You Can Call Us Gorgeous

Glowing

2010-01-08T14:09:00.000-08:00

You ever see a celebrity in a magazine and notice they have a youthful, healthy glow? But then when you go to do your makeup it just doesn't look the same? Having a that glow is actually much easier than it looks. In fact, it's one of my favorite looks and it takes only a few minutes to achieve. Here are a few tips to try:

Glowing Cheeks: Bright, glowing cheeks are essential to achieving this look. Check out my blog post on this subject to achieve this step.

Skip Eye Liner: Eye liner can give a really edgy or sexy look, but it can also make your eyes look heavy, small or older. Try using a shimmery earth tone on the lid (stick to one shade for this look). Apply a coat of mascara.

Skip Powder: Powder can come in handy for those T-zone problems, but it can also dull the skin and hide the shine that you naturally have. Try skipping powder, or just using a tiny bit on your problem areas. Still need powder? Try a blotting sheet like Sephora's Blotting Sheets, a think sheet that takes the oil off your skin without dulling your skin with powder.

Lip Gloss: Find a clear or pinkish lip gloss. After your lips are exfoliated, put a dot of gloss in the middle of your lip and work it outward.

These tips should give you a glowing look. This is a minimal look so skip anything heavy or dark.

Spa Water

2010-01-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!

With the holidays, family and traveling, I was on a blogging hiatus. But I'm back and ready to dish out beauty secrets to make this the most beautiful year yet!

I was reading a friend's blog and she mentioned that she hated drinking water and therefore didn't drink it. I totally get that because I used to hate water, never drank it. The thing is, we have to drink it, not only for health reasons but for beauty reasons as well. When I keep myself hydrated I feel better, my skin looks better, and have more energy. I have since learned to love water. I can drink it plain, however here is a trick for those of you that just can't get into the habit of drinking the tasteless beverage.

Cut up 2 to 3 different types of fruit, for example strawberries/pineapple/lime, orange/lemon/lime, cantaloupe/strawberries, etc. You can really use any fruit you want. After you've cut them up place them in a pitcher and fill with water. Refrigerate. Let sit for a few hours, and up to four days. As you drink the water you can simply fill it up again, leaving the fruit in there. The flavor will become more intense the longer the fruit sits. It's very refreshing and spa like, and if using a glass pitcher it's really pretty. I try to drink a glass of it every morning as soon as I get up, that way you start your day hydrated.

60's Mod Eye Makeup

2009-12-17T16:48:00.000-08:00

The 60's look of the thick eyeliner, voluptuous lashes and pink/nude lips never goes out of style. When pulled off correctly, it's one of my favorite looks, however I've seen a lot of attempts (a few of my own) that are a 60's Mod miss. The thing is it's an easier look to pull off than you think. Here are some tips to sporting this classic look.

Prep your lids with some sort of eye lid primer. I use Urban Decay's Primer Potion. This is important because not only do you want your eye shadow to stay, but you'll be using a bit more eye liner than usual and you don't want it to end up disappearing or ending up smudged on your lid.

Swipe a nude or light colored eye shadow on your lid, from lash line to brow line, doing a few more applications on the main part of the lid. A nude shadow I like is Tarte's Sweet Valley High, or for something with a bit more depth but still in the nude shades, try the Smokey shade in Tarte's Femme Fatal Palette.

Apply a smudgy black eyeliner like Mac's Technakohl Liner in Graphblack. Here's where go the wrong direction with this. When you apply, from the outer corner to the middle of the lid, applying right at the lash line. Then, take a slanted makeup brush and work it towards the inner corner. Then, go over the eyeliner with the brush, smoothing it out. Apply another coat of eye liner, from outer corner to middle of lash line, repeating process before. With the eye liner left on your brush, wing the eye liner out a bit (make sure it's going slightly up). You can re-apply as many times as you like to get the desired look, but applying in multiple applications instead of one harsh eye liner swipe is the key.

