Look Refreshed sans Sleep this Holiday Season!

Between work, holiday shopping, parties and everything else in between, sleep is a luxury! But we still want to look great and refreshed for those parties and pictures so what can we do? Here are a few tips to look refreshed during the holiday season (and anytime sleep eludes you):

·         At night/Before bed: If you are waking up to dehydrated skin, you may need to switch up your nighttime routine (or if you are like me, you may also need to drink more water). Make sure you cleanse, tone, and moisturize your skin. Even if you are exhausted, invest in facial wipes which are a quick way of wiping off makeup, oils and dirt that have accumulated throughout the day. Make sure you wash your face again in the morning.

·         Apply eye drops to help with any redness. I use Clear Eyes Tears Liquid Gel Lubricant when my eyes are extremely dry, but regular Clear Eyes Eye drops will do the trick.

·         Use an eye mask to minimize any puffiness for about 20 minutes when you get up in the morning, such as cucumber or just a gel one. If one is not available, you may also use cold tea bags such as black tea or chamomile tea; they are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and, you can drink up your tea as well! To use the tea bags, you will need to make your tea as usual then drain excess water, let it cool (you can also stick them in the fridge for faster process) and then place on lids.

·         If your skin is having a bad morning (breakouts, red spot, etc.) your first instinct may be to pound on the makeup. While you should use foundation and concealer, you should not overdo it as it can make you look worse. Instead, use a tinted moisturizer or a highlighter such as Stila All Over Shimmer (*3) which you can blend in with your foundation or, bareMinerals READY luminizer (The Love Affair).

·         Cream blushes also help to make skin look healthy and glowy; whatever shade you use, just apply it to the apples of cheeks and that will do it!

·         To open your eyes up a bit, use either a white, or light beige/cream colored liner on your inner, lower lash line. This will also help camouflage any redness you may have from the lack of sleep.

·         With your usual eyeliner & mascara-black, brown, etc.-only line the top lash line. This will take the attention away from your red or puffiness on the bottom of your eyes and make your eyes look more awake and open.

·         Whatever eye shadow you use, make sure to steer clear of reddish hues such as pinks and purples; these will bring out the redness in your eyes and make them look puffy or teary.

·         For your lips, any shade will do, but if nothing else, make sure you throw some light pink gloss or something to add color to your lips.

Finally, I always like to throw on some bright (or at least light) colors for my shirt/clothes to make me feel more alert and awake. This, along with a great big smile will have everyone fooled that you were able to get a full night’s sleep!

Liberty and Flattering Lipsticks for All

Received a question on my twitter page:

prettypinkponies (@prettypinkpro):

CONFIDENCE: Q. Is there a shade of lipstick that flatters all complexions? #Beauty

My Response:

Lipstick Shades that flatter all complexions are Mauve, Light Pink & Wine Red

The shades vary based on the undertones of your skin so testing/sampling the colors beforehand is key. Whatever shade you wear, do it with confidence!

Teenage Dream? Not so much....the not-so-great memories of suffering with Acne

I suffered from acne as a teenager, and have acne scarring as a result. I wear foundation every day to cover it, but still struggle with making it look “even”. How can I make my skin look like it’s even underneath my foundation?

Growing up with acne can be such a challenge, but dealing with the scars for the rest of your life? Definite pain as well as a struggle for your self-esteem. Besides going to get laser removal and chemical peels (which work, but are pricey), there are ways to cover them up with makeup (good news!).

Airbrush makeup is one way to cover up your acne scars; I am a big fan of Temptu airbrush products for this. What airbrush makeup does is it fills in the scars and creates a layer on your skin to create an even look all over. Once it sets, it grabs onto itself, laying on top of your skin creating the illusion of even skin. This type of makeup can be done on your own with some practice, but is best done by professionals, so it could add up cost-wise for daily use. I do recommend this for special occasions though or just  night out. J It doesn’t feel heavy and looks great in person and on camera.

So for those of who can’t have me J over every day to do your makeup? Don’t worry, there is still hope.

       ♥ Start out by applying your moisturizer followed by oil-free foundation to match

          your skin tone. Make sure the foundation is Full Coverage. You will need this in

          order to get the maximum benefit from the makeup. By applying your foundation

         on 1^st, it will keep you from overdoing it on the concealer which brings more attention 

         to your scars.

       ♥ Dab or pat your concealer on-never swipe or wipe. Doing so will rub off your makeup

          and concealer. Choose a concealer that is a shade or two lighter than your skin tone.

          This will cause the light to reflect and bounce back in those areas, camouflaging your

          scars.

       ♥ Powder your face once the scars are covered; the powder will keep the makeup in   

           place and set it for you.

While this will not get rid of your scars, it should camouflage it enough for you to be able to play up your other gorgeous features and have others notice them as well. Have beautiful eyes? Play them up and have fun with your makeup! Sexy lips! Wear red lipstick!

Whatever you do, remember that your scars are only a part of you and do not define who you are. Show the world your great personality and a smile and that is what people will remember. Be happy and have fun!

Bold Colors on Thin Lips

Dear Cynthia Angelina:

 

I love bold lip colors but my lips are pretty thin. I have a date tonight and would love to take the lipstick plunge, do you have any tips on how I can pull this off?

 

 

I know the standard may be to play down your lips if they are small, but I say NO WAY! Makeup is an expression of you and if you are feeling sassy or spunky and want bold lips then do it!

1.      Whether you are going for red lips ( I like MAC Russian Red) or a hot pink, make sure that the lipstick and lip liner you are using match.

2.      Use some of your foundation as your primer for your lips or, if you have a lip primer, use that instead. This will help hold the color longer.

3.      With your lip liner, make the "v" shape on your upper lip start just outside the natural curve of your lip; don’t go too far above as it won’t look as good. As you line  your lips, use short strokes to follow the lip line to the corner of your mouth.

4.      For your bottom lip, start at the middle (just under the natural line), line your lip, and move to the outward corners as you did for the top lip.

5.      Use a lip brush to apply your lipstick- lip brushes allow your lipstick to go on more evenly and gives you more control.

6.      Add a shimmery shade to the middle of your upper lip and your Cupid's bow to make your lips look even fuller.

And voila! You and your sexy pout are ready to hit the town! Hope this helps and your date is as awesome as you!


Side Note: Be careful when using lip plumpers. You should always test a small area first as they could cause an allergic reaction and that is the last thing you want on your lips.

Birth of a Makeup Blog

My name is Cynthia and I am a makeup artist (or a MUA as we are called in the "Biz"). I am starting this blog at the gentle nudge of my friend Wendy who said a blog would be a great idea to share my knowledge with everyone (especially her).

So Wendy, thank you! I am excited and hope that my knowledge will help people out there with any questions they have and I hope to learn some along the way as well :) You can never know too much.

I love makeup and the way it can transform someone, not only by the way they look but the way they feel. I can honestly say that the way I do my makeup on any given day is a true reflection of how I am feeling. And, on those days where I am feeling gloomy, it can pick me right up by throwing on some bright bold reds, yellows, oranges, or blues.

Thank you for reading this and let's get to it!

Cynthia Angelina