QC Academy Review x Ollie Girl Makeup Guard Card Giveaway!!!!

QC Academy Review x Ollie Girl Makeup Guard Card Giveaway!!!!

Hello my loves!

As most of you know, I revealed at the beginning of the year that I am taking makeup artistry classes. (YAY!) In addition to makeup artistry, I am also taking fashion styling classes (double YAY!).  So far my experience has been absolutely fabulous.

After seeing what was available in the DMV area and online I decided to enroll at QC Academy.  From the QC Academy site:

QC Career School is an international distance education school offering courses to students all across the globe. We have thousands of graduates making lucrative livings as makeup artists, event & wedding planners, design professionals, travel consultants, and published authors.

Throughout our 25 years of successful business, we've striven to continually build on and improve our curricula, ensuring that our courses are kept up to date and current. We want your education to meet the ever changing and demanding expectations of today's work place. Our goal is to fully prepare you to work as a professional in your chosen field."

And that they do!  At QC all of your course work is accessible through their website.  The online educational environment allows you to complete courses in your own time at your own pace. With access to a ton of resources in cosmetics and fashion along with their professional personal tutors, course DVD's, course materials and student center, they absolutely have your fashion and makeup education covered!

The enrollment process is straightforward.  I enrolled in the Master Makeup Artistry + Fashion Styling Course, paid my money and in about a week, I had my course materials.  Along with the course booklets, extra reading material and guides, were a fabulous makeup kit and a fashion styling kit!  Look at my haul!
 

Makeup brush sets, concealer palette, lipsticks, blushes, and 88 color eyeshadow palette!

Tools of every fashion stylist!

I am absolutely loving the coursework. You learn about the tools of the trade; sanitary practices, contouring/highlighting, basic makeup application, daytime looks, evening looks, high fashion looks and techniques, and fantasy makeup (which is soooooo fun!).  You also get discounts at cosmetic companies like Inglot! If you are interested in taking classes in fashion styling, makeup artistry or any of the numerous courses they offer (from interior design to event planning) check them out here at www.qccareerschool.com

With all that said, with my coursework I will be doing more makeup tutorials and...drumroll...outfits of the day (cringe).  Yes, I can not believe it either...I was talking cash money about other *older* bloggers that do it...and now look.  *Sigh*  However, this is what I have to do to build a better blog and hopefully style and makeup clients...for money!

So my first step is to finally reveal...my makeup collection.  Now if you are looking for pristine well organized collections, you are in the wrong place. (Mind you this is my personal stash not my professional stash)  I use my cosmetics...fully!  Without further ado, Nicole's Cosmetic Collection!

First off I had to show you my late 70's early 80's vanity mirror.  And I love it!  I bought it for $2.96 at the Goodwill.  I always feel a little like Sharon Stone in Casino when I use this.

e.l.f, MAC, Essence of Beauty, Coastal Scents, L.A Colors...yes, I have it all.

Makeup Brushes and Eye Liners.

More makeup.

Not as many polishes but they're there.

Miscellaneous lipsticks, powders, Mattify Cosmetics, mascara and a box cutter...just incase you have to cut somebody. 

As you can see my collection spans from Dollar Store, to drug store to department store to MAC. From dollar L.A Colors to $10 L'Oreal to $40 Mac to $80 Dior...I have had and used it all.  Now with all of my solid training from QC Academy, let me share with you my personal must haves:

1) Brushes: Quality brushes are the tools of the trade and are the end all and be all of all flawless makeup application.  The brush set I received from QC Academy are marvelous.  My personal brushes include MAC brushes, e.l.f brushes, ecoTool brushes and a few drugstore brand brushes.  My absolute fav, hands down is, of course, the MAC brushes.  MAC hands down has every brush you could ever want and will last you for years. Close second, e.l.f and ecoTools brushes.  I have had the ecoTool brushes for years and they have been through a ton of punishment.  Yet they are still as soft as when I first purchased them, minimal shedding and easy to use.  I have just recently bought e.l.f brushes (mainly because I have caught a few a the Dollar Tree!) and they are a good low cost option.

2) Mattify Powder: for oily skin Mattify Powder is the answer!  It can be used as a primer AND a setting powder.  I swear by this product.  I have extremely oily skin...the running joke between my father and I is we sweat olive oil.  Yeah, it's that serious. When I first received Mattify (click here http://www.iheartretailtherapy.com/2013/09/product-review-and-giveaway-mattify.html to read the full review) I was absolutely blown away how it kept the shine at bay.  Furthermore, as a setting or finishing powder it really leaves a flawless, poreless airbrushed look.  It is an absolute must have for my makeup case.

3) Concealer: self explanatory.  For acne, blemishes, redness, hyperpigmentation, basically any flaw concealer can help.

4) Makeup Miser: The lovely people sent me the Makeup Misers, like...last year.  It is a spatula shaped tool designed to help you get every last drop of your makeup and toiletries. It is a really phenomenal tool, but I had a hard time creating a full blog post around it.  What would I say?  This is a simple easy to use tool and works? I would have a better time tweeting it.  However, with my makeup artistry training I have a fuller understanding of exactly how useful this tool is.  In addition to getting full use out of my products for clients it will help me ensure sanitary practices for my clients!  Love it!  I will do a post for Makeup Miser soon.  Check out Makeup Miser tools here http://www.makeupmiser.com/

4) Liners: Gel, pencil, liquid, powder, cake, whatever, you rarely see any look from day to evening to fantasy without some sort of eyeliner.

5) The Ollie Girl Makeup Guard Card: Yes!  This is a wonderful product to have.  Yes, I love makeup and have been applying eyeliner for a long time...however, liquid liner still gives me a bit of trouble.  Furthermore, perfecting looks like this: 

you need the utmost precision! Really this Ollie Girl Makeup Guard Card needs its own blog post to extol all of its virtues, but the blog post would be incredibly short.  It would read: this is a great must have product, it will help you create flawless applications, and it works!  Again, I would have an easier time tweeting that. So instead of writing a short blog post, I am going to do full eyeshadow tutorials using the Makeup Guard Card!  Make sure you check back for that.  If you want to check out Ollie Girls Makeup Guard Card for yourself click here http://www.olliegirl.com/.

Here are just some of the many ways to use the Makeup Guard Card:

For eyeshadow application

For eyeliner application

Now without further ado, the giveaway!  I am giving away one Ollie Girl Makeup Guard Card!  YAY!  Entry is easy!  All you have to do is like I HEART Retail Therapy's Facebook Page!  If you are already a fan, no worries,  simply click the link on Rafflecopter to get an entry! For an extra chance to win follow I HEART Retail Therapy on Instagram!  Make sure you complete the tasks through the Rafflecopter widget below to get credit!  Contest ends March 21st at 11:59pm!  Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway As always, Happy Shopping!

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