Useful tips for professional make-up

Perfect make-up for latest fashion trend

2009-04-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

Nude tones have been big news on the catwalks for spring/summer 09 with designers including Chloe, Lanvin, Christopher Kane, Herve Leger by Max Azria and Derek Lam showing nude coloured clothing. How do you get your make-up to flatter such a soft colour? You don't want to go bare faced or you will look completely washed out and too much make-up will contradict with the outfit.

The new nude fashion that is around at the moment has an elegant quality to it and your make-up has to reflect the same. If you try to match your make-up to your outfits you could become a vision of bland instead of striking elegance.

You have a couple of choices here - you can keep your eyes neutral by blending shades of cappuccino, latte and chocolates. Lashings of dark brown mascara will add definition. An apricot flush of colour on the apples of the cheeks adds that needed hint of colour. A soft sheer apricot lip colour will give the look balance.

You can keep your eyes very soft with just a sweep of ivory or honey shadow but then add a splash of colour with a turquoise pencil just on the outer corners of the top lashes. Lashings of dark brown mascara as before. An apricot blush on the apples of the cheeks is the most important accent of colour. And on the lips a creamy honey colour lip gloss.

Follows these tips for a catwalk perfect look.

Natural Quick Beauty Fix

2009-03-31T14:56:00.000-07:00

Super-Glue a Nail

Yes, it sounds crazy, but it works! Instead of tearing off your nail when it breaks, put a tiny dab of Super Glue over the split, and paint a generous layer of your favorite nail polish shade over it. Go for an opaque color such as red, purple or coral to camouflage and seal the crack.

Freeze Your Eyeliner

If the tip of your eyeliner pencil crumbles and smears on your lids, store the liner in the freezer for 15 minutes before you use it so the tip is firm and goes across your skin smoothly. Fool-proof!

Heat up Your Curler

If you have stick-straight lashes, try blasting your metal eyelash curler with a hair dryer for a couple of seconds to heat it up so your lashes bend more easily. And use a waterproof mascara since the formula dries faster and it’ll set the curl more effectively.

Spike Your Lotion With Bronzer

If you don’t have time to book a self-tanning session, mix a few pumps of body bronzer with regular hand lotion and pat it on your legs for a gradual dose of sexy, beachy color!

Make-up money saver

2009-03-20T14:18:00.001-07:00

Need to stop devoting half of your pay to the latest, must-have make-up? We've got a bunch of great ways for you to save without compromising your complexion.

1. Double-enders
The simplest way to save cash and get two products for one is with a double-ended eye pencil. In a nutshell: you get twice the looks at half the price. Easy. Another idea? Use the pencils to shade your lids as eye shadow.

2. Put a lid on it
Obvious but true: always make sure the lids on your favourite mascara or foundation are secure. Why fork out $30 only to have to throw the product out in days? Or worse yet, spill it everywhere and be left cleaning up a make-up mess.

3. Share it
Ask yourself this question: how many times have you actually made it to the bottom of a lipstick or used up a complete eye shadow before getting sick of it and turfing what's left? Think about splitting the cost of cosmetics with a friend and having half each. This tip works especially well with loose shadows and blushers.

4. Multi-task
Smart women know how to make their products work harder. Shimmery shadows can be used as highlighters on the cheeks and brow bones, lip gloss can be dabbed on the lids for a dewy look, lipstick can be used as cream blush, and some concealer on your eyelids can double as a lid primer. The bottom line: look at what you already have before deciding you need something new.

5. Less is more
So your skin is looking pretty good? Then don't feel the need to cover your whole face with foundation. Usually for lucky ladies like yourself, it's mostly just the T-zone you need to apply it to. Likewise, if you feel your skin can skip a primer, doesn't need translucent powder or can go without a setting spray, then don't do it.

Mineral Make-up: Application tips

2009-03-12T17:31:00.001-07:00

With mineral make-up, a little goes a long way.
Because the pigments in most mineral cosmetics are pure and undiluted, they give superior coverage for less (and better value for money. You only need a small amount for decent, natural coverage, so don't overload it!

Use the right tools.
Smooth, even application is crucial. You need to make sure you get just the right amount of powder on your brush and no more! Use a densely-packed brush and dip it well into your powder to get it into the bristles. Tap off the excess, swirl and buff. Remember to build your color up gradually rather than caking it on in one stroke.

