Precautions on Makeup

In a previous post I gave a few makeup tips for summer. For this entry I’m giving just a few reminders that I’ve read about on how we can best make use of our makeup to ensure that we maximize their purpose and to protect us as well.

1. Throw away mascara after 2-3 months. This is because sty-triggering germs may have formed on your mascara by this time and it’s best to dispose of it. Also, if you start to get eye infections whenever you put eye makeup on, then make sure to dispose of any eye makeup you’ve recently used but have kept stashed for so long.

2. Clean all your primping tools at least once a week. Never forget to wash all your sponges and brushes with a mild cleanser to remove all germs that may inhabit in it. Also, swipe all your lash curlers with cotton dipped in alcohol to get rid of any bacteria or leftover makeup. Remember to keep all your tools in a safe and sealed box or container and never leave them lying around, which many women are prone to do when in a hurry.

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Summer Makeup Tips

Since it’s still summer in many parts of the world, here are some more tips you can use to prettify yourself for summer. After all, we can never get enough helpful makeup tips, can’t we? Hope these few pointers enhance your gorgeous features even more!

Cheeks. Due to the warmer rays of the sun, our cheeks are often more glowing during summer . Thus, it’s time to enhance that part and make it even more fabulous by bringing out those blushes and bronzers and putting them to good use. If you’re on the fair side, pink shimmers do wonders to your cheekbones by making them pop. If you’re on the tanned side, you can try a brown-toned bronzer with gold specks for extra fab points. Remember to apply your cheek stain and blusher on bare skin and not on top of powder.

Lipstick. Summer means color, thus the limit to lipstick hue is endless. This is the time to experiment with brighter and more out-there shades of lipstick or lip gloss. Don’t fret about being too loud nor go the usual safe route. It’s the season to be out there and have fun!

Facial Sheets. The humidity of summer entails sweating a lot, so make sure you’ve got handy facial sheets to blot out all the oil before retouching. Blotting occasionally with facial sheets allows your makeup to stay as clean and neat as can be.

Do share your own summer makeup tips!

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When to throw out make up

Have you ever wondered how long you can keep your beauty products. Most people seem to believe you can keep them until they run out, well I have some news for you. Certain make-up and beauty products you use do expire. You need to keep tabs on your products to ensure you aren’t using things you need to throw away. Make-up is a breeding ground for bacteria so take care of your items and throw them out when it is time.

Liquid foundation should be tossed after 6 months, if it starts to change consistency or smell throw it out right then. That’s right, if you haven’t used it throw it away. Don’t give it away, THROW it away. Using old foundations can cause you to have skin irritations.

Mascara should be gotten rid of at 3 months. This is an important one, mascara is notorious for having dangerous bacteria and you don’t want any of that near your eyes. Eye shadows and liners also should be discarded after 3 months. Really, anything that comes in contact with the eye should be tossed after 3 months.

Moisturizers and cleaners usually can last about a 6 months, so keep an eye on them. Make-up usually doesn’t have expiration dates, but anytime it smells funny or dries out throw it out! Also, pay attention to expiration dates on hair products and sunscreen.

Perfekt Beauty

I was flipping through one of my many fashion magazines I subscribe to and I saw this product called “Perfekt Beauty” Skin perfecting gel. Of course, this sparked my interest so I read more about it. It is a gel that is supposed to leave you with an airbrushed finish to your skin. I already use my own foundations that I love, but I am always in the market for something that may be better. Perfekt beauty states to be a foundation that reduces the appearance of fine lines, large pores, shine and reduces redness. What I like about it is that it comes in a pump bottle. Pump bottles always make my life that much easier .

Now I don’t know if it works or not, but it is supposed to be sweat and water resistant. It also is enriched with powerful anti-oxidants and vitamins A and E to keep skin healthy and beautiful. It sounds like a great product to try. Let us know if anyone has tried this product and what you think about it. After all, at a hefty price of around 57.00 it’s better to hear what previous users think of it before forking over the cash. If you know other foundations that are great, please share with us!

Vegan Make-up

Lately, I have been seeing more eco-friendly products. I started to wander about make-up products. I found out there are a large amount of vegan make-up products, I didn’t even know they existed. Sure, I knew about vegan foods but never thought about vegan make-up. The internet and magazines are loaded with vegan lines. The ones that stood out to me were Urban Decay, Monave’, and Sevi.   

