Cute Makeup Tips

 
Many women have a hard time wearing a "red lip"and have avoided this bold look. Here are 5 tips on how to wear a red lip and look gorgeous but not overdone. The holidays is around the corner so ditch the nudes and pinks and go for something bold, sexy and festive! 







There are many types of red: cherry, poppy, crimson, scarlet, ruby and the list goes on...

The trick is to pick the red that is right for your skin tone and hair. A simple way to decide is to look at your skin, if you do not want to bring out the dark circles, stay away from the bluish toned red lipsticks and if you do not want to accentuate the redness of your skin, avoid pinkish toned red lipsticks. Those with thin lips should stay away from darker lipsticks and bold classic ruby reds look great on fair skinned women.





This is the most important part of a gorgeous red lip. Because red is such a bold color, the outline of the lips must be polished and the color has to be evenly distributed. Line your lips with a lip liner shade that is just ever so slightly darker than the lipstick you will sport. You can even fill your lips lightly with the lip liner and blend it into your lips to prime the lips and give the lipstick longer lasting power. 



I recommend using a lip brush or choose a lipstick that has a pointy end so you can precisely fill your lips. When using a brush, apply the lipstick little by little in a few strokes. When not using a lip brush, apply the lipstick in a dabbing motion area by area first to avoid mistakes and then trace the outline of your lips in a smooth motion to fill in any unevenness.





Heavy eye and heavy lip is one of the most common makeup fiasco. Wear neutral, light reflecting eyeshadow that showcases the red lipstick. If you are wearing a matte red lip, try a more shimmery eye shadow and if you are wearing a glossy red lip, choose a matte eyeshadow to balance the look. You are welcome to use liquid black eyeliner and dramatic false eyelashes like Marilyn Monroe because you still want those eyes to pop and compliment the red lip.


A red lipstick deserves a flawless complexion. Blemishes or discolorations draw the attention away from your perfect red lip. This is especially true for any redness on your skin, neutralize these areas with a yellow or green based concealer and then apply the foundation. Once again, avoid shiny skin with glossy red lip or matte skin with matte red lip.

School or work is on a break, time to look fab for Christmas! Here are some glamorous look for the Christmas season. Great for Christmas parties or just to look special every day during the holidays. Time to kick back and be a little creative with yourself this Christmas!









FLAWLESS SKIN

It's Christmas and the snow is falling. Nothing is worse than blemishes, freckles and dark circles on your face. Picture a snow princess or angel, porcelain and pristine. So let's ditch the bronzer and tan for a season!


Tip 1: Use a primer. It'll create the perfect canvas for your face that will help your makeup stay put and fill in pores.
Recommend: Smashbox Studio Fix, Revlon's Au Naturelle Primer

Tip 2: Conceal with a multicolored palette. Don't think that your skin comes in one shade. Our skin has many pigments. Use yellow for dark circles and green for redness.
Recommend: Benefit's multicolored concealer, Lise Watier (available only in Canada), Physician's formula Concealer Sticks. 


Tip 3: Mineral foundation. I know some of you really dread layers and layers of makeup on your face but full coverage doesn't have to be thick coverage. Try a mineral makeup. You buff on as many layers as you want and still feel like you are wearing nothing.
Recommend: Bare Escentuals foundation, Physician's Formula mineral foundation, Revlon's Mineral Makeup

Tip 4: Spray on some natural spring water. This will set your makeup so it will last all day. Believe it or not, having water on your face will make your makeup rather waterproof for those of you living in rainy or snowy places. Plus, it will hydrate your skin for the dry winter. So very multi-functional!



CHEEKS

Brrrrrrrr...it's so cold when you are outside in the snow. But don't you just love those rosy cheeks you get from being outside? That's why I think rosy cheeks will be perfect for the holiday season. Nothing better than naturally glowing cheeks that make you look like you just came back from a snowball fight!



Tip 1: Use one of those shade smart blushes. The ones with microbeads that turn into the perfect blush color for you when you put it on. This will give you the best natural blush ever.
Recommend: Almay Smart Shade blush, Smashbox O-Glow blush.

