Let It Glow, Let It Glow, Let It Glow! 3 Products For Luminous And Radiant Winter Skin

image by Kelly Cappelli

During fall and winter your skin tends to look a little flat and dull.
Bronzers typically look orangey and somewhat odd on winter complexions, and most highlighters look shimmery or glittery and make your winter skin look crazy.

On my speaking tour for Luca Magazine I talked about adding glow to your complexion, and I've had so many messages from ladies in my audience asking me to go back over the products I talked about.

I posted last week about the gel bronzer that I use every single day,
read about it here. Today lets look at the three products I swear by and use both myself and in my pro makeup kit to make the complexion glow:

3 Amazing Products For Luminous And Radiant Winter Skin

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow

I'm crazy about this product! When I want an all over glow to the skin, not as a wet look, but a healthy gleam that looks like sunshine beaming out from within, I use Charlotte Tilbury's Wonderglow. 
It doubles up as a pre-makeup primer, or on days when I don't feel like wearing makeup I wear it alone. 
Available online at CharlotteTilbury.com $55

Marc Jacobs Glow Stick Spotlight 700

I love this one for running highlight along cheekbones, collarbones and shoulders. Highlight shouldn't be sparkly, it should illuminate and radiate, and this product makes the skin luminous and glowy.
The stick form makes it easy to swipe it across the skin, but I prefer to use a duo fiber makeup brush. You can apply the Marc Jacobs Glow Stick Spotlight 700 either before foundation or after, (or both!), and can make it a subtle glow or ramp it up to a super sheen - you're in charge!
Available online at MarcJacobsBeauty.com $42

Radiance Glow Hydrating Starter 

At  half the price of the others the Pony Effect Radiance Glow Hydrating Starter brightens and illuminates the skin, giving it a gorgeous glow while hydrating it and minimizing fine lines and wrinkles. It also acts like a primer, smoothing the skin and readying it for foundation. You can wear it alone or under makeup.
This product sells out quickly. If you like it order a second one sooner rather than later.
Available online at Memebox.com $21

How To Give Your Skin The Perfect Bronze Kiss For Fall And Winter

I just got back from teaching my Beauty 101 class at the Pinner's Conference in Utah.
I flew out there in my role of Beauty Director for Luca Magazine 
(a title I am very proud to hold!) 

One of the things I spoke about in Salt Lake City on Friday was the use and abuse of one of the greatest makeup products ever created, bronzer. I've had so many messages from ladies in the audience asking me about the product that I was telling them about that I decided to write a post about it.

Bronzer isn't designed to fix a bad foundation choice, or to contour your face. It is designed to make you look all glowy and warm, as though you were just out in the sun.

The makeup transition from summer to winter can be tricky. As you lose that summer glow a powder bronzer can look manic. The color sits up on top of the skin and can look anywhere from Trump-orange to bogus-tan, and if the particles are large it can create a mad flickering effect to your complexion.
So if you are feeling washed out, what's a girl to do? Don't worry, I have a plan for you.

This is my absolute favorite bronzer. 

 stila Aqua Glow Perfecting Bronzer, 1 fl. oz.is a bronzing gel from Stila Cosmetics.

I've been using it for ages on myself as well as in my pro makeup kit.

my makeup table at a recent Luca Magazine shoot

close up - Aqua Glow

As we transition through fall I am still using it every day. I like to apply a small amount to my cheekbones and blend it into my skin for a soft glow. On days like today I wear it alone, on days where I'm wearing foundation or BB Cream, I wear it underneath. It gives you a hint of controlled color that stops you from looking pasty or washed out but doesn't look like you're trying to fake out a long weekend in the Bahamas. You can also add a tiny bit to your foundation if you need to warm the color up.

I love it because it looks natural and has a fresh glowy finish that makes your skin look alive. 

I used Aqua Glow Perfecting Gel Bronzer on Ford model Amberly Ray on a shoot for Luca Magazine.
Her skin looks sunkissed yet autumn/winter appropriate

It's super concentrated so you only use a small amount, which makes it great value too! Stila's Aqua Glow Perfecting Bronzer 

I can never find it in stores, so I always order it online.

