5 Ways to Get Jennifer Lopez's Glowing, Dewy, Airbrushed Skin

1. Perfect your skin

Exfoliate on a daily basis to get rid of the dead skin cells and generate radiant glowy skin. Do a mask treatment once a week and moisturise morning and night to keep your skin hydrated.

2.Choose a luminous coverage foundation
My top picks include:
Laura Mercier's Silk Foundation - high end, lightweight full coverage
Bare Minerals Foundation(Original)- mineral loose powder formula
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation- natural, luminous, liquid formula
Revlon's Photoready Foundation- light reflecting, photo-loving, affordable
DiorSkin Airflash Spray Foundation- sheer, buildable      coverage, high end



3. Set your foundation with a light reflecting powder

Select a light reflecting powder such as a mineral veil, setting powder or MAC's mineralized skin finish that contains light reflecting particles. Depending on your skin tone, choose either a powder that has more yellow based finish if you are tan or pink based finish if you have paler complexion.


4. Highlight the high points on your face

Choose a highlighting cream if you have dry skin and highlighting powder if you have oily skin and apply it on the high points of your face. Apply with a fan brush above your cheekbones, in the centre of your forehead and then down the centre of your nose. You can even dab some above your cupid's bow and on your chin to elongate your face shape.


5. Stay hydrated

Dry and dull skin will hinder you from getting dewy, glowing skin. Spray a finishing mist or spring water over your makeup to achieve a dewy, airbrushed finish that will also hydrate your skin.

How to wear a red lip for Christmas, New Year's Eve or just everyday

 
Many women have a hard time wearing a "red lip"and have avoided this bold look. Here are 5 tips on how to wear a red lip and look gorgeous but not overdone. The holidays is around the corner so ditch the nudes and pinks and go for something bold, sexy and festive! 

1. Choose the right shade of red

There are many types of red: cherry, poppy, crimson, scarlet, ruby and the list goes on...

The trick is to pick the red that is right for your skin tone and hair. A simple way to decide is to look at your skin, if you do not want to bring out the dark circles, stay away from the bluish toned red lipsticks and if you do not want to accentuate the redness of your skin, avoid pinkish toned red lipsticks. Those with thin lips should stay away from darker lipsticks and bold classic ruby reds look great on fair skinned women.

2. Shape and define your lips

This is the most important part of a gorgeous red lip. Because red is such a bold color, the outline of the lips must be polished and the color has to be evenly distributed. Line your lips with a lip liner shade that is just ever so slightly darker than the lipstick you will sport. You can even fill your lips lightly with the lip liner and blend it into your lips to prime the lips and give the lipstick longer lasting power. 

3. Precise application

I recommend using a lip brush or choose a lipstick that has a pointy end so you can precisely fill your lips. When using a brush, apply the lipstick little by little in a few strokes. When not using a lip brush, apply the lipstick in a dabbing motion area by area first to avoid mistakes and then trace the outline of your lips in a smooth motion to fill in any unevenness.

4. Tone down the eye makeup

Heavy eye and heavy lip is one of the most common makeup fiasco. Wear neutral, light reflecting eyeshadow that showcases the red lipstick. If you are wearing a matte red lip, try a more shimmery eye shadow and if you are wearing a glossy red lip, choose a matte eyeshadow to balance the look. You are welcome to use liquid black eyeliner and dramatic false eyelashes like Marilyn Monroe because you still want those eyes to pop and compliment the red lip.

5. Flawless skin

A red lipstick deserves a flawless complexion. Blemishes or discolorations draw the attention away from your perfect red lip. This is especially true for any redness on your skin, neutralize these areas with a yellow or green based concealer and then apply the foundation. To help achieve clear skin, visit the 10 ways to get acne free, clear skin- the secret to great skin post. Once again, avoid shiny skin with glossy red lip or matte skin with matte red lip.





When you do get tired of red lips, try a nude, Angelina Jolie's Sexy Plump Lip look. 

Christmas makeup looks and ideas - how to look gorgeous for the holiday season

School or work is on a break, time to look fab for Christmas! Here are some glamorous look for the Christmas season. Great for Christmas parties or just to look special every day during the holidays. Time to kick back and be a little creative with yourself this Christmas!









FLAWLESS SKIN

It's Christmas and the snow is falling. Nothing is worse than blemishes, freckles and dark circles on your face. Picture a snow princess or angel, porcelain and pristine. So let's ditch the bronzer and tan for a season! To help improve your skin texture, check out my post on How to get Acne Free Clear Skin.


