Once, Twice, Three Times a Lady

It seems like everyone’s searching for the perfect Valentine’s gift.  Tired are the roses, the candy hearts (especially those little ones that taste like toothpaste)… why not the gift of a Valentine’s Day you?

What!? Oh, yes, you read it all correctly.  Today I’m going to go through three different Valentine’s Day inspired looks.  If you like them you can even buy the very colors I used in each look from this site.

Now everyone has a different sense of style, so I’ve worked on three classic looks so you can choose the one that fits you.  First we’ll start with a true classic, the look I like to call:

Red Hot Honey

Move over Marilyn, because here you come!  This look was inspired by classic Hollywood Glamour.  For this look we keep the eyes relatively neutral and really pump up those ruby red lips. 

STEP 1

Once you’ve applied your foundation I pulled out the Opal Hollywood Lights and covered the whole eye area with the soft shimmer color.

STEP 2

Then I added Pink Champagne eye shadow in the crease area and onto the outer corner of the eye, blending the two colors together for a softer look.

Remember blending is the key to a fabulous eye shadow application.

STEP 3

Gently tugging at the corner of the line to ensure a smooth application I sketch in a soft line with a dark brown pro eye pencil with a freshly sharpened tip.  This will ensure a tight line and not a smudged look. 

STEP 4

Add a bit of your favorite mascara to pop those lashes.

STEP 5

Now onto those sculpted cheeks!  Using Natural blush I start just below the cheekbone and brush upward from the temple and ear area to contour the face.  I had Sandra smile and then brushed a bit more color on the apples of her cheeks to give her a soft healthy glow. 

STEP 6

To emphasize her cheekbones I added just a smidgen of the Opal Hollywood Lights shimmer right on top of the cheekbone as a highlight.

STEP 7

Last but certainly not the least is that pop of red on those luscious lips.  Using a square lip brush I washed Red Passion lipstick carefully across her lips.  A square brush gives you a nice sharp line.  Red Passion is a fantastic red that flatters any skin tone.  Anyone who says they can’t wear red: You can wear Red Passion.

There you have it, a look fit for the silver screen or for a passionate Valentine’s date.

Maybe bright lips are not your forte, maybe you’re not into that retro look.  You’re definitely a more natural girl… that doesn’t mean we’ll leave you out. Give our next look a try:

Be Mine Baby

This is the second look in our series is inspired by soft, fresh faced natural beauty.   Nothing says pretty and youthful like a soft pink blush.

STEP 1

Once you’ve applied your foundation you’ll want to pull out the flamingo gold Hollywood Lights and cover the whole eye area with the soft shimmer color.

STEP 2

Then I added magenta eye shadow in the crease area and onto the outer corner of the eye, blending the two colors together for a softer look.  If you want less of the darker magenta color, add a bit more of the lighter flamingo gold to soften the look and blend!

STEP 3

Gently tugging at the corner of the line to ensure a smooth application I sketch in a soft line with a violet pro eye pencil with a freshly sharpened tip.  This will ensure a tight line and not a smudged look. 

STEP 4

Add a bit of your favorite mascara to emphases your lashes and frame your eyes.

STEP 5

Now onto those rose-y cheeks!  Using Pink blush, don’t be afraid of the color, it actually goes on much more mild than you’d think.  I had Sandra smile and then brushed a bit of color on the apples of her cheeks to give her a soft healthy glow.  Then with anything left on the brush I dusted across her forehead and down her nose, almost like a bronzer.

STEP 6

To give her a youthful glow, I added just a touch of the flamingo gold Hollywood Lights shimmer right on top of the cheekbone as a highlight.

STEP 7

To finish the look off, I used a flat lip brush to put a wash of pink flower lipstick across Sandra’s lips giving them a sensuous tint.

And now you’re ready for a romantic day or night out, sure to shock your Valentine with your natural beauty.

Maybe neither of the two looks above are your thing.  You’re a girl that likes dark smoke-y dramatic eyes.  Something that’ll make a man’s jaw drop and hit the floor, then you may want to try out the look we like to call:

Goodnight Sweetheart

This look is inspired by the ever popular smoke-y eye definition where the eyes are the center of attention and lips are left very natural.  Always a striking look.

STEP 1

Once you’ve applied your foundation you’ll want to pull out the pink lace Hollywood Lights and cover the whole eye area with the soft shimmer color.

