How To Wear High Pigment Eyes

One of the huge trends both for Fall 2010, and also showing up in Spring/Summer 2011is the high pigment, intense eye.

Chanel Spring/Summer 2011

This look can be completely arresting, and when worn correctly it can be quite spectacular, but there are a few tricks to getting this eye just right.

*Start by making sure your skin is well nourished and hydrated. The cooler weather can really strip the skin of its moisture, and this look is dependent upon a great complexion.

* Use a good eye cream, and pay extra attention to the area under the eye, next to the nose.

* Conceal well under the eye, paying attention to color correcting out the blue/gray. Use a concealer with a good pink undertone to cancel out unwanted dark rings.

* Pay extra attention to applying a good, luminous, full cover foundation. A high pigment eye needs to be paired with a flawless looking skin.

* Use a soft, barely there shade of blush. You need the dimension of a contoured cheek to break up the beige of the face, but only a whisper of pale color.

* Soften the brow. A full, power brow will dominate the face. Soften out the brow color and shape, so that the eye takes center stage.

* Use a synthetic brush to apply cream based shadow, then a hair eyeshadow brush
(see Corinna B Chisel Fluff brush) to swirl dark shadow from the lash line to the brow.

* Finish out your eye with multiple coats of mascara. This look requires big lashes!

* Keep lip color to a minimum. Look at shades of nude, or barely there glosses. Don't let your lips compete with your eyes.

fabulous at Diane Von Furstenburg

Playing Naked

Wearing a nude lip can be even trickier than wearing a bright red one. And both are huge this season, so today we are looking at how to wear your lip nudie rudie style.

image from www.electricsafari.tumblr.com

 A nude lip can leave you looking washed out, so unless you are a forlorn, waif-like supermodel, lounging around and looking moody, you need a couple of tricks up your sleeve to really pull this one off to perfection.

Ashley Olson looking like perfection in a nude lip

A nude lip is at its very best when paired with a smudgy, smokey eye. If you're not in the mood for a sultry eye, at least use eyeshadow and liner with some depth to them. Deep, muted mocha's and berries are a lovely balance to a nude lip.

When the lip is a pale naked, the expanse of skin from the lower lash line to the chin can look like a never ending sea of uninspired beige. This takes away all sense of dimension and proportion, and leaves a girl looking a little flat, so counterbalance the pale lip with a warmly infused cheek. At this time of year utilize the gorgeous autumnal hues widely available, and give your cheek a slightly flushed resonance.

Kate Hudson's warm cheeks are the perfect compliment to her nude lip

Choose a lipliner that is flesh toned and just slightly deeper than your own lip color. A liner that is your own color or lighter will make the dimension disappear from all but the largest, fullest lips.

Kim Kardashian in a nude lip at a shoot in Australia

Avoid high glosses. A naked lip should have a subtle sheen, keeping the pout looking moisturized and kissable. Don't go too matte or too shiny.

Check out the fabulous new Get Nude Collection at www.hwoodbeauty.com

Lets Get Nude!

The two biggest looks for lips this season are a bold sexy red and a soft, sensual, barely there nude.

Nude in fact, is never really out of vogue. A great selection of nudie lip shades make a fabulous base for your makeup wardrobe, but choosing the right ones can be a little tricky at times.

h.wood.beauty has taken the hassle out of finding a great nude shade by releasing their new line of 6 gorgeous shades, oh so appropriately called "Get Nude".

 h.wood.beauty is an eclectic line of high fashion cosmetics, inspired by the super cool h.wood Tea Room (tucked in an alley off Hollywood Boulevard, the h.wood Tea Room is LA's secret Wednesday night hideaway, where very famous faces join the super cool to sip "Prohibition teas" spiked with spirits).
All h.wood .beauty products are made in LA, and take their names from the City of Angels - street names, freeways, music venues, beaches, daytrips from LA.
Crazy cool, ultra hip, uber chic.

beautiful Angelina Jolie in nude lip

The Get Nude collection lets you find your perfect nude. The lipsticks are matte with moisture, meant to be layered together, or worn alone. The color pay off is fantastic, the staying power divine.

