Julia Nelson, Author at QC Makeup Academy
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Julia Nelson

A Simple Morning Skin Care Routine for Stressed Out Pores

By Makeup Tips and Tricks No Comments

I’ve always had acne. Always. Now I know that doesn’t make me particularly unique, but I’ve also never quite been able to pin down my skin type. It’s kept me on my toes for the past 15 years, constantly changing and evolving, each phase progressively worse. One day my pores would practically ooze oil and the next my t-zone was dry and flaky. It made my teens and early twenties a bit of a nightmare (raise your hand if you’ve ever avoided attending a pool party because you were worried about people seeing your makeup-free face), and I’ve spent the majority of the last 10 years testing every cleanser, cream and lotion I could get my hands on.

Nowadays my skin and I are on pretty good terms (though we do have a falling out every few months), and it’s thanks to a few carefully tested and diligently used products. If your skin is also more foe than friend, this soothing skin care routine might be for you.

Rise & Shine

I start my routine off by massaging a gentle cleanser into damp skin. There’s no need for anything harsh in the morning as your skin should already be relatively clean and free from makeup from your night-time cleansing routine (ahem). We’re simply washing away sleep and prepping our pores for the day ahead. For this, I absolutely adore the Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash. It gently removes any pesky dirt particles and sebum and leaves skin feeling refreshed but not stripped. This is a staple in my medicine cabinet.

Tip: Always pat your skin dry. Never wipe and drag a facecloth over your delicate skin. Never ever.

Once I’ve dried off, I move on to toning. It’s a shame that so many people choose to skip this step as it’s one of the most important. When you tone you remove any excess cleanser you migt have missed while rinsing, and it preps your pores for any treatments. A personal favorite of mine is the Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist. Just spritz your face one or two times and give your skin a gentle wipe down with a cotton swab. Be sure to let your skin dry thoroughly before moving on to the next step.

Next up I apply my holy grail product, the Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil. This stuff is SO good for the skin, helping to boost its natural healing process. It’s jam-packed with Trans Retinoic Acid (this converts to Vitamin A) but miraculously doesn’t irritate the skin at all. I warm up one or two drops of this in my palms before smoothing it into my skin, focusing on trouble areas. If you have an oily t-zone, I suggest applying it sparingly to those areas.

Tip: This would be a good time to apply an eye cream as it will give it plenty of time to sink in.

And then it’s time to finish it up with a moisturizer. In the summer I usually opt for something quite light, and lately I’ve actually been using two separate lotions for different areas of my face. In my oilier t-zone I apply the Marcelle Hydra-C Ultra-Light Matifying Fluid, and for the rest of my face I use the Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream (this stuff smells divine). And there you have it. A simple four-step morning skin care routine that calms and soothes angry skin, and makes for a lovely makeup base!

Now I know that this morning routine is just the tip of the iceberg. Stay tuned; next week I’ll be posting the follow-up nighttime skin care routine. If you have any specific questions, please let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to address them in the next post.

Valentine’s Makeup Contest—Date Night Look

By Featured No Comments

Sweet or sultry?! Sassy or smokey?! What’s YOUR perfect Valentine’s date night look? SHOW US by entering it into our Valentine’s makeup contest! Once you enter you’ll have a chance at winning the Lip Tar All-Star Mini x 12 Set from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics!

How do you enter?

It’s so easy. All you have to do is apply your date night makeup look on yourself or a friend and submit a photo of the finished look over on the contest page.

How do you win?

Share, share, and share some more! Once you’ve submitted your Valentine’s date night look don’t forget to share it with your Facebook friends to gain votes! Only the entries that receive 20 votes or more will be entered into the grand prize draw.

Don’t wait!

This contest only runs from January 31st at 4PM until Thursday, February 13th at 11AM EST. Click the following link to enter: https://premium.easypromosapp.com/p/22052

The winner of the OCC Lip Tar All-Star Mini x 12 Set will be announced bright and early Valentine’s day.

Good luck everyone!

QC Staff Tips: Day to Night Makeup

By Makeup Tips and Tricks No Comments

We all know the feeling—you’re off work in 10 minutes but have a dinner date in 30. With the time it takes to commute and change, you need a streamlined day-to-night makeup routine. And that’s where we come in!

Keep reading for some tried and tested tricks from the QC Makeup Academy staff.

Julia Says:

“Metallics are huge right now. I like to wear a sheer brown eyeshadow during the day, and before I head out of the office it’s as easy as smudging the whole look out with a layer of bronze. I finish everything off with lengthening black mascara, a swipe of sheer pink lip gloss, and a tap of powder on any oily areas.”

QC Asked: What’s your favorite product for long-lasting makeup?

“Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray. I have textbook combination skin. In the morning I give my face one or two sprays of this, and my face stays matte until late into the afternoon. I’m never without it!”

 

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Sandra Says:

“I keep about three lipsticks in my purse at all times (okay, probably more like six!). When I don’t have the time to change my look for the evening, I just pick my favorite shade and I’m good to go! It’s amazing how much drama a deeply saturated lip can add to an otherwise clean face.”

QC Asked: What three lipsticks do you have in your purse right now?

“Right now I have the Rimmel’s Kate Moss lipstick in shade 01, NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Never Say Never, and Wet n’ Wild’s Mega Shield Lip Color in Ring Around the Rosy.”

Carly Says:

“I wear simple winged eyeliner almost every day. If I’m going out after work, especially on a Friday night, I’ll take a minute to add some drama by smudging the eyeliner out a bit. I really like Clinique’s Quickliner for this. Then it’s all about the falsies. They can change my entire look in an instant. I like keeping the focus on the eyes, but I’ll usually swipe on some light lip gloss to finish it off. This dramatic look has never failed me!”

QC Asked: What’s your one must-have beauty product?

“There’s actually two I absolutely can’t live without! I adore STILA Stay All Day Matte Liquid Lipstick, and can’t get enough of  Benefit’s They’re Real mascara.”

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