Makeup Tips For Girls Who Wear Glasses ~ Beauty Tip Of The Week # 24

Do you wear glasses? I do. And I love them.

Glasses wearing girls are always asking me about how to do their makeup and still look and feel glam, so today's post is dedicated to all the lovely ladies of the frame and lens.

Makeup Tips For Girls Who Wear Glasses

1. Color correct your under-eyes.

Glasses tend to magnify any dark rings or dark areas under your eyes. Using a skin toned or ivory toned concealer can make the area look ashy or grey, but a peachy pink color correcting concealer will neutralize your dark circles and draw attention to your beautiful eyes.

Try Le Camouflage Stylo by Chantecaille

2. Keep Your Foundation Sheer.

You do need to apply foundation around your eye area, but you must keep it sheer. Thick foundation gunks up the nosepads on your glasses, and if your glasses touch your cheeks or the skin under your eyes you have the combination of lifting makeup off your face, and getting a gooey layer of makeup on your frames.

I'm never a fan of crushed mineral foundations anyway, but for glasses wearers they can be extra awful as the lenses magnify how crusty and dry the swirl-tap-buff products make your under eyes look. If the skin under your eyes looks dry, you look aged.

3. Define Your Brows.

Eyebrows may just be the most important feature on your face. Draw attention to your eyes by framing them with gorgeous brows. Well defined brows can offset heavy glasses frames and can create a lovely lift to your visage.

Try Charlotte Tilbury Brow Lift Shape Lift And Shade Tool

4. Line Your Eyes.

Adding some definition to the lashline can really help draw attention to your peepers, and stop them from getting lost behind your fabulous frames. Whether you are rocking a feline flick or just getting a little outer corner accent, liner is key.

Try Charlotte Tilbury Feline Flick in Panther

5. Avoid Bright Colored Shadows.

Your frames draw attention to your eyes - you don't need bright eye shadow colors to make them stand out. Bright eye shadows just confuse the issue. Opt instead for neutral shades, letting your brows and lash line, combined with your frames, to all the talking.

To add a pop of color to your look choose a brighter, more vibrant lip color.

6. Beware Of Dark Shadows.

Just as bright eye shadow colors can look clown-like under glasses, dark shadows and smokey eyes can look really heavy when magnified by your lenses. Try a mid-toned shade, and blend it well.

 I am loving the Fall 2015 Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Long-Wear Luminous Eyeshadow  in Rouge Gorge and in New Moon.

Buff and blend this beautiful creamy shadow for a soft but long lasting look.

How To Buy Luggage

I've just been shopping for new luggage.
There was nothing wrong with my old luggage, which has been round and round the world with me countless times in the past 15+ years. It is still in great condition, is super sturdy and ready to go, but it was time for an upgrade on two fronts: I wanted 360 degree wheels, and a lighter suitcase.
I bought a Samsonite 25 inch Spinner.

This is the suitcase I'm taking to Italy on the Corinna B's World Glam Italia II Tour next month.



There are so many options to choose from when it comes to luggage, and it can get confusing, so here are my tips for how to buy luggage.

1. Where are you going?
I have chic leather weekender bags and I have durable suitcases for international travel. They don't really crossover, so you need to be looking for luggage specific to where you're going/what you're doing.

2. Hard Case or Soft Case?
A musician friend of mine had his hard sided suitcase burst open as he was running through an airport. He has never used a hard sided case since and neither have I.
It's all personal preference though.

3. Size Matters.
It really does.
So does weight. With a larger suitcase you will almost instinctively pack more, which means your case will weigh more, potentially costing you excess weight fines at the airport. It is also harder to maneuvre large suitcases off baggage conveyor belts, in and out of cars, on and off trains etc.
The thought of traveling with only a carry-on sized bag is mortifying to me, so I have split the difference. My old suitcase was 29 inch, my new one is a far more compact 25 inch.

4. Weight.
The big trend in luggage is to go super lightweight, but you need to be careful when buying lightweight luggage. I found plenty of 25+ inch suitcases that were 7lbs and under, but the problem with most super lightweight luggage is the structure of the case can't withstand weight on top of it.
Have you ever watched them throw suitcases onto baggage carts at the airport? Chances are a heavy case will be on top of yours. Or even a middle weight case. Try piling other cases on top of the one you are considering buying and watch how the frame holds up.
I found most just collapsed or buckled under the weight of empty cases.
The key is to look for a durable fiberglass frame which provides strength but is lightweight. 

