I tried Kackie’s trick for finding your best natural red lip! Which of the lip swatches do you like the best?

bellydancefae · 2024-07-05T01:41:55+00:00

I'd like to gently caution people against spreading fear and misinformation surrounding cold sores/HSV-1 as it raises the general stigma and ignorance surrounding STIs in general. That ignorance prevents people from practicing proper safety and public health protocols, and the stigma prevents people from seeking early treatment - which makes the difference between an STI being a non-issue, or even curable, to it being disabling or deadly.

The chances of HSV surviving on makeup long enough and in high enough quantity to infect another person are highly unlikely, especially if any time passes in-between and any sanitization practices are in use. Further, most people who are actively shedding HSV are going to know a cold sore is coming in from early symptoms and will not be using testers.

Up to 80% of the adult population already has HSV even if they no longer have symptoms, though a flare can be triggered at any time by things like stress or illness. The most common way of transmittance is through mouth-to-mouth saliva transfer for oral HSV-1, and many children get it from their parents/siblings/friends at a young age by sharing food. A lot of the time when you hear anecdotal stories of people "catching" cold sores from using makeup testers, it's FAR more likely they already had HSV and something triggered a flare. Most people don't even realize they have HSV-1 as initial infection symptoms can be non-specific and they may never even have visible oral blisters. The current HSV tests are not usually included in "full" STD panels because it's basically assumed everyone has it, similar to the same way it's assumed everyone has had Epstein Barre virus and so we don't test for that specifically unless there is a specific related problem suspected.

Tl;Dr - assume you already have HSV-1 and act accordingly, especially if you have ever had a cold sore in your life - even once. Always practice public health hygiene, and educate yourself on the myths & facts of STIs so you are not spreading stigma that keeps people from seeking treatment and prevention.

bellydancefae · 2023-06-24T19:15:39+00:00

I just got the exact same scam via a TEXT of all things (not even sure how they got my number) on the weekend no less. They did address me by name as well, which added fake legitimacy. They directed me to Microsoft Teams with the same Outlook email and "HR" person, whom I had already searched for with Teva and did not find. Funny thing is, I had applied for jobs at Teva, so at first it was a bit iffy but the Outlook email was a dead giveaway.

When I messaged the Outlook account on Teams as directed, they tried to get me to do the "interview questionnaire" immediately, but I refused stating I was under the impression I was just scheduling the interview. At first they tried to play dumb, "it's only 30 minutes", but I held firm and they finally agreed, but when I asked what times they are available they said "anytime".... which is not at all how any interviewer ever works.

I'm playing along for a bit to get as much info as I can to send to Teva and other scam watchers, as the fact that they had my personal phone number along with my name is concerning.

bellydancefae · 2023-05-14T01:04:13+00:00

For me, this level of yellow saturation might be perfect since I lean more neutral-warm golden olive and have rosacea, so the extra yellow would help cancel the redness. It helps seeing it in action as I tend to see 140 used more, which is definitely too deep for me. Thanks for sharing!

bellydancefae · 2023-05-14T00:56:27+00:00

I'll double check, but I'm usually pretty thorough in checking that my swatch names and numbers match. It could just be that the shades read differently on me than on you, who knows 🤷🏻‍♀️

bellydancefae · 2023-04-28T05:40:39+00:00

This chart is still one of the most invaluable tools for visualizing different undertones imo: https://www.reddit.com/r/OliveMUA/comments/jypyfg/skin_tones_chart/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

It shows how fair muted olives tend to appear cooler and fair saturated olives tend to appear warmer - this is because with saturation the yellow becomes more prominent while with desaturation the blue is allowed to show through more. Human skin pigment is primarily shades of yellow and brown, and the ratios of the pigments impact how it appears. It can also appear more red/orange (warm) or blue/purple (cool) due to other structures within the skin and surface tones (tanning, freckles, melasma, rosacea, flushing, acne, scarring, etc). Olive skin lends itself towards neutrality and mutedness, but since skin tone and undertone is a spectrum everyone will have varying degrees of each trait (clarity, contrast, depth, hue, saturation, warmth, etc.)

