Makeup Tips to play up your assets

Make the most of what you have with these simple makeup tips that play-up and downplay
your best and not-so-loved features accordingly

NOSE SHAPE• To downplay a prominent nose, dab an eyeshadow brush into bronzer or taupe shadow: Draw a straight, soft line down both sides of the nose. Add an upward swipe underneath the tip to make it look shorter.

• You can make a slightly crooked nose appear aligned by blending a dab of creamy highlighter down the bridge in a perfect straight line—it tricks the eye and reflects light away from the bend.

FACE SHAPE• To make a round face appear more defined, dust bronzer down your temples, along your jaw line, and down your neck. Then, pop your cheekbones with bright blush.

• If you have a narrow face and you'd like to make it seem more balanced. Apply blush on the cheekbones and the apples of the cheeks.

• To minimize a large forehead, sweep an illuminating bronzer along your hairline, creating a shadow across the top of your face—remember to blend well! Also, try a dramatic lip to draw attention downward.

• If you're looking for cheekbone definition without a stripy, 1980s effect, try sweeping your regular blush on the apples of the cheeks in a circular motion and dabbing a shimmery cream in a horizontal line above it, blending outward.

EYES • Emphasize your eye color with complementary shades. Blue eyes look brilliant in toasty suede tones, brown look rich when you wear slate or navy, and green eyes really pop with purple.

• If your eyes are wide-set, play up the inner corners: Use a fine-tip pencil in black or plum and pull the liner all across the lash line, making sure not to go past the last lash. Try a mascara with a mini wand to coat even the smallest lashes.

• To transform small eyes into sultry doe-eyes, Line the top, inner rim of the eye as it brings attention to the eyes and creates the look of fuller lashes. Use a nude pencil along the bottom.

• If you have Asian eyes, don't try to fake a crease—enjoy your natural almond shape! Try a diffused smoky eye that starts along the lashes and gradually fades. Finish it off with a sweep of black liquid liner.

• Make downturned eyes appear more awake with a quick stroke of liner. Draw from the center of the lashes towards the outside of the eye and sweep up to create a slight cat-eye.

• You can easily make too-close-together eyes seem more balanced by adding pale shimmer to the inside corners of the eyes, sweeping it towards the center of the eyelid. Focus mascara and liner on the outer half of your eyes.

EYE CIRCLES AND PUFFINESS
• Whether those dark circles are genetic or from a sleepless night, you can make them disappear: Tap on a yellow-based concealer to cancel out bluish undertones and set it with loose powder in your regular shade.

• Hiding eye puffiness is all about optical illusion: Start with an eye cream that contains light-reflecting particles. Then, pat on an equally illuminating concealer. (Avoid powder—it traps light and makes the problem look worse.)

LIPS• If you'd like your lips to look fuller, opt for a light, shimmery gloss and a dab of highlighter in your cupids bow. (Avoid the overdrawn pencil—it's an obvious giveaway that you're trying to fake something.)

• If your lips don't have a lot of natural pigment, try a stain in a pinky-nude shade. Dab it all over, allowing it to set, and then apply your favorite gloss on top. While the gloss may fade, the stain will give you all-day color.

COMPLEXION• To warm up a sallow complexion, start with a pink-based primer, focusing along your forehead and cheeks. Then, tap on a foundation or tinted moisturizer that matches your natural skintone.

• For a ruddy complexion, Blandino recommends using an illuminating foundation through the center of the face. Redness tends to concentrate on the cheeks and nose. Buff the edges out clean with a makeup sponge.


[ Recommended Reading : Quick and Effective Hacks Every Woman Should Know ]

Quick & Effective Beauty Hacks Every Woman Should Know

#1 Stash your moisturisers in the fridge for depuffing

Cooling your moisturiser and eye creams in the fridge is great for dealing with a puffy face in the mornings, and give you a temporary tightening effect.

#2 Fill the gaps between your lashes

If falsies and mascara aren’t your thing but you still want to make your eyelashes look fuller, filling in the spaces right between the roots of your lashes (not above the lashes) with an eyeliner will make them look thicker and fuller. You should pick a shade as close to your lashes as possible, so avoid the blackest of black eyeliner and opt for a more natural brown black instead.

