In recent years it has become much more normal for men to use makeup and skincare products that were once only intended for woman. And for that I applaud them. Makeup was always a way for me to express myself and truly feel confident, being my best self. It’s time society understands and realizes it is just as normal for men to use makeup as woman. This post is intended to show the growing male population using makeup and skincare today.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments down below.
It’s no secret that in the past many makeup companies shade range for foundations and concealers for lighter skin tones.
But recently there has been a shift in the makeup world. A wave has started where makeup companies are coming out with darker foundation shades, becoming more inclusive and allowing more men and woman to purchase their products.
Before we talk about all the good, companies are doing to be more inclusive, let’s start with companies who are still lacking inclusion for all skin types. Tarte. We all knew this was coming, but is still important to talk about their lacking efforts to create more shades for deeper complexions. Tarte came out with their new foundation “Tarte Tape Shape Foundation” after their iconic concealer. And yes, they only came out with fifteen shades, the majority of those shades being very light. 
As you can clearly see here, there is one shade that seems to be for tan skin tones, and two for deep tones. Pathetic. Three shades are simply not enough. The internet was furious, rightly so, that Tarte simply is not doing enough. There are hundreds of different skin tones in the world and fifteen doesn’t even come close. Shame on you Tarte.
This is just a snapshot of different skin tones in the world, and as you can clearly see, there’s more than two tan to deep skin tones out there.
Now that I have gotten that off my chest, we can talk about cosmetic companies who are doing the exact opposite, and finally beginning to cater to more skin tones.
Rihanna came out with her own cosmetics line in 2017, Fenty Beauty. And boy did she come out with a bang. She introduced forty shades right off the bat. Honestly, thank you, Rihanna. It’s time someone started the trend.
Here we can see the obvious difference between Tarte and Fenty, having more than fifteen shades. Rihanna was the first to do something about the issue and thankfully other cosmetic lines started catching on. Companies like makeup forever (40 shades), NARS (33 shades), Giorgio Armani (42 shades), and COVER FX (40 shades) and starting to be more inclusive of deeper skin tones.
Now with this new wave of more inclusive shade range companies, more men and woman of all different skin types can start to find their perfect shade, coverage and finish to help them look flawless.
Makeup was always a means of escape for me, making me feel more secure, vibrant and beautiful in my own skin. Not only is it a way to showcase my creativity, experimenting with different colors and products but makes me feel like the most beautiful version of myself. With more companies coming out with more shades, it makes my heart warm knowing more people can start using more products and hopefully feel the way I do, thanks to makeup.
By no means is the beauty community perfect yet, but these small steps are making all the difference to someone who previously could not purchase a product because they didn’t offer their correct shade. Share your story in the comments down below about finding your perfect shade, I can’t wait to hear everyone’s opinion on such a controversial topic.
On my blog, I only have one rule. DO NOT SLEEP IN YOUR MAKEUP. It’s as simple as that. Sleeping in your makeup is one of the worst things you can do for your skin.
Not only are you clogging up your pores causing unwanted breakouts there are other harmful effects on your skin such as enhancing fine lines and wrinkles.
The best thing you can do for your skin to get into a nightly skincare routine to wash off your makeup, letting your pores breathe leaving your skin fresh and ready for its beauty sleep.
There are hundreds and thousands of skincare products out there for each and every skin type. Whether your main concern is anti-aging, hydrating or anti-blemish there’s a product out there for you.
To begin my routine I always use a makeup wipe to take off my makeup. I have sensitive skin and have had a hard time dealing with irritation from makeup remover. That is until I found Neutrogena’s makeup remover cleansing towelettes – night calming. The towelettes remove all my makeup, leaving it smooth and calm.
Once my makeup is off I use Origins, Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash to cleans my face and relieve my pores. This face wash claims to balance oily skin but leaves my face so soft and fresh I would use it regardless. It is simply the best.
