Choosing the Right Shade of Blush

Personally I prefer NARS Orgasm Blush. I have been using it for over 3 years, and I never get tired of it. It gives you a natural glow, and carries you throughout the year as your skin changes. However, it might not work for everyone.

Here is how to choose the right shade of blush for you:

STEP 1: Consider blush colors that match the color of your cheeks after an aerobic workout. Such shades mimic your natural coloring and help you avoid having cheeks that look painted or artificial.

STEP 2: Head to a department store and have a makeup artist assist you in finding a complementary shade. I am bias to thinking that the women behind the Chanel counter are more knowledgeable. Ask their opinion, they usually make great suggestions. If you can't afford Chanel, see what shade they recommend, and buy the closest color to that shade in a more economical brand.

STEP 3: Remember, the darker your skin tone, the darker your blush should be. Women with fair complexions usually look best in pink or coral shades, while darker complexions are enhanced by wine or burgundy hues.

STEP 4: Keep daytime blush light in tone. Opt for a heavier application to create a more dramatic evening look.

STEP 5: Match the undertones in your lipstick to the color of your blush. If your lips are red, opt for a pink or reddish cheek color. For pink or rose-colored lips, opt for similar hues in your blush color.





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• 5 Healthy Snacks to Keep Handy
• Health Benefits of Coffee
• Eyeliner Tips and Tricks

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Preventing Dry Skin in the Winter

The winter low temperatures, low humidity and strong, harsh winds are recipe for uncomfortable, crackly, itchy, dry skin. The dry air from furnaces and other heating sources also suck the moisture out of skin.

To keep your skin feeling dewy and moist, follow these dry skin fix-it tips:

Keep Water Lukewarm, Not Hot. Hot water robs skin of moisture causing dry skin, so it's best to shower in lukewarm water. If you can't bear this rule -- I can't -- try to keep your showers short and try showering only once per day. The same rule applies to hand-washing: Wash hands in lukewarm, never hot, water. If your skin turns red, the water is simply too hot.

Moisturize After Showers or Hand Washing. Your legs might get itchy from dryness, and not even moisturizer helps this in the winter. Part of this is because shaving can sometimes really dry out your skin. In the winter, I prefer oils to lotions on for the body. A really inexpensive solution is organic extra virgin coconut oil, which you can buy in health food stores or online. Simply massage the coconut oil all over the body. Trust me, this will get rid of dry, itchy skin and the oil isn't sticky like lotion tends to be.

Exfoliate on a Weekly or Semi-weekly Basis. Moisturizer is much more effective on properly exfoliated skin. Use a scrub in the shower and exfoliate facial skin with a mild scrub made for the face. It's best to scrub skin when it's dry. Apply scrub to dry skin before you turn on the water (mix with lotion if it's not moist enough). Massage the scrub into skin for a few minutes for best results.

Invest in a Humidifier. Ever notice how older people in desert climates look like leather? The moisture in the air is actually good for skin. If you live in a low-humidity climate or you are around furnaces in the winter, invest in a humidifier.

Skip the Drying Soaps. Soaps can be drying. Stick with a creamy moisturizing cleanser that contains glycerin or petrolatum, such as Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash.

Baby Your Hands & Feet. Hands and feet can suffer terribly from dry, itchy skin. Put on moisturizer and gloves BEFORE you head outdoors in the winter, and consider lathering up your feet in thick moisturizer and sleeping in cotton socks at night.

Don't Forget Your Lips. Licking your lips will not moisturize them and instead will help dry them out. Lips retain less moisture than other parts of the body, so they tend to dry out more quickly. A simple lip balm helps, as does my all-time favorite lip trick learned in high school from "Seventeen" magazine: moisturize your lips with Vaseline. Take a toothbrush and "brush" your lips in a circular motion. This will remove dead flakes and leave your lips soft and supple.

Protect Your Face, Too. Sometimes your face will get dry and flaky. Make sure you are moisturizing before you go to sleep and before you put make up on. I usually put the lotion on under my primer, just so the makeup doesn't smudge or fade away.

Consider Fish Oil Pills. There are a zillion reasons why you should take Fish Oil pills, if you are interested, check out my other entry about it. This is just another reason, new studies show omega-3 fish oil pills may soothe super dry skin. Patients who took fish oils pills in a study reported in Allure magazine, saw significant results within a few weeks.

