MAKEUP & ART

Let’s face it, acne sucks! Yet it is the most common issue that teens have to deal with every day. We all strive for a great complexion, yet this results in many factors: genetics, lifestyle, nutrition, and age. By selecting the correct skin regimen for your skin and life stage, will help your skin stay healthy and radiant.

Significant hormonal changes that occur during the teen years tend to cause the production of sebum (oil) to increase so that teen skin tends to be oilier. Formally normal skin may begin to see pimples popping up and oily skin may experience significant breakouts. To avoid scaring and imperfection it is very important to start a proper skincare protocol during your teenage years. Taking care of your skin now will not only make you look better now but will help your skin continue to glow as you get older.

Cleansing

Now, the first thing to keep in mind when choosing a facial cleanser is to find a cleanser that rinses clean and thoroughly cleanses the skin WITHOUT stripping it. If you have acne-prone skin, consider the washes that contain salicylic acid to control oil production. Benzoyl peroxide is great to treat pimples or and glycolic acid is used to get rid of dead skin cells. For those who have dry or sensitive skin, consider cleansers that are not irritating and contain soothing elements (like aloe vera) and hydrating ingredients. One important factor to keep in mind is that everyone has different skin types, so to achieve optimum results, make sure you select products that are right for your skin.

Skin Protection

Once your face has been cleansed, protect it from environmental pollutants and sun damage. The most important way to protect the skin is to use SUNSCREEN. The sun’s powerful rays cause both immediate and long-term damage. This includes dark spots, loss of firmness, wrinkles, and possibly melanoma. Using a daily moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15 is one of the best ways to protect the skin daily. Everyone has different skin types so be sure to choose the moisturizer that’s best for your skin. Always make sure that it contains sun protection along with vitamins and nutrients to prevent and restore.

Treatment

Lastly, there is a time where you must “treat? or “fix? the skin. Use a product that contains an antibacterial agent to fight the P-Acne bacteria. If you find that your skin is shiny before lunch hours, try to treat your skin at night with an oil-reducing product containing salicylic acid to minimize oil production.

First off we must recognize that young women in today’s society are more trend-conscious and more brand-aware than ever before. They’re more into up to date, fashion-forward, wearable like of product. When looking for makeup we must focus on lines formulated with “good-for-you? ingredients. It’s the perfect choice for young women who want to wear fun, colorful makeup while maintaining their fresh and natural look. Always keep this in mind, no matter how old you are; makeup is to enhance your natural facial features, not to cover.

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind

Do’s:

• Always clean your makeup brushes and applicators to reduce bacteria and oil build-up.

• For more luscious lips, lip gloss does the trick. If you want a more nighttime look, add some color to your lips by trying lipstick in sheer color.

• Pink and peach blush tones compliment almost any skin tone. Apply to the apple of your cheeks and blend outwards, towards your hairline.

• When using eyeliner, pencil eyeliner would look more natural than liquid liner.

• Keep your makeup light for school. You don’t need to use make-up on every facial feature you have! Mix and match to find out what looks best for you.

Don’ts:

• Don't use a rich cream or foundation on oily skin. A heavy moisturizer or foundation will probably wreak havoc and cause pimples. Try using a light moisturizer or oil-free foundation.

• Don't over pluck your eyebrows. Overly plucked eyebrows look unnatural and make your eyes appear smaller.

• Don't wear heavy make-up in the summer. The heavy foundation will cake and melt off in the summer heat and humidity, leaving you with a streaked look.

• Don't choose dramatic colors for daytime looks. Neutral tones are the best for daytime

The Truth About Lipstick
Pink glossy lips are in for spring and summer. The most popular is a glossy, soft, sheer shade with brighter hues like hot pink. A rule of thumb: If your lips are thin, avoid dark shades, since they make lips look narrower; a natural shade of gloss will make your mouth look fuller. Conversely, if your lips are very full, be judicious with the shine. Stuck with a color that seems too intense? Use a lip brush to mix it with a clear gloss.

