Monday, January 19, 2009

Foundation Top Picks!

Hi, I'm the Fashion & Beauty Consultant for Estate Jewelry International where we don't just sell jewelry but pamper the whole you!

It's always tough finding the perfect foundation for your skin type, color, and texture. Some products are heavy,some don't cover so well, others don't blend well. We'll review a few of the products which we tried.

Tinted Moisturizers

* Laura Mercier tint moisturizer that leaves your skin feeling fresh. Comes in 7 shades all very natural. It has an SPF of 20 and is fortified with age-defying antioxidants.

* Elizabeth Arden tint moisturizer blends easily with enough coverage that you don't feel naked. It doesn't build up on dry patches. Demotologist tested. It has a SPF of 15

* Hydramax tint moisturizer is a lightweight hydrating lotion balancing moisture and coverage with natural-colour tint. Extract of Butterfly Lavender helps boost hydration by stimulating the water-trapping proteins essential for skin's proper moisture balance. Comes in 2 shades.

* Bobbi Brown tint moisturizer won the Best New Foundation award in Nov 2004 in Health Magazine. This formula is rich and luxurious so its perfect for anyone with extra dry skin. It blends easily and gives skin light coverage. Deeply moisturizes skin, to help reduce the look of fine lines. Dermatologist tested.

* Avon tint moisturizer is great for younger skin, however it has a tendency to stick out like a sore thumb on dry skin. I tried applying it as a foundation with a make up sponge and as a moisturiser using my fingertips and both times my skin looked terrible. It has a nice feel and a pleasant floral scent but the overall look it gave me was not natural in any way, the dry spots on my face seemed to show badly. Perhaps better suited for pre 40's skin. Liquid Foundations

* Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk liquid foundation is lush yet feather light with a very sheer texture. It is exceptional at correcting discoloration, elimating redness and blotchiness. Comes in 14 shades.

* L'Oreal True Match liquid foundation is a nice light weight and has terrific texture. No oils, fragrences or pore clogging materials. Contains vitamins B & E as well as glycerin to nourish the skin. Available in 24 colors.

* Laura Mercier liquid foundation is water based yet exceptionally creamy with a nice smooth finish. It has great coverage for a non oil based product. It isn't greasy or drying and the color matches well. Application is best with a sponge, and you can get more or less coverage depending on how much you apply. Takes a few minutes to set.

* Revlon Age Defying liquid foundation has great coverage and does not feel heavy. It does have a fragrance which does not go away. May hot be the best choice if your skin is at all oily. By mid day face may tend to feel oily and some experience zit outbreaks. It has an SPF of 30. Limited colors.

* T Leclerc Hydrating Fluid liquid foundation is best applied with a sponge or fingers. Its super thin so you hardly know its there. Comes in 6 shades. It has an SPF of 8. Mousse Foundation

* Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse is my all time favourite foundation. It gives great coverage but you feel like you've got nothing on. It's lighweight and easy to apply. I find it's best applied with fingers. If your skins a little on the dry side apply a moisturizer and then the mousse and it says light weight. It lasts all day and I've never had a break out using this product. It's advertised as a revolutionary whipped formula and that describes its texture perfetly. Available in 10 shades.

* Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Mousse is easy to apply and it never looks cakey or thick. Good coverage for such a sheer foundation. Great for dry skin. If you have oily or dry skin you may find yourself oily by mid day. I must say the smell can be a little harsh. If your at all sensative to smells have a whiff before buying. Dermatologist, clinically, allergy tested. Recommended for all skin types, except extra-oily.

* Erno Laszlo Absolute Finish Finishing Mousse Foundation is water free, air whipped providing flawless coverage. It is good for almost all skin types except for very oily skin and those that have a sensitivity to salicylic acid. Its very light and coverage can be sheer to complete. Stays on all day. Its a water free air whipped. Contains Emu Oil and essential fatty acids for non greasy moisturizing. Antioxidants vitamin A, C, & E to defend against free radical damage. It has UVA and UVB protection, and it is Dermatologist tested.

Wouldn't life be grand if one product worked for all of us. However, that's not the case so although I try and review products I cannot tell you how they will work on your skin. Most reputable cosmetic companies will refund or exchange a product if you are unhappy with it. When you find a product that works for you stay with it.

Remember your fashion statement includes the whole you from your hair to the polish on your toes, from your hat to your shoes, from your earrings to the rings on your fingers. So be sure to let the world know who you are and Make Your Fashion Statement!

Sher Matsen from Estate Jewelry International have been serving customers for over 20 years, providing affordable estate jewelry, and a wealth of information on jewelry, fashion, designers, and beauty with on staff industry professionals. Please visit us at http://www.estatejewelryinternational.com/

Makeup for Acne Scars Hiding as You Heal

Acne is a pernicious and upsetting condition, and most sufferers long for the day when their skin is clear of it. But many acne patients achieve clear skin only to find themselves left with a disappointing aftermath ? acne scars. While many scars will fade significantly with time, most patients will want to begin enjoying their improved skin immediately. Thankfully, there is great makeup for acne scars available that can balance the appearance of your skin, giving you the bright and clear complexion that you have waited so long to achieve. There is a wide variety of specialist makeup for acne scars available, but many people will find that ordinary makeup, applied correctly, will do the job just as well.

If you have had a history of bad skin, it is always wise to select light, non-greasy make up products ? there are a huge variety of foundations and powders available for sensitive skins, and many medicated varieties, should you feel your skin still needs a little extra help in keeping clear. Remember that your scars will lighten as time passes, but if dark scars are making you feel particularly self-conscious then there is a good selection of speciality make up for acne scars available that can also be used to cover other types of scars and birthmarks. If you would like some first hand tips on minimising the appearance of your scars, then treat yourself to a makeover at one of your local drug stores make up counters. The professionals will show you how to use their products to best compliment your own skin.

If you feel that using makeup for your acne scars is simply not enough, then there are ways of getting rid of acne scars. Dermabrasion is a popular treatment among former acne sufferers, and can help reduce the appearance of pitted scars significantly. The procedure involves the light scraping of the top most layer of skin, and while it can be effective, the process will initially result in skin that appears very raw. Skin needs especially delicate treatment after this procedure and most doctors will advise against even the use of camouflage makeup after dermabrasion. This can be upsetting for many patients who have already spent too much time with bad skin, so before signing up for the procedure be sure that is worth the possibility of getting rid of your acne scars. Make up for acne scars can be just as effective.

Find out more about Acne Skin Care Products as well as Acne and acne cures and adult acne treatments at Peter?s website, Acne All Gone.

Mineral Makeup a Natural Acne Cure?

Mineral makeup may offer new hope for acne sufferers. Because mineral makeup has several unique qualities not offered in any other makeup product that make it ideal for helping cure acne.

To understand how mineral makeup can cure your acne it is necissary to look at the seven causes of acne:

1. Genetics. Sadly, nothing can change your genetics. If your parents had acne as teenagers there is a good chance that you will too.

2. Hormones. During adolesence, hormones called androgens become active and stimulate oil glands in your skin, increasing oil production. This, in turn, clogs pores, causing pimples and blackheads.

3. Stress. Although stress doesn't actually cause acne, it can add to the problem by affecting hormones.

4. Diet. Many times what you eat has been shown to cause acne. Most of the time acne is an adverse reaction your body has to a food allergy.

5. Washing your face too often. This can irritate the skin making acne worse.

6. Medications. Many medications can cause acne or make an existing condition worse. Read labels or talk to your paharmacist to find out if acne is a side effect.

7. Using greasy skin care products and oily cosmetics. Most makeup falls into this category.

While these are the casuse of acne it is important to remember that acne is ultimately a result of bacteria growing in clogged pores. Bacteria is organic and thus cannot grow or multiply without the presence of water. This is where mineral makeup plays an almost magical role in curing acne.

Mineral makeup is made of natural minerals derived from the earth, these minerals are not only inorganic but they are also extremely resistant to water. They actually act as a shield on your face keeping bacteria feeding moisture away from your pores. Mineral makeup is not soluable in water so even if you put water directly on your face the minerals will not be absorbed and the water cannot pass through.

Mineral makeup does not clog pores either. Because it is so finely milled during production, the granules are much smaller than your pores. This not only prevents acne from forming, but makes the makeup extremely easy to blend into the skin with a very flawless look and conceals problem areas very well. If you suffer from a break out the finely milled minerals are very effective as disguising it.

Because of these and other unique qualities mineral makeup is known througout the world as the skin care makeup and recommended to acne sufferers by dermatologists. Ultimately, it does not matter what the cause of your acne is, without water to feed the bacteria, and something to clog the pores and hold that moisture in acne cannot form or worsen. If you suffer from acne, mineral makeup may end up being your best friend.

Find more Mineral Makeup information at http://www.bare-mineral-makeup.info. Get the facts, ingredients, and benefits as well as advice about which brands are the best.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Using Acne Cleansers To Control Your Acne

Before getting into acne control, let us know how it is formed. Oil called sebum is secreted normally from hair follicles which travel up to the pores where it lubricates and protects the skin. Sometimes, there are overworked oil glands which enlarge and produce too much sebum which can get trapped in the hair follicle. Thus the pores will get clogged which are either called blackheads or whiteheads, allow bacteria overgrowth of Propionibacterium acnes. In the surrounding skin, acne will be formed by inflaming the hair follicle by this bacterium.

Acne control

Including a variety of seeds, nuts, vegetables and fresh fruit in your diet can be a good control for acne. Drink plenty of water every day since dehydrated skin sheds dead cells which can lead to clogged pores and effective acne control. Most skin care products contain chemical ingredients that can aggravate acne. If you use make-up, try products that are non-comedogenic. Keeping stress levels low can also reduce the release of stress hormones and reduce the intensity of acne. Dairy products and red meat in your diet can cause acne. Heavily tanned skin can lead to blocked pores. Some of the acne control guidelines recommended by The American Academy of Dermatology are as follows.

?Do not squeeze, pop or pick at the acne lesion. This can spread the inflammatory process and worsen the acne.

