Monday, December 27, 2010

Change Your Eye Color

change your eye color
change your eye color,
originally uploaded by painting faces.
I look like a deer in headlights in this picture, I'll admit. ...but a GREEN eyed deer in headlights!

I've stared at my own eyes for over a quarter of a century - I'm not afraid to admit that! And when i look people in the eye, most would without hesitation say that I have Blue Eyes. But the truth is that I have eyes with a Navy ring around the outside, Grey in the most substantial part and Yellowish Brown right around my iris.

Sometimes I like to make my eyes, especially with my newishly red hair, appear green. I can accomplish this with clothing. Wearing grey makes them completely grey.

Wearing certain eye makeup can also accomplish this feat. As in this picture, if you have similar coloring to my eyes, try to put a bold, bright blue across your lash line. Instantly your eyes will go from an obvious blue to either a grey or green - whichever the pigment favors most.

Alternately, putting an emerald color on typically green eyes will have the adverse effect! Test it out and see what works on you.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Whoops... not quite dry!

I am so guilty of this.  Not quite enough time, but feel the need to paint the fingers or toes anyway.  All too often I shove the not yet dry piggies into a shoe and come out missing the entire top of the polish.  Last night was the fingers!


One would think that four hours is enough time to dry, but curling into bed resulted in pillow indentations when I awoke.  Being that it was ruby red polish and I needed to leave for work quickly, removing and repainting were both out of the question.  So, here's my quick tip for the day.  


If this happens to you:
-Dip a cotton ball in Polish Remover - enough to make the ball damp, but not dripping wet.
-Swipe the cotton ball over each finger nail once or twice, gently - this will take off the very top layer, removing the bumpiness.  Be careful to not take any more than just the top layer to avoid repainting all together.
-Grab your clear polish and do a quick layer of that to refresh the shine of your nails. 


And VoilĂ ! Fresh and new in mere seconds.  And maybe it's my imagination, but clear polish always seems to dry so much faster than the colored kind.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Friend Finds

black dots
black dots,
originally uploaded by painting faces.
I had a friend send me the link below with the suggestion that maybe people are catching on to my visions. I'm not so sure, but the last pic in the series looks, well, similar.

Check it out Here

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Snow White

Winter is a tricky time of year for your skin if you live anywhere that cold sneaks in.  Between trying to keep warm or trick yourself into believing you've just visited the tropics, our skin sometimes is brutally tortured during the season of ice.  


This year, drop the tan.  There's nothing more beautiful than healthy creamy skin for the winter months.  Likely, you didn't just spend 2 weeks in the tropics, so allow your skin a break this winter - whether it's from the tanning bed that can pull moisture out of your skin or from the chemicals that fake stain your outer layer.  If you tend to your natural white skin, it can be the most radiant color you'll ever sport.  


Of course, you need to care for it to ensure the radiance.  Flakes and scales will not a Katy Perry make.  But moisturizing day and night, ensuring enough liquids (water is best, tea is next) and cutting back on some evils help maintain the beauty of your body's outer layer. 


Creeping upon the Holiday Season, the Happy Hours and Festive Parties seem to become more frequent.  Minimizing alcohol consumption will avoid the dehydration evil from taking over.  


Often, because it's cold outside, many forget about the dangers of the sun in the winter months.  Keep applying the SPF moisturizers!  The sun has a mirror in the snowy winter to reflect from the snow while still beating down on you from above.  As dry air takes over, winter sunburns can be brutal.  The combo of dry skin and sunburn is almost impossible to conquer in terms of flaking and redness.  Prevent so you don't have to react!  


Plus, Snow White skin works well with so many trends!  With a fresh canvas, red lips pop, color are a little brighter against your skin and any hair color meshes well.  Even you blondes that think that Tan is the only color that will accentuate those highlights.  Not True!  A healthy cream and a little blushed rosy cheek will do your blondeness as much favor as your summer tan did!  

Monday, November 15, 2010

Embracing the Snow

The first snow has stuck in the upper Midwest.  The reality of winter has set in.  As has the need to convert the summer outfits into winter fashion.  


