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January 30, 2009
One of my favorite subjects, Eyelashes!
Whether you want to keep it natural or are going for the drama, lashes play a huge role on helping you achieve a sexy put together look. Mascara will help you define the eyes and make them stand out, but only when applied properly, so here are a few tips on how to do it the right way:
First curl your lashes with an eyelash curler, holding it for about 10 seconds. I like to start at the very root of the lashes, then repeat the step in the middle and again closer to the tips. This way you can get a really curvy curl!
Mascara: looking down if possible gently lift the lid and begin applying at the outside of your eye, then move towards the nose
Be sure to apply mascara close to the base of the lashes. This will ensure that the curl stays longer. Try and separate the lashes as you go, you don’t want those ugly clumps!
Make sure you wipe any smudges right away before it dries. But if mascara dries on your skin, use a q-tip to clean it up with a little makeup remover or lotion.
Don’t forget the lower lashes, angling the wand will make it easier to get all of them.
Choose the look you are going for: If you want to go for a more natural look 1 or 2 coats will do. You can skip the lower lashes. If going for a more dramatic look you will need 3 coats for impact.
No time for curling your lashes? skip the eyelash curler and use your fingers to push the lashes upward while the mascara is drying..it works every time!
January 28, 2009
I have asked several older women what is the secret to beautiful healthy skin, and they all agree on one thing and one thing only: “Never, never sleep with makeup”; and even though cosmetics and beauty products have improved over time it only makes sense to want to remove makeup before going to bed.
Night time is when our bodies regenerate and heal, so why not help this natural cycle by doing the right thing?
When wearing makeup, sometimes is necessary to cleanse using a multi-step process. So start with a makeup remover or cream to disolve as much makeup as possible (avoid the eye area)
Be mindful of the skin around your eyes, as it is especially delicate and can be irritated easily. There are makeup removers specially formulated for this area. I use Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup remover. Damp a cotton ball in the product and gently swipe it around your closed eye. This step is particularly helpful if you wear lots of mascara, waterproof eyeliner and even faux lashes.
Apply Cleanser to the entire face. With the cleanser of your choice massage the product into your skin with an upward and circular motion. Don’t forget your neck and chin.
Last rinse your face and eyes with lukewarm water, but never use HOT water!
Gently pat dry and moisturize with a nightcream. My favorite is Positively Ageless Night Cream with Shiitake Mushrooms by Aveeno, which is rich and it absorbs quickly so you don’t get that feeling of been “buttered up”.
January 26, 2009
Thinking winter getaway? Check out the reviews on this 10 picks!
I don’t know about you, but when I travel I like to have everything I am going to need available in my carry on. What I don’t like is to have to check my bag and waste time retrieving it when I arrive to my destionation. But we all know that is going to happen due to the strict security meassures the airports have. Fortunatelly, we don’t have to compromise beauty thanks to all the options available out there, just think smaller!
1_The portable refresher spray: this cooling spritz will refresh you and wake you up, even when you are in desperate need of caffeine. (Dove Go Fresh Body Mist, $3.79 in drug stores)
2_The spill-proof scent: This adorable limited edition ring flips open to reveal a solid dab-on floral fragrance. (Daisy Mark Jacobs Solid Fragrance Ring, $30, Sephora.com)
3_The easy breath freshener: Whip out one of these babies after lunch and everyone will want a packet. They’re tiny, so you can carry enough to share this mint flavored floss. (Crest Glide Deep Clean Floss to Go, $3.99 drugstores)
4_The Get-Glossy Hair Conditioner: Finally-the cult favorite in a travel size. It deep-conditions hair without weighing it down. (Terax Crema Ultra Moisturizing Conditioner, $9, beauty.com)
5_The SPF Foundation: No matter how much you sweat, this pure mineral makeup won’t clog your pores. An extra benefit: The zinc oxide and titanium dioxide it’s made with are natural sunblocks. (Susan Posnik ColorFlo Mineral Foundation, $64, beauty.com)
6_The Mega-Moisturizing Body Wash: These body washes and in-shower moisturizers leave your skin so ridiculously soft, there is no need for body lotion-just sunscreen. (Ted Gibson Body Series Travel Kit. $42, sephora.com)
7_The Serious Style Smoother: Whether you need to tame frizz, glossify your waves or add a few curls, this teeny hot iron can make it happen. (Metropolis Technology L-ion Mini Wireless Iron, $149.95, metropolistechnology.com)
8_The Sun Protector: You’ll breeze through security with these one-ounce tubes of Coola SPF. (Coola SPF 30 Face and Total Body, $1.99 each, coolasuncare.com)
9_The two-in-one Tooth Brightener: This genius double-sided pen by Tarte contains BriteSmile whitening potion on one end and a just-right red lip gloss on the flip side. (Tarte/BriteSmile Enbrightenmint, $26, Sephora.com)
10_The Emergency Makeup Kit: never leave home without this kit of essentials-eye cream, lip shine, lip and cheek tint, and concealer. (Benefit Justine Case, $30, sephora.com)
January 24, 2009
When it comes to eyeshadow I can never have enough: enough colors, variety and textures. I like to have some in press powder, loose powder and cream.
