Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Graftobian review (part 2!)

Graftobian has been around for decades serving artists who specialize in all areas of makeup artistry (beauty makeup, stage/theatrical makeup, movies/television to name a few!). In my opinion, Graftobian should be every makeup artist's go-to store for all makeup-related needs! However, you don't have to be a professional to enjoy Graftobian's many different products. Everything you need (for professional and just-for-fun use) can be found at Graftobian. Here is my first post on Graftobian for reference: Graftobian review- part one!I think it's awesome that Graftobian products are made *in* America, so this is truly an American-made company! Here is a list of some amazing Graftobian products. Just click the
links to find out more information about each product listed!

Lipstick
I have "Hot Pink", and recently purchased from a costume shop around Halloween "Red" and "Red Glitter". All I have to say is the color is opaque and beautiful. It can definitely be sheered down if applied with a lip brush. However, if you're like me and you love opaque lip colors, this is perfect for you. No dryness observed, no bothersome taste/smell. You don't even have to purchase a full stick of color, you
can also choose a cup (lipstick in dish form). You can also purchase palettes of cool and warm shades, speciality shades, and even a lip gloss palette! There is a "Super Lip Palette" available, this palette comes with 18 shades that can be mixed to create your own custom shades. In fact, a few of the shades have been inspired by M.A.C shades! The colors are saturated and beautiful and have very impressive staying power!

Setting Spray
I can't wait to rave about this one, it is the perfect setting to creme/liquid makeup! I held the bottle about 9 inches from my face and closed my eyes and sprayed once. Let it dry for about 30 seconds, sprayed once again, and that was all I needed to keep my makeup fresh! You can spray a few more layers if you would like to (after allowing adequate time to dry, of course) to create an extra strong "barrier" to withstand from humidity and any other possible factor that might get in the way of keeping your makeup perfect for hours! I find that it works best applied like so: first use a regular makeup base, apply your creme/liquid makeup, hold the bottle quite a few inches from your face, close your eyes, spray, let dry, spray another layer, let dry, and that should hold your makeup for hours and hours and hours! I keep this in my makeup bag at all times but in my experience, I have never had to use it more than the initial application because it has never let me down. I highly recommend this!

Luster Cremes/Powder
This stuff is super gorgeous. There are 24 possible shades to choose from. The colors are so beautiful and the creme leaves a slight sheen that is absolutely gorgeous on your lids. After intial application, you can top the creme with the coordinated luster powder and it intensifies the color in the most perfect and flattering way you could possibly think of. You can choose from neutral browns and bronzes, or if you're more daring, you could try bright blues and yellows and pinks and purples! It has very impressive staying power without an eyeshadow primer, but for extra long staying power or if your eyeshadow typically creases after a short time of wear, I would strongly recommend using your regular eyeshadow primer.

Pressed Powder - Blush
Wow, this stuff is PIGMENTED! There are 16 possible shades, I truly believe there is a shade for any and every skin tone! I used my E.L.F Powder Brush (similar to MAC #187) and swirled the brush on top of the blush like I normally would, and even one swirl picked up way too much product so a little bit goes a long way. That is one of the best things about Grafotbian products; only a bit goes a long way. That means tons of saved product, and that's always a plus in these tough economic times! I tried "Sunset Peach" and it brought my very fair neutral complexion to life! I don't think any other blush has ever made my skin look so fresh and radiant using such a small amount of product!

Hi-Def Glamour Creme foundation
I love the fact that Graftobian lists other brands equivalent to make it easier to find your perfect shade! This foundation looks gorgeous in pictures! I have a thyroid condition so I usually have to use a separate concealer on my cheeks to conceal redness associated with a thyroid condition, but words cannot describe how cool (and time-saving) it was for me to actually skip the extra concealer step. This covers wonderfully, and I love the buildable coverage! I highly recommend this creme foundation for anybody who needs light to heavy coverage, I think it's very very buildable!

Hi-Def Glamour Creme Super Palettes
These palettes are wonderful. These are staples for ANY aspiring/established makeup artist, and even for the girl who might need a custom foundation shade! I mixed my "neutral" and "warm" palette in the lightest shade available for a flawlessly perfect match. My sister used my "Warm" palette that held up for hours while she was at a No Doubt concert, and my mom has been regularly using my "Warm" palette as a foundation and using another shade as a concealer. Also, there is a pro-pack available! For $259.56, you can get one each of the available four HD creme palettes! This special deal also comes with a corrector palette! If you are an aspiring/established makeup artist or even somebody who would like to have every foundation shade available from Graftobian's Hi-Def creme foundation line, I highly suggest this special offer!

Cake Eyeliner
Although there are two shades to choose from (brown and black), the number of uses is quite impressive! I imagine that the cake eyeliner would also be a wonderful eye brow filler for brunettes or if used with a light hand (in the brown shade), medium to dark blondes! I like to apply this cake eyeliner wet with an angled brush, allow it time to dry, and then go over the line with a dry angled brush. It keeps the eyeliner in place and you can smudge it a bit with any eye brush with a spongey smudge tip for a natural or slightly smokey look that is always attractive: any place, any time. Also, you can use it to deepen the crease of a smokey brown or grey/black eye. See? I told you it had many uses! :)

Glitter Glam Liquid Sparkle
These are so much fun!!! For some reason, these remind me of the glam rock era and the old once famous club setting of Studio 54 in NYC circa the 1980's. I applied "Blue Blast" over one of my brightest pink lipsticks and added a clear gloss on top and I could not stop staring at my lips! The blue sparkle was beyond mesmerizing. Try it out for yourself, you probably won't be able to stop staring at yourself! I had an idea for a way to wear this, but I have yet to try it out... You could use (or make) your own stencil of a small design (a heart, for example), and then brush the liquid sparkle over the stencil. Hold it there for about 2 minutes, and lift the stencil and make your own awesome glitter temporary "tattoo". I think that sounds pretty cool and I can't wait to try it, maybe it's just the girl in me who loves everything and anything sparkly!

So to sum this entry up, Graftobian is wonderful and highly recommended to ANYBODY who has an interest or career in makeup. It's affordable, and the quality of the products is top-notch!

Check out the online catalog of products to purchase, or find the nearest retailer!

-Ashley

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