Natural Makeup

Do you want to achieve a natural look, but still wear makeup to cover any imperfections? This is a look that you can wear to virtually any event. By using makeup in appropriate amounts and applying it in the correct places, you can achieve a "no makeup" makeup look. 

Directions:
     1. As usual,  begin with a clean face and hands. Adding any dirt or bacteria to your skin along with makeup is proven to cause more breakouts rather than prevent them. Of course, preventing breakouts is key. (Unless you want them, which I don't think anyone does.)
     2. Moisturize. Now that winter is approaching, keeping your skin hydrated is an everyday essential. Not only will it stay moisturized, but it will protect it from the sun or any harsh winds. Believe it or not, you can still get sunburn even though it's winter. Also, wind burn is possible, but more likely on days when winds are high.
     3. Start with your primer. Think of your skin as a canvas-- you wouldn't want to work on a rough, used piece, would you? That's why keeping your skin clean is so important.
     4. You can finally begin with your foundation. I recommend one that is liquid. Apply it to the tips of your fingers and then rub your fingers together. This will warm up the product and make it easier to blend into your complexion. Don't forget to blend the product down to your neck and by your ears.
     5. With concealer and your ring finger, put it beneath your eyes to cover any dark circles and on any imperfections. Be sure to blend it out to make the coverup look less noticeable.
     6. Set the foundation and concealer with a pressed or loose powder. Blend that down to your neck and behind your ears as well to avoid that "mask-like" effect.
     7. Prime your eyes with your ring finger, covering your entire eyelid. Again, this will cause your eyes to become a blank canvas to work on.
     8. With a matte ivory or white eyeshadow and a small flat shader brush, pack the shadow into the inner corner of your eyes by your tear ducts and over your brow bone. Using an off-white shadow will give a more natural highlight as compared to a plain white one.
     9. Skip the eyeliner and any other shadows and go straight for the mascara. Brown is the best choice to keep up with the natural look, but if you absolutely have to use black, then you can. Apply the mascara to your upper lashline only. Do not apply it to the bottom lashes because that will immediately give away that you're wearing makeup.
     10. Finish off with a no-tinted lip balm or a soft pink lipstick.

DIY Hot Chocolate Face Mask

     Hot chocolate is becoming more common as the winter season approaches. The cold weather increases our desires for the warm chocolatey treat, but did you ever think that treat may be good for you? Not necessarily for your internal health-- for your skin. Dark chocolate in particular contains a certain type of cocoa powder that reduces stress. The natural scents of the cocoa will enter your nose and you will feel relaxed and more in control. Dark chocolate also contains flavanols. Flavanols help your skin look its best. Flavonols are antioxidants that help your skin protect itself from UV damage, which means less wrinkles, fight free radicals, which means no sunspots, and increase blood flow, which causes a natural dewy glow. And if that doesn't convince you, you should know that dark chocolate improves skin hydration. That means less breakouts!

     So, what are the ingredients to this super easy, simple, DIY face mask that will do nothing but good for your skin?

   

     Ingredients:

     1. 2 Tbsp of Dark Hot Chocolate Powder or Cocoa Powder

     2. 1 teaspoon of Coconut Oil

     Directions:

     1. Taking a microwave safe bowl or cup, pour in coconut oil.

     2. Put the oil in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds. This will allow the product to heat up and become a more liquid-like substance.

     3. Add in the hot chocolate powder and begin mixing the products together with a fork. Using a fork is more practical than a spoon or stirring stick because the ingredients will mix together and come together as a paste. Continue to stir the ingredients until the paste consistency is achieved.

     4.With your finger, begin applying the finished product onto your complexion. Make sure that it's evenly applied so that there is a full mask over your face.

     5. Let the mask dry in 15 to 20 minutes. This will allow the mask to seep into your pores.

     6. Clean the mask off of your face with warm water and your fingertips. Make sure the water is warm enough to melt the chocolate off of your face.

     7. Pat your skin dry with a towel or washcloth.

Holiday Makeup

The holidays are soon approaching and it's time to start thinking about what kind of look you want to go for. You could easily make your makeup holiday appropriate with a few minor adjustments, but what if you want to do something different? This look is all about keeping it simple and seasonal. A little bit of glitter along with color will bring the look together and create that seasonal feel.