Tip 2: Apply it in the right areas. Smile and dab it right on those cheeks. Plus, blend blend blend.







EYES

My favorite part. Think gold, silver, green and plum. Just don't mix too many colors together or you might look like a Christmas tree. To make all the difference, remember to wear fake eyelashes.


Gold: The trick is to mix the gold with silver. Never apply gold alone or else it will look unnatural. Put silver on the inner corner of both your upper and lower lid and apply gold on the outer. Blend the two together. For an evening look, mix gold with brown to look sultry.

Silver: Also do not wear alone unless if you have really deep set eyes. Give your eyes some definition or your eyes will look flat like a white piece of paper. Give it some contour with gray or brown where your crease is and bravo, your silver will make you look wide awake for those present opening moments.

Green: Depending on the shade of green you pick, you can achieve different looks. I personally think matte dark green, like a Christmas tree is perfect for Christmas. It can be worn alone or just underneath your crease if you apply a similar matte highlighter on your brow bone. Also, contour those creases with black or brown for a smokey look. For those of you who like lighter green such as lime or forest green, go for a frosty look. Remember frost not glitter. Mix green with gold or silver. If you are a little on the wild side, try mixing it with pink for an edgier look.

Plum: To be used for evening looks. Here's your chance to have smokey eyes and stand out. I love plum and this will be the look I will be rocking most of the holiday season. Matte or shimmer, the possibilities are endless. Use plum with silver and I like to use a black shade on the crease to give my eyes some contour.



LIPS

Marilyn Monroe, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani. What do they all have in common? They are huge fans of red, bold lips. Me too but when I first tried red lips, it looked horrible. After some experimentation, I finally figured out why!




Tip 1: Use a lip liner. Contrary to popular believe, you are not supposed to match your lip liner with your lipstick. Match it with your lips because the point of a lip liner is to accentuate your lips, not your lipstick.

Tip 2: If you have thin lips or if you just want poutier lips, use a gloss on top. This will make the color underneath last longer.

Tip 3: Use one of those long lasting lipstick. One side with color, the other side with gloss. No doubt you will be munching on something throughout the day during the holidays. Nothing more annoying than reapplying every hour.
Recommend: Revlon's Colorstay Lipstick, Mac's Prowear lipstick, Maxfactor's lipstick.

For those with thin lips: apply gloss on top of your red lipstick. The trick is to make them look bigger. Matte red lipstick will shrink your lips, it did to mine.
Recommend: MAC red lipsticks and glosses, Clarin's Joli Rouge (my personal favorite)

For those with full lips: you will look gorgeous in matte red lipstick. It will look classy and elegant.
Recommend: Revlon's Matte collection lipstick (I'm in love with this one), Mac's matte lipstick

Here are ten simple things you can do to prevent and treat acne. Clear, beautiful, acne free skin is a blessing. Genetics play a big part but we can modify what we can control to prevent acne and maintain good skin. One can have acne for years before achieving manageable skin. Here are top 10 ways to maintain clear and acne free skin. For some product recommendations, please visit my post on Acne Product Recommendations.
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1. Clean your face daily with an oil free cleanser
Keeping your face clean is key to having clear skin because it gives the bacteria less chance to grow and clog your pores. Use an oil free cleanser with a small dose of salicylic acid.







2. Exfoliate regularly
Exfoliating your skin with a gentle scrub or glycolic acid help your skin get rid of dead skin cells and generate new ones. This also help keep your pores clear or debris.







3. Use an oil free moisturiser daily
Choose a moisturiser you feel comfortable wearing. For example, use an oil free cream for night time and an oil free gel for day time. For those with acne, choose one with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide in the moisturiser.



4. Deep clean your face at least once a week
Use a deep cleansing, detoxifying or hydrating mask on your face once or twice a week. This really helps to extract all the oil, dirt and debris from you pores that may have accumulated throughout the week. Do not overuse as it may dry out your skin and overwork your sebaceous glands so you may get oilier.