Apply a light grey, eye liner to the bottom lid. You just want a little bit here, so that the top lid is heavier.

Apply mascara. Do a couple coats, thick lashes is another staple for this look.

Apply a good dose of pink blush, and a pinky lip gloss and you are back in the 60's! In a good way.

Moisturizer

2009-12-15T21:53:00.000-08:00

Another staple in keeping your skin in great condition is moisturizer. And you should be moisturizing 24/7. Along with keeping your skin moisturized and healthy, it's going to make your makeup go on smoother. You want three things when looking at your moisturizing routine; daytime moisturizer, night cream and eye cream.

Daytime Moisturizer: You want a few things from this. It's going to go under your makeup so you don't want it too thick or oily. You're going to want it to have an SPF of 15 or higher, and you'll want it to meet any other skin issues you may have. I have used Oil of Olay's Complete All Day UV Moisturizer for basically my entire life. I've tried other moisturizers along the way, high end and drug store, but I always go back to Oil of Olay. For me, it works great and is the perfect base for my makeup. But all skin is different so make sure you try out products til you find the right one for you.

Night Cream: Again, you want to find the night cream that fits your skin needs. You're going to want it to be thicker than your daytime lotion. I like to have an anti-aging element to my night cream as well. I am currently using Olay's Regenerist Night Recovery Cream, and I love it. I was using a high end brand and when I ran out one day, and I wasn't working, I had to try a less expensive brand, and I will never go back. For me, Regenerist makes my skin feel so soft, smooth and healthy looking and feeling.

Eye Cream: Sometimes I will wear a little bit of eye cream during the day on the lower lid, but mostly I just wear it at night (it can effect your eye makeup). I like a creamy eye cream. I'm still trying out different ones (thanks to free samples at Sephora), but I do have one that I love, and that's Keihl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado.

Skincare

2009-12-13T11:38:00.000-08:00

The best beauty look you can have is healthy looking skin. Along with eating right and using sunscreen, you want to make sure you're using the right products when you wash your face morning and night. For this routine I suggest going back and forth between an exfoliating scrub and a non-exfoliating face wash that meets your needs.

Scrub: My dermatologist once told me that it's not good to exfoliate every day because it can irritate your skin. Ever since then I've tried to use them every couple of days. Try out a bunch of different ones. I like, and this has been a favorite for a while, St. Ive's Renew and Firm Apricot Scrub. It leaves my skin smooth and the exfoliating particles aren't too harsh. It's not expensive either! I also love their Olive Scrub. I have both of them and interchange.

Face wash: This depends on what type of skin you have and what issues there are. You'll want to research what ingredients work best for those and then try a bunch in that category. You don't have to splurge here, there will be plenty of drug store products that meet your needs, however it's not a bad idea to try a few higher end products. We are talking about your skin here, and if you're going to spend a few dollars more on a beauty product, it may as well be on the one that's keeping your skin looking healthy and young. And remember, you can usually get samples. I keep going back to Neutrogena's Oil Free Acne Wash. I'll try others now and then, but there's something about the Neutrogena one that really works for me.

So give a bunch of products a try! It's easy to get stuck using the same one over and over, which is fine if it works for you, but it's always good to see what's out there to make sure your skin is getting the best!

Free Makeup

2009-12-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

I mention Sephora a lot because it's the most efficient place to go for high end makeup, it's all right there. Another reason I love it is because I always end up with a lot of freebies from them. One, if you sign up with their Beauty Insider Club, you get points every time you buy something. Then, once you're reached a certain number of points you get a free mini product! And they're pretty substantial. Two, You get a free gift on your birthday. This month I'm getting three free Sephora lip glosses! Three, they're always sending out deals. For example, this month they sent out a $15 off coupon! And four, if you want to try a product you can ask for a sample and they'll put together a, again, pretty substantial, sample for you (limit three per visit).