Mineral Make-up: Pros and Cons

2009-03-03T15:48:00.000-08:00

What does mineral make-up offer for your skin?
Mineral make-up is purer, lighter in texture and more gentle to the skin. Minerals have anti-inflammatory properties, which have a calming effect on acne, allergies and sensitive skin. Mineral make-up is comedogenic, meaning it doesn’t clog your pores as much as heavier chemical products. Some mineral cosmetics are also suitable for vegans and gluten sensitive types.

What are the downsides?
The powder-heavy formulae can have drying effects and even accentuate wrinkles and lines. Prices vary a great deal, but as a rule you use less product than you would for standard cosmetics, so mineral make-up can give you value for money even if you have to shell out a bit more to start with.

Mineral Make-up

2009-02-26T15:47:00.000-08:00

During these weeks, we will have a mineral make-up series to look into the application techniques, pros and cons and some FAQs.

Mineral cosmetics
There are no regulations governing what can and cannot go in a pot with the word 'mineral' written on it. Like organic and natural products, mineral products may not actually contain any more mineral content than others. At risk of sounding pedantic, it pays to read the label.

Ingredients
Mineral make-up is composed of very finely ground mineral powders from the earth and many of these minerals are also found in ordinary make-up. The ‘purest’ forms of mineral make-up contain no paraben preservatives, fillers, dyes, chemicals, colors, binders, other chemicals and irritants. Watch out for a chemical called bismuth (bismuth oxychloride) too. This is a pearlising agent which can irritate skin and give an unnatural Tango orange glow.

Foundation Preparation for Oily Skin

2009-02-17T13:11:00.001-08:00

With excessive oil secretion, the T-zone always looks shinny and oily, the whole make-up sometimes even cannot last for more than three hours. Follow the steps below to say bye-bye to these embarrassments!

Step 1: Wash away the oil residue before applying foundation
Pay extra attention to the T-zone, and wash the face in a circular motion, because massaging slowly will result in oil secretion. Follow by oil-free toner.

Step 2: Apply oil-control base on T-zone
To avoid a shinny face and to have a long-lasting make up, always apply an oil-control base before foundation.

Step 3: Compact foundation
Compact foundation has a dry texture and it's oil-free, so it's very suitable for oily skin. The other choices are cream type and foundation stick. Finally remember to brush on loose powder because it can absorb extra oil and control oil secretion.

Secret of a long-lasting eyeshadow

2009-02-09T18:33:00.001-08:00

Want your eyeshadow to last all day? Here’s a quick trick to try:

Apply a cream eyeshadow as a base, and then follow up with your favorite dry shadow. Using this layering technique enables your eyeshadow look to last much longer than applying powder shadow alone. And, as an added bonus, this technique intensifies the color. Give it a try next time you have an all day event!

Winter eye make-up Tips

2009-01-22T15:54:00.001-08:00

When the winter chill starts to set in, its very difficult to apply make up. Your mascara might be just a little stiffer coming out of the tube which makes a clean application near impossible. Or perhaps your eyeliner is much harder than usual and doesn’t even seem to leave any color on your eye lid. It’s because the cold of winter can pose a few problems with makeup application. Hopefully, with the following tips, the cold of winter won’t make a difference; you’ll still look your best.

The key to a smooth eyeliner application is to have it be the right temperature. It is so frustrating when eyeliner is too cold and hard, but our body heat has just the right effect on your eye makeup to get it to the perfect temperature without over warming it. If you just stick your eyeliner right next to your hip letting the elastic on your pants hold it to your body, after a few minutes, it will be ready.

The same trick works for your mascara. If mascara is too cold when you are trying to apply it, it is often thick and too many of your lashes will stick together. To avoid this problem, you can use the same technique as used with the eyeliner. Simply allow your body temperature to warm up the mascara.

Never apply mascara without curling the lashes first. To get the best curl from your lashes, you can warm up your eyelash curler. You can use the blow dryer on low heat just for a few seconds, but make sure you test it first with your finger to make sure it’s not too hot since your eye is such a sensitive area.