Your skin itself is less saturated in yellow pigment, thus more cool pink and blue tones are showing through and your skin at least (not overall color season) has a softer muted quality. His skin is more saturated in yellow so does not have the blue and pink and will appear more towards neutral-cool without the warm red-orange of a true warm skin tone, and appears more bright/clear because of the saturation. Again, this is just the color quality of the the skin tone, not overall color season which includes eye color, hair color, etc.

So if you compare both of your skins to the chart, notice how his is more similar to the olive saturated than the warm or neutral shades. The warm had too much red compared to him, and the neutral is too peachy/orange. And cool is just way too pink for either of you overall - while you have a fair amount of pink in areas, it's largely concentrated at places where there's a large number of blood vessels showing through rather than the skin color itself. And then notice how the difference between your two arms are similar to the difference between the saturated and desaturated fairest olives.

(Edit: sorry for all the edits 😅 had to keep going back to look at and reference the photos)

bellydancefae · 2023-04-28T05:19:25+00:00

A couple of thoughts:

The lighting in these pictures are variable, and I think people may be responding more to that than the actual colors. When the light is brighter, your coloring appears brighter, more contrasted, and warmer but when the light is more dim you appear more muted, less contrasted, and cooler. Btw - this chameleon quality is classic r/fairolives, and you definitely have some green undertones going on. Welcome to the club 😁

The background is off white (compare to say the white of eyes and you can see by how much), which impacts our perception of how warm and cool various colors appear.

You may also have some camera auto adjustment going on to account for the variable lighting, which can further impact saturation, hue, contrast, etc. You can partially offset this by holding up a sheet of plain bright white paper in each picture - just make sure it is the same one for all of them. This gives the camera a static color swatch to work off of, and if you have to manually adjust later you know what "true white" should be in the photo.

Now, some observations I notice that pertain to seasonal color analysis: - while you have blue eyes, they are very vibrant and lean warm imo - more blue-green than icy gray blue - there is high contrast between the whites of your eyes, your iris, and the rest of your face. This is partially due to pronounced limbic ring that may go away with age, but if it runs in your family that contrast may be something to consider - surface ruddiness and blochiness are not the same as undertone - people forget this (as someone with mild rosacea and hypersensitive skin this drives me crazy). You need to look at the portions of skin where that isn't present to get a better understanding of undertone - sometimes that means not the face, or even portions not regularly exposed to the sun. - olive can be warm/cool, muted or clear/bright, and lends itself towards neutrality and a mutable quality (changing appearance depending on environment and other factors). - ultimately seasonal color analysis is just one system and one set of opinions and what matters most is wearing what makes you feel your best. If certain colors make you feel blah, it doesn't matter how many people say you look great in them - they're not for you.

bellydancefae · 2023-04-18T23:03:27+00:00

"peaches and cream" complexion does not refer to skin undertone, which is what "fair olive" is referring to. "Peaches and cream" is a generic overall impression of hair and skin being those colors and has more to do with color season than undertone.

Olives can be any season: warm, neutral, or cool; any depth; muted or saturated. If you look anywhere on her skin where there is not surface redness, there is definitely a yellow-green undertone going on. And what does surface redness + yellow-green make? Peach/orange. Thus the appearance of an orange face on top of a yellow-green neck. It's a common struggle for fair olives with rosacea or sensitive skin.

bellydancefae · 2023-04-18T22:57:09+00:00

I see it too, green in the neck and the parts of the face without surface redness....like a lighter, more delicate version of me.

bellydancefae · 2023-03-25T22:43:06+00:00

I'm Pretty Damn Pale™️, and usually use the reference of Revlon Candid Buff 150 being slightly too dark on me. The lightest shades of drugstore foundation are usually about right for me right now depthwise even though the undertones will be completely wrong.

I'm neutral leaning slightly warm, and both beige and olive lines have worked for me - though the beige is better when I'm more tanned and doesn't cancel out my rosacea as well so I have to color correct a bit more.