Dark circles? Natural concealers that work and how to use them

1. Hydrate the eye area
Is your finger or brush dragging on dry skin? The skin around the eyes is thinner and has fewer oil glands than the rest of the face. So you may need to hydrate the area first with something creamy first, then smooth on your concealer.

2. If concealer is too drying, use a creamy foundation
Often concealer is too thick or cakey like corrective makeup. So use a creamy foundation that feels more like a second skin, and yet provides some coverage. You should love the way it lies on the skin.

3. Use concealer under a tinted moisturizer
This creates a barely-there makeup look that conceals a few flaws then illuminates your skin, if your tinted moisturizer uses mica, a mineral with light-reflecting properties.

4. Don’t windshield-wiper the concealer under your eye.
Instead, apply it on the sides of your nose, from the corner of your eye up to where your eyebrow begins, and blend. This is where the shadow’s darkest, and it evens out the skin tone around your eyes.

5. Diffuse light
Use a lighter shade concealer, a luminizer or highlighter, or a light-reflecting mineral eye shadow on the inside corner of your eye and over the top of the tear duct. This makes eyes pop.

6. Buy concealers in two shades
We have this idea that one concealer should do the trick. Its recommended that women have two concealer shades in their arsenal. Buy one concealer that matches your skin—you should literally be able to use it all over your face—and a lighter concealer. Or buy a palette.

7. Don’t use a concealer brush
They pick up too much product, and don’t drag enough off. Instead put a thicker amount on, go brush your teeth and let it sink in. Then do a little blending. You’re pulling less on this area then, not affecting the fragile elasticity.

Source : WellnGood

Makeup Tricks That Erase The Years

As you get older, however, your makeup needs evolve. Fine lines, sagging, and increasing dryness mean old favorites may not refresh like they used to--and can even exaggerate signs of age.

Creamy Concealer
After 40, skin loses elasticity and thins, which can make you look tired and allow blood vessels to show through, heightening discoloration. Concealer lightens dark circles, gives lids the appearance of a lift, and provides an overall glow.
- choose the right hue
- apply it using a small-headed concealer brush, apply a dab along the lower lashes to the innermost corner of eyes and the hollows of the nose. You can also use your ring finger, which has a naturally light touch and added warmth to tap and gently blend
- set it in place with loose powder

Hydrating Foundation
Foundation is key because it addresses three of the most common age-related issues--fine lines, sagging skin, and sun spots--in one fell swoop. Creamy formulas moisturize, plumping up droopy skin and evening out tone. Avoid anything powdery or matte, which makes wrinkles more pronounced.
- choose the right hue
- pat a small amount to areas that need evening out (red spots or blemishes) with a makeup wedge, foundation brush, or fingertip. Blend upward and diffuse out toward your hairline for the most natural effect. Don't go overboard--it will just cake.
- If your skin is on the oily side, finish with a light coat of loose face powder on your forehead, nose, and chin (apply with a blush brush or velour puff) to lock foundation and smooth texture.

Rosy Lip Color
Lips can lose color with age and become more prone to dryness. Ultrabright colors with heavy pigments are wrong at this stage; pick sheer lipsticks and glosses instead to hydrate and add sheen, which helps lips look fuller. Natural-but-better shades, like rose and pinky beige, also mitigate the appearance of fine lines by reflecting light.
- pinky brown, nude, beige pink, rosy brown, and blackberry are universally flattering
- to prevent color from seeping into pesky vertical lines, use a lip pencil that matches your lipstick; line the natural border of your top lip (pay special attention to its V shape) and underneath your lower lip. For fullness, fill in the entire border of your lips.
- use a lip brush to apply; the synthetic fibers help lipstick or gloss adhere and fill in lines like putty. Blend from corner to corner, and press your lips together to seal in the shade
- for added sheen and fullness, dab your lipstick with clear gloss in the center of your mouth.

Lighten Up
Tinted moisturizers with luminescent particles or lightweight liquid foundations are best for skin with lines. Unlike pressed powder, which settles into wrinkles making skin look older, a light-reflective liquid formula creates the illusion of a glowing complexion.

Blur The Edges
As we age, perfectly drawn eyeliner starts looking more dour than dramatic. Rimming lids with an eye pencil will define the eyes and appear to plump lashes, but always smudge the line a bit for a more flattering, soft-focus effect.

