Beauty Blog

It’s common for me to hear “hurry up!” or “are you ready yet?” before going out on an escapade of some sort. I feel I am always being rushed: all women are usually on the go! With our professional and personal lives, not to mention our complex love lives, time is precious and cannot be wasted. We must go out in the real world and not spend so much time on prepping ourselves for it. Especially when it comes to our makeup. As subtle as I want to wear my makeup, it still takes many minutes of struggling to apply my eyeshadow.

Check out some tips from Jason, cosmetology instructor extraordinaire. He gives me quick and easy steps for creating a glam look with only 3 main colors in about 3 quick minutes.

1. Start with eyeshadow base or primer (I sometimes use concealer). This will prevent shadows from creasing on the lids. Not only does primer make the eyeshadow last longer, but it also makes the shadow appear more bold and true to the color.
2. Next, cover the eyes with an eyeshadow that is close to your skin tone and apply all over the lids.
3. Find and darken your crease to create more depth on your lids (the wider strokes over the crease with a dark shadow creates a more dramatic effect).
4. Find your brow bone; use shimmer or lightest shadow and highlight the brow bone (this makes your eyes stand out more and accentuates the brows).
5. Also, try using the crease color and sweeping it under the eye for a smokey look.
6. Step back and admire your work!
7. Don’t forget to line your eyes and lush your lashes with mascara!

Get creative with your chosen colors! Just remember you need a shimmery light for the brows, a dark bold for the crease, and a neutral for all over lid color. Too much color and boldness of shadow can look tacky, so do not over do it!

You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. ~ Mark Twain

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/pumpkincat210/3336793227

I am fair skinned, have allergies, and don’t get as much sleep as I should. The dark circles under my eyes are a huge problem. I have spent hundreds of dollars on various creams with no results. Concealer works to a point, but if you aren’t very careful you can end up with bright white circles around your eyes. If money is no object, you can get Restylane injections under your eyes, but because the skin there is so thin, the chance of weird side effects is great–some women get lumps and bumps around their eyes that can last for a YEAR! Eek! So what can we do? Is there any hope?

For people who aren’t sure why they have dark circles, he recommends topical products that contain a plumping agent or alphahydroxy acids, which can thicken the skin, or vitamins C and K, which can inflame skin and add volume.

But considering the glut of products on the market with a variety of active ingredients, Dr. Persing said, “If there are that many of them available, that usually means they’re not terribly successful.” (read more)

image: bloggerbase

Personally I am a big fan of crimson lips! Not every girl can pull them off, but it’s the one thing I have always managed to pull off, ever since high school. It’s what I do when I want to feel strong and beautiful. The look takes more than a little moxy to pull off, especially if you have fairly plump lips like me, but when done correctly the look is classic.

Don’t go too dark lest you cross the line into Chola-ville and be sure to blend, blend, blend if you use a lipliner. I think strong lips should be paired with polished hair to look super sleek.

Example, let’s critique the cougars featured above:

Courtney Cox - the beach hair and oily skin, cancel out the power of red lips. She would have been better served with gloss or a nude lip here.

Madonna - Cougar hotness. She has always been one of my fave “Crimson lipped Divas”

Jennifer Lopez - Not digging it, her color and heavy eye makeup don’t mesh with the deep shade of red. She looks better sporting her signature nude lip look.

(Photos are sourced from Beauty Snob Blog )

In the land of Smarter Beauty Blogs!

• Smarter BeautyWriter Jeanie Kwak shares her beauty tips on How to Get Rid of Dark Circles! 
• Want to know how to keep your Face Fresh while toning up your body? Check out the post “Botox Injection Parties?! Read more at InnerRewards.com” 
• WARNING! - The following is the stuff of nightmares - Check out “EYEBALL TATTOOS” 

Now that the holidays are nigh, a girl should have a few tricks to stave off the haggard, puffy look that is sure to surface due to late nights, overindulgence and all out revelry. I have one trick that I recently learned and it’s done wonders on how I look. Really, I don’t know how I survived this long without knowing this trick, it would’ve saved me a lot of embarrassment and agony.

Now, let me ask you a question: what is your go-to concealer when it comes to dark circles? I use a lot of concealers, and though I really love some, this (see pic below) has changed how I approach concealing them.

Tarte’s The Eraser Concealor is great, because it is orange-based. And that is the simple but effective trick. Orange cancels out purples and blues. If you’ve ever taken an art or painting class, you will know this to be true. Yellow-based concealers, when covering dark circles, turn gray. Yellow neutralizes redness and so does green-based concealers Tarte’s The Eraser also contains good for your skin ingredients such as safflower oil, arnica flower extract, cucumber extract, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. (Arnica is an herb that is used for soothing inflammation, skin bruises).

Now, here is another secret: I also use a industry strength concealor that is not normally found in beauty stores. I use a specialized theater make-up called Ben Nye. Only their concealor,of course, and I spot treat — I don’t use the full make-up on my face.

The great thing about Ben Nye is that the make-up is specifically mixed to be cover dark circles, tattoos, bruises, etc. It is stage and movie make-up so a light hand is needed. And boy, does it cover! They have an orange-based concealor line called Mellow Orange that is specifically mixed for dark circles. Check out this link: Ben Nye.Make sure to look at their complete color wheel line and description before purchasing.

Also, check out this great video how-to I found on You-tube. It is really helpful…

YouTube - Watch How to Cover Dark Circles - Makeup Tips and Tricks