Friday, April 23, 2010

Thursday, April 22, 2010

What I've Learned about Eyebrows

Over the past several months of helping women transform their look with simple makeup tricks, the most powerful (and unexpected) lesson I've learned is that eyebrows can completely change the look of your face...they can "open" your eyes and draw attention in an amazing way. But most of us skip this quick and easy step in our makeup routine.

My experience of late has been that many women have their eyebrows waxed or tweezed, but the work stops at that point. Here are a few brief tips on getting the most from your brows:

1. Select an eyebrow pencil a few shades lighter than your hair color (or light brown for blondes)...in fact, it seems that very light brown is quite flattering on most brows.

2. Using short motions, fill in your brow going against the hairs (make the strokes go towards the center of the forehead/bridge of nose...not towards the temples).

3. Brush brows in the opposite direction to smooth them, and hold them in place with an eyebrow gel or wax (or hair gel in a pinch).

Whala! You have framed your eyes and drawn attention to one of your most beautiful assets.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Quick & Easy Smokey Eye

There are many different ways to achieve the "smokey" eye look...here is one that is very quick, and quite beautiful:

1. Line your eye with black eyeliner all around (a little goes a long way, so a thin line is perfect).

2. Using an eyeshadow brush, apply titanium (shimmery dark gray) shadow on your lid - up to and including the crease (use a lighter hand on the crease). Be sure to only sweep the shadow in one direction to avoid getting shadow in your eye.

Using a slanted brush, apply the shadow under the eye, as close as possible to the lash line.

3. Use a light pearl color in the inner corner of the eye (again, using a shadow brush).

4. On the outer corner of the lid and lash line, apply black eye shadow to add some drama.

5. Mascara - apply black only - use a "back-and-forth" motion at the root of the lashes, then sweep upwards. This will help frame the eye.

The biggest issue I see with doing a smokey eye is fear of dark colors...as long as you are using a brush (and not a sponge applicator) for the blending, it will look great. Blend, blend, blend...and if you feel it is too dark, soften it with a light pink on top of the dark color. You will look gorgeous!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Family Exercise Time

www.BeFitNOLA.com
Over and over again, I hear how busy moms (and dads) are – and how difficult it is to try to fit in some time to exercise. It occurred to me that there IS time. . .you just need to see it. Here are three opportunities our peer group has identified:

First, if your child(ren) is(are) on the after-school-activity circuit…soccer, t-ball, baseball, dance class, etc…you may constantly be on the road. “I feel like all I am is a taxi cab” seems to be a common comment. I say, “That’s perfect! What a great opportunity to exercise yourself!”

If you have an hour with nothing to do but wait for your child’s activity to be over…DO SOMETHING WITH IT. Our children go to Tumblebus once a week – which is a great program that builds self-confidence and enhances physical and motor development in children. It’s a gym on wheels with bars, beam, vault, ropes, rings, zip line and monkey bars inside (for children ages 2-10; for more information call 985-725-0143 or email thetumblebus@bellsouth.net).

During that hour, parents must stay on site – so, a few of us decided to jog around the parking lot and up the local street. We’ve turned an hour of sitting in our cars doing nothing into a 30-minute cardio session followed by a round of push-ups. Kids exercise; moms exercise.


Another great “family time” option is just going for a walk around your neighborhood. Bring the dog, have the kids ride a bike, skip, jump rope, bounce a ball, tell a story about every green thing they see…whatever it takes, just walk out the front door.

The last idea came from a former colleague of mine who moved to New Orleans from up North. He was so excited to have a swimming pool he could use most days of the year. Every night after work and school, he and his daughters would hop in the pool for 30-45 minutes of swimming time. He would do laps while they played and talked. If you’re lucky enough to have a pool – go for it! Make it a habit and embrace these hot summers with a cold splash.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Liquid Eyeliner - Not So Scary

Liquid liner is a mystery to some of us...difficult to apply - and especially hard to make a straight line while your hand is moving and your eye is blinking.

Here are some tricks to make your liquid liner look beautiful - without the anxiety.

1. Always use black liquid liner - and find one with a brush that doesn't have a lot of "give" - you want to have control over the brush (ie, not a floppy brush).

