It has been a gorgeous Thanksgiving weekend and I definitely have a lot to be thankful for, including a great week of make-up. This past Friday, I was fortunate to work with the beautiful Marites and her stunning bridal party. Here are some photos of the Big Day:View full slideshow here.

Q: I've found that when I put on sunscreen, my face gets slightly moist (even when the lotion is completely absorbed), and that any powder on top (blush, foundation), goes on streaky as it "catches" on the sunscreen. It takes a long time for the sunscreen to be completely absorbed (back to normal skin consistency, anyway), so how do you apply powder foundation after (especially if you're in a hurry and don't have the time to completely dry out)?

A: There are a couple of options for SPF protection under your make-up application. You want to look for an oil-free face moisturizer that has an SPF built-in. If the moisturizer formula with SPF has been developed for the face, it should typically be less greasy and absorb into the skin better. Usually, you have to wait at least 30 minutes before any moisturizer is completely absorbed, but who has that kind of time to sit around and wait??? I use Neutrogena Moisture for face that comes in several versions along with one that incoporates an SPF. But what works for my skin, will not always be the same for what works for your skin.

To avoid the greasiness altogether, try a primer type product that has an built-in SPF instead. Along with having the benefit of an SPF, a primer product will help to prepare the skin for make-up application and help prolong the life of your make-up throughout the day. Since your routine consists mainly of applying powder foundation and powder blush, a primer would be perfect for smoothing out the surface of the skin. You should notice less the appearance of pores and slight lines once the powder foundation is applied atop primed skin. Here a couple of options to try:

Clinique City Block Sheer Oil-Free Daily Face Protector SPF 25 helps to protect the skin against the harsh realities of the sun (with a choice of SPF ranging from 25 to 40). You can check out some of the reviews of the product here.

NARS popular primer also comes in an SPF version. The NARS Make-up Primer with SPF 20 is designed to have all the benefits of its predecessor, but comes in a more lightweight formula.

Before you commit to buying one product, I would suggest going to your local Sephora to obtain samples of the products you're interested in. That way you can test-run them and gage how your own skin reacts with the product before making the investment!

Q: Rhia, what's in your make-up kit?
A: So now that I've disclosed ALL of the make-up products I use to get myself normal-looking under ideal conditions (i.e. when I have at least 40 minutes to get ready - yes, that long), here are the products for those mornings when I'm strapped for time and have to set my make-up routine on auto-pilot. I would love to have a 5 minute face, but I'm afraid this mug needs way more make-up lovin' than that! Here are the Big Ten products I use to help my face wake up with make-up:

Part IV | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Auto-Pilot

FACE

1. MAC Tinted Moisturizer NC35
Moisturizes and adds colour in one

2. MAC Studio Fix C4
Adds more coverage and leaves a powdery finish

3. MAC Select Cover-up in Peach
Self-explanatory. During the work week, I average 5-6 hours sleep on a good night, and the peach concealer is a much-needed and much-loved step in the morning to play down the dark circles that characterize the past night's lack of rest. I add MAC Studio Fix in C4 above to blend this lighter layer in with the rest of my skin.

4. MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Deep Dark
I use this powder with a big powder brush as a bronzer to help add colour and contour to my face.

5. Nars Orgasm Blush
Adding some blush is an instant way to make you look awake! I usually take my blushbrush and start blending from the ear in towards the nose, along where the cheekbone is. This deposits the most amount of colour closer to the hollows of the cheeks and helps add much-needed definition to my face!

EYES

6. MAC Paint
Still can't live without my MAC Paint! I would rather take a little extra time in the morning to do steps that keep my make-up long-lasting so I don't have to worry about it anytime throughout the day. I usually grab Paint in either Bare Canvas or Sublime Nature.

