Friday, June 26, 2009

Summer Time= Waterproof!

If you are one of those women that won't let herself be dunked in the pool for fear that you will emerge with runny mascara and a face full of smeared products then worry no more! I know I know beach and pool make-up can be a bit of a faux pas for our more natural friends, but who cares! There is no reason you can't look fabulous while taking a dip in the water. Here are some tips for staying gorgeous while still enjoying all the fun water sports summer has to offer.

Waterproof Mascara
Waterproof Mascara is a must! Nothing is a bigger give away that those dramatic lashes aren't natural than black smudges running down your face. As I have mentioned earlier, I really like L'Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara. Chances are though that any mascara you love will have a waterproof sister in a similar formula.

Waterproof Pencil
This can actually be used in more ways than you think. Of course there is the most obvious use which is to line eyes for a more dramatic effect, but try using it for other enhancers like filling in eyebrows and highlighting the brow bone.
For eyebrows, use a color close to your natural hair color and fill in eyebrows with light strokes that mimic small hairs. Then use a toothbrush (not the one you brush your teeth with) to blend the strokes and make it more natural. Kid's toothbrushes are best for this since they are smaller and more precise.
For a highlight, use a white or light pink pencil to draw a line on the brow bone. Then smudge with your finger to blend it into skin.

Eyeshadow
For a more natural look you may want to skip this but if you still want the drama then try these tips. You can also use your waterproof pencil for this, but make sure its not fully sharpened. Take your pencil and run it over the flame of a lighter. Test it on your hand to make sure its not too hot and then draw on your eyeshadow, starting at the lash line and blending upwards with your finger.
You can also use a cream eyeshadow but keep in mind that lighter colors are better. If you rub your eyes while emerging from the pool, then cream eyeshadow can smear. Lighter colors make it less noticeable when this happens.

Cheek Stain
Cheeks stain is your best bet for a soft flush. Creams can smear just like with the eyeshadow. Try a stain instead which lasts much longer and won't rub off. Be careful though since stains dry very fast and can take expert timing and application to make sure they are blended in correctly before they set.

Lips
Here is a secret. Cheek stain and lip stain are often similar if not the same formula. Try your cheek stain on your lips. It may just become your new favorite lipstick color.

Foundation
I suggest going without foundation. It will come off in the water anyway and if it doesn't then your product is way to oily and probably clogging your pores. If you have acne and need a little extra coverage then try to spot conceal them. Concealer is usually thicker and more likely to stay put if you aren't rubbing your face a whole bunch.

Now go take a dip in the pool and enjoy all the wonders of summer!

Fun Facts In The History Of Make-Up

#1 In ancient Egypt hair dye was made out of cows blood and tortoiseshell. They also wore face masks made out of crocodile excrement.

#2. The ancient Romans used wine to stain their cheeks and sheep fat and blood for nail polish.

#3. In the Middle Ages, women were so desperate to be pale that they would have someone bleed them.

#4. In The 14th century, people would use egg whites to glaze the skin.

#5. In the 15th and 16th century, many cases of muscle paralysis and other physical problems were a result of arsenic face powders.

#6.
In the 17th and 18th century women started using liquid arsenic on their faces instead of powder. This would cause shedding and women would lose their skin.

#7. In the early 1900's Helena Rubinstein created the first mascara.

#8.
In the 1920's women would have their skin bleached to create the look of the perfect English rose.

#9. Revlon was one of the first companies to really put cosmetics on the fashion map. Instead of launching new colors every year, they launched them every six months. This gave women more options than they ever had before.

#10.
In the 1990's women expected more out of their make-up and the demand started to move away from drug store brands like Revlon and started to move towards make-up artist brands like M.A.C and Bobbi Brown.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Pre-Teen Beauty

I dedicate this to my wonderful nieces Chloe' and Sofia. They are beautiful inside and out and will make amazing women some day.
-Love Aunt Rachel-

This is a blog for girls who are transitioning into their teen years or who are in their early teens. I will share some make-up tips and products that are great for this wonderful time of growth.