If you find yourself purchasing department store makeup on a regular basis -or even just once in a while- try out Sephora, you won't be disappointed!

Quads

2009-12-06T21:47:00.000-08:00

I love all the eyeshadow quads I'm seeing now, especially in drug stores. Quads are great because the makeup company is giving you four colors that go together and you don't even have to think about it. The only problem is, is if you don't know how to apply it correctly, it can be intimidating... or you can end up looking like you're straight out of the eighties. A friend of mine always has absolutely gorgeous eyeshadow, and she shared with me a fool-proof way of applying:

1. Apply the lightest color from lash line to brow line, along with directly under the lower lash line, lining from end to end.

2. Apply the second to lightest on the outer half of the lid, from lash line to brow line, and a little under the lower lash line, lining from the outer corner and then half way in.

3. Apply the third lightest color in the crease, the outer corner of the lid (lash line to crease) and a little under the lower lash line.

4. Apply the darkest color halfway on the crease (from outer corner to middle) and on the outer corner, along with a little under the lid.

Take a white or nude colored shadow and put it under the brow and in the corner of the eye.Make sure to blend where necessary, and re-apply and adjust where needed. Once you've got this technique down you'll be able to rock any eye shadow you want!

Products I'm currently using: CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 4-Kit Shadows

Glamorous Candles

2009-12-05T11:13:00.000-08:00

Surrounding yourself with the scents of glamorous, clean smelling candles can definitely make you feel gorgeous! I have a few faves, like Trapp and Votivo, but my personal favorite is Tocca. There is a sophistication to the way these candles smell, and I love the way they fill up a room. Stella and Cleopatra are two of my faves, but you can't go wrong with any scent. I haven't had a chance to try all of the scents, but I definitely plan to!

Hair and Nail Growth

2009-12-02T11:42:00.000-08:00

If you're nails are splitting or your hair doesn't grow as fast/healthy as you'd like, try taking Omega 3 capsules. Along with other health benefits, Omega 3 capsules are great for hair and nail growth. When I first heard this I was skeptical, but figured I'd give it a try. I started taking the caplets and about two weeks in its effects were obvious. My nails, which always split, were growing really fast and strong. And my hair was growing faster and healthier. My hair stylist even noticed it!

The Omega 3s I take are Fish Oil caplets (you can also get it from Flax Seed Oil). I take three a day (recommended on the bottle) and you can find them at any vitamin or grocery store. I like to get mine at Whole Foods.

Glowing Cheeks

2009-11-28T17:47:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous and glowing cheeks look great with any look. And they're simple. I've found a great way to achieve this healthy glow by using a combination of powder blush and creme blush. This technique also helps your blush stay on all day.

When you look in the mirror and smile, you'll see the apples of your cheeks. Use a big, fluffy blush brush and apply a pinky hugh powder blush to the apples of your cheeks. I do a couple applications till I get the boldness of color I want. Next, dip your finger into a creme blush. Tap it in the middle of the apples of your cheeks working outward to avoid harsh edges. Again, apply as much or as little as you want to control the boldness of color.

That's it! You can wear this with heavy eye makeup, or just a little bit of mascara and lip gloss.

Products I'm currently using:
Blush Brush: Mary Kay's cheek brush
Powder Blush: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends sheer highlighting blush in Fresh
Creme Blush: Stila's Convertable Color in Lillium

Lash Experiment Results

2009-11-23T09:58:00.000-08:00

I posted about a week ago that I would be trying out some false lashes to find the best ones to wear for the holidays. Here are the results!

Make Up Forever Individual Lashes: These lashes are easy to apply and very forgiving. The fact that they are individual lashes allows you to place them where you want, and how many. You can go across your entire lid, or just put them on the outer edges (which is what I did). Because there is no strip on the entire lash line, they look natural and you can't feel them on your lids. These lashes lasted all day long and didn't come off until I pulled them off the next day.

