duo lights

so about that sephora brand duo bronzer/lumizer.  i dont remember the time or the day this product came into my life.  i dont even know what possessed me to pick it up and try it.  all i know is that i go nowhere without it.  as i stated in a previous post, it is a cream formulation that glides smoothly and beautifully over the skin.  use the deeper bronze color on the eyes, cheeks, and shoulders and the lighter golden shade can be used above and below the brow bone, the center of lips, cheekbones – where ever you want to put it.  i personally take my brush and swirl it around to pick up a blend of both colors and swirl it on the high planes of my cheeks, in the center of my forhead, down the center of my nose for a bronzy (is that a word), glowy, dewy look and it helps control excess sebum production.  i cant get enough. 

light me up

i was at work today helping a client look for a liquid bronzer/luminizer (she had fair skin) that wouldnt be too dark.  i showed her several brands, one of which was my favorite  beauty must have – sephora brand duo lights which is a cream bronzer/luminizer combination which works on all complexions.  i take my blush brush and swirl it around then apply to my – wait. enough about me.  my client liked it but it wasnt quite what she was looking for.  during my search i kept showing her different products.    then i happened upon 4 treasures that i never considered before because is not a part of one of my go- to lines.  i think my life might be changed. (oh yeah – she loved it and bought it but enough about her).  what is it you ask?  Clinique Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator.  it is a sheer, lightweight liquid illuminator that can be mixed with any foundation or used alone.  use it to highlight brow bones, cupid’s bows, the inner corner of your eyes, and contour cheeks.  it’s great!!! it comes in four shades which can be used on any skintone (i have a dark complexion).  if i am not mixing this into foundation,  i would apply with my fingertips which is sometimes the best applicator because your fingers warm the product for better application.  yay!!!!                                 

firm foundation

good day all.  i just saw some not so exact advice floating around in twitterville on how to choose the right foundation.  i actually see women do this all the time – testing foundation on the back of their hand or inside their wrist.  this may work for some but generally speaking the skin on our hands/inside wrists are a different shade than what’s on our face.  to get a better read or indication on how to choose the right shade of foundation for your complection, follow these simple “rules”…

if your skin color is even – color stripe you foundation along your jawline

if your skin is lighter in the center of your face – color stripe just below your cheekbone

if you have variations of color in your skin – color stripe in each area of your face

if your face is dramatically lighter than your neck – color stripe to match your neck.

also when color striping, choose three similar shades that appear to match your complexion, draw a verticle line of each color along your jawline (or other specified area), wait a minute to allow the color to sit (oxidize), swipe through the lines horizontally with a cotton tip applicator and the color that disappears into the skin after blending is the correct match.

good day.

tinted moisturizer

so summer is near and so many ladies like their foundation but feel that it might be a little too heavy for summertime.  let me share with you how much i love tinted moisturizer which is – well – moisturizer with color so to speak.  this light formulation glides on evenly and beautifully and gives light sheer coverage.  some tinted moisturizers i have worked with in the past is stila (which have slightly more shade ranges), laura mercier and lorac.  i recommend making sure your skin has been buffed to a smooth beautiful finish (as always)  and still use your primer and concealer if necessary.

5 minute beauty smackdown

hey ladies.  i know we are super busy with our hectic schedules and all but that is absolutely no reason to allow ourselves to look a hot friggity mess.  you might be saying “who the %$#! are you?  you dont know anything about me”.  maybe not but i do know you look a hot friggity mess and like me (hectic schedule included) you need to master the art of the beauty smackdown in 5 minutes or less.  let’s get gorgeous!!!!!

the following is my personal method for achieving that flawless face “natural” face sans eyeshadow.  let’s go!!!!!

let’s start with complexion (im assuming that you know you should be cleansing, toning, treating, and moisturing (i am amazed at the amout of women i encounter who either dont wash their face or use body soap and body lotion on their face and wonder why their skin looks a hot friggity mess.  what’s really going on?  you should – oops- im ranting again).  you need a good concealer for any areas of hyperpigmentation like post acne scarring as well as undereye circles.  creamy formulations that come in a tube or pot are best for under the eye area as that area is very delicate and you want to minimize any tugging and pulling.  two of my favorite concealers are makeup forever full cover concealer and laura mercier concealer pots.  makeup forever also has concealer palettes (five colors, one of which is a corrective concealer).  you can apply these products with a concealer brush, your finger or latex/foam applicator (use stippling  (bouncing)  action),  for anywhere on the face except undereye.  for under the eye use a concealer brush or or even a contour/blending brush (use whipping action) for a beautiful air brush affect.

after you have finished with your concealer, apply your foundation primer.  think of when you paint a wall.  you always have to prime it first.  this prevents the paint from absorbing into the wall, prepares a nice even canvas for paint application and helps the paint to stay on longer.  same concept for your face – fills in fine lines, wrinkles, pores, creates a nice even canvas for your foundation and helps your foundation to stay on longer.  smashbox and makeup forever has fantabulous primers so be sure to check out their lineup. 

next apply your favorite foundation formulation. please make sure it is your correct shade and please blend, blend, blend.  currently im using Make Up Forever HD foundation which is a liquid.  i never believed in liquid because i am so oily – no greasy –  so i have only used powder (mac studio fix baby) but  im so totally loving this foundation.  it is oil-free, medium to full coverage with a natural finish that is invisible to the naked eye and high definition cameras.  apply with sephora professinale #55 airbrush for flawless application.  yummy.