Stick to creamy blushes and shadows
Older skin can mean dry skin, so creamy blushes and shadows are your best bet. Powder blushes and shadows tend to settle into fine lines and wrinkles, while creamier products "plump" skin.

Don't go skinny on the eyebrows
Don't get too pluck-happy when tweezing your brows. The higher the arch doesn't mean more years are taken away. Once you hit your 30s, you'll want to be especially careful not to over-pluck eyebrows, as they are less apt to grow back when excessively plucked.

Source : Prevention , Parade

5 Easy Makeup Tricks That Make You Look Younger

1) Take It Easy
Overly made-up skin is a one-way ticket to looking a lot older than you actually are," says makeup artist Chrisanne Davis. "If you have dark circles or some sun spots, dot a tiny bit of concealer on the inner corners of your eyes or on those spots, not all over the place." And while letting your skin show through may seem counterintuitive, "the more skin you can see, the better," says makeup artist Sandy Linter. "As long as it is well-hydrated, fresh skin looks much more youthful than an obviously covered complexion

2) Lighten Up
Tinted moisturizers with luminescent particles or lightweight liquid foundations are best for lined skin. "Unlike pressed powder, which settles into wrinkles and makes the skin look even older, a light-reflective liquid formula creates the illusion of a glowing complexion," Davis says. To apply foundation flawlessly, "use either a damp sponge or a foundation brush to dot it all over your face in tiny amounts," Linter says. It's a good idea to use powder to set it so it doesn't smear into lines. "Just dust on a loose translucent formula, avoiding the eye area.

3) Open Your Eyes
"Curling your eyelashes and adding a little glimmery shadow as a highlighter are the easiest things you can do to make your eyes look bigger—and therefore younger," Davis says. Look for the blackest black mascara you can find—"it will make the whites of your eyes look clearer and whiter," Linter says. And don't forget to define sparse brows (powder works best for truly skimpy arches). "Thick, full, brows can take years off your face," says makeup artist Bobbi Brown.

4) Warm It Up
Nude lipstick and matte bronzer look lifeless on skin that's dull. Instead, "a neutral rose color applied to the lips and the apples of the cheeks flatters all skin tones and really brightens it up," Linter says.

 Source : Allure

Favourite Pen Highlighters from 5 local make-up artists

Its Friday, my favourite weekday of the week as one can easily guess why. Simply because it meant that the weekend is looming. Yipee.

Today's Urban gets 5 make-up artists to share their favourite pen highlighters, used to lighten undereye circles, diminish the appearance of fine lines and sculpt the face.

Mr. Larry Yeo : Lancome's Teint Miracle Skin Perfecting Correcting Pen $56
For sheer to medium coverage and having the perfect color to correct discolourations
Use it as a base before applying concealer, to stay crease-free

Mr. Peter Khor : Guerlain's Precious Light $65
Brightens up the area without being thick and cakey
Smoothens the undereye area and does not emphasise fine lines and wrinkles

Mr. Yuan Sng : Loreal's Touche Magique $21
Yellow undertones to cover up dark eye circles
Use as a highlighter for the nose bridge, chin and corner of lips

Ms. Dollei Seah : Dior's Skinflash Radiance Booster $59
Velvety finish and gives a glow to skin.
Smoothen out fine lines, diminish shadows and lighten imperfections
Contour and sculpt the face on cheekbones, temples, nose bridge and cupid's bow

Mr. Clarence Lee : Cle de Peau Beaute's Touche Sublime $95
Light texture which covers fine lines and imperfections making you look younger and fresher
Use as a concealer to cover up flaws

How to Make a Round Face Appear Oval

A round face is virtually as wide as it is long and tends to look full in the cheek region. If you'd like to make your face resemble a more oval shape.

Hairstyle
A round face will look longer and leaner if you choose a long, sleek hairstyle. So if possible grow your hair to your shoulders or longer and keep it straight until it passes the chin. You want to avoid any fullness through the cheek region, because this will only make your face appear rounder. In addition you want to choose a side part, rather than a center part and make sure you style your hair to achieve volume at the top of your head. This will add visual length to your face.

