Paige Padgett
Image Paige Padgett

Green makeup artist Paige Padgett is not only an expert in makeup and beauty, but also eco-living and incorporating green living with beauty.

"I believe in pretty, not parabens," says Padgett on her website. "I believe in olive oil, not mineral oil. I believe in high performance without the environmental price."

She's the founder of her eponymous green beauty website, Paigepadgett.com, and a Green Beauty Expert for DailyGlow.com and jillianmichaels.com. What's more, she's been featured in a wide array of publications including Shape, Elle, GenLux, Beautyblitz.com, Tresdope.com, The Los Angeles Times, Vegetarian Times, Natural Health and Whole Life Times Magazine.

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Padgett spoke to Latin Times about her favorite products, tips, how to combat skin discoloration, how to pick the perfect foundation and more. Read her interview here:

1. What products are always in your makeup kit?
I always have a liquid eyeliner for a quick cat eye for the evening and a punchy pink lipstick or gloss.

2. What's your best drugstore/budget beauty product secret?
Physicians formula Organic Wear Bronzer: This is hands down the best bang-for-your-buck where bronzers are concerned. If money is not an issue, then Egyptian Magic is also a great drug store buy. It's pricey but worth it because it is such a versatile product to have in your bag.

3. Do you have amazing tips to share with women?
Use a concealer that is 1-2 shades lighter than your foundation to bring light to the center of your face to give you that lit-from-within look. Blend it under the eyes, around the nose and down the nasal folds and around the mouth. Blend well. Use a brightening powder to set it -- I like yellow for medium to medium-dark skin tones and orange for dark skin tones. And be sure to stay away from white. It can make you look sallow.

4. Any tips for masking skin discoloration?
Skin discoloration from melasma or acne can be concealed with a thick concealer that matches your skin tone. Apply the concealer only where you need it and pat it onto the skin. Follow up with a translucent powder. Use only enough to set the concealer to give it an airbrushed look.

5. Do you prefer a red lip or smoky eye?
It really depends on the girl and the outfit. Is it edgy or urban? Classic or period? Clothes aside, I say play up your better feature. Latina women tend to wear red with such confidence, which is the key to pulling off any look. If you have a signature look, stick with it, but keep it updated, modern and fresh.

6. Any makeup trends that need to be gone now?
I could go on and on with this question. I have many beauty pet peeves: pencil thin eyebrows, obvious and hard lip liner, too heavy false lashes and unblended makeup are my top offenders. Pink eyeshadow should probably die as well. If executed well, it looks chic, but most often it looks sickly.

7. Who is your beauty icon?
Sohpia Lauren and Bridgett Bardot are my two beauty icons, and my contemporary beauty icon is Salma Hyak.

8. What is the best beauty advice you have ever received?
It sounds so cliché, but it's true: sleep. Women look better when they are well rested. Also, rubbing an ice cube over your face before you put on makeup will give you a natural glow and tighten your pores. Do this before you go out in the evening, as it is an instant confidence booster because your skin will glow.

9. What is the best way to match foundation?
Place three swipes of foundation on your cheek. The one that fades into you skin color is your best match. It's also the one you won't really see when you stand back a bit because it will match the best. I prefer warmer tones on most skin. Latin women look great in caramel and toffee tones.

10. What makeup problems do you think Latinas face and what are some solutions?

Latina women often do not think they need sunscreen because they have darker skin but that's not true. They can still get skin cancer. According to the American Medical Assocaition, skin cancer is on the rise among black and Hispanic women. All women need sunscreen.

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I advocate using natural sunscreens without nanoparticles. Natural sunscreens are tricky with darker skin because they tend to look look white or ash on your skin. Look for formulas that are light and dry quickly but are also made without titanium dioxide or zinc. Blend them well, and give them a minute to soak into the skin. You can also try a powdered mineral sunscreen with color to warm up the skin. Using a light dusting of bronzer over sunscreen will also do the trick.

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