A few things to pick up to make the transition a bit smoother:
-Colored tights, both footed and footless.  Target has a great selection ranging from $2.50 t0 $15 each! These are great to keep your legs warm while still sporting that great summer dress
-Leggings.  Throw on a pair under jeans for outdoor activities, but these are also great for a bit more warmth under a dress or skirt as well!
-Long sleeve shirts, thermal tops and turtlenecks.  Again, for added warmth and weather appropriate fashion, adding a bright colored thermal top under your sundress or sleeveless outfit is a good step in the winterizing direction.
-Cardigans can be the quickest way to convert an outfit to winter wear. Find yourself a nice variety to dress up or down any pieces you have.


What about your open toed shoes?  Put the strappy ones away for the season.  But the peep toes are still doable in the winter - especially if you're rocking the bootie!  To transition peep toes, be sure to include a pair of tights, colored or neutral.  Do keep the toe seam out of sight, tuck it under your foot.  But with an opaque tight, your favorite peep toes are still wearable in snowy weather!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Bright with Blue

Bright with blue, warm or cool, bold or neutral, blonde or brunette.  Or red for all those matters. 


My boss asks a lot of questions about my appearance.  Usually mid sentence, mid meeting.  He's a dude with a teenage daughter, so I find it necessary to school him. A few months ago he asked why I had to change my hair color when I cut all of it off.  In man-esk words it was put something like this. 


"It's like you coming to work with a really great top, shirt and tie if you will.  But then you left your sweatpants on the bottom.  Cut and color must coordinate."


Most recently, mid sentence he noticed how white my teeth are.  Mid meeting, I let him know about my teeth whitening product suggestions.  But I also let him know a little something of a woman's ability of presenting an illusion. 


To enhance the efforts of my teeth whitening regimen, I usually lean toward a blue undertone in my lip color.  This perplexes men, so don't try to explain to them how a red lipstick could have an orange or blue undertone.  Red is red, right?


No.  Leaning your lipwear more toward a coral or orange tone will tint your teeth a yellowish color.  Where as choosing a color leaning toward burgundy, purple or pink will whiten your chompers right up. 


For example, Loreal's British Red lipstick is a blue tone while Loreal's Volcanic has an orange background.


It's a grey line and sometimes confusing, but finding the perfect shade of red just may change your life.  Keep searching and if push comes to shove, lean toward a maroon hue.  It looks great on almost anyone!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Tangled Mess

color and cold
color and cold,
originally uploaded by painting faces.
I played makeup on my favorite willing victim last weekend. Tay was spending the weekend with me and after this shoot, she attempted to untangle the mess I had created atop her head.


Problem was, Tay used shampoo to try to get this out. Although shampoo will remove the hairspray that may be assisting in keeping the rat's nest together, it's really not going to give the lubrication the hair needs to gently undo itself.


Try this in the shower - it reduces in the mess you may make on the floor.


Step one: CONDITIONER! lots of it. Liberally apply enough to fully saturate your hair. Dripping down your body may be a bit excessive, but if it drips, you definitely have enough.
Step two: use your fingers to comb through the mess first, getting any loose snarls out first.
Step three: (optional) If combing with your fingers has resulted in severe conditioner loss, apply some more.
Step four: Take a wide tooth comb or brush and slowly, working from the ends into the scalp. Moving from the scalp to the ends may result in tighter snarls and could lead to a haircut.


If necessary, repeat this a few times.


Once snarl free, go ahead and shampoo and condition as normal. And Voila! Tangle Free Hair.


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Monday, August 30, 2010

Going the Distance

Who doesn't want their dime to stretch?  Here's a quick way to keep your foundation bottle fuller for longer.  Let me first preface keeping the bottle fuller by the form of application.  This will only work if you apply foundation with a makeup sponge.


Take your makeup sponge and work in a pea-size dab of aloe vera or your moisturizer to the application part of the sponge.  I've also heard this being done with simply adding water to the sponge, but I prefer something that will hydrate your skin instead.  That way, it's a Win-Win!  


Once you've worked in the pea size of your choice, go ahead and apply your foundation as usual. I guarantee you'll have a few more applications per bottle once you start doing this.  The point is that part of the sponge that would usually soak up some of your foundation will already be full of a moisturizing substance.  Keeps the foundation on the outer part of the sponge and more will get onto your skin.


Let me know how it works out for you, or if you have a different alternative to aloe or moisturizer.