The six shades are each named for a local LA beach.

Malibu - a nude beige with a slight pinky undertone, very flattering to skin tone

Zuma -  a light coffee beige, very warm and beautiful

Newport - a beautiful pink beige

Topanga - a rich, mauve/tawny beige, the deepest of the 6

Laguna - a pale nude beige, like an autumn latte

Venice - a soft, pale, coral beige

All have a hint or warm vanilla caramel, just like the famous teas.

The best way to wear a nude lip is to apply it matte then add the simplest sheen. More tips tomorrow...

If you're not in LA you can order these lovely nude lips (and their other beauty products) online

www.hwoodbeauty.com

Jennifer Lopez in a pinky nude lip, very similar to hwood beauty Newport

The Perfect Khaki Eye

Fall eye shadows are typically nothing to get too excited about. 
Most years we see the same old beiges, browns and berries, and it leaves us a little uninspired.

Fall/Winter 2010 however, brings a little excitement to the makeup table, in the form of Khaki.

Khaki is huge this season! The 2010 Khakis are a little more complex than their predecessors, a little more interesting, but still require a few good tricks to make them look sensational.

1) Be really well concealed and color corrected under the eyes. Use pinky/peachy toned color correctors to cancel out the blue/gray tones. Applying an ivory or vanilla concealer will just make the under eye look ashy and gray. The murky depths of a khaki shadow can leave you looking tired if you're not well cleaned up under the eyes.


2) Khaki shadow looks best when you're wearing a full cover, luminous foundation. The olive undertones in khaki can make the skin look sallow, so fire up your most beautiful base, and breathe some life into your autumn cheeks with a fresh hued blush.

3) Look for khakis with deeper green hues. Don't go too pale or too olive as these can give a very bruised look. Depth in color will make your eye look more robust.

4) Avoid flat shadows - go for something with a gold shimmer to it. My favorites this season are Chanel Vert Khaki and Bobbi Brown Forest, both of which have a delicious metallic golden sheen to them, reflecting gold and emerald without being frosted. This immediately wakens and enlivens the eye, while maintaining smoking smoldering intensity.

5) If you have flat olives or browns in your makeup drawer, bring them to life by mixing metallic coppers or bronzes with them, or laying a shimmering gold shadow over top. A good gold shadow creates all kinds of options to reinvent shadows that are looking old or dull.

6) The best way to wear a khaki shadow is as a smoky, moody eye, well blended and with a bold but buffed out liner and tons of mascara.
 

Get Your Leopard On!!

Normally fall fashions get overwhelmingly tedious with all the gray/brown/blackness that reach out and hit you over the head like a dulled mallot. But not this season. Fall 2010 is giving us a little excitement in the form of leopard prints. Fun, fabulous, fantastic leopard!

Kate Moss - always perfection

We are seeing leopard everything - from shoes

to handbags to belts and scarves.

 Fall 2010's bottoms look best dressed in a leopard thong...

thong by Sensuelle

The divine leopard print coats and jackets that ruled the runways, can kick up any old black ensemble and make it super sleek chic and cool.

Moschino

Unless you are JLo or Jackie Collins don't try to pull off head to toe leopard. Instead of suggesting a little inner feline you'll look like you're unleashing your full on cougar! Ideally wear one statement piece (dress/coat) and counterbalance it with a simple solid, or take a couple of fab leopard accessories and use them to bring the drama to anything you own.

When using more than one leopard piece, make it more interesting by layering different sized and colored prints, and combine different textures.

There are two major makeup trends to pair with leopard this season.

The first is a smoldering, sexy eye coupled with a soft nude mouth. Major eye shadows to use are a metallic shimmering eggplant, or a copper khaki shimmer. Make sure you make the eye very sultry, buffed out and with considerable depth.

Angelina Jolie, gorgeous in leopard

Use a full bodied foundation, give your cheeks lots of autumnal love, then soften it all with a dewy finish on a nude lipstick.