Skin Care
The most important thing to start with is skin care. Young skin can be very sensitive and as hormones enter into the picture acne and oily skin can start to become a problem. Here are some hypoallergenic products that a great for sensitive skin.

Face Wash

Cetaphil face wash is perfect for young skin. Its very mild and leaves skin soft and smooth.





Moisturizer

Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 45 Face moisturizer. Its fragrance free and will provide coverage needed to protect skin from the harmful effects of the sun. Its never too early to start taking care of our skin. Mothers please be sure to teach your daughters about the importance of sun protection.







Body Wash

Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash is great for teens who are prone to back and body breakouts. As conditioner is washed out of the hair it runs down the body and creates acne. To prevent this, keep at hair clip in the shower and after conditioning clip hair up so its off of your neck, then wash all over with Neutrogena Body Clear Bodywash.







Make-Up Remover
Neutrogena Make-Up Remover Cleansing Pads are safe for sensitive eye areas and remove waterproof mascara. They are also very gentle and don't leave a sticky residue so theres no need to rinse with water.









Oil Blotters
Keep these in a backpack and use to absorb extra oil that acumulates durring the day.







Make-Up

Its important for young teens to still maintain a natural look while experimenting with application and tecniques. Remember that most of the make-up tips your daugter will learn she picks up by watching you.

Starter Packs
This is a palette by sonia kashuk called How to Create the Freshness of Spring. Its great for pre teens because the colors are very light and youthful. It comes with 3 eyeshadows, 3 lipgloss and a light colored blush. Plus is comes with makeup instructions for how to apply these colors!












This is a really great kit from Bonne Bell cosmetics. Bonne Bell is the perfect brand for pre-teens and teens, offering cosmetics that are deisnged around their needs and looks. This kit comes with two flavored lip gloss and a palette of eyeshadows. I like the Pretty Pinks collection the best since the eyeshadow colors are light and simple.













Eyeshadow

When buying your pre-teen eyeshadow colors, try to keep it simple. Light pastel shimmer colors are best because they are subtle and can be applied from lid to brow bone, so its hard to make a mistake with these.
You also don't have to spend a fortune since you aren't looking for anything too pigmented. Try brands like NYC, Wet n Wild, Bonne Bell, Jane, E.L.F, Almay and covergirl.











Mascara
Make sure that when you buy your pre-teen mascara its waterproof and hypoallergenic. When we first start to wear makeup we haven't learned not to touch and rub our eyes. Try Almay One coat tripple effect waterproof mascara in brown, it's natural looking, only takes on coat and it won't irritate eyes.











Eyebrows
To keep eyebrows tame and in place after brushing and shaping try a clear mascara or eyebrow gel like Ulta Eyebrow Gel.









Concealer
Use Almay Nearly Naked Cover Up Stick for under eyes and Almay Clear Complexion for acne. The Nearly Naked won't cake and apears natural. The Clear Complextion includes acne fighting ingredients to help clear zits while it covers.














Lips
Anything Bonne Bell is great. They come in wonderufl flavors like Vanilla, Strawberry Gelato And Watermelon Sorbet. Try Bonne Bell Lip Lites in Strawberry Gelato for a pretty pink tint.









Tools
Its Important to start learning the basics about makeup application with the propper tools. Eyeshadow Applicators that come with the product are hard to use for blending eyeshadow and can leave a messy effect. To start your brush collection try any make-up brush travel kit from Sonia Kasuk. This line caries many different sets and the quality can't be beat for the price.











Make-Up Storage

It is important to keep make-up organized and together in one place to make it easier to locate products. This also helps keep make-up sanitary and safe from cracking. There are many cosmetic cases from target that come in a variety of sizes and shapes. I like cosmetic bags by Soap and Glory. They are cute, functional and kinda retro.








All of these products are a great starter kit for learning the fundamentals of make-up.
Remember that Beauty is on the inside and that Looks aren't everything.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

10 Bad Beauty Looks

10 common beauty mistakes.


1. Overly Tan Skin
Its leathery, rough and lacks a healthy glow. Be sure to use sun block to protect skin from harmful rays, Sun exposure will increase your chance of wrinkles, rough dry skin, sun spots, sun poisioning, burning, and even skin cancer. If you want a healthy glow then use BRONZER! I just had to include this picture.










