Category Archives: Blog

Make up, Women

How to Apply Mascara on the Lashes – Not the Skin

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Applying mascara can be a challenge unless you have a very steady hand and you are not afraid to hit yourself in the eye with the mascara wand. However, as a make-up artist I have found that the following tips help keep the mascara application off the skin and on the eye lashes:

Top Eye Lashes

  1. Look into the mirror not directly at the mascara wand.
  2. Know the length of your lashes. Then determine how much you need to look down while applying the mascara on the top lashes to avoid brushing mascara onto the lid or orbital bone.
  3. When applying, keep your eyes steady while applying a bit of pressure on the wand for stability of the application
  4. Don’t blink! Give your lashes a minute to dry first.

 Bottom Eye Lashes

  1. Lightly brush the mascara wand back and forth over the bottom eye lashes like window wipers on a car.
  2. Don’t Blink! Give your lashes a minute to dry first.
Make up, Women

Quick Tip for Long Lasting Mascara

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Mascara is a great way to emphasize your eyes and make them look bigger. However the application is also important. As a make-up artist I find that the best mascara application for long lasting results follows these steps:

  1. Looking down apply a coat of mascara on the top of the upper lashes.
  2. Continue to look down slightly focusing on the mirror as you apply a coat on the bottom of the upper lashes.

These two steps will help to seal the mascara and make it last longer. Your eye-lashes will also look more finished and your mascara will appear more natural.

Look Younger, Make up, Women

One Way to Make Your Eyes Look Bigger

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The other day a client asked me how to make her eyes look bigger without wearing a lot of make-up. I told her that a simple way to make her eyes look bigger is to curl her eye lashes. An Eye lash curler is an inexpensive tool that is sold at many cosmetic retailers.
eye lash curler

These are the steps that I take to get the best results:

  1. Open the curler
  2. Open your eyes wide and look into a mirror rather than at the curler while going through the following steps.
  3. Place the top bar of the curler on top of your upper lashes (look through the curler while doing this)
  4. Slowly squeeze the bottom bar up.
  5. Hold for about 20 seconds while holding your eyes open
  6. Open the curler and release the lashes

Once you have curled your lashes you can add even more impact with mascara

Colour, Make up, Women

Make Thinner Lips Look Fuller

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To make your lips look fuller, start by concealing your natural lip line with a concealer. Line your lips just outside your natural lip-line. Smudge the lip-liner onto your lips to soften the look of the liner. Apply the lipstick with a lip brush on your lips and cover the new lip line created with the lip liner. This will create natural fuller looking lips. Using lighter colours and lipstick with a frost or shine will also give your lips a fuller look. If you prefer darker colours add a little spot of a light shimmering colour to the centre of the top and bottom lips. This will add contour and give a more, pouty look.

Colour, Make up, Women

Make Larger Lips Look Smaller

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To make your lips look thinner and smaller, hide your natural lip line with concealer. Line the lips just inside your natural lip line. Smudge the lip-liner onto your lips to soften the line. Apply your lipstick onto the lips keeping the colour inside the new lip line created with the liner. This will create the illusion of thinner lips. Using a darker lip liner and lip stick without shine or shimmer will also make the lips look thinner and smaller.

Look Younger, Make up, Women

How to Make Your Lipstick Last Longer

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As an image consultant and make-up artist, women are always asking me how to make their lipstick last longer. I tell them to start by applying a concealer on your natural lip line. Next, line the lips with a lip pencil and then thicken the line onto the lips. Take your lip brush and blend the lip-liner onto the lips to soften the liner. Then apply the lipstick with a lip brush. Blot the lip colour. This method will keep your lip colour looking great longer.

Colour, Look Younger, Make up, Women

Your Best Foundation Colour

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Choose your foundation as close as possible to your skin colour. The best place to test this is at the jaw line. The reason we test the colour here instead of the wrist, cheek or forehead is because the skin colour will be different on every area. The colour of your neck will be different than the colour of the skin on various parts of your face.

Your best colour will blend into your skin tone at the jaw line and look natural next to the skin tone of your neck. Happy testing…

Colour, Etiquette, Look Younger, Make up, Women

Choosing Your Foundation

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The right foundation will last on the skin, be comfortable to wear and give you the right amount of coverage that suits your personality and needs. Choose foundation based on four things:

  1. Your skin type – knowing your skin type before you buy will save you a lot of head aches. It will make your foundation last longer and be more comfortable. For example a dry skin would likely want a foundation that adds nourishment and moisture to the skin. An oily skin would likely want something oil free.
  2. These days there are so many choices for foundation formulas. Although liquid is still the most popular, consider cream, wet-dry or mineral powder. Each foundation has different qualities.
  3. Coverage is something you should consider before buying your foundation. Do you want a natural look, a flawless complexion or something in between?
  4. After you have determined your preferences based on skin type, formula and coverage it is time to decide on finish. Finish is like the finishing touch. This is also where fashion and personal preference come into play. Do you want a matte finish, satin finish, velvety finish? There are lots of options. Choose the one you like the best or go for fashion.

Once you have narrowed this down then it is time to choose the colour. I will tell you all about it in my next blog post.

Colour, Look Younger, Make up, Women

Make Your Make-up Last

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Clients always ask me how I get my foundation to last all day. The secret – finish your foundation with a light dusting of translucent powder. With a powder brush, press the powder into the skin. Then dust off the excess in a downward outward motion.

Colour, Look Younger, Make up, Women

Conceal Blemishes and Dark Circles

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Using a q-tip or a fine concealer brush, apply concealer to any area that needs extra covering. The best concealer colour is one that matches your foundation or the colour of the skin next to the concealed area (if you are going Au naturale). With your ring finger pat and press it into place. Concealer can be applied alone, on top or below foundation.