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Sunday, August 29, 2010

Even Skin Tone

Some people look at their flaws as assets.  And Kudos to them for that!  But for those of us who are trying to be more perfect and would rather cover those flaws up, check out these tricks from professional makeup artists.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Lashes Trick

Need a little lash drama?  Whether for Halloween, wedding, special event or just a night out, try the Fake Lash trend.  If you're a beginner, they've got full strips that go across your entire upper lash.  If you've been on the Fake Lash train for a while, maybe it's time to upgrade to the individual kind (really groupings of 3 lashes per).  


Which ever route you take, here's my quick advise.  It's taken me years to master the application of lashes and it wasn't until I realized that the thin line of lash glue you need on the edge needs to sit for a minute or two before you apply to your lash line.  The glue should become tacky before you place it on your lid so that it stays - if it's too wet yet, it'll pop right off or slip out of place.  


Personally, I believe application of lashes should come before your shadow.  That way, they're sticking right to your skin and don't have the layer of shadow or liner between to chance the lashes from prematurely popping off.  


You also need to be careful to get the lashes tucked firmly against your natural lashes.  This ensures they are more real looking.  And that's really what cosmetics are about... Enhancing your natural beauty!  Not making you look fake!  


Once the lashes are in place, apply liner and shadow as you normally would and even go full force with the mascara if your eyes still need a little oomph!  

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Coffee Stains No More!

In the process of packing up my house and office, I've been doing a lot of cleaning lately.  Some of the toughest stains I've ever met have been those in my well used Coffee and Tea mugs.  A quick solution to ridding your mugs of that nasty brown ring of forgotten coffee?  


Just a little acid will do!


Citrus Acid, that is.  Whether you've got OJ in your fridge or some lemons in your fruit bowl.  All you need is a little of the juice, simply covering the inside walls of your mug with the juice.  I have put it on a cloth or towel in the past, but to be honest, swishing the pure juice in the mug and letting it sit is the best removal tactic.  Not to mention saving your arm muscles.


A few minutes of sitting will be just enough and then just a simple wash and your mugs are good as new!


And, if your teeth ever start shading in the crevices because of your coffee or tea addiction, try Crest White Strips and Crest 3D whitening  toothpaste.  I swear by them!! Pearly whites will they produce.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Color in the middle, None on the edges

If you haven't picked on it already, let me forewarn you that I am an experimenter of beauty products.  I give products multiple chances to succeed, usually, before I completely give up on them.  


I had been sold on the Cover Girl Lip Stains.  I have the Wild Berry Wink and it tastes like lovely when I lick my lips.  For some reason, I often give bonus points for lip products that have a nice taste or other products that make me smell so good that I can skip the day's perfume.


So all was going well with our relationship until today.  We hit a bump.  If I were to be at home and have my full arsenal of products, I probably wouldn't be writing this.  But alas, I am on the road and therefore did not have the Big Apple Red lipstick that would normally accompany the red Cover Girl Lip Stain.  So, as Jason Derulo would say, it was ridin' solo.  


Venti mistake!  Although I packed the lip stain into my day bag and hauled it everywhere with me, the re-applications were virtually ineffective.  By the time I arrived at my hotel, the center middle portion of my lips had stayed stained while the outer corners were almost back to my natural color except where the stain had gotten trapped in my lip wrinkles, unintentionally doing this to my lips.  Disastrous!   


But I've learned a valuable lesson.  Some things are just better paired up and shouldn't be left by their lonesome.   

Friday, July 30, 2010

Travel Tips

green suitcase
green suitcase,
originally uploaded by painting faces.
I have an upcoming trip and wanted to share a few tips that I've acquired in my travels AND in my time in the travel industry.

Airlines have become unpredictable in a few ways. And I've found a few things to counteract their unpredictableness.

As a teenager, I flew for the very first time. As a rookie traveler, I had all my clothes, makeup and even my mothers wedding rings packed into my suitcase. Luckily, when I woke the morning of flight I had an impulse to remove those rings and put them on my finger instead. I say 'luckily' because when I landed at my destination, it turned out that my bag had landed there hours before me. And being that said bag was a standard BLACK piece, someone else walked off with it. And I've still never seen it again, over 10 years later.

From there forward, I've traveled with more recognizable pieces. It's not as easy for a thief to pick up my current lime green with florescent yellow tag and get away with it unnoticed. ...Curling ribbon doesn't always do the trick for setting your black bag apart from the other black bags, either. Get creative! Use an old necktie luggage tag, paint your favorite saying across the front, get a funky design or color as I have.