2. Overly Plucked Eyebrows
*sigh*. We have all seen it. You know what it looks like and unfortinately its hard to convince them that the "always surprised" or " I stood too close to the fire" look Isn't very sexy. Over plucking of eyebrows was usually intentional by the plucker. Try to know better.

3. Dark Liner with Light Lipstick
Very porn star and not very natural or attractive. I don't even know how this look got started.

4. Female Mustache
O.K I know that you are born with those genes and will always have them, but please wax, bleach, pluck, whatever! cause its not very pretty and yes we can all see it!
yeah um no picture for this one. The close ups are weird.

5. Black drawn on eyebrows
I know that when you get older your eyebrows lighten and thin out but this doesn't help them look any more natural. Try using a dry eyeshadow in a more natural color close to your hair tone.

6. Yellow teeth
Many things can stain teeth. Be sure to pick up some crest white strips or even use a teeth whitening tooth paste and mouth wash. There are millions of products available to fix this problem.

7. Spider Eyes
aahhh! Lashes shouldn't look like your eyeballs have sprouted hairy spider legs. This look is often the result of too many coats of old clumpy mascara. To avoid this, throw out your mascara when it starts to get thick and sticky. Apply just a few coats and use an eyelash brush to separate lashes while they are still slightly wet. Also to increase the life of your mascara don't pump your mascara want in the tube. This will add air into the tube and dry out the product.

8. The foundation Line
This is the clear visible line you see at your jawline where your foundation ends. To avoid this look be sure to use a foundation that matches the skin on your neck. Blend Blend Blend Blend! I can't say it enough. Just Blend.

9. Too much foundation
I know that bad skin can be a hastle and the first reaction is to just pack on the foundation in hopes of covering it up. Cakey foundation will sit in fine lines and give skin a fake texture. Try to use foundation sparingly and fix problems individually with concealer. (please note: maybe your skin is bad because you pack on heavy foundation and the skin can't breath)

10. Too much blush
Blush is used to create a natural youthful flush to the skin. Too much blush makes you look like you just went through hours of strenuous activity... or like a hooker. Both are bad.

Make-Up I can't live without

I will probably do more of these blogs but here are just a couple to start with. These are products a use on myself everyday and love.

L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Waterproof Mascara
My mom always used L'Oreal mascara and thats how I started using it. I have tried all kinds of other mascara and I keep coming back to this one. It really thickens my lashes and doesn't run. Plus you can't beat the price! about $8






Angle Eyeliner Brush from MUD
I use the MUD angled eyeliner brush for so many things...
*I use it to define my eyebrows.
*Apply cake or wet eyeshadow as liner
* add the "wing" to my eyeliner for a cat eye
* create a thin defined crease in my eyeshadow
sorry can't find a picture but check out the Makeup Designory website

L'Oreal Paris eyeshadow Quad #821

I use these colors for so many things. They are really neutral and can create a really beautiful natural look or can be applied for a dark brown smoky look. I also use them for...
*filling in eyebrows
*creating a shadow on my cheekbones
*wet eyeshadow as eyeliner (darkest color)





Tarte Blushing Bride Cheek stain
I love this stuff. It is the perfect color for a natural flush and it lasts much longer than powder.








M.A.C eyeshadow in Orb Satin.

This is a really great peachy pink eyeshadow that can be used in so many ways on the eyes. The color is radient and natural.












L'Oreal Lineur Intense felt tip liquid eyeliner

Ok I know I already have a lot of L'Oreal on here and I never try to push any brand. I just believe in great products. This is just a really great eyeliner. The felt tip on it makes it supper easy to apply and the results are very dramatic.

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Foundation

This is a product review on the MAKE UP FOR EVER HD FOUNDATION.

I had the opportunity to work at the MAKE UP FOR EVER booth at the IMATS this weekend. It was amazing and really gave me the chance to become familiar with their products. As I was leaving work, they gave me a free HD foundation and HD powder. I have always heard good things about this product but never tried it myself. I can honestly say that it is amazing! The blending power and coverage are great and it doesn't feel like I'm wearing a foundation! It looks natural and covers all redness in the skin. The only down side about this product is that it really is best when used with the HD powder or a translucent powder of your choice (I also like MUD's Zero loose powder) since like most liquids it can look kinda dewy when applied.