?Wash your face twice a day gently with mild soap or sulfur soap. Just pat your face dry and do not rub it with a towel.

?Avoid oil based products.

?Avoid acne irritants such as airborne grease from fast food restaurants, rubbing or friction from sporting equipment etc.

?Give anti-acne products time to clear up the lesions. This can mean several weeks or even months.

?Some acne products increase the skin's photosensitivity. When in the sun wear a hat and use sunscreen and avoid tanning booths while using these products.

Acne Cleanser

Acne Cleansers have an important part in skin care. A good acne cleanser will remove make-up, oil build up, dirt and other debris from the skin's surface, preparing it for acne fighting treatments.

Before the acne treatment, the skin has to be washed properly. Avoid using bath soap on your skin for cleansing. There are many kinds of skin cleansers in the market and you can choose the mildest cleanser for your skin. They are all natural and medicated cleansers and are great in controlling acnes. Some of the natural daily cleansers are as shown.

1.PhytoMe Gentle Cleansing Gel

Ingredients include herbal extracts that remove debris, impurities and excess sebum from the skin's surface to leave a clean refreshed feeling to your face. It can be used 2-3 times daily as a facial cleanser or make-up remover.

2.Clarins One-Step Facial Cleanser

It includes all natural, facial cleanser/toner/make-up removers. This acne cleanser uses the properties of orange extracts to remove impurities and dirt from the surface of the skin. This product does not clog pores and it keeps the skin clean and nourished and is great even for oily skins.

3.FACE Stockholm Foaming Facial Cleanser

The self foaming formula of this cleanser clears all make-up and impurities without harming the skin. The skin is cleaned and refreshed and can be used both in the morning and night.

4.St. Ives Facial Foaming Cleanser

It is 100% soap-free and includes acne-fighting tea tree oil combined with gentle glycerin and chamomile extract to balance the moisture, creating a cleanser that prevents breakouts without drying the skin. This cleanser is excellent for removing facial make-up, oil and dirt.

5.Fira Foaming Tea Tree Facial Cleanser

The clarity, tone, and texture of your skin can be greatly improved by using this instant, self-foaming acne cleanser. The tea tree oil has the natural properties for controlling skin problems and fighting acne causing bacteria. Due to the deep penetrating action of the foam, the skin is cleaned, leaving it fresh, and refreshed.

Jamie is the author of other Acne Tips located at Health Tips and Acne Articles Please stop by and sign up for our free health tip news letter.

Natural Mineral Makeup 3 Reasons Why It Should Be Your Natural Summer Sun Protection

Mineral Makeup is the natural solution for any person looking for natural sunscreen this summer. Especially if you are looking for a gentle and safe sunscreen. Then look no further than your makeup bag for fabulous looking results and full spectrum sun protection.

Here are the top 3 reasons why mineral makeup should be your sunscreen of choice:

1. The two principal ingredients in mineral makeup are natural sunscreens, giving full range UVA and UVB sun protection.

Zinc oxide is the top ingredient in mineral makeup. Because it absorbs both UVA and UVB rays of ultraviolet light very effectively it is the most widely used ingredient in sunscreen products. This mineral helps protect against sunburn and other damage to the skin caused by ultra violet light.

Titanium dioxide is also widely used as a sunscreen. Because of it's brightness and very high refractive index, next only to diamonds in brightness, this mineral, added to mineral makeup gives your face a radiant glow.

2. Mineral Makeup helps fight acne. And that is very good news if you want to wear makeup out doors in the hot summer. If you have acne, then you probably know that wearing makeup and cosmetics when you are going to be sweating only aggravates and worsens your acne.

Mineral makeup is your solution. It is inorganic, and repels bacteria feeding moisture from entering your pores, yet the minerals are ground so that they lay weightlessly on your skin and do not clog the pores.

3. Mineral Makeup does not meltoff your face when you sweat. Because it contains titanium dioxide, which turns the extra moisture into a strong steralizer, the moisture cannot be absorbed by the minerals and thus the makeup will not move or run off in the hot summer sun. This makeup stays put.

The steralizing effects of the makeup also give it a powerful punch in the acne fighting department. No wonder dermatologists love it, and call it the skin care makeup.

Find out more about Natural Mineral Makeup and how to get a complete Mineral Makeup starter kit at http://www.bare-mineral-makeup.info

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Camouflage Makeup! Is Your Current Concealing Makeup Doing Its Job?

When searching for camouflage makeup, whether it?s for covering up facial scars, or currently exposed acne blemish breakouts, do you ever have the feeling that your foundation concealer is not working like it should?

Chances are the cosmetics that you?re purchasing may be designed for all skin types, and in my opinion, your unique facial tones are different from anyone else?s skin out there, so why would you settle for a product that has one color designed for everybody?

Like many of your individual qualities, such as your eyes, hair, and skin, many cosmetic suppliers put these features in a grouped classification, but that doesn?t necessarily mean the products their offering will be the right ones for your distinctive skins characteristics.

In order to achieve the best results to camouflage skin successfully, you need to find makeup products that have a wide range of shades with many natural colors that will easily blend with your skin. For example, the Dermablend camouflage cosmetics line are specially designed for your individual needs, and they know that there are individuals, such as yourself that have slightly different skin tones and that?s why they offer over 50 different colors!

Camouflage Care Starts With The Correct Application Of Makeup Cosmetics!

Not only is it important to have the right corrective makeup, but also it?s very important that you know the proper techniques on how to apply your select cream or powder, so it will produce your desired results, and provide you the natural look and feel that you expect!

We?re sure you didn?t want to spend all your valuable time and research in finding the right camouflage cosmetic, later realizing the end result is less than you expected due to an improper application technique. The ability to learn how to layer, and properly blend these products will be perfected with practice, and once you achieve the right method you will notice your facial imperfections will be virtually un-noticeable.

To avoid the frustrations and the feeling that you?re buying the wrong camouflage concealer, you need to focus on sourcing the right camouflaging products that are specifically designed for your particular skin conditions. Whether you may have scars, birthmarks, irregular pigmentation of the skin, or are suffering from serious blemishes, we're happy to say that there are many cosmetics available online that can help with your skincare concerns!

About the author: William is the owner and the author of ?1st In Acne Skin Care Products? available at http://www.1st-in-acne-skin-care-products.com A great source for Acne Treatment Coverup! Find quality acne treatment, and cover-up products for complete camouflage and care of acne blemishes and scars. You can control the look of pimples with proper cover up treatments.

Summer Makeup

Many of you have asked this important question about your own makeup. I have had countless conversations about the topic of shiny vs. matte. There seems to be a strong resistance to the shine factor in makeup. Women feel that it will age their skin, making it look drier and older than it actually is.

Your skin in its healthiest state, like hair and nails, should have a natural sheen, a subtle glow. When your makeup is too matte, it ages the skin just as quickly as if it had too much shine! A subtle shine can add ?pop? to the eye area, highlight cheekbones beautifully, and give the appearance of fuller lips instantly.

After painting faces for almost sixteen years, I have to say I love to see women of all ages and skin tones wearing a little something reflective on their face. The key word here is ?little?. I?m not talking about going out and buying metallic makeup to wear to work everyday. No body glitter, frosty lipstick, or shimmering face powders are allowed! The kind of shine I love the best is a ?satin? finish. Often, there does not even appear to be an actual ?sparkly particle? in the product, but it glows and shows off the skin beautifully. Products with this ?satin? finish catch light and give life to your complexion!

A few rules to keep in mind:

1 Create balance between your features by accenting only one or two of them with shine. For example: matte eye shadows with dewy lips, or satin-finish eye shadows with a traditional lipstick texture.

2 If your skin is dry or flaky, shimmery makeup wouldn?t be the best for you. Stick to dewy, creamy textures instead. This will give your skin a very healthy glow. Try Nars Cream Shadows and Blushes in addition to Stila Convertible Color.

3 If your skin is oily, look for creamy, slightly shimmery eye shadow colors that are smudge-proof. This will serve as a base color and help keep your powder shadows in place during the day ahead. Try Bobbi Brown Cream Shadow Sticks and Stila Shadow Pots.

Remember, makeup is not permanent. It comes off! How lucky we are as women to have the ability to change the way we look so easily. If this all still seems a bit scary, a well-trained makeup artist can answer any questions and show you how to look your very best!

Sonja George is Senior Makeup Artist for Scott Miller ? a salon, spa, and store in Rochester, NY (http://www.scottmillerstyle.com). Sonja has been a professional makeup artist and licensed esthetician for more than 17 years. Through the proper use of color and technique Sonja helps empower clients to look their absolute best. Additionally she acts as an educator of clients and staff, specializing in product knowledge and industry research and development.

Sonja?s professional experiences include editorial print, runway, fashion, film, and television broadcast. A few of her clients include supermodel Niki Taylor, actor/comedian Joan Rivers, news anchor Dan Rather, sports broadcaster Jim Nantz, and actor Bruce McGill.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Why Switch to All Natural Cosmetics?

The human skin wraps and protects our bodies. It constitutes a living, dynamic tissue system. It has the remarkable ability to absorb applied products, partially or completely, into the bloodstream. In fact, up to 60% of the products we use on our skin are absorbed and deposited into the circulatory system (Fairley, 2001). For instance, the average woman absorbs 30 pounds of the ingredients contained in moisturizers over sixty years (Dr.Hauschka).

These new understandings of how the skin functions reveal concerns about the possible long term effects due to the combination of chemicals used in cosmetics, often termed the chemical cocktail effect. Several chemicals which are used in common, popular cosmetics are known irritants and carcinogens. Concern stems from the knowledge that most of these ingredients are derived synthetically or from petroleum. Avoiding these substances serve to decrease overall exposure to harmful or irritating cosmetic ingredients.

Ingredients to Avoid Forms Found in Cosmetics and Possible Negative Side Effects

Aluminum
- Thought to contribute to Alzheimer's Disease.

- Found in almost all antiperspirants.