Directions:
     1. Begin with your normal foundation and concealer routine. Don't do anything different than you normally would, but if you know you'll be out for a long time or in harsh weather conditions, prime your skin before using foundation. Also, I would recommend setting your makeup not only with a powder foundation, but with a setting spray. Urban Decay's Skindenavia setting spray is a great option, but it would be more practical to use after your entire makeup look is completed.
     2. After priming your eyes, pick up a shimmery gold cream shadow and pat it along your eyelid with your ring finger. You don't need a lot of product, but make sure it's an appropriate amount because it will help bring more color into the shadow you will be laying over top of it.
     3. With a flat shader brush, apply a shimmery gold powder shadow over top of the cream product. Make sure this gold shadow has a yellow tint to it rather than a gray or silver one. The eyes are supposed to resemble the gold star on top of a Christmas tree or Christmas garland.
     4. Contour your eyes with a bronze shadow, but keep it light.You don't want to overpower the gold you have applied, but you still want to create some shadow.
     5. With a gel liner and an angled brush, begin drawing a thin line as close to your lashline as possible. Then, wing out your liner as dramatically as you would like. You don't have to at all but if you do, don't overdo it. With a dark matte black like the liner, it will contrast the gold very well.
     6. Fake lashes aren't required, but if you want a more dramatic look, be sure to apply them. Whether you use fake eyelashes or not, apply your favorite mascara(s). At least two coats would be appropriate but depending on what kind of look you're going for, you can exceed that amount. 
     7. Pick up a matte, warm toned bronzer and an angled blush brush. Suck in your cheeks so that the hollows of them are visible and begin blending the product back and forth up into your hairline. This will not only slim your face down, but also bring a warmth into your skin tone.
     8. Before you apply color to your lips, be sure to moisturize. You want to keep them as smooth as possible for the easiest color application.
     9. With a red lipstick (preferably with a gold tint), begin applying that to your lips. Keep the line as precise as you possibly can so that you won't have to go back and wipe it off, which will ruin your foundation. (MAC's Russian Red Lipstick)
     10. An optional step is lip gloss. A clear gloss with a gold shimmer should be applied mainly to the center of the lips. (Revlon's Bellini Color Stay Lipgloss)

Breast Cancer Awareness

As we all know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. This means that if you already haven't, you will be seeing a lot of pink whether its on people's clothes, their hair, their accessories, or maybe even their makeup. Typically, we try to stay away from pink shadows and liners on the eye because it creates the effect of being sick or tired. So instead of focusing mainly on the eyes for the tutorial, the complexion and the lips will be the focal point.

Directions:
     1. Assuming that you've already begun with a clean face, start your makeup with your normal foundation and concealer routine. Try keeping things light and as uncakey as possible because the look is supposed to be fresh and clean. Whether you use foundation or BB Cream or a powder or even all three, be very sparing but still cover up what you feel is necessary including imperfections and dark under eye circles.
     2. Priming your eyelids isn't required but it isn't a bad idea to make this an essential item in your makeup collection. Makeup without creasing or fading is never a bad thing.
     3. With a slightly shimmery champagne colored eyeshadow and a flat shader brush, apply the color all over your lid. Avoid shadows with a lot of glitter because it will draw attention away from the focal points of the makeup look.
     4. Using a contour brush, begin defining your crease with a matte light brown. You can also take this color beneath your eye-- lining your bottom lash line.
     5. Eyeliner isn't required, but going in with a brown kohl pencil will draw the eye look together. A thin line is just enough.
     6. For mascara, be sure to keep things fairly simple. False lashes are unnecessary. Just curl your eyelashes and apply two to three coats of your favorite mascara, focusing the product more on your outer lashes.
     7. With a pink blush, apply it to the apples of your cheeks for a flush of color. Depending on what type of product you use (powder, cream, liquid), apply it with the appropriate instrument. Considering winter and fall is approaching, I would recommend a liquid or cream product over a powder to keep moisture in your skin.
     8. Lastly, the lips. Using whatever shade of pink that you think is right for you, begin applying that to pre-moisturized lips. For a lighter, more subtle look, stick with lip gloss. Also, it will take less maintenance than a lipstick would. Although if you think lipstick is right for you, go along with that.

Selena Gomez Stars Dance Makeup

Selena Gomez recently came out with the album "Stars Dance" and modeled a dark, smokey eye. The dramatic look went well with the grayscale hue of the entire album. Not only that, but her well-defined brows emphasized the heavy contrasting.

Selena is typically seen wearing a natural look unless she's performing or in this case, attending a photoshoot. The dark makeup goes well with the album's overall tone, meaning that it is very different with each song (contrast).


Directions:
     1. Begin with a clean face (as usual). Seeing that this makeup look is extremely dramatic, having a clean palette to work off of is very important.
     2. Prime your complexion. Selena's face appears to be flawless and probably required a great foundation and primer. The primer will bring a smoothness to the foundation.
     3. Apply a foundation with flawless coverage to keep your face as clear of imperfections as possible. Make sure to blend the product out and down to your neck to avoid any lines. Personally, I would use my fingertips over a brush to really avoid any streaks from the brush. Also, the warmth that your hands possess will allow the product to blend easier.
     4. Choose your concealer wisely. Make sure it's one that matches your skin tone and is highly pigmented. This will guarantee the best coverage. Eliminate dark circles to the best of your ability.
     5. Set your foundation and concealer with a pressed or loose powder and a big fluffy brush. Blend it all over your face and down your neck as well.
     6. Prime your eyes to ensure the most dramatic color.
     7. With a flat shader brush, take a shimmery dark gray and apply it all over the lid. Create a sideways "V" to enlarge your eyes and give the cat like effect. Keep the product out of your inner corners.
     8. With a matte black shadow and a contour brush, begin building up the product in your crease and beneath your eye. A lot of product is used, so don't be afraid to use a lot as well. If you want the complete look, be daring and use more than you usually would.
     9. Using a black eyeliner pencil, line your eyes and waterline to bring the shadows together.
     10. Highlight your brow bone with a matte white as well as your inner corner.
     11. Apply mascara.