Maxim Magazine's sexiest woman on earth, Christina Hendricks

Divine.

The other major trend is to again use a full, luminous base (try Makeup Forever HD) a well contoured cheek, and this time add in a power brow - well groomed and defined, a soft, bare eye shadow on a well lined heavily lashed eye and set the whole thing alight with a bright, bold, catch me if you can red lipstick. Avoid burgundy reds, purple reds and dark reds. If you only buy one piece of makeup this season, make it a bright, modern, exciting red!

Fierceness!

Here is the SheKnows.com Daily Dish segment all about leopard for fall 2010:

Four Quick Steps To Lighten and Brighten Your Eyes

Nothing will undo your look more quickly than dull, tired looking eyes. Whether you wake up with puffy eyes or whether you sit in front of a computer all day and wind up looking exhausted, having a few good tricks up your sleeve can make all the difference in the world.

 Four quick steps to lighten and brighten your eyes!

 1) Use a good de-puffer under the eye.

I love Kiehls Facial Fuel Eye De-Puffer. It soothes, cools, hydrates, gets the circulation going and de-puffs all in one easy step. I also love that it comes in a stick form instead of a lotion or gel. 

2) Curl those lashes!

A really high speed way to open the eye is to curl the lashes. But not all lash curlers are created equal! Some just flip the lash up, or don't shape it nicely. Makeup artists all over the world swear by the Shu Uemura lash curler (www.shuuemura.com) due to its perfect shape. (always curl before applying mascara!!)

3.) Use a supersonic mascara

such as Cargo's incredible Texas Lash mascara. In Texas they like everything bigger, and this mascara is no exception!! Put on several coats and build some big, dramatic exciting eyes.

4) Use a highlighter.

Again from Cargo I love the Eyelighter pen. Keep one in your handbag for a quick freshen up after work, use when getting ready to go out, or on those days when you need a little extra something in the morning. This double ended pen simplifies age old makeup artist trick of using both matte and frosted highlighting shadows. The pointed tip puts a matte shadow under the brow, under the lower lash line and at the outer corner of the eye, while the rounded tip puts a soft shimmering highlight to the inner corners of the eye. Your eyes look instantly bright and alive!

Bronzer 101 SheKnowsTV

Summer is all but over, yet we're not quite ready to lose that lovely sun-kissed glow, so its time to break out the bronzer!
But not all bronzers are created equal, and the shade that is gorgeous on your friend can look hideous on you, so here's the girlfriend's guide to bronzing, as seen on She Knows TV.

1. Find your formulation. 
When all is said and done, gels and creams can be trickier to get even and smooth and to keep looking perfect all day, so go with a powder compact - its way easier!


2. Find your correct color.
If you have a pale skin you will look best in a bronzer with a rosey gold champagne undertone.
If you have a medium or olive complexion you will win with a golden copper undertone.
If you are a dark goddess look for something with a deeper red undertone.


A little shimmer can be beautiful, and really bring some light and life into the skin. Look for bronzers that have very small particles of shimmer. Basically if you can see and identify individual shimmer particles, they are too big, and your skin will look crazy shiny.


3. Application.
Don't try to color your face in with bronzer. Its need to hit your skin where the sun would. Across the forehead, the top of the cheek bone and bridge of the nose, and the chin. You can run a little along the jawline too.
Think of doing a number 3 across forehead, cheekbone, nose and chin.
If your collarbones are visable, dust them too.


Your application should be light enough that you can see freckles through it.


The bronzers I showed in the segment are actually from my makeup kit. 
Here is the 411 of what was on the table.


On Lisa I used Guerlain's amazing Terracotta Powder in shade 2.

Beyond brilliant, this product is the benchmark for all bronzers. Guerlain first introduced the Terracotta powders in 1984, and they were the first bronzers on the market. To this day they are the biggest selling bronzer, with one unit selling somewhere in the world every 25 seconds!!
I love these because they give the warmth and luminosity of a natural tan. They also are moisturizing, long wearing and oil controlling.