Variety is important when you are trying to achieve different looks; for example if you want to go with a really dramatic smokey eye a powder eyeshadow works best. But if you are going for a more natural look, a cream shadow will do. Also a mineral powder eyeshadow will give you a more natural look, since they are not as thick and heavy as other powders.
All different brands offer different things. If you look close in the aisles of a drugstore you will notice that some brands are more “daring” while others stay more on the “conservative” side. I personally like lots of bright colors, shimmery and even glittery shadows, but even I sometimes feel like keeping it on the classier side!
I have been considering switching some of my eyeshadows to mineral (I only use mineral foundation) but I found that the colors were very basic and just plain boring! Last week I went to a store and I notice a new product line by Almay, called Pure Blends, they also have Almay Pure Blends Foundation to round off the selection.
My first thought was “great, another boring mineral cosmetic line”. But as I started looking more closely I was taking aback by the colors. I thought they were beautiful, classic and sophisticated.
It comes in 10 shades and the colors are sheer and luminous, and It contains a blend of antioxidand fruit and flower extracts such as Lotus, Orchid and Acai. The box is also cute and it’s made of 58% recycled materials, a nice eco-friendy touch.
It’s also paraben free and it contains no talc, wich is great if you have a tendency to get dry eyelids after using makeup.
It also notice that it stays on nicely for at least 7 hours without reapplying. I have to say that I am happy with this product, I have it in 2 colors so far and I think I will be buying more in the not so distant future.
January 22, 2009
Having a “bad-beauty day”? don’t worry..you are not alone!
Everyone, even the most beautiful supermodel had the occasional bad day, when her eyes look puffy, her skin looks discolored and the breakouts are so obvious!
Fortunately there are several things we can do to improve this look, so follow this easy steps and see yourself in a whole different light:
Add moisture: When the skin is dehydrated it looks older and less alive, so drink plenty of water and use a rich moisturizer to help plump up the skin and make it look softer and smoother.
Avoid full makeup: let you skin breath! avoid applying makeup that day in an attempt to “cover it up”. Just use a bit of concealer and a tinted moisturizer, or mix your regular moisturizer with a bit of self- tanner.
Curl you eyelashes: this will open up the eyes and make you look less tired, but do not apply lots of eye makeup and stay away from dark colors that can close up the eye and make them look more tired. Stick with light shadow on the lids a little mascara.
Fake a bake: to enliven shallow looking skin apply a light coat of self-tanner, gel or bronzer powder. Follow with pink blush application. This will give you that healthy look of “rosy cheeks”
Add lip gloss: it will revive a dry, tired-looking mouth. Stick with sheer gloss on a shade same as your natural lip color or add a little pink.
If you still feel like you are not at your best use a large pair of sunglasses and a baseball hat, it works! If you don’t believe me pick up a magazine and look at all the celebrities rocking this look.
January 20, 2009
Your body is your skin too!
When talking about skin care our mind automatically thinks about the face, but lets not forget that this organ cover our entire body! So we should think about taking care of all of it..body as well as face. The needs of our skin change with every season: in the summer we have to protect it with sunscreens and sunblock, fall and spring we should moisturize it and protect it as well.
But there is nothing worst than the cold harsh winters for the health or our skin. The weather conditions alone play a huge role on the drying and flaking, not to mention the dry heat from air conditioners. Let’s face it, in this time of the year we are all going to experience dryness, and sometime even itchiness (I know I do) but there are things that can be done to minimize the damage and try to retain moisture as much as possible.
