The Truth About Oil | Real Simple

Hello all!
I was just sitting down on the....ahem, COUCH, reading a magazine the other day and came across a fascinating article that I just had to pass along to all of y'all.
It's out of Real Simple magazine, and it's about your skin and the oil(s) it needs. Even my "slick chicks" can benefit from the right kind of oil! And I tell ya, I know I was ready to bathe myself in a FryDaddy of Crisco in the winter time if it would take away my dry, itchy skin. I found all of this so interesting that I thought I would share this with you. I also love that the article is broken up into skin type, so you can skip what you're not interested in reading and cut right to the chase and read the parts that apply to you and your skin. Let me know what you think!



The Truth About Oil | Real Simple

I'm Fixin' to Help Y'all Fix your Makeup...

So you look like Alice Cooper and you have ten minutes to get out the door to go to church. Nice-now what? Never fear. As long as you aren't in your car, you should be fine. If you ARE in your car, you may have to channel your inner-Macguyver and improvise some of these helpful tips. Otherwise, we'll have you singing "How Great Thou Art" in no time. So, either hand over the keys and pull down your visor mirror or pop a squat in front of the looking glass at home and let's get to fixin' that there mess you made of yourself.

The biggest oopsie people ask about is mascara. "I was putting it on and if a gnat didn't just come and land right in my eye!" or "My cataracts are so bad I can't see if I'm comin' or goin' with that thing!" or my favorite, "I just can't stop blinkin'!" Either way, mascara is everywhere-looks like you got socked in the eye by a mechanic. If you aren't in a big hurry, and have the rest of your face to do, leave it, and let it dry. Once you are done with your face, take a dry cotton swab and just pick it /wipe it away. It will usually just come right off. If you are one of those people who puts mascara on last and you just can't wait for it to dry, then dip your cotton swab in eye makeup remover and wipe it away. The only problem with this is that you'll also be wiping all of the surrounding makeup away as well, so be prepared to re-apply.
I also get a lot of complaints about clumpy mascara. Well, quit buying that kind! ;) Seriously, if you're at the end of a tube and it starts to dry out and get clumpy, a really good tool to have in your collection anyway, is an eyelash comb. You can get these at your local drugstore (they will be plastic), or you can spring for a nicer one in metal at a place like Sephora or Ulta. These are great to help comb out the clumps. But if you're a serious penny-pincher, you can go somewhere like Sally's and buy disposable mascara wands and use them to separate your lashes, but they aren't NEARLY as good, but they are really cheap.

Next in the list of complaints is foundation. I wrote an entire blog about picking the right foundation, so I won't talk about that too much, but I'll just touch on it if you happen to have the wrong color...
If you've been in the sun and realize your foundation is too light, you should have been wearing sunscreen and a big, floppy hat to protect your face from sun damage and wrinkles. There's my jab at you, and my sunscreen plug- I'm done. Seriously, you can just deepen your shade by applying bronzer. Now, when you do this, don't apply it onto your entire face and make yourself look like someone just colored your face with a brown crayon. Think dimension-where would the sun hit your face naturally? Where are the higher planes of your face? That's where the bronzer needs to go.
If your foundation is too dark-yikes. That is not good. Your foundation should never be too dark. You can try lightening it by mixing some of it with your moisturizer, but then you're sacrificing the amount of coverage you'll get out of it on your face. I say it's best to go without foundation and maybe just powder or bronzer than to go with a foundation that's too dark. I know some of you will want to shoot me over that one!
Now if you have accidentally put on too much foundation, here's where you can use: those silly little sponges that everyone wants to use so badly! Since all they're good for is absorbing product... ta-da! The perfect use is to just dampen the sponge a teensy-weensy bit and then in a downward motion, take the sponge and wipe away the excess foundation!

Do you look like Raggedy Ann? Do you look like you have scarlet fever? Do you have two perfect circles on either side of your nose? Then you totally messed up your blush, honey. Hurry up and grab yourself a cotton ball and GENTLY rub some of that powdered blush off. And when I say "gently" that's exactly what I mean. Think about it-if you rub too hard, what's going to happen? Your cheek will turn red. Is that blush or the beating you just gave yourself trying to get it off? Once you have gently rubbed, take a little bit of powder with a brush and gently wipe it onto your cheeks and start over.