5. Fabric
Assuming you are not going with a hard case, the fabric of your soft sided suitcase is really important.
It must be waterproof, and tear proof. Ballistic nylons are great as are industrial strength polyesters.
Also think about fabrics that are stain proofed. 
If baggage handlers toss your case into a puddle or leave it on the tarmac in a storm, you don't want to find dirty water has soaked through and ruined your clothes, and also you don't want your case to be stained and ruined.

6. Color.
Have you ever stood at a medium sized baggage claim conveyor belt and noticed just how many black suitcases come flying down the chute? I always think you have a far higher chance of your suitcase being mistakenly taken by another traveler if yours is black - they all look the same!
Pale colors are more likely to show scuffs and stains, but deeps reds and blues, greens and burnt oranges etc won't get lost in all the blacks and also won't look stained as quickly.
I chose scarlet for my new luggage. It's easy to spot in a crowd, won't look dirty after it's inaugural flight, and isn't goofy looking like the hot pinks and purples that the stores were full of.

7. The Zippers.
Test the strength of the zippers, and look at how well they are attached. Big name luggage brands such as Samsonite will use industrial strength zippers that won'r separate from the case itself. Check the strength of the zipper pulls too.

8. The Wheels.
Save the strain on your shoulders and back by investing in a case that has four 360 degree wheels. Check to see the wheels are mounted on sturdy stems that can handle the weight, and that won't break off when the baggage handlers throw your case. The wheels also need to be large enough to support the size and weight of the suitcase.

9. The Pull Handle.
Check to see how sturdy the pull handle is - it has to be able to withstand the pressure of an overstuffed, overweight bag.
My Samsonite has a beveled alloy pull handle that is super strong and ultra light.
Also look at the ergonomics. Does the pull handle have more than one height setting? You need to be able to push or pull your suitcase without crunching your back or shoulders.

10. The Top and Side Handles
No matter how great the rest of the case is, you still have to be able to haul it off baggage conveyor belts and load it in and out of cars.
Look for at least 2 handles, top and side, or top, side and bottom, so that you don't kill your back by taking the full weight of your suitcase by lifting just one handle.
The handles need to be strong and well constructed into the case itself. Handles that break off or tear turn a great suitcase into a liability.
One of the features I love about my new Samsonite is that the handles are integrated into the body of the case, top and side, and are padded for comfort.

11. Outer Pockets.
You need them, but just how many do you need??
Ideally you need two. One shallow one to put documents/boarding passes/papers that you need easy access to en route to and from the airport check in, and one larger one that can take your folded coat/scarf/ neck pillow etc.

12. An Expander.
A second zipper that expands the depth of your suitcase by an inch or two can make a huge difference, especially if you are shopping!

13. Internal Organization Pockets.
One cavernous compartment is okay, but suitcases that have plasticized pouches, mesh pouches, internal zippered sections all help to keep your items separated and organized.
If you are a super organized person you cannot beat the
Eagle Creek Packing Cubes and Folders 

14. Brand and Warranty.
Invest in a well known luggage brand. A designer who is sidelining in a luggage collection isn't going to be ruined if their luggage falls to pieces. An established luggage brand will.
I chose a Samsonite suitcase because that's what they do - build suitcases. And because that's what they do, and they do it exceptionally well, they also give a 10 year warranty. The shorter the warranty, the less faith a company has in their product.

Samsonite has a 25% discount available on all of their Spinner luggage until August 25th 2015. Use this link to access the discounts: 25% Off All Spinners at Samsonite with code: SPIN25 Ends 8.24

13 Things To Do Before You Travel Overseas

There are so many things to do before you take off on a big trip, beyond packing your best bikini and decanting your skin care products into 3 fluid ounce containers.
Here is a list of 13 things you need to take care of before you head to the airport:

If you plan on posting your trip on social media, make sure you have house sitters living in your home while you are away. 