Cargo Cosmetics Bronzer in Medium

A staple in my kit and in my personal product arsenal. I love the subtle sun kissed glow it gives, slightly shimmery and sheer. This award winning bronzer avoids the overly yellow trap that many bronzers fall into. Totally gorgeous!


MakeUp Forever Bronzer

I am a huge advocate of Makeup Forever! Their products are amazing. On the table I showed their bronzer in shade #5, which has a lovely red undertone for my dark skinned girls. It comes in several shades, so no matter what your complexion is they have one for you.

How To Transition Your Makeup From Summer To Fall

As those long, lovely days of summer are coming to an end, its time to start transitioning our makeup from our summer look into our fall look.

And there's no need to do it all at once. No one wants to go from a glowing, tanned, fresh from the beach visage to a pasty, pale gray weather one in any great hurry, so here are some easy steps to take you slowly into a beautiful season change:



1. Start easing up on the self tanner.
Over the next few weeks either dilute your facial self tanner with moisturizer, or just start using it every other day, then start spacing out the days in between self tanning. This lets you subtly move from looking like a languid vacation in the islands to the busy it girl about town, without the sudden shock of instant pallor.

2. Start using less bronzer.
Not only use less, but step down to a softer, paler shade.

3. Use a darker lipliner.
If you're not ready to leave your glossy summer lips behind you, modify them with a darker liner. This helps to lessen the torment of moving into a deeper, moodier winter lip.

4. Start moving into fall lip colors.
The transition is easier made when taking one small step at a time. As you lighten the tan, let your lip be the first thing to start making its way into the new season. A fuller, warmer lip looks gorgeous with your softer, summer eyes.

5. Start chiseling your cheeks.
As we move into fall our sunkissed summer cheeks evolve into more chiseled, contoured cheekbones. Utilize highlighters and luminizers to keep looking fresh faced, as you start building into a more structured look.

6. Start moving into a stronger brow.
As the colder weather moves in and the new makeup colors arrive on the scene, the soft, natural brow gets lost. Transitioning to a power brow overnight can feel too severe, so slowly start building to a more constructed, defined brow

7. Start changing up your eyeshadows.
As you complete the move into fall makeup, lose the lighter shimmery, summery eyeshadows, opting instead for something a little more muted, a little more smoldering. Work in some deeper, bolder liner 

See? Seven simple steps and you're on your way to an easy summer to fall transition!

No Foundation Foundation

I think this just might be my favorite product right now!

No Foundation Foundation from Perricone MD

Designed to let the skin's natural radiance and beauty shine through,

this incredible product actually evens out skin tone,

color corrects undertones,

and with its natural, translucent coverage,

really does leave you looking fresh and lovely.

Its a fabulous summertime option for those of us who really don't enjoy a completely naked face,

yet also don't want to walk around with too much makeup on.

In fact, I'm actually wearing it as I sit here and write this post!

No Foundation Foundation has antioxidants, keeps the skin moisturized,

and has a non chemical SPF of 30.

Whats even more intriguing is that one shade fits all!

No Foundation Foundation comes in a golden hue that cancels out red in the skin

and from the palest of pale skins to the darkest dark

and all the olives in the middle

this looks amazing on everyone!

You have to go try it and see for yourself!

Find out more here at Dr Perricone No Foundation Foundation

You can get a coupon here at Perricone MD coupon

How Long Does Makeup Last??

 I just did a segment on Fox  Arizona's Breakfast Show

all about how long makeup products last.

If you google the shelf life of makeup you'll find all kinds of hysteria

that will make you want to throw everything you own in the trash

and buy all new products.

I think that's a load of hooey.

Here's the lowdown, according to me.

* Cosmetic products are loaded with preservatives and last a long long time.

Even organic products contain preservatives and frequently have as much as 50% synthetic preservative in them.(Synthetics last much longer than natural preservatives)

Even if a product has the USDA Organic seal on it, it only has to be 95% organic, so you may still get synthetic chemicals in the mix.