Did you decide to try something new for eyeshadow today and now you look more "freak" than "fresh"? OK-we've all done it. I wish y'all could see my first try at a smokey eye-I looked like the lead singer of The Cure.
If you've put on too much eyeshadow, I know you're probably freaking out, but don't! Just blend, blend, blend! It will eventually just start to fade, unless you used a super dark color like black . In that case, why did you decide to try something like that right before you had to go somewhere?! If you did use black, I hate to tell you, your best bet is just to start over, so take some eye makeup remover and get to it!
If you used the wrong color, or you just don't like the color, you can take a neutral matte color and use it over the color you don't like to fade it even faster and use a darker color than the original one to cover it, as well.

Eyeliner will be the death of me! I am OCD about my eyeliner, and if you've ever seen me do makeup (especially my own) you know this. I am a big fan of cream-gel liner that is applied with a brush because it is so precise and gives such a sharp crisp line. Just thinking about it gave me the chills! Lame, I know. Don't even get me started about how much a love a good winged-out cat eye-oh snap! Anywhooo...messing up on eyeliner can send me into a major, full-out, fist-pounding, head-thrashing, knee-knocking, on the ground tantrum if I can't fix it. So needless to say, in this department, I feel your pain.
Once I have the eyeliner on, and it isn't quite to my standard, cotton swabs and MAC's Gently Off Makeup Remover or Clinique's Take the Day Off Makeup Remover become my BFFs. I just dip and wipe until I get it right-hey, that could totally become my motto! And of course, I have to re-apply my shadow as needed afterwards. But what's good is that these products will remove even waterproof stuff without being oily, so it's great for my obsession.

And lastly, lips...honestly, prevention is key with lips! You really have to be careful, first of all. Just remember you have on lipstick/gloss, so don't wipe your lips all over stuff (kids, dogs, phones, fire hydrants). And then use liner to keep lip products from bleeding. DuWop (found at Sephora) makes a great "reverse lip liner". It's clear and basically seals your lips to keep your lip color in its "boundaries". Otherwise, you can still use your regular lip liner. If you didn't take preventive measures and your lipstick has feathered, dip your lip brush in makeup remover and start removing the stray lipstick. Then re-dip your brush, clean it, and then use your brush in your concealer and brush concealer around your mouth to hide any traces of leftover lipstick stain. Then use your liner and lipstick, and voila!

Is That a Mud Mask or Foundation You're Wearing?

Soooo...we've all fallen a little short of perfection in the makeup department at some point, right? It's OK to admit it. I know I certainly have-ask my mom or my husband. Mom used to tell me when I had jacked myself up with dark brown/burgundy lipstick back in my teenage years, my husband kindly lets me know when I've gotten a little heavy-handed with the blush nowadays. But for most of us, FOUNDATION is where we have the most difficulty. Either we can't find that perfect shade, or we can't find just the right formula that makes us feel that "I'm such a rock star" feeling when we look at ourselves in the rear view mirror while belting out the high notes from "Since You've Been Gone".

So fear no more, I have a few tips that may help you in finding your foundation soul mate.

First things first...

Do you really NEED a foundation? If it ain't broke, why in tarnation are you ya puttin' that there grease paint on it? All kidding aside, if you are blessed with beautiful skin, don't cover it up! Save your pennies, use a great moisturizer with an SPF to protect that gorgeous skin of yours and let it glow, honey! Just show it off with a little illuminating lotion if you like the glowy/dewy look. MAC makes Strobe Liquid that is great, and Revlon just came out with one that is a great drugstore find (plus it smells really nice). Or, if you have good skin, but you feel that you just need to "even it out" a little, a tinted moisturizer may be a good choice for you. These are nice because they serve a dual purpose and most lines carry their own. Just make sure that you choose one with an SPF of at least 25.

So, if you answered yes to needing a foundation, get comfy and keep on reading! If you're going to a department store counter or a store like Sephora or Ulta to be helped by a makeup artist or beauty consultant, DO NOT SHOW UP WEARING MAKEUP!!! It is a royal pain in the rear to take off all of your makeup before even getting started! So be considerate of the person helping you-trust me, you're coming to them for help, do you really want to irritate them from the jump? ;) Be prepared to answer questions about your skin. Are you typically oily or dry, or do you have combination skin? Are you sensitive (not you, your skin, smart alec)? What type of finish would you like for your foundation (this one always stumps people-I ask it just to see their expressions)? What problems are you experiencing with your skin (here comes the therapy session)? And so on...it seems like a lot of probing questions, but you actually want someone who is that "nosy". If not, why did you go to them for help? You might as well be flying solo...