5. Balanced diet with plenty of water
You are what you eat. As cliché as that may sound, the vitamins and minerals from healthy food choices do make a difference in our skin. Drinking plenty of water will give your skin hydration it deserves so that your pores remain unclogged.






6. Wear oil free, non-comedogenic makeup
Your makeup can mask your existing acne but can also make you break out. You may fall into a vicious cycle by masking your acne with acne causing makeup which will cause more acne. Read the labels carefully before purchasing and try the makeup out at the makeup counter, wear it for one day to examine the degree of oiliness on your face and then purchase. Try a mineral based foundation.

7. Watch out for hands, pillows and hair
An average person touches his or her face hundreds of times a day without thinking. Bacteria can easily spread to your face every time your hands touch your face. Clean your pillows often because the bacteria may spread while you sleep. Keep your hair clean and oil free also minimizes the chance for a breakout.






8. Exercise
Exercising helps your body circulate and skin breathe. Do something active 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes can help improve the texture and clarity of your skin.




9. Beauty sleep
It isn't just a meaningless phrase. A good 7-9 hour rest helps you maintain the regular turnover of your skin cells. This also gives acne-fighting ingredients a chance to do its job while the skin is repairing itself.




10. Be patient.
Acne come and go. It can be triggered by genetics, hormones or unhealthy lifestyle. Try your best to avoid picking it as the bacteria may spread to nearby areas and cause more breakouts. Do not blame yourself as multiple factors come into play. Do what you can to prevent it but visit a dermatologist if your acne persists or becomes severe.

There is nothing more sexy than sexy plump lips for all seasons. Not only do full lips make you look sexy, it also symbolizes youth and vitality. Some are naturally blessed with plump lips but others can cheat. Not everyone has 10 minutes everyday to get full lips but here are a variety of tips I have to achieve full, sexy lips. You pick and choose what you want to do!


1. Condition your lips at night and exfoliate with a soft toothbrush or lip exfoliator to get rid of dead skin cells. This will prevent your lips from looking dehydrated and thin.

2. Use a nude lip liner and outline your lips a little past your natural lip line. Blend out the harsh edges after tracing. Try rounding off your cupid`s bow to make your lips appear plumper.

3. For lipsticks, choose a nude and lighter lip stick over a darker lipstick. Just like how dark clothes slim you down, lighter colors will make your lips look fuller and larger while darker colors will make your lips appear thin.

4. When in a hurry, slab on lipgloss instead of lipstick as lipgloss adds shine, dimension, and hydration to your lips.

5. Use a lip plumper such as LipFusion or Lip Venom. Some contain collagen that instantly fill in the lines of your lips to give you a youthful pout.

6. Apply a pearly silver lipgloss or eyeshadow to the centre of your bottom lips and around the cupid`s bow to make your lips reflect light and give off the illusion of pouty lips.

For how to achieve gorgeous red lips. Read my Glamorous Christmas post by clicking here: http://eye4makeup.blogspot.com/2008/12/have-yourself-very-glamorous-christmas.html

I have collected over the years 5 ways to make your eyeshadow stay. These tricks are easy and they work. This has been a very expensive question for me as I have spent an ample amount of time and money to find the best way to keep my eye shadow from creasing and fading for years. After many trials and errors, I can finally say that I barely have any trouble keeping my eye shadow on. Let me share with you my secrets and hope all of you will no longer experience this cosmetic hassle.


1. Prepare a clean oil free base

Create a clean base for your eyeshadow to adhere to. This means having a clean and moisturized skin. Also powder your eyelid area to absorb the excess oil before applying eyeshadow.

2. Use an eyeshadow primer

Using an eyeshadow primer can not only prevent creasing and fading of the eyeshadow but also increase the intensity of the eyeshadow. My favourite high end primer is the Urban Decay Primer Potion and my favourite low end primer is the Elf eyeshadow primer for a fraction of the price. You can also substitute a primer with a good concealer.

3. Use a cream eyeshadow base

Another option is to use a cream eyeshadow base that has almost the same color as your eyeshadow. This allows the powder eyeshadow to adhere to the cream eyeshadow and also makes the eyeshadow appear highly pigmented.