Tip 1: Use a primer. It'll create the perfect canvas for your face that will help your makeup stay put and fill in pores.
Recommend: Smashbox Studio Fix, Revlon's Au Naturelle Primer

Tip 2: Conceal with a multicolored palette. Don't think that your skin comes in one shade. Our skin has many pigments. Use yellow for dark circles and green for redness.
Recommend: Benefit's multicolored concealer, Lise Watier (available only in Canada), Physician's formula Concealer Sticks. 


Tip 3: Mineral foundation. I know some of you really dread layers and layers of makeup on your face but full coverage doesn't have to be thick coverage. Try a mineral makeup. You buff on as many layers as you want and still feel like you are wearing nothing. For more pointers on which mineral foundations best suit your skin, check out my post on Mineral Foundation Hype.
Recommend: Bare Escentuals foundation, Physician's Formula mineral foundation, Revlon's Mineral Makeup

Tip 4: Spray on some natural spring water. This will set your makeup so it will last all day. Believe it or not, having water on your face will make your makeup rather waterproof for those of you living in rainy or snowy places. Plus, it will hydrate your skin for the dry winter. So very multi-functional!



CHEEKS

Brrrrrrrr...it's so cold when you are outside in the snow. But don't you just love those rosy cheeks you get from being outside? That's why I think rosy cheeks will be perfect for the holiday season. Nothing better than naturally glowing cheeks that make you look like you just came back from a snowball fight! For a list of my favorite blushes, see Best Blushes for all Budgets post.



Tip 1: Use one of those shade smart blushes. The ones with microbeads that turn into the perfect blush color for you when you put it on. This will give you the best natural blush ever.
Recommend: Almay Smart Shade blush, Smashbox O-Glow blush.

Tip 2: Apply it in the right areas. Smile and dab it right on those cheeks. Plus, blend blend blend.







EYES

My favorite part. Think gold, silver, green and plum. Just don't mix too many colors together or you might look like a Christmas tree. To make all the difference, remember to wear fake eyelashes.


Gold: The trick is to mix the gold with silver. Never apply gold alone or else it will look unnatural. Put silver on the inner corner of both your upper and lower lid and apply gold on the outer. Blend the two together. For an evening look, mix gold with brown to look sultry.

Silver: Also do not wear alone unless if you have really deep set eyes. Give your eyes some definition or your eyes will look flat like a white piece of paper. Give it some contour with gray or brown where your crease is and bravo, your silver will make you look wide awake for those present opening moments.

Green: Depending on the shade of green you pick, you can achieve different looks. I personally think matte dark green, like a Christmas tree is perfect for Christmas. It can be worn alone or just underneath your crease if you apply a similar matte highlighter on your brow bone. Also, contour those creases with black or brown for a smokey look. For those of you who like lighter green such as lime or forest green, go for a frosty look. Remember frost not glitter. Mix green with gold or silver. If you are a little on the wild side, try mixing it with pink for an edgier look.

Plum: To be used for evening looks. Here's your chance to have smokey eyes and stand out. I love plum and this will be the look I will be rocking most of the holiday season. Matte or shimmer, the possibilities are endless. Use plum with silver and I like to use a black shade on the crease to give my eyes some contour.



LIPS

Marilyn Monroe, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani. What do they all have in common? They are huge fans of red, bold lips. Me too but when I first tried red lips, it looked horrible. After some experimentation, I finally figured out why! For more tips on how to achieve the perfect red lip, see How to wear a red lip for Christmas, New Year's Eve or just everyday.




Tip 1: Use a lip liner. Contrary to popular believe, you are not supposed to match your lip liner with your lipstick. Match it with your lips because the point of a lip liner is to accentuate your lips, not your lipstick.

Tip 2: If you have thin lips or if you just want poutier lips, use a gloss on top. This will make the color underneath last longer.

Tip 3: Use one of those long lasting lipstick. One side with color, the other side with gloss. No doubt you will be munching on something throughout the day during the holidays. Nothing more annoying than reapplying every hour.
Recommend: Revlon's Colorstay Lipstick, Mac's Prowear lipstick, Maxfactor's lipstick.