Photocopy Your Passport
Have a couple of copies of the photo page of your passport packed in different parts of your luggage. This expedites the process should you either lose your passport or if it gets stolen. It doesn't hurt to also have your passport number stored in an email or somewhere you consider safe online, but don't rely solely on anything being stored on your devices or anywhere that needs internet access to retrieve, because there will be plenty of times when you have zero access to the internet super-highway.

Stop Your Mail
Go to the post office and fill out the form to have your mail delivery stopped until you return, even if you have house sitters staying in your home.

Get Your Paper Collected.
Arrange for someone to collect your newspaper while you are away. If you have house sitters staying in your home make sure they are clear on picking up the newspaper from your driveway - you don't want to advertise your absence to potential thieves. And you can't assume your house sitter will think to do it.

Call Your Bank.
Your bank needs to know a couple of weeks in advance that you are leaving the country and planning on using your cards. Generally they want to know departure and arrival dates and which countries you will be visiting. If you don't clear it with them ahead of time they will most likely refuse or shut down your cards when you try to charge them or withdraw cash overseas. 
Getting them re-instated and regaining access to your money can take days.
Should your flight get re-routed to another country and you need to use a card to get food/accommodation etc call the number on the back of the card first and tell them what has happened prior to using the card.

Call Your Cell Phone Provider.
Make sure you are set up on your cell provider's international plan before you leave the country. Have them mail or email you the terms of the contract so that you have everything in writing, and recheck the details. Going over your minutes, texts or data can cost you thousands of dollars. 
While you are at it make sure you know how to turn off your roaming data. 

Check Visas
Some countries require you to have an entry visa. If you don't have one you can be turned away at the airport and refused access to your departing flight. Usually these are now done electronically and the process is simple. Make sure you check ahead to see if you do require a visa for any of the countries you are planning on visiting.

25% Off All Spinners at Samsonite with code: SPIN25 Ends 8.24

Charge Your Electronics And Pack Your Chargers In Your Carry-on
Make sure everything is fully charged before you leave home. Check anything that requires batteries, and pack spares, and always make sure you have your chargers and international chargers in your carry-on luggage. Things happen, your flight gets rerouted or delayed, and you need to be able to access your devices.
I also recommend traveling with a fully charged battery charger. i use the Anker 2nd Gen Astro E5, as it has the ability to fully charge a completely dead iPhone and iPad, more than once.

Separate Your Prescriptions
If you are on any prescription medication make sure you split your supply in half and carry one set on board with you and pack the other into your checked luggage. Should your luggage go missing with all your prescription medicines your trip could be ruined.

Make Copies Of Your Credit Cards And The International Help Numbers
If your cards get stolen you need to be able to call the international help line, and you need to have the credit card numbers. Don't rely on your credit card company to 
A) be staffed by helpful, intelligent people
B) have people whose accents you can understand answering the phones
C) have the ability to find your card number based on your name and social security number.

Empty Your Wallet.
Only take exactly what you need, no surplus cards, cash, or other items.

Pack Snacks And Reading Material
Don't blow the budget on overpriced salty, sugary junk foods at the airport (fabulous, guaranteed recipe for jet-lag and swollen legs), or on overpriced magazines and books. Do a little front end planning instead.

Leave Very Clear, Written Directions And Rules For House Sitters.
Don't assume common sense will prevail.
And don't assume verbal rules will be followed.
Unplug computers, put important papers in a safety deposit box at the bank.

Put Clean Sheets On Your Bed.
Invariably you will arrive home from your international trip exhausted. There is something so wonderful about slipping between fresh, clean sheets when you crawl into bed.

As always, if you have anything to add to the list please hit me up in the comment section below!

5 Hair Mistakes That Make You Look Older

Tuesday is Bridal Beauty day on the Corinna B's World blog, and today I am pairing a hair story that is relevant to brides, mothers of brides - any one in the bridal party, and is equally relevant to those of us who are not in the wedding game too.
It's all about hair mistakes that age us unnecessarily.

1. Color Is The Ultimate Ager.
This applies any which way you look at it, whether you have made a color error, or whether you are not coloring your hair when you should be.
Un-colored hair can look flat and make your complexion look dull. Simply adding some warm highlights to frame the face can soften your features, warm up your skin and make you look younger.

Hot. Mess.
Lindsay Lohan's platinum hair is just awful

The two worst color offenders when it comes to adding years to your look are 
1) blondes that are too pale, which washes out your skin tone, and 2) coloring your hair too dark. 
Black hair color and super dark hair color can sap the life out of your skin and make you look harsh.