Makeup
You can significantly help to influence the visual proportions of your facial appearance by contouring and highlighting with makeup. Try applying a contouring powder, or blush in the hollows of your cheekbones, rather than the center of your cheeks. Then apply a highlighter to the top of your cheekbones just under the eyes. This will help to structure cheekbones and improve the wide, flat appearance of your face shape. Make sure you define your eyes and mouth well, because this will also help make your face appear a little more structured.

Neckline
When it comes to clothing choices, make sure you avoid high, round neck styles, because these will draw further attention to your round face. Try to choose slightly lower neckline styles, because these will help to add visual length to your face area. V necks are a good choice because they draw the eye downwards.

Accessories
Your accessories can also influence the appearance of your face, so make sure you also make wise choices in this department. For sunglasses or prescription frames look for styles that are rectangular or cat eye shaped. When it comes to hats, choose styles that feature a small brim, but lots of height at the top. Choose necklaces that are long, rather than choker styles because these will widen your face. Avoid round hoop earrings in favor of long dangly styles or simply small studs.

Eyebrow shape
When it comes to your eyebrows, you want to create as much arch as possible, because this draws the eyes up rather than outwards, consequently creating more visual length. It can also be beneficial to trim your eyebrow ends in line with a diagonal line out from your inner eye or nose end. This will help stop eyes from traveling the full width of your face.

Source : Associated Content

Look Younger Without Plastic Surgery

Easy Makeup Tricks

As tempting as it can be to skip the makeup, throw on sunglasses, and hope your lip color makes you look "done," Lancôme makeup artist Sandy Linter warns, "Less is less; less is not more." Linter, who has made up her fair share of celebrities, gives lessons to real women at New York's Rita Hazan Salon and says you don't have to spend hours to look terrific. "But if you're going to do just one thing, do your eyes. Nothing is more aging than wearing just lipstick."

"Radiant skin is youthful skin," says Pati Dubroff, a makeup artist for Dior who works with Gwyneth Paltrow and Sharon Stone. Use a luminizing primer like Sephora Base Primer (US$18). "And stick to liquid or cream foundation, as powder can be drying," adds makeup artist Sam Fine, whose clients include Iman and Vanessa Williams. He likes Vincent Longo Liquid Canvas (US$48.50). "Women can look washed out as they age, so make sure your foundation is not too pale. Lighter is not more natural," says Linter. It's easy to use too much, so pat a damp sponge into skin to pick up any excess, suggests Linter, who loves the sheer coverage of Patricia Wexler M.D. Daily Defense Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 (US$29.50). Set with powder only where you are oily.

Concealer is your friend. "Use it not just to conceal redness but also to highlight," explains Fine. Try Yves Saint Laurent Touche éclat (US$40). Brush or pat it under your eyes, blending it down so it fans out into the middle of your face. "It can be very aging if it sinks into wrinkles, so use as little as possible," says Linter.

Spend time on your eyes. "Eyes are the area that show your age fastest," says Fine. "A touch of glowing shadow on the center of your lid and inner corner will instantly brighten your eyes," says Dubroff. "But avoid shimmer, which brings out texture like fine lines," notes Fine. Try Laura Mercier Matte Eye Colour shadows (US$22 each). And to give your eyes a lift, line the top lash line with a brown pencil or shadow and highlight your brow bone, which adds a beautiful halo around the eye.

Always define your brows. "Use a pencil in a tone slightly lighter than your hair color," says Dubroff, and blend well with a spool brush.
Max out your lashes. "A few individual false lashes create a youthful and wide-eyed look," says Fine. Linter relies on tons of mascara: "Thickening mascara can weigh down thin lashes and cause clumps," so look for one that separates and curls, like Shiseido Perfect Mascara (US$22). "And Latisse works!" insists Linter, who uses the prescription lash enhancer on herself.

Cream blush adds an instant glow. "Apply it with a foundation brush so you can control where it goes," says Dubroff. We like Philosophy Healthy Cream Blush in Look on the Bright Side ($22.50). Oily skin or large pores? Use a powder instead. Try CoverGirl TruBlend Blush in Pure Romance ($8.47).