     Urban decay has a beautiful Vegan line of make-up. Already raved about for their dynamic colors, now they have went a step further to create vegan make-up. They have always boasted about being a “cruelty free” company, well now they are really proving it. They even make it simple to identify the vegan products, simply look for the purple paw .

     Monave’ has been making a conscientious effort to become an all vegan line. Although they are not there yet, they are well on their way. The only items that they offer that are not vegan are the cream to powders, eyeliner and lip liner pencils, and potted and liquid gloss. So you still have a wide assortment of great items to choose from .

     If it’s an all vegan all natural line you’re looking for, well look no further than Sevi. It is 100% vegan, all natural, and hand crafted! They aren’t the cheapest make-up but, hey, what mineral make-up is. This is a great alternative for those of us who want to go all vegan.

     There are a large amount of vegan products out now. Start doing some research and looking around next time you decide to buy more make-up. Vegan just might be for you.

                               Make an impact, give vegan make-up a try!

Eye Majic Instant Eye Shadow 10-pack Warm Shades

I saw the most amazing, yet weird, make-up item today. Eye Majic Instant Eye Shadow was on QVC and it is so simple, when demo’ d on the the show. Now, I don’t know if any of you have seen this, but it is amazing. It makes me think of those nose strips you put on for snoring, only it’s on your eyes .

     This strip has shades of eye shadow on it and you apply it over your closed eye and when you remove it….Voila….instant eye shadow. Cool idea. Even cooler, it actually seems to work! They come in a 10 pack with 5 warm colors. It is advertised as “giving the perfect balance of color on both eyes every time, leaving no room for errors”. Great idea, but I still wonder if it works the way they say. It seems too easy, so easy I am a little wary of it…but still interested in trying.

     So, in ten seconds you can have perfect shimmering eye shadow. It’s a time saver, I’ll give it that. I even read through the reviews to see if anyone had any luck with these, and not one bad review in the bunch. Everyone was raving about how they wish they had thought of it and how much they love it! Heck, for only 19.95, I guess I’ll give it a try!

Make Time To Put on Make up

We all could use a little more time for this and that. But how do you find time to take care of your skin and put on make up when you are so busy? In between showers, cooking breakfast, running around with kids, taking care of your spouse, let’s see if we can make some time for make up. Well there are a few things, aka tricks, you can do to try and find more time in the morning.

     First thing, start a routine. Wake up, brush teeth, shower, (while the bathroom becomes steam free) get your clothes on, then do your skin care regiment and end with make-up. Good routine, but sticking with it may prove a little more daunting than you expected. You have to learn to prioritize and always be somewhat flexible, yet stick to your routine. So maybe you will have to have the kids in the bathroom while putting on your make up. Anything that works…works.

     A good thing to do to make sure you can get your make-up on  is to simplify. Simplify your make up application as much as possible. For an average day, just wear lip gloss, put on your eyebrows (if needed), and mascara. I like to use Bare Escentual’s Warmth, it gives me an even smooth skin tone. It is also very easy to apply, just swirl, tap and apply. Then I may put on a little eye shadow (warm earth tones), my brows (can’t leave the house without them), and my lip gloss. Four simple steps, take less than 5 mins. Keep everything you will need in arm’s reach of the sink, this will save time in the morning, you may have to do this the night before, if you have little one’s running around . The key is to get your make-up application as simple as possible, to take the least amount of time in the morning. The quicker it is the more likely you are to do it every morning.

Looking good shouldn’t take up your whole day.

Make Up Primers

I never used to put any thought into primers or make-up for that matter. As I begin to age and notice little inconsistencies with my skin’s texture and appearance, I, like so many women, have began to look for solutions. Hence, I started to wear make-up. Then I started to hear talk of make-up primers. What were they, what are they used for, were the questions I desperately needed to know. So, after a lot of reading and asking around I have found out the importance of them, what they do and some good brands.