Medicine Cabinet Beauty Miracles

If you don't already have these items in your medicine cabinet, then here are some beauty related reasons to run out and get them now!

Ba
by Oil
Also comes in Lavender scent.
*Use after shower for extra smooth and moisurized skin!
put into a spray bottle and spray on skin after shower while skin is still damp. Rub in and then pat try with towel
*If you wax at home, then use baby oil to remove extra wax from skin and work area.
*Use baby oil before shaving legs for extra protection from razor irritation and dry skin.
* Apply after doing the dishes while hands are still damp to protect them from the drying effects of dish soap
*Use baby oil with a straight pin to untangle necklaces.
*Use to remove eye makeup and condition eyes. Won't cause burning like other eye make-up removers
* Great for massages! so treat your love to one! or even better, have them treat you to one!



Baby Gel
Great for all above uses but less greasy
*also great to mix with bronzing powder to create a bronzing body moisturizer. ( great way to add a hint of color without the side effects from the sun)






Baby Powder
* Removes oil from greasy hair while restoring volume (best on light colored hair)
* Can be use in between and before mascara to thicken lashes






Visin
e
*Gets the red out of eyes AND zits
* You can mix this with eyeshadow to create a long lasting cake eyeliner





Vas
eline
*Use to remove eye make-up
*Under eye night cream
*Mix with lipstick for a tinted lip balm
*Use with eyeshadow to create a cream eyeshadow.
*Use in places where perfume is applied to make the sent stay on skin longer.

Preparation H

* Great for removing puffiness under eyes. (cream form works best)



Ibup
rofen
*Dissolve in water and apply to zit to reduce swelling

MASCARA DONE RIGHT

This is just a quick little blog on how to get the best results from mascara.

First start by curling eyelashes if you have straight eyelashes that need extra help.
Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed.
For bigger rounder eyes hold the mascara wand horizontal and brush upwards wiggling the wand back and forth a little to add volume and separate lashes. If your mascara makes your eyelashes clumpy, try separating them with a metal eyelash comb. ( plastic ones cant get in between your lashes)







Cat Eyes

For a more cat eye effect hold the wand at a slight angle and brush lashes outwards and up towards the temples. Then add extra mascara to the lashes on the outer corners or apply a few individual false lashes.

Extra Oomph
If you have sparse eyelashes or just want to add more drama, there are two things you can try depending on how sparse they are.

For a little extra oomph. Try using an eyelash primer that thickens lashes and use before and in between coats. There are many brands out there that carry this. You have to experiment with these just like mascaras to find the one that works best on your lashes.

For very sparse lashes. Try using individual eyelashes and place them along the lash line. I will also do a blog on how to apply these but practice really makes perfect.

Remember that changing the angle of your mascara wand can change the look of your lashes.

Good luck!

Quick Tip For White Eyeliner

This is a quick tip I just experimented with and picked up. It makes the whites of eyes look whiter. I like to use this when doing black eyeshadow all over the lid, since that look can kind of close in eyes and make them look smaller. It may take a bit of practice, but just apply carefully.

You are going to need a
white waterproof eye pencil for this look. I really like to use pencils that you can sharpen instead of twist ups, since its easier to keep them sanitary.
A bottle of 91% to 99% alcohol ( Try CVS)
A pencil sharpener

First make sure you spray your pencil and pencil sharpener with the Alcohol.
Next sharpen your pencil and wait a little while for the alcohol to completely evaporate ( about 20 seconds)
Then rub the tip of your pencil on a tissue to dull the tip ( this is for safety since you will be very close to the eyeball)

Now gently use your finger to pull down on your lower lid exposing the waterline( the inner rim of your lower eye above the lashes)
Now to accomplish the look use the white pencil to line the waterline on both eyes.

This will really add light to your eyes and brighten them right up!

For and extra effect try using the white pencil to highlight around the tear ducts. This is really great if you have close set eyes since it can make them look wider.