Applying powder or foundation to skin that has not properly been prepped is like trying to ice a cake with icing that is too thick, or too hard to spread. It ends up looking dry, blotchy, and flaky.

This is the foundation for flawless looking skin, a must for soft, dewy looking skin we all dream of having, and can achieve with a few basic steps.

Exfoliating the skin is important, as it helps the renewal of skin cells and to sluff away dry skin patches. There are many exfoliating creams out there, but I have to say, I like the good old fashioned face cloth myself. It does a wonderful job, and it’s free! I would recommend that you exfoliate about three days a week. Doing it everyday will start to strip those precious natural oils. Focus on the areas we tend to get the dry skin patches such at the nose, forehead, and chin areas.

Regardless of your skin type you should start with a cleansed face. I recommend using a cream/milk (non-foaming) cleanser as it won’t strip away the necessary oils our skin needs. It does a wonderful job of cleansing the face while keeping the moisture in. What is also great about a cream cleanser is that most you can rub gently into the eye area when washing your face to remove your eye make up without any irritation that soap would cause. Some of my picks for this are: LANCOME Galatee Confort Comforting Milky Cream Cleanser, CLARINS Cleansing Milk With Alpine Herbs, SHU UEMURA Cleansing Oil, BIOTHERM Biosource Softening Cleansing Milk, and AVENE Gentle Milk Cleanser.

For normal/combination to dry skin types, apply a hydrating moisturizer to the face. If your skin is very oily apply an oil free moisturizer. Be careful not to under hydrate your skin. Very few people have severely oily skin, and drying it out only causes an over production of oil which is counterintuitive.

For a little extra smoothness and soft surface for your foundation, apply a make up primer. The one I recommend is COVER FX Skin Prep Nourishing Foundation Primer and Anti Aging Serum.

Wait a minute or two after applying moisturizer and primer before applying foundation or powder.

It is amazing the difference between doing make up on a skin that has been well nourished and exfoliated versus a face with dry skin sitting on the surface, don’t let it happen to you ladies!

I am a consumer of make up, so the good news is, you don’t have to be! Just enjoy the products I recommend knowing that they won’t make my list unless I use it on myself, on my clients, or both.

WHAT I AM LOVING RIGHT NOW

MOISTURIZER:

Still looking for the cure-all, but my requirements for a moisturizer are anti-aging properties, and mega hydration without feeling greasy. Hydration is in effect an anti-aging property, because if your skin is hydrated it is less apt to pull, and wrinkle. If I come across a moisturizer that is not hydrating enough, the simple fix for that is adding a little pure vitamin E oil directly to it. I love the CLARINS Instant Light Natural Lip Perfecter line of moisturizers. They have everything from basic hydration, to more intense anti-aging moisturizers both for day and night.  Another great product is the DIOR ~ Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm.

FOUNDATION:

Right now, I am absolutely loving a product I never thought I would, for two reasons: it’s price point, and it’s formula. It is about $20 more than I usually spend on foundation at $72, and also that it’s formula a powder and not a liquid. Being in my thirties, I have always thought a powder formula may enhance the fine lines on my face. Au contraire! this formula is a dream! It is so soft and silky, it is like if cream could be in a powder form. This product is called, SMASHBOX Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder. It is a formation of gold, 48 minerals, and 11 amino acids. With actual gold particles mixed in the formula, you would not believe the finish! My skin glows without looking like I was plugged in, and it is matte enough that I do not need the extra step of applying pressed powder. It is so fine, and the coverage is fantastic. You can start with a light coverage or build it up to a full coverage without it looking cakey in the slightest. It blends beautifully over a moisturized face. I have used it on my clients of all ages, and it looks great on all skin types. This Halo Powder is Heaven sent.

If you are not willing to go for the price point of the Halo Powder, or just are not going to budge from your tried and true liquid foundation, the products I love are DIOR Forever Liquid Foundation, and MAKE UP FOREVER HD High Deifintion Foundation. These products give such a beautiful finish, with wonderful, long lasting coverage.

