Written by Kimberly in: Makeup
14 Apr 2011Cream blush… oh how I love thee! You give my cheeks a radiant, healthy glow and blend seamlessly into my skin. You last all day and look so soft and natural. What did I ever do without you?!
Seriously, what did I do before cream blush? Well, I used powder of course! Looking back now, I can hardly believe there was ever a time that I didn’t love it, but there was. I honestly don’t remember what the problem was. I think I was afraid of it. Afraid of it streaking, or feeling greasy, or not blending… whatever! It was new and different and I just didn’t understand how amazing cream blush can be!
Now don’t misunderstand, powder blush is perfectly fine and I still do use it occasionally. But who wants “fine” when you can have “wow!”? Still not convinced? Alright, here’s what I want you to do: Apply powder blush on one cheek (or the back of your hand) and apply cream blush on the other. Now step back and look in the mirror. Which one looks more natural? Which one has more glow and radiance? If you left them on all day, which one stayed on longer and looks fresher? I suspect the cream blush side will be the answer to all those questions.
So why not try a cream blush?! Scared? Nervous?? Well don’t be! Here are a few tips for wearing and applying cream blush:
When looking for a cream blush, you want to make sure that the color is sheer (meaning you can still see your skin through it when you put it on) and creamy feeling on your skin. The sheerness is important because it makes it easier to achieve your desired intensity as well as make for effortless blending.
You want to choose a color that your skin would naturally blush. For most of us, that means a pink shade, or if you prefer, a soft peach works beautifully too.
When applying cream blush, using your fingers, start at the apple (the fleshy part of your cheek) of your cheek and blend upwards. I always like to start lighter and build up the color as needed, but if you get too much you can easily tone it down with a makeup sponge or tissue.
Tip Did you know that cream blush also makes a lovely lip balm? It’s true! Just apply it on your lips with your finger for a soft, natural color. Add a little lip gloss on top for extra sparkle.
I know you might not understand my obsession, but that just means you’ve probably never tried it (or at least a good one). Don’t be afraid… go out and see for yourself! I have no doubt that very soon, you’ll be in love too. ![]()
Written by Kimberly in: Makeup
4 Apr 2011Pink is definitely the color of the moment! I love how versatile pink is… it can be vibrant and bold, or soft and feminine. Pink is fun, flirty and fabulous! Pink is a color that absolutely anyone can wear! It just depends on the shade and intensity. Pink is actually very neutral when you think about it.
Truth be told, there was a time when I wasn’t so in love with pink. Looking back I’m not sure why. Perhaps I was unsure of how to wear it with out feeling like a little girl, or it could have been because I was just being a rebellious teenager… I simply adore it now, though! I love how it gives me an extra healthy glow and it almost always cheers me up whenever I have it on.
So today I’m going to talk about how you (Yes, YOU!) can wear pink and be trendy and fashionable, but more importantly, look beautiful and confident. It’s easy, I promise! Here we go…
Come on girls, this one’s easy! There are so many different shades of pink lipstick and glosses out there, it’s just a matter of finding the one that you love the most. If you’re a beginner, or just not into bright colors, then go with a soft, light gloss. You can always work your way up to bolder colors by adding lip liner or mixing different hues of glosses and lipsticks. The pinks that have more of a brown undertone are going to look the most natural, while the more blue undertoned pinks will have more of a pop of color to them. This is an area where you can really have fun and go all out and I whole heartedly encourage you to do so!
OK, so this one’s not so uncommon, either. Believe me when I say that absolutely everyone can wear a pink blush! Pink is the color you turn naturally when you blush, (or get over heated) so it only makes sense! Go with a more sheer pink on your cheeks so you don’t feel like a clown. (“Sheer” meaning you can still see you skin through it) I love a pop of pink on the apples of the cheeks! It makes you look energized and brightens your complexion like nothing else can. You gotta try it!
Alright, this is a bit more unconventional, I know, but it can be so pretty! A light, shimmery, nude pink makes the perfect base color, while a darker shade is super sexy when paired with a smokey eyeliner and dramatic lashes. Don’t be afraid to try it… just like with the lips, start light and work your way towards a darker shade, or try it just as an accent color. Pink looks amazing with plums, grays, blues and even browns!
I always feel like nail color is the perfect place to be a bit more daring and dramatic. Why not have some fun?! If you’re not comfortable wearing bold color on your fingers, then go for it on your toes! It can be your own fun little secret!
Tip If you’re having a difficult time finding a pink eyeshadow you like, then try a powder blush. Since it’s a powder it will apply the same way as an eyeshadow and there’s a lot more color selection! The only thing to watch out for is eye irritation since cheek color’s are generally not optometrist tested.
I really hope this gave you some fun ideas! Maybe you’ll try them all, or try just one, the point is to have fun and give yourself a chance to try something new. After all, who doesn’t want to be pretty in pink? ![]()
Written by Kimberly in: Makeup
18 Mar 2011Here’s one more hot makeup trend that you’ll be seeing a lot of this Spring and Summer: Bright lips matched with bright nails! That’s right, no more grayish beige nails, it’s all about the wow factor of hot, vivacious color. It looks especially amazing when paired with a more neutral outfit… the color really pops and becomes more of an accessory. How fun is that?! Talk about making a statement!
