gloLip plumpers - love that tingle!

Lip plumping products are a new niche in the cosmetics market that has exploded in recent years. And for good reason, too! Who doesn't want a bigger, more luscious looking pout?

Many lip plumping products are based on capsaicin (chili pepper extract), which gives them their tingly sensation. They work to temporarily plump up your lips by increasing blood flow. This increase in blood flow gives your lips a deeper, naturally flushed tone, as well.


Colourless gloLip plumper image from gloskincare.com

There is a great lip plumper from glominerals called gloLip plumper. It is capsaicin based, and really gives a nice plumping effect. When I first tried it, I was actually quite surprised because I had previous experience with DuWop's Lip Venom and Too Faced's Lip Injection, which didn't have nearly the same kick. It may take a second to get used to that tingling sensation (especially if you've never tried a lip plumper), but it's so worth it for the end result!


Tinted gloLip plumper image from gloskincare.com

There is a colourless gloLip plumper, which is great to use by itself or under lip liner, lipstick, or another gloss. They have also put out two new coloured formulas for spring, a coppery-bronze shade and a sheer bright pink. They are both super pretty and deliver that plumping kick, too!

video - 2 makeup tips to update your look for spring

We have a cute video up now on Youtube about 2 quick tips to update your eye makeup look for spring. Check it out!

Making the most of your eye makeup

Although soft neutrals are a safe and easy way to do up your eyes, we are moving into a season that features bolder colour picks for eyes. There are many options out there to suit all eye colours and levels of daring, from purples and pinks, to greens, blues and even yellow!

You don't necessarily need to wear these colours in a heavy-handed way - a wash of colour over your mobile lid (the part of your eyelid that moves when you blink) with a healthy dose of mascara can look great.

One BIG trick to keeping these colours looking true is to prep your eyelids before you apply the chosen colour. Especially when doing the pastel colours that are so big for spring, you want to prep your eyelids to ensure that the colour reads right on the lid, blends well and that it lasts.

Have you heard of an eyelid primer? These are creamy products (usually in pot or stick form) that you can apply after you moisturize and before your concealer in order to really make your eye makeup adhere to the lid and stay put. Eyelid primers also really help colours stay true and stay where you put them (nothing like migrating colour to ruin your pretty spring look). The gloLid primer from gloMinerals is really easy to apply, simply smooth on a thin layer over your upper and lower lids with either a brush or your finger. It helps smooth that crepiness and erases all those little blood vessels that otherwise show through your eye makeup. For those of you who are like me and often get greasy eyelids (especially in this warmer than usual weather), eyelid primers are a miracle.


from dermstore.com

Another way to prep your eyelids is with a careful application of foundation and powder. Again, this helps to create an even-looking base for colour to be applied (no pesky vessels here). It also helps take down the shine and allows the colours to blend well. Please note that applying powder to the eye area can be the opposite of flattering if you apply too much. Try to avoid the undereye area when applying powder, as it can highlight and even create an uneven texture if you are heavy-handed.

brushes - creating the perfect canvas

I have been getting quite a few questions lately on the brushes I use to create the flawless canvas with our mineral formulas.

I am a big fan of wearing as little foundation/base as possible for your skin concerns - it looks the most fresh and flattering. I really like our gloMinerals gloLoose bases and gloPressed bases for virtually everyone, because they offer flexible coverage, last all day and make you look like you have perfect skin (I kid you not!). Wearing a heavy, full-coverage foundation looks especially harsh and aging in the bright light of the warmer months, not to mention the fact that it usually feels awful in the heat and slides off as the day progresses!

So, where to begin? After you have prepped, moisturized/sunscreened and possibly primed the skin, I like to start with spot concealing. My favourite brush for this is the gloMinerals camouflage brush because it allows you to get everything. You can spot conceal with the narrow side of the brush, smooth on more with the flat side, and feather your edges as well (VERY important for imperceptible coverage). It is also made of synthetic fibres, meaning that your creamy concealer will slip more readily off the brush and less is wasted.


gloMinerals camouflage brush, from glominerals.com

Next, I like to apply the chosen mineral powder foundation (generally, pressed for oily skin, loose for normal to dry or mature). My favourite brush to apply the foundation base is called the gloMinerals ultra brush. It has a nice flat-top bristle pack with good density, a medium-large size and natural fibres. It is soft but sturdy and offers the best control for these foundations, in my opinion. I can even use the edges of the bristle pack to get along the sides of the nose or any other small areas. I like to use it to blend the foundation once I have deposited the powder off the brush, too.


gloMinerals ultra brush, from glominerals.com

Finally, I like to do some blush, perhaps some bronzer and/or finishing powder. My go-to brush for all these products is the gloMinerals powder brush. It has natural fibres as well, a softer oval bristle pack and longer fibres to diffuse the colour and blend beautifully. Although it is called a powder brush, I really like to use it on the cheek area because it allows you to create the beautiful washes of colour that look so pretty, plus it makes for seamless blending.


gloMinerals powder brush, from glominerals.com

In many months of use, I have found these brushes to be of great quality as well, holding on to their fibres (although every brush sheds a little when it is new), standing up to meticulous regular cleanings and feeling great in the hand.

