Beauty Secrets: How to Weatherproof Your Makeup

Change of seasons bring change of fashion. Change of weather should also bring a few little changes to your makeup bag. Here's a few tips to weather proof your makeup and leave you looking flawless this winter.

Photo by David Burton

WATERPROOF MASCARA
 Switch out your normal mascara for a waterproof  one. It will help prevent smearing. Nobody wants black streaks running down their face. =)


WATERPROOF EYELINER
If you're going to wear eyeliner in the rain make sure it's also waterproof so you can avoid raccoon eyes.


CHEEK STAIN
Blush always seems to be the first thing to go on a rainy day. To keep a rosy glow on your cheeks try applying a cheek stain. Most of them double as a lip stain so you can kill two birds with one stone!
 
SETTING SPRAY
Now for my favorite tip.... Setting spray. If you have trouble keeping your makeup on this is the answer! Seriously. A spritz of setting spray before you leave the house will make a huge difference in the longevity of your  makeup. It pretty much waterproofs every thing you have applied to your skin. When I use setting spray on my clients they come back and tell me how their makeup stayed on all night. They have setting sprays for all skin types, even mineral lines make them. Try it out.

WATERPROOF MAKEUP REMOVER
If you're going to waterproof the eyes make sure you use a waterproof makeup remover. It's important to be gentle around your eyes and your lashes. 

Try these secrets the next time it rains. You might just come back and thank me!

Learn How to Repair Broken Eyeshadows, Blush and Foundation

You just bought that fabulous metallic eyeshadow you've had your eye on for the last month... A week later ...It's fallen on the floor in a big powdery mess. Oops! If you're anything like me, this is a common occurrence in your household. Don't you hate it when you buy new makeup and it breaks faster than you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious? Okay, maybe not that  fast. But here's a quick easy way to fix that problem.

WHAT YOU NEED

• Sandwich baggy
• Tiny spatula, if you don't have one improvise! Use the opposite end of a spoon
• Rubbing alcohol
• Paper towel, tissue, or piece of fabric
• Quarter

 STEP ONE
 Place the baggy over the broken eyeshadow.

 STEP TWO
Take your spatula and break the eyeshadow even more. This sounds counterproductive, but the smaller it is ground up the easier it is for it to stick together again. Make sure your hands and spatula are clean!

STEP THREE
  Now for the rubbing alcohol. You can do this a few different ways...The most effective method is to use some kind of dropper to apply the alcohol. I didn't have one of those lying around the house so I used a tiny spray bottle. Don't drench the eyeshadow in alcohol but it needs to have enough to make it pliable. A clay consistency. You be the judge

 STEP FOUR
Take your paper towel/fabric/tissue and gently press it over your eyeshadow to form it back into place. You can wrap the quarter up in the paper towel to really get a nice form. DO NOT place the quarter directly onto the eyeshadow unless you want it to be filled with germs!

 Yours will probably look a little better than mine. It's difficult to form an eyeshadow trio back in to place =)

 Now that you know how to fix broken shadows you wont ever have to deal with a messy makeup bag again. Yay!

Leave Your Skin Glowing With This DIY Pumpkin Mask

Fall brings pumpkin spiced lattes and pumpkin pie, so why not treat yourself to an at home pumpkin facial? This wonderful gift from mother nature is rich in vitamin A which helps repair the skin and stabilize the production of collagen. It's naturally hydrating and great for all skin types!

 WHAT YOU NEED

• About 4 tablespoons pumpkin puree (not the pumpkin pie filling with a bunch of added sugar)
•  2 teaspoons of honey
• A splash of milk, buttermilk, or whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. If you used whipping cream try using the electric mixer for a few minutes to really add thickness to your mask. Apply to freshly washed skin for about 15 minutes. I could really feel the hydration in this mask. I will definitely be trying this one again.

Forget the expensive facial. Have your skin glowing using only 3 ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen! 

Fabulous Five: Five Easy Ways to Become a Braided Beauty

Braids have been all over the runways the past few seasons and are perfect for all hair types and texture. Here's 5 fun and easy ways to take your hairstyle up a notch!

