Smokey Eye Makeup

Eye makeup application for the smokey eye look; step by step smokey eye how to makeup.

The Smokey eye is very popular and very easy to do. A few simple tricks and you too can be up with the hit trend of the Smokey eye.


Smokey eye confuses a lot of people even though it is an easy look to do. People always think of dark, dramatic colors when they hear smokey. Although the look can definitely be dramatic, it is not necessarily dark. Smokey eye is actually about how you place the eye colors, not the colors you choose.


You will need three eye colors: a highlight, mid-tone and a contour. The highlight color is a light fleshy color, usually a shimmer. Your mid-tone is almost always a matte and should be a shade or two darker then your natural skin tone. The contour color can be matte or shimmer. I prefer a matte for the Smokey eye look. Most often the color will be a dark brown or grey but a pretty green or purple can look awesome.


So how do you achieve a Smokey eye? Three simple steps.

1. Apply the highlight shadow to the brow bone and to the duct of the eye.
2. Next apply a mid-tone from lash line to crease, blend where it meets the highlight.
3. Then apply the contour color starting at the lash line and blend it up towards the crease so it blends with the mid-tone. It should look like it softly fades from light to dark. Smudge the contour color along the bottom lash line as well.

Finish the look by applying eyeliner to the top and bottom lash line. Add your favorite mascara and you are set!

WARNING: This is a great look for everyone unless you have small eyes and/or deep set eyes. It won't help your eyes stand out. For you, stick with the basic eye makeup application!

Originally published April 14, 2006 by Suite101.  

How to Apply Eye Makeup

How to put on eye makeup: basic eye makeup application that works for everyone's eye shape

Every one has different shape of eyes, some of us have 'bedroom eyes' while others may have more prominent eyes. This basic eye makeup application will work for everyone.

Follow the steps below for a beautiful yet basic eye makeup application. It takes three eye shadows in colors that compliment your skin tone and eye color to shape your eye. The following is basic and will work for everyone.

• First apply your highlight color to your brow bone and the lid. This color is usually shimmery. Apply just a dab to the duct of the eye. This will help wake you up and draw more attention to your eyes.
• Second, use an eye crease brush and start on the outer corner of the eye and sweep the mid tone into the crease of the eye. Go back in a circular motion to blend with the highlight color. This shadow is almost always a matte and should be a shade or two darker then your skin tone.
• Next, apply the contour color by starting on the outer corner again and go along the lash line, about two-thirds of the way. Then go back up and into the crease and blend with the mid tone. It should look like a side ways V but very well blended. Finish by sweeping across the bottom lashes for a nice neutral look.

End with an eye liner along the top lashes and mascara and you are ready to go! See, I told you it was basic!

Originally published on April 9, 2006 by Suite101.

Picture from Stockxchng.   

Bridal Makeup

Every bride wants to be the most beautiful bride anyone has seen. The bride's make up will be perfect with these few tips.

There are many details that go into planning for the day you have always dreamed about, your wedding day. However most of the time we put all the effort in the perfect dress, the perfect song and the perfect cake and forget about the most important detail, your perfect face!  

Things to consider for the wedding makeup: the perfect colors, the perfect time, and the perfect photograph.

• The Perfect Colors: Make up Artist, Robert Jones says, "I believe that choosing your wedding day make up look is as important as choosing your gown (Jones,18)." This is the time when you want to go for a classic, not trendy look. Your wedding pictures will be passed to generations of family members and you do not want to be the center of the jokes in fifteen years because of the horrible blue eyeshadow! Go for a neutral look that consists of browns and some golds which will be beautful on your eyes and bring out your eyecolor. For blush, (first off, NEVER forget the blush.) go for a warm pink or peach shade. Then for the ultimate perfect lips, go for a light color, a shade similar to your natural liptone. Do not forget the gloss!
• The Perfect Time: Depending on the care of your skin, the timing has to be perfect. If you have less then perfect skin you need to think of getting married later in the day when it is ok to wear more make up. Outside wedding? Timing is definitely everything.
• The Perfect Photograph: To have timeless beauty in your wedding pictures is the ultimate goal. You will probably need to wear more make up then you normally would. Often times we run out the door with no blush, big mistake if you want perfect pictures.

Don't forget, if make up is not your thing you should still consider a little for your wedding day. You don't want to be washed out in your pictures and make up can really just enhance your natural beauty. Please do not be scared to ask for help, most of us "make up girls" love helping you on your wedding day!

Reference:

Jones, Robert. (2004). Beaute Occasions. Robert Jones.

Originally published on March 31, 2006 by Suite101.  

Picture from Stockxchng.  

How to Cover Skin Imperfections

Perfect skin: how to cover dark undereye circles, how to cover up blemishes, zits, pimples, as well as varicose veins, spider veins, broken capillaries and age spots.

Don't you hate those models and celebrities with the perfect skin! Guess what, they don't exist. With these tips, you too can fix skin imperfections.