- Works by blocking pores so sweat cannot be released by the skin.

Artificial colours
- FD&C, derived from coal tar.

- For example, Azo dyes are a risk to asthmatics, eczema sufferers and people sensitive to aspirin.

- Causes hyperactivity in children, severe headaches, blurred vision and itchy/watery eyes and nose (Antczak, 2001).

Benzoates
- Benzoates Benzoic acid, sodium benzoate or parahydroxy benzoate.

- Used as a preservative in cosmetics and fizzy drinks.Causes gastric irritation, numbing of the mouth and aggravates asthma (Antczak, 2001).

Certain essential oils
- Rosemary is harmful to epileptics.Sage is not recommended for pregnant women.

DEA, MEA, TEA
- Causes allergic reactions, irritating to eyes and dries out hair and skin (Fairley, 2001).

Dibutyl phthalate
- Found in all persons tested by the CDC (Center for Disease Control, USA) in a 2000 Fall study.

- Highest levels were found in women of reproductive age.

- Causes birth defects in animals, and damaging to the male reproductive system (ABC News, Internet Ventures 2000).

- Used in cosmetics to assist the absorption of other ingredients.

Formaldehydes
- A preservative.

- Causes skin reactions.

- Imidazolidinyl urea is the second most identified preservative causing contact dermatitis ( American Academy of Dermatology: Fairley, 2001).

- DMDM hydantoin

- Quaternium 15

- Diazolidinylurea

- 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1

- 3-diol

Fragrances
- Can contain up to 200 undeclared substances (Fairley, 2001).

- Major cause, in addition to artificial colours, of skin irritations and allergies (Antczak, 2001).

- May cause dizziniess, skin irritation and hyperpigmentation (Fairley, 2001).

Genetically Modified Organisms
- Soy, Corn

- Effects still undetermined.

Isopropyl Alcohol
- Drying agent, from petroleum.

Keratolytic chemicals
- Such as hydroxyl acids, retinoic acid.

- Corrosive, used in skin peels.

- Dissolves the stratum corneum of the epidermis (outermost layer), making skin more sensitive to sun damage.

- Accelerates production of dead skin cells; the skin thickens to repair its surface so that vulnerable skin cells underneath are protected from the effects of skin peeling.(Antczak, 2001).

Methylisothiazolinone
- Causes allergic reactions and irritations (Fairley, 2001).

Parabens
- Petroleum product.

- Triggers skin irritations and may be an xerestrogen (Fairley, 2001).May play a role in falling sperm counts and rising breast cancer rates (Fairley, 2001).Used in 99% of all cosmetics (Fairley, 2001), and in many so-called 'natural' products.

Parraffin
- Derived from petroleum.

- In the form of wax, mineral oil or petrolatum.

- Comedogenic, i.e.blocks pores.

Propylene Glycol
- When derived from petroleum.

- Increases the amount of acid in the body, resulting in metabolic problems.

- Large amounts are needed to produce this effect (Agency forToxic Substances and Disease Registry or ATSDR, 2003).

Sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate
- Forms carcinogenic nitrogen compounds when combined with specific ingredients.

- Irritating to eyes, skin and lungs (Antczak, 2001).

- Harmful if swallowed and may cause damage to eyes (Antczak, 2001).

Tallow
- Animal fat.

- Not suitable for vegans, and may be a skin irritant.

Toluene
- Found in many nail products and nail polish removers.

- Produced during the process of making gasoline and other fuels from crude oil or coal.

- Evaporates into the air when products containing toluene are opened.

- May affect the nervous system, and/or cause tiredness, confusion, weakness, nausea, or loss of appetite.

- Symptoms disappear when exposure is eliminated (ATSDR, 2003).

In Canada, not all cosmetics list their ingredients on their labels, but most have toll free telephone numbers which link you to their customer service departments, where inquiries about ingredient lists can be made. Reading labels and recognizing problematic ingredients are necessary skills for a consumer who intends to choose products that are completely natural. The cost of a cosmetic is not a reliable indicator of either its quality or natural characteristics. Most cosmetics, from the lowest priced, to the most costly brands, are composed of identical base ingredients (Begoun, 1991).

Cosmetics do not stay on the surface of the skin without penetrating to some degree. Lipstick wearers, for example, consume 1.5 to 4 tubes in a lifetime (Aveda). If one considers the ingredients being internalized by the body, absorbing plant oils and waxes, mineral pigments or essential oils is a healthier alternative than absorbing petroleum by-products and synthetic chemicals. The ability to choose the right cosmetics for you depends on accurate ingredient knowledge, personal needs and market choices. Caring for one's whole body includes skin care choices that support and contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

Natural cosmetic products and make-up are safer, healthier alternatives especially when these products are composed of all natural ingredients. A natural product is described as one that contains mostly or completely naturally derived ingredients (Antczak, 2001). It also indicates that the product is free from, or contains minute amounts of artificial chemical additives. Caution is required when products claim to be natural. For instance, they may contain small amounts of plant extracts, but the bulk of the product is petroleum based and loaded with fragrances. Instead, consider switching to completely natural products, which perform to the same standard as their non-natural counterparts. The Organic Make-up Company offers a wide range of simple, affordable and high quality products. Our cosmetic products are carefully formulated from plant waxes, plant oils, essential oils from flowers, barks and spices, as well as richly coloured mineral pigments.

Switching to all-natural cosmetic products and make-up can help you to avoid feeding your skin harmful chemicals. Many skin problems, such as acne, contact dermatitis, irritations and allergies may disappear once petroleum or synthetic ingredients are removed from your skin care regimen. Using fully natural products can contribute to healthy skin and a healthy body in the long term.

We invite you to give our natural products a try. They are completely natural, vegan and an excellent alternative to conventional cosmetics and make-up.

To view our products, please visit our website at http://www.organicmakeup.ca.

References:

- Antczak, Dr. Stephen and Gina, (2001). Cosmetics Unmasked, Harper Collins, London.

- Begoun, Paula, (1991). Don't Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me, Beginnings Press, Seattle.

- Fairley, Josephine, (2001). Organic Beauty, DK Publishing, London.

- www.abcnews.com, ABC News Internet Ventures, 2000.

- www.atsdr.cdc.gov, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, April 2003.

- http://www.naturalcosmetics.ca

Lori Stryker has been researching and developing all natural skin care and make-up for the purpose of offering men and women safe, natural cosmetics for everyday use. She brings to her research a specialist in human biology from the University of Toronto, coupled with a professional home economics degree and an education degree from the University of British Columbia, fusing chemical and biological knowledge with food, family and textile sciences.

You may use this article but any modification or publication of this article for fiancial gain must be approved of by the author. The author's name, Lori Stryker and her company's name, The Organic Make-up Company, needs to by noted when used.

Makeup for Acne Scars Hiding as You Heal

Acne is a pernicious and upsetting condition, and most sufferers long for the day when their skin is clear of it. But many acne patients achieve clear skin only to find themselves left with a disappointing aftermath ? acne scars. While many scars will fade significantly with time, most patients will want to begin enjoying their improved skin immediately. Thankfully, there is great makeup for acne scars available that can balance the appearance of your skin, giving you the bright and clear complexion that you have waited so long to achieve. There is a wide variety of specialist makeup for acne scars available, but many people will find that ordinary makeup, applied correctly, will do the job just as well.

If you have had a history of bad skin, it is always wise to select light, non-greasy make up products ? there are a huge variety of foundations and powders available for sensitive skins, and many medicated varieties, should you feel your skin still needs a little extra help in keeping clear. Remember that your scars will lighten as time passes, but if dark scars are making you feel particularly self-conscious then there is a good selection of speciality make up for acne scars available that can also be used to cover other types of scars and birthmarks. If you would like some first hand tips on minimising the appearance of your scars, then treat yourself to a makeover at one of your local drug stores make up counters. The professionals will show you how to use their products to best compliment your own skin.

If you feel that using makeup for your acne scars is simply not enough, then there are ways of getting rid of acne scars. Dermabrasion is a popular treatment among former acne sufferers, and can help reduce the appearance of pitted scars significantly. The procedure involves the light scraping of the top most layer of skin, and while it can be effective, the process will initially result in skin that appears very raw. Skin needs especially delicate treatment after this procedure and most doctors will advise against even the use of camouflage makeup after dermabrasion. This can be upsetting for many patients who have already spent too much time with bad skin, so before signing up for the procedure be sure that is worth the possibility of getting rid of your acne scars. Make up for acne scars can be just as effective.

Find out more about Acne Skin Care Products as well as Acne and acne cures and adult acne treatments at Peter?s website, Acne All Gone.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Using Acne Cleansers To Control Your Acne

Before getting into acne control, let us know how it is formed. Oil called sebum is secreted normally from hair follicles which travel up to the pores where it lubricates and protects the skin. Sometimes, there are overworked oil glands which enlarge and produce too much sebum which can get trapped in the hair follicle. Thus the pores will get clogged which are either called blackheads or whiteheads, allow bacteria overgrowth of Propionibacterium acnes. In the surrounding skin, acne will be formed by inflaming the hair follicle by this bacterium.

Acne control

Including a variety of seeds, nuts, vegetables and fresh fruit in your diet can be a good control for acne. Drink plenty of water every day since dehydrated skin sheds dead cells which can lead to clogged pores and effective acne control. Most skin care products contain chemical ingredients that can aggravate acne. If you use make-up, try products that are non-comedogenic. Keeping stress levels low can also reduce the release of stress hormones and reduce the intensity of acne. Dairy products and red meat in your diet can cause acne. Heavily tanned skin can lead to blocked pores. Some of the acne control guidelines recommended by The American Academy of Dermatology are as follows.

?Do not squeeze, pop or pick at the acne lesion. This can spread the inflammatory process and worsen the acne.

?Wash your face twice a day gently with mild soap or sulfur soap. Just pat your face dry and do not rub it with a towel.

?Avoid oil based products.

?Avoid acne irritants such as airborne grease from fast food restaurants, rubbing or friction from sporting equipment etc.