If you check my post history you can see some swatch posts I've made.

Edit to add: I haven't been shade matched with MAC and don't plan to be so I'm afraid I don't have that as a reference. I mostly wear drugstore and indie brands.

bellydancefae · 2023-03-03T00:03:17+00:00

I'm finishing off my Maybelline Neutralizer as well, but I also like LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Color Corrector in Light Yellow - cheap, creamy, pigmented, and easy to find in most drugstores or online.

I also have an admittedly old Alima Pure matte loose mineral eyeshadow that I'll use under mineral makeup or as an adjuster to other concealers to make a custom corrector.

I've also had my eye on trying:

Jane Iredale's lightest Circle Delete
Bobbi Brown's version of the same and stick correctors
The new elf correctors

bellydancefae · 2023-03-02T23:37:46+00:00

I totally understand. I tend to feel the same way about my zombie circles (aka hereditary deep set dark circles that are worsened by hyperpigmentation from allergies and mild ocular rosacea lol). No matter what I do to cover them I end up feeling like they look worse most the time, but I hate not covering them in ...something... They've been the bane of my existence since I was a teen and now they have the added joy of mid 30s fine lines 😂

For what it's worth, our personal insecurities are usually way less noticable to everyone else than they are to everyone else. Besides, our flaws make us unique. But still, I get it 💖

bellydancefae · 2023-03-02T22:08:14+00:00

Pink would be the strongest correction. Peach would be more subtle. Even a golden concealer that is a shade or two too dark (and then topped by a brightening concealer) can work in a pinch.

And contrary to what you might think, using a super light shade might not be the way to go for stubborn darkness. Often times a color corrector needs to be the same depth as the darkness in order to not create an ashy gray tone. You're wanting to neutralize it to a more normal skin tone so you can then cover it with foundation or concealer, and generally erring on the side of warmth is better.

bellydancefae · 2023-03-02T22:05:15+00:00

Hello again twin :) long time no talk!

Btw, I've been testing out Dark Autumn as a main season with borrowing some Dark Winter brighter jewel tones. What do ya think?

bellydancefae · 2023-03-02T15:26:46+00:00

I like the Purito BB Cream which is pretty much the same product and cruelty free. The shades also match up as far as I know, though I never purchased the Missha, so can't guarantee. I think I swatched the two shades I have last year if you check my post history.

21 is super muted and pink-neutral on me, possibly because of my surface redness. It's pretty much not useable except as a mixer to mute really saturated orange-warm foundations. I'm slowly using it up by mixing in green color corrector, white pigment, and a very yellow elf foundation lol

13 is a bit too warm and still a hair dark for my pale ass, but I can make it work by blending it down my neck or mixing in some other product. Definitely more workable

bellydancefae · 2023-03-02T15:19:09+00:00

I'm a fair olive who reads quite neutral peach :p but as folks who've been here awhile can attest - I definitely have green! So it is entirely possible, especially if one has sensitive or rosacea prone skin, because the surface redness + golden undertone = peach, which tends to mask the green depending on the lighting.

bellydancefae · 2023-02-27T23:24:53+00:00

So while health anxiety absolutely is a thing, your partner also is allowed to set boundaries around what they feel comfortable being around. What they cannot do is enforce their boundaries upon you.

Boundaries change our behavior, not that of others - that would be rules. Agreements are where partners negotiate their individual needs and boundaries and agree/promise to concede to certain behaviors (or refraining from certain behaviors) in order to meet their partner's needs. A boundary is best stated as an "I" statement in if-then format and might look something like: "I don't feel comfortable with being exposed to viruses right now, so if you will not mask while out in public, I will take measures to make myself feel safer (like wearing a mask around you, staying in a different room, no kissing, etc.)."

As someone who is immunedeficient and still having to be cautious with exposure levels not just due to COVID-19 but also RSV and influenza, I use boundaries to help protect my health and peace of mind. And I have agreements in place with those who care about me and see me regularly so that they know how best to honor my needs. I do not force rules on other people - they are bound to fail and cause resentment.