In Times of Tears - Making Your Makeup Last

Have an event coming up that you are pretty sure will be emotional? I know lots of people that have said, "Oh, I won't be crying at this wedding!" I bet. Even the best laid plans for holding back your tears are out the window as soon as you are around people, caught up in the moment.


from dailymail.co.uk

So what to do? The biggest worry of course is your eye makeup. Eyeliner, mascara and dark eyeshadows are all prone to smudging, smearing and running as soon as you get teary eyed. The first big thing to think about is trying to wear as little eye makeup as possible for the situation. You don't want to do a big multicoloured or smokey eye look if you are going to be blotting your eyes constantly.

You also may want to integrate waterproof or water-resistant formulas into your makeup routine for the day of the event. Waterproof mascara may be something you already have used, and if you have one that works for you then that should be part of your arsenal. There are also makeup sealing products, like Benefit SheLaq, that you can brush on over your normal makeup to seal it (eyes, eyebrows, lips). You need to be a little careful with these kinds of products until you are familiar with them, as they can really sting if you get them into your eyes. Practice with these if you want to use them. If you are worried, do a run through of your makeup look a few days in advance to make sure it looks good and stays in place. Try cutting some onions or watching a tearjerker.

One great trick I have for creating beautiful eyelashes with low maintenance is to use full strip eyelashes INSTEAD OF MASCARA. Make sure you take your time and use a good eyelash glue (Duo Adhesive from MAC is great, just seal it with shadow to disguise it). Curl your own eyelashes before you put your false lashes on so that they blend into the strip more easily, or if you are really careful you can curl them after (and I mean REALLY CAREFUL). You can use a mini eyelash curler to make sure all the little lashes are blended into the strip. If you have blonde/light coloured eyelashes, try black-brown strip eyelashes, and you may want to add on a coat over top of a good, non-clumping waterproof mascara so that they blend. Even if you need to put on some mascara to disguise your lashes with the false strip, you will need much less to get that same impact, so less worries for running/smearing.

New Allure Cover - Some Bad Blush

What's with Mariah Carey's blush on the new (April 2008) Allure cover?


Image from allure.com

It looks like she has some peachy beige blush on, which would look fabulous except for the fact that it was applied in such an unflattering place!

A few quick rules of thumb with blush and wanting to keep the look natural and flattering:

-SKIP THE SKI SLOPES! Please don't put your blush on this way. Especially not with colour, as demonstrated by the above cover, because it looks strange. The puckering-mouth, ski-slope-under-the-cheeks method is a contouring technique. Use skinlike tones (beige/taupe tones and foundation colours) to contour your face, because they mimic the actual tones of the shading you are trying to accentuate.

-SMILE. Make a big smile at yourself in the mirror. See the fleshy pad that pops out under your eyes when you do this? That's the apple of your cheek. Keep your blush colour in this area, and diffuse it out and upward. A great trick for a nice uplifting effect is to keep your blush to the outer two thirds of the apples of your cheeks, blending up and out.

-USE THE PROPER TOOL. The brush that I like to use to get a great daytime blush application is actually a medium sized powder brush. I find that many blush brushes are too small to effectively diffuse colour, although some powder brushes these days are way too big to use for the cheek alone. Look for a brush that is about the size of the apple of your cheek, as anything too big will be messy and anything too small will be streaky.

-LESS IS MORE. Blush (especially in the daytime) should bring a subtle vibrancy and life to your face. The current aesthetic for blush looks leans towards a lit-from-within glow, which is a far cry from the overt rouged looks of eras past. It's all about fooling the eye - go ahead and wear your (barely perceptible) blush, just don't let your screaming blush wear you!

Eyebrows

Anyone that knows me well knows that I have grown to become quite obsessed with eyebrows.

Eyebrows really are the frame for the face, and properly shaped and groomed eyebrows can make all the difference to your look. Although shapes and styles have changed throughout the ages, there are some key features to eyebrow looks right now that can make your look more current and modern.


The perfect modern brow, courtesy of allure.com

First new rule: LET YOUR BROWS GROW.

I know how easy it is to simply stick to a look you feel has been working for you, regardless of how long you have been doing it. Brows these days are thicker, fuller and shaped. Do not be afraid when you hear thick brows, these are not the unkempt look of the '80s.

Secondly, PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR ARCH.

We have all read this and that about how to find your arch and groom your eyebrows properly, but the truth is that the most current look for brows is groomed under a completely different set of measurements. Take for example the positioning of the arch is relation to the eye. Notice that the arch is pushed out from the centre of the face. In relation to the proportions of the brow, the arch is now starting at the outer third of the brow, and is not necessarily groomed in relation to the position of the iris (as previously mentioned in most brow grooming guides).

Thirdly, MODIFY THE SHAPE.

The most striking and contemporary shape to the brows is one that has a smoother, more fluid underline that transitions gradually from the beginning through to the arch at about two thirds out, and then gradually curves and tapers to form the end. Pay attention to the positioning of the endpoint in relation to the lowest point on the inner edge of your brow, above the inner corner of your eye. Notice that the inner corner is lower than the endpoint. If a level horizontal line was drawn across the eye touching the lower inner corner of the brows, the endpoint of the brow would be higher than this line. This creates a nice uplifting effect and really opens up the eye. I know it can be a little hard to achieve this raised endpoint, but please at least keep it level with the lower inner corner, as it will keep you from looking tired or sad.

Here's another contemporary brow, illustrating the perspective when viewing the face straight on:

The amazing Jessica Stam, from style.com

Next time you take a look at a recent magazine, take a second to really look at the eyebrows. It is easy to pass them up when you aren't especially looking out for them, but take a second to analyze the new shapes that are out there. You'll see what I mean...