2. Only apply liquid liner to the upper lashes/lid - apply black EYE SHADOW POWDER on the bottom lash area if you choose (with a slant brush), but only on the outer edges.

3. For the most "finished" look, you want to have a 3-step process. It sounds like it would take too long, but once you've practiced a few times - you can do both eyes in 60-seconds.

First, apply a black pencil eyeliner to the outer half of the upper lid.

Then, go over the entire upper lid lash line with a black eye shadow powder (using a slanted brush).

Lastly, apply your liquid liner on top of the shadow - again, only on the outer half.


With this technique, the shadow masks any imperfections in the line drawn - but still gives you the beautiful liquid liner end product. Perfect!

If you'd like for me to show you this in person (if you're local - New Orleans and surrounding areas), I'm happy to - just give me a call! : )

Monday, April 12, 2010

Bronzer: Many Uses

Summer is on its way, and many people start to think about that "sun-kissed" glow. Bronzers are an excellent way to achieve the tanned look without the harmful rays. Here are some how-to's:

To add WARMTH to your complexion -
Use a powder bronzer - they are much easier to control, and go on smoother (no blotchiness).

Apply with a large, soft makeup brush (some call them kabuki brushes), and apply bronzer to the areas the sun would touch -
*forehead
*bridge of nose
*top of cheeks
*middle of chin


Be sure to blow off extra bronzer from the brush before applying to face so you don't get too much bronzer in one spot.

Also, don't forget your blush - bronzer is not a replacement for blush...together, they are a beautiful combination.

Not only can you get the perfect sun-kissed look, but you can also apply perfect CONTOURS using a bronzer. Most bronzers have too much terracotta or too much frost, which will totally reverse the effect of a contour or the sun-kissed look. Make sure your bronzer isn't shimmery.

When using a bronzer for contouring, your best bet is to use a fan brush, or hold your blush brush between your fingers to "fan" it out. Here are some contouring spots:
*below your cheekbone
*on your temples
*under your jawline (helps separate the jaw from the neck)

These tips are very quick uses of a bronzer...only use it to enhance (not change the color of) what you've already got...your natural beauty!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Protein Shakes

As part of my overall post-Superbowl, Mardi Gras, Easter, etc., etc., diet overhaul - I have been enjoying mixing and matching different protein shakes and fruits to see what tastes good and helps me feel full. WOW! This morning's shake wins:

Berry and Banana Fruit Smoothie (my new FAVORITE – YUM)
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1/3 – 1/2 banana
Add berries to taste (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries)
Water / Skim Milk
Ice

Here are some others that are delicious as well:
Chocolate Almond Shake
2 scoops chocolate protein powder
1 T almond butter
Water
Ice

Chocolate Strawberry Shake
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 scoop fiber booster
Handful of fresh strawberries
Water
Ice

Lessons learned and Helpful Hints:
Using a Magic Bullet makes this soooo easy.
Freeze fresh fruits for future use.
Try adding fresh spinach to shakes (you can’t taste it!).
Make sure to find a protein powder without a lot of sugar...and keeps you full!


Have your own recipes? Would love to hear them!!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

How to Use a Primer

You may have noticed the popularity of primers recently…with good reason – their purpose is to minimize the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles (especially effective around the mouth) and pores, and to smooth the skin. They are very helpful with facial scars as well (sunken scars will be filled with the primer, creating an illusion of smoothness). The result is a velvety finish to the skin.

You would use a primer before applying foundation. When applying a primer, use a cosmetic wedge to evenly distribute the product. Start in the T-Zone and work your way across the forehead, down the nose, across the cheeks and on to the chin. Apply over the eyelids and across the lips as well, for added life to eye shadows and lipsticks. Being a little generous as you apply the primer around the eyes and over any frown or laugh lines will help soften unwanted lines and smooth the entire canvas.

When selecting a primer for your cosmetic bag, test the product first on the back of your hand – a good primer should deliver a velvety finish while creating the illusion of smoother skin. In addition, see if the primer gives a matte look to your skin. Primers create a barrier between your skin and the foundation, allowing the true tone of the foundation to be seen. If an oily complexion is your challenge, a primer also helps reduce oil throughout the day. Again, applying the primer with a cosmetic wedge assures that excess oil from the fingers and bacteria accumulated from under the nail will never be added to your canvas!

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