Highlighting and Contouring My Mug with @CoverFX

What could be more fun than to talk about makeup with you guys on this blog? Talking about makeup with you guys in person at Sephora with one of the most dedicated-to-their-customers beauty brands out there, Cover FX.

A bit of the scene at my event on Wednesday

When the Cover FX team asked me if I’d like to host a Find Your Shade Event with them a few months ago, I literally had to force myself to count to 30 so I could calm down and jump back into my skin (because you know, how does one talk shop without their skin being on?).

Me with Cover FX’s “mad scientist” Vic (he’s all about good for your skin ingredients and formulates all the makeup) and national retail director Derek

I was super excited about hosting because I love what the brand stands for—they’re all about being inclusive when it comes to beauty and they have the shade range count to back it up. Not only do they go from very fair to very deep, they also run the gamut of undertones. It’s also pretty easy to navigate—G stands for golden/yellow undertones, N stands for neutral, and P stands for pink/red and then as the numbers increase, the deeper the shade.

And also talk about having options (as we girls love to have), there’s also a ton of formulas to choose from including cream, liquid, mineral powder, and their brand spanking new 9-shade range CC cream (in case you need a quick refresher, CC creams like BB creams combine skincare and makeup giving you the benefits of moisturizer, primer, foundation, SPF, and sometimes anti-aging properties but CC creams tend to give more coverage and also sometimes have skin evening benefits).

Since I wanted to put my best face forward, my pal makeup artist Neema Ali (she’s responsible for many of the gorgeous makeup looks you see on VH1) from the Teknique Agency graced me with her gorgeous presence and beat my face into oblivion, HUNTY!

Me without a single stitch of makeup—I kinda look like a 15 year old boy…lol

Because many of us aren’t all one shade all over, especially those of us with deeper skin—we tend to be darker around the perimeter and lighter in the center, sometimes it’s great (but not at all necessary so stop side-eyeing me with those “HOW MANY PRODUCTS DO I NEED, DANIELLE” eyes, ok!) to use multiple shades to create a more natural look. You’ll especially need to try this if you find it hard to find a foundation shade that matches your skin without making you look like you dipped your face in flour. It also works if you tend to tan during the summer.

Neema used the following for my Cover FX face:

Total Cover Cream Foundation (okay seriously, I would have never have thought with my oily skin I could wear a CREAM foundation unless it was the dead of winter in NYC, but not only does this cover well and blends right into the skin so it looks like even more amazing skin, it also lasts F-O-R-E-V-E-R and stays put with just minor touch-ups). She blended shades N100 and N110 for my base.

Cream Concealer (this stuff is so loyal—put it on in the morning and even if you have an extended day, it’ll stay with you and doesn’t look cakey or overdone). She used shade N Deep (or two shades lighter than my skin tone) to highlight the center of my face as you can see in the quick video below.

If you can’t see the video, find another version here.

Pressed Mineral Powder—she used this in shade N80 (or two shades lighter than my skin tone) to set where she used the highlighting concealer)

Matte Setting Powder—she used this in Deep to set everywhere else

For my brows she used a Sephora brand brown shadow and angled brush, Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette for my eyes, a mix of Illamasqua Excite Powder Blusher and Tarte 12-Hour Amazonian Clay Blush in Frisky on my cheeks, and MAC Flat Out Fabulous on my lips.

Shop the products mentioned in the widget below:

Can’t see the video linked above? Click here for another version.

Now of course this isn’t an everyday look so if you want a quick one and done type of look, you have SO many options including:

* Cream Concealer where you need it and set with Pressed Mineral Powder
* CC Cream (which contains good for skin ingredients such as licorice root to help brighten and even the skin and the no-ashy kind of sunscreen) and then set it with either the Pressed Mineral Powder or Matte Setting Powder (if you have drier skin you may be able to skip the powder)
* Total Cover Cream set with either the Pressed Mineral Powder or Matte Setting Powder

If you can’t see a video linked above, click here for another version.

The event was SO much fun. It was so great to see so many gorgeous ladies all in one place and I could seriously cry because so many of you told me in person how much you’ve loved reading this blog over the years. It’s such a great feeling—especially ladies who made it out by themselves and didn’t know a single sole—that’s a lot of love right there and I thank you SO much for that. It’s amazing this community we’ve built together—and if you missed this event I promise there will be more like it soon :)

I forgot to get a clear outfit pic, but I’m wearing a BCBG Max Azria sweater, Topshop skirt, Zara heels, an H&M necklace, and my mom’s earrings from sometime in the 80s that I stoleborrowed permanently.

And to my fellow blogger buds—you guys are so amazing and so supportive! SO glad to know all of you and thanks so much for coming—I know schedules fill up quickly in New York so I’m glad I could get a slice of your time :D