?Give anti-acne products time to clear up the lesions. This can mean several weeks or even months.

?Some acne products increase the skin's photosensitivity. When in the sun wear a hat and use sunscreen and avoid tanning booths while using these products.

Acne Cleanser

Acne Cleansers have an important part in skin care. A good acne cleanser will remove make-up, oil build up, dirt and other debris from the skin's surface, preparing it for acne fighting treatments.

Before the acne treatment, the skin has to be washed properly. Avoid using bath soap on your skin for cleansing. There are many kinds of skin cleansers in the market and you can choose the mildest cleanser for your skin. They are all natural and medicated cleansers and are great in controlling acnes. Some of the natural daily cleansers are as shown.

1.PhytoMe Gentle Cleansing Gel

Ingredients include herbal extracts that remove debris, impurities and excess sebum from the skin's surface to leave a clean refreshed feeling to your face. It can be used 2-3 times daily as a facial cleanser or make-up remover.

2.Clarins One-Step Facial Cleanser

It includes all natural, facial cleanser/toner/make-up removers. This acne cleanser uses the properties of orange extracts to remove impurities and dirt from the surface of the skin. This product does not clog pores and it keeps the skin clean and nourished and is great even for oily skins.

3.FACE Stockholm Foaming Facial Cleanser

The self foaming formula of this cleanser clears all make-up and impurities without harming the skin. The skin is cleaned and refreshed and can be used both in the morning and night.

4.St. Ives Facial Foaming Cleanser

It is 100% soap-free and includes acne-fighting tea tree oil combined with gentle glycerin and chamomile extract to balance the moisture, creating a cleanser that prevents breakouts without drying the skin. This cleanser is excellent for removing facial make-up, oil and dirt.

5.Fira Foaming Tea Tree Facial Cleanser

The clarity, tone, and texture of your skin can be greatly improved by using this instant, self-foaming acne cleanser. The tea tree oil has the natural properties for controlling skin problems and fighting acne causing bacteria. Due to the deep penetrating action of the foam, the skin is cleaned, leaving it fresh, and refreshed.

Jamie is the author of other Acne Tips located at Health Tips and Acne Articles Please stop by and sign up for our free health tip news letter.

Makeup For Acne Scars! Where Effective Cosmetic Products Camouflage Scars Not Your Life

Are you dropping out of society due to experiencing scars after acne breakouts? Are you searching for quality makeup for acne scars to help you blend your skin imperfections, and to also eliminate any future blemishes?

If your answer is yes to the questions above, then let me help you find the best cosmetic scar treatments that will allow you to get back out into the world, and enjoy your life the way you deserve to!

Nowadays, there are many advanced makeup products such as camouflage makeup specially designed for scars, and are widely offered by professional online skincare suppliers. These special skin products help you positively conceal such physical imperfections, such as scars, hyper pigmentation, rosacea, burns, and dark freckles to name a few.

If you happen to suffer from any of these conditions listed above, you?re not alone, and this is why quality acne cosmetics and scar treatments have been designed specially for you to help you in your current condition.

Now You Can Get The Scar Coverage You Need, Custom Made For You!

With treatment makeup, many of these uniquely designed scar products give you a large array of colors to choose from, helping match your skin tone perfectly, thus offering you that custom looking facial skin color blend. You pick 2-3 shades, and unify these colors together for that natural cosmetics look, and quality finishing touch!

The specially created Camouflage makeup products are made with mineral pigments that are fragrance and oil free, so it does not irritate your skin. The best thing is that the finish looks flawless, and your complexion will have virtually no signs of visible acne scars.

Don?t ever think that you?re the only one that has facial scars in this world! You would be surprised and amazed on how many of your favorite celebrities, and athletes have the same scar condition as you. This is the main reason why top quality scar cosmetics have been created, and when you?re under the camera and public microscope, these stars don?t want to take any chances of exposing their skin condition to their fans.

With that in mind, you can now take advantage of these quality skincare makeup products as well, and you don?t have to settle for the over-the-counter generic items that give you that caked on look, and do not properly blend away your scars. In most cases these retail products end up enhancing the look of your scar, rather than blending them.

You may notice that the prices on these products are a little higher than your retail store generic makeup products, but when you actually try them, you will understand why, and also realize that these uniquely designed scar care makeup items easily available to you online, are created for you in mind, and will eventually allow you to get your life back, by feeling comfortable in the public eye again!

About the author: William is the owner and the author of ?1st In Acne Skin Care Products? available at http://www.1st-in-acne-skin-care-products.com A great source for Acne Scar Makeup! Find information and tips on finding quality scar makeup products, facial cleansers, and many pure detoxifying products that will not only help you prevent facial scarring, but also aid in getting rid of your stubborn acne blemishes, that are the major cause and development of your scars.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Makeup for Acne Scars Hiding as You Heal

Acne is a pernicious and upsetting condition, and most sufferers long for the day when their skin is clear of it. But many acne patients achieve clear skin only to find themselves left with a disappointing aftermath ? acne scars. While many scars will fade significantly with time, most patients will want to begin enjoying their improved skin immediately. Thankfully, there is great makeup for acne scars available that can balance the appearance of your skin, giving you the bright and clear complexion that you have waited so long to achieve. There is a wide variety of specialist makeup for acne scars available, but many people will find that ordinary makeup, applied correctly, will do the job just as well.

If you have had a history of bad skin, it is always wise to select light, non-greasy make up products ? there are a huge variety of foundations and powders available for sensitive skins, and many medicated varieties, should you feel your skin still needs a little extra help in keeping clear. Remember that your scars will lighten as time passes, but if dark scars are making you feel particularly self-conscious then there is a good selection of speciality make up for acne scars available that can also be used to cover other types of scars and birthmarks. If you would like some first hand tips on minimising the appearance of your scars, then treat yourself to a makeover at one of your local drug stores make up counters. The professionals will show you how to use their products to best compliment your own skin.

If you feel that using makeup for your acne scars is simply not enough, then there are ways of getting rid of acne scars. Dermabrasion is a popular treatment among former acne sufferers, and can help reduce the appearance of pitted scars significantly. The procedure involves the light scraping of the top most layer of skin, and while it can be effective, the process will initially result in skin that appears very raw. Skin needs especially delicate treatment after this procedure and most doctors will advise against even the use of camouflage makeup after dermabrasion. This can be upsetting for many patients who have already spent too much time with bad skin, so before signing up for the procedure be sure that is worth the possibility of getting rid of your acne scars. Make up for acne scars can be just as effective.

Find out more about Acne Skin Care Products as well as Acne and acne cures and adult acne treatments at Peter?s website, Acne All Gone.

Natural Mineral Makeup Giving the Gift of Mineral Makeup to Fight Acne

The holiday season is fast approaching, and perhaps you've got a special someone who suffers from acne. The dilemma is how to present them with a gift this holiday season that helps them to fight acne without seeming overly rude or insulting in the process.

Believe me, some people do get offended at the idea of you trying to help them with practical gifts to help them with their condition. Even if it was kindly meant. Most people want some that is not only pleasing to the eye, but also has both use and meaning in their world.

For the acne sufferer, they may wish to buy a bottle of Proactiv for themselves, but receiveing it as a gift is another story altogher. Giving something that is astheitally pleasing and helps them to fight and prevent acne really can be a challenge.

There is an option however; mineral makeup is a solution that is not only pleasing to the eyes, but is also recommended by dermatologists the world over to help fight acne and soothe the skin. Because Mineral Makeup is oil free and ground into such a fine powder that it does not clog pores it is ideal for preventing further breakouts.

Mineral makeup is made of all natural minerals extracted from the earth and ground into a fine powder. Different combinations of the minerals produce different colors for a wide range of colors so there is no need for dies or chemicals.

Mineral makeup is not soluable in water and sheilds the skin from moisture getting into the pores when worn. If moisture to get into the pores the bacteria that feeds acne dies. The primary ingredients within mineral makeup are Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. You may recognise these minerals from the ingredients list on the back of any sunscreen bottle. This is because these minerals are natural sunblocks. Zinc Oxide is also known for it's skin soothing properties.

Mineral makeup is very pleasing to the eye because the powders blend together onto the skin seamlessly and need such a small amount to cover the skin that they look very natural. Both Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide also reflact light and give the face a beautiful glow without looking shiny.

Be sure you check the labels, however for Bismouth Oxychloride, a mineral added to some top name brands to give the makeup a shiny look. Bismouth Oxychloride can irritate acne.

Giving the gift of all natural healthy beauty this season does not have to be impossible with mineral makeup.

Give the Gift of natural mineral makeup this season with our complete 9 piece starter kit...

Acne And Makeup Proper Techniques To Hide Your Acne With Makeup

Acne is of course a very disturbing and upsetting condition, but there are ways to help you to conceal the scars and pimples that are caused by this naturally occurring skin blemish. Makeup is a favorite choice of many people to hide their acne. One of the most important things to consider when choosing makeup to cover acne is that it is appropriate for the condition. Acne can be made worse by makeup that contains oil and so it is best to choose a brand that does not contain any. If you are not sure which is the best to choose, then it is recommended to get some advice from your dermatologist or skin care specialist rather than just guessing. If you have a lot of acne scarring then there are some special camouflage make-ups available nowadays. This can be great for concealing scarring and is also made for those with problem skin.

One of the main things to remember when you are using makeup for acne is to make sure that you skin is very clean and that you use a variety of cleansers that are good for skin with acne. You should also make sure that when you take off the makeup you are very careful to make sure that you have taken all of it off. It is very important to make sure that the skin is clear of all makeup so that the pores are clear and do not get clogged up.

One of the most useful types of makeup when you have acne is concealer. This is very good for covering up blemishes and also works well on scarring. You need to take care when applying this as it is the basis of your makeup and is a vital ingredient in allowing you to camouflage the acne well. Don't use too thick a layer but just make sure that it is even so that it can work well. You also need to apply a foundation to give your skin a natural appearance to cover the fact that you have been using the concealer to cover your acne and not make it so obvious.