4. Wet your eyeshadow

Using your eyeshadow wet will not only intensify the look but also prolong the wear of the eyeshadow. I like to spray the eyeshadow brush with a fine mist of water or contact lens solution and then dip the brush into the eyeshadow. Do not spray too much liquid or it will not only mess up the eyeshadow in the pan but also your eyeshadow look.

5. Spray water or makeup setting fix

Set your eyeshadow with mineral water, water or a makeup fix like MAC fix plus. This also gives a dewy finish to your skin.

GIRLS, as much as we love the sun, sun damage is no joke. You may not see the visible damage of the harmful UVA and UVB rays now but trust me it is perfectly concealed and will show up in your future. By that time, it may be too late. So let`s list a few simple sun screen rules to follow for these sun shining days.


1. Use a sunscreen whenever you go out

Don`t neglect those cloudy days because around 80% of the rays do penetrate. There can be damaging rays even on the cloudiest days that isn`t visible to the eye. Apply at least an SPF of 15 for cloudy days and SPF 30 for sunny days.


2. Use a broad spectrum sunscreen

This means it blocks both UVA and UVB rays. So do look for sunscreens that target both rays as they both can be damaging


3. Use an oil free or non-greasy formula

The worst thing you want is to look greasy, waxy and white all over. Choose a non-greasy formula that can be easily absorbed into the skin. This will also prevent clogging of pores and breakouts.


4. Reapply often

Even the strongest SPF sunscreen requires constant reapplication. I would recommend reapplying at least once every 1-2 hours depending on the intensity of the rays. Please don`t be lazy. Research also states that an average individual only applies 30% of the effective dose of sunscreen so please apply a generous amount to your body before heading out.


5. Incorporate SPF into your daily skincare routine

Tinted moisturizers are the hype right now and some of them have SPF 30 which is very impressive as it does the trick of 3; moisturizer, light coverage foundation and sunscreen. Other than that, a finishing power or foundation with SPF 15 is sufficient for cloudy days. A moisturizer with an SPF of 30 can also be used during the day time to kill two birds with one stone.

So girls, ready to party because summer is coming up! Clubbing, cocktail parties, dinner parties or just a girl's night out. You name it! Now, don't we all want to come back from the party and have wonderful pictures as memories of that night? How often do we come home only to find a picture of smeared makeup and eyeshadow creases. I AM GUILTY of that haha. Also you don't want to crawl right into bed after the party, a girl's got to take care of herself every night. What about the morning after, I look horrible. So to avoid that, lets talk about a couple of items you need to prepare for that night. So even if you are drunk the night before, at least the morning of your hangover, you've got the glam pictures. No more embarrassment!!

.::Touch ups

So don't we all need to touch up our makeup? Instead of rummaging frantically through out bag to find that little eyeliner, why not pack a palette. I highly recommend the Benefit Cosmetics 10 Palette (1). It includes bronzer, highlighter, lipstick and eyeshadows,

.::Before Hitting the Sack

As much as you do not want to at 4AM, clean your face! Just use wipes such as the Olay Daily Facials Express Wet Cleansing Clothes(2). Don't need a sink and these are pretty affordable for lazy people:)

.::The Morning After

Those eyes. Puffy black eyes the night after. I recommend using cold water to dab on to your eyes for 5-10 minutes. After that use an eyecream to rejuvenate those tired eyes. MAC's Fast Response Eye Cream(3). This sucker works well. Pat on eyes and let it aborb those vitamins! And if that really doesn't work, last resort is a good eye concealer. I suggest The Balm Time Anti-Wrinking Concealer(4) or the Benefit Industrial Concealer which can also work as a wonderful primer at the same time.

.::My Addition

For the party night as well as the day after, you need a good powder to get rid of the oily complexion especially when you party and sweat. My favorite is MAC STUDIO FIX POWDER. Nothing beats that. So bring that along with you at the party and depend on that the day after!


So there you goooo, no more party worries. Just ENJOY your night and the morning after without bringing your entire makeup collection with you!