I just live by this two simple steps: exfoliate and moisturize, you can never go wrong! There is a variety of exfoliating scrubs, but I recently discovered one that works either on wet or dry skin: Green Tea Reviltalize Renewing Body Scrub by Elizabeth Arden . I use it on the shower followed by Neutrogena Sheer Body Oil, wich helps to retain moisture.
After towel drying I moisturize with my favorite body lotion, but since we all have different skin types and needs I leave the choice up to you. Keeping our skin soft and fresh takes work, and weather you choose natural skin care products or go with the new market trends, we need all the help we can get!
January 18, 2009
Special makeup effects turn imagination into a career
When it comes to special makeup effects, the fantastic must meld with the realistic, creating fantastical worlds that have all the edge of reality. Whether your doing special makeup effects for a movie, a theater production or a Hollywood-theme party, you want the result to not only look like it’s leaped from a horror movie or a comic book, but to maintain a hint of realism that keeps us believing in the make-believe.
Learning how to do special effects with makeup can be both an exciting and a fulfilling career. It’s a job that thrives on creativity, turning imaginations into real assets that create magical worlds of fantasy. Like any craft, it relies on several standard techniques that once mastered can turn anyone you’d like, from your friends to your production cast, into realistic images of your imagination.
Creating realistic bruises are a great way to begin to hone a talent for special effects. Clean the area with rubbing alcohol, patting it dry. Take nose or scar wax, being careful to touch it as little as possible as oils from your skin will gum up its quality, and apply to the “bruised” area, blending it to form the shape of a bruise with possible scar tissue. Add makeup to conceal the presence of the putty, and then coloration to make the wound realistic.
Age can be added to someone’s face by simply drawing lines with a makeup pencil or brush. A sponge can be used to create stubble or liver spots, and extra lines should be added around the mouth and the eyes to enhance the technique. This is a great trick to try on your friends just for fun, getting good practice and a good laugh when you see how old everyone can look.
Prosthetics can be created from foam or latex into any kind of creature or facial shape. They can be applied with adhesive which is then covered up with makeup. Practice on your friends, as the more you work to form prosthetics, the better you’ll be. Learning to make your own parts from foam and latex is an important skill in the special effects business, as it allows you to virtually make just about anything, and you are only truly limited by your imagination.
Learn to play with special makeup and have fun. The more experience you get, the more apt you will be to solve creative dilemmas that may take place on a set. The key is creating a world of fantasy that still has a realistic feel. With all the various tools and techniques available in the field, the creativity is limitless.
January 17, 2009
Choosing the perfect makeup for the perfect wedding day
When it’s your big wedding day, you dream of looking like a princess blossoming into becoming a queen. All eyes will be on you, and you’ve been dreaming of this big day for your entire life. You need to be flawlessly perfect, from your gorgeous dress to stylish shoes to that pair of earrings that capture the twinkle of the sun when you smile.
But preparing your face for this big event can be a little daunting. However, finding your own wedding makeup blend should be fun and creative. This is your day to look enchanted!
Never put your wedding makeup off until the last minute. With all the responsibilities of planning a wedding, from choosing a caterer to selecting the flowers to finding that perfect dress that makes you look strikingly beautiful, it’s often easy to save the makeup until last, working with different applications the day of the wedding in a vain attempt to make it perfect.
The problem is that your bridal makeup should involve a bit of discovery, a way of taking your usual and making it extraordinary. This takes a little play and experimentation. It’s best to try a number of different makeup blends, ideally a day or two before the wedding. Invite your bridesmaids and make it a fun, bonding experience that you and your friends will remember for the rest of your lives.
Also, make sure the makeup application will last. Your wedding is a big day, both in importance and in length. You need to look beautiful from the moment you walk down the alley until that late night dance when the music is rocking and everyone else is too. You need the makeup to last against time, against tears, against the extraordinary wonder of the night itself.
Know what you want to look like. This is your big day, so the possibilities are endless. Study your favorite fashion magazines, keep up on the looks of your favorite stars. Clip samples of your favorite makeup styles and share them with your makeup artist. The more you can tell him or her about what you want, the better they can stylize your desires into a beautiful reality.
Look great on your big day, from the style of your hair to the glow of your dress to the cosmetics shades making your face shine like royalty. Put thought and care into the shades and colors you desire. The more your makeup artist knows how you’ve always dreamed of looking when you walk down that aisle, the more shining your reality will match your ideals on your absolutely perfect day.
