101 1-Minute Makeovers _ part 2

50. For sheer, diffused color that looks like a stain, apply lipstick to your lips using your ring finger.

51. If your lips are naturally dark, apply foundation or concealer over your pout before your lip color to get true color out of the tube.

52. Use white nail polish as your base coat before applying a neon nail color; the white base will make polish look brighter.

53. Make lips look plumper by dabbing clear gloss in the center of the bottom lip only for a three-dimensional effect.

54. Or DIY your own lip plumping product by mixing lip balm with cinnamon oil and cayenne, which will cause lips to swell.

55. Instantly improve your liquid liner skills: Start on the side that’s more difficult, and it will be easier to make the “good” side match.

56. Another liquid liner tip: Line your eyes with pencil first (it’s easier to manipulate), then draw a liquid line on top.

57. Dab a bright pink shade in the center of your red lip to add subtle dimension to the look.

58. If your brows are sparse, try combing them downward instead of up after you fill in with pencil. This way, the hair will cover the pencil marks and create a more natural finish.

59. Coat your lips with balm before you start the rest of your makeup. By the time you finish with lip color, your pout will be perfectly hydrated.

60. To revive your foundation after a long day, press the round end of a damp Beauty Blender sponge over your face, blending any areas that look cakey.

61. The desk-to-dinner smoky eye: Use a liner pencil to draw over any eye makeup that’s smudged throughout the day. Make it even smudgier (and sexier!) with a Q-tip.

62. “Red, tired eyes can make you appear run down. A few drops of Visine [$7.99, drugstore.com] can eliminate the red and wake up your entire face,” says makeup artist Carmindy.

63. Another tip from Carmindy: “A deep navy tinted mascara not only creates a lush, flirty, wide awake lash look, but the blue hue contrasts with the white of your eyes to make them appear much brighter.”

64. Remove your makeup with a fine linen washcloth to cleanse and exfoliate skin at the same time.

65. Give your skin a quickie peel (and immediate glow) by swiping with an exfoliating pad such as Philosophy The Microdelivery Mini Peel Pads ($38, sephora.com).

66. Mix a sprinkle of Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant powder ($52, dermalogica.com) with a squirt of face cleanser in your palm to gently slough dead skin and reveal a brighter complexion.

67. To instantly minimize fine lines around your eyes, smooth on a cream with hyaluronic acid. “It’s a water-attracting gel that works beautifully in eye creams to help to bring a plumpness back to the skin to minimize wrinkles,” says cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Oscar Hevia.

68. If puffy eyes are your problem, press a cold metal spoon over the area for a few seconds to reduce swelling.

69. For a special event (or special dress) dust shimmer powder over your collarbone and shoulders to create a pretty glow.

70. Or mix shimmer powder with your body lotion for gleaming skin.

71. Play up your decolletage by dusting powder bronzer over and between the breasts in a “3” shape.

72. Don’t have time for tanner to develop (or just can’t deal with the smell)? Smooth on a waterproof body bronzer such as Tarte Maracuja Rainforest Glow ($34, qvc.com).

73. Try this 1-minute hairstyle idea from celebrity hair stylist and John Frieda International Creative ConsultantHarry Josh: Make a deep side part in soaking wet hair, then twist into a bun and smooth with Frizz Ease hair serum before pinning a flower behind your ear. “The side part and flower make it glamorous,” Josh says.

74. Part your hair on the opposite side as you usually do. Instant volume!

75. Upgrade your ponytail: Tease your hair at the crown before pulling it up.

76. Upgrade your bun: Braid your hair before twisting it into a chic chignon.

77. Upgrade your braid: Weave a colorful hair scarf into your plait.

78. French braid your bangs along your hairline to take a break from fringe for a day.

79. Or test drive a new look with clip-in bangs, which can look surprisingly natural.

80. Boost your volume with four or five clip in extension pieces, which secure at the root with a simple barrette.

Clip-in extensions

81. To tame flyaways, fast, mist a clean mascara wand or spoolie brush with hairspray and brush over unruly pieces.

82. Add a bit of rock and roll texture to short or medium length hair by working pomade into the ends with your fingers.

83. Change up your hairstyle by tucking the front pieces behind your ears, which completely alters your look.

Diane Kruger
Photo: Getty Images

84. Or twist and pin a piece behind one ear. So cute, so easy.

85. Finish off your blowout with a few spritzes of texturizing spray such as Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray ($39,oribe.com) to add body.

86. Or mist strands with shine spray post-blow dry for a glossy finish.

87. Revive second-day curls by misting hair with a reactivating spray, such as DevaCurl Mist-er Right($18.95,devachansalon.com).

