I’m so excited to welcome Ava, one of our amazing nurse injectors and glam queens at Racquel Aesthetics, back to the blog to talk about her favorite beauty hacks. I have my pen and paper ready… Take it away, Ava!
Hi! I’m Ava Simon, Aesthetic Nurse Injector at Racquel Aesthetics and I am honored to be sharing a few pearls today. In addition to specializing in Botox, filler, and Sculptra, I am passionate about all things beauty. One of my specialties is makeup and I am thrilled to be sharing some makeup tips and answering some of my most common questions.
How should I prep my skin for makeup?
How you prep your skin can make or break your final makeup look. Hot take, but I don’t believe you need a “makeup primer.” Most makeup primers are full of silicones and ingredients that are actually bad for your skin and are ultimately going to make it and your makeup look worse. Don’t waste your coin. Instead, invest in high-quality, medical-grade skincare products that will not only perfectly set the base for your makeup routine, but also protect and restore your skin. My favorite prep listed and linked below
Bonus tip: Keep the Hydrating Toner in your bag and use it every few hours to give your makeup a refresh and glow throughout the day!
Getting a professional dermaplane also makes the biggest difference in how your makeup lays. Removing old skin cells and peach fuzz reveals the smoothest canvas to apply your makeup on.
What are your favorite makeup brands?
There are products that I like from nearly every brand. But, there are only a few brands that rarely ever make something that I don’t love: Patrick Ta Beauty and Haus Labs. You can buy virtually any product from either, having confidence that they will perform. My personal favorites from each brand:
– Patrick Ta: Major Headlines Double-Take Cream and Powder Blush Duo
– Haus Labs: Triclone Skin Tech Foundation
Products I keep in my purse 24/7
– YSL Lovenude Kiss Shaper Liner (my favorite shade is 107!)
– Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater Stain Pen – for fashion-related accidents
– Flint Lint Roller – 100x better than your average roller and it keeps the look CRISP
Drugstore Products I actually use and love
– L’Oreal Extensionist Mascara
– Elf Glow Reviver Lip Oil (favorite shades: Jam Session & Crystal Baller)
– L’Oreal Infallible 3-Second Makeup Setting Spray
– Wet N Wild Photo Focus Makeup Stick
– NYX Professional Makeup Suede Matte Lip Liner (favorite shade: Downtown Beauty)
I have great products, but my makeup is still not turning out how I want.
Oftentimes, the problem with your makeup is not the product choice, it’s the application method. You can buy your 18th cream blush, but it still isn’t going to look any better than your 17 others unless you nail down your application method. How to get a flawless makeup application? Invest in high-quality makeup brushes. My favorite brush for each use is listed and linked below.
– Foundation: Makeup by Mario F4
– Cream Contour: Makeup by Mario F3
– Nose Contour: Morphe X Ariel A19
– Concealer: Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Concealer Brush
– Cream Blush: Patrick Ta Precision Blush Brush
– Powder: Huda Beauty Easy Bake Powder Puff Duo
– Powder Blush: Makeup by Mario F2 Dual-Ended Powder Brush
– Powder Bronzer: Morphe X Ariel A21 Setting & Bronzing Brush
– Eyeshadow: Morphe X Ariel Signature eyes 8-Piece Brush Set
– Eyeliner: Sephora Collection PRO Eye Liner Brush #22
– Highlighter: Morphe X Ariel A22 Blush Brush
I have a big event coming up, how should I prepare to look my absolute best?
As we touched on, your makeup is only as good as the canvas it is placed on. This means that in order to achieve the most flawless makeup application for your next party or major life event, you MUST focus on your skin.
1. Hone in on your skincare routine. Myself, along with all of the providers at Racquel Aesthetics. can help you formulate your individualized RFA routine. You can also take the online Skin Quiz to build your perfect routine from home. Click here to take the Skin Quiz now!
2. Love an advanced treatment? Me too! Starting a skin resurfacing series at least 3 months prior to your event is game changing. The laser specialists at RA can help you choose the perfect device for your skin type: SkinPen, Sylfirm, Moxi, CoolPeel, Deep CO2.
3. Get the Botox! Your makeup sits FLAWLESSLY when the canvas beneath it is as smooth as possible. We want to avoid that makeup sitting in creases and cracks, particularly in the forehead and crow’s feet.
4. Hydrafacial and Dermaplane 24 hours prior to your event for the ultimate glow.
How my makeup background benefits me as an aesthetic injector:
My passion for makeup has complimented my career as an aesthetic injector in so many ways. The greatest strength gleaned from makeup artistry is my understanding of lights and shadows and how they impact the overall aesthetic picture. Makeup has taught me that small, intentional enhancements can have the biggest impact– a philosophy that I carry with me into every treatment. This allows me to create individualized treatment plans that enhance natural features and remain cohesive and harmonious.
If you’d like to continue to learn more about the beauty industry, you can find me on Instagram @avaleclare where I share all things injectables, makeup, hair, and self-care. You can also book a consultation with me to start on your injectable journey by calling Racquel Aesthetics & Wellness at (314) 200-2334.
XO,
Ava
