happy to try the switch

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time you know that I am a Clinique girl through and through - that is until about a month ago..... OH NO! Yep, I have a friend who is a Mary Kay representative so she came over to my house to introduce me to her products. I had this one rough patch of skin under my left eye that has been there sense I had Emma, I just figured it was another one of those fun side effects from having a child. She figured out my skin type and set up a palate of products that would work perfectly for my skin. She taught me how to use the products and then sent me off on my own to use them and see if my skin changed. Well, indeed it did! Here is what I have noticed about my skin sense I started using this skin care regimen.

1. my forehead is no longer oily in the afternoons
2. I do not have dry skin sitting on my face that makes it appear dull
   
3. my skin is more radiant - I have stopped wearing makeup on the weekends!
   
4. I am putting less products on my face than I was previously with Clinique.
   
5. I anticipate I am going to save a little bit of cash!
   

One of my favorite aspects of the change, it may not seem like much, but I like the time savings. It might only be an extra 30 seconds that I am saving, but I like it!

So, o' self appointed beauty nut, what are you getting it; even if you think you are in love with your current beauty products, but you notice that something is just not right, it might be time to tweak the method. I am glad that I gave my girlfriend a chance to give me a makeover.
If you are wondering what combo of skin care products I am using:

I have dry skin and I am concerned about premature aging so I am using this combination:

• TimeWise® Night Solution
• TimeWise® Day Solution Sunscreen SPF 25
• TimeWise® Age-Fighting Moisturizer
• TimeWise® 3-In-1 Cleanser
• TimeWise® Microdermabrasion Set- I only use this set twice a week for exfoliating
  

*The two in bold are the only two products I use every time I wash my face. The other three rotate in for their intended purpose.

Is there an order to put on your makeup?

The other day I was watching as a unknowing woman was putting on her makeup. As she was putting it on, I noticed, why did she put on her eye liner then her eye shadow... It got me thinking, is there a proper order to put on your makeup?

I honestly think so, I think if you put it on in a certain order it will have better "staying power" so to speak. For example you wouldn't put on your blush before your foundation, would you? So, on that note, I will offer up the order in which I believe you should put your make up on.

First always start with your moisturizer, always!
Then put on your foundation, since you just applied your moisturizer your skin is nice and slightly moist to help spread the foundation. Warm the foundation up in your hands before placing it onto your face. Then start in the middle of the face and work your way outward. Working from the middle outward will help prevent any foundation lines.

Next, I apply my cheeks, I use a cream blush. I prefer cream because it is easily controlled and lasts longer than a powder.

From my cheeks I work my way up to my eyes. First things first (for me) I apply a light shimmery cream over my eyelid, just to open up the eye and brighten it. Then I use a cream eye liner right along the lash line, I personally don't care for a hard, bold, line. I think on some people it looks very classic but on myself, it just looks like too much. Then I apply my mascara working from the outer lashes inward.

If I had eyes that did not hold makeup well (oily eye lashes), the eye liner is always smearing, the eye shadow NEVER stays, this is what I would do. I first use a eye base. Clinique has one called Canvas touch base. They have it in multiple shades for almost any skin color once it is blended it. Placing this on the eye works as a "gripper" for the makeup. This is a cream blend so it also has much better staying power. Then apply your eye shadow, if you must be stubborn and buy the cheap stuff it will last much longer when applied over the base. However, if you will buy eye shadow made for women with oily eye lashes you will need to buy a better quality eye shadow. Look for creams, or waterproof eye shadows. There are lots of manufactures out there with lots of colors to choose from. We all have different skin types so why use an eye shadow made for someone else. After you have applied your eye shadow and created the eye you like, then put on your eye liner. Again, use eye liner made for your eye. Waterproof and smudge proof. Test it out on your hand when you buy it, stroke the eyeliner across the back of your hand, let it set (about 60 seconds) then try smudging. If it does not smudge this is the eye liner for you. Last apply mascara, working from the outer lashes inward.

After my eyes, I like to move to my lips, for me usually I like to play up my eyes, so the lips get a lip gloss. They aren't my best feature, so I don't want them to have the attention. If you want your lips to have the attention then down play your eyes.

Finally always set your makeup with a powder. This will help set the makeup and it will help it stay longer.