Avoid some of the baggage blunders that Smart Money has pointed out about baggage handlers!

Statistics show that airlines lose over 10,000 bags every day. Holy Moly, Batman.. That's a LOT of bags. And what happens if yours is one of those? Possibly ending up in Paris, Texas instead of Paris, France? Then what?

Some may argue that travel insurance is a waste, but time and time again, I see an otherwise horrible situation (to the traveler) be corrected in a mere phone call or two. Travel Guard's policies have a delay coverage. Meaning even if it's lost for only a day, you could get compensation on the underwear and toothbrush you needed to purchase to get you through!

I've also learned to not showcase my insurance purchase on the outside of my luggage, but rather tuck the identification card in one of the front pouches. I had a friend who used to throw bags and let me know that if you brag outwardly about your insurance, baggage handlers may be more inclined to open your bag and take something that their wife might like for her birthday. Just sayin'.... be discrete.

If you are unable to get everything you need into a carry-on plus one personal bag (which to me translates to my smaller rolly-luggage plus a REALLY big purse), be sure to not put EVERYTHING into your checked piece. If yours doesn't show up, you don't want to be completely S.O.L. for your entire trip. Throw a 3-1-1 bag into your purse so you at least have something. And if you're like I will soon be and traveling to see clients, travel ready to see clients. You'll be presentable even if your bags don't arrive.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Playing Dirty

I recently chopped my hair.  My hair's usually hovered right around my shoulders, but being completely frustrated, I decided to hack it.  Probably won't maintain the shortness for long, but in the mean time, I must gush about a product that my stylist suggested.  If you've never read my blog before, you must know that I'm all about a cost effective alternative.  I will be searching for one to replace my current Sexy Hair addiction, but for now, check this stuff out!  


Because my hair is short, ranging from about an inch long to about two or three at it's very longest, I needed something virtually weightless to be able to move my hair around and still give it some texture.  As boasted on the website, Play Dirty gives you a 'Second Day' kind of look.  And now that I'm checking out their site, I may have to go back for more of the short hair collection!  

Monday, July 19, 2010

Avoiding Beach Blunders

I'm on vacation today from my real job, about to head to the beach with my best friend and her little one.  And in honor of a day in the sun, I thought I'd share with you some Yay's and Nay's of beach style.  ...and since moving to a small town in the middle of nowhere, I've got quite a list going of the Nay's.


-Although I appreciate a good message T-shirt as much as the next person (in small quantities), please leave your Just Ride Me shirt at home.  Especially if you're going to actually swim in it...and think you'll cut off the sleeves for a little added sumthin'-sumthin'.


-I fully support the Tankini revolution.  Cute designs with a bit more modesty, or forgiveness for those with lovely lady lumps. There are so many ways to flaunt this style at the beach! Be sure to get bottoms that fit, though.  No need to turn a Do into a DON'T! just by having quad-cheeks or the ever dreaded 24hour hang-over.


-Usually not a fan of swimming in actual shorts (only the boy-short bikini bottom kind), the cutest girl on the beach last weekend was a mommy with a turquoise blue bikini top and plaid turquoise blue short cotton shorts.  Running after her kids with her curly hair in a pony, her laid back. yet conscious style made her the one to aspire to be like.  Whether it's a cute pair of shorts or a full dress, cover-ups are a potential make or break.  A cute cotton dress is as good as a marketed-as cover-up!


-Realizing that some have better swimsuit bodies than others, but blinding me with your suit to show off your amazing body is almost rude.  The 80's are over, but if you insist on a bright color, leave the florescent yellow to the highlighter companies and try one of these beautiful suits out.  An even bigger statement would be to find a bold pattern or print than a shocking color.


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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Skin - your largest organ!

Bottom Line, it's your outer shell, so take care of it!  Most know that smoking, sun and stress are issues for your skin's health.  But did you know that your lip balm could be causing your skin to be losing it's oomph?  Check out things that are deteriorating your skin's health - and of course, the ways you can fix them!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Lipstick Staying Power

red lipstick
red lipstick,
originally uploaded by painting faces.
Ever put on that amazing shade of lipstick and then it only stays around the outer rim of your lips during the day while you have meals and drinks? Here's a quick trick to make it stay for the entire day without the inside wearing off - at least not too badly. I do recommend grabbing the tube of color and keeping it with you in case you need a touch up.


