Prepping the face for makeup:Start off with cleansing and moisturizing the face. Try using a moisturizer with a sunscreen in it. Foundation loaded with tints and SPF's are great, and save a lot of time. Use a mattifying lotion if you tend to be oily. Groom and check your brows, preferably in natural light and don't forget to pluck away those strays!
It's all about the Brows!:Brows should be natural looking and flowing, They should look uniform, not boxed and uneven!
Begin by plucking the brow from the inside, close to the nose. Draw an imaginary line from the tear duct up to the brow. This is where the brow should begin. Anything in front of that line should be plucked.
To find the arch,find the center of the pupil and draw an imaginary line diagonally up, just a bit. That's the arch.
Use your imaginary line to follow the diagonal up from the outer corner of the eye. That is where the brow should end. It shouldn't extend past the outer corner of your eye!
With an eyebrow brush, comber, or even a toothbrush, brush the hairs straight up. If any hairs don't fall back into place, use a small pair of brow or mustache trimming scissors and cut them to even the hair out. Look for stray hairs around the brow, underneath and over, and pluck them out.
If there are any areas that are sparse, fill them in. There are many different types of brow fillers available, ie; liquid, pencil, powder with setting agent. Choose whichever is best for you and easiest. The color you choose should be lighter, by a bit, than your hair color. REMEMBER, less is more!
Use a clear mascara or gel to keep the brow in place....even a bit of hairspray works, too!
Skin Glow!....Radiance!....Ahhhhh!:
Radiant skin is one of the most essentials to beauty. When skin appears flawless, everything else radiates! Even if you have issues with your complexion, you can still achieve that radiating luminous glow by using the right products.
Oily Skin
- If you have an oily complexion, use a toner or primer to even out your complexion and apply a liquid foundation or tint. Apply sparingly to face and follow with a translucent powder. (Colored powders tend to line and streak when applied to oily skin.) If you want to create that natural glow, don't apply powder the tops of the cheekbones. Stay away from cream to powder foundations as they are prone to smudging and discoloring during the day when mixed with your skin's natural oils.
- If you want to apply a powder shimmer after your foundation, apply a light dusting on top of your cheekbone sparingly....using a fan brush is best!
- Carry blotting papers (they absorb the oils) with you for touch ups throughout the day.
Dry Skin
- For dry skin, start by applying a luminizing/glowing face primer all over to eliminate dry patches. Follow with a liquid or cream foundation....powders create dry and cakey looking skin. Blend well, even over your eyelids, into the hairline (not the hair!) and a little down the neck. Then use a pink-toned concealer under the eyes and a foundation-shade concealer on trouble spots.
- Secondly, apply a cream shimmer in a highlighting shade like pale pink, bronze or pale gold on top of the cheekbones (STILA has a wonderful one). For Mature skin, be sure to avoid putting shimmer near lines around the eyes as they tend build up into your lines and make you appear older.
- Sweep a sheer translucent powder on the t-zone. This will leave your cheeks looking dewy fresh. You can dust a little powder across the eyelids; too much powder around the eye area looks cakey. A light touch will set makeup prevent eye makeup from running.
Combination or Problem Skin
For combination or problem skin, apply a primer as your first step and use liquid foundations that contain natural ingredients and that are paraben-free.
This type of formula looks great and stays put all day.
For blemishes, I like to spot treat/conceal rather than cover the entire face with foundation that can clog your pores. For spot concealing use a small concealer brush and dip it into a little bit of concealer. Dab onto the spot and lightly blend with the brush. For ladies with rosacea try blending on a bit of yellow or green hued concealer after foundation to eliminate any redness.
Alluring Eyes...OH MY!
Bring out your enticing, captivating beauty by enhancing your eyes. Whether your eyes are small or big, round, narrow, or deep set, all eyes will be on you when you give them a bit of GLAM!
- Always apply a highlight shade under the eyebrow and in the tear duct area. This creates at an open, bright-eyed look. Younger women can choose shadows or creams with shimmer; older women should stick with sheer, matte colors like vanilla. Highlight shades include: light pink, white, vanilla, gold, iridescent, and champagne.
- For a natural day look, don't overdo it before moving to eyeliner. For a little more definition or an evening look, apply an eye shadow shade across the lid and a slightly darker one in the crease. Blend well; you want the colors to blend into one another not see stripes!
- Apply a dark liner to the upper lash line of the eyes. You can use a pencil, shadow, or liquid depending your desired effect. Liner enhances your lash line to frame the eyes. The closer to the lash line, the more natural the effect.
- Mascara is a must on top lashes. If you tend to smudge the lower area when applying, skip it underneath. Curling lashes first makes a huge difference on straight lashes. Curled lashes=more drama.
- When choosing colors, use shades opposite your eye color. Contrast really makes the eyes stand out.
- Don't overdo it. If you are doing a strong or bright lip, use minimal eye makeup. For a classic look, apply the highlight shade, a taupe shadow across the lid, a dark line along the lashes and finish with mascara.
- For a sexy, smokey** look on larger eyes, rim the inside with a black pencil.
- When using cream shadows apply only on the lid and not into the crease so the color does not become a creasy, greasy mess.
- Splurge on brushes. Blending is so important when using eye shadows and having good brushes makes all the difference. I buy some of my faves at art supply stores as well as makeup shops. If loose shadow falls under the eye when you are applying shadow, wipe away with a sponge dipped in a little foundation. It's the perfect eraser
**NOTE: Smokey eyes are not just done up in black or gray colors, they can be achieved with most colors...Smokey eyes are a technique, not the color used!
Sensuous Lips!
When to use lip stains: Only use lip stains when your lips are perfectly smooth and you don't have lines around the mouth. To get smooth lips, buff lips with a toothbrush dipped in a little water and sugar. Never rub too hard and always follow with a light balm before the stain.
Achieve that perfect lip line: After applying your lipstick, put a bit of foundation on a concealer brush and follow around your lip line, erasing any smudges....and what do you have: a perfect, pretty pout.
Gloss without all that buildup:Apply a great lipstick and then dab a bit of gloss only on the inside of the fleshy part of the lower lip. All the shine, none of the mess.
High drama: After applying lipstick or gloss, put a touch of white sheer shimmer powder on the dip of the upper lip and right below the lower lip. Great for evening looks.
Luscious Red: To get that perfect red lip, lightly apply a pale flesh colored lip liner. Then rub a red lip stain on the lips. Follow with a moisturizing red lipstick. Dry formulas look cakey; super glossy ones slip right off. Avoid red lip-gloss as it gets messy fast.
Small lips: Avoid wearing dark colors; they make lips look smaller. Do not draw on a big lip with lip liner. Instead choose light or bright shades of lipstick or gloss with shimmer that catches the light for a magnifying effect.
Big lips:Stay away from glossing the whole lip. Apply a little in the center on top and bottom, and then blend with your fingertip across the lips for shine that doesn't overpower your face.
Whiter teeth: Brush teeth with a little baking soda. Then choose lip colors in cool tones for a whiter and brighter smile.
Liner mishaps: Never choose a lip liner darker than your lipstick (sooo 80's). If you like to use liner on the whole lip, use a balm first to avoid chunky, uneven, dry color.
Bleeding lipstick: Line the lips with a pale flesh colored lip liner then fill with a moisture-rich lipstick with staying power. Avoid glosses as they tend to run.
Herbal Treatment
for
Blackheads...
Naturally, but of course!!!
COMING SOON!