It's All In The Eyes
The trend for this spring is color and lots of it!
Black is out, baby blue is in, sheer but vibrant pastels for eyes, and middle eastern-inspired colors. Remember that white, pink, and yellow eyeliner pencils tend to make the eye look open and brighter, and blue counteracts redness. An expert tip: in order to make eyeliner easy to apply, manufacturers sometimes make it so creamy it doesn't stay put. You can use a matching eye shadow or powder liner to set your eyeliner.

Four Makeup Bag Must Haves:
1. Mascara: the easiest way to make your eyes pop.
2. Lipstick: the right lipstick has the power to transform.
3. Powder: the right powder creates a flawless finish for all skin types.
4. Moisturizer: regardless of skin type, moisturizer keeps skin supple and works as a primer under makeup.

The Truth About Blush
The key is to apply a very small amount. There are several types of blush available, so choose wisely:
Powder blush is best applied after your face powder. It will lie on top of the skin, adding a translucent glow. Cream blush has the most intense pigment and should be used sparingly. Apply it over the foundation but before powder. Liquid and gel blushes give you a stain of color that looks very natural. Apply over foundation or to bare skin for a soft, fresh-scrubbed look.

If you have brown eyes, beige, copper, bronze, and coffee colors, highlight your face and enhance the color of your eyes.

If you have blue eyes, a dark blue will give your eyes really blue look, purple, taupe, and gray are also great colors for you.

If you have hazel or green eyes, greens are your best color, brown and purple will enhance your eye color also.

Use matte or satin textures for the day, and shimmery textures at night. Don't try to match your eye color with a shadow, it looks really dated. Stick to neutrals or contrasting shades, which show off your eyes' color.

How to Make Your Eye Shadow Last Longer

We all have that problem of having to touch up our makeup. Well here's a way to help your eye shadow looking fresh all day.

• Apply a thin layer of face powder to your eyelid with a damp eye shadow brush and allow it to set.

• Then apply eye shadow and forget about it until it's time to take it off.

• Eye shadow simply darkens when you are feeling hot & sweaty so to lighten it, apply a lighter eye shadow or loose powder over it before re-applying the actual color.

• Eye shadow now comes in various forms; powder, gel & even cream.

• The powder is most probably the one that lasts the longest.

Are you overwhelmed when you visit the make up department? Do all of the choices of eye shadow color, lipstick, and foundation formulas make your head spin? We will help you know exactly what to look for to accentuate your natural features and cover or improve those that you are not crazy about.

You will find out why you should always use products with SPF if available. This will prevent future damage and will make your make up routine less stressful (and expensive) in 15 or 20 years. Imagine holding off the quest for wrinkle reduction for even a few years just because you decided to add a little moisturizer with SPF every day to your make up routine. The benefits will last a lifetime.

Another investment that has long-term payoffs is Permanent Makeup. Permanent Make up is an excellent option for people who want to save time on the basics: eyebrow fill-in, eyeliner, and lip color. Gone are the days of sneaking into the local tattoo parlor for a quick lip fix! Licensed specialists can manually implant pigment so that the overall effect is natural and can be enhanced with traditional makeup. You’ll save time in the morning, look “done? in the rain, when you’re working out, or even going to bed at night! Keep in mind that Permanent Make up is just that—permanent! The “smoky eyes? that are trendy now may not be as appealing next year. Stick to the basics with permanent pigments and let our tips handle the rest!

The primary goal in wearing makeup is to show off that beautiful face without others noticing all of the hard work that went into making your beautiful face flawless. Accentuate your natural beauty with our easy makeup tips to create stunning eyes, luscious lips, and a perfect complexion. Maybe you weren't born with the skin that you'd like, or maybe you just want to cover up that surprise blemish for a hot date. No matter what you're looking for, we offer tips on how to apply everything from eyeliner to conceal. Also, our tips for makeup product care and shelf life can be extremely useful in knowing when it's time to toss that mascara and buy a new one. For example, be sure to discard cosmetics, even the really expensive ones, within the time frames that follow: Lipstick and Lip Liner, 1 year; Eye Shadow, Eye Liner, and Mascara, 3 months; Blush, 6 months; Nail Polish, 2 years if stored properly. After you've opened and used your makeup, it's exposed to the air and all sorts of pollutants that gather on your face and hands.

