Condensing Your Kit. By Olivia Kay Makeup Artist

Condensing Your Kit.      By Olivia Kay Makeup Artist

Have you ever had to lug your makeup kit up a flight of stairs? Or had to park 10 blocks away and roll a heavy case through uneven ground , mud and other unpleasant things? Have you struggled trying to load your kit in and out of your car?

That's probably a sign it's time to condense and downsize your makeup kit! Trust me I have been there so I know the task can sound tedious, but its really not so bad and in the long run saves you a lot of energy and trouble. I am going to give you some tips in how to break down your kit so you don't break your back.

#1 Depotting
You can start to save some space by a term we artists like to call "Depotting". You've probably heard the word before, But its actually a very useful trick. 

Take your product out of its original packaging and decant it or "depot" it into a smaller bottle or palette. make sure to lable it so you know what it is when you go to reach for it. There are a lot of different ways to depot your makeup which we can talk about later.

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#2.Pack for the Job
Its easy to panic and pack everything"just in case!) in your kit when you get called out to a job. But slow that roll for just a minute, take a deep breathe and get all the facts from the client or whoever is booking you. Ask questions-
-How many people will need my service?
-what type of makeup look is being asked of me?
-Is there pictures of the client so I can see skin type and texture?
The key is to be prepared and have the items you need and nothing you don't for that particular client who is siting in your chair. If the client is wanting a clean beauty look you do not need to bring your stock of sparkles and bright eyeshadows. If you know you have 5 bridesmaids that get eyelashes bring 5-6 pairs. Do not bring 25 dozen lashes.Its just extra wasted space.
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This is my kit, Fully stocked with everything I need to do any kind of job.
#3 Learn Color Theory
Now,- I get it! we are all makeup junkies and have a penchant for buying 50 different shades of red lipsticks. But just imagine carrying all those tubes of lipsticks in your kit.. By using Color Theory you can make many different shades by adding and subtracting the right colors,And in turn cut down on the amount of products you are carrying in your makeup kit.

Understanding Color Principles will not only save you extra space in your case-It gives you a more comprehensive way to understand skin undertones.It also gives you effective solutions to correct skin discoloration challenges which then leads to a more balanced makeup look.
Lets go back to Depotting for a moment. In my kit I like to use clear compartmentalised cases for things like lipsticks, Cream foundations, and Cream pigments. They can also be handy to carry color pencils, Tools( i.e Tweezers and scissors) and gel eyeliners. The ones I use are called Vueset and you can find them on line at Backstage cosmetics http://backstage-cosmetics-inc.myshopify.com/ 
​They have different types of Vueset with bigger or smaller compartments.
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You can also get small squeeze bottles to fill with liquid foundation, makeup remover,water,alcohol and moisturizer. Don't forget to label the bottles!
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For my pressed eye shadows and other pressed powder items I like to use Zpalettes or other magnetized cases that lock the pan of the shadow down onto the case so it doesn't move around. 
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Remember if you can downsize larger bottles to smaller bottles and transfer single eye shadows to one palette. You have already taken a big step towards a smaller lighter more manageable makeup kit. I noticed a big Improvement in what and How I packed when I started doing these things. Not only have I saved myself a sore back But I have actually pushed myself to explore artistically with color and texture and beauty by using what I have on hand. I hope this will help you as much as it has helped me!

If you have any ideas or questions on ways to condense your kit let me know!
Article from http://www.oliviakaymakeupartist.com/blog/condensing-your-kit-what-to-carry-and-what-not-to-carry
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