     Make up primers will make your skin more receptive to foundations and assist in reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and pores. Primers are excellent to use in the summer, which is fast approaching, because it sets your make up and keeps it from melting away from the heat. It, basically, keeps your make up from coming off. Everyone can benefit from using make up primers, whether you are 18 or 28 it will make your make up look and feel better. It’s like putting on socks with your tennis shoes, you can go without them but you look and feel better with them on.

     Many go on as a liquid and within a few seconds it dries and will feel like a silky powder. Primers aid in retexturing the skin to make for a more flawless finish. I like how when you use primers under your foundation it helps skin retain moisture and feel softer and smoother. Some good brands to try are Laura Geller’s Spackle, Bare Escentuals Prime Time, Arbonne’s Virtual Illusion Make-up Primer. It’s like creating a silky canvas for an even foundation application by just applying a little. A good primer should not add any weight to your make up, you should never even feel it on.

     When using primers, you do your normal skin care regiment then just add in primer before your foundation. So it’s moisturizer, primer, then foundation. How easy! I even go with just the primer when I just want to run out to the store or the gym. I put on a little primer, my favorite lip gloss and I am out the door….looking flawless might I add . It really will make your skin look healthy and youthful. Another plus is, it makes foundation easier to wash off!

    Make your skin a smooth flawless canvas by using a primer and you’ll love the results you see, with or without make up.

Prom Make-up

Some girls may be able to go to professionals and get their make up done. For everyone who chooses to go at it alone or who waited to late and can’t get it done professionally, here are a few tips and tricks that will make you look even more beautiful. You will need to determine if you want to go full on makeup or go for the natural look. For prom night, most will want to go all out with everything.

     Make sure before you start putting on any make up that your face is cleaned and well moisturized. Remember that you should get your dress on before you put on your make up, if at all possible. You don’t want to have to pull a dress on over your beautifully made up face. 

     The first thing you should always do is determine which feature you want to accentuate. Which feature do you really want to shine? This is a rather simple step, pick your best feature. Do people often compliment you on your eyes…then you work with that. If you are often told of your beautiful smile…work with you lips.

     When picking prom make-up, go bold. If you want to play up your eyes, use liner, shadow, mascara, and false eyelashes (find the correct way to put them on by using them only at the end of your eye). This would be a perfect time to give the smokey eye a try. Look at my previous post for how to’s on this technique. You may also want to try and match your eye makeup with your prom dress, go for shimmery eye shadows. Which ever way you choose to play up those eyes, make sure you play down your lips. Use a soft color with gloss for your lips. If lips are what you want to show, then go for bright colors that look nice with your dress and go simple with your eye make-up.

     For foundation, if you need it, use it only to cover blemishes. Go to the mall and let the women at the make up counters help you with the colors you want to buy. Let them put the make up on you to find your perfect color. Apply some cream blush to the apples of your cheeks to give your face a touch of color.

     

Spring Cleaning

Yesterday was Easter, which officially means to me, Spring Cleaning time. This is not just meant for house but for you. It is now the time to clean out old make up and get rid of clothes you no longer wear and put away winter clothes. Time to switch from winter make-up and skin care rituals to spring summer make up and skin care routines.

A good place to start is getting a tinted moisturizer. For the warmer months you want to go as minimal as possible and make up in warn tones. If you must wear a foundation try a powder or a bronzer to even skin tone and end it with a light translucent powder, Mineral Powder is great and has an spf of 15. A little blush and mascara should finish the job for a casual summer day. Eye shadows in a gold shimmer look perfect in the summer months, apply a little on cheekbones and under brows for a beautiful glow. Remember that you will be sweating in the summer and with the sunlight you don’t want to look caked on by using too much make up.

Need a good skin care ritual? I love my favorite companies products for anti-aging, it has everything you need for day and night. It is an anti-aging product so perfect for any trouble areas you may have. Make sure that you keep moisturized during the summer months and keep your face cleaned to help prevent breakouts. If you sweat or tend to get oily during the day, carry Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing sheets to blot your face through out the day. These will remove excess oil without smudging your make up.

Spring and Summer are great times to experiment with different colors and fashion styles. Think about what all you want to do to get ready for the summer months and start doing it right now. Whether you want to have clearer skin or dress better, get started now. Clean out all your old make up and start brand new and re-evaluate your wardrobe. Let’s get ready to have a fun and fruitful summer and look good while doing it!!