Maybe you need to know which types of brushes are best for your makeup application. Natural bristles last longer and are almost always better than synthetic bristles. Good choices are squirrel, which is the softest and blend the best; sable, which will last almost forever and can be used with creamier products such as lipstick; and Taklon, which distributes the makeup without absorbing it. And at the end of the day, a great way to take off makeup is with baby oil. Just dab a little on a tissue and swipe across your face. Use these and other helpful tips to make the most of your makeup and application, and let that natural beauty shine through!

Source from: www.beauty-makeup-tips.com

Here are some rules that can help you create the makeup look you want. Less is best.

• Foundation should match the skin exactly so there are no lines of demarcation.

• Concealer should be only a shade or two lighter than the foundation.

• The powder should match the foundation exactly or go on translucent so as not to affect the color of the foundation.

• Eye shadow colors should be neutral or pale shades ranging from pale beige to pink to tan, brown, dark brown, and plums.

• Eye shadow color (when used as a brow tint), should match the exact shade of the existing brow hair.

• Eyeliner on the upper lid should be a darker color than the line along the lower lid (which should be a softer shade of beige or brown).

• Blush can be almost any color as long as it coordinates with the lipstick color, but it must be blended on softly, without any noticeable edges.

• Lipstick guidelines are more versatile, from neutral to bold, with the only suggestion being that smaller lips should wear brighter shades than larger lips.

• To create a tanned appearance, use golden brown and chestnut shades for your blush, eye shadows, contour, and lipstick, but do not, under any circumstances, apply a foundation or bronzer all over the face if it leaves a line of demarcation at the jaw or hairline.

• If you are wearing wardrobe colors like red or pink you can match your lipstick with that color. However, try not to clash color tone. For example, if the outfit you are wearing is peach or coral, your blush and lipstick should have that same underlying color or be a neutral tone.

Color Mistakes to Avoid

• Don't wear white or very pale lipstick. This can make you look like a ghost.

• Don't wear blue or green makeup!

• Don't wear navy blue eye shadow. Stick with neutrals, pinks, and plums, or black, which look smoky. Navy tends to look "dirty."

• Don't wear dark brown or black lipstick. (On Dracula it's great; on women, it looks like death.)

• Don't wear really shiny eye shadows.

• Don't wear rainbow-style eye shadow designs. Always blend the edges of color.

• Don't wear eye shadow applied as a smudge of black around the eye unless your objective is to look like you are in a punk rock band.

• Don't wear clashing blush and lipstick; they should be in the same color family.

Source from Paula Begoun
www.cosmeticscop.com

The saying is; The eyes are the windows of the soul. So what color are you going to paint the window frame? The number one question as a makeup artist I get is what colors bring out my eyes? Well, the color not only depends on your eye color but your hair and skin tone as well.

Let's talk about cool and warm colors. Cool colors are any colors with a blue undertone. The easiest way to tell if a color is cool, hold up something blue next to your eyeshadow If it seems like they have a similar tone it's cool. Warm colors are the other direction. Warm colors have a red or orange undertone. Hold up something red or orange to your shadows to see if they are warm. You can also test your blushes and lipsticks this way. You want to wear the opposite color to give a contrast and make your eye color pop out.

There are a lot of factors that go into choosing the right colors for your eyes. Your personality is the biggest factor, along with your wardrobe, personal style, event, and the season. Another main factor is your hair color. Whether it is cool or warm determine first. Warm hair would include, honey blonds, redheads, auburn or chestnut brunettes. Cool tones include ash blonds, beige browns, ash brown, and black. Silver or white hair also falls in the cool category.

Flash those baby blues! If you have warm-colored hair bring out blue eyes with peaches, coppers, corals, pinkish golds, and eggplant. For cool-toned hair color try cotton candy pinks, raspberry pinks, all shades of grey and silver or bronze.