Acne and makeup are very well suited to each other despite what some people think, you just to have make sure that you look after the skin by keeping it clean and ensuring that you get it all off afterwards. It can make the skin seem to be a lot clearer and this can give the sufferer a lot more confidence but you need to make sure that buy a makeup that is suited to the condition. If you buy the right makeup and apply it well then it can make a real difference.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Clear-Skin-Solutions.com He provides more acne clearing solutions, remedies and acne and makeup tips that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Makeup for Acne Scars Does It Work and How to Find It

Acne can be a very upsetting condition but it is treatable and a good dermatologist should be able to help alleviate it although they may not be able to cure it altogether. Very often the acne will fade after awhile but unfortunately this can take some time. Sadly, even when the acne itself is gone, it can leave scars which can be very upsetting for the sufferer. The trouble with scarring is that it does not just get better like the acne itself; instead it just becomes a part of your complexion. Fortunately, there are some quick, easy and good things that you can do to make your skin look a little better. Makeup for acne scars can be a very good option if you are not keen on having more drastic treatments (such as acne scar removal surgery) or if the scars are not that serious but you would still like to make the skin look smoother through the use of acne scar covering makeup.

There is some very good makeup for acne scars that can be very effective in making the skin look much better and even making it look as though there is almost no scarring at all. There are also some camouflage make-ups that are made especially for this type of condition. They are made with special colors that have been formulated to match the skin tone and color and they are also not an irritant and do not contain oil, which can sometimes have an adverse effect on some acne sufferers.

There are many cosmetic manufacturers making and producing makeup for acne scars, so you should not find it very hard or difficult to get supplies. Usually the best place to get them is through Internet suppliers as they tend to keep a larger choice of makeup for acne scars than your local drug stores and they are also able to offer good discounts as they have a lower overhead than many traditional stores. A quick search online should be all that you need to do in order to find the makeup for acne scars that you want. Some of the stores also have help sections where you can get advice on which are the most effective products in reducing the appearance of acne scars.

There are also a number of online acne forums where you can get good advice as to what is the best makeup for acne scars and this can be a great help if you are new to using makeup to conceal your acne and are not sure which are the best types to choose. Makeup can be a great help to those wishing to make their acne scars less visible and with a little effort you can find all the advice that you need to make the right choice.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Clear-Skin-Solutions.com He provides more acne clearing solutions, remedies and more tips on makeup for acne scars that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

Natural Mineral Makeup Giving the Gift of Mineral Makeup to Fight Acne

The holiday season is fast approaching, and perhaps you've got a special someone who suffers from acne. The dilemma is how to present them with a gift this holiday season that helps them to fight acne without seeming overly rude or insulting in the process.

Believe me, some people do get offended at the idea of you trying to help them with practical gifts to help them with their condition. Even if it was kindly meant. Most people want some that is not only pleasing to the eye, but also has both use and meaning in their world.

For the acne sufferer, they may wish to buy a bottle of Proactiv for themselves, but receiveing it as a gift is another story altogher. Giving something that is astheitally pleasing and helps them to fight and prevent acne really can be a challenge.

There is an option however; mineral makeup is a solution that is not only pleasing to the eyes, but is also recommended by dermatologists the world over to help fight acne and soothe the skin. Because Mineral Makeup is oil free and ground into such a fine powder that it does not clog pores it is ideal for preventing further breakouts.

Mineral makeup is made of all natural minerals extracted from the earth and ground into a fine powder. Different combinations of the minerals produce different colors for a wide range of colors so there is no need for dies or chemicals.

Mineral makeup is not soluable in water and sheilds the skin from moisture getting into the pores when worn. If moisture to get into the pores the bacteria that feeds acne dies. The primary ingredients within mineral makeup are Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. You may recognise these minerals from the ingredients list on the back of any sunscreen bottle. This is because these minerals are natural sunblocks. Zinc Oxide is also known for it's skin soothing properties.

Mineral makeup is very pleasing to the eye because the powders blend together onto the skin seamlessly and need such a small amount to cover the skin that they look very natural. Both Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide also reflact light and give the face a beautiful glow without looking shiny.

Be sure you check the labels, however for Bismouth Oxychloride, a mineral added to some top name brands to give the makeup a shiny look. Bismouth Oxychloride can irritate acne.

Giving the gift of all natural healthy beauty this season does not have to be impossible with mineral makeup.

Give the Gift of natural mineral makeup this season with our complete 9 piece starter kit...

Monday, January 12, 2009

Mineral Makeup Natural Beauty

As we become more aware of our environment and more aware of the products that we are putting into and onto our bodies, natural and homeopathic products are taking the cosmetic industry by storm.

It?s likely you?ve noticed new skincare and cosmetic companies popping up with ?all natural? and ?organic? products. Of course, just because they say they are, doesn?t necessarily make it true. That is where consumer education comes in, and why it is so important.

The title of this article is ?Mineral Makeup?. After learning what mineral makeup is, what products go into it, and what its benefits are, you can decide if this is the right choice for you.

What Is Mineral Makeup?

Mineral makeup is designed from all naturally occurring products. It is often recommended by dermatologists to women with sensitive skin, rosacea, post operative, laser and other procedures because of its intrinsic skin soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a powder makeup of finely milled minerals. It can provide very sheer or very opaque coverage, depending on the formulation and application. However, it still allows natural skin radiance to show through, so you don?t get the dreaded ?mask? look. It is typically free of fragrance and preservatives. Minerals cannot feed bacteria, so there is no danger of spoilage, thus it needs no preservatives. It does not go bad. It is very good for oily skin because it has several oil- absorbing components.

It is usually applied with a brush, and is typically shown to be ?buffed? into the skin. This technique forces the makeup into your pores, which is never a good thing. A technique that works with better quality mineral makeup (which we?ll discuss later) is to ?dust? the makeup on, instead of ?buffing? it. If a brush irritates your skin, you can also use a non-latex or flocked sponge. Application can be done either wet or dry.

What Are The Ingredients?

This is the most important part. Learning what is in your makeup will give you the ability to choose what will meet your needs best. These are the ingredients you will most likely come across.

? Titanium Dioxide- A white natural sunscreen and anti-inflammatory agent. It is highly reflect, with only a diamond being higher, and thus minimizes fine lines and some skin discolorations.

? Zinc Oxide- A natural sunscreen providing broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection.

? Sericite- A colorless mica that can be used to cut the opacity of Titanium Dioxide and also works as an oil absorber.

? Cornstarch/ Rice Powder- Cosmetic grade- An oil humectant (draws oil out of the pores). Can make acne worse as it is a source of food for bacteria.

? Kaolin Clay- Natural oil-absorption.

? Mica- Natural ?glitter?. Provides shimmer and sparkle.

? Iron Oxides- Natural pigment- very opaque. Used for tinting cosmetics.

Ingredients To Avoid

These ingredients are also common, but can cause problems so are best to avoid.

? Talc/ Various Powders- Common fillers- can cause respiratory problems.

? FD&C Dyes- Derived from coal tar.

? Bismuth Oxychloride- Known skin irritant- causes itching, rashes and breakouts. Especially prevalent when the wearer sweats.

? Ferric Ferrocyanide- Controversial because of its suspected toxicity.

? Carmine- Crushed beetles.

What Brand Should I Buy?

Well, if you?re familiar with mineral makeup, it?s likely you?ve seen the infomercials. After further research you?ll find these companies use controversial ingredients, and charge quite a bit for their products.

There are several good mineral makeup companies out there that provide a much better product at a more affordable price, as well as a superior customer experience. They also offer samples, which the larger companies do not. You?ll get to try the makeup (unlike in the drugstore!) for a fraction of the cost before you buy it. They don?t have expensive advertising and packaging to pay for, so the savings are often passed on to you.

Lynn is the proprietor of Beauty Bliss Mineral Cosmetics at http://www.beautyblisscosmetics as well as http://www.ultimate-skin-care-tips.com

Makeup Tip: Beautiful Eyes

Eyes have been called the windows of the soul because of how much they communicate. Eyes give your face energy and individuality. They do not have to be a certain size or shape to be considered pretty - all eyes have their own unique beauty. When makeup is applied to look natural it will bring out the eye?s true color and enhance the eye?s beauty. When you feel good about your makeup you will be more confident and will have one less thing to worry about.

A subtle application of eyeliner, shadows and mascara work together to create magic and make your eyes look their best.

Eye Shadow

Eye shadow is meant to highlight and define the eyes. Eye shadow is used to create depth to bring out the beauty of the eyes. A dark color used on the lid will make the eye appear smaller, while a lighter color will make it appear larger. That is what eye shadow is about creating illusions. These are the basic techniques for the following eye shapes:

Small eyes: Don?t use too much shadow or liner ? it will make you eyes look smaller. Apply a light color on eyelid, use a darker color in the crease and use a highlighter under the brow.

Large eyes: Wear darker shadow on the lid and extend it to the crease. Use a flat color under the brow to highlight.

Deep-set eyes: Use light colors on the eyelid and under the brow. Use a medium color in the crease. Emphasize the outer corners with shadow.

Wide-set eyes: Use darker colors on the inner corners of the eye.

Hooded eyes: Apply light colors on the lid. Use darker colors from the center of the eyelid to the outer corners and blend.

Round eyes: Make round eyes longer by using color all around and extending toward the outer corners.

Asian eyes: Apply highlighter under the brow. Use light shadow on the inner half of the lid and a darker color on the outer half.

1.Light colors cause the eyes to open, dark colors will cause the eyes to recede

2.If you have very light skin avoid dark shades

3.Be careful with shimmer ? they will bring attention to imperfections and wrinkles.

4.The eye area is the first to show age don?t tug on the skin.

Eyeliners:

Eyeliners are meant to define the eyes so they should do just that, not be the focal point of your makeup. Eyeliners come in various colors and forms liquid, pencil etc. Keep the eyeliner natural. Pencils are available in many colors (for the best look stick to black or brown) and can be sharpened for a fine line. For a smudged effect use a sponge tip shadow applicator or an eye shadow brush. When your pencils are too soft refrigerate them. When they are too hard soften them by holding them between your fingers.

