Accentuating the Eyes: The Art of Permanent Makeup

Ask anyone which facial feature they most often notice first and many times the answer is the eyes. Eyes are the most expressive feature on the human face; through them we see emotion, thoughts, secrets and reflections of ourselves. To illustrate the power of permanent makeup and the art of eyeliner let me tell you about one of my clients. The star feature of her face was fabulous almond shaped eyes. Following cosmetic surgery to take her back in time a bit, her eyes healed into a different shape, which made the outer corners awkwardly rounded and one lower eyelid partially drooped. Before agreeing to another surgery to fix it, she searched for an alternative way to regain the almond shape. With a little design strategy and meticulously placed pigment all around her eyes, we lifted the droop and then by marking into puckered scar tissue, we re-created the almond-type point at the outer corner of each eye. My client was amazed at how precise and subtle the permanent makeup appeared and she was thrilled to be able to go without topical makeup once again.

When I think of the power of permanent eye makeup, another client always comes to mind. Advanced in years, she wanted the outer her to reflect the youthfulness of the inner her. The blue color of her eyes was stunning, and definitely worth flaunting; however, a few wisps of blonde eyelashes and a total absence of eyebrows did nothing towards the cause. She started out conservatively with very soft, natural-looking permanent eyebrows and lash enhancement. A year later she returned, asking for a bolder look. Here is what she had to say: Even with the plastic surgery (3 facelifts), the permanent makeup is what gave me the most self esteem. I wish I'd known about it and done it years ago.

Consider the Advantages

Permanent makeup appeals to a wide variety of people. Busy moms, athletes, travelers, equestrians, chefs, models, doctors, dancers, police officers, busy career people and busily retired people have all been clients of mine. In my experience the best argument for a cosmetic tattoo is simply convenience. Individuals who suffer from allergies, toxicity issues, poor vision, hair loss or disabilities that limit manual dexterity have benefited from permanent makeup. Of course, the most rewarding aspect of permanent makeup is the most obvious: it stays put! Permanent eyeliner will never smear or rub away through watery eyes, perspiration, wind, snow, rain, fatigue, or a long night's sleep. For those of you who like the compliment of eyeliner to your face, permanent makeup can give you the look you want without the extra work or cost involved with traditional makeup.

The Difference Between Lash Enhancement and Eyeliner

Skillfully applied lash enhancement looks very natural, not at all like makeup. For a lash enhancement, one or more shades of color are placed in a sprinkle or a line at the base of the eyelash hairs only, making the lashes appear darker and thicker. Rather than eyeliner, I recommend lash enhancement to women, or men, who want a lift to their face naturally. It makes a good argument for less is more.

Eyeliner begins with lash enhancement and then widens above or below the eyelashes. Permanent eyeliner can have a hard edge, a softened edge, or even a smudgy, shadow look placed where it most enhances you. It can be very precise, with delicate, crisp endings to the lines; or it can be a soft powdery look. Eyeliner really rocks as a way to bring a flattering color lift to the face. Sometimes a subtle blend of multiple colors creates the perfect effect. I recommend you think conservative, tasteful, and classic. Although this is not totally permanent, it is long lasting. Choose cosmetic tattoos that will wear well through changes in mind, lifestyle and age. To bring out the trendy, glamorous or outrageous expressions of you just add topical cosmetics.

Like Makeup Only Better!

Permanent makeup is an excellent way to enhance your natural facial features. Permanent eyeliner works especially to perfect the balance, shape and overall look of the eyes. Time and again, I witness permanent eyeliner, or simple lash enhancement, lend power, alertness, confidence and youthfulness to the faces of both men and women. To read more about the art of permanent makeup please visit my web site www.DawnColors.com.

Dawn Willard?s extensive career in the fine and applied arts has included lettering, illustrations and photo and film styling. Twenty-three years as a photo and film stylist taught Dawn and array of artistic skills, one being makeup. Ms. Willard?s foray into permanent makeup began in 1996. She currently owns the Permanent Makeup Studio in Asheville North Carolina. She has explored a variety of techniques and has clients coming to her from Illinois, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Hampshire, New Mexico and numerous towns in western and central North Carolina. She can be reached at http://www.DawnColors.com or starjump@gmail.com.

Natural Mineral Makeup 3 Reasons Why It Should Be Your Natural Summer Sun Protection

Mineral Makeup is the natural solution for any person looking for natural sunscreen this summer. Especially if you are looking for a gentle and safe sunscreen. Then look no further than your makeup bag for fabulous looking results and full spectrum sun protection.