Free standard shipping for when you spend $50 or more at Stila Cosmetics

The Modern Girl's Guide To Korean Skin Care

I talk about Korean skin care all the time.
I just taught another Beauty 101 class, and all the ladies were asking me about K-Beauty and which products I used and what all these things men, so in their honor, here is a blogpost dedicated to breaking down the parts of Korean Skin Care.

Korean women are considered to have the best skin in the world, and obsess over which products they use.
Making the change to Korean products has been the best thing I have ever done for my skin and it has never looked better.

South Korea is not only the mecca of skin care it is actually the world leader in research and development of skin care products. Korean skin care utilizes technologies we don't have yet in America, so these products are really high performance and give you absolutely amazing results.

The Korean skin care system is based on layering products and targeting very specific skin concerns. I added each category of product in one at a time so that I could see if they made a difference, and if layering them was worth it. It was.

The following post is a break down of each of the main components that make up the Korean skin care regimen. You can use them all, or if that is too overwhelming just pick and choose the parts that work for you.

You can find Korean skin care in various stores (such as Sephora), or you can order them online. I buy online from Memebox, the largest purveyor of Korean skin care products. They are based in the San Francisco area so everything ships out quickly and arrives in 3 - 5 days. 

I write about Korean skin care and Memebox often, and normally post about my orders when they arrive. If you go to the search bar and type in either Memebox or Korean skin care you will get a list of them all. 

West Face East, How To Layer Your Skin Care Korean-Style

Korean Skin Care - Where Do You Begin??

Disclaimer: Memebox does not sponsor this blog and does not give me free product. I buy every product I talk about, show you, or use. 
I do have affiliate marketing with Memebox through a third party. This means that if you order from any of the links in this post my blog may earn a few cents.

One of my recent Memebox orders. All these amazing products for around $100!

1. The Cleanse

The Korean skin cleanse is actually a two step process. One cleanse to dissolve makeup, the second to clean the skin.
Personally I just do a single step cleanse, using a cleansing oil. I use I'm Cleansing Oil from Memebox. It dissolves makeup (even waterproof mascara!) and leaves my skin feeling super soft and supple.
You should cleanse your skin with a product designed for your skin type. If you have oily skin or get breakouts you need cleansing products designed to lift away excess sebum and help deep cleanse the complexion.
If you have dry, irritated or sensitive skin you need very gentle cleansing products.
Find Korean cleaning products here.

2. The Exfoliation

The next step in the Korean skin care system is the exfoliation.
From scrubs to enzyme masks to peels, the pathway to smooth, glowing skin is exfoliation. Be careful not to exfoliate too frequently or too aggressively, and choose the formulation you need to meet your skin type. 
Sensitive and irritated skins need to be especially careful because aggressive or abrasive exfoliators can make skin even more sensitive and irritated. Exfoliating every couple of weeks is ideal for most skins.
Explore Korean exfoliators here

3. The Refresher

After cleansing your skin the next daily step is a refresher. That can be a facial mist (my favorite) or a softening toner. The refresher softens and prepares the skin for the treatment and moisturizing products that follow.
See Korean refreshers here

4. The Essence

Korean women consider this to be the most important step in their skin care regime. Essences combine multiple intensive ingredients into a super concentrated form (you really only need one drop) and then transports them deep into the skin. They are lightweight in texture, so the surface of your skin doesn't feel slimy or oily, and they are skin concern specific, so you target the issues that you want to work on. Aging/dehydration/acne/excess oil/lightening and brightening - you name it there's an essence for it. You can also layer essences and tackle multiple skin issues at the same time.
Find essences here

5. The Ampoule

An ampoule is a super-charged, highly concentrated serum that again you only need a tiny amount of and that go super deep into the skin (much deeper than the average serum or moisturizer). 
Again this product is skin concern specific. You look at what you want to fix about your skin, whether its smoothing the texture, brightening, super hydrating, anti aging - you name it there's an ampoule for it.
The results are sensational and your skin will love you for adding ampoule into daily routine! If you are using both an essence and an ampoule the essence goes on first.