STEP 2

Then I dotted galaxy eye shadow just above the crease and onto the outer corner of the eye, blending the two colors together for a softer look.  If you want less of the darker galaxy color, add a bit more of the lighter pink lace to soften the look and continue to blend

STEP 3

Gently tugging at the corner of the line to ensure a smooth application I sketch in a soft line with a purple pro eye pencil.  I go over the pencil with a little more of the galaxy shadow to soften and smudge the look of the line.

STEP 4

Add a bit of your favorite mascara to enhance your lashes and frame your eyes.

STEP 5

Now onto those contoured cheeks!  Using berry blush, don’t be afraid of the color, it actually goes on much more mild than you’d think. I start just below the cheekbone and brush upward from the temple and ear area to contour the face; then I had Sandra smile and then brushed a bit of color on the apples of her cheeks to give her a soft glow. 

STEP 6

To give her a dramatic flair, I added just a touch of the pink lace Hollywood Lights shimmer right on top of the cheekbone as a highlight.

STEP 7

To finish the look off, I used a flat lip brush to put a wash of champagne lipstick across Sandra’s lips giving them a neutral shine.

If you love any of the looks and want to try them out using the colors, take advantage of the Valentine's Sale available right here on Get Your Beauty. 

Have fun playing with your own looks and make it a sultry Valentine's Day!

Breakouts of Holiday Stress

Ah ha, she returns! Yes, I have been missing in action the last few months due to the Halloween Horror that is my busiest time of the year. Now that I can relax, everyone else seems to be scurrying around for the Holiday craziness.

It can be a stressful time: decorating, shopping, cooking, family gatherings, parties, presents... and on top of it all you need to look stunning! That seems to be when the inevitable happens. Yes, the worst thing that could happen when you're dashing to an event: the breakout.

It happens the best of us, but fear not, because I have got a brilliant little strategy for just such an emergency. It involves two simple little products treat the problem and keep you looking cool, collected, and fabulous.

TREAT
First thing's first. It's there there staring at you. You need to get rid of it yesterday and you'd rather not make it worse. Well, there's this fabulous little product by Murad called Acne Spot Treatment. Now you don't have to have "acne" to use this little gem. What it is, is a sulfer based gel that you put directly on the blemish. It'll dry that baby out in no time flat and the zinc oxide in it helps sooth the redness. A little dab will do you and at less than twenty bucks, you can still shop till you drop on Black Friday.

CONCEAL
So now we've treated the problem but even soothed a little you still feel like Rudolph's red nose is glowing from that spot on your face. Time for a real concealer. This is when I whip out my handy dandy Cinema Secrets #1 Corrector Kit. This little kit has all the corrector colors I need to not only cover that little bugger; but, you can even brighten up under your eyes the morning after the office party before you have to meet the family.

The first three colors in the kit are your "red correctors". They look a little yellow or even a little green. What this means is that they're meant to cover up the red from blemishes like that nasty breakout you're concealing. Green is the oposite of red on the color scale so it cancels out the the irritated red color of the blemish.

Depending on your skin tone, or possibly the season, you'll choose one of these colors and dab it directly on the blemish. Be sure not to apply this corrector like a foundation or you'll wipe off what you're trying to cover. Now that you've applied the color powder the concealer and apply your foundation as normal over the top. The powder is important, this will not only assure your concealer stays in place, it'll keep it from mixing with your foundation color.

*IMPORTANT NOTE* Be sure you don't pick or squeeze at the blemish. Not only will this make it harder to conceal, makeup can infect it or make it worse. If you've already done this you get a slap on the hand and may need to run to your local pharmacy for liquid bandage. While I don't choose this method if you have to apply makeup over it, this will give you a reasonable barrier to keep away infection or issues.

Now you've still got two colors in your kit. The last two colors on the right of the kit are your "blue correctors". This means they're meant to cover of blue on your face such as undereye circles, five o'clock shadow, or veins. You'll notice they're a bit more orange or pinkish in color. Again, this is becase the oposite color of blue is orange on the color spectrum, so it's meant to cancel that out. Dab a bit where you need it and follow it up with powder, and you'll be all set to go!

There you have it, a quick and easy solution to the most common of beauty emergencies. Keep it handy, and you'll never need to panic again!