I hope these tips help you apply your makeup and help it stay on all day long!

Seriously... I have to wash my makeup brushes?

So, I was putting on my makeup the other day and I realized... When was the last time that I washed my makeup brush? I about cringed! I have had a lot going on lately so my makeup brushes have really taken a back seat. Which is BAD! Very bad. Not only do they carry bacteria in them that you are constantly continuing to put on your face but your makeup builds up in the brushes and just doesn't apply properly. So, I set aside five minutes and cleaned the much needed brushes! This morning when applying my makeup I was like, YES that is the way it is supposed to go on!

So, how to clean your makeup brushes?


There are options here. You can use an actual cleaner made for your brushes like the Clinique makeup brush cleaner. Just spray it on your brush and use a cloth and wipe clean until all makeup is removed. Careful not to break your bristles.

Or you can use just plain old soap and water... I don't recommend this if you have expensive brushes. Take a dab of soap and water and gently apply soup through out the brush almost as if you were washing a paint brush. Generally it takes several soap dabs to remove all the makeup.

Last place in a container to stand upright to dry.

I am also a fan of the clinique makeup brushes. They are super soft and don't break off when you are applying your makeup. A pet peeve of mine, after I have done my makeup I look down and I am covered in bristles... I am not a fan of brushes that fall apart.

So remember to clean your brushes, It is recommend that you clean after each use; but I am a practical girl, once a week is good for me.

How to choose the right foundation for you..

Picking a foundation is a rather tedious job and can be expensive if you get it wrong multiple times. There are secrets to getting this right. First things first, NEVER be afraid to return something if it is not what you expected. Stores expect this so don't feel bad. And don't let miss/or mr.. counter person make you feel bad. But, how often do you get the third degree from a dude about your makeup being wrong AND the ladies should understand.. so why the snarly face or snake eye? It just didn't work it, it turned my face purple so just give me my refund...

So, when it comes to choosing your perfect foundation; some things to remember!

1. Always check it in the sunlight.

2. Always use the nose - cheek area for a strip test, NEVER use your hand or neck. Hello, they are different colors than your face.

3. When using the strip test; never rub in, after it dries if it is the right color for you, you will hardly be able to notice the makeup strip on your face.

4. Always apply makeup in a well lit area. Not your closet. Set yourself up with a nice area for applying makeup; invest in a makeup mirror that has a bright light on it and use it. Who knows you might even notice some other things when you look in that little bastard!

5. Determine how much coverage you need... Most woman think; wow I need full coverage.. I have news for you; unless you have peperoni face, birth marks, or some skin discoloration you don't need full coverage. I would venture to say that for about 80 percent of women light coverage is more than sufficient. Anything heavier than that and you are going to look like a Geisha.

6. Heavy coverage / full coverage is for people who have some serious "flaws" to cover. Freckles don't hardly count. They are cute; embrace them, they will never go away! So enjoy the extra color they bring to your face and work them to your advantage.

How to do a strip test.

Remove all makeup from face. Take a Q-tip dip into the foundation that you are testing. Then strip from the nose across the cheek. This is were most of your color variation comes from in your face so this is the area you should always test. Always look at this under the brightest light you can find. Sunlight is best.

How do I know what formula to use?

This is when you are REALLY going to have to look at your skin texture and type. What I mean by that is; are you prone to breakouts? Are you oily in some places but not others? Are you dry? Does your skin change depending on the year. My best recommendation here is do your homework; ask for help, go to a makeup counter; my favorite is Clinique. They will sit down with you to help determine your skin concerns and help you correct them. If you have acne prone skin there is foundation that will help combat that. For dry skin there is anti-aging makeup. The more dry your skin is the quicker you are going to age. So really take care of that by using the right makeup. If you have oily skin you will want to use a makeup that is oil free or that will help remove excess oil from the skin without over drying.

How do I apply the foundation?