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How to Apply Fake Eyelashes

If you are looking for a dramatic look, fake eyelashes really do the trick.

If you have a steady hand you can definitely pull it off without the help of a makeup artist by following these steps:

Step 1: Using tweezers, dip the base end of the lashes into the glue, then place the lashes as close to the baseline of your own as you can, filling in wherever you want the greatest impact (generally, the mid to outer lashes look fabulous in false lashes).

Step 2: Press gently, but firmly with something blunt. Hold the lash in place for about 5 seconds until the glue has a chance to hold.

Step 3: Let the glue dry, and then apply a dark eyeliner to camouflage the line of the fake lashes and then apply your mascara. The mascara will help blend your own lashes with the fake ones, and make your eyes look fuller and larger.

Step 4: To remove, use the same makeup remover you would use to remove mascara. Then gently pull them off with tweezers.


EXTRA TIPS:

• The assortment of fake eyelashes are pretty good at drug stores like RiteAid, CVS, etc.
• You should practice before the event you plan to wear them for. Buy extra just in case you mess up the first time.
  
• Never fall asleep with them on. If you rub your eyes while you sleep and by accident pull them out, you might pull out some real eyelashes too.

If you like this post, you might like these:

• Eyeshadow for Your Eye Color
• How to Look Good on a Rainy Day
• Natural Ways to Prevent Breasts from Sagging
• 6 Beauty Mistakes that Age You
• Choosing a new Mascara
• Eyeliner Tips and Tricks
• 2 Easy Ways to Stretch your Shoes
• Stay Beautiful in Allergy System
• How to Recycle BareMinerals Makeup Containers

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Eyeliner Tips and Tricks

Out of all the make-up there is, I think eye-liner application is the toughest.

What is better- liquid or pencil?

I have tried both. I don't like either. I have a shaky hand and liquid takes me too long to apply. Also most liquid eye-liners will make you look like the bride of Frankenstein with the first tear or drop of rain. Also, most fluid liners tend to burn when you get them in your eyes. On the other hand, pencil usually will smudge or wear off before the end of the work day. Pencil is usually not as dramatic or precise.

Here is my suggestion: MAC's Fluidline. One of my best girlfriends, Melissa, originally suggested this. She was right on with her recommendation. The Fluidline is a little quarter size pot with like thick mud-like pigmented liner. You apply it with a thin "eye-liner" brush. What I love about this is (1) it's easy to apply with a brush (2) Never smudges, go to the gym, cry, (3) the little pot/container lasts about 3 months if you use it every day (4) it's only $15.00.. you can buy it on MAC's website or any MAC Store.


How to apply:

Step 1: Start with a completely bare eye, no shadow or mascara.

Step 2: Apply liquid liner in the upper lashes with the brush. Get close as possible to the lashes. The result is not supposed to be a line. It's supposed to look as if the lashes themselves are super thick at the root.

Step 3: Wait 2 minutes for it to dry, then apply mascara.

Step 4: Compare eye to other naked eye and see if you love the results.

Step 5: Before you go to sleep make sure you wash your face. I use Pond's cold cream to remove eye makeup.


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• Most Embarrassing Beauty Secrets Revealed
• NARS Super Orgasm Blush

2 Easy Ways to Stretch Your Shoes

So you got a new pair of shoes and they're gorgeous, but they're a bit too tight. This happens to me a lot because I have really wide feet. Here are two tricks I use that are really easy ways to make them fit better.


1) Use rubbing alcohol
(This works with leather pumps, sandals, and boots.)

• Rub the alcohol into the critical spots.
• Then put on a pair of sweat socks and walk around your house with them on for an hour or so.
• Alcohol usually dries faster than water, and won't damage your shoes-- contrary to water, alcohol doesn't dry out the leather.

2) Use some baggies & throw them in the freezer
(I know this sounds silly, but it works! I use this rather on rougher shoes; ie patent leather)

• Take a plastic ziplock baggy and fill it with water.
• Put the baggy in the shoe
• Put the shoe in the freezer overnight- believe it or not as the water solidifies the shoe will be stretched.
• If it doesn't work for the first, repeat it several times until you'll stretch them more.

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Stay Beautiful in Allergy Season

Purple circles, itchy & watery eyes, sneezing, and blotchy skin. All signs that summer is over and allergy season is here. Instead of looking like a pock marked, fluid leaking relative of Shrek, you might want to use some of these tips.