Here are the top 3 reasons why mineral makeup should be your sunscreen of choice:

1. The two principal ingredients in mineral makeup are natural sunscreens, giving full range UVA and UVB sun protection.

Zinc oxide is the top ingredient in mineral makeup. Because it absorbs both UVA and UVB rays of ultraviolet light very effectively it is the most widely used ingredient in sunscreen products. This mineral helps protect against sunburn and other damage to the skin caused by ultra violet light.

Titanium dioxide is also widely used as a sunscreen. Because of it's brightness and very high refractive index, next only to diamonds in brightness, this mineral, added to mineral makeup gives your face a radiant glow.

2. Mineral Makeup helps fight acne. And that is very good news if you want to wear makeup out doors in the hot summer. If you have acne, then you probably know that wearing makeup and cosmetics when you are going to be sweating only aggravates and worsens your acne.

Mineral makeup is your solution. It is inorganic, and repels bacteria feeding moisture from entering your pores, yet the minerals are ground so that they lay weightlessly on your skin and do not clog the pores.

3. Mineral Makeup does not meltoff your face when you sweat. Because it contains titanium dioxide, which turns the extra moisture into a strong steralizer, the moisture cannot be absorbed by the minerals and thus the makeup will not move or run off in the hot summer sun. This makeup stays put.

The steralizing effects of the makeup also give it a powerful punch in the acne fighting department. No wonder dermatologists love it, and call it the skin care makeup.

Find out more about Natural Mineral Makeup and how to get a complete Mineral Makeup starter kit at http://www.bare-mineral-makeup.info

The Why When Where & How of Cosmetic Shopping

A cosmetic case that won?t zip closed, that basketful of make-up on your bathroom counter, the vanity drawer crammed with products and colors you?re saving just in case. We all have a stockpile of make-up that is either impractical, a little too glitzy or just plain old. You don?t need to stockpile your cosmetics. In fact, you really shouldn?t for a few very good reasons.

WHY?

Your beauty supplies may not be marked with a specified shelf life, but they have one. Write purchase or throw away date on bottom new products with a permanent marker. Old products are not safe, do not wear correctly and subtle changes in color may occur.

Cleansers/Moisturizers - good for six months.

Foundation - six month shelf life if applied with fingertips, one year if applied with a sponge.

Lipstick - one year.

Eye and Lip Pencils - one year.

Powders and stick concealers - one year.

Eye shadow and blush - two years.

Mascara - good for three months

WHEN?

Shop when seasons change - new season, new colors ? when products have gotten old, and when things are on sale. Keep an eye on those pharmacy and department store circulars. You can find great deals if you're a smart shopper.

WHERE?

Local pharmacy/health and beauty chains are convenient and inexpensive. Shop sales, sometimes you can even buy two items for the price of one. Department stores with high end products and trained cosmetologists often have giveaways.

Look for in-store banners. Some product lines will even mail you invitations/reminders for sales. A purchase as small as lipstick may get you a goodie bag full of trial and even full size products. If you shop during bonus events, you'll get your money?s worth.

Independent Beauty Consultants are in everywhere. There are good products available, but be prepared. These sales people are often friends and it?s hard to say no when a friend must meet a sales quota. If you can stick to buying only what you need, this is a great way to get individualized service in the comfort of your own home.

On-line beauty catalogs may save you a lot of money. But you need to do your research first. Only purchase make-up that you have used in the past. Orange pancake foundation is still orange and thick, even if it was on sale. HOW?

Carefully and with an honest friend at your side. Take someone with you who has your best interests at heart. Trust your friend?s opinions, and don?t get upset if she tells you not to buy that gold shimmer lip gloss.

There are many, many ways to look great and not spend too much... develop your own unique personal style.

----------------------------------------------------------

Allison Saunders is a MAC qualified Make-up Artist and the author of an amazing new course, Hollywood Makeup Secrets a step-by-step simple video system for maximizing your inner and outer beauty potential. You can learn more about Allison, and subscribe to her free newsletter by visiting:

http://www.hollywoodmakeupsecrets.com/dt/s.php?id=9

(c)2005 HollywoodMakeupSecrets.com. All rights reserved. ----------------------------------------------------------

For All Those Beginners: How Do I Put On MakeUp?

