Well Hello

 Hi there, pleasure to meet you. Welcome to my very first post.
 I have all these splendid ideas, topics swimming in my head that I simply cannot wait to post, but being that this is my very first post, well, what do I say?
 Do I get the show on the road right off the bat or would you prefer a little warm-up act first?
 Hmmm, decisions, decisions... How about a little of both?
 First off, how about I introduce myself? Of course you've probably already read- or are going to read- my little about-me blurb, but there's nothing like reading it a second- or if you've explored my profile, third- time to really solidify the whole politically-correct stalker thing that blogs really enable. Right?
 Anyway, back to the topic at hand.
 My name is Heather. My friends- and the kids whom I babysit- call me Feather. I am 19 years old. I've been wearing makeup since I was 13 years old. I've been officially applying makeup as an official *makeup artist* for about a month now. We're talking actually getting paid to do the thing I absolutely love to do, here. Seriously, makeup is my passion. Growing up without friends and very limited internet access, a lot of my younger teenage days were spent in front of a mirror with the cheapest, crappiest makeup pennies can buy, attempting to perfect the art of applying makeup. Pathetic? Pssh. Get a life.
 Now that that's out of the way, let's get the ball rolling.
 I guess I'll start out with one of those "my favorites" things here.
 Now, before I continue, let me say a couple things. I've heard from several makeup artists that it's not what you use, it's what you know. I'm neither claiming to be highly-knowledgeable nor do I have the best products out there, but I make do with what I've got- both in the brain and in the bag. And I don't believe that you have to spend $10,000 to get your clients' faces to look good on-camera. That being said, I do believe that, even if you can make dollar store makeup look fantastic in HD, for credibility purposes at least, you should make upgrading to unreasonably-priced products a priority. Or at least, that's what I'm doing.
 Now, for the good stuff.
 My favorite item would have to be my Urban Decay De Slick Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray. This stuff is bomb. Seriously, everyone needs to have this on their face right now. Yes, I'm talking about you, too. Just one spray keeps the oil away. Whether you wear makeup or not, this keeps your face from getting that gross shine your pores produce. And the best part about it? It lasts. All day. I spray this on my face at about 9 a.m. and my makeup still has that awesome matte finish I left the house with when I take it off around 10:30 p.m. It's a must for my clients when they're under the heavy lights of a studio, as well.
 Another product I love is my Revlon Photo Ready Primer. This keeps my clients' faces smooth and matte for an easy makeup application that lasts. At around $12.99, depending on where you shop, Revlon's Photo Ready Primer is easily comparable to Smashbox's Photo Finish Foundation Primer.
 Now I like different foundations for different things. I'll get into the details of the different application techniques out there later, but for now, just smile and nod and pretend you know what I'm talking about.
 For stippling, my favorite foundation is Revlon ColorStay. I carry a variety of shades in this. Like Revlon's Photo Ready foundation line, this does carry some sparkle, so I don't recommend using this in sunlight. Unless, of course, you're going for the ever-trendy Edward Cullen look (note sarcasm). Under the scrutiny of a camera, however, these sparkles just create that radiant glow you know you love. And where I find that the Photo Ready foundation tends to be a little cakey, this stuff dots on smooth for a perfect airbrushed effect. Photoshop is a thing of the past.
  My favorite cream-to-powder foundation for on-camera is a product from Avon. I can't think of the name of it off the top of my head, but I will let you know in my next post. Used with the compressed powder in the same line, this creates a very soft, natural look when applied with a simple cosmetic sponge.
 And thus ends my first post. Keep checking back for more, as I plan on updating frequently.

xShalom