Like many of you, I’m one of the millions of people that gets up every morning to go to my 9 – 5, leaving fun makeup and bright colors for weekends only. Well, this is just not enough for me to let my makeup freak flag fly, and I’m sure so many of you feel the same. So how do we express ourselves without our bosses thinking we’re psychos?
Unfortunately, you should leave the bright, neon or super dramatic eye shadows for the weekends. While you may think that your bright blue or green eye shadow is not distracting, it can be, and can also make you seem very unprofessional. Most of the people that visit my site won’t judge you on your expressive eye makeup, but others, who aren’t as into it as us, most likely will.
How do you show some color without covering the whole lid then? A smooth sweep of colored eyeliner can be all you need to brighten your look up. Pair this with some natural eye shadow and you’re set! To keep you look sleek and sexy, steer clear of pencils that can leave a harsh look. You can purchase great liquid eyeliners from Tarte or Makeup Forever – but I usually choose to use my wet/dry eye shadows. Not sure which color to pick to make your eyes stand out the most? Here are some tips:
Blue Eyes: Copper, Bronze, Brown, Eggplant
Green Eyes: Gold, Eggplant/Purple, Brown, Bronze
Brown Eyes: Blue, Eggplant/Purple, Burnt Orange
Hazel Eyes: Brown, Bronze, Copper, Gold, Eggplant/Purple
To emphasize the color on your eyeliner the most, stick with a simple and light color on your lids. I usually apply matte taupe across my entire lid, and then a slightly darker matte brown in my crease. Be sure to blend these well with a soft shading brush.
When applying your colored eyeliner, start with a very thin line (I use my angle brush to apply mine, but the applicator on your liquid eyeliner can work as well). If you are using liquid eyeliner, apply some mascara before, and be careful not to brush passed your lashes when applying – this can make your mascara look clumpy and make your eyelashes stick together. Wing it out for a cute retro look.
I always use black eyeliner on my waterline, even if I use colored eyeliner on top. This will further define the eye, especially if you’re using a lighter colored line on top. It’s your choice on whether or not you want to line the bottom waterline. I opt against it usually, bringing more attention to my sexy lids.
Last step – apply your mascara. I usually go with two or three coats, making sure I define each individual lash as best as possible. Be careful when applying. You don’t want to get any black residue on your lid by being sloppy with your mascara brush!
Finish with a simple lip and you’re set!
I’m sure you will have all of your coworkers jealous of your beauty…or, should I say, even MORE jealous!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Just in Time for Prom Season!
It’s that time of year again…that special time when high school junior and senior girls start stressing – prom is right around the corner and there’s no amount of preparing you feel like you can do to make this day go smoothly. Well, that’s wrong. While this is an important day, it’s important to remember what really matters. Being with friends, feeling confident and, of course, looking amazing for prom night.
So how do you look your best for prom? The first step is a big one that may take a conscious effort to complete – STOP STRESSING! Not only is stress bad for your studies (finals are coming up soon…) but it also takes a toll on your body. Stress can cause you to break out, even for those who normally don’t have acne problems. This doesn’t just mean on your face, either – body acne is caused by stress as well. And no one wants to be wearing a beautiful strapless dress with huge red growths all over their chest or back, and chances are, whatever you are worried about will work itself out in the end.
If this message reached you too late and your body acne is already flaring up, there’s still time to save your skin. First, don’t over-wash. Ridding your body of all its natural oils makes your skin more susceptible to dirt entering your pores. Dirt in pores = acne flare ups. I’ve always passed up the body washes that are made to banish bacne, and used the same toner I used on my face to dry up any unsightly spots. Use something gentle – like Clinique’s Toning Lotion (I use #2). Keep to it for about a week and your skin will look good as new.
And if you’re experiencing acne on your face, do not, and I mean it, DO NOT, switch anything in your routine. Changing skin care products can give you a bad reaction, and it actually takes your skin around six weeks to readjust to a new product. In those six weeks, you can get more than a few bumps as your skin adjusts. So stick to your daily regimen, even if you feel that zit won’t be gone for the big night. I promise it will!
One of the most important things on prom, second to your dress, is how your makeup and hair look. Let’s talk makeup first. There are a few things you should remember:
There will be TONS of pictures being taken of you. Try not to wear too dark of a color on your eyes, and steer clear of heavy eyeliner. This will make your eyes appear smaller, especially when your eyes are scrunched from smiling.