* When reading the ingredients in makeup, the preservatives, most commonly the paraben family,

will appear as, amongst other names, long chemical names that begin with propyl, ethyl, methyl, butyl,etc etc

and frequently end with zoic or zoic acid. Without them your products will have the shelf life of a glass of milk on a kitchen counter.

* The shelf life of your products is largely determined by you, and how you take care of them.

1. Keep them out of direct sunlight

2. Keep them away from heat       

Ideally store them in a drawer or cabinet.

3. Maintain really good hygiene standards. 

Keep products clean

Don't put fingers into the

Put lids and caps back on them

Sharpen pencils regularly

Clean your makeup brushes regularly

Replace makeup sponges frequently.

* You can generally tell when a product has gone bad.

1. The texture changes. You may see separation in the product, or you may just notice it looks funny.

2. The color changes. Obvious in a lipstick or foundation, but in more transparent products you may see a milkiness or cloudiness or you may see a white lotion has turned a yellow shade. If the color has changed, throw the product out.

3.The smell changes. If the smell has changed at all its a good idea to throw the product out. Preservatives keep products from smelling funny, so if the smell is off then it may mean the preservative has lost its strength.

 * Mascaras tend to need replacing most frequently.

If your mascara is drying out or flaking, its time to replace it. Generally they're good for around 12 weeks.

Try to buy fewer products and go for good quality, rather than having masses of the cheap stuff.
Cheap products contain the cheaper ingredients (such as the cheaper synthetic preservatives) and in higher concentration. These ingredients are more likely to cause Dermatitis, allergies and irritation.

How To Wear Beach Makeup

Wearing a full face of makeup to the beach

just looks plain ridiculous.

However.

Most of us don't really want to be completely au naturel either.

So here's the 411 on how to do fab beach makeup:

* wear masses of SPF

before you do anything else, liberally apply a very high facial SPF. 

My personal favorite is Neutrogena Dry Touch SPF 85 with helioplex.

You won't be greasy, and you'll get some decent protection from burning.

When you do need to reapply use a powder SPF like ColoreScience

* Avoid foundation.

If you absolutely must have something on your skin, opt for a very light dusting of a crushed mineral makeup.

Regular formulations will melt, sweat and look gooey (and ridiculous).

Keep any concealing to a bare minimum. 

Color correct any under eye action, but use a very light touch.

The harsh glare of the sun will magnify anything you have on 

* Be bronzed

 an all over gel/cream facial bronzer will give you ample color

and have such a refined texture, that you won't see it on the surface of the skin.

I like L'Oreal Sublime. Equal parts self tanner and bronzer

are dispensed at once, giving you controllable color for face and neck.

Body self tanners tend to break the face out, and leave it with a rougher texture.

   

* Add a pop of color

my favorite color piece for the summer is Nars Multiple tint.

This is a limited edition product, so you need to get it quickly.

Multiple tint comes in 3 shades:

Beverly Hills (red)

Turks and Caicos (orange)

Cadaques (fuchsia)

These can be used on cheeks, eyes and lips. 

They're very sheer, build able color

so you can infuse just the right amount of life into your skin, while giving a lovely, bright, summery lip.

They also leave a divine finish to the skin, with a beautiful, healthy glow.

*Waterproof or water resistant mascara

your choice of formulation is really important here.

You don't want to be building huge, thick, bold lashes when  going to the beach.

Long, sleek, defined lashes are key.

My favorite beach mascara this season is also by Nars

Larger Than Life Lengthening Mascara is water resistant,

and builds sleek beautiful lashes.

If you are going to wear eyeliner, try Makeup Forever's aqualiners. 

They  become waterproof in around 60 seconds, so you have time to smudge and soften the line first.

 

*No touch ups.

 lips are always OK to touch up, and powdered SPF too.

But nothing else.

Remember, this is about looking fresh and beautiful,

not looking like a hot, greasy caricature of yourself.

* Big hat, big glasses

while looking fabulous, protect your scalp from melanoma, your skin from supersonic aging

(and all skin cancer's)

and protect your eyes.