Choosing Eye Makeup Colors

2009-01-13T15:07:00.000-08:00

A lot of people find putting eye-shadow on is one of the most difficult part of the make-up process. Not only because of the techniques but also which color to choose from. Do you want to find out which makeup colors will bring your eyes into sharp focus? Check below for the best shades:

If your eyes are: Blue Try: Brown and rose. Warm shades contrast the coolness of blue eyes, making them stand out. Apply from lashlines to creases and top with black mascara.

If your eyes are: Brown Try: Green and gold. Both shades will pick up the colored flecks found in brown eyes. Choose a slightly shimmery texture, and apply from lashlines to browbones, blending well.

If your eyes are: Green Try: Lavender and mocha. Purple shades contrast your color, making eyes look dramatic; warmer shades of mocha complement green, giving a natural effect. Wear mocha for day, lavender for night, and top both with brown mascara.

If your eyes are: Hazel Try: Deep green and pale yellow. Depending on your mood, choose a shadow shade that matches different flecks in your eyes. For a twist, apply shadow, then line eyes with the same color, using a liner brush dipped in water.

Anyone-Can-Wear-'Em Shades: Charcoal, chocolate, black. (Tip: Since they can look heavy on the lid, use these colors as liners to complement any shadow hue.)

The perfect lips

2008-11-21T17:40:00.000-08:00

The basic steps:

1. Apply lipstick onto the center of your lips, blending up and out to the lip line working towards the corners.
2. For longer lasting color, gently blot with tissue, reapply lipstick and blot again.
3. For evening, remember to select a lipstick one or two shades deeper than your daytime color.

Creamy tips: Apply a lip balm to lips before applying lipstick.

Matte tips: Apply lipstick then blot gently with tissue.

Sheer tips: Apply lip balm. Gently dot a small amount of neutral color lipstick across lips, then smooth out.

Glossy tips: Apply lipstick then finish with a clear or nuetral color gloss coat for a moist, seductive shine. Remember, the more coats you apply, the more shine so turn up the volume!

Beautiful lashes

2008-11-05T15:47:00.000-08:00

A lot of celebrities share the same make-up tips: never go out without mascara and lipstick. Even if you are not a cosmetics fan, wearing only mascara and lipstick give you a totally refreshing look.

Mascara gives you the power to make your lashes, and therefore your eyes, look fabulous. To help you make the most of your eyelashes, here are some of the very best mascara tips:

- apply mascara in a zig-zag motion to prevent clumps

- use a thin, short brush to give you more control and to enable you to get right into the corners

- don't wait for the first coat to dry if you want to apply a second coat, otherwise you'll get clumps.

- apply mascara at the roots of your eyelashes can creates the illusion of length, don't only apply on the tip of the lashes

- place a little loose powder under the eye before applying mascara to prevent smudging. When accidents happen you can simply wipe it away with facial tissue

- experiment with colors other than black, for instance a purple mascara, can make your eyes look significantly bigger

- use a mascara primer to protect your lashes and make make it look lush

- don't pump your brush in and out of the tube as this fills the bottle with air causing it to dry out much quicker. Put your brush in with a screwing motion

5 steps in 5 minutes

2008-10-22T16:30:00.001-07:00

What can we do in under five minutes to keep our skin looking great? Multi-functional makeup -- that means look for cosmetics that include skin care, sun protection, and aromatherapy that taste good. At the same time, the products need to enhance your features.

1.Use a moisturizer with an SPF. This will allow you to moisturize while protecting your face from the sun.

2. Since very few of us get enough sleep, we need to find that do-it-all concealer. It allows you to cover those dark under-eye circles, as well as treat your eyes to a mini makeover. Apply it with your fingers like an eye cream, while concealing the dark circles. No need to powder.

3. Brightening up the eyes takes a couple of swipes of mascara. Pick one that has curling effect; it is an effective timesaver that goes a long way.

4. Applying bronzer will give you a luxurious glow. Focus on areas where the sun would naturally hit your face (the apples of your cheeks, around the edges of your forehead, a touch on your nose and a touch on your chin).

5. Your lips also need hydrating and attention. Lip gloss not only brings life back to your lips, the ones with yummy flavor are very arousing.