6. The Emulsion

So far if you are doing all the steps in the Korean system you have been targeting skin concerns and deep treating them. Now it's time to start moisturizing the skin. Emulsions are lightweight moisturizers. You can use them alone, or as the next step after your ampoule. They give you all the moisturizing that you need without being really heavy on the skin.
During the day you would follow this with an SPF product and then put on your makeup. (but when your skin gets all glowy and healthy from using this skin system you will find that you both want and need much less makeup than you currently wear!)

7. The Sleeping Pack

Korean women really understand the importance of super moisturizing the skin to keep it soft, supple, glowing and healthy, so at night after all these steps they apply a sleeping pack, which seals all the prior products in for the night. A sleeping pack has a similar texture to a night cream, but is slightly more gel-like. It doesn't leave a film on your skin, doesn't mess up your pillow case, it just absorbs in and makes the magic happen!
Find Sleeping Packs here.

8. Sheet Masks

Every week you should do a mask, whether it's for hydration, brightening, clearing blackheads, cleaning your skin, or whichever issue you want extra help with.
Sheet masks are great because they get a completely even coating of product and seal it into the skin. Also they're not messy, which I love.
If you are not a sheet mask girl Korean skin care is full of regular mask options too.
See Korean skin care masks here

Find Korean skin care products for oily skin and breakouts
Find Korean skin care products for normal and dry skins

Pinners Conference Texas

Are you going to the Pinner's Conference in Texas this weekend?? 

I am teaching a Beauty 101 class on Friday the 9th at 3 pm.
If you will be in the Dallas area come on down and make sure you come and say hi!

If you haven't bought your tickets yet, or if you are buying tickets for the Pinners Conference in Arizona in October use the code corinna and get 10% discount of the ticket price!

How To Choose The Perfect Cleanser For Your Skin

I am skin care obsessed.
I love lotions and potions, serums and masks, essences and facial mists - I love it all. The more steps to a skin care regime, the more products in a line, the more I want in!

In fact while I'm writing this post I have a sheet mask on - my Sunday night routine.

When clients get in my makeup chair I often see that their skin looks stripped, irritated, congested, or maybe overly juicy. When we get talking about their skin more often than not I find that they are using the wrong cleanser. The key to great skin is using the right cleanser for your skin type, so lets break down the different skin types and which cleansers are the right cleansers for each skin.

1. Normal Skin.

Lucky you - you're not dry, you're not oily, you're not acne'd. 
You've got it made.
But be careful - if you don't take care of your skin it's not going to stay looking gorgeous!

Try using the Luna cleansing brush, paired with Foreo's Day and Night Cleansers

2. Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin needs extra TLC. Avoid foaming cleansers, cleansers with acids in them (salicylics, glycolics etc), and also avoid exfoliating cleansers. All of these can strip your skin, irritate your skin, and generally wreck havoc on your skin.
Instead choose a gentle milk or cream cleanser to dissolve makeup and clean your skin.

Try Ren Everclear Gentle Cleansing Milk, available online at Space NK

3. Congested Or Acne Prone Skin

Your cleansing goal is to help clear the debris, clean up the breakout, balance your skin's natural oils and prevent new breakouts from occurring. A creamy, milky cleanser isn't going to lift away enough, you need a wash.

Try Ciracle Anti Blemish Tea Tree Face Wash, available online from Memebox




4. Dry Skin

Dry skin, like sensitive skin, needs lots of love and attention.
If you don't take care of your dry skin you will fast track the aging process, so choosing the right cleanser is super important.
I have dry skin and my cleanser of choice is an oil cleanser. Oil cleansers dissolve makeup and clean your complexion. On top of that they leave your skin feeling silky soft and very loved up.

Try I'm Cleansing Oil #01 Moist Oil For Dry Skin, available online at Memebox.com. You will love it!