Lip liner can work miracles. In your 40s, the sides of your top lip lose fullness, explains Linter. Use a neutral lip pencil to softly round the outer corners of the lips and soften the Cupid's bow. Apply a clear silicone formula like Mally Beauty Lip Fence (US$12.50) along the outer edge of your lip contour. "This fills in lines and acts as a barrier for lipstick leaks," says Dubroff. A satin-finish lipstick will add moisture and give good coverage. Linter likes Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge in Rich Cashmere ($29). Says Fine, "Anything that's rosy or beigey is most flattering." Another good pick: Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani in No. 19 ($30).

Glowing, Smooth Skin

The pros agree: Must-haves are sunscreen, an exfoliant, and an antioxidant product. "Skin is a renewable organ, and you can definitely slow the aging process," says Tammy Fender, owner of Tammy Fender Holistic Skin Care in West Palm Beach, Florida. "With a regimen, you can see a 30 to 40 percent improvement in two to three weeks," adds Neal Schultz, a New York dermatologist.

Use SPF 30. It not only protects, it makes skin look younger. "The skin has an incredible ability to heal itself once you start blocking UVA and UVB rays. You'll see an improvement in both texture and tone," notes Chanel Jenae, co-owner of Arcona Studio in Los Angeles, where Scarlett Johansson and Michelle Pfeiffer get treatments.

Use an antioxidant serum or moisturizer. "Vitamin C is the best," says Schultz, "but apply it at night because it's sun sensitive." Vitamin C will brighten the skin, and it helps with skin damage and melasma. Other antioxidants to look for: vitamin E, resveratrol, and green tea. Try Tammy Fender Essential C Tonic (US$55). Products with firming ingredients like red algae can also help.

Use some form of retinol. "You'll notice a real transformation with this ingredient," says Jenae. It smooths wrinkles, retexturizes, boosts collagen, and lightens spots.

"Exfoliation is pivotal to facial rejuvenation," explains Schultz. "Ultimately, it increases dermal volume, making skin look less wrinkly." It will also help brown spots. You can use a physical exfoliant, like a scrub, or a chemical exfoliant, such as a glycolic peel. Your dermatologist or facialist can advise which is best for you.

Eat a healthy diet. "Your skin reflects what you eat. Chemicals and processed foods are toxic to your cells and cause degeneration, making you look older. Your skin is an eliminating organ, and if you've got a poor diet, your complexion will show it," says Fender, who recommends plenty of fresh fruit and veggies to help alleviate dull skin.

Gorgeous, Bouncy Hair

"I don't believe that you have to cut your hair at a certain age. You just have to keep it flattering to your face," says Mark Townsend, Matrix celebrity stylist and Reese Witherspoon's mane man.
Consider face-framing layers, which will give you a lift and "emphasize your bone structure," explains New York stylist Oscar Blandi, who works with Jennifer Garner. "And adding bangs can distract from forehead lines."

A bob is a flattering look, and you can adjust the length depending on your hair type.

Be realistic about your hair texture. Are your locks thin and scraggly? Then stay on the shorter side. "Length should be based on the thickness of your hair," says Blandi. If you've got long and thick hair, flaunt it.

Keep your hair away from your face, suggests stylist Tippi Shorter, who coifs Rihanna. "When you pull hair back, it draws the eye up and away so you look younger. You don't have to cut it, but give it volume on top." Tease the roots and spritz Ojon Swa+ Instant Hold Hairspray (US$27) to keep it in place.

Shiny, Luminous Hair Color

"Your color needs to be simple but current," explains Amanda George, colorist and co-owner of L.A.'s Neil George Salon, where Cameron Diaz is often spotted. To look younger, "never go too dark around the hairline," advises colorist Sharon Dorram, co-owner of her own New York salon and color guru to Kate Hudson and Linda Evangelista. "You need softness around your face or you'll look severe."
Don't go too blonde. You must keep depth in the blonde, so ask for both highlights and lowlights, says George.

The right highlights can light up your face. "For a quick boost, we do T-zone highlighting, which highlights along the hairline and the part, then follow it with a high-shine gloss," says George. "It adds instant brightness."

Gray can be fabulous. Got salt and pepper? "Bring out the salt and make it sparkle so it looks glamorous," says Dorram. Adds George, "Gray hair can get dehydrated. I recommend Rene Furterer Okara Silver Shampoo [US$23]."