88. For hair that’s fallen flat, spritz spray gel at the roots to resuscitate volume.

89. For shinier strands, brush your hair before you shampoo to distribute the natural oils from your scalp.

90. In the shower, let your conditioner soak into your hair for an extra minute while you shave or exfoliate.

91. Soften a stiff updo by roughing up the surface with a clean kabuki brush. A softer texture is more modern and youthful.

92. Fake a makeover: Pin your hair into a faux bob to test drive a short cut.

93. Fake a shaved side haircut: Make a cornrow braid on one side of your head for an asymmetrical look.

94. “Olive and macadamia oils are really good for your complexion. Put one of them on in the shower and they make your skin zing.” — Cate Blanchett

95. Kate Hudson puts her face in an ice bath to revive her skin. How long does she stay submerged? “It depends how badly I want it,” she tells us.

Kate Hudson
Photo: Getty Images

96. Drew Barrymore multitasks with her beauty products: “I definitely still love to wear my lipstick on my cheeks. There’s symmetry in the color, I love that.”

97. Another trick from Drew? “I love when people highlight the corners of your eyes, and all of a sudden you’re like, ‘Oh my God! What did you just do?’”

98. Cameron Diaz swears by this quick fix for a pimple, says her makeup artist Gucci Westman. “She has a little lancer…you knick [the pimple] and then you apply Neosporin and Visine,” Westman explains. “It takes away the redness and the swelling.”

99. How to take a better picture, in one second: “An actress friend of mine shared a great trick. She told me to stick my tongue behind my teeth when I smile to keep from over-smiling. If you smile without doing it, sometimes your gums show a little too much. It’s an actor’s trick!” says Jessica Chastain.

100. Nina Dobrev has a 1-minute fix for clearer skin: “On Vampire Diaries right now, they give us these hot towels, so once you’ve taken off your makeup, they open up the skin and let it breathe. Heat to open up the pores is really good, and applying moisturizer right afterwards really revives and hydrates your skin,” she explains.

101. Jaime King’s skin care trick doesn’t require a celeb-sized budget: “You know how they have Clarisonics, which are really great? Using a really great hand towel when washing your face does the same thing, which costs nothing.”

Read more... »

The Best Makeup for Blue Eyes

Blue eyes are a beautiful feature, but if you’re not wearing the right makeup shades, you risk having those baby blues go completely unnoticed. Samantha Chapman of Pixiwoo told us which colors look best on blue eyes, and here’s a hint: avoid blue shades.

“You want what’s opposite on the color wheel,” says Sam. “Opposite on the color wheel to blue is orange, so you’re looking for any colors that have a lot of orange in them. So a brown with an orange undertone is really going to complement it.” MAC’s Eye Shadow in Coppering or Red Brick ($10 each, maccosmetics.com) are great examples.

“A lot of people think if I’ve got blue eyes I’ve got to wear blue eye shadow, but that doesn’t work. It doesn’t make your eyes more blue, because invariably the blue eye shadow you use will be a more true blue than the color of your blue eyes, so it actually makes them look less blue.”

As for lips, Sam says, “If you wear a red or orange lipstick, it looks absolute knockout.” Her favorite shades for blue eyes include MAC’s Russian Red or Ruby Woo ($15 each, maccosmetics.com) and Illamasqua’s Lipstick in Box ($26.19, illamasqua.com).

Read more... »

The 5 Rules Of Covering Dark Circles

Sometimes you can do everything right (drink enough water, get enough sleep), but when you look in the mirror, dark circles still stare back at you. The only thing you can do at that point, aside from applying a de-puffing cream (we’re partial to Clark’s Botanicals Anti-Puff Eye Cream, $87, clarksbotanicals.com), is learn how to cover them correctly. Here, celebrity makeup artist James Vincent tells you how to do just that with his camouflaging tips.

1. Apply concealer after your foundation.  
Many of us learned that concealer comes before foundation, but Vincent explains the foundation will provide some coverage and help you to use less concealer.

2. Use caution when choosing your concealer’s color.
“Use a concealer that has an undertone that is the opposite color of the discoloration,” says Vincent. “For most women that would be something in the orange family — a peach, coral or salmon colored concealer.” He also warns against yellow-tone concealers as they can make the under eye discoloration look grey.  ”When yellow is combined with blue under your eye, it turns green, leaving that grey cast that most women experience.”

3. Go darker with your concealer when puffiness is present.
“For puffiness, use a darker colored concealer, because a darker color will recess something or make something appear deeper or smaller.  A darker color will pull the puffiness back, making it look even with the rest of your skin.”

4. Go lighter with your concealer when there are deep lines.
“A lighter color will open something up or bring something forward,” says Vincent.