Moisturize the T-zone

When allergies are at their worst, you will likely have watery eyes, an itchy nose, and spend time rubbing your eyes and face. You will find you develop a red nose and blotchy red cheeks too, and the skin might dry and peel or crack. To avoid this, moisturize your T-zone from your forehead down your nose and around your mouth and cheeks to keep the skin hydrated.


Cortisone Creams

If your face it blotchy, inflamed, itching or burning due to allergies, you might find that moisturizing with a cortisone cream in the T-zone is more effective than using just a plain moisturizer. Cortisone cream will help with the inflammation and redness, and the cream will moisturize and keep the skin soft.

Tissues to go

No one is beautiful with snot running down their nose. Always carry around a small pack of tissues to use as needed. If you can't find a small pack, put a bunch in a ziplock baggie and place it in your purse.

Eye Gels, Masks, Coolers

Dark circles around the eyes are a common problem with allergy sufferers, and usually this includes puffiness and tenderness around the eyes. Using cooling eye gels and cooling masks for the eyes that you put in the freezer can cool down your eyes and help take some of the itch and sting away, while reducing puffiness.

Get Rid of the Red Blotches

Allergies often cause red blotches on the skin, and if moisturizing is not enough to prevent them, you can conceal them by using a yellow base concealer. The yellow will help offset the red color of your skin, and then you can apply your makeup as you normally would.

Makeup Tips

Avoid using blush when you are suffering from allergies, because you face will tend to be reddish as it is, and you don't want to add to that look. Also, consider wearing slightly more eye shadow than you normally wear, to draw attention to the top part of the eye and not the watery-ness of your allergy eyes. When suffering from allergies, use more earth tones and avoid pinks, reds, red-based colors.

Listerine Breath Strips

Sometimes your throat gets a little scratchy, but not quite enough to need cough drops. The Listerine Breath Strips are so strong that they tend to not only freshen your breath, but sooth your scratchy throat and momentarily clear your sinuses.


Voila, there you go... beautiful as always.



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Natural Ways to Prevent Breasts from Sagging

Forget about surgery. In order to help prevent sagging there is a list of things you can do. Start early!

Moisturize
Massage your breasts once in a while with moisturizing cream to help them maintain it's elasticity and good posture. Exfoliate and keep the
skin healthy.

Exercise
Tone your pectoral muscles by doing exercises that are meant for this particular area. Exercise using dumbbells because they will tone your breasts and arms, and do chest press exercises. You don't have to over do it, you don't want to build muscle mass, you just want to tone so don't push yourself too hard.

Posture
Keep a good posture of your body. Don't arch your back by keeping your shoulders forward because your breast will look like they are sagging even if they aren't. Keep your back and shoulders straight to make them look more firm.


Diet & Heath
Watch your weight because as you gain weight your breasts become larger and if you gain weight too quickly your skin could stretch beyond it's stretching capacity causing stretch marks. Also gaining and losing weight regularly could cause sagging breasts because the skin could lose it's elasticity due to constant stretching and shrinking.


Hydrate
Drink a lot of water, approximately 8 glasses of water a day to keep your skin and body hydrated. Water is as important for your organism as well as for your skin because it will maintain skins elasticity.

Support
Wear a bra when you are running so they won't bounce and stretch the skin to much. It will give you the support you need and allow you to be more comfortable while you exercise as well.

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How to: Recycle BareMinerals Makeup Containers

Another reason why I love BareMinerals: you can recycle the makeup containers. After you finished with any of their products, never throw away the containers.

Here is how to do it:

1. After you have no makeup left, remove the divider. Look closely to the edge, you will notice that you can remove the divider with either your finger nail or a butter knife.

2. Throw away the divider and clean out the container.

3. Clean out the container with dish soap, or throw it in the silverware tray in the dishwasher.

Why is this awesome?

• Traveling purposes: no more paying to check your luggage. No more lugging around a huge bottle of something, if you are just going away for a few days.
• You can put your favorite hair gel, shampoo, conditioner, makeup remover, lotion, etc. into these containers.
• They are small enough to put in your carry-on luggage and pass through security.
• No more buying "travel size", or travel containers that sometimes explode when they are packed too tightly.
• Since the lid is screw on, you never need to worry about any leaking.
• There are other uses, like for make shift pill or earring box.