For those with thin lips: apply gloss on top of your red lipstick. The trick is to make them look bigger. Matte red lipstick will shrink your lips, it did to mine.
Recommend: MAC red lipsticks and glosses, Clarin's Joli Rouge (my personal favorite)

For those with full lips: you will look gorgeous in matte red lipstick. It will look classy and elegant.
Recommend: Revlon's Matte collection lipstick (I'm in love with this one), Mac's matte lipstick

10 ways to get acne free, clear skin- the secret to great skin

Here are ten simple things you can do to prevent and treat acne. Clear, beautiful, acne free skin is a blessing. Genetics play a big part but we can modify what we can control to prevent acne and maintain good skin. One can have acne for years before achieving manageable skin. Here are top 10 ways to maintain clear and acne free skin. For some product recommendations, please visit my post on Acne Product Recommendations.
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1. Clean your face daily with an oil free cleanser
Keeping your face clean is key to having clear skin because it gives the bacteria less chance to grow and clog your pores. Use an oil free cleanser with a small dose of salicylic acid.

2. Exfoliate regularly
Exfoliating your skin with a gentle scrub or glycolic acid help your skin get rid of dead skin cells and generate new ones. This also help keep your pores clear or debris.

3. Use an oil free moisturiser daily
Choose a moisturiser you feel comfortable wearing. For example, use an oil free cream for night time and an oil free gel for day time. For those with acne, choose one with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide in the moisturiser.

4. Deep clean your face at least once a week
Use a deep cleansing, detoxifying or hydrating mask on your face once or twice a week. This really helps to extract all the oil, dirt and debris from you pores that may have accumulated throughout the week. Do not overuse as it may dry out your skin and overwork your sebaceous glands so you may get oilier.

5. Balanced diet with plenty of water
You are what you eat. As cliché as that may sound, the vitamins and minerals from healthy food choices do make a difference in our skin. Drinking plenty of water will give your skin hydration it deserves so that your pores remain unclogged.






6. Wear oil free, non-comedogenic makeup
Your makeup can mask your existing acne but can also make you break out. You may fall into a vicious cycle by masking your acne with acne causing makeup which will cause more acne. Read the labels carefully before purchasing and try the makeup out at the makeup counter, wear it for one day to examine the degree of oiliness on your face and then purchase. Try a mineral based foundation and see which one suits you best through the Mineral Foundation Hype post.

7. Watch out for hands, pillows and hair
An average person touches his or her face hundreds of times a day without thinking. Bacteria can easily spread to your face every time your hands touch your face. Clean your pillows often because the bacteria may spread while you sleep. Keep your hair clean and oil free also minimizes the chance for a breakout.

8. Exercise
Exercising helps your body circulate and skin breathe. Do something active 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes can help improve the texture and clarity of your skin.

9. Beauty sleep
It isn't just a meaningless phrase. A good 7-9 hour rest helps you maintain the regular turnover of your skin cells. This also gives acne-fighting ingredients a chance to do its job while the skin is repairing itself.

10. Be patient.
Acne come and go. It can be triggered by genetics, hormones or unhealthy lifestyle. Try your best to avoid picking it as the bacteria may spread to nearby areas and cause more breakouts. Do not blame yourself as multiple factors come into play. Do what you can to prevent it but visit a dermatologist if your acne persists or becomes severe.

Review of Lancome`s Top 3 Best Selling Mascaras

Lancome has grown in popularity for the past decade. Beauty gurus such as Michelle Phan, the online spokesperson for Lancome, trust and believe in Lancome. Out of all of their products, Lancome is most notorious for their mascaras. Here I will review three series of Lancome`s most popular, and what I consider to be their top mascaras.

1. LANCOME DEFINICIL  (including Definicil Precious Cells and Definicil Pro)

If you want: Long, defined, separated lashes

Definicil helps to achieve clean, defined eyelashes. With its rather slender wand, this mascara is very buildable and does not clump most of the time. Definicil precious cells helps to also nourish and strengthen lashes which is a great added benefit. My favourite Lancome Definicil mascara is the Definicil Pro which achieves incredible length, curl, definition and separation with its unique curved brush and deep black pigment formula.

2. LANCOME HYPNOSE (including Lancome Hypnose Drama, Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes)

If you want: Dramatic, thick, voluminous lashes

The name says it all. Lancome Hypose is supposed to deliver dramatic lashes that make eyes appear hypnotizing. Many consider this mascara to be their holy grail mascara as it delivers instant volume to lashes. One downside is that it does clump when you apply multiple coats and does not separate or lengthen as much as the Lancome Definicils. The new Hypnose Drama is more intense than the original Hynose as it promises instant drama with one coat of application. The new Hynose Doll Eyes is the new hype as it claims to achieve volume, length, curl and falsies effect in one.

