Enhancing Beauty One Brushstroke at a time…
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Please join Kitty Bradshaw, She So Major, and Shoes n’ Booze as we celebrate our love for shopping with a shopping crawl. The theme for their first shop crawl will be Thrift and Vintage Shops. We’ll meet up first for coffee and conversation (Location To Be Determined). Then we’ll head off for an afternoon of shopping fun! If you can’t make this event, don’t worry. These events will be held four times a year; with a different theme each season.
It is spring, and summer is just around the corner, which means WEDDING SEASON!!! A lot of women are currently searching for the best makeup artist to help them look amazing on their wedding day, or they are looking for the best products that will help them achieve the look they want on their own. Either way, having the perfect makeup on your special day means knowing which products to use as well as how to apply them.
When weddings are during warmer months, or take place in a warmer climate even, it is best to keep the heavier foundations and makeup to a minimum. No one wants to have pictures where their makeup is melting off.
Whether it is your face or eyes, priming encourages the longevity of your makeup look throughout the day, as well as helps aid in the smooth application of foundation and eye shadow. There are several different types of primer; there are primers for oily skin, mature skin, dry skin, illuminating etc. Make sure you choose the one that is right for you.
Apply your moisturizer first then your primer. If your skin is not dry or if it’s oily, you may be able to skip the moisturizer and just apply primer.
Here are posts on the importance of primers Foundation | Eye shadow
First things first, since you’re being photographed stay away from products with SPF, since it will give you a whitish appearance when flash photography is used.
The foundation you choose depends on the coverage you need/prefer. It also depends on your skin type. If you have oily skin, stay away from oil-based products. Dry skin, use hydrating products. If you want a dewy look use silicone based liquid products.
If you have pretty clear skin, with minor imperfections, choose a foundation with coverage that’s on the lighter side. You can always correct any other imperfections with a spot concealer afterward.
Here’s a post on how to find your correct foundation shade and concealing & correcting 101
For bridal makeup, I like to use the following:
MAC Cosmetics Face & Body (waterproof) (see swatches of shades here: Karla Sugar)
Make Up For Ever Face & Body (waterproof) (see swatches of shades here: Karla Sugar)
Tinted Moisturizer (without SPF) – OCC Moisture Tint
For more full coverage…
Make up For Ever HD Foundation
Face Atelier Ultra Pro Foundation (Silicone Based)
*If you have oily skin, use a brush or sponge to apply your makeup, not your fingers. Your finger will add extra oil to your skin.
After applying your foundation (and concealing areas needed), set with a powder and make sure to blend.
1. Use a primer first. Urban Decay’s Primer Potion has never failed me. Your eye makeup will last for hours.
2. People with oily lids should stay away from creamy eye shadows to avoid a meltdown and creasing. Also, matte and satin eye shadows tend to work best.
3. Use a liquid liner or waterproof liner that has 24/7 staying power.
4. Use waterproof mascara or opt for natural-looking falsies to enhance your eyes.
5. Always make sure you have well-tamed, well-manicured brows. Brows shape your face, and can make or break your look.
Make Up For Ever has a plethora of waterproof makeup, from eyshadows, foundation, eye liners and more check them here
When the weather is warmer, the first thing that tends to slide off is
1. Cream blush will shine or slide off. Instead, opt for a soft, powdery formula that will look fresh and absorb oil.
2. For more staying power, apply cheek stain or a liquid blush, then dust a matching powder blush on top of it.
Your lips will be doing a lot of work on your wedding day – from kissing your new husband, guest, eating etc., you risk your pretty lip color fading.
1. Start off by exfoliating then moisturizing your lips with balm so your pencil will glide along easily. Then take your lip pencil and color in your entire mouth — this will prevent your lipstick from bleeding and supply more holding power.
2. If you’re the type of person who can never keep her lipstick on, use a medium-toned concealer as a base before your lip pencil.
3. Once your pencil’s in place, apply your lipstick, and then blot with a tissue. Apply a touch of lip gloss too!
Set your bridal makeup with a makeup setting spray to seal in your look.
Skindinavia has one specifically for brides, ‘Bridal Makeup Finish‘ that retails for $29. They also have one for oily skin, one for those who would like a dewy look, and more. You can also try Urban Decay’s ‘De-slick’ if you have oily skin.