There are lots of variations. And really it falls into whatever works best for you. But always start with the foundation in the center of the face and work your way out; that way you don't have streaks for a hard line.. (you know what I am talking about) I start with a dab of foundation in my fingers, I rub it a bit to warm it up then I apply, preferably before my moisturizer is dry. If you have acne prone skin; things are a bit more complicated for you. You can use your hands however; you MUST wash your hands before and after you apply your makeup, otherwise you can do future damage. What is recommended for acne prone skin is using throw away sponges. Use them once and toss. Don't even look back. You can buy them just as cheap as cotton balls. If I had the luxury... (dreaming.. maybe one day) I would airbrush my makeup on, allowing me to achieve the perfect balance of coverage and color!

How do I plan for my summer face?

Now for summer foundation; I have a totally different set of rules. For summer I suggest going with a tented moisturizer with SPF (at least 15, the higher the better). A tented moisturizer is going to allow you to more flexibility for color. And the bonus is that is still has some great coverage without others being able to notice an increase or decrease in color. Now they also have SPF protection for your lips as well! I highly recommend. I LOVE the clinique lip gloss formula! But that is a completely different topic!

How do I Finish the look?

You should ALWAYS set your foundation and the rest of your makeup with a loose powder. You might be thinking well, what in the world will this do? Or will it make me look chalky? Absolutely not! What this does, and it works fabulously for all skin types is set the makeup. Apply loose powder with a brush and sweep it over the skin in circular motions. I use Clinique Gentle light powder. It has a light, silky feel and leaves a very subtle shimmer behind.

Smokey Eyes

Today from the request of a dear friend I am going to talk about Smokey eyes! Every woman wants them.. But how do we achieve the perfect smokey eye without looking like we have a black eye, are a porn star or even worse weird lady with WAY too much makeup on…

First things first; put on your foundation make sure you have it seem-less. Then place a little uplighting under your eye (at the top of the cheekbone and inward). If you have dark circles naturally, try adding uplighting to the interior of the corner of the eye. This will lighten the eye area. Next, pick your colors. If you are light skinned try for browns, peaches, Burgundy's. If you are medium tones, you have the whole world to play with, but if this is your first time, try greys, purples, dark greens or blues. Stay away from BLACK! This will do what we talked about above... We don't want a black eye, so don't put it on, at least while you are still new to this.

Now that you have selected your color add your lightest color from the base of the lid up to the eyebrow. Come over next with your next darkest color in the picture it would be the peach color. Place that in the crease of your eye. Go below the bottom lashes smudge a bit down there. Q-tips work great for this, or a small eye liner bush, one of my favorite make-up brushes! If you don't have one; you need to invest! Next come over the base of lid with your darkest color. Don't be afraid that it looks to dark at this point. It is will look slightly awkward until we complete the process. Remember to smudge it to the outside corner of the eye. Add a small line below the bottom lashes with your eye liner brush (or Q-tip).

Next, using the eye liner. This is the crucial point. If you are to complete the smokey eye look you can't be afraid of the eye liner... In the picture she used a deep brown black. Compliment the colors you have used on your eyes. If you used browns stick with a brown. If you used Greens go with a dark green. Line your lashes with a bold yet fine line of liner. On the top go completely from corner to corner. DON'T STOP HALFWAY! On the bottom half do the same corner to corner. Use your liner brush and smudge the liner before it sets. If you are using cream liner you have an advantage, you can smudge as your are placing the liner. I recommend cream liner, it sets quickly usually in 30-45 seconds and it wears all day long. I use Clinique cream liner in Black Honey, daily.

Now that you have your eye make up almost done lets talk about the rest of your face. If you have smokey eyes, your lips need to be nude and your cheeks bare. So choose colors accordingly. You need a little something there so you don't look like Casper but only play up one feature at a time. A nice nude gloss like the one pictured goes a long way on the lips. Set your makeup with your loose powder using a powder brush.

Finally, come over the lashes with a mascara. In the picture they used a black brown. My recommendation, unless your hair is dark brown or black, don't use black mascara. Do your bottom lashes first. Apply to the ends first then work your way into the eye. That goes for both the top and bottom lashes. After your first coat of mascara dries apply your second coat.

Now your look should be complete without making your look over done. If it isn't just perfect keep practicing, work at making the perfect smudge transition to the outside corners of the eyes. Also, play with the colors that you use. Don't be afraid of color, Just remember to avoid looking like that girl who wears too much makeup, only play up one feature on your face at a time. If you remember that rule you should be rockin' your smokey eyed self!