finishing touches for your eyebrows

For that extra little bit of polish to your makeup look, think about finishing touches for your eyebrows.

For any look, from a natural look to full on glamour, making sure your eyebrows are groomed and defined can make a huge difference.

On those days that you aren't planning on wearing much makeup (like the lazy days of summer), simply combing your brows with a spoolie (clean mascara wand) or a brow comb in an upward and outward direction is great. If your brow hairs are on the unruly side, comb through a little brow wax or even a bit of untinted lip balm to tame and subtly define them.

If you are going to be wearing a stronger makeup look, you can define your brows with either a pencil or a powder. It really is a matter of preference and comfort when choosing your weapon, but there are a few tips I can offer for both:

When choosing a pencil, look for a BROW PENCIL specifically, because they are formulated with the best texture, which is drier than other pencils. Do not fill in your brows with an eyeliner (too creamy) or, heaven forbid, a lip liner (just WRONG - too creamy and usually too warm toned).

If you are more comfortable with a powder, you can use a brow powder specifically, or a matte eyeshadow with a neutral tone. Apply the powder with a small angled brush with firm bristles.

Use short strokes to mimic hairs and fill in following the direction of the hair growth.

As a guideline, blondes should look for a tone similar to their overall hair colour or slightly darker; brunettes should look for a tone similar to their colour or slightly lighter.


from beaut.ie

AND MY BIGGEST TIP BY FAR:

Always comb through your brows with a spoolie or brow comb AFTER you have filled them in. This ensures that the edges are softened and look natural. If you feel that you have filled them in too heavily, comb more vigorously, zigzagging side to side as you comb up and out to lift some of the colour and diffuse the effect.

curling eyelashes

Curling my eyelashes is a vital step in any of my eye makeup looks. I have fairly straight eyelashes, so I cannot under emphasize the difference made by curling my eyelashes before applying mascara.

The first time I tried curling my eyelashes, I was very excited. I was a little over-zealous with the curling and pinched my eyelid (I was about 10, so mistakes were to be expected). I also squeezed and held the curler clamped shut for far too long (15 seconds, 30 seconds, I don't really remember). My lashes ended up at a 90 degree angle. Needless to say it took a little practice to get it right.

My biggest tip for making the best curl is to "walk the curler" along your eyelashes, and this is a technique specifically for clamp curlers (the most common type). I start by trying to make the first crimp as close to my lash line as possible, without catching my eyelid. I then hold the curler down for a brief moment, up to about 5 seconds. After creating this crimp, I pull the curler out a little bit from the base of the lashes and make a second crimp. Making 2 crimps (or possibly 3 if you can manage it) creates the prettiest and most effective curl, in my opinion.

Try to curl your lashes before you put on mascara, because mascara can make your lashes stick to the crimping pads in the curler, pulling them out.

Good curlers can be found at different price points, although the Cadillac of eyelash curlers is by Shu Uemura. I was lucky enough to receive my Shu for my 18th birthday, which is nice because it retails for around $25. It really is a superior tool, making curling a breeze, and giving the nicest effect.


Shu Uemura eyelash curler from shuuemura-usa.com

If you are not looking to spend that much (and I wouldn't blame you), I would try and look for a curler with a metal body (as opposed to plastic) because you can squeeze gently but effectively. I find the plastic ones feel flimsy and don't give enough curl. Sometimes curlers are labelled with different levels of curl, from natural to dramatic. Get the dramatic, because I have found that any of the ones labelled natural don't do much of anything!

You may need to test a few to find the one that fits your eye the best and works the most effectively for you, but I highly recommend you try it!

gloPrecision eye pencils in US Elle

Check out this month's US Elle magazine, with the ever-immaculate Madonna on the cover!


from frillr.com

Flip to page 212 and see my beloved gloPrecision eye pencils named as the best eyeliner in their Green Stars makeup feature.


from dermstore.com

They cited that these pencils "contain finely crushed minerals for supervelvety, high-impact colour." I love them because they come in great colours (black, black-brown, brown, charcoal, peach, plum, deep olive, antique gold, silver lilac) and have excellent staying power. They can go on very precisely and intense, or you can smudge them out with the smudger on the other end of the pencil to create a softer effect. The glominerals line also has great lip and brow pencils, too!

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.