 

THE SIDE BRAID
A french braid along the side of your hair is so easy and can do so much for your hairstyle. Wear it with natural waves or twisted up into a messy bun. You can't go wrong .

 THE WATERFALL BRAID
This one is my favorite and I can't wait to try it! If you know how to french braid you can easily incorporate this into your next style.

• First take a classic french braid from vertical to horizontal.
• When you have the hair sectioned into three instead of adding hair from the bottom section you split it in half only bringing half of the section into the braid. Let the rest fall giving a "waterfall" effect. It sounds more complicated than it is! 

BOHO BRAID
One simple braid can make such a statement. This is truly bohemian chic!

 THE KNOT SO BRAIDED BRAID
 A new take on the classic pigtail. This is so easy anyone can do it.

• Tease the hair to create lots of volume.  
• Section the hair and instead of braiding literally tie your hair in knots as if you are tying your shoes! 

THE INSIDE OUT BRAID
This one is a little more advanced and may take some practice. But definitely worth it! As you can see how fabulous it is. 

• Start with teasing the hair if you don't have natural texture.
• Start forming an inside out french braid (it's exactly the same as a french braid but instead of braiding over you braid under).
• When you get towards the end of the braid start pulling some of the hair out. Similar to the waterfall braid.

With these five new styles you'll be on your way to braided bliss in no time! 

Beauty Secrets: Why Does Your Concealer Settle Into Fine Lines?

One of the main things people are looking for when they ask me for make-up help is concealer . Women are in search of a concealer that doesn't settle into all of their little fine lines. So I'm going to let you in on a little secret.... because there's nothing worse than having to look in the mirror every five minutes to fix your makeup!

Clients are often reluctant to try what I suggest due to the creamy texture. Creamy is good! Who wants dry looking under eyes?? The answer is not in the concealer, but in a wonderful little product called setting powder.

HOW TO SET YOUR CONCEALER :
First off, do not set your concealer in with your foundation powder that is not the same thing.

• Dip a small powder brush into the finishing powder ( make sure you don't pick up too much product)
• Lightly press the brush into your under eye in a tapping motion to ensure that it is thoroughly set
• Take your brush and lightly wipe away any remaining powder

Using this beauty secret you will open the doors to buying any concealer you want!

Say Goodbye to Dry Lips With This DIY Lip Scrub

This is my favorite time of year, but the weather change can be hard on my lips. Without proper hydration the lips can be dry and sometimes even painful. Say goodbye to dry flaky lips with this easy DIY lip scrub!

WHAT YOU NEED:
My favorite part about this recipe is that you only need two ingredients! Even better? They are probably sitting in your kitchen right now.

• Brown sugar- exfoliate without drying out the skin
• Honey- a natural moisturizer

DIRECTIONS:

•  Place two tablespoons of brown sugar in a bowl
• Mix with honey to desired texture
• Place in a lip balm jar or container for storage
• If you want to get fancy decorate the container or even make a label. This natural scrub makes a great little gift, so don't forget to make an extra for a friend!

APPLICATION:
Use once a week to prevent chapped lips. This scrub will seriously leave your lips unbelievably smooth. Using your fingers gently rub the scrub on your lips in circular motions for ten seconds. Don't resist the urge to have a taste =). Rinse with a warm wash cloth and apply your favorite lip balm to lock in hydration. 

Last, but not least prepare to have the most kissable lips ever! <3

The Beauty of Gratitude

We often find ourselves worrying about the smallest of things and letting them ruin our whole day. Have you ever noticed that when something goes wrong and you get mad about it more and more negative things keep coming your way? Law of attraction is the idea that " like attracts like " that positive and negative thinking bring positive and negative physical results. So save yourself the worry wrinkles and the frown lines. Instead of worrying about that bill you have to pay, reflect on the good and celebrate your life! I've been wanting to make a gratitude journal for quite some time and November is the perfect month to do it.