While super shimmery shadows look amazing in real life, they don’t shoot that well. Ever notice how most eye shadows for weddings are matte colors? It’s so you can see the color in pictures, not the reflection off of your eye from the flash. Try great matte or pearlescent colors, which look flawless in photography.
Pick a makeup artist with experience! Everyone calls themselves a makeup artist these days – be sure to pick someone who has a portfolio you can view before deciding, who will do a trial on you if requested, and someone who listens to you. Nothing is worse than getting your makeup done by someone who does what they want, not what YOU want.
As for your skin, use something with light reflecting properties – use bronzer under cheekbones and highlighting powder right above your blush – your skin will look perfect.
Go easy on the hairspray. When you pay for an updo, you want it to stay throughout the night and after. The biggest mistake most women make, however, is to over-starch your hair with hairspray. If you do, and a curl falls out, good luck using your curling iron to fix it. Not only will it stick to the barrel, but it will most likely look creased and crispy when you’re done.
My suggestion? Use a non-aerosol hairspray (so hard for me to say that, I love me some Aquanet!) with medium to strong hold. Suave has come out with a great line of Professional products that are easy on your budget and work great, pick up one of these at your local drug store and keep it handy until you leave.
Most importantly, make sure to have fun. This only comes around, well, for most people, once in your life, so make your night worthwhile. Don’t touch your face on the dance floor, and if your hair starts to fall, just go with it! Sometimes messy updo’s are sexy!
So how do you look your best for prom? The first step is a big one that may take a conscious effort to complete – STOP STRESSING! Not only is stress bad for your studies (finals are coming up soon…) but it also takes a toll on your body. Stress can cause you to break out, even for those who normally don’t have acne problems. This doesn’t just mean on your face, either – body acne is caused by stress as well. And no one wants to be wearing a beautiful strapless dress with huge red growths all over their chest or back, and chances are, whatever you are worried about will work itself out in the end.
If this message reached you too late and your body acne is already flaring up, there’s still time to save your skin. First, don’t over-wash. Ridding your body of all its natural oils makes your skin more susceptible to dirt entering your pores. Dirt in pores = acne flare ups. I’ve always passed up the body washes that are made to banish bacne, and used the same toner I used on my face to dry up any unsightly spots. Use something gentle – like Clinique’s Toning Lotion (I use #2). Keep to it for about a week and your skin will look good as new.
And if you’re experiencing acne on your face, do not, and I mean it, DO NOT, switch anything in your routine. Changing skin care products can give you a bad reaction, and it actually takes your skin around six weeks to readjust to a new product. In those six weeks, you can get more than a few bumps as your skin adjusts. So stick to your daily regimen, even if you feel that zit won’t be gone for the big night. I promise it will!
One of the most important things on prom, second to your dress, is how your makeup and hair look. Let’s talk makeup first. There are a few things you should remember:
There will be TONS of pictures being taken of you. Try not to wear too dark of a color on your eyes, and steer clear of heavy eyeliner. This will make your eyes appear smaller, especially when your eyes are scrunched from smiling.
While super shimmery shadows look amazing in real life, they don’t shoot that well. Ever notice how most eye shadows for weddings are matte colors? It’s so you can see the color in pictures, not the reflection off of your eye from the flash. Try great matte or pearlescent colors, which look flawless in photography.
Pick a makeup artist with experience! Everyone calls themselves a makeup artist these days – be sure to pick someone who has a portfolio you can view before deciding, who will do a trial on you if requested, and someone who listens to you. Nothing is worse than getting your makeup done by someone who does what they want, not what YOU want.
As for your skin, use something with light reflecting properties – use bronzer under cheekbones and highlighting powder right above your blush – your skin will look perfect.
Go easy on the hairspray. When you pay for an updo, you want it to stay throughout the night and after. The biggest mistake most women make, however, is to over-starch your hair with hairspray. If you do, and a curl falls out, good luck using your curling iron to fix it. Not only will it stick to the barrel, but it will most likely look creased and crispy when you’re done.
My suggestion? Use a non-aerosol hairspray (so hard for me to say that, I love me some Aquanet!) with medium to strong hold. Suave has come out with a great line of Professional products that are easy on your budget and work great, pick up one of these at your local drug store and keep it handy until you leave.
Most importantly, make sure to have fun. This only comes around, well, for most people, once in your life, so make your night worthwhile. Don’t touch your face on the dance floor, and if your hair starts to fall, just go with it! Sometimes messy updo’s are sexy!
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