3 Products I Should Have Purchased Sooner

So this time of year is always so retrospective. I've been looking through my portfolio of all the things I've done and realized there are a few products that I've stumbled across this year that I can't live without. In no particular order,

Mac Fix+

This is one that recently I haven't been able to live without. Back in the day I read so many reviews ranting about how it's "just water in a bottle" and how it doesn't fix makeup and how it's generally useless. Maybe I'm reading all the wrong reviews, but this is something I've come to love dearly.

Things I use it for:

• Combating too much powder - This works great for taking away the ashiness and cakey look from an over-powdered face. It also works great in conjunction with powder foundations, such as Mac's StudioFix Powder - simply buff it on heavily, and spray it away with some Fix+!
• As a medium - I find it works better than water or other mediums for applying eyeshadows wet or using them as cake liner. Just spray down your brush with one or two pumps, and apply as usual! The color will be more concentrated, darker, and more vibrant than you thought possible.
• Refreshing - Models I've worked with love this stuff. No one knows better than them how uncomfortable it can be to sit under hot photography lights for a few hours. While powdering in between takes, I spray them down with a few pumps of Fix+ to tone down the powder as well as give them some much needed refreshment. 

Things I don't use it for:

• Fixing Makeup - That's the only misleading thing about the products title - it doesn't work well as a makeup fixant. For looks that need to last and require a fixant I lean toward Ben Nye's Final Seal, or most recently Skindinavia's finishing spray. (Thanks to GossMakeupArtist)

Urban Decay's Primer Potion

Here's another one that I know a lot of you are thinking, "Wait. What? You've seriously never used this stuff?" The answer is no, not until recently. As a theatrical and fx makeup artist slowly delving into the world of beauty makeup, a good primer has never been extremely high up on my list. 

Things I use it for:

• Priming the eye - Dab a little on the eyelid, rub it around and go! Eyeshadows will last all night and be twice as vibrant.
• Finishing the eye - Especially on male clients! The thing I love about this stuff is that it's a nice neutral flesh tone, and can be used by itself to simply remove discoloration and even out skin tone. 

Kryolan Bruise Wheel

I sent a friend to pick up a few things from a local theatrical supply company, one of which was my trusty, rusty Ben Nye bruise wheel. This is what she came back with. At first I was frustrated and ready to go back and exchange it, but then I decided to play around with it. The effects I can pull off with this one are simply stunning! The colors are much more muted and natural than then Ben Nye wheel and require far less blending and muddling to get them to look right. Also they are far creamier than the Ben Nye colors and go on like a dream.

Things I use it for:

• Bruising - I think this one's pretty self explanatory. Work with the red/blue/purple colors in the area, being careful not to over blend, and work in some of the green/yellow/beige around the edges. 
• Everything - Lately I've been using this a lot, especially the blue and burgundy tones. Mix them in with lip color to achieve a great oxblood lip.

What are some products you've gotten this year that you can't live without? Leave them in the comments below!

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