Makeup For Life - Beauty Blog, Makeup Tutorials, Product Reviews, Celebrity Makeup, Beauty Advice » makeup tips

Tips On Wearing Makeup and Glasses by Bobbi Brown

Phyllis — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 20:34:28 +0000

Inspired by her very own tortoise shell frames, Bobbi Brown launched a gorgeous Tortoise Shell Collection (which I will review) and shares with us the following pointers on wearing makeup and glasses.

#1 Less is definitely more.
Wearing glasses draws attention to your eyes, so keep your eye makeup simple. Stick to neutral shades and save the bold colors for your lips. Don’t forget corrector and concealer – a must for all women, but especially if you’re wearing glasses.

#2 Eye liner is essential.
Adjusting liner thickness is important when you’re wearing glasses – if your frames are thick, apply a thicker line to the upper lash line so that eyes stand out. If your frames are thinner, a softer line works great.

#3 Make sure the brows are defined.
Eyeglass frames draw attention to the brows, so be sure to keep your arches well groomed. Pluck or trim any scraggly hairs and fill in holes or sparse spots with a brow pencil or powder shadow.

#4 If your prescription makes your eyes look bigger…
Use a light hand, and be sure to blend everything carefully – the last thing you want is to magnify any mistakes. For shadows, go with neutrals shades. Liner should be delicate and thin, with one coat of mascara to open up the eyes.

#5 If your prescription makes your eyes look smaller…
Be sure to line your eyes all the way around. Use a liner that is darker than your natural eye color to create contrast, which will help define the eyes. Finish with two coats of mascara for a frefreshed look.

Looking for more tips on how to rock your makeup while wearing glasses? Check out my list!!

Spring 2011 Beauty Trend Report: Colorful Eyes

Phyllis — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 05:41:36 +0000

Besides shocking neon lips, we are seeing lots of colors on the eyes this spring. At Alberta Ferretti and Aquilano.Rimondi, washes of soft greens covered the upper and lower lid while a richer, bolder green was used at Oscar de la Renta and Loewe.

From the blocks of periwinkle at Victoria Beckham to the smoked-out lavender eye at Etro and winged-out purple smoky eye at Jason Wu, purple was also spotted regularly on the runway.

Last but not least, we have red again. But unlike the red eyeshadow we saw last Fall, this time it comes in softer, more wearable hues of orange, coral and ruby, as seen at Carolina Herrera, Derek Lam and Narciso Rodriguez.

Tips On Rocking The Look

* Always pair super colorful eyes with relatively muted lips and clean skin for a fool-proof look.

* Those who are color-shy can line the eyes with a pop of color instead of wearing it all over the eyelid.

* Bright colors in matte formulas give the most impact while shimmery and satin formulas are easier to carry.

Image Credit: WWD and Style.com.

2011 People’s Choice Awards Beauty Trend Alert: Rosy Cheeks

Phyllis — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 16:14:37 +0000

At the 2011 People’s Choice Awards Wednesday night, celebrities like Leighton Meester, Minka Kelly, Drew Barrymore, Kim Kardashian and Selena Gomez all got cheeky with this spring’s hottest trend, rosy cheeks. Tips on how to achieve the look after the jump!

The look on the runway:

Carolina Herrera, Nina Ricci, Christian Siriano and Michael Kors

Tips On Wearing The Look
* The key is to apply the blush to your cheekbones and blend towards the temples rather than just the apples of your cheeks.

* Those with light skin can never go wrong with pinks and peaches. Medium and darker skin look best in brighter pinks and corals.

* When going heavy on the blush, avoid using bright colors on your eyes and lips understated to prevent an overkill.

* To get the longest-wearing color, start with a cream blush then top with a powder blush.

Products Recommendations:

Temptu Retouch Blush, Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Blush, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish and NARS Blush

Makeup Tips For The Winter

Phyllis — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 05:26:07 +0000

Having a hard time getting your makeup to go on smoothly in the cold winter? Check out these tips by celebrity makeup artist and founder of Skinn Cosmetics, Dimitri James, to make makeup work for, not against your skin.

Problem 1: Color won’t stick to pale, dry winter skin.

Solution: First, exfoliate away those excess dead skin cells that skin produces to protect itself from the cold. Then, try mixing a drop or two of a natural essential oil like neroli oil or rose hips oil with your favorite moisturizer before you apply it to your face. The extra oil will super-hydrate the skin and help offset winter dryness, and your bronzer and blush will adhere better and last longer.

Another proven method is to first apply a cream blush or bronzer to your cheeks and face then top with a very light dusting of your favorite powdered blush and bronzer. This layering technique will make your color cling beautifully all day.

Extra Tip From Phyllis: Besides the methods mentioned above, you can also try a hydrating sheet mask. It will instantly smooth out wrinkles and plump up dry skin so your makeup can go on easily.

