A Girl's Best Friend: Mascara!

Hey guys! It's come to my attention that quite of few ladies don't really know what's up with mascara. While I am no makeup artist/expert/etc I have been using makeup for almost half my life. Eesh, that's over ten years... And I've taken classes, worked alongside some awesome people, and so on. I've picked up quite a few tips and tricks along the way. Many of them are actually things my mom taught me (that I've researched and found out to be totally true) so I thought I would share some of them with you.

Now before you apply mascara you can curl you lashes. This is for people who have short lashes that stick straight out, people with long lashes that stick straight out, generally if you think they need a bit of a curve. Lash curlers are also about preference. I am constantly chastised by a handful of makeup artists for using the old-fashioned metal curlers instead of the electric, heated one. The one upside of using a heated curling tool is that it's easy, it tends to last longer and it doesn't really damage your lashes as much as metal curlers can. Metal curlers, if used improperly, can cut off your eyelashes! I've never seen this happen but people frequently tell me that it's true. I'm inclined to say that that's because of improper use, you aren't trying to squeeze your lashes to death ladies! Just give them a little curl. Youtube is rife with videos on this subject so if you're feeling unsure head over to Youtube and look it up!

So, mascara. It can change the way you look just enough that you don't look like you're wearing makeup but it adds drama to your eyes. It comes in a variety of colors and formulas and tubes, brands, there are different wands and these things are really all about preference. I personally have about 6 tubes of mascara in my makeup kit at all times. They each serve a different purpose. To save time I'll talk about my favorite basics, my trio.

My #1: GREAT LASH by Maybeline. If you don't recognize this product it's the pink tube with the green "lid". It's a really light, smooth formula. It comes in a variety of colors (I think even funky ones now...) and it's got a decent brush, though I find it a bit on the small side. The black is really black. I typically use this for my day to day or as a top coat (because it's so black). Basically when I'm not trying to create too much drama but just want to enhance my lashes a bit.

My #2: The "Falsies Volumin' Express" by Maybeline. Another Maybeline product, yes! I find this formula can be a touch streaky but it makes my lashes look very, very long. I wish it went on darker, but it is a nice, light mascara that doesn't clump. The brush is nice and long, it's curved, the bristles are long and the wand bends well so it gives way to your lashes (it doesn't poke you in the face!). I will generally use this as a base and apply the GREAT LASH over top to darken it up.

My #3: Voluminous by L'Oreal. I have this in "black brown" and I love it. The formula is great, it goes on smoothly, it's lightweight and lengthens my lashes. The brush is curved and thick so it separates my lashes, giving the appearance of more. Most mascaras clump lashes together (this is because of both brush and formula). Because I have the black brown I will also layer this under my GREAT LASH, or if I'm at work/out during the day I will use this mascara.

I prefer these because they're "wet" formulas work well with my lashes (which are long and thick). If you have your own preferences then by all means, use those! If you're confused by wet versus dry mascaras the difference is simple: dry mascaras tend to have a higher wax content than wet mascaras.

And now: things people typically do wrong with mascara:

- Keeping it too long. You should chuck out your mascara tube every 3-6 months, no more. This is because you eyes (and thus lashes) gather dust, dirt and oils that can have little bits of bacteria. Your mascara brush will gather these things and put them into the tube where they fester and can grow into something nasty and give you a really icky eye infection. This cannot be avoided my washing your face immediately before as the oils sit on top of your skin and are secreted almost constantly. You can avoid this by buying cheap disposable brushes from a beauty supply store (maybe Dollarama has them?) and using those instead. This means only ever dipping the brush in once and then throwing it away. This can be rather tedious when you could just buy a new tube every 6 months.

- "Pumping". I see people doing this all the time and it's not a great idea. By "pumping" your brush, you're putting air into your tube, which means dirt and bacteria, which means you have a higher chance of getting an eye infection. I know, why doesn't the air itself cause eye infections then? For one it can and secondly the bacteria isn't usually angry enough or "strong" enough and your body just shrugs it off. If these nasty bacteria get into your tube? It's the perfect place for them to grow and get angry. Pumping will also dry out your product, changing the consistency and sometimes ruining the formula. It also serves no real purpose. Some think that it coats the brush is more product but the brush is already quite well coated, to the point where you may need to remove a little before application (I mean the clumps at the end) by rubbing the edge of the brush on the side of tube as you remove it. Any clumps should be rubbed off on a piece of toilet paper, not back into the tube.

- Layering. It is definitely possible to layer your mascara, I do it all the time, but you need to consider the type of mascara you're using before you apply wet mascara on top of more wet mascara. If you're building up your lashes you can generally just keep going until you've applied enough. Be careful if you have short and/or thin lashes about applying too much of a heavy product, it will weigh them down. If you're applying two different mascaras (as I typically do) you have to give the first coat time to dry! Often times ladies will try to apply their second, third, #x coat without giving the previous one(s) time to dry! If you put wet paint on top of wet paint it makes a mess and doesn't give you the color you want, does it? Same with mascara. If you apply a blackest black over a dark brown while it's still wet, it won't sit on top but rather blend. You'll get the other mascara on your brush, they'll mix, it's a whole mess. This is also a great way to get clumps (the devil! sort of... ).

