Health Skin Care Beauty

All right, folks, we have reached the end of the line — well, almost.  There is one last step with which you have to contend.  Fortunately, it is not nearly as tricky as getting the eyeshadow and eyeliner just right for this complicated but wonderfully mysterious look.

We need mascara now.  In fact, we need lots and lots of mascara.  I happen to have an ‘in’ with one of the fabulous Chanel boys who work at Macy’s (no, I am not going to tell any of you which one; he is my BFF), and he insists that one of those volume boosting mascaras, preferably one which makes your lashes long and lush as well, is going to be the best bet here.  Not only will you have mastered the smoky eye effect, but your look will also be strikingly dramatic.

Now, here is one final piece of advice: do not try to carry this look off in the daytime.  It is just a bit too much.  Save it for a night out and you can’t go wrong!

Now, remember what we said about making sure that you do the same thing to each eye?  This step is where that becomes important.  You are going to want to take a step back now, in order to make sure that your eyes do indeed look the same.

Speaking from experience, it is all but impossible for we mere mortals to make our eyes look exactly the same.  There is room for error here, but you do not want your face to look lopsided.  That is bad!

Make adjustments as needed.  Sometimes, a little blending can go a very, very long way, so try to keep that in mind.

Ready for step three, guys?  All right, here we go.  You want to be careful here, because now we are moving on to the darkest color we will be using.  It goes to the eyelid, but you want to be careful about putting on too much.  That can make your eyelids look dull.

You are going to want to begin with the outer corner and then slowly, carefully work in towards the inner corner of your upper lid.  It is best to use a small brush designed for blending.

Make the line of eyeshadow come to a taper about halfway in, towards the middle of your eyelid.  Then you want to blend the dark color in with the medium shade that you used.

If you have shallow eyes or deeply set eyes, look for tricks to make your eyes look larger.

Now that you are all prepped and ready, it is time to begin.  First off, remember that everything you do to one eye, you are going to want to do to the other eye as well — that will keep things even.

The first thing you want to do is line your eyes, beginning with the inside corner of your upper lid.  Draw on an even, thin line right along the line of your lashes.  Fill in any existing spaces with color.  Make sure you line your whole upper lid.  However, only line about half or three quarters of your lower eyelid; this will keep your eyes from looking small.

When you are ready for eye shadow, you want to start with the lightest shade.  It goes on right along your brow bone and all the way up to your eyebrow.  Next comes the medium color.  It goes along your eyelid, up to the crease.  Be sure to blend well so there won’t be any lines.

That’s it for this post, but stay tuned!

All right, ladies.  The time has finally arrived.  Through this series of posts, we are going to go through all the steps which will finally allow you to create that smoky eye effect — flawlessly.  It may seem like a lot, but only the first few times you do it; each time, it will be easier and easier.

We are going to start out with the prep step.  First of all, you want to get everything you need.  That will consist of three shades of eye shadow — complementary, of course; perhaps black, dark silver, and a light, almost white silver; maybe shades of grey; or a dark purple, a lighter plum, and a light violet — whatever you like.  You will also need dark eyeliner, mascara, a good eye shadow brush (or a few), and a base powder, the more translucent the better.

Before you even begin, you need to prep your eyelids.  This will keep you from later looking like a panda bear or a raccoon.  It will also eradicate any oil lingering on your ‘lids, which can actually make your shadow melt and look messy.  All you need to do is very lightly dust your eyelids with your translucent powder.  You can also put it below your eye, up to your cheekbones, which will later keep any eye shadow from dusting your skin.

The good news: the second eye makeup trend for winter is the unquestionably stunning, beautifully mysterious smoky eye.  The bad news: this junk is complicated!  Speaking from personal experience, it is so hard to get this done.  I have never successfully done it, but I have never stopped trying.

Some more good news: I have finally found a site that details, step by step, exactly how it is possible to do the smoky eye and actually make it look good.  THANK GOODNESS!

A bit more bad news: it is looong.  There is something like 5849 steps (or, well, more like 10 or 11, but whatever).  So after careful consideration, I have decided that I will devote my next series of post to the illusive smoky eye phenomenon.  Suffice it to say, however, that it is a winter trend in makeup.

Just so this post isn’t a total drag, I am also happy to tell you that we can all stop waxing, plucking, and shaving our eyebrows — at least, we won’t need to do it quite as much.  Thicker, more natural eyebrows are back in style.  Now, don’t go crazy and grow any caterpillars on your forehead, but let some of those plucked and waxed hairs grow in again.  It will help give you the dramatic look that’s totally in this season.  And, as always, the longer your eyelashes, the better.