For easy application use tweezers to individually take them out of the container, apply adhesive and place on lash line. Make sure you get them as close to the lash line as possible. You don't want them on your actual lid. If you do get one on your lid, just take off and resituate.

Andrea Modlash Starter Kit Full: These lashes had a glamorous but natural look. I really liked how they made my entire lash line look fuller and a bit longer on the end. These full strip lashes went on quick and relatively easy, but be precise.

To apply: Take the lashes out of the container with tweezers (they have a bit of adhesive holding them in place). Put a little bit of the adhesive on your finger, and spread evenly on the entire lash line (although this adhesive worked well, it didn’t have the best odor). Blow on the adhesive for a few seconds and then carefully place on lash, lining up the outer corner of the faux lash with the outer corner of your real lashes. Carefully press on the lash line, holding down the corners for a few seconds. Don’t fret if you can see the base of the faux lashes a bit. Just take a slanted eye liner brush (I use Sephora’s) and dip it in some black liquid liner, black eye shadow, or use it to get some eye liner off of the pencil. (tip: use mascara as liquid liner). Line your upper lashes, going over the base of the false lashes. It should cover it up perfectly, blending the false lashes with your own. I did this and it had sort of a 50's/Mad Men sort of look, so I went with it and swiped on some red lipstick.

These take a little more practice than the individual lashes, but you'll catch on really quick and it’s totally worth it.

Laura Mercier Corner Lashes: Fail. I don't know what the deal is but I have yet to find a Laura Mercier product that I like. I took the lashes (that looked very pretty in the box) out with tweezers. The first thing I noticed was that the base of the lash was somewhat thick, as apposed to invisible, like the Mod Lash, so that tends to make the lash look less natural. I applied the adhesive that came with it to the base of the lash. The adhesive was clear (as apposed to white and then drying clear like the other two) so it was a little hard to see where I was applying it. I applied it to my lash line and pressed for ten seconds. The other brands stuck very well by doing this, however these lashes did not and the inner corner kept popping up. I added a dot of glue to the area and pressed again. I did the other lash, and by the time I finished that one I noticed the corner on my first lash had popped up again. Ugh! The lashes, once on, were hard to even see. The other brands were either slighlty longer, or fuller, but these were just average, and didn't add anything. I would not recommend these lashes.

The Laura Mercier lashes were the most expensive of the three. I'm not surprised that the less expensive ones were great. In the past, when I've worn false lashes, I haven't noticed a decrease in quality when it comes to the drugstore brands.

I think I will be rocking the Make Up Forever individual lashes. They were the easiest to use, and looked and felt the most natural. The ModLashes were a close second. And don't be intimidated by lashes! Try them out on a day when you have nothing to do, you'll find the ones that work for you and wow everybody at your special events!

Red Lips

2009-11-19T14:24:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite, and easiest, looks is a bold, red lip. Although this is a quick way to looking glamorous and confident, it can easily go the opposite way. Here are a few tips for rock'n some great red lips:

1. Exfoliate your lips. Lipstick makes dry or cracked lips look even worse. I like to exfoliate by putting a little bit of A&D on my lips (you can also use Vaseline or chap stick). I run a washcloth under warm water and place it on my lips for a few seconds. I gently rub to get off any dead skin. You could use a toothbrush in place of the washcloth, but be gentle. You want to exfoliate your lips, not rip them up. After you've exfoliated, protect your lips with chap stick or A&D. Apply lipstick.

2. Apply lipstick to the middle of your lip. I read this in a magazine a while ago and have used this tip ever since. To avoid harsh lines, apply the lipstick to the middle of your upper and lower lip. Use your finger or a makeup brush to spread the lipstick over your entire lip.

3. Use a glossy lipstick. This is preference, but I have found that a glossy lipstick looks better, and more youthful, than a matte. Currently I'm using Maybelline's ColorSensational in Red Revival.