3. LANCOME OSCILLATION

 (including Lancome Oscillation mascara and primer)

If you want: Well separated, curled, lengthened and full lashes

This mascara works on an built-in battery which makes the wand vibrate at a high frequency. I love this mascara because it delivers a generous amount of product at the base of the lashes, which creates the illusion of thicker, fuller lashes. The plastic wand also does a fairly decent job of separating, lengthening, and de-clumping. The biggest plus in this mascara is that the oscillation technology can help to accentuate a curl if you use the wand correctly. The Lancome Oscillation primer does a great job at prepping and nourishing the lashes. For those of you who want to grow your lashes out, read my review on the Rapid Lash Review- the ultimate lash grower. The only downside to this mascara is that the battery becomes progressively weaker but I find that I can use this mascara without the vibration and it still gets the job done.

10 Ways to Make Your Foundation Stay On All Day

Here are 10 ways to make your foundation stay on the entire day without touch up. Use these tips for a flawless complexion all day. Whether you purchase cheap drug store or expensive luxury foundation, there are ways to prolong the wear of your foundation. Some low-end foundations actually stay on better than high-end foundations if used the right way or paired with other products.

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1. Choosing the right formula of foundation:

Different foundation formulas tailor to different skin types. If you have dry skin, use a cream or liquid foundation. For oilier skin, choose oil free liquid formulas, powder, or mineral foundation. For a list of foundation reviews, watch my Flawless Foundation Routine and Massive Foundation Review/Collection video.

2. Priming your face:

Priming your face with a silicone based primer not only help you save the amount of foundation you use but also create a flawless canvas for your foundation to go on. Think of it as prolonging the wear of a nail polish with a base coat; same idea.

3. Apply with a brush:

Applying foundation with a brush can help you achieve flawless coverage without using too much product. The brush helps to deliver the foundation seamlessly into your skin. A kabuki brush helps to buff mineral foundation on and a flat top brush helps to evenly distribute liquid foundation.

4. Use the right amount of product:

Less is more. Start off with a bit of the product on your brush and build coverage by gradually applying more product. Excess amount can easily rub off and crease on your face.

5. Keep your skin clean, exfoliated and moisturized:

Clear, exfoliated skin allows the foundation to go on effortlessly and smoothly since the foundation lies evenly on the skin. To maintain clear skin, visit 10 ways to get acne free, clear skin- the secret to great skin

6. Use a finishing powder:

When using liquid or cream foundation, always finish off with a finishing/translucent powder which helps to seal the product just like how a top coat seals the nail polish color. For mineral foundation users, the equivalent of a finishing powder would be a mineral veil.

7. Set the foundation with a spray:

Makeup fix sprays are growing popular for a good reason. These water based sprays not only make your makeup last longer but give you that dewy, fresh, au natural skin. A cheaper alternative would be to load up a spray bottle with water.

8. Choose Oil free and long lasting makeup:

Generally oil free makeup stay on longer. Look for foundations that say long-lasting or even waterproof. Many makeup lines such as Rimmel or Revlon make extremely affordable foundations that last between 8-25 hours!

9. Try a mineral foundation:

Mineral foundations tend to stay on the skin for longer period of time, especially for oily skinned individuals. They are weightless and most have oil absorbing properties. To see which mineral foundation best suits you, visit Mineral Foundation Hype. 

10. Reduce oil on your skin:

Keeping your skin matte and shine free can reduce the amount oil on your face, which can then minimize the chance of the foundation sliding off your skin. Using a matte, oil control moisturizer and blotting paper throughout the day to keep the excess oil at bay.

Please also visit my posts on 10 ways to make eyeliner stay put all day and 5 ways to make eyeshadow stay on all day.

How to get Angelina Jolie's sexy plump lips

There is nothing more sexy than sexy plump lips for all seasons. Not only do full lips make you look sexy, it also symbolizes youth and vitality. Some are naturally blessed with plump lips but others can cheat. Not everyone has 10 minutes everyday to get full lips but here are a variety of tips I have to achieve full, sexy lips. You pick and choose what you want to do!

1. Condition your lips at night and exfoliate with a soft toothbrush or lip exfoliator to get rid of dead skin cells. This will prevent your lips from looking dehydrated and thin.

2. Use a nude lip liner and outline your lips a little past your natural lip line. Blend out the harsh edges after tracing. Try rounding off your cupid`s bow to make your lips appear plumper.

3. For lipsticks, choose a nude and lighter lip stick over a darker lipstick. Just like how dark clothes slim you down, lighter colors will make your lips look fuller and larger while darker colors will make your lips appear thin.