No one has perfect skin. With a couple of essential tools and simple techniques you can fix skin imperfections and have the appearance of perfect skin.

Basic tools you will need to cover skin imperfections: concealer, foundation, yellow-based concealer, foundation brush and a concealer brush.

• How to cover dark-circles under eyes:
  1. Take a concealer brush and apply concealer where the discoloration is. Make sure not to apply on your "normal" skintone. If discoloration is very dark, use a yellow concealer.
  2. Next, take your ring finger and in a tapping motion blend the concealer.
  3. Then apply your foundation. I think it is easier to apply the foundation using a foundation brush over the areas where you used concealer. Use a tapping motion as you go over those spots that you just concealed.
• How to cover up blemishes, zits and pimple:
  1. Apply your foundation first.
  2. Using a concealer that matches your skintone, apply with a concealer brush right on the pimple.
  3. Then blend the edges with your finger.
• For varicose veins, spider veins, broken capillaries and age spots:
  1. Take a concealer brush and apply concealer directly on the vein.
  2. Again, blend the edges with your finger.
  3. Finish with your perfect match foundation and tap over the areas where you used the concealer.

Originally published March 27, 2006 with Suite101.

How to Apply Foundation

Apply foundation makeup: liquid foundation, cream foundation, powder foundation. Apply with foundation brush for ultimate coverage; set with loose pwoder or pressed powder.

Foundation, not the most exciting cosmetic but probably the one that causes the most grief. Apply foundation perfectly with the correct color and application tips.

It seems like no one enjoys dealing with foundation. But how important is foundation? Foundation is probably the most essential cosmetic because it is one of the necessary steps of basic skincare. For healthy skin, you have to protect it. That is where foundation comes in. Foundation protects your skin from the environment-the sun, wind and pollutants-things we face everyday no matter where we live.

The problem with foundation is that we make common mistakes while applying it. We get the wrong color; it looks "cakey" and sometimes accentuates the flaws we were trying to cover.
How to apply foundation for the best results? We need to learn how to pick the perfect color and apply and set it correctly.

How to choose the perfect color

The key to flawless coverage is not to look like you are wearing a mask. It is NOT possible to pick up a bottle of foundation at a store, hold it up to your face and get the correct color. Honestly, you will need to sit down with a makeup consultant and test the color. It is best to test foundation color with sunlight. The worst lighting is florescent. No one looks good in florescent lighting. Never, never, never test for foundation on your hand or wrist. For ivory/beige women you will need to check your foundation on your neck and jawline. Sometimes the neck is a little different color than the face, usually a little darker and more yellow undertone. Because you will blend your foundation at your jaw line, you will want it to match where it stops at the neck. For bronze women, you will want to match your foundation on your cheek and jaw line. Sometimes there is an unevenness of color and this will help even out your skin tone.

How to apply

There are mainly three tools you can use for applying your foundation: sponge, brush, and fingers.

• Sponge: A sponge is great to give you a light, sheer layer of foundation. It makes the foundation very easy to blend, a necessity for foundation and keeps your fingers clean too! I bounce back and forth between this one and the brush. The downside, a lot of foundation can get absorbed in the sponge so it tends to waste product. You will need to clean your sponge after every use or do what I do, buy a bag full of inexpensive sponges at a department store and trash them after every use.
• Brush: I love the brush. The foundation looks perfect when using a brush, I can't really explain why, it just does. Use a foundation brush for a couple of days and it will be hard to go back to what you were using before. The one problem, you have to clean it every time you use it or you will ruin the brush. If you have to reapply your foundation during the day, a brush is the only way to go!
• Fingers: Fingers are great because everyone has them, you always know where they are, and they are inexpensive. I personally, don't like the feel of foundation on my fingers so it's not my favorite. But if you don't have issues like me, they work great. Can be hard to blend with so just be careful!

Set correctly

I never have understood how women can not set their foundation. It should be illegal! So here are three easy ways to set your foundation, no matter what your preference is.

• Loose powder: Again my favorite but tends to be messy so be careful. Loose powder does not set into fine lines as easily as pressed powder does. It will set the foundation with a little more coverage but not be as heavy as a pressed powder can be. Perfect choice if you tend to be oily!
• Pressed powder: Very convenient and that's why we love it. It is great for touch ups throughout the day because it does give more coverage then a loose powder does. You do need to be careful because too much can make you look...well like your wearing powder. Not exactly flawless.
• Blot: As long as you don't have oily skin and not incredibly humid in your area, this will work great for you. You can purchase blotting tissues to keep handy or a facial tissue will work great too. Press to your face and blot softly with the tissue. It will take off the excess make up but will not mess up your makeup.

Orginally Published on March 10, 2006 with Suite101.

Picture from Stockxchng.

5 Minute Beauty Makeover

A beauty makeover that will only take 5 minutes of your time, includes foundation, eyes and lips.