January 16, 2009
Get Urban, Get Hip with Urban Decay
Are you sick of prissy makeup? Does the color pink remind you of sorority days you wished never crawled out of the wastebasket? Are you tired of the blossoms and butterflies and the typical pretty colors most of the cosmetics brands tote just to get your attention?
Then you need a good dose of Urban Decay. Developed for the alternative girl who values her individuality, this makeup leaves the prissy girl image at the door. When the cosmetics land was first launched in 1996, it featured an ad campaign asking, “Does pink make you puke?” If that isn’t classic enough, the makeup line features such tantalizing colors as Roach, Rust, Acid Rain, Smog and Oil Slick. How cool is that?
Urban Decay cosmetics are feminine, yet not prissy, dangerous, but fun. It’s the ultimate beauty with an edge, perfect with a black pair of boots that look downright sacrilegious, classically sculpted to bring your skater punk, Goth girl, and raver chick all out for a night on the town. This makeup is hip, stylish with a hint of wit, goes great with black and looks even better against a kaleidoscope of tattoos.
This makeup sets the trend. It’s beauty that’s unusual, slick but hip, styling yet never shy. It’s a cosmetics line for the individual, the girl who wants to stand out and be herself against the crowd, a woman unconcerned with fitting in or looking like everyone else.
Their best selling Midnight Cowboy Heavy Metal Eyeshadow is perfect for finding that partner in crime. It’s ideal for just giving a hint of zany color, or turning up the volume for a full-blown psyched out laser light show.
Their Big Fatty Colored Mascara is perfect for blowing smoke in their eyes like you don’t even care. It’s extra thickening powers make any evening a hazed out wonderland. Turquoise colors give plain eyes a psychedelic jolt, turning any evening out on the town into its own music video.
 Urban Decay Makeup Best of all, the makeup line is entirely cruelty free. You can be beautiful and hip without worrying that some poor bunny rabbit suffered just so you could look good. Plus, for you vegan animal lovers out there, the cosmetics brand features a special vegan line, so you can enjoy makeup resting assured no animals were bothered in the process. Live gently, beautifully and never feel guilty for the animals again!
If you are tired of the same old makeup lines, Urban Decay will make you stand out in a crowd. Makeup should be hip, not prissy. Step out on the town with your individuality intact and downright beautiful.
January 15, 2009
Using cosmetics that naturally heal our skin
When we choose to use natural, organic makeup, we choose to care for the health of our bodies. Natural cosmetics and skin care go hand in hand. Makeup should not only make us look beautiful, it should enhance the health of our skin, keeping it soft and supple, protected against age and parching.
Not all makeup brands are the same. Many contain harsh synthetics and petroleum that are unnatural for our skin. Though they may make us look good for an evening on the town, they are silently and secretly poisoning our flesh, making us old before our time. Some contain harsh dyes. Others contain common allergens that may make our faces break out into a constellation of pimples.
But we have a choice. Choose natural cosmetics, and skin care will be a beneficial side effect. Mineral cosmetics contain natural minerals from the earth which work to heal our skin and protect it against the natural ravaging effects of age. Cosmetics heavy in minerals are ideal for sensitive skin, as well as for concealing redness and blemishes. Deep Sea Cosmetics even contain the minerals of the Dead Sea, known for thousands of years for its healing benefits.
Natural cosmetics penetrate deep within our skin with healing properties. They work to not only firm the body, but safeguard against age, wrinkles and stretch marks. When we care for our skin at the same time we are making ourselves beautiful, we are preserving beauty and protecting our health in the process.
Makeup can be naturally enhanced with herbs that work to cleanse and heal the essence of your skin. Lavander helps to normalize skin type and improve cell regeneration and healing. Patchouli is a natural at reducing redness. Cedarwood is ideal at easing skin eruptions and itchiness. Green tea extract is ideal at reducing eye puffiness, and is a great natural additive to eyeliner.
Above all, choose a makeup that is free of parabens, perfumes, dyes, and synthetic oils. Research the brand and make sure it has never been tested on animals. If you are a practicing vegan, you might want to research which brands are not made from animal products so that your makeup doesn’t conflict with your beliefs.
We use cosmetics to look beautiful, but if we are going to continue to look gorgeous, we need to have healthy skin. Taking care of our skin begins with our cosmetics. Use natural herbal blends that not only bring out your color but heal blemishes and dryness as well.
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