Catherine Zeta Jones' black hair is too harsh, and ages her lovely face

Blondes that are too pale are super aging, especially on anyone who is out of her 20's. (in your 20's it just looks like you don't know any better). Too pale blonde also makes you look hard.
A friend of mine's too pale blonde wife recently celebrated her birthday, and I was stunned to find out that she's not in her 60's, but is actually in her mid 50's. The combination of too much sun and borderline platinum blonde hair has her looking far older than she is.

2. An Out Of Date Cut.
Your cut shouldn't be identical to the one you wore 5 years ago.
As your face ages your haircut needs to move with it, to bring out the best in your features. Adding a little balayage color around your face to maximize the shape of your new cut, and to compliment your skin tone can keep you looking youthful.

3. Not Trimming Regularly.
Crunchy, split ends detract from your lovely face and can be really aging. A small trim every 6 to 8 weeks keeps your cut looking fresh, keeps the movement in your hairstyle, and keeps you looking youthful.

4. The Fringe And The Part.

Sophis Bush's blunt bangs are too heavy for her face, accentuating the hollow under eye area

Two super quick fixes to update your 'do are changing your fringe and/or moving your part.
Again watch how the aging process is affecting your features, and use your bangs and your part to either soften your look, or to divert attention. For example if your eyes look heavy or tired, blunt bangs will accentuate the bags and the crows feet, whereas soft, side-swept bangs will minimize them. Regardless of your age

5. Wearing Your Hair Too Tight.
Pulling your hair back too tightly accentuates every fine line and every flaw in your skin. It also accentuates any aging that is showing around the eye area.
Instead try either not pulling all of your hair up, or soften the look by letting some soft wispy pieces fall around your face.

How To Repair Summer Skin Damage ~ Beauty Tip Of The Week #23

With summer winding down it's time to take stock of the damage we've done to our skin during the warm and sunny months, and come up with a plan to both protect our skin and heal it.

Here are a selection of skin care products to fight environmental damage, erase dark spots, super hydrate and heal, and turn back the clock on summer to give you radiant, gorgeous, glowing skin.

From Philosophy, The  Microdelivery Overnight Anti Aging Peel $82 combines the skin smoothing, micro exfoliation of a peel with the soothing, calming, restorative benefits of an overnight sleep mask. You wake up with gorgeous, glowing skin!

Rodial's Dragon's Blood Sculpting Gel $98 is magic in a bottle! It masks redness, plumps and smooths skin to reduce wrinkles, and leaves your skin looking firm and renewed.

Protect your skin from environmental pollutants and damaging free radicals by adding vitamin C to your skin care routine. Ciracle Vitamin Source C-20 not only protects your skin, but also makes it look brighter and more vital. Vitamin Source C-20's incredible delivery system gets the nutrients deep into your skin to lighten dark spots, diminish fine lines and wrinkles, and helps your skin to create healthy new cells.

It's Skin Power 10 Formula CO Effector $11 is a super affordable example of how staggeringly effective Korean skin care products really are. This highly potent collagen serum needs only a couple of drops to be massaged into the skin to super hydrate from the inside out, making the skin look instantly resilient and moisturized.
You can read more about the Korean skin care revolution here

Tatcha's Radiant Deep Brightening Serum is the Holy Grail of serums, and as such is the secret currency of celebrities. The instant it hits your skin you begin to see absolute magic happening. No matter what your skin type you see your complexion become radiant, firm, glowing. Although the company makes no claims about this serum healing anything, I have seen dreadful facial eczema disappear overnight, scaly, alligator like skin smooth in front of my eyes and red, irritated skin calm down in minutes. This is easily one of the greatest skin care products ever created.

SNP's Gold Collagen Sleeping Pack $30 is another brilliant piece of Korean skin technology, and is the final step in your night time skin care routine. After layering on your serums, essences and ampoules you apply an even layer of sleeping pack across the face and neck at least 10 minutes before bed. When you wake up you gently remove any residue with luke warm water. Your skin will be absolutely shimmering! This product is super nourishing, moisturizing and healing, and an incredible ally in damage control and the fight against aging.
And did I mention it has gold in it??