4. Go with light eye makeup. Again, this is preference, but I find that a bold lip and a bold eye can be too much, especially for daytime. I like to use a nice, nude eye shadow, mascara and sometimes black eyeliner.

5. Touch up throughout the day. When lip gloss comes off during the day you just end up with bare lips, which isn't that big of a deal, but when lipstick comes off you end up with faded lipstick, which can look a little "frazzled old lady". So keep your lipstick with you!

6. Make sure you don't have lipstick on your teeth! After applying, stick your finger in your mouth and pull out. This will take off any excess lipstick.

Flawless Skin

2009-11-15T19:40:00.000-08:00

It never fails. You have an important event coming up and all of a sudden you have a huge blemish on your face. And the bigger the event, the bigger the blemish! There are a lot of zit-zapping products out there that don't actually do anything, but I've come across a product that really works. I love it. It's called Pore Vacuum Gel by Love Your Skn and it is amazing. You put a little bit on the blemish before you go to bed, and then under your makeup during the day. The blemish will either be gone or extremely diminished within 24 hours. You can even put a thin layer all over your face at night for super clear skin. It's 25 bucks and you only need a little bit at a time, so it lasts forever.

If you have a really stubborn blemish try, in conjunction with the Vacuum Gel, a Cortisone Treatment. You can get this at your dermatologist or at certain spas. A cortisone treatment is an injection directly into the blemish, and it will usually show results over a few days. I was going to be on a game show a couple years ago, and a few days before the show I got this massive cyst on my cheek. It was rough. Someone recommended a cortisone shot at a local spa (I got mine at Kalologie for $25). It's really quick, relatively pain-free, and totally worth it! The cyst went down in time for the game show. Again, this treatment is for a really stubborn cyst or zit; the Vacuum Gel should take care of most blemishes.

Lash Experiment

2009-11-13T12:26:00.000-08:00

With the holidays coming up, you'll likely be seeing family and friends you only see once a year and taking photos that will last forever, so you're going to want to look your best!

One way to make sure you're holiday glam-ready is to sport some voluptuous, yet subtle, false lashes. The goal with these is to look great without anyone noticing your lashes are fake. Over the next few days I'm going to try out three different types of lashes and report back. This lash experiment will consist of: Make Up Forever individual lashes "Stacy" ($15, Sephora, includes adhesive), Laura Mercier corner lashe s ($18, Sephora), and Andrea Modlash Starter kit full lashes ($6.49, CVS, includes lashes, adhesive, and plastic eyelash placer).

If you are considering some false lashes for the holidays, I'd suggest doing a test run beforehand. I've worn false lashes before and have gotten used to it, but I remember the first time I had them on; I was freaking out because I could barely open my eyes and I felt like I looked ridiculous.

I will leave you with a photo of one of my favorite actresses who sports some serieous false lashes on a regular basis on Ghost Whisperer.

L'oreal Extra Volume Collagen Mascara

2009-11-10T18:55:00.000-08:00

So I've blogged about L'oreal Extra Volume Collagen Mascara before on my other blog, BUT, I've had so many people try it and tell me how much they love it, that it's worth mentioning here. This was one of those impulse buys, I think I bought it because I liked the shape of the mascara tube. Anyway, I brought it home, tried it on, and that was it! My lashes looked so amazing! They were super long and luxurious without being all stuck together. I've had multiple compliments on them and turned many a friend on to this product.

For best results gently squeeze the mascara brush in a Kleenex to get the excess mascara off, and apply. For a more intense look, repeat, applying at the base on the outer edges of your lashes.

Staples

2009-11-09T12:40:00.000-08:00

I'm a sucker for those makeup claims. "Fuller lips", "smooth and glowing skin", "lasts all day". Uh huh. Last time I did a makeup impulse buy I couldn't even wait to get home to try on my new product. I opened up my Cover Girl Lip Stain in the parking lot, put it on, and drove home with what looked like magic marker on my lips (sorry Cover Girl).