Pop of Color

Tired of having the same neutral makeup everyday? With this look, you will have the ability to add a small pop of color to give a fresh, bright look. It may sound hard at first but actually, it's quite simple. Adding a pop of color can be done in many ways, but I will be explaining one of the most common and easiest ways that should take no longer than five minutes total. It doesn't matter what color is used, just be sure that you have an eyeshadow to set the liner that you will be using.

Directions:
     1. Prime your eyelids. Make sure to use a primer that you know will last a long time. This step is very important because primer helps intensify the color of the shadow. Use your ring finger so that there is no tugging on the skin that could potentially create wrinkles.
      2. Begin with a neutral shadow. It can be matte or shimmery, but be sure to keep the shimmer to a minimum. If there is too much, it will be too overdone and the eye won't be drawn to the color. A champagne tone shadow would be best.
     3. An optional step would be to contour your eyes with a darker shade of brown. This should definitely be matte.
     4. Highlight with a soft, shimmery white. Focus the product on your brow bones and the inner corner of your eye. This will draw light to your face without distracting it from the color.
     5. With a colored eyeliner of your choice, begin dragging the pencil along your waterline. Don't push too hard because you could possibly scratch your eye. Move it back and forth along the waterline so that the color is extra pigmented.
     6. An optional step is to set the color with an eyeshadow. This is also the time to slightly blend the product into your lower lashline. Not only will it set the color but it will also allow the color to be more noticeable.
     7. Black eyeliner on the upper lashline is optional. If you do decide to use it, a pencil is probably better so that it can be blended better. Avoid a heavy wing because it will draw attention away from the color.
     8. On the top lashes, apply mascara as you usually would.
     9. This step is also optional-- you can take a colored mascara that matches your eyeliner and apply it to your bottom eyelashes for further coloring.

Foundation Routine

As fall and winter approach, wearing foundation or any type of face makeup becomes more common to cover up any redness or dryness that has been developed from the harsh cold. Whether your skin is sensitive, oily, or a combination of the two, foundation could do more than just make your skin look better—it could protect it. You may not even realize it, but it is possible to get sunburn and even wind burn from the weather. With the appropriate foundation, you could be saving your skin a lot of unknown damage that will take its toll later in life.

Due to the fact that everybody’s skin is different, I will not be listing exactly what products I personally use. This depends on what your skin is like and what type of product it is tailored to.

Directions:

     1. As usual, begin with a clean face and hands. This is essential to keep any dirt from hiding in your pores and giving you acne later.

     2. Next, apply a moisturizer by putting the appropriate amount on the tips of your fingers and applying it all over your face. If you have a moisturizer with SPF, it will be even better to keep the sun's rays from damaging your skin as well as the wind.

     3. Prime your skin. This step isn't required but if you're having a long day and there is a possibility of you sweating or your makeup running off, it is suggested. Your makeup will last a lot longer and appear more vibrant and smooth.
     4.You can finally begin with your foundation. Make sure it's one that is right for your skin. For instance, if you have oily skin, don't pick an oil foundation. For a complete foundation look, stick with liquid. If you don't need heavy coverage, skip this step or use a BB Cream or tinted moisturizer. Using either your hands or a brush/sponge, begin applying the product onto your skin. Be sure to blend the foundation down to your neck to avoid a mask-like effect. Also, blend out the product to avoid streaks or lines.
      5. With a concealer that matches your foundation, begin covering up any blemishes or imperfections. Apply the product to your ring finger and begin patting it into the skin until it is fully blended out. Don't cover up under your eyes just yet because depending on the darkness of them, you might need a different concealer.
     6. If you have darker under eye circles, this step is for you. Find a concealer that is a little lighter than your skin tone. With your ring finger, begin lightly patting the product beneath your eyes and focusing on the inner corners. Typically, it is darkest there and by putting a lighter product in place of it, it can draw light to your face.
     7.With a powder (pressed or loose) and a large fluffy brush, begin lightly dusting the powder all over your skin. Again, blend the product up into your hairline and down your neck. Focus the powder more so on areas that are more oily and also beneath the eyes. This will "set" your makeup and give a more matte look, but it will also allow your makeup to last all day.