My Product Recs: Kate Somerville Exfolikate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment; MAC Care Blends Essential Oils; myfaceworks Paper Facial Mask

Problem 2: Foundation takes on an orange cast by the end of the day. There should be an orange “caution” sign for this all too common cosmetic problem.

Solution: In the winter, women tend to wear more foundation and oilier skins tend to produce more oil in response to the dry, cold air. Oils in foundation and oils from your skin oxidize during the day and turn orange. This is why we see that tell-tale orange “line of demarcation” at the jaw line as the day progresses.

The solution is using a purple-toned makeup primer under your foundation. The best ones are silicone-based for flawless, smooth make up application. Plus, the purple color counteracts the orange in the skin caused from oils oxidizing.

My Product Recs: Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer 2 Mauve

Problem 3: When skin is dry, foundation and powder seem to exacerbate fine lines and wrinkles.

Solution: Keep skin super hydrated during the colder months. Here’s a great emergency skin rescue tip Dimitri has shared with his Hollywood clientele: First, thoroughly cleanse and exfoliate skin. Then fill a clean sink or large bowl with hot as you can take it water. Add two tablespoons of sea salt to the water and two tablespoons of glycerin. Then splash the skin with this hot sea bath mixture 30 times and you will see even the driest of winter skin look super hydrated and plumped-up smooth!

Then, add just a drop of rose hips oil to your moisturizer before applying to your face. Adding a drop of essential oil to your moisturizer rather than to your foundation will work better because moisturizer mixed with foundation may conflict with he foundation’s emulsion system and create a less than perfect deposit of pigments on the skin which can create a blotchy look.

The same holds true for concealers – adding a little rose hips oil to your eye cream will soften those little dry lines around the eye and prevent concealer from looking lined. Plus the oil will eventually seep into the concealer and keep it smoother looking all day.

Got more winter makeup tips? Share with us!

Makeup Tutorial: The 10-Step Makeup Look By Bobbi Brown

Phyllis — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 04:23:36 +0000

Beauty guru Bobbi Brown always creates the prettiest fresh-faced looks and below, she teaches us how to go from drab to fab in 10 easy steps. Read on for each step and to see my take on the look!

Before you start, always apply an oil-free moisturizer and eye cream to help your makeup go on smoothly. Right now I’m really digging Nuxe Sérum Crème Fraîche de Beauté 24 Hr Moisturizing Anti-fatigue Concentrate.

Step 1: Corrector/Concealer
For very dark undereye circles, start with a corrector to cut through the darkness under the eye. Next, use a yellow-toned concealer one shade lighter to brighten the undereye area.

What I Use: Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque and Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit in Beige

Step 2: Foundation
Apply foundation only on areas that need to be evened out with your fingers or a makeup sponge.

What I Use: Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit in Beige

Step 3: Powder/Bronzer
Set your concealer with loose powder. If you have an oily t-zone, apply powder to the rest of your face. Dust a bronzer over cheeks, forehead, nose and chin to add warmth to the skin.

What I Use: MAC Mineralize Skinifinish Natural in Medium Plus; Pixi Nude Shade Wardrobe Palette

Step 4: Blush
Smile and dust a neutral shade of blush on the apples of the cheeks. Blend up towards the hairline then downwards to soften color. Layer a pop of bright blush only on the apples for a longer lasting look.

What I Use: MAC Mineralize Blush Duo in Love Rock

Step 5: Lipstick/Gloss
For the most flattering lipstick shade, use the natural coloring of your lips as a guide choose a color that matches or is slightly darker than your lips.

What I Use: MAC Viva Glam VI Special Edition Lipstick

Step 6: Lipliner
Line your lips after applying lip color to avoid feathering and add natural-looking definition. Use a lip brush to soften and blend any hard edges.

What I Use: MAC Cremestick Pearl Liner in Gingerroot

Step 7: Brows
Define brows with a shadow that matches your hair color. Begin at the inner corner of the brow and follow its natural shape using light, feathery strokes. To soften too-harsh brow color, press loose powder onto brows with a powder puff.

What I Use: Yaby Cosmetics Brow Powder in bp001

Step 8: Eyeshadow
Sweep a light eyeshadow color from lashline to browbone using a brush. Dust a medium color on the lower lid and up to the crease.

What I Use: Pixi Nude Shade Wardrobe Palette

Step 9: Eyeliner
Line the upper lashline with a dark eyeshadow. Dampen the brush before dipping into eyeshadow for a longer-lasting look. Alternatively, use a gel eyeliner. If you line the lower lashline, make sure the top and bottom liner meet at the outer corner of the eye.

What I Use: Pixi Nude Shade Wardrobe Palette

Step 10: Mascara
Curl your lashes and apply mascara by brushing from the base to tip. Roll the wand to separate lashes and avoid clumps.

What I Use: MAC False Lashes Mascara

My finished look:

Photos: Courtesy of Bobbi Brown.