Today’s post (and next week’s too) are totally devoted to the Skincare Lady! Because, let’s face it, when it comes to makeup, whether it’s in the winter or the summer, eyes are everything, and there are some huge trends going on for winter 2008. Eye makeup itself is a large part of that, but there are also some special things to watch out for when it comes to your eyebrows. Right now, though, we’re going to focus on eyeshadow and eyeliner. There are two looks prevalent this winter: the smoky eye look, and the cat’s eye look. That’s the one we’re focusing on today, because I for one am dying to try this out myself.

Step one: apply your shadow base, which is basically a new eye. I personally use my coverstick for this, but if you have an actual nude base, feel free to use it. It’ll stop both the shadow and the liner from smudging, and there won’t be any creases on your eyelids.

Step two: use your eyeliner. Here is where things get fun. You can use liquid liner or a simple pencil, though liquid is generally considered best, not to mention being easier for this look. Black or brown are the best colors to use here. Now, tip your head back so you’re looking down into the mirror. Starting with the inner corners of your eyes and dot the liner along the root of your eyelashes. You’re going from the inside out at this point and you need to follow your eye’s natural curve. Then, line again, this time making the line thicker. You extend outwards toward the outer corner of your eye; the extremity of the tilt depends on your tastes. After that, you can use a foam eyeshadow brush to smudge and soften the line. The key during this whole process is to get as close to the root of your eyelashes as possible. In regards to your lower lid, the line should be thinner.

Next comes eyeshadow. You don’t necessarily have to apply, it’s up to you. Traditionally, however, the smoky look is best here – and yep, folks, that’s what we’ll be touching on next week, so stay tuned!

I have decided, in my imminent wisdom and ultimate authority, that I’m going to be quirky and set this series up so it follows the way I apply my own makeup: from the skin out.  That calls for: moisturizer, base, eyes and eyebrows, cheeks, powder, lips.  That’s probably wrong, but hey, it all comes out the same and you can always rearrange those steps if it suits you better.

I do, however, think moisturizer is an important first step, because I don’t know about you all, but I get seriously dry skin in the winter.  I mean, it makes my makeup look terrible and it doesn’t seem to get better, no matter what moisturizer I use.  It’s like, no matter what, my foundation looks like I’ve just smeared it all over some really dry skin.

In trying to find an effective solution — and coming to terms with the fact that I’m officially in my mid twenties and it’s never too early to start taking care of my skin — I stumbled upon Murad Resurgence.  I was actually looking at it while thinking of my mom, but upon reading through the product descriptions and realizing that you can even get a spot treatment to deal with acne, I got interested myself.  After all, I have to admit to myself that those dark bruises I’m carrying around my eyes, while cool while I was in college and could boast of insomnia while acting like the quintessential Bohemian girl, aren’t really going away.

Anyway, I’m wondering if a more comprehensive skin care system wouldn’t help me not to look like a dry-skin-monster wearing foundation.  I guess this is actually me asking for winter makeup tips, but!  Next week, we are going to eye shadow — and for the Skincare Lady, I will definitely be digging up some awesome new looks!

It’s getting on towards wintertime, which means more than starting to buy your Christmas presents before the rush.  Just like the leaves change every season, just like the fashions change, so do the makeup trends.  It just so happens that this winter, fashion and makeup trends happen to correspond, which makes your humble, makeup-crazy author very, very happy.

You see, in the common seasons, shades of purple are huge — in clothing and in everything from shadow to liner to lipstick.  Shades of purple happen to be my favorite colors, and I’m suddenly dying to go on a makeup buying binge because of it.

The next few weeks — because, come on, when done right, make up is an extensive subject! — we’re going to be talk about the best ways to achieve the perfect look for winter.  After all, why shouldn’t we be so radiant that we light up those gloomy, grey days?

Acne is a serious problem for a lot of people — but the real problem is that not a lot of people understand this widespread skin condition.  For instance, too many folks think that it’s something that only teenagers get.  However, an increasing number of people have adult acne, which is often even more devastating, if only because so many people presuppose that acne is only a problem for adolescents.

Plus, did you know that there are all types of acne?  In addition to teenage and adult acne, there is also adult acne, which generally strikes women who are over the age of twenty.  As you might imagine, this type of acne usually attacks about a week before a woman’s period.

A lot of people also don’t realize that they can take preventative measures.  In fact, the best types of acne treatments work to heal existing outbreaks and prevent new outbreaks from forming.  For example, you can use the Acne Complex line as a comprehensive skin care regimen.  With a cleanser, an exfoliating treatment, and a moisturizer, it’s great for people who have acne and for those who just want to keep their skin clear.