Kim Kardashian As Cleopatra Courtesy Of Pat McGrath For The Violet Files

Pat McGrath is considered to be the greatest makeup artist of our time. Vogue magazine calls her the most influential makeup artist in the world.
We call her Mother Makeup.
She is beyond amazing.
And Kim Kardashian is, well, Kim Kardashian.
Love her or hate her she seems to be here for a while.

Kim doesn't normally hit my radar, but Pat always does, and I am blown away by the sheer genius of McGrath in this work for the cover shoot for The Violet Files.
(I am frequently left speechless by her makeup magic and her incredible vision)

Pat channeled Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra, giving the look a futuristic 3D spin.

Ms. McGrath explains. “I wanted to portray a luxurious decadence by using elements of ornate facial jewelry constructed into shapes that pay homage to Egyptian culture, and of course to the rich exotic character that Taylor portrayed in this role.”

McGrath made the eye shadow by combining ground lapis stone and gold pyrite flecks, incorporating 3 dimensional gold metal into the makeup design. Exploring the concept of makeup as jewelry she wanted the images to be luxurious, evoking a modern take on the opulence associated with Cleopatra and her makeup.

Photographed by Ben Hassett, this is the first installment in a series for Violet Grey Magazine in which Pat McGrath will re-imagine icons, transforming old Hollywood glamour onto new faces.

10 Things To Do On The Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast has to be one of the most beautiful, most chic, most fabulous stretches of coastline in Europe. Winding it's way from Positano to Salerno, the Amalfi Coast is a wonderland of things to see and do, from taking in it's aching beauty, to exploring ancient villages, dining like kings, relaxing like heiresses and generally feeling like a jet-setter.

Here are 10 of my favorite things to do on the Amalfi Coast.

1. Drive it!

Drive the Amalfi Coast road

Rent a stick shift/manual transmission car (they are far more fun to drive), pull the side mirrors in, and take yourself for a drive along one of the most beautiful coast roads in the world.
Driving the Amalfi Coast road is both fun and breathtaking, partially due to the incredible scenery and partially due to the narrow, high, winding road and the buses that come hurtling along it! You need to keep your mirrors in as you will find yourself closer than you had ever planned to be to the rock wall on one side, and the oncoming bus on the other. But what a magnificent drive it is! Don't worry if you can't drive a stick shift - you will hardly ever get beyond 2nd gear anyway. Traffic rolls slowly, which isn't such a bad thing when the views are this spectacular!

2. Enjoy A Glass Of Wine At Il San Pietro di Positano.

Mediterranean Terrace, Hotel San Pietro Positano

Sitting on the Mediterranean Terrace of the Hotel Il San Pietro di Positano late in the afternoon with a glass of wine has to be the closest you can get to being in heaven itself.
Considered to be one of the very best 5 Star hotels in the world, Il San Pietro is also one of the most beautiful. The views from the Mediterranean terrace are beyond spectacular, and include the island of Capri and the most famous view of Positano.
Everything about this place is magic, and is absolutely not to be missed!
Read more about the Hotel Il San Pietro Di Positano in my blogpost here
Book a room at the San Pietro here


3. Take A Hike.
Not at all difficult, but completely awe inspiring views, the Sentiero Degli Dei (Pathway of the Gods) is an unforgettable experience.

The pathway links the town of Agerola with Nocelle in Positano.
You can access it by bus at Agerola (get off at the Bomerano stop), or if you are in the mood for stair climbing you can start at Praiano and climb  along flight of stairs up 580 meters above sea level to the Colle Serra Pass. (I'd rather die). From there you walk through the heavens, taking in views that defy belief. Chances are you will encounter grazing sheep and goats along the way.
When you reach Nocelle you can either take the bus down, or walk down the 1500 stairs to the Arienzo neighborhood. If it's summer time take another 300 stairs down to the beach for a swim.
In ancient times Nocelle was only reachable by foot, climbing the stairs from Positano.
If you start at Agerola the hike will take you around 4 hours.