The hottest shades of the moment are bright reds, corals and pinks. I know these colors can seem a bit intimidating, but trust me, anyone can wear this look. The key is to choose a color that compliments your skin tone, and go more sheer on the lips. Here are a few tips to help you get the look of the moment:
This is really important so you don’t look too trampy and over done. All you need is some mascara and maybe a very light, shimmery eyeshadow. That’s it. For reals.
For the ultimate chic look, match your cheek color to your lips and nails. Just make sure you choose a blush that is more sheer so you won’t look like a clown.
Whenever you’re wearing a bright lip color, it’s important to make sure your lips are nice and smooth. Dry, scaly lips are so very unattractive and wearing a strong lip color will only call attention to the dry, dead skin on your lips.
Tip If wearing a matching cheek color is too “matchy, matchy” for you, then you could also use a bronzer as your cheek color. It’s nice and neutral and won’t clash with the intensity of your lips and nails.
Okay you hot mama’s! There’s one more hot trend to be on the look out for for Spring 2011. This look is so youthful and fun and flirty, I love it! I know you will too!
Written by Kimberly in: Makeup
7 Mar 2011Dust off your bronzers, girls! It’s finally that time of year to pull the bronzer out of the bottom of the makeup bag and start wearing it. I love bronzer because it’s such a quick, easy and safe way to get a sun-kissed, healthy glow. Remember, sun tanning equals sun damage, sun spots, skin cancer and premature aging. Why put yourself at risk for all that when you can get the same results and none of the side effects using a bronzer?! Alright, enough lecturing for now…
I know I’ve talked about bronzers before, but this spring, things are looking a bit different. Rather then keeping makeup monotone with all bronze and gold tones when wearing bronzer, this year is about bright, playful color. Think fresh faced and sun-glowy, perhaps even a bit tropical! Here are a few examples of some of the hot makeup trends to wear with bronzer right now:
Wearing a bright lip color with bronzed skin is all the rage for this spring, especially in a bright coral or pink. Make sure to keep your eye makeup minimal so your luscious lips can take center stage.
Yes, you can wear blush and bronzer together! A very hot look right now is to apply blush (one again in a pink or coral) in the apples of the cheeks and blend the bronzer on your cheekbones. This gives your skin a gorgeous glow of color and bronze that looks so fresh and radiant! Keep your eyes and lips fairly neutral with soft colors so you don’t look too made up.
While you can never go wrong with neutrals, try heating things up a bit with bright blue, or purple eye makeup while wearing your bronzer. A soft, smokey eye in a brighter color is so amazing! Especially when paired with a soft pink gloss… talk about sexy for spring! Oh la la!
Tip Remember to apply your bronzer where the sun would naturally hit your face: Your forehead, the top of your cheekbones and down the center of your nose. Make sure to choose a color that is not too orange, and not too brown and blend well.
So there’s some 2011 bronzer tips for you! It’s all about mixing your bronzer with fabulous colors like pinks, purples, blues and corals. Bright, playful, fresh and flirty and most importantly, fun! Hooray for spring 2011!
Written by Kimberly in: Makeup
25 Jan 2011Are you dreaming of the warm, gentle breezes of Spring? Well sweetie, I’m afraid that if you’re in an area of the world that actually gets cold in the Winter (like I am), we’re in for a few more months of chilliness. However, there’s one way to heat things up a bit… by wearing lovely, bright makeup colors! It’s a great way to lift your spirits until the sunshine makes its way back.
Today I thought we’d talk about what’s sure to be a very hot color for Spring 2011 – Orange! I know you’re probably thinking that you can’t wear orange, or that it’s too bright of a color for you. Just try to keep an open mind: This is a super fun and cheerful color that can also be hot and spicy, and it might just be the pick me up you need! Here are three different ways to add orange to your makeup.
Yes, that’s right, I said orange eyeshadow! It may sound odd, but a soft, sherbert orange color is a wonderful, fresh base color that anyone can wear. It helps to brighten and open up your eyes. If you’re feeling a bit more brave, you can try a darker, deeper orange. Apply it in the crease of your eye with a black or dark brown eyeliner for a hot, sexy look. On you girls with blue eyes, an orange eyeshadow is particularly stunning. Try it out and see what I mean.
Orange blush is a great way to warm up your complexion, especially when paired with a bronzer. Apply the bronzer under your cheekbone and then for a pop of color add a bit of orange blush on the apples of your cheek. If you’re afraid of a brighter orange, then go with an orange that has more brown, or peach tones to it for a softer, more natural look. The orange makeup you use doesn’t have to be too orange.
There are many choices out there for orange lips depending on your comfort zone. The hot Spring trend is all about big and bright, but if that’s too much, then you could go with a more coral or peachy color. Be careful when choosing your orange lip color because some shades can tend to make your teeth look brown and dingy.
Tip If you’re just too nervous for orange, a great alternative is rust, bronze, peach, or and orange-red color like the one on the woman in the picture above. Just find something that’s in the orange family without being too over the top. They’re more on the neutral side and yet still have a sense of adventure to them.
So that’s my first hot color tip for Spring 2011! Be brave! Don’t be afraid of trying something new! It’s completely up to you if you want to wear orange on your eyes, cheeks and lips, or just play up on one feature. The key is to have fun and try to get your mind off the fact that we still have a ways to go before Spring. Even though it’s still cold outside, at least your makeup can look hot! ![]()