Blush Fading

2008-10-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

As we move about, heat up, cool back down and inadvertently rub our faces, which we do a lot, blush will fade. The best to apply blush is to utilize a three-layer technique.

Preparation: Make sure your skin is completely dry and smooth before you apply blush. If you have any dry patches, exfoliate first, so the blush won't stick to any dry bits of skin.

Avoid the cheek area while moisturizing because moisturizer will only break down the blush color, causing it to fade faster.

A Three-Layer Technique to Resist Fading Blush:

Step 1: Use your fingertips to apply a gel or cream blush to the apple of your cheeks in gentle, circular motions —massaging a small and expanding letter "O" onto each cheek.

Step 2: Puff on a fine layer of nude-colored translucent powder to pat the powder against the cream or gel blush you applied in Step 1. This will set the color and diffuse the tone.

Step 3 Apply powder blush using a flat, fan-shaped blush brush directly over the translucent powder you applied to your cheeks in Step 2. This will subtly heighten the color and set the blush so it will resist fading.

Remember, don't make the mistake of applying too much color. The ideal cosmetic blush mimics your own natural blush. Subtle and diffused is the most flattering.

Use make-up to change your nose

2008-10-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

Of all the body parts that make up the face, it's our nose that causes most problems.

Fortunately, make-up can be used to help improve the appearance of noses of all shapes and sizes.

For a long nose, use a lighter shade on the lower half and a dark foundation on the nostrils, both at the front and underneath.

You can also use a lip brush to extend the corners of your mouth to give your face more favourable proportions.

To slim down a wide nose at the bottom, apply a little dark foundation just above each nostril and blend it into your regular colour.

To narrow your nose at the bridge, dot a little dark base at the top of the nose and at either side of the bridge.

For uneven noses, apply the dark foundation to the bump to disguise the flaw. Applying a line of foundation right down the centre of a nose can also make the nose look straighter.

glominerals gloProtective liquid foundation - Satin - golden - dark

Keeping eyeliner from smudging?

2008-09-26T13:31:00.000-07:00

Eyeliner smudging is pretty much inevitable. The eyes are naturally moist, and moisture along with laughing, blinking, sneezing and rubbing our eyes ruins makeup! What we can do is to make it smudge less.

Avoid using too much moisturizer around the eye; it will travel and convert liner into mush. Try an eye gel instead of eye cream. Look for one that absorbs quickly and be sure to give it a couple of minutes before applying makeup.
Help keep eyeliner in place with this three-layer application technique:

STEP 1 Using a Q-tip, trace a line of neutral-colored matte powder or eye shadow around the circumference of the eye as a base on which you'll place the eyeliner.

STEP 2 Use a pencil liner in your desired shade and dot along the lash line, creating your desired shape.

STEP 3 Use a fine-pointed brush and an eye shadow in the same shade as the pencil you used, trace over the pencil liner, staying within the line you drew with the pencil.

First glance at this Fall Make-up

2008-09-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

Although temperature is getting higher and higher these few days, a lot of brands have already released their 2008 Fall cosmetics. Let’s have a look at the highlights of this Fall Make-up:

Shiseido Maquillage

During this fall Shiseido has British fashion designer Christopher Kane to work with their new cosmetics series. Spotlights are using pearl base, purple, brown and gold color for the eye-shadow; face and lip color will be more natural and shiny.

Bobbi Brown

Theme color is Mauve – the big hit in fashion of this season. The overall style will concentrate on expressing elegance and vintage glamour.

Chanel

Inspired by the country house of Mademoiselle Chanel, chief designer uses Gold as the theme color of 2008 Fall Make-up. This delicate and classy Golden color is presented spectacularly in front of our eyes.

Makeup Trends: What's In, What's Out

2008-08-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

When it comes to beauty this fall, think simple and refined. Hair is soft and natural rather than ultra-styled. Makeup is pared down ‑- less fussy. And super-glossy lips have lost their luster. In a nutshell, too cute is out, and grown-up is in.

In: Naturally shaped brows. Brows should not be overly tweezed or severely shaped. They're in keeping with this season's more natural and subdued looks.
Out: Outrageously arched brows. Brows that are exaggeratedly shaped or overly filled in can appear pretentious.

In: A more matte visage. This season, the idea is to moderate the shine enough to give yourself a refined rather than a childlike look.
Out: A dewy visage. A super-dewy face is so summer.