It is very important to start with a clean slate. Use a gentle cleanser with a light exfoliant. It is important to make sure that it is hypoallergenic. Your face is a very sensitive area and it won?t take much to irritate it and make things worse. Whether you are in the shower or standing at the sink, gently apply a small amount, about the size of a pea, onto your face and softly rub onto face in an upwards motion, your forehead and left-right motion. Someday there will be a point when we are all worried about getting wrinkles and bags, and by always touching our face in an upwards motion it will help delay the aging process on our faces. We shouldn't help the aging process along at all, even if our faces are fresh and wrinkle-free now. Gently rinse the cleanser off and pat your face dry with a soft warm towel.

Soft as a baby butt! A good moisturizer is key. Your face will feel very itchy and flakey if you don't keep it moist. I like, again, Velocity facial moisturizer. It is lightweight and doesn't leave your face feeling greasy. Plus it helps absorb oil throughout the day. Apply a small amount, maybe a little more than the size of a pea, and gently massage it into your face. Make sure you are still using the upwards motion we talked about in step 1. Massage into face until all excess moisturizer in absorbed into your skin. Now doesn't that feel good??

Build a strong foundation. Some people do not like to use foundation and that is ok. But foundation is a great way to help protect your face from all those hazardous things you literally face everyday. The sun, wind, rain--anything can cause your face to get irritated. A good foundation will help protect your face from whatever is out there. Try a foundation with a light sunscreen in it. The extra protection will make a big difference. Make sure that you do not get a color that is too light or too dark for your face or it will look too painted on. It is important for it to look natural. If you really want a nice warm look on your face, a darker foundation is not the answer. Try some bronzer, which will be mentioned later. The general rule of thumb is to try to match your foundation with the color of your neck. This will assure that it is the most natural color you could wear. Blend the foundation into your face and make sure that is it all absorbed before you move onto the next step. A triangle sponge is very helpful to blend the foundation the best.

Conceal those blemishes. Chances are, like most of us out there, you might have some imperfections on your face. Try a slightly lighter that your foundation shade of concealer. You have the option of applying your concealer before, or after, your foundation, but it seemed to make the most sense to put things in this order. Apply a very small amount of concealer on the tip of your ring finger and lightly dab it on the desired areas of your face. Typical concealer is placed on the under-eyes and on any pimples that might be visible at the time. Dab on the concealer and allow it to dry for a few seconds and start to carefully blend it into your skin to make it look as natural as possible. If needed apply some more foundation to help it blend even more. Let concealer fully absorb before moving onto the next step.

Loosen up with powder. Get your hands on nice large powder brush. After putting on your foundation and concealer, use either a loose or pressed powder to help set the make-up on your face. Lightly dab your brush into your powder and get a small to moderate amount onto the end of your brush. If using a loose powder, lightly tap the end of your brush on the counter to cause the powder to drop into the bristles a little so that it doesn't just fall onto the first part of your face that you touch. Lightly stroke your face with your brush in downward strokes until your entire face has been brushed and you have achieved a nice matte look on your face. This is the only time we would ever use a downwards motion on your face. Unfortunately all of us have small amount of peach fuzz on our faces and by brushed our faces downwards it helps to lay those little hairs down and make them less noticeable. Make sure that your powder is applied evenly and move onto the next step.

You want your make-up to last all day, right? I thought so. To make it last, I suggest using an eye shadow primer before applying any eye makeup. Try Urban Decay's Primer Potion. Apply it everywhere you apply eye makeup. Then that ever-elusive eye shadow and liner will stay put for you. Sounds nice, doesn't it? Now its time to line those gorgeous gems of yours. Eyeliner is good to start with so you don?t mess with your mascara. Some of you don?t like eyeliner, so you can just skip this step. Anyways, first you have to decide which eyeliner formula to use: liquid, or pencil. Both have their advantages. Liquids are usually more long lasting as they don't smudge, and provide you with a clearer, definite line. The fact that you have to paint it on and wait for it to dry can make it tricky though. Pencils give a smokier, sultry quality and can be applied more easily and with more precision. However, they have tendency to smudge. Starting at the inner corner of your eye, slowly apply a thin streak along your lash line. If you are using liquid, fan it dry, then open up and see how you like it. Too thin? Try it again, this time a little thicker. Too thick? Dab a q-tip with water or eye-makeup remover, and swipe away from the thickness until you're satisfied with the result. It's also a good idea to make your eyeliner thicker toward the outer corners of your eyes to make them look larger. If you would like, repeat the process on the bottom lash line, or just above it at the inner rim of your eye (this can be tricky for beginners.)