EYES:

Tired of your eyeshadow creasing after only wearing it a couple of hours? Tired of seeing your eyeliner transfer onto your upper eyelid later in the day? My must have for a base on the eyelids before eyeshadow is a dream come true. With this creaseless shadow base these issues are a thing of the past. This product is BENEFIT Creaseless Shadow Liner. The colour I like for a base is Recess, as it is skin tone and perfect for all colours of eyeshadows you follow it with, or to be worn as a natural colour on its own. Use your fingers to apply it, and apply your eyeliner and/or eyeshadow afterwards.

EYESHADOW:

I would recommend for colour variety, good pigmentation and staying power, MAC, DIOR, and NARS.

MASCARA:

There is always the splurge versus the steal debate with mascaras. I have always been the splurge kind of girl in this area as I have always had great success with the prestige lines of mascaras. Until recently. I had one huge disappointment in a prestige area, and one shocker of a great mascara in the mass produced cheaper lines (which I list below!). My recommendations for a great volumizing mascara would definitely be LANCOME Hypnose Drama Mascara, and DIOR Diorshow Mascara. For a great lengthening and curling mascara I would choose, DIOR Diorshow Unlimited, and believe it or not, RIMMEL Sexy Curves Full Volume and Curve Mascara at a great price point this mascara gets top marks. A great all around mascara I would recommend YVES SAINT LAURENT Mascara Singulier.

How do you know what kind of mascara you need? The answer is simple. If you have shorter lashes but a decent amount of them, go for a lengthening/curling mascara. The wands of some of the volumizing formulas are quite large and if you your lashes are not long enough to take the size of the wand, it won’t do you much help. It you have long lashes but less of them, then you should use the volumizing formula to add density and fullness to your already long lashes.

EYEBROW PENCIL:

Do I need this you ask? With out even seeing you, there would be a 95% chance that my answer would be a yes. Most of us need a little filling in here and there to help with making both brows symmetrical, and with a good number of us, our brows are a little lacking in density or fullness that need a little help. Do not underestimate the eyebrows and the roll they play ladies. This is a step not to be overlooked; the brows frame the face in such a huge way as I am sure you have heard before. The two products I recommend are DIOR Diorshow Brow Styler, and MAC Brow Pencils in the fine tipped formula. Follow the diagram below to get the ideal shape. Don’t worry if your brows are not this shape, this is the ideal, just try to get as close to it as possible even if your brows are thinner, rounder, or shorter than this ideal shape. On occasion, we have done a little over-tweezing and some time needs to go by where you make your eyebrows a ‘no tweezing zone’ for a few months to let them fill in again, as hard as it is! Fuller brows look much better than a couple of thin lines above the eyes. Trust me! You can also get some great eyebrow stencils to either help with the filling in of the brows, or the help you may need to guide you when growing them back in. They can be found at EYEBROWZ.COM.

CONCEALER:

Not enough can be said for a good concealer. It’s a God send so cover a multitude of evils, only you have to know what they are! The ones I love are, DIOR Diorskin Nude Skin Perfecting Hydrating Concealer, LANCOME, MAKE UP FOREVER HD High Definition Concealer, and for serious coverage I would recommend COVER FX.

MAKE UP BRUSHES:

My favorite brushes are two professional lines called ARTLINE and VE NEILL BRUSHES at VESFAVORITEBRUSHES.COM. My other favorites are the MAC brushes. There is one brush however, that is the ultimate powder, and powder foundation brush. It is the LANCOME Mineral Powder Foundation Brush. The bristles of this brush stay in the brush! This sometimes seems to be an anomaly with make up brushes, and this one never disappoints. This one is a must have for your make up kit ladies.

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Eye Lashes 101
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Don’t be shy ladies, a red lip can be worn both in the day and at night. A daytime red lip should just be paired with a more subtle make up everywhere else. For evening, have some fun ~ anything goes! A red lip requires a little more maintenance however, so be careful when out in the evening, you may find you need a few trips to the powder room after eating and drinking.

Both matte and glossy formulas are available, and both can look great. For the day, I would stick to a middle of the road moisturizing formula, and keep it toned down slightly. It can look so very sophisticated, so don’t hesitate to try it!