To line the eye, start on the lower lid, just beneath the lashes. When you are finished always smudge the line with your sponge. Stay as close to the lash line as possible. On the upper lid, draw a line form the inner corner to the outer corner, thickening the line toward the outer corner. After the age of 40 keep the line in between the lashes.

Mascara and the creation of beautiful lashes:

Mascara frames your eyes and can make your face come alive. Mascara softly accentuates the eye while thickening and darkening the lashes; it is the finishing touch for eyes. There are several different types to choose from, thickening, and waterproof to smudge proof. Waterproof will need a special remover and smudge proof will wash off easily. It is not a good idea to wear waterproof mascara for extended periods of time since it has a tendency to dry the lashes.

Select a shade of mascara that complements your coloring. Dark shades on pale eyes with brown lashes will darken them and will look harsh. Stay away from blues and other colors since they will ruin your look.

Lashes that are hard to curl may need the help of an eyelash curler. Curl your lashes before you apply mascara ? hold for ten to twenty seconds.

To apply mascara look straight into your mirror with your chin slightly lifted so you can see your lashes. Insert the wand only once and twist, don?t pump. Pumping can break the brush bristles and distribute the mascara unevenly and will dry out the mascara faster. Start by rolling the wand from root to tip in an upward motion. Reinsert the brush and apply again. If your eyelashes are thick and long they may clunk together. If this happens let them dry and then separate them with the corner of an eyebrow brush.

Sheila Dicks is a wardrobe and image consultant who teaches women how to look slimmer by dressing to suit their body type. Visit her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download a copy of her e-book Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe free.

CancerCausing Ingredients in Your Cosmetics and Personal Care Products

Cosmetics make you attractive, but some of the ingredients in your cosmetics and personal care products may be killing you!

If you?re like most Americans, you may be unknowingly poisoning yourself and your family everyday with the many cancer-causing ingredients in today?s cosmetics, toiletries and personal care products. Makeup, shampoo, hair coloring products, baby powder (Yes, baby powder!), shaving cream, mouthwash and toothpaste are just a few of the products that contain cancer-causing ingredients.

But don?t despair! In just a minute, you?ll know what products to avoid and how to choose those that are safe for you and your family.

You may be asking yourself, Why do I have to check the ingredients to see if they?re safe? Doesn?t the government do this? The answer is: Well, kind of..., but not really!

The truth is the cosmetics industry is very poorly regulated. With the exception of a handful of extremely toxic chemicals, manufacturers can put almost anything in their cosmetics without testing to see if the ingredients are harmful. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can only make suggestions or recommendations to manufacturers about cosmetic products or their ingredients, but the manufacturers don?t have to follow them.

To make matters worse, most products are labeled to sell rather than to provide accurate information. Words like natural and hypoallergenic (which give us a nice warm feeling about the product and persuade us to believe that a product is safe) do not have official definitions. This means the manufacturers can use them to mean anything they want and not get in trouble with the regulatory agencies. This often leads to misleading information on the label...and more sales.

Here?s a rogue?s list of ingredients in cosmetics, toiletries and personal care products you should avoid:

Fragrances. Each fragrance can have up to 600 different ingredients which are not required to be listed on the label. Even if you?re not sensitive to fragrances, it?s wise to avoid them because they often have hazardous ingredients and there?s no way of knowing if they do.

Preservatives. Many preservatives contain or release formaldehyde which is a carcinogen, neurotoxin, irritant and sensitizer. These include DMDM hydantoin, Imidazolidinyl urea, Diazolidinyl urea, quaternium 15, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate and bronopol (2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol). Other preservatives that may also cause reactions include the parabens, methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone.

Talc. It may contain carcinogenic contaminants and products containing talc, including baby powder, should never be used on babies and children.

Artificial colors. Many of them cause cancer. Most of the D&C and FD&C colors are derived form coal tar, a known cancer-causing agent.

Silica. By itself, silica is not harmful, but it?s often contaminated with crystalline silica which causes cancer. Manufacturers are not required to list contaminants so you?ll never see it on the label.

How big of a threat are contaminants to you and your family? From 1978 to 1980, the FDA analyzed 300 cosmetic samples for carcinogenic contamination. Forty percent of the samples analyzed contained carcinogens. Things actually got worse the next time they analyzed cosmetic samples. In 1991-92, they found that 65% of the cosmetic products sampled contained carcinogenic contaminants. Most recently, in 2004, the Environmental Working Group evaluated 7,500 personal care products for safety. They found that nearly 70% of all products contain ingredients that can be contaminated with impurities linked to cancer and other health problems.

Polysorbate 60 or 80, polyoxyethylene, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, PEG, anything ending in -eth, such as sodium laureth sulfate. These ingredients may be contaminated with cancer-causing 1,4-dioxane, which is easily absorbed through the skin. Again, manufacturers are not required to tell you about the contaminants.

Diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA). These two ingredients are found in many cosmetic and personal care products. Even though they don?t cause cancer by themselves you should avoid all products that contain them because DEA and TEA can react with nitrites to form nitrosamines which can cause cancer. The tricky thing is that nitrites can be present as a contaminant and not listed on the label. So there?s no way of knowing whether or not a product with DEA or TEA ingredients is contaminated with the cancer-causing nitrosamines.

Propylene glycol and sodium lauryl sulfate. These are common ingredients in shampoos and they?re both toxic. Propylene glycol is a skin irritant which causes kidney and liver damage. Sodium laurel sulfate causes genetic damage.

So what?s the bottom line? Even though a great many cosmetics and personal care products are harmful, there are products that are safe and healthy to use. But you?re the one who needs to know what cosmetic and personal care products you're using are safe. The way the current regulations are structured, the government simply cannot protect you. Their hands are tied. According to John Bailey, Ph.D., director of the FDA?s Office of Cosmetics and Colors, Consumers believe that 'if it?s on the market, it can't hurt me,' and this belief is sometimes wrong.

Knowing how to read and interpret the ingredient label on cosmetics, toiletries and personal care products is a powerful shield. But the manufacturers are fighting back. They?re designing packaging with seductive designs to make it look like their products are healthy and made from natural ingredients. Don?t be fooled by the fancy packaging and persuasive words like natural, gentle and hypoallergenic. When you read the label, you?ll probably find that is not the case.

As you might suspect, there are more ingredients that can harm you. But if you start avoiding products with the above ingredients, you may find that you and your family feel better and more energetic, allergic reactions may disappear, and your risk for cancer will, most definitely, be decreased.

Christine H. Farlow, D.C. is the author of Dying To Look Good, which classifies over 1300 commonly used ingredients according to safety and lists over 750 safe products, with resources where to buy. For more info, visit DyingToLookGood.com

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Makeup For Acne Scars! Where Effective Cosmetic Products Camouflage Scars Not Your Life

Are you dropping out of society due to experiencing scars after acne breakouts? Are you searching for quality makeup for acne scars to help you blend your skin imperfections, and to also eliminate any future blemishes?

If your answer is yes to the questions above, then let me help you find the best cosmetic scar treatments that will allow you to get back out into the world, and enjoy your life the way you deserve to!

Nowadays, there are many advanced makeup products such as camouflage makeup specially designed for scars, and are widely offered by professional online skincare suppliers. These special skin products help you positively conceal such physical imperfections, such as scars, hyper pigmentation, rosacea, burns, and dark freckles to name a few.

If you happen to suffer from any of these conditions listed above, you?re not alone, and this is why quality acne cosmetics and scar treatments have been designed specially for you to help you in your current condition.

Now You Can Get The Scar Coverage You Need, Custom Made For You!

With treatment makeup, many of these uniquely designed scar products give you a large array of colors to choose from, helping match your skin tone perfectly, thus offering you that custom looking facial skin color blend. You pick 2-3 shades, and unify these colors together for that natural cosmetics look, and quality finishing touch!

The specially created Camouflage makeup products are made with mineral pigments that are fragrance and oil free, so it does not irritate your skin. The best thing is that the finish looks flawless, and your complexion will have virtually no signs of visible acne scars.

Don?t ever think that you?re the only one that has facial scars in this world! You would be surprised and amazed on how many of your favorite celebrities, and athletes have the same scar condition as you. This is the main reason why top quality scar cosmetics have been created, and when you?re under the camera and public microscope, these stars don?t want to take any chances of exposing their skin condition to their fans.

With that in mind, you can now take advantage of these quality skincare makeup products as well, and you don?t have to settle for the over-the-counter generic items that give you that caked on look, and do not properly blend away your scars. In most cases these retail products end up enhancing the look of your scar, rather than blending them.

You may notice that the prices on these products are a little higher than your retail store generic makeup products, but when you actually try them, you will understand why, and also realize that these uniquely designed scar care makeup items easily available to you online, are created for you in mind, and will eventually allow you to get your life back, by feeling comfortable in the public eye again!

About the author: William is the owner and the author of ?1st In Acne Skin Care Products? available at http://www.1st-in-acne-skin-care-products.com A great source for Acne Scar Makeup! Find information and tips on finding quality scar makeup products, facial cleansers, and many pure detoxifying products that will not only help you prevent facial scarring, but also aid in getting rid of your stubborn acne blemishes, that are the major cause and development of your scars.

How to Get Long Luxurious Lashes

We all love mascara and the way it makes our eyes look but we hate the clumps. There are also so many of them on the market that it is hard to tell which one to choose.

Getting gorgeous lashes is less about the type of mascara you use and more about how you use it.

Here is how to get perfect lashes every time without the mascara mess.

1) Use an eyelash curler before applying mascara. It will give your eyelashes that movie star dramatic curl.

2) Take mascara globs off the mascara wand with a tissue before you apply it.

3) Apply the mascara from the base of your lashes out with a zig zag motion. Make sure that you apply more at the base than at the tips. This will give you that thick,lush lash appearance.

