The Hair and Makeup Blog

Getting Your Makeup Ready for Fall

No one looks forward to the first day of fall more than me. It’s my favorite season. I love  the crisp air, falling of the leaves and fall fashions. And just like every season, it’s time to update your makeup for a new season of fierceness. Here are some tips to get your makeup ready for fall:

• First off, clean out your makeup bag. That’s right. Every season you should be making sure that any old, out of style or just wrong makeup hits the trash can. Check out our previous makeup posts for more info.

• Sunscreen isn’t just for summer. You need to protect your skin all year round. Don’t think that just because your beach days are numbered that you can go without sunscreen.

• It’s time to get into deeper, richer colors. Fall is all about the plums, coppers and classic blacks. You can also go on heavier than the light flowy looks you were rocking this summer.

• Heavier makeup can be harder to pull off and get to stay put. But if you stock up on a makeup setting spray like Model in a Bottle, you can be sure that your look will stay in place all day and night long.

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Is Your Makeup Safe?

Finding makeup that matches your style and skin tone is hard enough. And if you’re buying the good stuff, it can definitely take a chunk out of your wallet. So you want to use every bit of our makeup if possible.

But you can’t always do that. Makeup doesn’t last forever and using old or expired cosmetics just isn’t safe. You run the risk of spreading bacteria all over your face and contracting infections.

Check the guidelines below to see if you’re using old makeup:

Liquid Foundation—Foundations with pumps shouldn’t be used for more than nine to twelve months. Bottled foundations won’t last nearly as long because each time you dip your fingers or a makeup applicator in it, you’re exposing the entire bottle to bacteria. These should be tossed out in between six and nine months.

Powder—Pressed powders, blushes and eyeshadows can last up to a year as long as  you don’t see any changes in consistency and keep the makeup applicator clean with mild soap and warm water.

Mascara—Three to four months is all that mascara can last. It is especially dangerous to use old mascara because it exposes bacteria to your eyes.

Eyeliner—A pencil eyeliner can still go strong for as long as two years. Liquid eyeliner has to replace by six months. And if you get any kind of eye infection, throw out all of the eye makeup you’ve been using and start from scratch after you’ve healed.

Lipstick—These, as well as gloss, can last up to two years, unless you see any changes in consistency or coloring.

If any of your makeup is older than it should be, toss it immediately. At least this gives you the chance to go out and buy more. Be sure to put Model in a Bottle finishing spray on your list to give your look lasting power.

Check out The Look for insider scoop on beauty news and luxury beauty products.

Summer 2009 Hottest Makeup Trends: Low Maintenance With Spark Of Color

Special guest blogger and Celebrity Makeup Artist: Felisha L. Mims

Summer is the season when one rule always applies…“less is more”.  Not only does this concept apply to clothing but makeup as well.   With the harsh rays of the sun beaming down on us we want to make sure our skin is healthy and fresh.  This means moving away from heavy foundations and allowing the skin to breathe with a sheer, lightweight tinted moisturizer  which contains SPF ingredients.  The tinted moisturizer will hydrate the skin while giving it a hint of color and add a healthy glow to your complexion.  A translucent powder is a good product to use throughout the day to reset your makeup and control the shine without adding color. 

Keeping with this summer’s makeup trend is a spark of color on the cheeks and eyes.  The cheeks should be vibrant yet sheer enough to compliment the lightweight tinted moisturizer.     Selecting delicate pinks, soft rose and subtle peach colors and placing the color at the peak of the cheekbone, and fading the color slightly downward as oppose to concentrating the color on the apples of the cheeks, redefines the structure of the face.  The eyes on the other hand, should be somewhat more daring and pop with hues of  vibrant turquoises, seductive plums, and shimmery silvers.  Remember a little goes a long way so apply only one of these bold colors on top of the lids or as an accent color on a neutral eye. 

Eyebrows and lashes should not be overlooked.  The summer trend for eyebrows is a natural brow with minimum refinement.  Eyebrows can be filled slight as to not overpower the statement made by the eye makeup.  Eyelashes should be accented with a light application of mascara.    Waterproof mascara is ideal for those sun sweltering days.        

