Archive for category How to...
Facebook Tip: Become A “Fan” Of Your Favorite Cosmetics Brand — A Great Way To Get The Latest News and How-To Tips!
Posted by Wendy in How to..., Latest Obsessions on November 5th, 2009
What’s the newest way to get great makeup tips? Become a “fan” of your favorite cosmetics brands on Facebook!! It’s also a fantastic way to get up-to-the-minute information about product launches, discounts, etc. A few weeks ago, I discovered that Bobbi Brown Cosmetics had an official “fan” page, and I immediately “became a fan”. The other day, they had posted this face chart (above) to show how to get the perfect, winter-red lip. Just what I was starting to think about! As of now, I’ve joined the Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, Giorgio Armani Beauty, Bare Escentuals and Kate Somerville fan pages.
Just a word to the wise – make sure you join an official fan page if you are wanting genuine information about product launches and sales.
-Image from Bobbi Brown Cosmetics Facebook Page
Inside Mad Men – AMC Video On The Makeup (+ My Tips on How I Create the Classic 1960s Look)
Posted by Wendy in How to..., Latest Obsessions on September 28th, 2009
Video courtesy AMCtv.com.
First off, if you haven’t already been sucked in by AMC’s wunderkind Mad Men (this year’s Emmy winner for best drama), then make a mental note to buy Seasons 1 and 2 and indulge in this delectable imagining of the 1960s. Secondly, if you are as addicted to the makeup and wardrobe on the show as I am, be sure to check out this AMC video on the makeup of Mad Men, featuring makeup department head Debbie Zoller. She explains how you can tell a woman’s age by the way they apply their lipstick and recalls the day she had to buy 100 tubes of lipstick for just one scene!
In my personal efforts to recreate the makeup of the Mad Men era, here are the products I have found that work the best:
Foundation:
MAC Face and Body Foundation ($32.00) – not too matte, not too dewy. The perfect finish!
Maybelline Dream Mousse Matte Foundation ($8.79) — perfect for achieving the slightly matted look of the Sterling Cooper ladies 
Powder:
MAC Pressed Blot Powder ($21) — I usually apply just a touch of this on the T-zone for a slighly more intense, matte look.
Blush:
Stila Convertible Color in Lillium or Gerbera ($25) — Either shade is perfect for achieving a soft “flush” to the cheeks.
Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in #10, #25 or #40 ($6.89) — This blush blends so smoothly and is almost impossible to overapply — perfect for a soft touch of color on the cheeks.
Lipstick:
Revlon Super Lustrous Cream Lipstick in “Fire & Ice” ($7.99) — If authenticity is your main goal, you can’t go wrong with “Fire & Ice” — first launched by Revlon in 1952 and still available today! You can be guarateed at least one of the Sterling Cooper ladies has this tucked away in her handbag.
Laura Mercier Cream Lipstick in “Mistress” ($22) — Zoller frequently uses this shade on Christina Hendricks (”Joan Holloway”).
MAC “Russian Red” Lipstick ($14) — The perfect red. Period.
Eyeliner:
MAC Fluidline Eyeliner in “Blacktrack” ($15) – grab an angled eyeliner brush and start practicing your cat eye!
CoverGirl Line Exact Liquid Liner Pen ($7.50)
Eyeshadow:
MAC Eyeshadow in “Shroom” ($14.50) a soft beige that’s a perfect base-shade.
MAC Eyeshadow in “Satin Taupe” ($14.50) — a gentle taupe with silver shimmer. Looks great when applied lightly to the crease.
Avoid Wedding Day Meltdown — How to Make Your Makeup Last
Posted by Wendy in How to..., Weddings-101 on July 29th, 2009
Ah, ’tis the season of bridal bliss. At last count, one of my friends was in 6 weddings this summer. Living in Chicago, one of the most frequent questions I receive is, “How can I make my makeup last on my wedding day?” I’m pretty sure only Texas is more humid. In any case, never fear! Here are a few of my basic tips:
–Prime! Take the time to prime your face and eyelids. This will not only smooth out your pores and fine lines, but it will also help your makeup last as long as possible. If you know you are going to be outside for an extended period of time, you might want to opt for an oil-free or lighter-weight primer, such as Smashbox Photo Finish Light or Laura Mercier Oil-Free Primer.
–Layer! Instead of applying one layer of powder blush, try applying a thin layer of a cream blush. After you set your makeup with face powder, add a second (thin) layer of your powder blush. The same idea can be used for your eye shadow. After your eyelid primer (I love Urban Decay’s Primer Potion), apply a thin layer of a cream eyeshadow, followed by your regular powder eyeshadow. For lips, an old trick is to apply your lipstick, gently blot a thin layer of face powder on your lips, followed by another thin layer of lipstick. If you stick to thin layers, you will still achieve a flawless, natural look, only it will last much longer
–Use a gel eyeliner or a transformer! Gel eyeliners (such as Bobbi Brown’s Gel Eyeliner or MAC Fluidline) have a great lasting power. However, if you really want eyeliner insurance, try mixing a transformer/sealer with your eyeliner. I usually put one or two drops of Make Up For Ever Eye Seal on a small-angle brush and then dip it into my MAC Carbon eyeshadow. (*Note: The transformer/sealer will change the texture of your eyeshadow, so you might want to buy one black eyeshadow just for this purpose).