GRATITUDE JOURNAL
Of course you can just use any old notebook or journal. But.. What's the fun in that? I created this little guy out of old scrapbook paper from other projects and things I had lying around the house. 

WHAT YOU'LL NEED    

• Scrapbook paper, lined paper or construction paper 
• Glue
• Hole puncher
• Ribbon or string
• Decorative items

DIRECTIONS 

• Cut out the paper into your desired shape and size and place them in the order you want them. You can mix lined paper with scrapbook paper. I even included envelopes in case my journal overflows. Get creative with it. There's no wrong or right way. Do what works for you using what you have. =)
• Line the paper up and punch three holes using your hole puncher.
• Insert ribbon or string to hold it together 
• Now start decorating! Use stickers, rhinestones, different sized paper, or even write meaningful quotes. Make it your own! 
• Lastly, don't forget to fill it up with all the people and things you appreciate

 Unearth your inner beauty with the power of gratitude. Feeling beautiful is being beautiful. 

Zombie Makeup 101

Want to be a zombie? Here's a few easy ways to go from tame to terrifying using items you can find in your house

l;e

 Special thanks to my Dad for giving me 30 minutes to torture.. I mean transform him into a night walker! Before we get started let me just say there's no right or wrong way to do this. Get creative!!!


Get this look:

• Okay so for step number one you have a few different options. I suggest using liquid latex which can be found at your local Halloween store. You can also use plain old elmers glue or eye lash glue (which is what I used). Using the sponge, stipple the glue on to desired areas of the skin (eyes or forehead) if you stretch the skin while doing this after the glue is dried it will give you a wrinkled effect...you can also rub the glue after its dried to add texture. Use a blow dryer on cool to help the drying process along. 
• Mix dried oatmeal with the same glue you used and add little patches of it to desired areas of the face. I did it around the mouth and on the forehead for a gruesome effect!
• Rip little pieces of tissue or toilet paper. Paint it on in little patches all over the face for texture. Use the glue to get all the edges down. 
• Add any other cuts or prosthetic pieces you want to use. I made an extra wax cut on the forehead.
• Now that you have your main "injuries" take your sponge and stipple the glue over the rest of the face.
• Once all the glue is dried take a powder puff and powder everything so that it's not sticky. 
• Now for the face painting... Like I said before, get creative. The colors you use here depend on what kind of zombie you want to be. For freshly dead try using foundation a few shades lighter than your skin tone. You could also use gray or white face paint. I used a mixture of foundation and green paint.When you're applying the color stipple with the sponge don't smear it all over your face. Don't be afraid to use multiple colors it will only add more texture and make your zombie face even better!
• Add black or gray eyeshadow around the eyes mouth or contours of the face.
• I also stippled vaseline over the cuts to give them a "wet" look
• Now for the best part! Take some fake blood and splatter it all over your wounds!
• If you have hair (my dad doesn't) =) slather some conditioner or hair wax to grease it up a little.
• Finish it off with some zombie attire and you're ready to roam the streets with the dead.

Bronzer, Your Guide to Sunkissed Bliss

Bronzer is one of my favorite beauty tools. Unfortunately, it's also one that's seriously misused. To avoid looking hideously orange see below 

WHAT YOU NEED 

• Fan Brush
• Foundation
• Bronzer

GET THIS LOOK

• Assuming that your skin is already prepped with moisturizer start with applying your foundation. If you want to achieve a super natural look use a tinted moisturizer instead so it evens out the skin tone but still lets your natural beauty shine through.
• A fan brush is a very versatile tool and a great addition to your brush collection. For this particular look you are going to be using the flat part of the brush not the edge/end of the brush. Work the bronzer on to your fan brush. Before application, test it out on your hand to make sure you didn't pick up too much product. It's better to not have enough on then to slap on too much and have orange streaks all over your face.
• Keep the brush flat to the face. Lightly dust bronzer on to the forehead, bridge of the nose, apples of the cheeks and chin. 

Take your skin from looking dull to truly gorgeous bronzed and beautiful!