4) To make your eyes look bigger and more dramatic just coat your upper lashes. Leave your bottom lashes clean.

If you happen to smudge mascara on your skin, never try to rub it off. This only creates a smudge, plus rubbing the sensitive area around your eyes is never a smart move. Instead dab a bit of concealer on a q-tip and gently pat it on to the smudge.

That is all it takes to achieve full, luxurious lashes without the mascara mess. Try it for yourself.

Caterina Christakos is the founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls. For more beauty tips go to:http://www.stillagirl.com

Friday, January 9, 2009

7 Steps to Great Makeup

1. Avoid wearing too much

Makeup is meant to enhance features not bring negative attention to you. That's what wearing too much makeup will do; it will bring you unwanted attention. Don't wear too much of anything such as:

1.Eyeliner: dark, thick eyeliner will make you look overdone and will ruin the rest of your makeup.

2.Mascara: too much mascara looks fake and will flake. It looks especially bad if worn with thick eyeliner or dark blue eye eye shadow.

3.Foundation: Make sure your foundation is the same color as your skin. Foundation is meant to protect and give the face a smooth look. The magic word is blend.

4.Powder: The same holds true for powder - not too much. Also, be sure to blend your makeup so there are no obvious lines.

2. Lips

Apply lip liner to completely cover the lips, add color and your lipstick will stay on much longer. Make sure your lip liner doesn't show. Also, your lip color should match your skin tone; wear cool colors if you have cool coloring and warm colors if you have warm coloring. If you want to make your lips look smaller, keep your liner on the inside of your lips. However, if you decide to make your lips look larger, going outside the natural outline of you lips is a mistake. This can look quite messy and unnatural.

3. Appropriate makeup

Wear makeup that is appropriate for the occasion. If you are going to the beach you shouldn't wear the same or as much makeup as you would if you were going dancing. Also, when you are in daylight your makeup should be a lighter than when you are out for the evening.

4. Too little or no makeup

Some women don't wear makeup because they are not sure how to use it and are afraid of being overdone. If you are unsure, start will light colours in your shade. Start slowly and add one product at a time. Maybe start with foundation, add mascara, blush or lipstick. If you are not used to wearing makeup, using a lot a first may be a little too much for you, so start slowly. The bottom line is a little is better than none. If you are still unsure seek professional advice.

5. Overall look

When your makeup is completed it should look natural. That means avoiding colours that clash. If you have dark skin and hair you will look better in darker shades; light colours will make you look washed out. If your hair and skin tone are light, light colours will look better on you. Dark makeup will make you look older and harsh. If you have oily skin, first use oil control moisturizer and foundation. Then be sure to wear loose powder, keeping pressed powder with you for touch ups.

6. Hair color

Your hair color should also be in harmony with your skin. If you have dark hair and you want to add color, keep it close to the same shade. If you have light hair, use light colors. As you age your skin will lighten, so should your hair color. One last thing about hair color - if you do color you hair be sure you keep it up, don't let your roots show.

7. One last thing

Keep makeup looking fresh all day by doing regular touch ups. Don't let your makeup fade or crease. Smile!!!

Sheila Dicks is a wardrobe and image consultant who teaches women how to look slimmer by dressing to suit their body type. Visit her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download a copy of her e-book Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe free.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Makeup Tips For Green Eyes

Green eyes are really fun to work with. They have such a wide color range from turqouise to chartreuse to forest green to bright light green and on and on.

These tips are designed for the magority of green eyes, but of course there are exceptions to every rule. My best advice is to try every color that you're interested in. You'll be surprised what looks good.

Choosing An Eyeshadow

These colors are some of the most popular for green eyes.

Try different browns, especially chocolate tones. Browns and dark greens with copper or gold highlights are also a great choice.

Apricots and taupes are good choices for highlighters.

Dark purples, plums and metallics work too. Coppers and golds will make a really glamorous evening look for makeup tips for green eyes. I personally really like the way deep purples look with dark green eyes.

Colors To Avoid

When you're learning makeup tips for green eyes, it also helps to know what colors you might want to avoid.

First up, blues. Any color of blue doesn't do green eyes justice. I would recommend avoiding light blues, dark blues and even some colors (purples or pinks) with blue undertones.

Pinks are also a hard color to judge. Some can look really, really good and others can look really, really bad. This is usually a matter of trial and error.

Silvers are not a good choice either. Leave them for the blue eyes.

Eyeliner Colors

Unless you really like black eyeliner, it's usually a color to avoid. Try steely grays or chocolate browns. Use gold or white to open up the eye if your eyes are small.

The Rule Of Thumb

A good rule of thumb when choosing a color for makeup tips for green eyes is to focus on warm colors and avoid cool colors.

Like I said, there are exceptions to every rule, but this should provide a nearly fail-safe method for choosing eyeshadow colors to bring out the beauty of your green eyes.

The Application

How you apply your eyeshadow depends how many colors you're wearing and what the occasion is.

For basic every day wear, here's what you do.

1. Apply a highlighter like crystalline to the entire eye from the bottom of the crease to the eyebrow.

2. Use a taupe or apricot next and apply it to the whole eyelid and blend it just above the crease with the crystalline.

3. Then use your third color (chocolate brown, dark green, copper, etc.) and apply it one of two ways:

a. Apply it from the middle of your eyelid from the eyelash to just above the crease. Blend it well. You can even blend it under the lower lashes for a more dramatic look.

b. Apply it from the inner corner of your eyelid and sweep it out to the outer corner of your eye. It will get thicker the further out you go. Blend well.

4. Apply eyeliner and mascara as you normally would.

And there you go! Great makeup tips for green eyes.

Lynn Starner is the proprietor of Beauty Bliss Mineral Cosmetics at http://www.beautyblisscosmetics.com as well as http://www.ultimate-skin-care-tips.com

Think Pink! Makeup Trends for Spring 2006

There's two words for makeup this spring. Think PINK! Not a traditional pink, though, but a more refined, dynamic pink!

Pinks in the past have been either bubble gum Betty or too pale and close to dead. The new makeup colors for spring 2006, however, have found their middle ground - more than visible on the lips but also refined and elegant, giving pink a new found respect.

Most progressive cosmetic lines are now on the pink bandwagon - coming out with luscious, pale, but dimensional pinks, taupey pinks or warm pinks, all which contain just a hint of yellow in the color mixture. This gives them their flesh tone and salmon warm richness. And these new expressive colors are now housed in sleek, slim compacts for busy women on the go.

Bobby Brown has the express face which contains three shadows, three lips stains, and a blush to help keep you perky throughout the day. The size of the color wells are perfect: not too tiny so that you run out before the next season, and not too giving so that you tire of the products. And don't be afraid of the new shimmery eye shadows that Bobby has available for women over 30! They're so refined, that if the skin is hydrated and the eye shadow is worn properly, crepeing will never be an issue.

Overall, the look for spring 2006 is fresh and colorful with an emphasis on lashes and gel liners, either worn thin and crisp or thicker at the end of the eye, smudging to a halt. The real skin look is still being respected too- that slightly over powdered look has been tossed in a shoe box and is now sitting on a shelf somewhere. And with the new breed of foundations and gel cream blushes available in multiple shades, achieving this fresh skin look has never been easier.

When I studied makeup in 81 the founders of Mac Cosmetics had not yet (through their frustration) revolutionized colors & formulations in North America. Foundations were overly watered down or heavily oil based - reminiscent of the salad dressing I used at home! Blushes were either loud or chalky, and some were so unrefined that they sat on the skin instead of looking like part of it. Silicone is now being called the new oil, and foundations glide on with superior coverage yet are extraordinarily light to the touch. This is something I have never seen before. Some silicone foundations set without powder, encouraging that natural flawless second skin look that women adore.

Blush for spring is still playfully visible, coordinating with your lipstick shade. The silicone cheek pots by STILA are from another world. Initially they behave like a cream, but before you can blink they've dried to a silky powder. Gone is the overly dewy wet cheek, now replaced with a satiny matt elegance.

On a final note, you should be able to find your signature shade of pink lipstick at the makeup counter very easily. Just remember two things: If you or the sales person must convince yourselves that the new shade you're wearing is kind of hot- it's not for you. You should love your lips pretty much after the first take. Secondly, make sure the depth of the lipstick is in harmony with the depth of your hair. Obviously blonds will have more fun wearing a lighter pink lipstick, whereas the dark haired diva may introduce some blue or smokey brown undertones in her version of pink. This is to accommodate the depth of her hair color which frames her face.

Welcome the new pink... it's hipper than you think!

Robert Closs is the founder and managing director of The School of Professional Makeup in Toronto, Canada. He has been a successful makeup artist for 25 years, and is currently appearing on Life Network?s popular makeover show So Chic with Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman. For more makeup tips and advice, or to post your own tips, please visit my Makeup Blog.

Acne Sufferers Look Fabulous This Holiday Season With Natural Mineral Makeup

The holidays are fast approaching, and for many acne sufferers they're dreaded because of the cofines of friends and family. With that many people close, it's hard to get excited when you know they'll get a close glimpse at your acne prone skin.

The natural inclination is to smear loads o concealer and foundation over blemishes to hide them from a close examination. But drugstore foundations that are manufactured by big brands such as CoverGirl, Maybelline, Loreal and others are ridden with oils, chemicals, preservatives and other pore clogging unmentionables.

Caking on these foundations can be more trouble than it's worth because they cause further blemishes and most times major break outs. That's not a scenario that most acne sufferers would associate with happy holidays. So what's the average sufferer to do to avoid this dreaded scenario?

Mineral Makeup is the most popular trend - recommended by dermatologists the world over and used by hollywood celebrities because of it's many benefits to acne sufferers. Mineral makeup is an all natural makeup that is made with minerals from the earth. The minerals are highly water proof so they help to dehydrate and thus kill off the bacteria in your pores that causes cystic acne.