7. L'oreal Lineur Intense
Another day to day staple. Liquid liner can be a bit tricky initially, but once you master it, you're hooked. It's worth every bit the practice as it lasts all day! It's going to be tough to wean me off this product even later in life once my eyelids start drooping. My skin will be sagging, but I'll probably still be trying pull the eyelids up with my cateye sweep plus massive amounts of eyeshadow.

8. Inglot Eyeshadows

9. Eyelash Curler and Mascara

LIPS

10. Inglot Lipliner in #63

Total Make-up Time = 25 mins!

Ok, ok so I cheated up there, grouped multiple products and didn't factor in brushes, moisturizer, lip balm etc. But you get the point - I love my make-up!

For all installments of the What’s in my Make-up kit Series, check out:
Part I | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Face
Part II | What’s in my Make-up Kit: Eyes
Part III | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Lips
Part IV | Auto-Pilot

What do you use? Feel free to comment and tell me what make-up products work (or don’t work) for you!

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of playing make-up with a great friend and person, Jenn, in preparation for her engagement photos. Here are some stunning shots of the gorgeous bride-to-be! (...oh yes, and her groom-to-be Denny!)
Check out the talent behind the lens:
first image by Christopher Luk
second, third image by Claudia Hung

LOVE IT.

Q: Rhia, what's in your make-up kit? (...continued)
A: Now that we've dealt with the many products in my personal make-up kit for face and eyes, it's time to talk about what I use for the lips. This segment will likely be the shortest of the three, as I tend to focus my make-up efforts on the areas that need more attention - my skin and on my eyes.

Part III | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Lips
Here are my daily essentials for the lips in the order that I apply them:

LIP BALM

Kiehl's Lip Balm #1
I love this stuff - it's like crack for the lips. Or better yet - crack for lips that are cracked. I usually put this on right at the beginning of the my make-up routine to prep my lips for application later. You'll also catch me applying it throughout the day to keep my lips moisturized. I prefer the original non-scented version (why mess with a good thing?), but the product also comes in scented versions of Pear, Cranberry and Mint (which I believe are limited edition).

LIP LINER

Inglot Precision Lipliner #63
I made sure to stock up on this wonderful lipliner before Inglot closed, and now I'll have to go to Montreal to get it! The formula is creamy and doesn't pull at your lips when you're applying it. I usually line the lips just inside my natural lip line (no need to exaggerate these full puppies!). Then I take my lip brush and blend it inward towards the middle of the lips so it adds colour and acts as a base for the lipstick or lip gloss I apply atop of it.

LIPBRUSH

MAC Lip Brush
I use a retractable lipbrush from MAC that's been in my kit for a few years now. The lip brush is great for helping to build colour on the lips in a controlled manner. Make sure the brush gets cleaned frequently even if it is a brush you use strictly on yourself. The retractable brush can be more prone to contamination as usually it is still wet with product when it gets stored back into its container. Remember that the container is dark on the inside and with the wet brush, you have ideal conditions for bacterial growth if your brush is not taken care of properly. Make sure you wash/spray your brush appropriately and let it dry after each use to avoid any contamination.

LIPSTICK and LIPGLOSS
various from MAC and Inglot

Ok, so I've lost track of the lipsticks I use on myself. I usually take my lipsticks, chop them up and put them in a palette - that way I have the freedom of mixing and making my own colours right at the palm of my hand. I also can carry all my favourite shades with me wherever I go with the palette! My choice of lip colour usually leans more towards the lighter pink and/or peach side just so I can keep the look balanced with the rest of the face. As I usually focus more efforts on my eye make-up, a lighter lip adds balance and helps the make-up not look dated. Some of my lipstick faves are MAC Faux and MAC Brave while some of my lipgloss faves are Inglot Paints in #20 and #14.

Check back to see all installments of the What’s in my Make-up kit Series for:
Part I | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Face
Part II | What’s in my Make-up Kit: Eyes
Part III | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Lips
Part IV | Auto-Pilot

What do you use? Feel free to comment and tell me what make-up products work (or don’t work) for you!