But to avoid too many of those, when you put the initial coat of color on, take your face powder and dip your blusher brush in. Tap off any access powder and gently pat the brush on your lips. this will make the initial coat act like a lip stain.


Be sure not to put too much on as the powder may clump on you. Then, put a second coat of lipstick on and you're set for the day.


Careful with your brush - next time you use it, it may have a bit of your color on it from your lips, so be sure to clean that off. Could even use it as your blush for the day!

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Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Summer Beauty Blunders

Do you find yourself trying to pull off these beauty mistakes when it gets warm outside?  Don't worry, check out how to fix these gaffes!


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Monday, July 5, 2010

Light looks Dark

For some reason, my legs never get as tan as my upper body in the summer.  To create the illusion of my feet and legs being darker than they really are, I make sure that my toes are painted a light hue.  I have a pale pink on them now, making my feet appear to be as tan as I hoped they actually are.  Try a nude, sand, pearl or peach color this summer.  


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Saturday, June 26, 2010

Like a Blister in the Sun

In honor of today's sunburn from my laziness at the lake, let me enlighten you about the easiest way to turn your redness into an appropriate skin tone for public appearances.  


If you have a light or medium skin tone and your face happens to be any sort of pink hue, try using a green to neutralize the color.  NYC had a great cover stick you can pick up at any neighborhood drug store.  One little stick of mint green, blended conservatively into your redness will turn that face back into the peachy color you began with....or a bit more tan.  But acceptable, none the less!


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Monday, June 21, 2010

Tips from Women Around the World

Different cultures swear by certain tricks to keeping themselves beautiful, whether it's their hair, skin or nails.  Check out the secrets of Japanese, Swedish, Egyptian and Italian women - amongst others!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Clean Face -- in a hurry!

It's been a busy week, late nights, on the road.  When you're not at home and don't fall into the same night routine, it's difficult to pull off even the simplest chores.  The part of your night routine that you should never skip, no matter how exhausted, is the makeup removal part.  Freshness, instead of festering, while you sleep is the nicest thing you could possibly do for your face!


So, here's a quick tip that I picked up a few years back from an interview Leona Lewis did with some beauty mag.  It's been part of my night routine ever since, simple and refreshing!  


Grab yourself a pack of baby wipes the next time you're in a drugstore or department store.  I usually use 2 wipes per night to get everything completely off - the first to loosen and remove most of the grime, the second to leave a clean surface as it wipes away the remaining residue that may have just been loosened by the first.  These are even really great to remove eye makeup!


Because they are baby wipes, they are designed to be gentle on sensitive skin, but yet be strong enough to remove stubborn, sticky matter (Desitin anyone?).  Also, they're likely to have some sort of moisturizer in them to ensure baby's bottom is re-hydrated, and your face would receive that benefit as well.  


Of course, check the product as you would a facial cleanser to ensure you're picking something appropriate for your skin.  But at a few dollars for a pack of them, they'll be a much cheaper alternative to lugging your entire routine with you while on the road, and a few in a baggy will get you through security at any airport hassle free as well without adding to your 3-1-1 bag of liquids!


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Monday, June 14, 2010

quick tips

Just a few quick tips that were posted on my homepage today.  Thought I'd share these with you!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Lining Eyes

lining eyes
lining eyes,
originally uploaded by painting faces.
It's summer. Time for minimizing - which sometimes is actually maximizing.


I've been attempting to pull off a beachy look for work. We luckily have a casual dress code, so every day I get to wear things that most people only have the luxury to on weekends. So along with my fresh-off-the-beach wavy hair, flowy dresses and fun heels, I've also been trying to pull off a minimal makeup routine.


This part hasn't been working out so well. Because persons like me who have been blessed with dark circles under the eyes, wearing little makeup makes you look tired, regardless of how much beauty sleep you've gotten.


So in addition to my foundation, concealer and powder base, a touch of bronzer on the cheekbones and above the eyebrows, I have now had to figure out how to make my eyes less tired looking without piling on a load of stuff.