Dermatologists are calling mineral Makeup the skin care makeup because it is so gentle to the skin that you can actually sleep in it. The mineral are ground so fine that they are too small to clog pores. instead they lay on the skin as little flakes that interlace to protect the skin from moisture getting in and feeding acne causing bacteria. The overlying flakes still allow the skin to breathe while shielding off this moisture.

The two primary ingredients in mineral makeup are Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. If you read makeup labels then you probably recognize these two minerals. That's because they appear in virtually every sunblock on the market for their full range UV sunblocking abilities. That's right, Mineral Makeup is a natural sunblock as well, which means all that sunlight reflecting off the snow as you build snowmen and go sleding this holiday season is blocked by your mineral makeup. Sumblock is just as important to your skin health in the winter as it is in the summer.

And Mineral Makeup looks fabulous when you wear it. It is delivered to you in powder form and goes on very smoothly, it is so light weight that many people forget they are wearing it. This light weight quality helps it to blend seamlessly into the skin for a beautiful natural look.

Considering the many benefits of using mineral makeup could really help to turn your holidays into the happy holidays we all dream of.

Look fabulous this holiday season with our Natural Mineral Makeup Complete 9 Piece Starter Kit...

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The Courage to Age Gracefully: The Transforming Power of Permanent Makeup

In 2006 women have many choices. Every day the media portrays women in positions of power in newspapers, on TV and the radio. Women are buying their own homes, having babies when they are over forty, marrying younger men or not getting married at all, driving race cars and working as the president's right hand man. Women are beginning to believe they can have it all, that their dreams can come true and they are right. As a permanent makeup professional I see many women in my practice from all walks of life. I am pleased that so many women I meet who are over fifty are living exciting, inspired and transformative lives. Quoted in a recent article by Jane Ganahl in the San Francisco Chronicle Candace Bushnell, author of Sex and the City, stated Five or six years ago we [women were talking about men, relationships and sex. But now it's about careers, aspirations, hopes, dreams -- what you hope to do in your life.

Redefine the Word ?Older?

Writer and humorist Erma Bombeck once said When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'. Living life to the fullest is one of the important parts of experiencing wholeness and satisfaction with your life. These days women in their 50's, 60's and even 70's go back to school, start dating, visit places they have never been, feel sexy, write novels, start businesses and purchase property. Women have reinvented themselves. Getting older no longer means hating loud music, getting shorter and having blue hair; it means being free of the responsibility of raising children, being more financially stable, having stronger and more passionate relationships because you know yourself better.

Let Yourself Shine

Loving the way you look is beneficial to how you age. Permanent makeup offers a wonderful alternative to cosmetic surgery, hours of applying makeup or simply feeling bad about your appearance. The ultimate aspect of beauty is up to you?shining your own unique light. Permanent makeup strives to enhance the features you have and increase the sharpness and clarity of facial color that begins to fade as we get older. Recently I had a client who is over seventy and after her permanent makeup procedures she told me even with the plastic surgery [3 facelifts, the permanent makeup is the one thing that gave me the most self-esteem. I wish I?d known about it and done it years ago.?

Believe in Your Own Power

It takes courage to grow old gracefully. Many people focus on the negatives and allow themselves to focus on the end of life, but life is really a series of beginnings and endings that happen every day. The experience of life really makes us more self aware and therefore more powerful. If we acknowledge that, we manifest growth and transformation. If we believe that age drains us and makes us weaker than it is very likely that will occur. Speaking of transformation, let me tell you about another client of mine. For over forty years, she had suffered from serious illnesses. Then multiple organ transplants freed her of diabetes and dialysis. To celebrate her new health and vitality, she had me apply color in her brows and lashes which had thinned out since the surgery. A burst retina makes it difficult to apply conventional makeup so permanent brows and eyeliner seemed the perfect solution. While in my office she told me It was not until after my transplants that I found myself asking the big questions of Life and seeking understanding.? It is never too late to take a new lease out on life and you can never predict the changes the Universe will give to you.

Carrie Fisher once said, I don't want life to imitate art. I want life to be art. Permanent makeup is living art. It is also functional, transformational and can change the way you view yourself and your future. As you get older don't wallow in the past, keep dreaming about the future and believe that you can age well. Manifesting beauty in your 50's, 60's, 70's and beyond happens inside and out; you have the power. To learn and read more about giving yourself the gift of permanent makeup visit my web site at http://www.dawncolors.com.

Dawn Willard has been in the fine arts field for over 23 years. She currently owns the Permanent Makeup Studio in Asheville, NC. Ms. Willard accepts clients from many states including North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina. To learn more about permanent makeup and cosmetics visit http://www.dawncolors.com.

Cautious Use of Eye Makeup Cheers up Your Appearance Tips from the Experts

Eyes speak volumes, giving you individuality; however, a little eye makeup can just do wonders ? empowering your twin gazers to spell their magic over everything. People belonging to ancient civilizations were sensible enough to recognize the importance of cosmetics and engaged in elaborate eye makeup.

The tradition continues even today and the modern beauties deem eye make up as the best way to heighten physical attractiveness. Hence, no matter what color or shape your eyes are, clever usage of eye make up can turn them to beauty assets, giving them greater depth and meaning.

How to get on with your eye make up?

Usage of eye shadow, eyeliner and mascara in keeping with essential beauty tips completes the makeup for your eyes, unless and until you have dark circles under you eyes. You may hide your dark circles with a few dots of concealer.

Eye Shadow

Available in a beautiful array of powders, creams and glittery dustings, eye shadows highlight and define the eyes by creating depth. Natural shades that go well with your skin tone will enhance your looks and add to your individuality. Therefore, select earthy tones such as beige, brown, gold or plum. Apply dark colored shadow on your eyelids if you have large eyes; this will make the eyes appear small. Using lighter color helps give eyes a larger effect.

Eyeliner

Give your eyes the real definition by applying a thin line of eyeliner. The line should be as close to the lash line as possible. If you want a heavy make up, you may go for a darker and thicker line. Going by standard beauty tips, you should stick to natural colors such as black or brown or else give in to your imagination. Pencil, liquid eyeliners are available in various colors.

To achieve the best definition, line both the lower and upper lid. Line the upper lid from the inside corner to the outside corner; for the lower lid draw a line just under the lashes.

Mascara

Mascara gives you a majestic gaze by framing your eyes in beautiful flaps of thick, dark, long eyelashes. Again, black and brown are hot favorites in mascara. Generally, two coats of mascara are applied; however, you will be required to give the first coating a little drying up time before you go ahead with the final finish.

Makeup is no less than art and so is eye makeup. The secret to success with this art is not overdoing. A valuable beauty tip for you would be ? Indulge in eye makeup to the degree that it keeps the natural beauty of your eyes intact, giving them more glitter, expression and life.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests and manufactures various skin peels and other for doctors offices and medispas. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Makeup Artist's Secrets: Face Shape Makeup Tips

We all don?t have the ?perfect? facial structure. That?s why we need face shape makeup tips. These tips will help each of us apply makeup to bring out our best features and minimize the ones that we don?t like so much. So, whatever your question is about your facial shape or facial features, we?ve got a makeup tip to help you.

The Tools

First, it?s important to realize what tools you?ll be using. We?ll make use of color correcting correctors. Light color correctors can dramatically change your appearance. For instance, mauve or light pink corrector can brighten and conceal dull skin tones. Pale green is used to correct ruddiness. Light yellow corrects under eye circles and other purplish/blue discolorations.

These light colors can help improve facial features by lengthening, filling out and brightening skin. Dark colors will reduce, deepen, darken and conceal features and discolorations. Using a mixture of light and dark correctors (foundations) you can create almost any illusion you like.

The key is to blend, blend, blend. If you are using any corrector, whether it?s a color or a foundation that is darker or lighter than what you usually wear, always remember to apply with a light hand and blend well. The light foundation corrector should be only 1 or 2 shades lighter and the dark foundation corrector should be no more than 2 shades darker than your usual color.

Face Shape Makeup Tips

Find your face shape makeup tips below.

  • Oval: This is the ?ideal? facial shape. With the use of dark and light correctors every facial shape can be made to resemble an oval facial shape. Oval faces can need darker foundation applied at the forehead and chin to make it less severely oval.

  • Trapezoidal: This facial shape requires refining the lower part of the face with a darker corrector while also using a light corrector at the temple. This will bring the face in, making it more narrow and longer.

  • Rectangular or Square: Correct both of these shapes with darker foundation at the four corners. This redefines the corners into more of a curve, giving it a whole new dimension.

  • Triangular: The triangular face needs darker foundation at the chin, making it appear shorter, and at the temples, bringing the focus towards the middle of the face. Using light foundation along the jawline will give it more balance and depth.

  • Round: Round faces need only a little darker foundation applied at the temples and around the lower face. This will make it appear a little more elongated.

    Balancing Your Features

    Face shape makeup tips also include your facial features. If you?ve got a feature you?re not too fond of, like your nose or chin, playing with light and dark correctors can help you adjust how they look. We?ll give you the makeup artist?s tips on how to do this.

  • Prominent Chin: Correct this by applying a little darker foundation right on the tip of your chin, and blend well.

  • Double Chin: If you have a double chin, blend a darker foundation right on the double chin.

  • Long Nose: Think your nose is too long? Apply dark foundation right on the tip and blend well to make it appear shorter.

  • Broad Nose: Broad noses are easily adjusted with dark foundation applied down each side of the nose.
  • Short Nose: Short noses need a light application of light foundation along the whole top of the nose. This will give it a less defined edge and help it to appear less short.
  • Narrow Nose: Widen a narrow nose by applying a light foundation down each side of the nose.
  • Crooked Nose: A crooked nose is the hardest. Apply dark foundation on the crooked side to minimize it, and then apply light foundation on the opposite side.

    These tips will help you achieve a balance to your features. Face shape makeup tips are some of the most useful tips you can have. With them you can look your very best while still looking like you.

  • Lynn Starner is the proprietor of Beauty Bliss Mineral Cosmetics at http://www.beautyblisscosmetics.com as well as http://www.ultimate-skin-care-tips.com