Q&A with Makeup Artist Mandy Davis

HEY THERE FRIENDS! Today I am back with the second installment of my blogging collaboration with the talented Mandy Davis [see my makeup before and after here] and I rounded up a few hot topics for a fun question and answer sessions with one of Nashville’s top makeup artists. Hoping these tips and tricks will help a few of you with some guidance, too!

One || Why do you apply your eye makeup first? 
I always apply eye makeup first because I don’t want to have to worry about messing up my foundation and concealer with any fallout that may have occurred during the eyeshadow application. It is much easier to do the eye makeup first and then wipe away the fallout with a makeup wipe before starting face makeup than having to redo concealer and wasting product.

Two || What’s your Favorite drugstore beauty item and why?
My all time favorite drugstore product is Loreal Infallible Pro Matte Foundation. It is SUPER comparable to the original Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation. It is very lightweight but will cover anything and everything you hope for it to cover. And if you feel it is too heavy, try mixing in a drop of facial oil and then apply…works wonders!

Three || What’s the one beauty item you cannot live without?
The one beauty item I cannot live without is my Dior Diorshow Lash Maximizer Mascara Primer. It makes your lashes twice the length and volume as when you started and helps save money on false lashes. I ALWAYS have a backup for fear of running out and not being able to use it; even for one day.

Four || If you could only choose one brand of makeup, what would it be and why?
This is such a hard question because I love so many different brands for so many different reasons. I wouldn’t say I am particularly loyal to one brand, because one brand has a better bronzer than another and one excels in foundations etc. But if I had to choose I would have to say MAC. It is one brand where I can go and get every single item that I would need to do a full face of makeup and be assured that I am purchasing good quality items. They cater to the professional as well as the consumer and really do know their stuff when it comes to makeup.

Five || Where do you see yourself in five years? This answer changes by the week it seems but the one constant is that I still very much want to be integrated in the makeup industry. I would love to eventually have my own studio where I have various artists working to make multiple women a day feel beautiful. It has also always been a dream of mine to be involved in product production. The possibilities are endless; I am just so thankful and blessed to wake up every day knowing I am going to do something I LOVE to do!

Six || What kind of makeup brushes do you use, how often do you wash them, and what do you use to clean them?
I am a self professed makeup brush hoarder and I LOVE to try new brands, expensive brands, affordable brands, etc. I don’t have one solid line I like the best but I do recommend a few. My favorite more high end brushes are by far by It Cosmetics. They are above and beyond the softest and most well made brushes I have found. My favorites of the line are the wand ball brush (for powder and bronzer application) and the blush brush. My favorite affordable brush line is Real Techniques. This line can be found at Ulta and Wal Mart and they are very comparable to a lot of the more expensive brushes on the market. My faves in that line are the blush brush (which I actually use for bronzer), the contour brush and anything from their duo fibre line. And I can’t answer this question without giving an honorable mention to the VERY luxurious Wayne Goss brushes that can be found at beautylish.com. If you want to feel like a REAL makeup connoisseur, splurge on one of these fine brushes and brush across your face all day…trust me you won’t want to stop if you start!
As far as cleaning my brushes, I am very practical. There are a ton of cleaners out there that claim to be the best with a $20 price tag, but quite honestly, Dr. Bronners Bar Soap, that can be found in the natural section of your local Kroger is my preferred choice. The whole Dr. Bronners line is very natural and contains oils that help condition your brushes while cleaning. I use this to deep clean my brushes every two weeks, and I spot clean the eye brushes especially every time I use them with my favorite spot cleanser…Cinema Secrets Professional Brush Cleanser.

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