Last but not least lips should be hydrated with a lip balm that contains sunscreen to help protect the lips then a gloss with a tint of color should be applied on top.  The gloss should be subtle enough not to offset the vibrancy that comes from the cheeks and eyes. 

Tip 1:  To take your look up a notch increase the intensity of the color on the eyes, rim the eyes with a soft black or brown to bring them out, add more volume to your lashes by building up the mascara, and add more color to the lips with an opaque gloss.

 

Tip 2: For an evening look add a shimmer to the arms, shoulders and décolletage.

 Visit Felisha's portfolio at http://picasaweb.google.com/transitionsofbeauty

Getting Bronzer Right

Haven’t had a chance to hit the beaches just yet this summer? Are you the kind of girl that goes from zero to sunburned in minutes? Or maybe you just want the sun kissed look without the risk of sun damage? The answer is bronzer.

Bronzer is probably one of the most misused makeup products out there. When done right, bronzer can give you a naturally healthy glow that looks like you just came back from a Miami vacation . . . even if the most sun you’ve gotten is walking from your car to your house. When done badly, bronzer can make you orange, dirty and just plain wrong.

The key to bronzer is where you put it. Like blush, bronzer should be applied anywhere that the sun would naturally hit you—the bridge of your noise, your chin, your forehead, your cheekbones. Don’t forget to blend!

Your bronzer should also be tailored to your skin tone. Are you on the paler side? Then go for a peachy blend. Darker skin looks best with gold or copper toned bronzer blends.

We love the Bobbi Brown bronzer.  There is a perfect shade for everyone.

If you’re worried about making mistakes, go for the powder bronzer instead of the liquid. It’s more forgiving and harder to get wrong or experiment at home with a liquid or cream foundation that is 3 to 4 times darker than your skin tone.

And for pulling it all together, don’t forget to set your makeup with Model in a Bottle. This finishing spray will keep your look in place all day. You worked hard on giving yourself a healthy glowing just-from-the-beach look. Make it last.

Check out The Look Hair and Makeup online store as the source for high end Indian and Brazilian human hair extensions, hair care and makeup products.

Tara Copeland LA Celebrity Stylist on Hair Care and Hair Growth Part 1

Tara Copeland El Segundo and Los Angeles, California Celebrity Hair Stylist

The Hair And Makeup Blog sat down with Emmy Award winning Celebrity Hair Stylist Tara Copeland to discuss some of our readers pressing hair care questions. 

Tara Copeland is a well known celebrity stylist in the industry and has won a number of awards and received two Emmys for her work on The Tyra Bank Show.  Tara works many red carpet events. Ms. Copeland has worked with Keisha Cole and countless celebrities.  With a very busy schedule Tara also has her regular celebrity and non celebrity clients but don't tell that to Tara because for Ms. Copeland "Everyone is a celebrity who sits in my chair." Tara is passionate about making people feel beautiful and equally passionate about healthy hair.  

Tara provided so much material that we decided to dedicate three posts on Tara's hair secrets and tips for hair growth, hair care, human hair weaves, natural hair, as well as hair care products for curly  and wavy hair.

Use Hair Care Products For Your Hair Texture

Tara has a diverse client base with various hair textures ranging from African hair textures, Hispanic hair textures, Middle Eastern hair textures  and European hair textures.  Tara recommendation on hair products is to use to products designed for your hair texture.  People with curly hair should use products designed for curly hair likewise people with wavy hair should use wavy hair care products.  Tara explains that Curly hair products may weigh down wavy hair or make straight hair limp. 

Hair Growth and Healthy Hair

Let's face it women of all age want full, beautiful healthy hair.  Tara believes healthy hair and hair growth is determined by what you do on the  external as well as what foods and nutrients you put in your body.  Tara is a big fan of prenatal vitamins for women and not just for pregnant women. Many of Tara's clients experience tremendous hair growth with Prenatal vitamins.  

The Hair Steamer

One of the reasons Tara's clients have such healthy hair is because of the steamer.  The hair steamer provides the moisture that curly hair and wavy hair so desperately needs.  Tara regularly steams her weave clients whenever they come out of a weave.  Tara recommends steaming natural hair and steaming relaxed hair as part of a deep conditioner regimen.

