ATE- A Good Foundation

Q: I want to try a new foundation but I don’t know which one to choose. What should I look for?

A: Foundation is a trial and error experience. In the store, you think you have a found a fabulous formula or the perfect shade and a few hours later your face has smudges and is an awkward color. Don’t fret! Your perfect foundation is out there, but it may take a few failed makeup relationships to find it.

First, consider your skin type. If you have dry skin, look for a foundation with moisturizing properties. Try You Rebel Tinted Moisturizer by Benefit Cosmetics or Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, both found at ULTA stores.
Also, try to stay away from very powdery formulas because they can make your skin look dryer.




If your skin is oily, don’t use a lot of heavy makeup because this will cause your complexion to look thick and globby. Try brands like Make Up Forever Mat-Velvet foundation, Sephora, or Surreal Skin Mineral Makeup by Urban Decay, ULTA.

If your skin is very sensitive, try brands that are all natural and organic. Use a calming moisturizer before applying the foundation to help smooth your skin and reduce redness, which will reduce the amount of foundation you will need. Test out Mineral Wear by Physicians Formula, drugstores, or Smooth Operator by Tarte, Sephora.




Once you find the right formula, the next step is choosing the right shade. Most women need two shades a year because your skin gets lighter in the winter and darker in the summer. You want the foundation color to disappear into your skin because you want the application to look natural and you don’t want a line of demarcation on your jaw.

When testing colors, use the product on your jaw line so you can see if it smoothly transitions from your face to your neck. After applying a little to your jaw, walk away from the makeup counter for a little while.

You want to give the foundation time to interact with your skin to make sure it doesn’t change shades or consistencies.

The best idea is to stand in bright sunlight for the most honest view of your foundation.

Photos: sephora.com

BTT: No Makeup Tuesdays

These girls are a breath of fresh air.

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I am a makeup junky, but I love this idea of going bare for a day and letting your spirit and personality show through.

More and more young girls are turning to the pages of magazines for their definition of beauty...but celebrities in magazines are not true beauty.

They have makeup artist spending hours and hours applying layers of makeup.They have photographers who know what angles look best. Mostly, they have digital producers who are wizs at photoshop and with the click of a mouse, they can create a completely different person.

I love that these young women have taken a stand...not against makeup but against hiding behind makeup.

Happy Halloween!

This Halloween I was a flapper! It was one of my favorite costumes ever!



The makeup for this look was really easy. Smooth, light foundation. Very smokey eye with black eyeshadow and 2 coats of black mascara. Finish off with a bright red lip.

For an extra pop, I added a beauty mark on my chin (it was hiding a blemish and worked pretty well) and under my eye.

Halloween Makeup- Edition 5

Halloween is only a few days away!

The Alice in Wonderland characters have some of the most creative makeup. All the characters have very light foundation and no blush or bronzer.




For the Red Queen, apply a bright blue eye-shadow from lash line to eyebrow. Line the upper and lower lashes with black liner and brush on two coats of black mascara.

Use your foundation to neutralize the lips, and then draw a heart in the center of your lips with a bright red lip liner. Fill in the heart.




For the White Queen, line your eyes with a dark eyeliner and two coats of mascara. Lightly brush a brick color eye-shadow in the crease of your eye.

Use an eyebrow kit or dark brown liner to create the dark and angled brows. Apply a deep red lipstick.




Alice’s makeup is very simple. Line your upper lashes with a light brown liner.
Lightly apply a reddish-brown shadow from lash line to the crease and along the bottom lashes.

Curl your lashes but don’t apply mascara and use a neutral or bronze lipstick on your lips.

Happy Halloween!

Photos: google.com

Halloween Makeup- Edition 4

Halloween is a week away! Still wondering how to turn an "ok" costume in to a "wow" costume? Pull out all the stops with great makeup!



This edition: Vampiress




Vampiress makeup is dark and sensual. Start with natural foundation but skip the bronzer and blush.

Line the upper and lower lashes with a dark brown or black liner. Smear the liner and apply a dark eye-shadow from the lash line to the crease of your eye and brush two coats of jet black mascara.

Apply a deep red or plum lipstick to your lips. For an extra dramatic look, brush on fake blood in the corner of your mouth.

photos: google.com

Halloween Makeup- Edition 3

Halloween is right around the corner and we are all frantically narrowing down our costume ideas. After you decided what to be, your next obstacle is how to make it beautiful.
Make-up is the best way to take a generic costume to a wow-factor level.

A second popular and quick costume is a devil. For a “devil”, a bright red lip is key.

Like with the cat eye, applying foundation to your lips before lipstick will help the color last longer and keep the red from smearing outside the lip line.

When choosing a red lipstick, look for a “long wear” formula so it will be sure to last through pictures, food, and drinks. Keep eye make-up simple because the focus is your lips.




Line your eyes with a dark brown liner and apply a coffee color eye shadow from the lash line to the crease of your eye. Use a lengthening mascara to make lashes pop.

Photo: fashionclothingtoday.com

Halloween Makeup- Edition 2

Halloween is right around the corner and we are all frantically narrowing down our costume ideas. After you decided what to be, your next obstacle is how to make it beautiful.
Make-up is the best way to take a generic costume to a wow-factor level.