4. When in a hurry, slab on lipgloss instead of lipstick as lipgloss adds shine, dimension, and hydration to your lips.

5. Use a lip plumper such as LipFusion or Lip Venom. Some contain collagen that instantly fill in the lines of your lips to give you a youthful pout.

6. Apply a pearly silver lipgloss or eyeshadow to the centre of your bottom lips and around the cupid`s bow to make your lips reflect light and give off the illusion of pouty lips.

Want bolder, feminine red lips but too afraid to wear it? Read my post on How to wear a red lip for Christmas, New Year's Eve or just everyday.

Huge contest giveaway

GIGANTIC MAKEUP GIVEAWAY! 2 PRIZES TO WIN!! 2 BASKET FULL OF MAKEUP GOODIES!  VERY SIMPLE TO ENTER!

These are mystery makeup products, many of them are high end products.

One basket worth $100 

One basket worth $200

Brands of products included are : Lancome, Guerlain, Clarins, Clinique, MAC, Pur Minerals, Maybelline, Lise Watier, Lòreal and many more.

RULES TO WIN:

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1. Subscribe to my youtube channel by clicking below (must be subscriber to be eligible):
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?

2. Comment and like my perfect eyebrows video (1 comment maximum) on my facebook page below: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eye4makeup/213516525345617

There are 2 chances for you to WIN !

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1st Winner: The Facebook comment who received the most Likes!

2nd Winner: Random pick from anyone who subscribed to my youtube channel, liked and commented on the video.

SUPER easy and fast.

To allow more people to participate I have extended the contest. If  you see this post, the contest is still going. Thanks and good luck!

UPDATE:

WINNERS ARE:

Katt Kkaatt who won with 427 likes and Isabella Ouano.


CONGRATS and please stay tuned everyone for more giveaways as I will have many more...Thanks.

How to get a golden bronze face for the summer and top best bronzers

There`s nothing sexier than looking like a golden goddess for the summer. We can all tan under the sun for the bronze but ladies, UV can be really damaging in the long run so why not just fake the healthy glow! In this post I will share with you ways to not look muddy (if you have dry skin) or shiny (if you have oily skin). I will also be providing you with my top 10 favourite bronzers of all time after much investigation and testing. As always high end and low end products will be equally represented so you can decide whether you want to splurge! Without further ado, let`s get bronzed!

How to use it

To use as a contour: Apply it in the hollows of your cheeks, sides of the forehead, temples, bridge of the nose and underneath the chin for that "I just lost 10 lbs" look. For how to achieve this look, please watch my How to contour your face and look 10 lbs skinnier video. Remember to select a matte bronzer that is 3-4 shades darker than your foundation for ideal results.

To use for an all over healthy glow/tan: Apply the bronzer all over the face, concentrating in areas where the sun would naturally hit the face such as the forehead, cheeks and sides of the nose. Use a larger and fluffier brush to get an even bronze. The trip is to select a bronzer that is easily blendable. You may choose a bronzer that has slightly more glitter and shine if you prefer the glowy look.

Skin Type

If you have dry or mature skin:

Stay moisturised under the summer as the heat and humidity may dehydrate you even more. If possible select a spray on bronzer or cream bronzer. Using this type of bronzer will not accentuate fine lines and give you a dewy and youthful glow. For a list of foundation reviews, please watch my Flawless Foundation Routine and Massive Foundation Review/Collection video.

If you have oily/combination skin:

Most people prefer powdered bronzer for ease of application and its long wearing abilities. Choose a matte or semi-matte bronzer that will absorb the excess oil from your face. The powder will not only mattify your face but also give your face a little more coverage so you can get away with less foundation.

Recommendations for best bronzers

Best high end bronzers:

NARS Laguna bronzer or NARS Casino if you have darker skin (powder)
Chanel Soleil tan de Chanel (cream)
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil (powder)
Dior Bronze Sun Powder spray (spray)

Best low end bronzers:

NYC Sunny bronzer (powder)
NYC Mosaic bronzer (powder)
Rimmel Sun bronzer (powder)
Elf studio bronzer in Golden (powder)
Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy Sheerest Cream Bronze (cream)

Perfect eyebrows to match your face shape

This video deals with one of my favorite topics. For many years I have wondered what shape of eyebrows would best suit my face shape and frame my face. Eyebrows can be so versatile and fun to experiment with. What is your face shape and what eyebrow shapes do you have? Please also read my post on Perfect Eyebrows For Every Face Shape .