- Clumps. I've seen some scary things with regards to clumps and removing them when they're already on your lashes. Needles, toothpicks, trying to use curlers. I recommend using your fingers if you can't grab it with your brush. Do it while the mascara is still wet by gently pinching the clump between your thumb and index finger and moving down the lash till you've got the clump on your fingers and not your lashes. I also suggest using your fingers and brushing back and forth like a toothbrush to separate lashes (again: if you can't achieve this with your brush). Your fingers are more tuned in to your body and for areas like eyes it's very important to be gentle. You can also avoid clumping by applying minimal layers of mascara! Go light! (There are certain looks that require clumps but for now: clumps are bad!)

On to proper application. Instead of writing a giant paragraph on proper application I think I'll just share a video. This video was created by Michelle Phan and she not only shows proper application but a cool trick she's learned.

As always, if you have any questions you should feel free to send me a message! I'll respond as quickly as possible.

Be safe, be smart, be AWESOME.

- Nicola Sasky

Nudes, Modelling and the Dark Side of the Industry

This weeks post will be a touch more personal than most. I was asked by a few people to share a recent experience so here it is:

I've been in the "Industry", as we call it, since I was 17. I started out as soon as I moved back to Canada from South Africa. I can say that at 17, the idea of posing nude terrified me. I never, ever though I would do it and that feeling carried through until the night before my first shoot with Steve Richard. Part of me thought that I wouldn't do it at all, that I would just tell him I was too sick, my pneumonia was really bad that day and I would have to reschedule. Another part of me thought I was stupid for doubting myself, that it would be super fun and even if it wasn't, it was still an experience I would remember forever. Almost a year later and I love shooting nudes. They give me a reason not to slack, to walk to work and to feel good about myself. Until...

Dun dun dun! Someone commented on one of my photos on Deviant Art. I don't have it set up so that I have to screen comments because I'm not on nearly enough to bother with that nonsense. I don't even get email notifications anymore because they kept spamming my inbox. For the most part people praise what I post. I don't ask for comments, nor do I feel like I am asking to be praised by posting my work. I'm sharing something I did with people for their enjoyment, nothing more.

Lately however, I've been getting more and more rude and derogatory comments. I don't know these people, or at least I don't think I do. We're not friends on Facebook, I have no mutual friends, we're not friends on dA, I don't follow them, nothing. They seem to have stumbled across my account by accident and because everything is public (I haven't had any issues in over two years since I made everything public) people can post whatever they like. I've been called some truly nasty names, told I was evil and unholy, that no one could save my soul. I've been called ugly, fat, disgusting, etc, by people who've never met me and I've never had contact with. And they don't typically comment on one thing or send one message either. In my inactivity, I've gotten 5 or so messages/comments from these people on various things.

I will not be posting them, I don't think anyone needs to see those types of things, not even when they're related to someone they don't know, as I'm sure there are a few strangers reading this post. I do not believe in giving people like that the time of day, I simply ignore them, block and move on with my life. Except when I brought it up with a few of my friends in the industry, they mentioned how important it was the new models, or even the experienced ones, know that there is an ugly side to the industry, and it's not what you'd think. It's not about eating disorders, at least not in my case. I was shocked to learn that this has happened to many of my friends, even a couple who aren't models but are designers or photographers. I discussed it with one friend in particular who suggested that I write a blog post about this sort of thing and how to deal with it.

The truth is this: it does hurt. When people tell you you're ugly or fat in this industry, it's very hard not to take it personally. It doesn't matter if they're complete strangers, it takes a while to build up enough self-confidence and self-love (very, very important) to withstand the shitstorm that people will throw at you to try and take you down. For the longest time I lamented over this stuff, why did they hate me? What had I done to them? Were they jealous? But why, my life isn't that glamorous.

They're jealous. Insecure. Bigotted. Pig-headed. And they typically get off on causing other people emotional pain. Life is high school, people don't grow out of being catty and bitchy. The girls who are insecure and unhappy with themselves try to put others down so you feel just as crappy as they do. This is the sad reality, and as someone who was bullied even through University, I can say for a fact that the more "mean" the comments are, the more hateful, the better you're doing. Sounds a bit childish I guess, but I ignore these people and keep doing my thing. Eventually those people will realize that it's pointless and then another group will start picking you apart. The most important thing is to understand that it's not a true reflection of you, it's a poor reflection on their true character.

Yes, I know. Anyone who was ever bullied has heard that speech but it's very important that models, photographers and creatives alike know these things. The arts in any form is a brutal industry to be in and it's fiercely competitive, even in a small city like Halifax.

I personally ignore the rude comments thrown my way, the horns honked as I walk down the street and the "slut calling" or "slut sneezing" that occasionally happens. I ignore the boys that stare at my chest or my ass when I'm outside my house and I ignore the hateful messages I get regularly. I have to say, they're awful things to have to deal with on a day to day basis but they've made me a stronger person and a better model. I don't let people make lewd comments to me on set, I don't trust people at face value anymore and I don't believe people when they tell me I'm fat or ugly.

Something to lighten the mood!

Be smart, be safe, be awesome, be headstrong, be beautiful. :)
-Nicola Sasky