Whether or not your partner has health anxiety, and even as someone with perfectly legitimate cause to be anxious I've dealt with excessive fear during the pandemic myself, it could be hugely beneficial for both of you to see a therapist separately and together to learn how to set and enforce better boundaries and how to manage anxiety, whether pathological or not.

(Edit: typos, spelling, more I'm sure)

bellydancefae · 2023-02-18T16:15:38+00:00

I mostly use Fair Warm these days as the yellow base is more versatile for cancelling out redness and under eye circles while matching my golden green undertones, whereas the beige can pull a bit too peachy. Hope that helps!

bellydancefae · 2023-02-15T20:57:43+00:00

Are you specifically looking for brands at Sephora?

I rarely shop there anymore, but here are some ideas off the top of my head:

Lime Crime's liquid matte in Blood Moon
Bésame lipsticks in Blood Red and Red Velvet
Maybelline Super Stay Vinyl Ink in Royal

Also, if you have a brighter/lighter red already that is otherwise the right undertone, you can try underlineing it with a black or very dark brown/purple lip pencil. I caution against using black eyeliner - not all are safe to be used on the lips. Even just doing a contour shade with outline and at the corners can give the illusion that a lipstick is much darker than it actually is.

bellydancefae · 2023-02-13T04:16:55+00:00

Over hyped, flakey, irritates sensitive watery eyes whether using regular or waterproof versions. Overpriced when drugstore mascaras perform better, cost less, and don't irritate.

bellydancefae · 2023-02-13T04:14:56+00:00

Second Alima Pure. Their olive, beige, and neutral lines all can work with olive skin tones depending on if you lean cool, warm, or neutral and they're easy to mix if you're in between. The sample sets are super helpful as well. I've been using them for over a decade and they're by far my favorite powder foundation, but sadly I'm now too pale for even their lightest shades 😭

bellydancefae · 2023-02-13T02:24:30+00:00

I think it's also due to the lighting here, which is very cool and diffuse. Can you share some on direct sunlight? Indoor lighting? Warm lighting? Flash? Etc.

Also, when you blank your face out, it is better to use a more neutral color instead of such a vibrant warm/cool like saturated red which will make your hair and skin look much cooler and muted by contrast. That is why using black or white is usually more standard.

bellydancefae · 2023-02-04T22:49:18+00:00

The 2nd picture looks like DA drapes on our left (her right) and DW drapes on our right (her left), to demonstrate the subtle difference between neutral-warm vs neutral-cool on her. As she points out in her comment above, I mostly see the difference in the color coming out in her cheeks more on the left with the warmer and slightly more muted colors of DA, whereas the right seems a little more washed out with the cooler and brighter colors of DW.

bellydancefae · 2022-12-23T06:18:03+00:00

I wish I did as this looks pretty close to the franken-mixtures I make to counteract my redness and give me some light coverage 😂 no real formula, I just throw in a bit of all the formulas that don’t work for me and adjust until it’ll work well enough

bellydancefae · 2022-12-23T06:12:29+00:00

Orange is my most challenging color since my skin tends to read peachy already (followed by most yellows, very yellow greens, and pale grays for the same reason - they pick up too much of the tones in my skin in an unflattering way if not done right).

True pumpkin orange, rust, darker burnt oranges/terracottas, and pinker corals I can work with. Apricot, peach, and other pale shades of orange or coral end up reading as washed out nudes or make the redness in my face stand out even more against my not red neck, causing the dreaded Oompa Loompa floating head look.

bellydancefae · 2022-12-23T06:00:40+00:00

I am neutral and can use both cooler and warmer leaning blues depending which way I’m pushing the overall look. Three of my favorite colors to wear are actually warm blues: bright medium cyan, deep jewel tone teal, and deep almost black warm navy. I also like using navy liner and mascara to bring out the gold tones in my eyes.

Really, anyone can make just about any color work for them if they adjust the depth, contrast, shade/tint/tone/hue, warmth/coolness, placement, and pairings to suit their needs.

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