I have been loving my bottom inner eye rim. Dusting some soft color on the rim with an angle brush allows definition and draws attention away from unfortunate permanent shadows just south of there.


It also avoids the accidental smeared smokey look that can happen with humidity and too much (non-waterproof) eyeliner.


The lining the rim technique may result in migration of the color during the day. Sometimes it heads to the inner eye in which a quick touch of your finger to the inside corner removes any buildup. The color may also move from the rims to form a colorful line within your lower lash line - a perfectly acceptable migration destination.


Add a swipe or two of mascara - waterproof for humid or rainy days - and you'll be beautifully set!


___

Monday, June 7, 2010

Shine On ... Or Not

There's something to be said about someone who can pull off a summer glow.  That dewy look of just being misted with a crashing wave is gorge!  But the look is not so attractive if the shine is due to oily skin...


Many brands have their very own version of Clinique Oil Blotting Sheets.  Blotting sheets run anywhere from $5 to $20 for a package with anywhere from 50 to 300 sheets.  


My home solution?  Just grab a tissue or a few squares of toilet paper.  Rubbing your face with this would lead to smeared makeup and the need for retouching.  So when a shining moment arises, just lay a tissue on the oil spill and gently press your fingers to the tissue.  Patting the tissue will allow the oil to absorb while your makeup stays put.  



Saturday, June 5, 2010

Lickable Lipgloss

Have you ever found that perfect lipgloss, perfect in every way?  You end up being completely loyal to that lipgloss, only to have it discontinued shortly after you become addicted.  And then you have to start the search all over again? 


I'm really hoping that doesn't happen to me again anytime soon!  Because not only have I become addicted, but I've also hooked a few of my gal pals.  Victoria's Secret, please do not ever rid your shelves of Beauty Rush Minty Lip Shine!  I think we would cry for days...maybe weeks.  


I use this as a shine over my lipstick or just as a clear gloss.  It's a perfect blend of moisture without stickiness!  Doesn't hurt that it tastes fantastic, too - always a bonus with lip stuff.  And how convenient that Vicky's places it right at the checkout, so you can grab a tube as you wait... or browse through their other grab items.  Which I will inevitably rave about in a future post.


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Friday, May 28, 2010

Catch the Wave

One of my co-workers has naturally wavy hair ... like me, but hers is a bit tighter of a wave.  2 years ago, she spent a 1/2 hour to 45 mins straightening it every morning.  One day, she didn't have the time and walked in with still damp... beautifully waved hair.  It took me a bit, but now convinced that looking like she strolled into work after a morning on a salty beach, she's embracing the curls.


We talked product yesterday.  She uses a product from a salon, one that runs anywhere from $20 - $35 depending on what kind of sales she can catch.  And the bottle is right around the 5 oz range.  (woah...)


She agreed to try out the product I keep coming back to.  There's something about misting the product onto my hair versus rubbing it in that seems to make the curls lighter and more shapely than other solutions. And Garnier knows how to make things work.  In the past, rubbing a gel or cream onto my hair after showering has weighed down the delicate waves...


With the Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves and a bit of diffusing, beach goddesses do we become! 


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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

One Color

pink eye
pink eye,
originally uploaded by painting faces.
Keep things easy for yourself. Choosing one color to cover your eyes, cheeks and lips not only ensures that the hues jive with each other, but it minimizes what you need for touch ups.

Since I was little, my grandmother grabbed her lipstick tube, spotted her lips, rubbed that in and then swiped the stick on her lips.

This tactic plus a little mascara, especially if you pick a brighter pink or coral, is a perfect look for a summer night. And if you're feeling a little sassy, try applying a bit to your lids and keeping your lips nude.

Be careful when dotting your cheeks with lipstick, though. As a cream, lipstick has more concentrated color than a powder blush. It's much easier to add a smidge more than to try to tone too much color down... trust me!

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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Repairing Shoes

repairing shoes
repairing shoes,
originally uploaded by painting faces.
I'm on a shoe kick lately.


Scuffs happen. Sure, there's black, white and brown shoe polish to take care of the common colored shoe scuffs. But what about the really great pair of fuchsia peep-toe pumps with the big bow on the toe? What happens to those when a rock on the floor mat scuffs them when you're driving? Or when a heel gets stuck and scratched in a sidewalk crack?