As women we don't have a lot of time but still want to look our best. The 5 Minute Makeover will help you look polished and professional but still on time for the day!

There are quick, easy steps you can take every morning that will help enhance your natural beauty. No matter what you do, if you have ten children to care for or you are a high powered attorney on the way to court, you want to look your best and probably don't have a lot of time to do so. However, most of us would find five minutes in the morning if we knew what a difference it could make. Believe me, it will make a big difference and I promise it will just take five minutes!

First, you will need to even out your skin tone. Use a light, oil-free foundation and a sponge to do so. If you have dark circles or other skin imperfections, you will need to dab a little concealer to get a flawless finish. This step will probably take the most time so don't worry about having time run out!
Next take a light shimmer eye color and apply all over eye area and a little dab on the tear duct. This will help you look fresh, even if you were up all night with a screaming baby!

Take dark brown eyeliner, line just the top lid of the eye. Curl lashes with an eyelash curler, this will help open the eye and make you look younger. The must have step is mascara, and lots of it. Make sure to apply your mascara to the base of the lashes and "wiggle" your brush up to thicken and elongate the lashes. Apply to the bottom lashes as well.
The next step is the one most women will run out the door without...blush. Blush will help contour the face and will make you look younger. A great bronzer is perfect for this, to give you a sun kissed look.
Now before you run out the door, slap on a little lip gloss and you are perfect and ready to battle the world!

Article originally published March 5, 2006 with Suite101.  

Picture from Stockxchng. 

Applying Lipstick

Achieve perfect pouty lips with lip care, lip liner, concealer, lipstick and lip gloss.

What woman doesn't want perfect pouty lips? Just a few tips will give you the ultimate kissable lips.

There is nothing that will add to a woman's appearance like the perfect pouty lip. It is one of the most sensual features of a woman. Why do you think Angelina Jolie is so popular? Well here is your six simple tips to make the ultimate beauty statement, perfect lips!

1. Exfoliate No matter what the weather is outside, we still have problems with dry chapped lips. Some companies have a lip exfoliator or a lip mask that buff away dead skin. You can also put a small amount of pertroleum jelly on your lips and buff with a dry wash cloth. This is a must step, no one wants to kiss dry chapped lips!
2. Moisturize Now that you have exfoliated you need to help prevent the dryness from coming back. Again petroleum jelly will work for this step, but a lot of companies have a great lip balm. As we age, some women will have a problem with lipstick bleeding and feathering so look for a balm that will prevent that as well.
3. Line The best way to define your lips is with a lip liner. Match your liner with your lipstick for the best look. Fill in your lip with your lip liner as well. You do not want to be the woman in the restaurant with her lips still perfectly line after she eats! If your lips are on the small side, you can line just outside of your lips to enhance your look.
4. Highlight Next with a small brush, take a very light concealer and dab a little dot in the center of your lips, blend with your finger.
5. Color Using a lip brush, apply your favorite lipstick. A lip brush will take some practice but it is the best way to blend your lipliner with your lipstick. Once you get it, you will never go back!
6. Gloss For ultimate plumping, add a light sheer color gloss to the center of your bottom lip. Your partner will not be able to resist you...and that's a promise!

Originally published February 27, 2006 with Suite101.  

Picture from Stockxchng.  

Halloween Makeup

Halloween is such a great time of year to experiment with new looks and have fun with makeup.  I was lucky to have an older sister who was very into cosmetics growing up.  When Halloween rolled around she would love to try out new techniques when it was time to dress up.  I'll never forget the year my sister dressed up as a gangster and it looked like she had been shot in the head.  Makeup is such a great tool to push your Halloween costume over the edge.

Some of my favorite Halloween costumes are:

• Kitty Cat Costume
• Vampire Costume
• Sexy Pirate Costume
• Sexy Witch Costume
• Bride of Frankenstein Costume

These are all classic Halloween costumes that you can make as fun, scary or even sexy.

Happy Halloween!

Reese Witherspoon's Pink Wedding Dress

Reese Witherspoon and new hubby, Jim Toth, who recently wed on March 26, is on the cover of the latest issue of People magazine.  People magazine has exclusive rights to the couples wedding pictures.  The big shock of the day had to be the beautiful, pink wedding dress Witherspoon wore when she walked down the aisle.

I love that Reese took such a big risk at her wedding and forgoing the traditional white dress.  Especially since this is her second marriage and she is already a mother of two, it makes more sense to do something different, yet traditional at the same time.

So what do you think?  Do you like the pink wedding dress or do you wish she would have stuck with tradition?

No matter how you feel about a pink dress, you have to admit she looks gorgeous and happy!  Good luck to the new couple!

For more information on Reese Witherspoon and Weddings:
Reese Witherspoon, The Avon Lady
Bridal Makeup
Makeup Makeovers: Weddings

References:
Garcia, Jennifer.  Reese Witherspoon's Wedding Photos.  April 5, 2011.  April 5, 2011.