–Try waterproof mascara! We used to be cautioned that waterproof mascara would dry out our lashes or give us a “spider-leg” look, but with all the innovations that have been made over the years, there are countless waterproof mascaras that work beautifully. I’m a big fan of DiorShow Waterproof Mascara myself
-Images from sephora.com, bobbibrown.com and nordstrom.com
Add A New Depth to Eyelids with Gold
Posted by Wendy in How to..., Latest Obsessions on July 23rd, 2009
Go and take a close look at your eyes (irises). I’ll wait…… When you look closely enough, you notice that all eye colors — blue, brown, green, hazel — have a subtle, golden color in them. Adding just a touch of gold eyeshadow on the part of your eyelid above your iris (aka the center of your eyelid) will bring out this subtle golden color, adding a new level of depth to your eyes. Some of my favorite combinations include (1) a neutral shade on the lid with a taupe in the crease, popped with a touch of gold added just above the iris, and (2) a lilac shade on the lid with a deeper amethyst in the crease, popped with a touch of gold (this last one looks amazing with hazel eyes). So the next time you’re doing your makeup, take another minute and add a subtle pop of gold to the centers of your eyelids
My golden recommendations:
-Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash in “Gold”
-Laura Mercier Lustre Eye Color in “Gold Dust”
-MAC Cosmetics Eyeshadow in “Gorgeous Gold”
-Image from bobbibrown.com
How to Create a Smoky Eye
It’s the holy grail of makeup looks — the smoky eye. Done right, it gives you an alluring, sultry look. Done wrong, you look like you were socked in both eyes. I was recently asked to participate as a makeup artist in the Spa Suite at the BlogHER conference here in Chicago. In a pamphlet I put together for attendees, I attempted to tackle the formidable makeup look with a list of easy steps (see Maybelline diagram above for help):
–Step #1: Prime your eyelids!
–Step #2: Line your upper lash-line with an eye kohl pencil (for example, black). You don’t need to be worried about precision.
–Step #3: Smudge the eyeliner in small, upward strokes using your smudge brush (or a Q-tip if you don’t have a smudge brush). I highly recommend MAC’s #219 brush — it is PERFECT for this.
–Step #4: Using an eyeshadow brush, blend a light gray shade all over your lid.
–Step #5: Using a tapered eyeshadow brush, blend a medium gray shade into your crease using a windshield wiper motion. *If you want, you can also blend a dark grey shade into your outer corner using a small eyeshadow brush.
–Step #6: Using a clean eyeshadow brush, lightly blend the entire eyelid area.
–Step #7: Line your lower lash-line with the eye kohl pencil from Step #2 and very gently smudge with either a smudge brush or Q-tip.
–Step #8: Gently apply a light layer of the medium gray shadow from Step #5 slightly under your lower lash-line with a small eyeshadow brush. Voila!!
***Still feeling a little timid? Then try one of the new Expertwear Stylish Smokes eyeshadow quads from Maybelline. Each quad is clearly labeled with the colors that go on the lid, crease, brow bone and outer corner. In order not to look too “color-by-numbers” on your eyelid, I would suggest taking a clean eyeshadow brush and blending it all together as your final step.
-Images from Maybelline print ads
How To Apply Red Lipstick
As a follow-up to my last post…:
I think most of us come from the same place when it comes to red lipstick. We see how sexy it looks in magazines (a la Scarlett Johansson). We hear how it makes women feel glamorous and confident. But when we dare to try it ourselves, we end up either looking like (1) a freakish clown or (2) an 8-year-old playing in her mother’s makeup drawer. The red mouth staring back at us in the mirror looks harsh… and fake.
Achieving sophisticated, ruby lips is possible. Here are 4 easy steps:
- Exfoliate! One simple way to slough off scaly skin is to wet a washcloth and gently rub over your lips. Voila!
- Use a lipliner as close to your lipstick shade as possible. When red lipstick starts feathering, it’s obvious from across the room. Using a lipliner will help keep your lipstick in place. Simply follow the natural borders of your lips.
- Apply your lipstick with a lip brush. Using a lip brush will allow you to build the color as you go. When you apply it straight from the tube, you’re putting it on at it’s highest intensity, which may or may not be the color you’re going for. I really like the MAC #316 Lip Brush/Covered Brush. It has a smaller handle, so it provides you with good control, and it has a metal cover so you can take it with you in your purse. MAC also offers the #318 Retractable Lip Brush.
- Have a few goofs? Dip a Q-tip in makeup remover and gently dot the areas you need to correct. Then, blot those areas with the opposite end of the Q-tip so everything is dry. Dip a small concealer brush in your foundation and outline/correct the shape of the areas where you goofed. Blend out with your foundation brush or fingers. Laura Mercier’s Secret Camouflage Brush is fabulous for correcting small goof-ups with your lipstick.
So go ahead and give that red lipstick one more try
-Images from maccosmetics.com and lauramercier.com
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