important to wear high coverage foundation. Wherever there is bright lights, it will magnify the flaws and discolorations on your face, so it is recommended that you create a flawless canvas with foundation so that you look your very best. I should also note however that these high coverage foundations should not be used for everyday for most people because your pores need to breathe and be cleansed out every once in awhile, and if you do wear these everyday, it will create pimples breakouts or other problems, especially in oily acne prone skin. I would only suggest that you wear them for a few hours at a time, and for special occasions. Here are some of the best:

MAC Full Coverage Creme Foundation~ this is probably the most potent foundation I have come across, it is a favorite of many runway modeling artists and the film industry. It is a thick creme in a pan that covers just about everything and still looks natural. This product is only available at MAC stores or the MAC webiste (maccosmetics.com), and not just MAC counters. It runs about $27 but lasts forever as a little goes a long way. Make sure that you apply a moisturizer before hand because a heavy coverage formula like this needs some "slickness" to blend in and not emphasize skin flakes. At the end of the day, make sure you REMOVE COMPLETELY all traces of this, either by using heavy duty cold cream, baby oil, or if you have oily or sensitive skin, some kind of nonmineral oil remover (MAC also sells a great oil washer for $20 on their website called the MAC cleansing oil)

Estee Lauder Maximum Coverage Foundation~ Great for covering up blemishes, and overall for special events, this foundation also photographs beautifully. It imparts a slightly sheerer finish than the aforementioned MAC one, and is easier to spread.

Best Concealer:

MAC Studio Fix~ the coverage is excellent, especially if you use a concealer brush. It is a bit on the dry side, so a moisturizer is needed to spread and blend, especially in the eye area, but the extra effort is worth it because it covers so spectacularly.

Best Blush:

NARS blush~ the cult favorite "Orgasm" color is much raved about, but I've found that it is too peach colored for most asian tones. The other colors that NARS makes are much more suitable, including their cream blushes. The color "Mounia" has the perfect rasberry blush that complements the yellow coloring of asian skin. Their cream blush, "Cactus Flower" blends beautifully into the skin and its gold shimmer combined with a sheer pop of pinky red lifts the sallowness out of yellow tinged skin.

Best Highlighter:

Bobbi Brown Shimmerbrick~ comes in a variety of colors, all of them work well with asian skin. Because of our sallowness yellow issues, using a highlighter brings a radiance that lights up the enture face. This also photographs well. Apply to the cheekbones, upper bridge of nose and browbone.

Best lipsticks: MAC lipstick in Fresh Moroccan provides a beautiful sheer brick red with a tinge of brown, it is a buildable color so it can go from natural to dramatic at your discretion.

NARS lipstick in Dolce Vita gives a natural pinky color that freshens the entire face

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey looks scary dark in the tube, but on lips gives a sheer just bitten red that is perfect for everyday.

Best lipglosses: MAC lipglass if you are not afraid of the high stickiness gives the best shine and is the most longlasting. The clear one goes great over lipsticks or just by itself. My favorite color is a limited edition one that I am stocking up by the dozens on, called "Chance Encounter," a sheer red with slight coral undertones that brighten up and complements the yellow skin.

Chanel glossimer in Spark~ beautiful golden tinged red that makes lips look gorgeous and expensive. The formula is also more moisturizing and comfortable than MAC, making it ideal for everyday wear.

Best Eyeliner:

Makeup Forever Pearl Waterproof pencil in Black: one of the biggest issues with asian eyes is that eyeliner does not stay put. This one is the best I've found that does not slip off or give the much dreaded "panda eyes."

That's all I can think of now girls, I'll add plenty more soon, stay tuned!

Lipgloss and kisses,

Ming

Drugstore Vs. Designer

Is expensive makeup worth it? I think the best answer that I can provide through years of working with practically every product manufactured is that: it depends.

Alright, if you want me to be less vague, I would have to say that in general, makeup is like most things in life- you get what you pay for. In my experience, designer and high end makeup have more "substance," and work better. In general, designer makeup is more pigmented and have better blendability and texture. These are qualities that would be important for anyone, but especially for Asians; high pigmentations and blendability is imperative for us because oftentimes the yellow cast in our skin can look very sallow, especially in photographs or direct sunlight- higher pigmented foundation or blush be used to counteract that more effectively. Another issue is of the eye area, where most Asians have minimal surface and shape to work with. Therefore, blendability and texture in eye shadows are very important so the results do not look caked on or chalky, as many lower end makeup products can cause.

At the end of the day though, generalizations are sometimes bullshit( like I'm Asian but I'm into makeup and not med school!), and individual discretion should be used. Every once in awhile, I am blown away by drugstore items, but let it be known that if you want to be on the safe side, do keep in mind that you do get what you pay for.

The First Entry

This is the first entry on my Asian Makeup Tips blog, a blog I created because of the huge lack of knowledge on makeup and beauty related information for Asian women. At the start of my makeup training, I was frustrated because in class there were so many books, tips, and makeup strategies that completely ignored the uniqueness and beauty of Asian faces, and many techniques and products that simply did not work on Asians. I was forced to figure out things by myself.

This blog will be a collection of the valuable ideas and tips I have learned through much hard work and above all~ lots of trial and error!

I love to make people feel beautiful in general, but this blog will be focused towards Asian beauty, although readers of all races are welcome, and I will always try my best to be helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment- I am always happy to share what I know and be of help.

If you are interested in hiring me as a makeup artist, please note that I will generally need at least 30 days advanced notice to schedule an appointment. I am constantly traveling due to the nature of the work, and will likely need to make advanced travel plans. My rates for appointments within Manhattan is $150 per hour, bridal trial (test run) is $200. Outside of Manhattan, add the cost of travel and lodging. Extended projects or events, please email for a quote. For booking, email asianmakeuptips@gmail.com.