Going green is more than just a saying! Green eyes will pop when your hair is warm with amber golds, mauves, rosy pinks, and plums. Cool coloring loves a dusty rose, purple, candy pink, and blackberry. Yum!

Cafe o' le with hazelnuts are just more than a sweet treat! If you have chocolate brown or hazel eyes you have the most options. Warm hair with these eyes love golds, olive green chocolate browns, and forest green. Cool hair loves teal greens, navy blues, and charcoal browns.

This is a guide but I urge you to experiment with hints of color in your makeup pallet. You may be surprised at what looks good. Remember to have fun with your makeup.  

Author: Karen Cecilia, Makeup Artist, NYC

Lavish, luscious lashes! That’s what every woman wants. Lashes not only help define our eye but bring dimension to it as well. As a makeup artist, mascara is my favorite makeup product. I never feel the eye is complete without that finishing touch of mascara.

Now the trend in lashes is long, bold but very defined lashes. Get those clumps out! No chocolate cake crumbs on the lashes anymore! With the new mascaras on the market that have superior definition quality, it’s easier than ever to get beautiful, bold lashes. My personal favorites are Dior Show Black Out, Cover Girl’s Lash Blast. And my staple mascara I couldn’t live without L’OrealVoluminous.

When applying them, be sure to start at the base and stroke through the tips. This will ensure a full lash from root to tip. Don’t dip the mascara again. Then using the wand, work through the lashes to separate and sculpt them. For bottom lashes, I always find it easier to hold the wand vertical and sweep the lash line. You will get less “spotting” on the skin, and less clean up. Also, remember to never “pump” your mascara. This will dry it out faster. Try swirling the wand in the tube to get more product on the wand. And don’t forget to replace your mascara every month or so to keep your eyes safe from bacteria build-up. Most importantly, always wash off your mascara before bed. You can actually break your lashes if you sleep with your makeup on.

Now we know that mascara brings out the eye. But the eyebrows frame the face. Yes! Not just the eyes but they help open and lift the entire face. No more pencil-thin eyebrows or a bushy uni-brow. The style now is naturally shaped brows.

How do you know what your brow shape is? Well, you could go to a professional and have them waxed, tweezed, or threaded. But you can also figure it out for yourself. Get your hands on a long handle makeup brush. Line it up with the outer nostril of your nose and hold it to the inner corner of your eye. This is where your eyebrow should start. Next, take the brush, same starting point than direct the brush toward the iris of the eye. That point is the arch of your brow. Finally, the outer nostril again, then the outer corner of the eye that is where your eyebrow ends. Always fill in brows with a shade lighter brow powder for a soft, natural look.

Now you’re on your way to fabulous eyes with amazing brows and lashes!   

Author: Karen Cecilia, Makeup Artist, NYC

Green lipstick probably isn’t going to be spring’s newest look. But green makeup – as in ecologically sustainable, earth-friendly makeup – is definitely in. More than a passing trend, it’s a movement toward ethical and eco-friendly products that beautify your face without damaging the environment.

Unfortunately, life after L’Oreal can get a little complicated. With so many products labeled ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ or ‘eco-friendly,’ it’s hard to know where to begin. These are a few of the labels you’re likely to see, what they mean, and how you can use them to make better decisions that benefit both you and the Earth.

Organic

Organic crops are produced without pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or genetic modification. But beware of products that claim to be organic: unless that claim is USDA Certified Organic, the glossy ‘organic’ lipstick you’re tempted by could contain as few as one organic ingredient. The green and white USDA label guarantee that the ingredients in your product are 95% organic.

Cruelty-free/ Vegetarian/ Vegan

For many people, being green also includes being kind to the other animals that share the planet with us. Cruelty-free products (look for the Leaping Bunny or PETA symbol) are developed without being tested on animals. Vegetarian cosmetics may contain ingredients like beeswax, honey, or milk; vegan cosmetics contain no animal products at all. Watch out for ingredients like stearic acid (usually derived from cow or sheep fat), oleyl alcohol (inedible beef fat), and carmine (a red dye made from crushed beetles and frequently found even in ‘natural’ lipsticks).

