Cute Makeup Tips

Spring is here, which means warmer days are upon us.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that, for me and many others just like me, allergy season is in full swing.  It's tough to look cute when your eyes are blood shot, your nose is constantly running, and everything itches.  For me, all the sneezing and wiping of my nose leads to dried out, messed up lips.  For the past week, I've had this terrible scaly patch on my upper lip.  Sexy.
Thankfully, Neutrogena's got my back. They've introduced a new line of lip balm, Revitalizing Lip Balm, to provide lips with instant beauty and long-term benefits. Made up of essential ion-mineral conductors, the ion2complex works in tandem with the product’s existing moisturizers to create a positive electric micro-current, instantly giving lips a fuller, more defined look. Available in six shades, Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm SPF 20 instantly moisturizes and protects lips from the sun’s damaging rays to restore lip’s natural beauty while the product’s formula works over time to improve texture and restore the look of rosiness. 
Here are some additional deets:

• SPF 20 protection 
• Clinically proven to: 
• Help improve lip’s texture in one week 
• Help restore lip’s rosiness in one week 
• Instantly moisturize lips, leaving them looking fuller and more defined 
• Available Shades: Sheer Shimmer, Healthy Blush, Sunny Berry, Petal Glow, Soft Caramel, Fresh Plum 
• Retail Price: $8.99/0.15 oz 

I've been using this all week, and I really like the Sunny Berry shade. It's feels lightweight but also nurishing, and it lasts a good long time. The only down side is that I keep it on my desk at work and the tube looks a little bit like a flash drive. Ha!

 So far, I'm liking this lip balm, and that little dry patch seems to be going away. Thank god!

What is it? Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 is formulated with an array of ingredients that nourish and protect the lips. Sugar, a natural humectant, ensures long-lasting moisture while hydrating meadowfoam and black currant seed oils condition the lips. It is further enriched with antioxidant-rich vitamins to defend against wrinkle-causing free radicals and provides year-round protection from damaging UV rays. The versatile formula allows for buildable coverage to customize a sheer or rich hue and is the perfect partner to the bestselling Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15. Available in three shades (and clear) at Sephora for $22.50.


What did you think? If you're a beauty insider at Sephora, you'll get two small tubes of Fresh Sugar lip treatments for your birthday: the clear version and Rose, a lightly tinted version.  Both feel great going on and last a while (always a plus!).

While I like the clear version, I prefer the tinted lip treatment.  The color is very pretty and easy to wear, and when I wear it, I feel like I'm just wearing lip balm...not a heavy lip color.  I can swipe the tinted lip treatment on with little effort and look very put together.  I like that!

My only complaint is how the tubes open.  You have to twist the base, which always makes me worry that I'm raising the product with the cap still on (I'm not...but it feels weird).  Other than that, I really like this product and plan to buy a full size when my birthday freebie runs out. 


Final verdict?  This is a pricey product, but for once, I think it's worth it.  The color options are great for everyday use--they're subtle but flattering (perfect for a day at the office), and there's a shade for everyone.  It feels light but moisturizing and is much more fun than a tube of Chap Stick!

Wow.  I still can't believe that 2011 is almost over and that the holidays are here. If you're still working on your wish list, here are five things to consider:

Clinique's Black Honey Glow ($28.50): I  have had a pretty long-term love affair with Clinique's Black Honey.  I use it on my lips at least a few times each week, so it's no surprise that I love this kit.  You get mascara, blush, lipgloss, and an eyeshadow duo....everything you need for the perfect face.  And the shades are going to rock and be very flattering...it IS Black Honey, after all!

mark On the Dot Natural Eye Color Compact ($15): finding the perfect eyeshadow shades is an on-going quest for me.  I like a wide range of neutrals to play with (to dress up or dress down, as my mood or the occasion dictates). This compact includes 9 of mark's best sellers, so getting the right look will be a snap!

Sephora by OPI Glimmer Wonderland 18-Piece Mini Nail Colour Set ($48): this is the perfect gift set if you're like me and you paint your nails every week. For the cost of a few mani's you can get 18 different colors to play with.  The shades included range from fun and flirty to classic.  I bet you'd be happy to get this under your tree!  

Rembrandt Deeply White 2 Hour Kit (about $22): white teeth are always in, and this is the perfect addition to your beauty routine this season. The Deeply White 2 Hour Whitening Kit is a fast, enamel-safe way to whiten your smile in just two hours.  I've spent a ton of money (and time) on dental work in 2011, so making my teeth look great is high on my list as of late. Head over to the Rembrandt website for deets...and for a coupon!
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BirchBox (amounts vary; you can get a year for $110): this is the gift that keeps on giving!  Every month, you'll get a lovely little box filled with high end beauty samples.  I gave myself this and look forward to what's inside every month.  You can also buy products from their website and get discounts on featured products.  You never know what you'll find with this!

If you're wasting time on facebook, you should check this out, from Sephora:

 
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

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