In: Lighter lashes. One good sheer coat of black or brown mascara is all you'll need. It's just not about excess this season.
Out: Tons of mascara. It'll be back, but for now, keep it simple and elegant.

In: Cherry red lips. As seen on the runways: A sheer, cherry red lip color looks terrific on everyone.
Out: Bold pink lips: Hot pink seems too young to pull off fall's more adult style.

In: Letting freckles show. This season, let your lovely self be revealed. Put your foundation away and use only the sheerest lightly tinted moisturizer to even your skin tone.
Out: Covering up. Hiding your pretty skin goes against everything sincere!

In: Crimson blush with subtle sheen. Rosy red cheeks are back!
Out: Matte orange cheeks. Keep it real. Orange is too artificial looking!

In: Deep chocolate nail polish. Nails make a strong statement this fall. Deep-toned polish, such as chocolate browns and deep burgundies, will be big.
Out: Plain old pink. With this season's luxe fabrics -- velvet, suede, tweed -- plain pink nails just don't cut it.

2008 Fall Cosmetics (Lip Color)

2008-08-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

This fall is gonna be full of colours of romance. While purple is the main theme in fashion, pink, rouge and plum will be the highlights of lip colors.

YSL Rouge Pure Shine
The 2 lip colors this season are Shimmering Pink and Tuxedo Pink, truly flirty and feminine.

Chanel Levres Scintillantes / Rouge Hydrabase
This golden hydrabase is a limited edition, giving the lips a glossy and sparkling look. Lipsticks will be using Fantastic Plum and Simply Pink as theme colors.

Bobbi Brown Lip Color
Two vintage colors – Pale Mauve and Heather Mauve are featured this season. With the addition of Vitamin C and E formula, the lipstick can at the same time give you the pampering you need.

2008 Fall Cosmetics (Eye-shadow)

2008-08-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

Different brands will be releasing their new cosmetic series within these 2 weeks, we will keep a close eye on the eye and lip make-up products.

Guerlain Eclat 4 Shade Eyeshadow

On the left is bright color pearl-based eye-shadow in a lacquer case. On the right is dark tone eye-shadow in a matte case.

All colors can be mix-and-match to create a unique look.

Maquillage Forming Shiny Eyes

Start with the glittery cream on the left for a bright base, and then follow by 2 colors to create a gradual change. The picture shows #55 Cherry Rock Mix which was demonstrated by top model Agyness Deyn, it’s gonna be a big hit!

Chanel Irreelle Duo Eye-shadow / Ombres Essentielles Eye-shadow

This season Chanel uses golden vintage color as the theme, eye-shadow expresses a low-key pearlized style.

Bobbi Brown Black Mauve Shimmer Ink Long-wear Gel Eyeliner

Purple is the color trend of the season. Bobbi Brown releases this purple gel eyeliner for a vivid look and long-lasting wear.

The Must-Have items for Summer Tan Look

2008-07-24T15:15:00.000-07:00

In summer we all crave for a healthy bronze complexion. Let's take a look at below three essential cosmetics for the creation of tan look, adding a bit of sexy charm into your style.

Illuminating foundation

Glittering make-up is still a big trend this quarter. I recommend foundation which features a pearl gloss effect, then brush on a glittering loose powder on the area which needed highlight.

T. LeClerc Hydrated Tinted Cream SPF20
Sun Flower Compact Powder

Highlighter

Add a hint of radiant light with gloHighlighter. Apply this pink luminizer anywhere you want a subtle, natural glow that can instantly brighten your complexion. The perfect finishing touch!

glominerals gloHighlighter

Gold, brown eye shadow

Gold, Bronze and Brown colours are the best-match with tanned skin. Using these colours for eye-shadow is very eye-catching. Aiming to stand out from the crowd? Try Turquoise
(Blue and green) eye shadow to create a sharp contrast with the skin colour.

Smashbox Oasis Shadow & Linder Quad

Light Orange Blush

Girls with white skin look the best with pink colour blush. For tanned skin, your best bet is light orange or coral colour blush. Pick the ones with pearl luster base, they make your golden honey skin look even more smooth and perfect.

Laura Mercier Bronzing Duo