My story (about makeup)

My first approach to the makeup industry was when I was 15 years old. At that time my friends, classmates and myself had our “quinceañera”, some of their parties were very similar to a wedding for it was too glamorous (translation: too much money, time invested in a party for celebrate that you now have 15 years old; mine was a lunch with family and close friends, not too shabby, not too fancy). And of course for the fancy parties you wore gowns and, of course, you somewhat were forced to wear makeup too.
At that time, year 2000, I only found one foundation shade which was a bit yellow and a slightly dark for my skin tone, not my exact match, but it worked fine for even the skin tone for the fancy parties (although I only went  to one and it was after my own “party”).

On that year 2000 I didn’t have as much knowledge as I have now about foundations, powders, concealers, “contour”, the different eyeliners. Referring to foundations, I didn’t know which one was the best for my skin tone or skin type (if it was oily or dry foundations), what was an “undertone”? The only memory I have was looking for a hypoallergenic foundation/brand and a non-comedogenic makeup. For some reason, I knew that the foundation I bought wasn’t the right for me. I didn’t know about pigmentation on eyeshadows eyeliners, lipstick; or blendability of creams and powders; if a product was long-lasting; if and eyeshadow has any fall out on my cheeks, if that eyeshadows was more powdery that buttery… a long list of things I ignored for so many years. And maybe the makeup application was with fingertips or the weird sponge applicator that they came with (something you still can found). What was a matte eyeshadow? A matte lipstick?
The only thing I remember buying was the “Avon” trios, they are matte (yes I still have them), and a lip gloss which I believe it was repurchased 3 times “WaterShine Liquid Diamonds” by Maybelline (09. Caramel Pearl); the year I don’t know, but I already have them around 2002, 2003.

For many years I couldn’t find a foundation that matched me not only by tone, also it should be undertone. A foundation that didn’t look yellow or a bit dark on me. I went over and over again to drugstores, high end stores, nothing. I was frustrated.
Worldly known drugstore brands, such as: Maybelline, Revlon, Rimmel, L’Oréal; not even brands I consider local, such as: Arex, WAV, Get the Look, Dorothy Gray; not even makeup by catalogue brands, such as: Tsu Cosmetics, Avon, Natura; nor high end products, although they were out of my reach, I remember trying Lancôme and Dior… nothing.
Being represented by a brand, was a dream for many years…

Remember the yellowish and a tiny bit dark on me foundation I mentioned? I used it a couple of times on June or July 2016 (yes, 16 years later). But that wasn’t my only not matching foundation. Remember when I mentioned I was looking for a Hypoallergenic brand, I found one: Arex. And I bought 3 items from them: Concealer (#5, for fair girls), Powder (Translucent) and a foundation (translucent). 2 out of 3 items were repurchased after a couple of times. The foundation was too dark and orange to be “translucent”, but the concealer and the powder were a wonderful find. The concealer is in a “lipstick” form and the powder has a tint to it, but it is light enough (so far, the only I could find that I can buy again). I always paired them together. And the concealer sometimes were used as a foundation when was needed. So far so good, right. Well the concealer was too heavy, thick, waxy, gloppy and no long-lasting; although, I paired it with the powder to have a nicer feeling to the touch, but it was like wearing a mask, that’s why I only used it to hide my dark circles only, my rosacea had to wait…
What was a primer, a setting spray? Just recently you can find those things in Argentina.

My search for my exact foundation was a dead-end road.
In August 2016 I attended a course about “job hunting”, and the man said something that concerned me a lot: “the girls should go to the job interview with some makeup on to look decent” (and an example was given). My head was spinning, my frustration arose once more. And once I arrived home I googled “why the foundation looked yellow on me?” (or something similar). My research on skin tone, undertone and skin type was about to start, and my discovery was about to shock me. That search led me to the Youtubers I follow now and learnt how unfair and uneven the makeup business around the globe is.
When you don’t have a job you don’t have money to “invest” in makeup; not to mention investing in high end products. So, how can you “invest” in makeup if your skin tone, undertone and skin type cannot be found in any drugstore in Argentina? Well, you cannot. So, then you should try to find any brand that brings the full spectrum of shades. MAC is the only one I know.

My passion for makeup started when I decided to go to MAC, but calling before so I could know about if there was any skin tone for fair girls, and leaving the store with that black outside, yellow inside, MAC bag and smelling like vanilla because I had the foundation on. My perfect shade!
“MAC STUDIO WATERWEIGHT FPS30 FOUNDATION” (NW13).
Thanks MAC!!

After MAC’s I went to a drugstore to buy a promotion: a Rimmel mascara and a blush. I also bought a “primer” and some makeup remover wipes; and it was a discount day! Extremely happy.

On October, if I’m not mistaken, I bought another Mascara (have to get rid of the 1st one), a nude lipstick, lipliner and eyeliner.

For Halloween I bought 2 “matte” eyeshadows and the Maybelline “Age Rewind” concealer (Fair).

On December I found that my MAC foundation was half way through and I didn’t want it empty. There was one drugstore foundation that could be a good match (before buying it I search for shades, swatches, youtubers…). L’Oréal “True Match” foundation (1N). And I also bought a couple of lipsticks.

That’s all my story about makeup. A search that ended but a journey that started with that MAC foundation. I really want to know your story, your journey, in this passion that is called “makeup” something that makes us feel pretty every day.

See you in me next post,

Daniela.