5. Only use concealer where there is discoloration.
Restraint is the name of the game when applying concealer. “If you apply concealer in the entire under eye area, it doesn’t hide dark circles — it can accentuate them.”

Read more... »

7 New Makeup Techniques To Try Today

After years and years of applying my own makeup, I still wouldn’t call myself an artist. Most of the time I’m not even confident that I’m doing it correctly, so I’m more than happy to try out a new technique when it’s recommended to me.

Instant Face Lift
This makeup move will give you a subtle change that brightens your face. Take a concealer pencil (such as Susan Posnick Color Correct, $22, susanposnick.com) and draw three horizontal lines — like cat whiskers — near the nose spanning out across the cheek. Use a sponge or clean brush to blend each line in an upward direction for an instant lift and ultra brightening effect.

To boost the effect, Petra Strand of Pixi Beauty suggests using a concealer pencil in the manner described above, then directly above each whisker, draw another whisker line using a highlighter. “When the concealer and highlighter are blended into the skin, it will not only lift and highlight, but will make the skin look airbrushed.”

Tone It Down
“If you have applied eye shadow that is a little too intense, don’t remove, just dip a shadow blender brush in bronzing powder, and sweep across the entire lid,” says Strand. “The bronzing powder will work like a neutral tint, so it will diffuse and soften the color without changing it too radically.”

For Lush Lashes
To get a better curl, Celebrity Makeup Artist and President/Founder of Mally Beauty, Mally Roncal uses the three-pump system with her lash curler. She starts with a squeeze at the base of the lashes, then a squeeze in the middle and ends with a squeeze at the tips of the lashes.

Once you’ve curled your lashes, Strand says to sprinkle a small amount of loose powder onto them, and then apply your mascara. Apply a second coat by zig-zagging the wand through the lashes to fan them out. You will notice that the powder helps to maximize the look of each lash.

For Fuller Lips
Roncal suggests connecting the two points of your Cupid’s bow (the top of your upper lip) with a nude lip pencil, like the Mally Lip Essentials Pencil ($15, mallybeauty.com), before going over the area with a light gloss.

An Improved Cat Eye
If you’re like me, then you still can’t manage to draw on a decent cat eye. While many tutorials suggest flicking your pencil up and out, it’s easier said than done. In a recent online video for Keds, Taylor Swift shared her tip for getting a good, straight line: Instead of worrying about flicking out from the top lash line, follow the bottom lash line up with an eye pen (Strand recommends the Pixi Lash Line Ink, $16, pixibeauty.com). This ensures you get the perfect angle for your cat eye.

Read more... »

20 Genius Beauty Tips For Brides

On your wedding day, you’ll be photographed approximately eleventy-billion times — which means the beauty stakes are high. While your photographer can probably retouch a few flyaway hairs or a bit of lipstick on your teeth, you’re better off preventing bigger blunders, like mismatched foundation or faded hair color, well before they ruin your look. To help you look your most beautiful on the big day, we’ve compiled these 20 essential beauty tips from top hair and makeup pros.

Kimberly Soane, Director of Global Artistry for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics:

1. To create a long-lasting matte finish on your lips, “Take a powder blush and tap it on top of your lipstick.”

2. Pack your purse with day-of essentials: “Everybody should have cheek, lip and powder. Blotting papers are a great option for dry skin.” Also, “everyone has that one area that they worry about, so have that product with you. For me, it’s my under eye concealer. If you’re worried about your eyeliner wearing off, then take your eyeliner with you.”

3. For a photography-friendly highlight, opt for a shimmery powder blush or powder highlighter in lieu of liquid formulas. “Liquid might look great when you first walk down the aisle and in the first couple of photos, but then four hours later, it can look a little greasy.”

4. Don’t feel like you have to wear false lashes just because you’ll be photographed. “If you’re not 100 percent comfortable with false lashes, then skip them the day of.”

5. To help your lip color last, apply lip liner not only as your first step, but as your last one, too. “A great Bobbi tip: Fill in the whole lip first with lip liner. Layer your lip color, press with a tissue, apply more lip color, so you’re building formula, and then finish with more lip liner. Liner is great because it will help fill in the shape.”

6. Avoid any beauty treatments that could go awry in the days leading up to your wedding. “Don’t tweeze or wax brows the day before. Don’t go to the tanning bed the day before, don’t do self-tanner.” (If you do need your brows or self-tanner done, leave plenty of time and see a professional you’ve worked with before.)

7. When choosing your foundation, “Make sure that the color is right.” Take a sample home and see how it looks while wearing a white towel.