Before applying lip liner, lipstick or gloss one of my must haves for any lip application is firstly appling MAC Lip Erase Lip Balm to the lip with your finger. This product is wonderful for a few reasons. It helps hydrate the lips, it gives a great base to work from, and it gives the lip colour extra staying power. I like to use a little MAC Lip Liner in Half Red before applying the lipstick, and then also again after the lipstick to perfect the line of the lips.

Which colour to choose? Basically there are three tones of red. A blue red, an orange red, and a true red. The rule of thumb when choosing what suits your skin tone the best is the following: for those with pinkish undertones in their skin, they should stick with blue reds, and for those with olive or yellow undertones in their skin they should stick with a true reds, or orange reds.

Blue  Reds

MAC – Ruby Woo
SHISEIDO – RD 514
DOLCE AND GABBANA – Devil
YVES SAINT LAURENT – 137
YVES SAINT LAURENT – 17
CHANEL – Rouge Allure 14

Orange  Reds

GUERLAIN – Kiss Kiss 531 Fabulous Rouge
MAC – Russian Red
DIOR – Dior Addict 773
SHISEIDO – 415
YVES SAINT LAURENT – 143
CHANEL – Rouge Allure 58

True Reds

SMASHBOX – Legendary
BOBBI BROWN – Red 10
YVES SAINT LAURENT – 131
LANCOME – L’Absolu Rouge

Going to yoga, the gym, the grocery store, or anywhere anything more than a seemingʻau naturalʼ would be too much, but you are not quite comfortable to bare the black circles, blotchiness, and the not so perfect bare face? Fear not, there is a make up application thatʼs just right for those occasions, or anytime you donʼt want to bother with too much make up. Itʼs quick and itʼs easy, and best of all, no one will ever know you didnʼt wake up that flawless!

Start with a clean, moisturized face. Apply a little concealer such as my current favorite, DIOR Nude concealer, under the eyes and anywhere you may have redness, such as, around the nostrils, the chin, etc. Feel free to also apply a little bit of your foundation if you feel you need a bit more coverage. Blend in well with your fingers. If you have an oilier skin type add a bit of powder to the center of the face i.e. forehead, nose and chin.

Apply a little cheek stain with your fingers such as BENEFIT Benetint, or your regular blush to the apples of your cheeks. This gives a youthful, flushed, just out from the cold look, that looks very natural.

Apply one coat of mascara, and some light coloured, or lip coloured gloss to your lips, or your favorite lip balm. One of the best lip balms out there is CLARINS.

ET VOILA! Donʼt leave home with out it ladies ~ the fresh face ʻau naturalʼ!

Liquid eyeliner is very much in fashion at the moment channeling old world Hollywood looks of the 1950ʼs. Itʼs something that takes a bit of practice and patience, but once you master it, the look is timeless glamour that can be worn by women of any age. For middle aged gals and beyond I would keep the line on the thinner side. A steady hand helps tremendously, (or your own make up artist!) but there are some liners that make application easier than others.

ANGLED BRUSH WITH GEL LINER: This is my preference when doing make up on others, it takes practice, but when doing it on yourself there are easier methods. LINER PEN WITH BRISTLED POINTED TIP: This is a little easier, but I find the bristles always separate or fray and make for an uneven line requiring you to go back and smooth out the line with a cotton swab. LINER FELT TIP PEN: This is the best option for a clean line, and even product application. The tip is firm, which helps with stability. It is also nice in that, an even amount of product comes out with each stroke. RECOMMENDED: NARS Eyeliner Stylo in Nuits Blanches NOT RECOMMENDED: LANCOME Artliner in Noir ~ the tip is flimsy and thin requiring a lot of correcting and strokes to thicken the line.

HOW TO APPLY:

• Gently pull the outer corner of your eye outwards, so the lidʼs skin lies taut and flat.
• Beginning at your eyeʼs outer corner, using the liner pen, start the line where you want the line to finish. This will be the highest point.
• Draw the line towards the inner corner of the eye gradually getting thinner and thinner until you have reached the innermost corner of your eyelid.
• A little correction may be required if the lengths and widths on both eyes are not symmetrical. Using a moistened cotton swab to correct. Sweep the moistened cotton swab upwards at the outer corner to create the ʻwingedʼ effect.