This next step is only used when I have been wearing my makeup for the majority of the day or just want to dig a little deeper in clearing my pores. I use Simple Skincare soothing toner just to grab the extra dirt hiding in my face. Gross. Although this step is not always necessary when it is I never hesitate to grab Simple’s toner because it sucks up the extra dirt without drying out or irritating my (annoyingly) sensitive skin.
Lastly, my favorite part and arguably the most important. As a reminder, I have oily to combination skin, with moderate breakouts. That being said, by no means do I skip out of moisturizer. Even though my skin is naturally oily, it still needs hydration. When I skip out on moisturizer by skin will combat and actually create more oils to hydrate the skin. That is why I use a water-based moisturizer opposed to an oil-based moisturizer, to hydrate my skin without adding extra oils. My current favorite moisturizer is The True Cream Aqua Bomb moisturizer from BELIF cosmetics. This product leaves my skin soft and hydrated I don’t know what I would do without it.
After all of these crucial steps, I’m finally ready for my beauty sleep. These four products have kept my face clear of breakouts and hydrated beyond belief. I swear by my routine and refuse to go to bed without it because I know if I don’t, I’m sure to wake up with an unwanted blemish.
Let me know in the comments below what products have worked or haven’t worked for your skin type. I’m always looking for tips and recommendations to keep my skin baby smooth.
As 2018 slowly begins, like many others, it is time for me to do the yearly purging of my makeup collection. This year I really dove into the makeup world, my collection almost tripling in size. With many series of trial and error, I started to learn about my own skin and what products worked and failed for me.
Through quizzes, articles, videos and trial and error I learned I have combination skin with oily tendencies around my T-zone, which includes my nose, chin, and forehead area.
Because I was relatively new to the beauty community I started looking for experienced gurus like Shani Grimmond, and Laura Lee who both describe themselves as having similar skin types.
Products that work for me are described as full coverage, pore refining, mattifying and long wearing. This way my oil spots can be completely sealed off all day. In 2017 I have found a handful of products that do just that, and I will continue to religiously use in 2018. These products include:
Benefit’s, the POREfessional face primer. This product is oil-free, smoothing and keeps my pore’s covered and under control all day. I keep application points to my T-zone and will not go without it. I have no discovered another product that will conceal my problem areas as good at this primer.
Milk Makeup’s, Blur Liquid Matte Foundation. I wear the shade medium and have not found a better foundation to help my skin look flawless all day. Because I have such an oily T-zone this foundation’s mattifying effect actually leaves my skin looking natural and smooth. I do not recommend this product for dry skin because it is extremely matte, but for my girls and boys with oily skin, it is life-saving.
URBAN DECAY’s, de-slick makeup setting spray – oil control. With all the mattifying makeup I use on my skin, it can start to look a little cakey. This is why I use the setting spray. It helps my makeup effortlessly melt into my skin, ditching the cakey look. I use this setting spray not only to soften my face but to give just a little bit of extra help to control the shine that loves to overpower my T-zone.
Although I do use a lot of products catered to my skin type, I also swear by products that will work for any skin type. These products include:
Stila’s, Magnificent Metals, Glitter & Glow, Liquid Eyeshadow. I absolutely cannot get enough of these. I have collected the shades, gold goddess, kitten karma, gypsy, and into the blue, and trust me I plan on getting more. If you love glitter and taking your eye look a step further, this is the product for you. I will apply it, with the wand, straight to my eye for an all over look or lightly pat it on with my finger for a subtle sparkle.
OFRA’S x NikkieTutorials, Glow Goals highlighter. So as I have previously shared, I love to glow. This is the most incredible, blinding highlight I own, and always find an excuse to use it on my, cheeks, eyes or body. It’s really that good. I recommend this product to all my glam girls and boys who cannot help but shine so bright they are seen from the heavens.
If you have combination to oily skin, or just love to glow, I hope my best products of 2017 were helpful to you. If you agree or disagree that the products I use are some of the best, share this post and comment down below what has also worked for you.
the Glam Life with Gabby 