4. Buy Ceramics At LizArt in Praiano.

A few years ago my bestie and I rented an apartment above the Liz Art ceramics store in Praiano (Via Roma 42). It was wonderful. Every day when we came home we would sit at the giant table in the ceramics store with Anna (the owner) and Laura (who worked there) and various local ladies, and they would ask us all about our day. The ladies would bring us bowls of fruit from their gardens to have in our apartment, including lemons and local fruit nespole. I loved walking around the store, and before we left we each bought several pieces of ceramics, handmade by Anna's family. I still absolutely treasure them.
I will be back on the Amalfi Coast in a couple of weeks, and hopefully will be able to see the ladies again, and buy more ceramics. They ship everything to your home, so you don't need to worry about traveling with breakables.
Check out their website here

5. Take A Boat Trip Along The Coast.
Ferries and hydrofoils run the length of the Amalfi Coast. One of the loveliest ways to experience the coast is by boat, so stretch out in the sun and enjoy the unfettered views from the water.

6. Explore Beautiful Salerno.
Salerno is one of the Amalfi Coast's best kept secrets. 
Situated at the opposite end of the coast from Positano, you can either drive or take a ferry. After the tourist mayhem of Capri and the rest of the coast, secret Salerno is a welcome respite. You can breathe in the sea air all to yourself as you stroll the loveliest beach promenade on the Amalfi Coast, enjoy fantastic restaurants and wine bars without huge crowds, stroll through medieval streets, taking in the history, photographing anything you want without endless tourists getting in the way. 

Sunday afternoon in the old town of Salerno

The cathedral in Salerno, San Matteo, was built in 1085. Mostly destroyed by American bombs during World War II, parts of the cathedral have been rebuilt, and parts of the original still stand. The crypt holds St Matthew's bones, and is well worth the trip to see it.

7. Take A Day Trip to Capri
You really just have to.
Plan on spending a couple of minutes in the main piazza, then head out in any direction as fast as you can to escape the tourist crush.
Make sure you go see my old friend Aldo Lella and his lovely little wife Lydia at their sandal shop, Schettino. Aldo made sandals for Jackie O, so when I first met him I had him make them for me too!
Please tell Aldo and Lydia you read about them in my blog - they get a huge kick out of it, and they actually keep copies of receipts from my blog readers so that they can show me every couple of years when I drop in for a visit!
Aldo is 92 this year, and chances are he may not be there if you wait too many years to go see them. I've written about them before here: Buying Sandals In Capri
I also have a post on What To Do In Capri, which covers my 8 favorite things to do while I'm on the island.

8. Visit Ravello
The drive up the hill to Ravello is a little on the hair-raising side, but is immediately forgotten when you reach this lovely little hilltop town. 

Villa Rufolo Ravello

Take in an evening concert under the stars at the Villa Rufolo during the world famous music festival that takes place from April to October. Walk around the Villa Cimbrone,

Villa Cimbrone Ravello

then have a glass of wine at the wonderful Hotel Caruso and look out at the world from their infinity pool in the sky.
The Caruso in Ravello is a divine place to stay on the Amalfi Coast, super chic and luxe. See the Hotel Caruso Ravello here


9. Visit The Grotto Dello Smeraldo, Positano.

Grotto Dello Smeraldo, Positano

Everyone has heard of the Blue Grotto in Capri, but most have never been to the Emerald Grotto outside of Positano. It wasn't discovered until 1932, kept secret by not having a natural outlet above the waterline. From the Amalfi Coast road you walk down to sea level where you take a boat and go inside this amazing emerald colored sea cave.

10. Dinner At Villa Gabrisa In Positano
I always make sure that I go to the restaurant at the Hotel Villa Gabrisa in Positano,  no matter where I am staying on the Amalfi Coast. 
Sit outside and take in the view of Positano by night as you enjoy one of the best meals of your life, or enjoy the ambience inside their small dining room - either way it's an absolute win, and an evening you will remember forever.

private terrace at the Hotel Villa Gabrisa in Positano

The hotel itself is a luscious little boutique hotel that oozes romance. The rooms have very sizeable private terraces that look out over the ocean, and make the perfect place for an end of evening limoncello, or your early morning coffee. 
It is absolutely divine. Check out the Hotel Villa Gabrisa here

Do you use Trip Advisor? I use it all the time to search out places to go, and I write reviews there too. My review of the restaurant at the Villa Gabrisa in Positano has been read by nearly 7, 000 people.
I am on Trip Advisor as Corinna B's World.