Last year, Oprah Winfrey introduced her Lifeclass Series on her network, OWN; sharing her ideas and thoughts of the things she has learned during producing the Oprah Winfrey Show.
Monday, April 2 2012 I had the greatest opportunity to attend the Live taping of Oprah’s Lifeclass the Tour featuring Tony Robbins at New York CIty’s Radio City Music Hall. The topic of this lifeclass was ‘Living Fearlessly’. First, I just want to say this was an amazing experience to share with my mom, and three friends who were also in attendance. When I applied for the tickets I didn’t even expect to get chosen. My mom applied, but was denied. Fortunately for her, I added her as my guest. It was nice to be able to knock something off of both our bucket lists while learning to improve our lives for the better.
We were seated six rows from the stage, actually, the same row as Gail, the woman Tony Robbins advised on how to achieve success after failure (watch clip here). We were up close and personal, and it made everything more intimate. It also encouraged me to be more active during the show. If you have never seen Tony Robbins in action, know that he is a huge ball of energy. He had us jumping up and down, hugging one another, stretching etc. It was fun, and made the taping zoom by. It went so fast, I almost did not want it to end.
What I liked about the Lifeclass was Oprah’s acknowledgement of the power of social media; facebook, twitter, and skype were used during the show. Everyone in attendance, and those watching at home were encouraged to tweet or facebook Oprah or Tony with their responses to questions asked during the show, such as “What story do you keep telling yourself that is holding you back?” I was brave enough to tweet my response, and it showed on the jumbo screen!
My story is what I tweeted and more. I feel like now I really have no time for anything. No time for myself, no time for my husband and friends, no time to blog and do makeup. This feeling has gotten worse after my father passed away in January. I still have yet to come to terms with his death. Him being here made everything easier. Now that it’s only my mom, I feel guilty going out after work or on the weekends since she watches the baby all day while I’m at work. I am struggling with balancing between spending time with my mom so she’s not alone, and spending time with my own family. It’s alot…
Tony advised us all to “Divorce your story and marry the truth.” Most of the time people build on their stories, and all they are doing is making excuses for themselves. I’ve never even thought about it until that moment he said it. Oprah stated “You don’t become what you wish for, you become what you believe.” If you are constantly thinking you can’t do this or that because people won’t support you. someone is already doing it or people will think something negatively etc., you will never make it. Those are the hurdles I need to get myself over.
You’re probably wondering how does all of this relate to beauty? If you are feeling horribly on the outside, you will see it and act it out on the outside; beauty truly comes from within.
I do not want to make this a long & drawn out post (it’s already long), so I close this to say that I truly learned a lot from attending this Lifeclass. In the meantime, I am handing in my papers to divorce my story.
*The photos in this post were taken with my Blackberry Torch. Please do not use any of the photos unless you receive my permission.
Recently, I won a giveaway on twitter from First Aid Beauty. I’ve reviewed their products before, and loved them (see my review of their Face Cleanser & Ultra Repair Cream here). It was a nice surprise to win one of their newest products, the Ultra Repair Concentrate, a face and body balm for treating dry patches of skin.
Since I received this product, I have used it mostly on my feet, knees and elbows; the areas that tend to be more dry and rough. Honestly, this must be a miracle worker because after a day I seriously noticed a difference in those areas. Everything was softer, more supple and smooth. The good thing about this product is that you only need a little at a time.
I also ended up using the Ultra Repair Concentrate balm on my hands since I wash them a lot the backs of my hands are usually drier (see how dry they are in the photo below). My skin was noticeably smoother and softer. Even after washing, my hands still felt soft.
I didn’t use the product on my face, however, I did use it to tame my brows. Try it.
It is made without paragons, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrances & dyes (plus a whole lot more of the stuff that’s harmful to you). This product is perfect for individuals who suffer from severely dry skin, eczema, or psoriasis. It is unscented, light and mild. I like that it did not feel heavy on my skin at all. I like that you can almost immediately feel the results from using the product; immediate moisture and smoothness.
If your feet are still recovering from the cold weather, try First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Concentrate, I promise you’ll love it!
This product is $28 for 2 oz and can be purchased at Sephora.com
Twitter: @FirstAidBeauty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/firstaidbeauty
Disclosure: This product was sent to me after winning a giveaway. I was not compensated for this post.