If you don't already have BareMinerals, you can check them out here at Ulta.com. You get a free 10 day BareMinerals travel foundation with a mini brush.



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6 Beauty Mistakes that Age You

1. Heavy eye makeup on the lower lashes. Thick liner or mascara on your lower lashes draws attention to crows feet and dark circles. Go for a smokey look. See this previous post to learn.

2. Washing your face with rubbing alcohol or witch hazel. One of my sisters is a culprit of this. She thinks that prevents acne. It really just dries out your skin. Dry skin = wrinkly skin. If you want prevent acne use a product with salicylic acid; it will prevent acne and exfoliate your skin, while keeping it young. I use a pretty pricey item-- Murad Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel, which I get from SkinCareRx.com. It's about $54.00, however it will keep you youthful & acne free for 6 months.

3. Too thick foundation. It covers up your natural complexion. It's what old ladies do. Opt for a mineral makeup or tinted moisturizer. I use bareMinerals you can get the bareMinerals Starter Kit for only $60. It lets your natural colors show through, while still giving you a finished look. Also doesn't clog your pores and cause breakouts.

4. Foundation that is too light. It draws attention to the fine lines. It's always better to go a tad darker than lighter. It gives a glow to your skin. Bronzer can also work wonders, as long as you use it sparingly. If you get the bareMinerals starter kit, it comes with an awesome bronzer.

5. Fake looking blush. Stick to a shade that looks natural. Think about the color your cheeks get after you sprint a mile. NARS Orgasm is an AMAZING blush that looks natural on most skin colors. I highly recommend it.

6. Too thin eyebrows. They make you look like a 1997 adult film actress.


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Sephora vs. Ulta

Has anyone heard of Ulta.com? I just heard about it a year ago when one of them opened near my house. I was very impressed, it's basically the same as Sephora, but not as well known. However, at the time I was a very loyal Sephora fan, so I really didn't think about Ulta again.

Last week I noticed I was out of my bareMinerals foundation, so I went to Sephora.com to order it. Out of stock at Sephora!!WTF?? So I checked out Ulta's website. I was very impressed--not only did they have my foundation, but it was cheaper!!! Many of the products were cheaper at Ulta than they were at Sephora! I guess Sephora thinks they rule the market.

Here are some other things to take into account:

Ulta: Free shipping over $50.00 + 3 free samples.
Sephora: Same

Ulta: receive purchase in 3 - 5 days
Sephora: receive purchase in 5 - 10 days

Ulta also sent me a free gift on top of the free samples, a 10 day travel size of my foundation! cool!

Check it out. See ya Sephora.

Most Embarrassing Beauty Secrets Revealed

Here you have it... I have polled my friends for their most embarrassing beauty secrets. They are anonymous this time :)

"If I am feeling bloated I take a hot bath, for like 30- 60 minutes (usually depends on how into my book at the time!). It makes you lose like 1 lb of water weight. It is obviously not any real weight, but definitely helps make you feel less bloated on those yucky days!"

"I literally believe grapefruit is the miracle fruit- it heals all - everyone knows the grapefruit diet - which btw totally works - but my beauty secret is that when I am breaking out I eat grapefruit like crazy and that does the trick! Maybe even up to 2 a day.. as a bonus with all that fiber not only will your skin look great but you might lose weight in the process."

"Before I have a date I slather myself in Bliss FatGirl Slim. I think it works miracles! It makes my tummy feel smoother and smells nice and peperminty."

"I just got a ped egg. What a great invention. I can sit scraping away all the cracks and rough spots on my feet and it collects in a little holder so I don't have to worry about making a mess. When you empty the little egg out it's pretty satisfying to see all the grossness you've just eliminated from your feet. "

"I have two although one may not be that embarrassing:
1) I do pushups and tricep dips in my bedroom immediately before wearing anything sleeveless (dresses, going out shirts, etc.) to make my muscles look more toned. Have been doing that since Brandeis!
2) I mix very dark liquid foundation (just a small drop) with my face moisturizer to make me look tan. This can be done with legs and arms too."

"Taking omega 3 pills makes me feel skinnier, I use good bye cellulite by nivea even though it probably doesn't work, I use sally hansens cream for my mustache, and I think shaving with conditioner makes you legs smoother."

