Hot or Not Beauty

One of the most sought after makeup items is beyond any doubt the perfect mascara. Mascara will completely transform a woman’s expression giving her gaze a sophisticated allure.
So today I bring you one of my utmost favorites, my Holy Grail volume and length mascara.
It’s none other than Helena Rubinstein’s Lash Queen.

I have tried many other volume mascaras, but none has shown results like this one. If you love full bewitching lashes, then this is your companion for non-paralleled eyelashes, with but a single coat of Lash Queen your lashes will be evenly coated and even the thinnest ones will transform into long and luscious lashes that will make guy’s jaws drop and if you want to make it even more dramatic then go for multiple looks for a glamorous false lash look without the fuss.

I have tried other brands, MAC’s Zoomlash, Chanel’s Extrême Cils, Make Up For Ever’s Waterproof mascara, Les Faux Cils by Yves Saint-Laurent and Diorshow Mascara just to name several and none have achieved results like Lash Queen, which makes it a must have in my regular or emergency kit.

Available in both regular and waterproof formulation, this Helena Rubinstein mascara is packed with the expected luxury of this makeup brand in a beautiful gold wand and since it’s practically Summer, you might as well go for waterproof and I can guarantee you that it stays put.

In a hurry? A touch of concealer, some lipstick or lip gloss, a quick coat of Lash Queen and you are completely transformed without looking overly made up.

Give it a try and you will not regret it.

When nude lips first became vogue, I was horrified. Even though I am a makeup artist by trade, I just couldn’t get with that non-lip look. Slowly but surely I was won over. It was sort of like when Bobbi Brown introduced the natural “browns” in lipsticks. I thought this is the ugliest trend ever. Who the heck wants brown lips? Well, that trend was here for quite awhile, and Bobbi Brown is now a household name.

The nude lip though has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for many women. For example, the girl with virtually no lips. You know, thin, where-are-they lips. Nude lipstick and in particular nude glosses have been their saving grace. Let’s go back to art school for this principal of light and dark. Dark makes objects appear smaller (that’s why we love to wear black) and light makes things appear larger (that’s why we paint small rooms in light colors). The nudes act as an optical illusion if you will. Adding that light to the lips, makes them appear fuller. Why not pay $20 for a plumping nude colored lipgloss as opposed to hundreds for collagen or Restalyn?

Stars certainly love the nude look. I remember when Jennifer Lopez sported a Bourjois Lipgloss for a certain photoshoot, the sales were off the hook for that brand. Jen has that signature nude lip. On occasion we see her with a vibrant red, but for the most part, she is that nude lipgloss girl.

Back to makeup artistry. As an artist, you learn balance on the face. So if eyes are the focal point, the mouth should be softer. If the mouth is the focal point, then eyes should be soft and fresh. This is when the nude lip became so popular with the smoky eye look. When a woman is wearing heavy, dark makeup on her eyes, the last thing she needs are lips that are fighting with her eye makeup. Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls and Beyonce’ are both women who rock this makeup combination of dark eyes and nude lip.

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Spring is almost here and it’s time to update the face! As much as I hate to admit it, fashion decidedly influences the makeup styles for each season. Spring 2007 fashion is all about sporty or romantic looks. Metallics and throw back inspiration from the ‘8o’s. Colors are limited to Black and White or your basic nude. The fashion trend, dictates the makeup. In makeup we will be seeing pink flushed cheeks, metallic eyes, bold lips and strong brows.

Let’s start with a fun trend for Spring 2007 — metallics.
Granted the way a trend is presented on the runway is not the way we everyday girls wear it. Trends are exaggerated on the runway. Sort of hyperbole in fashion — so we get the point. Models at CHANEL Spring 2007 sported bold gold and silver shadows rimming their eyes. While most of us wouldn’t wear that much shadow or in such a fashion for everyday, it does give us some insight into how to interpret the trend for everyday wear.

How to wear the trend:

Metallic shadows run the gammut from light sheens with a slight glimmer of metallic, to full on heavy metal. Your choice depends strictly on preference. I wouldn’t recommend a corporate lawyer wearing Urban Decay shadows with super shine and glitter, someone conservative certainly could wear a color wash (soft sweep of color over entire lid) of a soft sheen like Stila in Kitten or Nude. Pump up the metallic with Urban Decay in Baked, El Dorado or Vapor — the best of their metallic bronzes, golds and silvers. These metallics double as liners when wet and used with an angle brush.

Other sure fire metallics:
Dior 1-Couleur Powder Mono Eyeshadow in 065 Silver Dust
Bourjois Metallic Eyeliner — Try any color
Make Up For Ever Flash Color — Gold 20 and Copper 752
Becca Jewel Dust

Metallic eyes — HOT!

Check back for tomorrow for Trend #2.

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One thing I’m fanatical about is mascara. I really border on trashy with my mascara tastes for myself. I like my lashes unnaturally full and long. Not quite your Tammy Faye Baker caterpillar look, but I like them as close to fake without being fake.

To that end, I have used dozens of mascara brands, and I always come back to my tried and true favorites.

1. Best price, best thickening mascara:

Loreal Voluminous. Found at drugstores everywhere. It regularly sells for about $7.99, but when it’s on sale, I stock up on it. I use the waterproof version on my clients. Color – always Blackest Black. Why even bother if you’re not using black?

2. Looks like Fake Lashes:
Bourjois Pump up the Volume Mascara – $13.50 at Sephora. Two coats and your lashes look like you just put on a pair of fabulous fakes. The Metallic Bronzed Plum is pretty on green eyes.

3. Curl Power
CHANEL Extracils - Super Curl lengthening Mascara
Cream formula curls and holds.

4. Longer is better
Urban Decay Big Fatty lengthens and thickens. The addition of hemp oil conditions and softens lashes.

5. Comb don’t brush
Rimmel Volum’Eyes 5 X Volume Comb Mascara. Thanks to my teenage daugher, I’ve been turned on to Rimmel. One of the many products that Kate Moss is the face for. And I love this mascara. The comb individually coats each lash, works wonders.

Some mascara application tips:
1. When you pull your wand out of the tube, bend it slightly, so you have an angle. Professional makeup artist use their wands this way to get as close to the lash line as possible.

2. When you notice your mascara getting clumpy, clean off theexcess by wiping your brush on a tissue.

3. If you use mascara everyday, you should toss it in about 6 weeks.

4. Don’t pump your mascara — air gets pushed into the tube, causing bacteria to harbor.

5. Don’t share mascara.

6. Don’t think you can add life to your mascara by adding water. This just makes it easier for you to get an eye infection.

There you have it. From high end to low end mascaras. Go ahead, bat those lashes.

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