Why we ask those questions and how you should answer them...OK-so now that we've put you in a small room with a two-way mirror with nothing but a pot of coffee and a bare light bulb dangling from the ceiling, let's get some answers out of ya. What is your skin type?
When you wash your face and dry it, how does it feel? Do you feel fine-like you could just walk right out of the house, only to notice some shiny spots later on in the day? You're more than likely a bit oily. Now you know if you're really oily if you find yourself being paranoid about it, your bangs literally stick to your forehead like sand on a Now and Later, or people ask you to stand still so they can check their reflection in your T-zone.
Now, when you wash your face and dry it, do you feel OK in most areas with just a little tightness in some? Maybe the tightness is in your cheeks or around your nose? Then you're more than likely normal/combination. You're the easiest of the bunch and have a lot of options when it comes to foundations.
Next, when you wash your face and dry it, do you find yourself clawing at your medicine cabinet desperately searching for your moisturizer because you're afraid to smile out of fear your face will crack like hardened clay? That's me-as dry as a salty fart. This is not fun skin at all.
Then lastly, can you not wash your face because merely looking at soap causes you to break out? Then you have sensitive skin. Joking aside, those of you with sensitive skin know you have sensitive skin, so I don't have to describe all of that redness, blotchiness stuff, right?

So now that we know what your skin type is, we want to know why you're here (other than the fact you want foundation, obviously). Do you have broken capillaries, redness, general uneven skin, acne, etc? Why do you feel that you need foundation? Most of the time (sorry if I hurt your feelings, here) we can see why, but sometimes we can't. Honestly, we are our own worst critics, so to you that little once-a-month breakout may be the end of the world, but to us, it's really nothing! So you may have to point out your "flaw(s)" to us.

OK-here's the question that puzzles everyone- "What finish do you like?" This is really easy, it's just that sometimes people don't really think about it because they're so concerned with coverage that they forget about the end result. Of course, you're going to discuss how much coverage you need with the person helping you-that's a given (that's why I didn't give it it's own paragraph). But, what do you want your skin to look like once the foundation has been applied? Do you like your skin to look matte (kinda powdery-a BIG no-no for dry skinned people like me), do you like it to look natural (great for those with dry or combination skin), or how about dewy (great for dry skin, not so much for those with oily skin).

Once your M/U artist or beauty consultant has put your foundation on, ask him or her for a hand mirror and go outside in natural light to see how it looks. Fluorescent lighting has never flattered anyone (especially not when trying on bathing suits-can I get an amen?) When inspecting the match, make sure that the color is placed along your jawline so that you can ensure that the foundation matches your face, neck, decollete (upper chest), and ears-yes, I said ears. If you're happy with the way it looks, smile, stretch your face a little, make sure you like the way it feels on your face, too. Make sure to ask about how to apply this foundation-is a brush the best way to apply it? Then, maybe purchasing the brush isn't a bad idea. If you really want to duplicate the look, you need the same tools. Now, keep in mind, you may love it and then get it home and not love it-that happens. So make sure you understand the return policy before you bring it home. Most stores have good return policies as long as you hang on to the receipt and boxes and YOU DON'T RETURN IT AFTER USING 3/4 OF IT! (You'd be surprised at some of my stories...)

Here are some key words for you to look for in your foundations:

Oily Skin: water-based, matte-finish, oil-free, oil-absorbing, silica, talc, non-comedogenic

Combination Skin: you will base your key words on where your dryness/oiliness is.

Dry Skin: emollient, polysaccharides, lecithin, any type of oil/silicone, demethicone, vitamins A,C,E, humectants

Sensitive Skin: Non-acnegenic, Non-comedogenic, dermatologist-tested, opthamologist-tested, fragrance-free

There are soooo many great foundations out there that I can't even begin to list them all here, but if you need help choosing one, I can try and help you as best as I can over the internet!!! www.facebook.com/thebeautymark
Again, thank you all for reading-feel free to comment either here or on facebook, I really appreciate your feedback!
I do this all in the glory of my one true Savior, Jesus Christ! 1 Peter 3:3-4
Love, Mel

Kill 'Em With Kindness!