8. Make sure your face, neck and chest are all the same color. “Necks are whiter than the decolletage or face, so if you have a bit of face powder or bronzer, put that on your neck so you get a softer transition of color through the three.”

9. “If you want to use powder shadows, make sure you’re starting off with an eye shadow base that’s long wear.”

10. “Buy a fresh new mascara for the wedding, because mascara wears out.” And don’t even mess with non-waterproof formulas.

Mark Townsend, Dove Celebrity Stylist:

11. “Been growing your hair before your wedding? Don’t be a bride with fuzzy split-ends. Schedule a trim three weeks before your cut, which leaves plenty of time for tweaks.”

12. “Tiny colored accents—whether it’s a crystal barrette, or a colored bobby pin—are everywhere. Use them as your something blue, or as a fun, subtle way to match your bridesmaids.”

13. “A face-framing tendril or a few pieces around the face look great in pictures—but can get limp and sweaty on the dance floor. Rather than tucking behind your ear, twist and pin with a bobby pin to keep them cutely off your face.”

14. “Wedding day updos need to stay in place long after you say ‘I do.’ For extra security, spritz hairpins with theDove Refresh+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo. It gives them a subtle matte finish that helps them stay put through cocktails, cake and the Electric Slide.”

15. “If your hair isn’t naturally curly and you’re worried about spirals loosening up on the dance floor, hit the hairspray before and after styling. Misting the Dove Style+Care Strength & Shine Extra Hold Hairspray onto each section before wrapping sections around a curling iron will really lock in the shape.”

16. “Top knots are a trend that just won’t quit, and they’re perfect for walking down the runway or the aisle. It’s a great way to elongate your neck, or show off a really elegant or ornate dress.”

17. “Is your hair color-treated? Don’t wait until the last minute to get a refresh for your wedding day. Plan to get highlights two weeks out, or a single-process the week before.”

Ryan Mitchell and Daniela Schult, Hair Stylists, Cutler Salons:

18. “Don’t go too over the top. Keep it simple. I don’t think it’s a good idea to veer too far from your natural look. You want to look like you; you don’t want to look like something that you saw in a magazine. That’s my biggest advice when I have a bride.” – RM

19. To keep texture from falling flat (especially during a summer wedding), set curls or waves with bobby pins. “If you do a classic set where it cools down around that shape, it’s going to hold. Set the hair first, then do your makeup, then take it out.” – RM

20. “It’s very important to see a picture of my client’s dress beforehand,” says Schult. Always bring a photo to your hair trial.

Read more... »

101 1-Minute Makeovers _ part 1

A new look doesn’t always have to mean making a drastic change or spending the day in a colorist’s chair. These easy little tweaks will help you look brighter and renewed in 60 seconds flat.

1. Slick on a shock of hot pink lipstick for an instant wake-up. Nars Sciap ($26, narscosmetics.com) andObsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Anime ($18, occmakeup.com) are two of our favorite brights.

2. Pink feel too Malibu Barbie? A rich red has the same effect. Try CoverGirl LipPerfection Lip Color in Hot($5.99, drugstore.com).

Jessica Alba
Photo: Getty Images

3. Try a colored gloss or lip lacquer in lieu of a cream formula. Shiny, vinyl lips make a major impact.

4. Add a touch of illuminating highlighter — try Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat ($40, yslbeautyus.com) — on the Cupid’s bow of your upper lip to make your lip color pop.

5. “Lining the inner rim of the eye is a great way to add a little bit of what I like to call ‘instant fierceness’!” says makeup artist Mally Roncal. “Just make sure to use an eye liner that is waterproof and safe for the inner rim, likeMally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner ($15: mallybeauty.com).”

6. Fake high cheekbones: swipe highlighter along the tops of your cheeks. Contour the hollows with matte powder bronzer.

7. Give lift to your eyes by applying a concealer one shade lighter than your skin tone at the outer corners.

8. Give your skin a dewy glow: “I always apply foundation to my skin with my hands, as if it is a moisturizer — it allows me to really press it into my skin without looking streaky or spotty,” says makeup artist Nico Guilis.

9. Add a couple individual false lashes at the corners of your eyes, says Mark makeup artist Jamie Greenberg. “It’s my favorite trick. You can’t see that you have makeup on, but boy does it make those eyes wide.”

10. Want to look more awake? If you have a deeper skin tone, neutralize purplish under eye circles with orange pigment, says makeup artist Katey Denno. “When topped with a concealer the same color as the skin tone, the area will look bright and flawless.” Fairer complexions should choose a peach-toned concealer.

11. For brighter-looking teeth, fast, brush with a toothpaste that has optical blue brighteners, such as Luster NOW! Instant Whitening Toothpaste.