Biodegradable/ Minimal Packaging

When in doubt, go for the makeup with the most eco-friendly packaging – recyclable, recycled, minimal, or biodegradable. Cargo Cosmetics pioneered the biodegradable lipstick: PlantLove Botanical Lipstick is not only made with eco-friendly ingredients, but it also comes in a biodegradable corn-based tube.

Finally, here a few things to avoid on your next makeup shopping spree:

• Things you can’t pronounce. Synthetic chemicals tend to have long, complicated names. Natural ingredients don’t. For example, Burt’s Bees’ Beeswax lip balm contains beeswax, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, peppermint oil, vitamin E, lanolin, comfrey root extract, and rosemary leaf oil. Many synthetic ingredients, including parabens (preservatives), sodium Laureth/ lauryl sulfate (foaming agent), and phthalates (binders) range from mildly toxic to potentially carcinogenic.

• Petroleum/ petrochemical ingredients. Not only are fossil fuels a non-renewable resource, but they also don’t absorb into your skin. Choose a plant-based oil instead, such as jojoba, coconut, or sunflower oil.

• The labels ‘pure’ and ‘all-natural’ – unless the ingredients and a USDA organic tag back it up! These labels are not regulated.

Sources and resources:

• Lime's Guide to Buying Lipgloss

• Safe Cosmetics

• Leaping Bunny Shopping Directory

• Origins Organics

• Organic Consumers

Otherwise known as Micropigmentation, semi-permanent make-up enhances natural looks.

This make-up, being carried out with needles and pigments or dyes is sometimes marketed as permanent, creating confusion. In practical terms, it means that make-up will not be there forever, but whilst it is there, it cannot be easily erased or removed.

Semi-permanent make-up will fade over time as the pigment is inserted only into the upper layer of the dermis - as the skin gets replaced, over a period of two or three years, the color fades.

Eyebrows, eyes, lips - the focal points of the facial expression - are the prime targets for the treatment. Sparse eyebrows, either as a result of nature or of over-tweezing, non-existent brows caused, for example, by alopecia areata, short, uneven or irregular and ill-defined brow lines can be corrected. Eyes can be given a character, definition, and structure by creating a fine line close to the upper and lower lashes. In the case of people without real lashes, it can create the illusion of lashes. The shape of the lip can be improved, and imperfections such as arched, flat, or asymmetric lips can be corrected.

This gentle procedure is done by hand with NO machines or injections. A topical numbing agent is applied to desensitize the area. All the pigments are approved for use on facial skin.

Semi-permanent make-up is ideal for People who live active lives, for those who are allergic to cosmetics for those who have difficulty applying make-up, or for those who wear contact lenses.

For puffy eyes, I recommend using tea bags, preferably organic green tea. It's affordable, has powerful antioxidants, is an anti-inflammatory agent, and has an inhibitory action regarding collagen, therefore resulting in firmer skin.

For dark circles, finding the color that negates the blue/ black/green (whichever you're experiencing) is key. You want to conceal it, and not just pile on a bunch of mismatched colors in an attempt to conceal it, right? I've recently found a product called "My Spots are Concealed" which is about $5 and can be found at Sally's beauty supply. People that are stuck on "ya get what you pay for" probably aren't going to try the products I try. I try everything because that's the only way I KNOW if it works, and that's my job as your makeup artist -- to find what's going to HELP YOU! This product is great for negating that blueness beneath the eye, but unfortunately, I can only find it in light & medium color, which doesn't work for everyone (I'm still working on the perfect answer!!!). Even if you use it as your base, you can apply your regular foundation over it, and it lasts quite well. It's waterproof, which is a plus, especially when considering the duration of the day.

Bye for now, and good luck!

Jentri Quinn Makeup and CDesign Style brings you Affordably You:

A completely mobile, personalized makeover service in Austin, TX area.
Looking good never felt so easy.

For more information, visit: http://www.myspace.com/affordablyyou