OK, OK, I know...it's been a loooooong time since my last blog. So first off, happy new year! New year, new you, right? That's what we all say. We all swear we're going to lose 25 lbs., stop biting our nails, stop staring at ourselves in every mirror we walk by, oh wait, maybe that's just me...anyways, we're all in the same boat. We want to start fresh and wipe the slate clean. Of course I want to drop weight, be healthier, etc., but most of all, I have decided I want to BE NICE. What a general statement, right? But it's true!!! I have been known to have gotten bitten by the gossip bug a time or two, or have put my foot in my mouth and it's a horrible feeling. I know you're asking yourself, "What in the heck does this have to do with makeup?" Well, here's where I tie it all in a really pretty bow for you. Makeup Counter Etiquette! Having worked at several different makeup counters for several different lines, some of my encounters with the public have been well, shall I say (to put it KINDLY) less than pleasant?
So, as you go to a makeup counter, keep these things in mind:

1. Mind your manners. A "hello" and a smile is always appreciated. Whistles, snapping of fingers, sucking on teeth, eye rolls, and sighs WILL get you noticed, just not in the way you would like.

2. Remember that you came to the expert. Let them help you. Don't bring your mom, your friend, your friend's friend who used to work at a makeup counter with you for their opinion. If you want their opinion, show it to them after you've left the counter, otherwise, they should have been the ones helping you to start with!

3. Never just stick your fingers into the products on display. Yucky! These are the products that the artists use on faces. Granted, we have hygiene standards that we use and we clean them off beforehand, but still, what if the person standing there before you had done the same thing? Then, you just picked up their germs along with that great frosty blue shadow you just put on your lid. Hell-o, germs! Eew. Same with lipstick and glosses. The artist should dip the lipsticks in alcohol and wipe them clean before each use and the glosses should be tried on with a disposable wand and no double-dipping!

4. If you are having a full-face application done for a special event, it is standard to make an appointment ahead of time. If you do not, you have no right to complain about time constraints to the artist/manager. All counters take appointments. Having said that, most counters require or appreciate a minimum purchase for the time spent working with you. This can range from a two-item minimum to a flat $50 purchase, so be prepared. I mean, really, would you get your nails or hair done and not expect to pay? Or,(here's where I totally plug my own business-I know, seriously indulgent...)you can have a makeup artist come to your home, church, hotel, salon or wherever you are getting ready for your special event to save you the inconvenience of having to take a trip to the mall on your special day. If you'd like to do that and you live in Augusta, GA or the surrounding areas, call me at 706.399.4544 for availability and pricing (you like that?) ;)

5. Speaking of doing faces, of course makeup artists like to do makeup, that's why we do it! However, having said that, it's not like a ride at the fair where you line up at the counter to see who gets to go next to have their makeup done. We're not carnis! We have certain sales goals to meet, so if you aren't serious about trying new makeup because you would like to buy it, it isn't fair to us or to other serious customers for you to sit in the chair. So please, if you only want your makeup done because you're going out to the club because some one's album just dropped, make an appointment and plan on spending the minimum. Otherwise, ask a friend to do it!

6. Tipping is always welcomed. Most counters have beauty consultants (not artists) who are paid an hourly wage plus commission to encourage them to sell more. Makeup artists do not make commission, so any extra puts a little pep in our step!

I hope that this little tidbit of information has been an eye opener for you when it comes to going to the counter...there was waaaay more I could have written, and I may expand on this, I just have to find a NICE way to say some of it!!! =)

Love you all! 1 Peter 3:3-4
Mel

Adult Acne-Why Has My Skin Betrayed Me?!

Many of us thought that once we left our teen years, we would never have to deal with crazy skin issues again. Sorry, but for some of us, it has gotten worse! Some of us have sailed through those years with maybe just a few blackheads and the occasional breakout, and then WHAM! We're in our thirties and we look like we took a cheese grater to our faces! What is going on?!
Sadly, there aren't any actual reasons for adult onset acne. Wah-Wahn...here comes Debbie Downer. But, cheer up, buttercup! Dermatologists have some ideas of things that could potentially cause our worlds to go in a tail spin because of the craziness on our faces.