Writing utensils on my lips aside, I have come across a few products that actually do what they say they do, and even if I go and try something else, I always come back to them. Because they work. These are my staples:

1. Neutrogena Healthy Glow Sheers

I like this for two reasons: It looks natural and has SPF 30. Sounds simple, but so many foundations tend to go on cakey, accentuate blemishes and lines, or just don't look natural (usually because they're too dry). Healthy Glows, however, leave your face looking smooth and natural, almost like you're not wearing makeup. The SPF 30 is great because this means I'm protecting my face every single day from sun damage, hence, fighting aging. I wouldn't use a foundation without it.

Need more coverage? If you need more coverage than HG provides, but are still frustrated with the non-smooth texture of other foundations out there, try mixing Healthy Glows with another foundation. That way you get the coverage you need, but get the more natural look with Healthy Glows.

2. Urban Decay Shadow Primer Potion

I love wearing dark shadows. What I don't love is having my eye makeup look awesome in the morning but then all faded and in the crease of my eye by the time I come home from work. I tried this shadow primer and my eye shadow has stayed in place ever since. Seriously. I would go to bed with it on, wake up, and it would still look great (although, I'd suggest taking it off anyway...). Just a little on your upper lids after foundation, and a little on your lower lids if you put eye shadow there as well.

3. Smashbox Photo Finish Light

I wanted my foundation to stay looking fresh and bright all through the day. I tried out Photo Finish and not only did I love how it kept my makeup looking great all day long, but it made my face feel so smooth! And who doesn't want that? A thin layer on your face after moisturizing, and then apply foundation. I also noticed it helped hold foundation under my eyes for better coverage.

So those are the three I use consistently. Urban Decay and Smashbox are a little more on the pricey side, but they last forever!

Lip Tip!

2009-11-05T20:55:00.000-08:00

If you have a kid, then you have this lying around. If you don't, then it's probably not somethign you ever see. BUT! I highly recommend getting your hands on some A&D Ointment. I know, it's diaper rash cream. But I'm telling you, I have used this product since I was, well, a baby.

This is by far the best eye makeup remover and lip balm I have ever encountered. Ever. I have used it consistantly my entire life. And! It's super cheap and lasts forever!

Eye Makeup Remover: After washing your face smear a little on your upper and lower lids (where left over eye makeup and mascara end up). Take a Kleenex and wipe off. Your left over make up will come right off.

Lip Balm: Put on your lips morning and night after washing your face, or whenever your lips are dry. For super smooth lips apply a thin layer of A&D. Let sit for 20 minutes or so. Warm a wash cloth and set on lips for a few seconds, then gently rub to exfoilate. Re apply a dose of A&D and leave on. Best if done right before bed.

Down side? It doesn't come in a chap stick tube. Up side? It's super cheap and works better than anything you'll find in the department store. Don't substitute with Vasaline. It's the vitamens A&D that do the trick!

Best Hairspray Ever.

2009-11-05T19:54:00.000-08:00

When my friend handed me a bottle of her hairspray to use I expected it to do what all hairsprays do. Either hold it for the time being and then stop working by the end of the day, or really hold but end up looking a little bit crunchy and un-natrual. But with this product I experienced none of the above.

TGI's Bed Head Masterpiece Shine Hairspray is amazing. I love it for putting my hair in curlers (just spray a little on your hair before and after) or for putting it up. It's perfect for doing that messy but cute look because it will keep your hap-hazard-but-perfectly-placed strands in place without letting on that you have hairspray holding it! (A great way to pull that look off is to spray your hair while sort of tossling it around, scrunching it a bit, pulling it into a pony tail, and then getting the hairs where you want, not over doing it).

You can get the product all over, (I get mine at Target for about $15). Being on a budget myself, I know where to spend and where to splurge, and I'd definitely forego the $3 hairspray and get Masterpiece.