All you have to do is walk into Walgreens, march down the nail polish isle. You're bound to find the right color to match any shoe wear. Although it may not be exact, as I am walking down the street, will anyone really know? Absolutely Not!


And now my pedicure matches! Gorgeous.


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Friday, May 14, 2010

Shaving Cream... who needs it?

I can not remember the last time I purchased shaving cream.  Does it result in a silky smooth shave? Absolutely. But it also is just another item in my shower that can easily be replaced by one that's already in there.


Think about it.  The purpose of shaving cream is to lubricate your legs for an easily glided razor and to moisturize your legs, right?


Here are two easy substitutes and you likely have at least one of them in your shower already... if not both (like me).


I interchange Moisturizing Body Wash and Conditioner on my legs.  Depends on when I am shaving them in my shower routine, whether I'm in the process of applying conditioner to my hair or lathering up.  Both have moisturizing components sure to leave the legs soft and they have the ability to slippery the legs up to allow the razor to easily move along.


One less purchase you need to make, one less item in your shower.  It's a win-win situation!


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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Shoe Inserts

Shoe Inserts
Shoe Inserts,
originally uploaded by painting faces.
I am a shoe addict. My sister has gotten to the point of making me throw a pair out or donate one to Goodwill if I get on a buying spree. And when I say shoe addict, I do not mean sneakers. I mean the pretty kind, the stylish kind, the high kind, the HEELS!


There are so many things to say about heels, many of which will (I am sure) be future posts.


The most annoying thing about wearing high heels is the pain and agitation it leads to on the balls of my feet. The thing I gave into early on was Shoe Inserts.


Not only do Shoe Inserts (Dr. Scholls has a GREAT selection of inserts for women and can be found at almost any store that sells shoes) lessen the pain you may feel wearing heels all day, but if you happen to have a shoe a bit big for your foot, it will allow for a better fit.


I sometimes will have issues being a bit of an in-between size of a foot. Having handy inserts snugs the shoe right up!


Comfy Fashion Fabulousness!


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Sunday, May 2, 2010

Shameless Thriftiness

Watching the pennies these days is nothing to be ashamed of!  So when you find fabulousness at the Dress Barn, no need to lie to people, no need to tell them you got it at a flashy boutique.  Or when you are able to get a killer haircut at Cost Cutters or Great Clips, do it!  

For apparel, head to Marshall's or TJMaxx.  Also, sale racks at any department store.  Just because it's on the sale rack doesn't mean it is out of style - it was just the hot ticket a few weeks ago, fashion changes don't move that quickly!

As for hair, I head to the same salon time after time.  It's a chain salon, one of those you may be nervous about.  But, I trust it because it's in a really trendy part of the city.  I walk in and walk out, looking fabulous, pocketbook still in tact.

Deals are wonderful, don't feel guilty about them - tell your friends about them!  They'll thank you, trust me!



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Friday, April 23, 2010

Brushes

Brushes
Brushes,
originally uploaded by painting faces.
whether you wear a little or a lot, one thing i believe strongly in is application brushes for makeup. you can find good quality brushes at stores like Walgreens or Target. My favorite place to go brush shopping, though?

Art Stores!!

I often express to people that I have to go paint my face. And I'm not lying. I use rigger brushes, and angle brushes. Filberts and Mops. It's rare to be able to find a paintbrush the size of a Powder Brush, so I get those from the cosmetic department.

But for a few dollars, sometimes half the price of cosmetic brushes, I've preferred paintbrushes for years. Especially the angle brushes for lining eyes.

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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Tanning... Safely!

As summer approaches, it's difficult to resist the urge to transition from winter white to summer sun.  Instead of heading to the local tanning bed or laying out, try Jergens Natural Glow.  I'm not sure how they did it, but they somehow avoided the orange that other self-tanners seem to stain your skin.  Jergens has developed a natural looking browning cream.  A-Mazing!


Be careful with the hairlines! And be sure to rub it into your skin well.  And I like to mix it with a bit of my moisturizer when applying to my face to avoid streaking, browning too quickly or having overproduction of face oils.


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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Fashion and Fabulousness

After years of receiving phone calls and emails asking Fashion, Makeup and Styling advice, I have decided to start a guide for my friends and family... and other women. Let me know if you have anything that I can help with and please enjoy this page and all it will offer! I am looking forward to sharing my opinions and tricks with you!!