"If you can stand a little pain - I like the epilator at CVS. It's an electric device with a bunch of tweezers to get rid of hair in any unwanted places. It needs to be charged once in a blue moon. There's no mess compared to waxing and it costs only $30 or so. Also you can get rid of hairs that are much shorter (who wants to go weeks without shaving for a wax) and you do it yourself so no need for some woman to be that close to your crotch. Since it's a little painful (you can feel it pulling out your hair)- you may opt to using it strictly for touchups between waxing sessions. I think shaving is so outdated. No one wants to rub up against stubbly legs, underarms or bikinis."


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What's your mascara?

Since I have started this blog I have been besieged with questions. The most popular question being about mascara. I have a personal favorite that I recommend to people, however not everyone I recommend it to is happy with it. So today the topic is mascara, and I have polled some close friends and family members on their personal favorites. Keep in mind: these are real people. They are not working for any of these companies or receiving any monetary reward for promoting these products.



BRITTANY
Lancome Definicils & L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara
I've been using Lancome Definicils ($24.00) for the past 6 years. It's great, stays on, really elongates lashes without making them too thick. I think this is perfect for a day look. I used to be a Chanel girl- but find that their mascaras really thicken the eyelashes- making it ver apparent that I had put on a lot of eye makeup. (I like to appear "fresh faced" with miniymal makeup to my coworkers.) My other favorite is L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara(the one that Penelope Cruz models for- $9.49). I find that mascaras really have a shelf life of only 1-2 months (once opened) before they start getting clumpy. I never finish the bottle- so sometimes opt for this cheaper mascara which makes eyelashes equally long and well defined.

Here is the link to check it out: Lancome DEFINICILS High Definition Black Mascara






MELISSA
MAC Zoom Lash
I've been using MAC Zoom Lash mascara for a couple of years. I went on a mission about a year ago to find the best mascara available. I tried Big Sexy Lash, Bare Escentuals. Tease, Dior Show along with some drug store brands...L’Oreal and Maybelline. I have to say that the MAC beat out the competition with Dior Show in a close second. The MAC Zoom Lash is very wet so it is not for everyone, but once you perfect how to apply it, it's great! It does not smudge or flake off. Your lashes look thicker, longer, and darker and they stay that way until you take it off. The Dior show was also good giving long thick lashes, but the mascara was drier than the MAC and therefore did not last as long and required more coats to reach the desired look. The brush is also bigger which makes it a little harder to get right in there and coat each little lash. Plus, at approx $24 it's almost twice the price of the MAC. For $13 MAC Zoom Lash is my favorite!




NICOLE
MaryKay Mascara

I’m so glad you are doing this because I haven't found a mascara that I love. Currently, I use a MaryKay mascara, but it's REALLY sticky, clumpy and it makes my eyes itch the next day. It does thicken my lashes, but I’m in desperate need of a new mascara. Help!





TASCHA
Lancome Definicils

I stick with Lancome Definicils, I have for years. I truly find that it gives you fresher, smoother, longer lashes.

Here is the link to check it out: Lancome DEFINICILS High Definition Black Mascara







JENNA
Chanel Inmitable & Maybelline Colossal Volume Express

My favorite is Chanel Inmitable. It doesn’t clump or dry out, and you only need 1 coat. I also use Maybelline Colossal Volume Express because it is cheap, like $7, and works well for the price. I use that when I don’t want to waste the Chanel. I use the cheap one on regular days and Chanel when I am going out.

Here is the link to check it out: CHANEL Inimitable Mascara







NATANYA
Lancome Oscillator

I just got it recently and I LOVE IT. It vibrates, battery operated, great for lengthening eye lashes - not for curl (I don’t need my eye lashes to curl). It shows great separation, I hate when my lashes clump together and this definitely prevents that and shows great definition. It didn’t appear to smudge when I went to the gym – it’s water resistant, washes off easily but didn’t smudge all day.







What about me?
Fiberwig
I have been using Fiberwig for about 3 years and I love it. It makes my lashes look long and it lasts all day. It actually has little fibers in it that make your eyelashes longer. I usually apply my mascara around 6:30am and I need it to last all day without smudging. I also go to the gym after work and leave my make up on. Fiberwig stays on the entire time. You can buy it at Amazon for less than $20. Prior to Fiberwig I used Dior Show for a very long time. I was very happy with Dior Show, however my one gripe was that my eyelashes would touch the top of my lid, and rub off leaving a black light smudge right under my brow bone. I would always have to check in the mirror and wipe off the smudging. Fiberwig does not do that.


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