well groomed eyebrows, which add shape and symmetry to your face, are an absolute must.  either have them shaped professionally or use an at home solution like ardell cold wax strips (found at cvs and sally beauty supply).  now if you are like me, you need to draw or fill them in.  i personally feel that brow powder like lorac brow powder is perfection.  this palette, which is available in 4 shade kits, comes with two shades of brow powder, clear wax and a brow brush.  use the clear wax to fill in sparse areas and then use the brow powder over the wax.  perfection.  for those of you who prefer a brow pencil, lorac brow pencil and beautique eyeliner (yes, for my brows) (sally beauty supply) are my top picks.

next apply your favorite mascara.  my top 5 picks for mascara are as follows:  maybelline great lash and wet n wild mega wink (both of which can be found at cvs) dior show, givency phenom eye, bare escentuals buxom lash.  mascara is great to use because, depending on the formulation, it will lengthen, curl and volumize.  You get that panoramic view around your eyes that will make your eyes pop. currently i use none of these because im all about wearing my faux lashes baby!!!!!

lips – many choices.  crusty is not one of them.  some of my favorite nudes are bare beige by laura mercier and chelsea girls by nars.  no scratch that.  smashbox just came out with the most wicked nude gloss ever.  my heart races as i talk about it.  anywho – these look great on any skintone.  you can wear them alone or use a brown liner to fill in most of the lip and layer one of these glosses on top.  totally gorge.  yesssss!!!!

if you so choose finish off with a nice blush which adds shape and dimension to the face.  now calm down.  i know what you are thinking.  one of my dear friends starts convulsing violently and foaming at the mouth when i mention blush (ok not really).  she just spews much hatred.  she says it reminds her of a clown.  i understand.  i have seen many women in my daily goings-ons who i thought were circus clown but then realized they had an unfortunate encounter with blush.  the key is to build and blend and it doesnt take much. 

ok.  let’s review:  concealer, primer, brows, foundation, mascara (or lashes), lips, blush.  gorgeous!  you rock!

everything is not for you

listen here.  just because something is made in your size doesnt mean you should be wearing it.  i am tired of women walking around in long button down shirts like it’s a dress.  you are wrong.  i dont care if you saw that look on the runway.  you are not on the runway.  you are in real life.  cover up your behind.  either try wearing some leggings to cover up them thighs or consider wearing something else all together.

Watch Your Step

Ok – what’s really going on?  My latest pet peeve – women who wear shoes that dont fit, whether they are several sizes too big or several sizes too small.  Now being someone who has a thing for shoes, I understand that feeling of euphoria that comes upon you when you see the “perfect ones” from afar.  You know, those sexy red peep toe platform stilettos that you considered spending part of your rent money on or wait I know, those fly round toe, leopard print sling backs with the red 4 inch heel (you just wont eat for a week).  Umm umm umm I know I know.  They look so nice and even though they may mutilate your feet and possibly cripple you, they wont talk back and you will look outrageously stunning as you saunter (or hobble) down the street.  Anyway, having said all of that, shoes should not slip up and down off of your feet like a flip flop nor should your feet look like bird feet hanging off of a perch.  That’s why your pedicure is jacked up. You know those shoes dont fit.  You just ruined an entire outfit.  If a shoe doesnt come in your size, dont buy it.  Also, while on the subject of feet, make sure you visit your local nail shop (or surgeon) to take care of your feet before you wear shoes that will show any part of your foot.  It’s that simple. Besides, I will point and laugh at you if you trip and fall with your crusty feet.  Let’s not have this conversation again.

All In One

If you’re anything like me, you like getting multiple uses out of one product…like a body wash that can be used as shampoo or a planter and serving tray that can be used together as a small side table (hmm that’s two items but you get the point).  It is no different for Vaseline, an inexpensive product that I have come to love over the years for its multiplicity of uses.  What’s even better is the fact that I dont have to travel the world over to get this product. I dont have to order it online or have a consultant to get my product.  And I dont have to spend more than $4 to purchase it. I can go to any drug or grocery store and purchase it the same day for cheap!   Here are some of my favorite beauty uses for vaseline…

A wonderful moisturizer for your face, especially for night and for cold weather season.  Helps diminish fine lines and wrinkles.

An excellent makeup (eye) remover.

Can be used in lieu of lipgloss (my absolute favorite).  It delivers high impact shine and has great conditioning/moisturizing benefits.  Use with a lip brush if using it with other lipcolor. 

Use it with your favorite eyeshadow to create a high impact, glossy affect.

It is also an excellent moisturizer for hands/feet/cuticles.  For your feet, apply when damp, slather on a generous amount paying close attention to cuticles and put on some socks.  You will have the softest feet ever.

Simple yet so profound.   

Brow Check

This one is for all you DIYers out there.

I have always been the type of person that never wanted to depend on anyone for anything – not even my own beauty needs and maintenance.  I learned how to cut my own hair and even do my own pedicures.  I have also learned how to do my own eyebrows.  One of the greatest inventions ever is Ardell Brow Shapers (cold wax strips).  They can be found at any drugstore (I love CVS) and they only cost around $4.99.  You get 21 pre-cut strips (for above and below the brow) that are quick, safe and easy to use.  Great for in between visits to your brow stylist or even better if you’ve given them a pink slip.  All you have to do is figure out the direction of hair growth (these strips are perfect for thick or thin eyebrows), cleanse the area, select a strip, carefully apply, use one hand to pull skin taut and with the other hand gently but firmly peel strip in opposite direction of hair growth.  Fill in your brows with a brown pencil or brow powder (if necessary) and there you have it – beautiful eyebrows.