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BEFORE I WRITE MY WHOLE PARAGRAPH OF MY BACKGROUND STORY, ILL JUST ASK THE QUESTION BEFOREHAND, IN CASE PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO HEAR THE WHOLE STORY AND JUST WANT TO GIVE ADVICE:
WHY DOES MY MAKEUP LOOK SO CAKEY, IVE TRIED DIFFERENT SHADES ON AND ALL THE COUNTER REPS ALWAYS TELL ME THAT I HAVE THE RIGHT SHADE (MAC nc 42 - medium mineralize/MUFE HD 155), BUT SOMEHOW EITHER WHEN I PUT ON THE POWDER OR JUST THE FOUNDATION I LOOK PASTY/gray, ESPECIALLY AROUND MY CHIN AREA! HELPPPPPP! I NEED TO AVOID THAT FOR A WEDDING THAT IS COMING UP IN 3 DAYS! <3**
hey guys!
this is my first post on GS! My name is Sobia and I’ve been a silent member for a while now. I started to take interest in this website when i was planning my wedding, and recently have returned due to my new found love in makeup. I also would like to credit a poster named Gina, who i feel seems to respond to everyone’s queries, and has ample amount of knowledge. She’s pretty much the reason why I finally activated my account! 
(I’ve sent her a private message, but along with her, i’d love any advice you all have.)
So, my skin is pretty clear, im not fair but im not super dark, but more on the dusky side. I usually only need concealer for my under-eye circles. I began wearing and purchasing several different shades of foundation a while back because I honestly just wanted to look flawless, but moreover FAIRER. I thought i achieved that through putting on a shade lighter foundation. However, after tons of wrong foundations, mom’s heavy criticism, a recap on my own pictures, and tons of picture/makeup research to see which look im going for ---- i’ve realized that in reality I was fooling myself. I wasn’t looking fairer, i was just looking gray. That is also because i thought i didn’t need blush, contouring, or highlighting. These three techniques, I literally just learned two weeks ago. Before, my face would look like a flat face with just one gray color.
Now the issue is i have been back and forth to MAC (only because it’s the popular thing to do) and have bought anything and everything that they have recommended. So, most of the things you might suggest, i probably already have, and probably dont know how to use. Like, i just learned i was supposed to put a powder on after foundation to set it.
in MAC I’m supposedly at nc42 and used to be a nc43 in studio tech. I have mineralizing powder which is in medium and i also have a dark one, which now helps me to contour. However, im sure I could put that to better use, if i learn how to highlight my face. So, after reading tons of posts, i noticed that Gina kept mentioning to try MUFE HD, and that i did. I drove out 1.5 hours and purchased it and the lady swore that my complexion suited 155 in mufe hd. And, i tried it on just to practice at home yesterday, instead of what i usually do, which is to experiment with makeup the hour before an event. Anyhow, it looks really nice in pictures, and in certain lighting it looked nice too, well, at least my husband said so. But, in a darker light setting the cakey/pasty-ness came out again, and i’m not sure what’s going on. I used moisturizer, mac prep and prime, blended foundation really well, set it with medium mac mineralize powder, topped it off with highlighting, contouring, and blush.
Basically, I just want to look nice, warm skintoned, not gray, glowy, dewy, flawless, DID I MENTION GLOWY. lol, i guess my priorities were different before (like looking fairer), now it’s just to get a flawless finish with a glowy, dewy and gold look. PLEASE HELP! what can i do? is 155 the right shade for me? Should i avoid powder? Do i need the type of foundation i have? Do i need to mix two different shades?
I want the Malaika Arora meets kim kardashian look. Highlight with glow look.
ALSO, ALSO, ALSOOOO — i have purchased nc42 studio tech as well as mufe hd 155 at the same time…i applied both to half of my face, and they kinda looked the same on me…is it smart to keep both or should i just keep one? Is there a reason i should keep a backup, or color distinction that would be a smart choice for me have it?
Thanks soooo muchhhhh!!! Im sorry for the long readdd! This wedding is in 3 days and i want to look amazing. Here are a few pictures of what im going for. And, also gold tones look better on me, so i feel i am a warm in makeup.
A few pics of me to help understand and pics of malaika:
You have permission…this will be interesting.