Below is counter top hair steamer that can be used at home and salon hair steamer.

Maintaining a polished look effortlessly

Many women want to have a polished look but don't necessarily want to fret over selecting the right makeup.  Who wants to spend an exorbitant amount of time putting on a face? If this sounds like you then this post is my dedication.

A polished face begins with preparation products geared towards your skin type: your cleanser, toner, eye moisturizer and skin moisturizer.  There are many great skin care lines out there one in particular that I like is the Caudalie Skin Care Line.

5 Items that will help to create a polished look.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

• The Caudalie Beauty Elixir refreshes the skin while minimizing pores and toning the skin.  The elixir works with all skin types and does a great job calming sensitive skin.  Ideally the Caudalie Beauty Elixir should be used after cleanser and before applying eye and skin moisturizer.

 

Benefit Cosmetics Dr. Feelgood

• Dr. Feelgood is a matifying product. This product can be worn by itself or under foundation.  I have better results using Dr. Feelgood without foundation.  I use the Dr. Feelgood in the t-zone areas or oily areas on the face. 

Benefits Cosmetics Benetint
 

• One of my favorite products.  Benetint is suitable on all skin tones and is used to add a rosy color to eyelids, cheeks and temple area.  Seriously, don't be surprised at the compliments on how great your skin looks.  Most won't realize you are wearing makeup and will think that you have a natural glow.

Benefit Cosmetics Bad Gal Mascara

This Mascara is one of my favorite mascaras.  The wand is on the large side so it can be tricky to maneuver.  However, this mascara deposits a lot of mascara on the eyelashes.  For more dramatic look, apply two to three coats to your upper lashes before mascara dries.  The BADgal Mascara gives the appearance of wearing false lashes.

NARS Lip Gloss Set

Finish off the polished look with one of NARS amazing Lip Gloss

New Portfolio Makeup Pictures

Makeup Portfolio

  

Photographer: Logan Alexander

Hair: Nikole Denise

Makeup: Carol Morgan

Foundation: Make Up For Ever HD

Eyes: MAC Paints

Lips: Make Up Forever and Bobbi Brown: Black Plum

Your Guide To High Definition Makeup Without Airbrushing

1. Silicone is your friend
2. All flaws, natural or cosmetic become magnified in Hi-Def
3. Important to soften imperfections, minimize pores
4. Skin can't be too matte
5. Skin can't be shiny
6. Use color correcting Make Up For Ever HD Primer before foundation
   • Green primer reduces reds  
   • Pink brightens skin
   • Carmel primer combats ashy in medium and dark tone skin
   • Neutral makes the skin luminous
7. Use High Def Foundation
   • Make Up For Ever Hi Def Foundation covers invisibly without having to use an airbrush

8.     Use Make Up For Ever High Def Microfinish Powder

• Use non-pigmented powder.  You don’t want to change the color of the makeup with the setting powder
• Smoothes the skin and absorbs oil without matifying
• Mineral silica powder softens the appearance of imperfections

       

Have you used hi-def makeup or Make Up For Ever HD makeup?  

How do you feel in general about hi-def makeup?

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Let me just say that I am a big fan of the Caudalie French skin care line and will be featuring more  posts on their products.  I sampled the beauty elixir a year ago while waiting in the Sephora checkout line.  I sprayed the elixir on my face and immediately I felt my pores and skin tighten.  I fell in love with the scent of the elixir and was captivated by the grape extracts, rose extracts, mint and essential oils.    So like any product junkie I purchased the beauty elixir and have been a faithful Caudalie user.

I experienced younger looking skin, smaller pores and many other benefits from using this product, some that are not advertised.  The beauty elixir is medicinal in the way it relieves and calms irritated skin.  Although a favorite with women, the elixir can be used by men after shaving.

So what ingredients are in this wonder product?
Extracts of grape, essential oil of rosemary, orange blossom and rose extracts, benzoin, myrrh essential oils of organic balm mint and mint

You can find the Caudalie Beauty Elixir here

You can also find the beauty elixir in my makeup kit.  I use the elixir to prep the skin before applying  makeup primer and foundation.  Sometimes I follow the foundation or powder with the beauty elixir to help set the makeup.