To get the perfect cat eye, apply your foundation over your face including your eyelids. Foundation on the eyelids helps the eye make-up stay in place longer and helps the colors look stronger. Now you’re ready for eyeliner.

Use a freshly sharpened, black pencil for the best definition. For a smoother application, warm the liner tip with a hairdryer for a few seconds or twist it between your fingers.

Begin in the inner corner of your eye and draw a line following your lash line. When you reach the outer corner of your eye, extend the line slightly out.

The line should end in the same place your eyebrows end.



It is fine if the line is not perfect because this line serves as a starting point for the rest of the look.

Now, the bottom lash line. Begin in the inner corner of your eye and follow the lash line under the eye and connect it to the top line.

For more definition, use a dark eye shadow and trace over the liner. Apply the same dark shadow on your eye lids, stopping at the crease. Just add a volumizing mascara and your perfect cat eye is complete.

Keep the rest of your make up light with a light pink blush and pink lipstick.

Halloween Makeup- 1st Edition

Halloween is right around the corner and we are all frantically narrowing down our costume ideas. After you decided what to be, your next obstacle is how to make it beautiful.
Make-up is the best way to take a generic costume to a wow-factor level.

A first in a list of simple costumes is ‘60s glam. To rock this look try a long printed dress, a head band, and make-up based on an icon like Twiggy.



For this look, the eyes are the focus and fake eyelashes are a must. Line your top and bottom lash line with a black liner, but don’t extend past the outer corner of your eyes.

Apply one layer of black mascara on the top lashes. Sweep a dark brown shadow from the lash line to your crease.

You will need two sets of false lashes for the top and bottom. Apply lash glue using a toothpick to the band of one set of false lashes. Gently apply these to the top lash line and let dry for a few seconds.

For the bottom lashes, you will want to trim the second set of false lashes short and then cut the band in half. Apply the glue to the band and gently apply the lashes close to the bottom lash line.

After the glue is dry, apply another layer of mascara to the top and bottom lashes.

To make eyes really pop, gently apply a white liner to the inner rim of your bottom lash line.

Use a pale pink lip stick and a light stroke of bronzer to complete this groovy look.

ATE- Trends for Fall

Q: What are the top beauty trends for this fall season?

A: The leaves are changing, the air is getting crisp and this season’s trends are cooler than ever. Trends this season are taking a color cue from nature with bright orange and yellows, dark purples, warm browns and deep greens.

Eggplant-purple eyeliner is a great way to draw attention to your beautiful eyes. Try EmphasEYES Aqua-Gel liner by Tarte Cosmetics in plum. The purple is deep enough to look subtle and the aqua-gel formula glides on easily.



If you’re feeling more daring, try Maybelline Eye Studio gel liner in eggplant. It comes with a small brush so you can apply a thin line along the lashes or sweep the line out for a winged effect.



Nails will sparkle this season with emerald green nail polish fit for a royal. Choose a super dark shade with a hint of glitz like O.P.I Nail Lacquer in Here Today…Aragon Tomorrow.



A second option for nails this fall is a neutral taupe that looks polished and sophisticated. Try out polish from Essie in Merino Cool.

All these products can be found at ULTA.
http://www.ulta.com/

ATE- Covering Up

Q: I have acne scars, blemishes and dark circles! What’s the best way to cover them and keep them covered?

A: It seems to never fail. The morning of a presentation, interview or first date you look in the mirror and staring back at you is a huge zit. Now you have two options, try to pop it or try to cover it. The best decision is to cover the blemish.

If you try to pop a pimple too soon you will cause redness and inflammation, making the blemish that much harder to cover.
The first step is to apply a nourishing moisturizer and then wait a few minutes before applying any makeup. This gives the moisturizer time to be absorbed into the skin. Next, apply your foundation. Your foundation goes on first because if you apply it over concealer, you will end up wiping off the makeup.

Now you are ready for concealer. Apply a yellow-based shade under the eyes to help counter-act dark circles. Apply a highlighter under the circles to help reflect light up.

For the face, choose a concealer that matches your bare skin perfectly. Using a small brush, gently apply and blend concealer on the blemishes and scars. To make your cover up last all day, you need to set your makeup with powder. Instead of a loose translucent powder, use a pressed powder that matches your skin tone because translucent powders will make you look washed out and powdery. Use the compact sponge to gently press the powder onto your skin.



If the blemish is not fully covered, repeat the last two steps only to the problem area. However, you want to be careful how many layers of concealer you use because you don’t want to make the area look dark and cakey. Repeat these steps three times at most.

Another clever technique to help take the focus off your blemish is using color strategically. If your blemish is on the bottom half of your face (from the nose down), create a dramatic eye with this seasons eye shadow colors and keep the lips neutral. If the blemish is on the top portion of your face, try a sexy red lip and remember to keep the eyes light and natural.



You may need to do a quick touch up during the day, especially if you have oily skin, so keep your compact, concealer and brush ready to go in your makeup bag.

The most important thing to remember is confidence. I know it feels like the blemish or scar is the only thing people will see when you go out, but you think it is worse than it really appears. Keep a big smile on your face and remember this too shall pass.