Beauty 101 Archive

Cream blush is one of those products that I don’t know why I didn’t add to my daily routine sooner! Perhaps it’s an improvement in my own application technique, or a change in the product’s formulations…either way today’s latest cream blushes are way more user-friendly and most importantly, they look sooo gorgeous on! Once applied, cream blush leaves the cheeks with a beautiful glow that looks seamless…and well, just natural.  Love!!

Cream blush is the perfect option for summertime for when the weather becomes too warm and fussy for a face full of powder.  Applying cream blush is easy – try these tips for a natural flush:

• Apply your primer + foundation (or tinted moisturizer) first to create a balanced canvas.
  If you don’t use foundation, use oil blotting papers to remove any excess oil from the skin – this will help the cream blush to glide on smoothly and evenly.
• Don’t powder just yet!
  Cream blush should go on before any powder to avoid a ‘cakey’ look.  Save that light dusting of translucent powder for the final step!
• To control the amount of cream blush you use, first set aside what you need.
  Pump some cream blush on the back of your hand if from a pump dispenser or use a spatula to remove a small amount of the product if from a jar/container.   (Bonus!  Doing so will help to keep your product as sanitary as possible).
• Use a brush (1) or your fingers (3) to apply the cream blush.
  I find that using a brush consistently produces the best results (try MAC brushes in 131, 188 or Make-up Forever’s Blush Brush #55N).
• Use a small circular motion to apply the cream blush.
  Start at the apples of the cheeks and move diagonally upwards, using the cheekbone as a guideline (2).  Essentially, apply it similar to how you would apply your powder blush!  …and of course, blend!!
• Heavy-handed?
  If you apply too much (it happens!), use your fingers to blend it out (3) or use a clean sponge (4) to blend away the excess.

Just in case you go a little overboard with the alcohol consumption this evening (it is New Year’s after all!), here are a few quick make-up tips to help you nurse (and conceal) tomorrow’s hang-over!

1. Moisturize!
If you didn’t get the chance to do so the night (or early morning!) before, make sure you thoroughly cleanse the skin and remove any leftover make-up. Hydrate the skin by applying moisturizer, as alcohol dehydrates the body. Don’t forget the lips – apply some lip balm to soften them for your lip application later.

2. Say bye to post-party eyes.
Use some eye drops to lessen any redness in the eyes, and an eye cream to help tone down any under-eye puffiness.

Concealer will make all the difference for telltale signs of a late party night (i.e. darkened undereye circles!). Use a peachy-pink concealer to brighten any dark undereye circles, and follow with your skin tone matching concealer to blend it all in.

Avoid eyeshadow colours that are red-based (like purple, mahogany and certain browns). Red-based tones tend to enhance any redness in sleep-deprived eyes. Instead, opt for a black or even a dark blue eyeliner to contrast the whites of the eyes, making them appear brighter. Top the eyes off by curling the lashes and adding 2 coats of mascara for a wide-eyed look.

3. Get (well, fake) glowing skin!
Apply bronzer in this prescribed 3-shape motion to build-up an even glow and bring life back to post-party dull and dehydrated skin. Smile and add some blush to the cheeks – this will help you look awake…even though you may not feel so awake right away!

4. Shine on with gloss.
As the finishing touch, apply a moisturizing gloss in a peachy-pink colour and you’ll be ready for a new day…AND a new year!

A perfect pout always starts with smooth and moisturized lips…but with winter now officially upon us, a little more effort is necessary to get the lips soft and supple! The weather and environment around us tend to be overly dry in winter and that can instantly zap our lips of much-needed moisture.

Fortunately, there are many simple at-home remedies to keep lips looking their best! Other than a good lip balm, a key step to a perfect pout is exfoliating the lips to eliminate any dead skin cells. Try these exfoliating tips you can easily do at home to keep your lips soft and supple all year round:

1. Start off with clean lips. Use a make-up remover and tissue to gently clean the lips. (Always try to use a wet cloth or tissue when removing product off the lips. The product will come off easier if the tissue is soaked, and won’t drag the skin on the lips and encourage dryness and irritation).

2. Add two teaspoons of sugar to a couple of teaspoons of either olive oil or honey. Mix the ingredients thoroughly until it reaches a paste-like consistency. Dab the homemade remedy on the lips and let it sit for about 1-2 minutes to soak in.

3. After a couple of minutes, use either your finger, a spare toothbrush or a wet washcloth to gently glide the exfoliating mixture back and forth across the lips. This acts as a scrub and will help to get rid of any dead skin cells so that smooth, supple lips can resurface!

4. Rinse well and apply a lip balm to hydrate the lips. (Apply a lip balm throughout the day as needed).

The homemade lip scrub is great to do at night so that in the morning, you’ll wake up with perfect and kissable lips (please note: homemade lip scrub will result in soft lips, but does not necessarily eliminate morning breath). :)

You’ll find that once you exfoliate your lips, your lipstick and lipgloss will glide on much smoother and last longer. Bonus – even those fine ‘experience’ lines of the lips will be less accentuated!

With the holiday season and the advent of festive red lips upon us, I certainly hope you find these tips helfpul!