12. Blue-based red lipstick bestows a similar effect on pearly whites.

13. Instant facelift: When penciling in your brows, extend the tail end so it’s higher or at the same level as where the brow begins (never lower, which brings down your features).

14. Highlight your brow bone to lift the entire eye area. Try Benefit High Brow ($20, benefitcosmetics.com). Don’t use white frosty eye shadow — the effect will look too retro.

15. Switch out your black mascara for a plum or turquoise shade on your lower lashes for a subtle color pop.

Lea Michele wears purple mascara.
Photo: Getty Images

16. Use an eye shadow brush to coat your eyelashes with translucent face powder, then apply mascara on top. The powder helps to bulk up lashes for instant volume.

17. Wait, you’re not using a lash curler? Try it! A little crimp opens up the eye, even without mascara.

18. The most flattering way to wear colored eye makeup: Apply black liquid liner along the upper lash line, then add a stroke of brightly colored liner just above it.

19. Add subtle sparkle: Dab a brush dipped in glitter shadow on the tips of lashes while they’re still wet with mascara.

20. Channel Twiggy, the modern way, with this trick from Jake Bailey, Emmy Rossum’s makeup artist: “Using a small angled brush and cream eye liner, I painted little lashes in between her real lower lashes to create that false lash effect.”

Emmy Rossum
Photo: Getty Images

21. Trade your neutral eye shadow for a pale shimmering pistachio or violet. Pastels are easy to pull off, but add subtle color to your look.

22. Line the inner rims of your eyelids with white or pale peach eye liner to make eyes instantly look brighter and more awake…

23. …Or line the inner rim of your upper lid with black or chocolate brown liner to make lashes look thicker.

24. Swap black eyeliner for navy to bring out blue eyes.

25. Try purple liner to make green or hazel eyes pop.

26. Brown eyes can wear any hue, so go bold with a bright teal or jungle green.

27. Lighten up: Pair inky liner along your top lash line with a pale, metallic rose gold or champagne line along your lower lashes.

28. Sweep a shimmery eye shadow that’s a few shades lighter than your skin over your eyelids to brighten up for daytime.

29. Apply your eye shadow with a wet brush to intensify its shade.

30. Or prep lids with an eye primer to make powder shadow more vibrant and longer-lasting.

31. Or skip shadow altogether and dab a small amount of Vaseline or clear gloss on lids for a sexy sheen.

32. Vaseline works well as a cheekbone highlighter, too — especially with a glowy, summertime look.

33. Try red blush instead of pink. Red might look scary in the compact, but a sheer swipe on skin creates a pretty flush.

Miranda Kerr
Photo: Getty Images

34. Mix two blush shades instead of just one, recommends Kimberly Soane, Director of Global Artistry for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. “Layering two blush colors — a natural blush and a pop of blush — helps your blush last longer, because it fades throughout the day,” Soane explains. “That’s what gives it that brightness without being too clownlike.”

35. Another tip from Soane: To prevent shiny skin, apply powder with a puff instead of a brush. “That way you are putting on powder and absorbing any excess oil, versus a powder brush which will just dust on powder.”

36. Or mix blush with bronzer to chisel sexy cheekbones. Apply bronzer in the hollows of the cheeks and bright blush on the apples.

37. Switch powder blush for a cream formula to give skin a lit-from-within glow.

38. Mix a few drops of liquid illuminator with your foundation or BB cream to give your complexion a pretty sheen.

39. Speaking of BB cream, try applying it with a brush instead of your fingers for a lighter, more blended effect.

40. Tap a small amount of glitter pigment on the center of your eyelid after applying your shadow for a pretty sparkle that will catch the light.

41. To make your eyes look larger and wider, apply a pale colored eye shadow on the inside corner of the eye and a dark shadow on the outer corner.

Kate Bosworth
Photo: Getty Images

42. To downplay lines around the mouth and nose, stroke a highlighter pen along the nasolabial (or “marionette”) lines and blend.

43. For a bold nighttime look, use a brow powder that’s a shade darker than you typically wear. Strong brows are in!

44. After you finish your makeup, mist your face with a mineral water spray to help powders blend with skin and last longer.

45. Try a purple-tinted primer to counteract a sallow complexion.

46. A primer with a green tint will help tone down redness. Try NP Set Calming Foundation Primer ($29,target.com).

47. Dust light-reflecting mineral powder over your skin to create the optical illusion of smoother texture.

48. Line your lips after you apply your lipstick for a crisp, clean shape.

49. Or use the reverse liner technique: Use a brush to apply concealer around the outer line of your lipstick to clean up the shape.

Read more... »