Open your eyes to the wonders of eye shadow! Yes, this sounds cheesy, but with practice eye shadow really is amazing. There are so many effects to choose from when using eye shadow. But basics are still good, so here goes. First decide what color family you want your eye shadow to be. Pink and blue are popular as well as neutrals like brown, peach, and cream. From these color group, pick one color as dark as your skin tone (think basic pink), one darker or brighter than your skin tone (think darker mauve or hot pink), and one much lighter than your skin tone (think pale pink). Using an eye shadow sponge apply the darker or brighter shadow along the crease (basically, the dip between lid and brow bone), applying more heavily toward the outer half. Then with the medium shade and an eye shadow brush, dust the lid and smudge the edges of the darker color until things look even. Then wipe the brush off on a towel or piece of toilet paper, and sweep it through the lightest shade. Then sweep the brush along your brow bone to taste. Tweak your shadow as much as you want using our other tips sections.

Bat those lashes, girls! Time to put the finishing touch on your eyes: mascara. Its less versatile but can be the most beautifying of your eye makeup. Start out by, if you wish, curling your eyelashes wish a metal lash curler. Place at the base of your lashes and squeeze gently. Then take your mascara wand, dab the tip off on a towel, and place the brush at the base of your eyelashes, under your lashes. Wiggle the as you push it up through your lashes. Repeat as necessary, focusing on the tips after the first stroke. Coat your bottom lashes as much as you want, but they are less important.

The apple of my... cheek? This is the easiest of all the steps. Get your blush, and with a nice, mid-sized blush brush, lightly brush your cheeks in an upwards motion. Starting at the apple of you cheek, right below the middle of your eye (in most cases), brush outward toward your hairline lifting the brush away from your face as you go. Doing this will focus colored where you first applied it and will blend it outwards to create the desired effect. Use a triangle sponge to blend even more if desired.

Luscious Lips! There are many options when it comes to your lips. Lipstick or lip gloss? Matte lipstick or metallic? Shimmer gloss or shiny? In the end, the only thing that matters is what you like. If you do want to use a liner, I would suggest going with a natural or neutral shade. You can change things up a bit with different colored lipstick or gloss--depending on your mood. If you want something a little more daring, try a liner a shade or 2 darker than your actual lip color. Take the liner in your hand and hold it like you would a normal pencil. With light strokes, draw an outline of your lips starting at the top in the center of your lips and working outwards and down. If needed, lightly stroke the liner on the inside area of your lips to help blend the color so you don?t have such a definite line. If you don't want lipstick then skip this step. Take your lipstick and, again, start in the middle on your top lip and work your way out and down. Rub back and forth until you get the desired amount on your lips and then smack your lips together to ensure uniformity. Top it all off with a nice lightly colored lip gloss. Apply like you would the lipstick blending as you go. Smack your lips together again and check your teeth to make sure you don?t have any smudges.

Written By:
Katie Weaver & Debbie Frantzen
http://www.glitznspritz.com

Effective Makeup and Beauty Tips and Products: Do's and Dont's Avoid These Most Common Mistakes!

With the amount of importance given to make-up these days, many women just tend to do a bit too much. Getting the right make-up for the particular occasion is the call of the entire womanhood. But beauty shouldn't be misinterpreted as just by carrying a beautiful face. A overall healthy body reflects eternal beauty which one should be longing for. The idea is to look younger and FEEL YOUNGER.

Here are some precious makeup Do's and Dont's which one should know very well before applying make-up.

* Find the formula that meets your skin's needs and your lifestyle. Though, it isn't that hard also to get it right. Generally, we apply make-up in a hurry and we tend to ignore this vital part.

* Women generally don't wash their brushes as they are always busy applying their makeup.(Hey, Nothing against women :-), relax!). Brushes should be washed properly and allowed to be dried naturally.

* Special care should be taken, while applying and even after applying lipstick. Don't stain your teeth with lipstick. It really looks gross!

* Never use your mascara more than twice. It will definitely look clogged.

* Last but not the least, don't forget to take off all the make-up from your face once you go to bed specially from and near your eyes.

Jasdeep: for http://weightloss-health.com/ your complete and most comprehensive family guide on Health.

Also get more informative skin care tips related to various skin related issues at Anti Aging Skin Care(Tips) Treatment and Products