Avoid products with alcohol. "Alcohols can dull color," explains Dorram, so use color-preserving products like Nexxus Dualiste Color Protection + Intense Hydration Shampoo (US$11.99) and Conditioner (US$15.70).

Source : Harper Bazaar

How to Get the Longest, Thickest Lashes Ever

As derived from Total Beauty , here are some tips to get long and thick eyelashes

MAC Makeup Artist Gina Bettelli says there are a few ingredients you should look for in your mascara if you want dramatic lashes:

Soy protein: helps build volume and strengthen lashes.
Try : Wet n Wild MegaProtein Mascara, US$2.29.

Acrylates Copolymer: a film former that enhances lash length.
Try : Try Blinc Kiss Me Mascara, US$24

Panthenol, Pantethine, and Pro Vitamin B-5: conditioners, also found in most hair conditioners are the best ingredients for making lashes stronger and longer.
Try : MAC Mascara X, US$12.50

Chad Hayduk, makeup artist and Co-Founder of Three Custom Color Specialists
To create the illusion of thicker lashes
- apply eyeliner to the upper inner rim of the eye.
- Use a pointed eyeliner brush with a cake eyeliner to apply liner as close to the lash line as possible

Finding the right wand is imperative for lengthening lashes
- look for a smaller wand with lots of teeth bound close together which will reach the lash roots and extend the hair as much as possible to lengthen and separate lashes.
Try: Lancome Definicils Mascara, US$24.

Gina Bettelli
A bigger fluffy wand is best for creating voluptuous lashes. The bendable, pliable teeth hug the lash curves and allow many coats to be applied on top of each other
Try: Benefit BADgal Lash, US$19.

I always, always use at least two different mascaras when I'm doing makeup. I like to use
one that really gets the mascara into the roots of the lashes (like Maybelline Lash Discovery, US$6.59 and another to lengthen and extend the lashes (like Lancome Virtuose Mascara, US$23.50.
Using a primer under mascara will help create denser lashes because it grabs more mascara to the lashes to make them thicker quicker.

Use lengthening mascara first to comb and separate lashes and then build a few coats of a
thickening mascara to create dense drama
Try : MAC Fibre Rich Lash Mascara, US$12 for a lengthening mascara
Try : L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara, US$6.99 to thicken lashes ( TotalBeauty reader favourite )

Having a good amount of mascara at the roots of the lashes makes the lashes look fuller and
thicker, without having to rely on eyeliner." -- Makeup Artist Fiona Stiles

How to hide dark circles?

It had always been a frustrating concern for me to hide my dark circles and bags with make-up.
Concealers only improves my under eye appearance but it does not totally eliminate it.

Here is an article by Marie Claire.

For Bags:
To stop eye-bags before they occur, the night before an important event, steer clear of salt, alcohol and caffeine, which can cause puffiness. Don't use a cream eye moisturizer before bed; go for a gel formula, instead. If you wake up to puffiness, apply ice or anything cold (such as chilled spoons or tea bags) to your eyes. Engage in aerobic exercise to help drain fluid.

For Circles:
First, prime your skin with a shimmer-containing cream to reflect light. Gafni (makeup artist Ramy Gafni of Ramy Beauty Therapy) recommends Prescriptives Vibrant or Dimish by Estée Lauder. Then, apply a yellow-based concealer one shade lighter than your skin directly to the blue rings. Set the concealer with a thin layer of loose or pressed powder.

If all else fails, Gafni has a diversionary tactic to draw attention away from under the eyes. Apply a dark brown or black eyeliner to upper lashlines only. Follow with a coat of mascara to the upper lashes only. Add a neutral shimmery eye shadow to lids to brighten your whole face.

Face Contouring Tips

Contouring technique is one of the most important make-up tip that can make a difference to those who crave for a slimmer face shape.

As derived from this MovingMakeup

Colours shown are for illustration purposes

Contouring - Brown
Highlight - Yellow
Blusher - Green

Round Face
ShapeContour: Sides of jaw, temples and neck
Highlight: Centre of nose, centre of cheeks, chin and forehead
Blush: Just under the cheekbones


Other face shapes contouring can be found in the link above