1. Hormones, Hormones, Hormones...they play so dirty in our lives, don't they ladies? I mean, seriously, up until our teen years, we are perfectly happy little girls, dreaming of looking like Barbie, playing house, and having tea parties with our stuffed animals. All of a sudden, we are plagued with these crazy hormones that make us automatically roll our eyes when our moms talk to us, they add sarcasm to our vocabulary, and then we start crying for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON AT ALL. Then on top of it all we get pimples, when we're at the most insecure point in our lives! Yes, ladies, take a good look at your 9th grade picture. Were you as foxy as you are now? Me, neither-far from it. To make it worse, these hormones stay with us for a REALLY LONG TIME! Our poor parents back then, our poor husbands now!

2. Not having a good skincare routine can also play into our adult acne. This is where I might get a little crazy and tell you what I do every night to take off all of my warpaint of the day. Brace yourselves, I'm a little OCD with my skin. First, I take my eye makeup off with a remover containing dimethicone. This handy little ingredient is what makes it look "oily", even though it's not oil. It's a type of really slippery silicone and it works really well because you don't have to pull on your eye too much and you can still get waterproof stuff off. Next, I use a makeup remover on my whole face. Would you take a shower with your clothes on? Of course not-unless you're just really into multitasking. Anywhooo...you always want to remove your cosmetics from your face BEFORE washing your face with your cleanser, otherwise, your cleanser will have a "wall of makeup" to try and get through and then you're not getting your pores well. Once I've done that, THEN I wash with my cleanser WITHOUT A WASHCLOTH. Yep, that's right NO WASHCLOTH! They are very abrasive and irritating to your skin-use your bare hands to wash your face. Then, I pat, not rub my face dry. Rubbing is just pulling on that beautiful skin-unnecessary roughness! Afterwards, I use a clarifying lotion (AKA a toner or astringent) to wipe away all the dead skin that I just loosened up. Next, eye cream-not on the lids and only around the orbital bone! You don't want this stuff to get in your eyes, do you? You'll be thinking it's foggy outside on a clear morning! Then, I use a vitamin oil on my face that contains vitamins A, D, E and ceramides. After that, I put on my night cream. Don't forget about your neck, too! Finally I put on a lip conditioner-you don't want those lips looking like a piece of shriveled up beef jerky, do you? And that's it-that's what I do at night. Yes, by the time I am done with all of that, I am READY for bed.

3. Stress is another possible cause of acne. Read your Bible, get a therapist, whatever helps you-do it.

4. Allergies to products are also possible culprits. Do you have acne just on one side of your face? Check your pillowcase-did you switch detergents? "Bacne" (acne on your back)-new soap/lotion? Have you changed ANYTHING? Sometimes this calls for some serious detective work-da duh duh da da, Inspector Gadget....not really. If you can't figure out what's causing your breakouts, see an allergist and/or dermatologist.

5. Cosmetics can sometimes rock your world. If you have sensitive skin to begin with, you have to be very discerning when it comes to makeup. You want to look for items that are "Non-comedogenic" (doesn't cause the blockage of pores) and/or "Non-Acnegenic" (guess what that means-yay! You passed your common sense quiz-good job). Now, you could still be allergic to some of the dyes used in these products, so, again...if you have sensitive skin, be careful and choosy about what you put on your face.

That's all I've got for you on adult acne...if you've tried everything here and are still having trouble, you might be a candidate for a prescription medication to help you out. Definitely see your dermatologist-I'm not an expert, I just act like one! ;)

Love you all! 1 Peter 3:3-4
Mel

More Than Your Average Witch...

Yes! It's Halloween time and this is when I get to really show-off! I have never grown out of Halloween-I love any opportunity to dress up and be someone other than myself for a day! But, a little birdie told me that some of you have fears when it comes to applying/removing Halloween makeup. Never fear! It's alot easier than you think and what's so cool is that makeup isn't a tattoo-if you mess up, guess what? It washes off!
Now, please step away from the waxy, crayon-like makeup you see at the local store. That stuff will just come off of your face faster than a burglar running away from a break-in...anywhoooo...you can still achieve a really cool Halloween face with some inexpensive drug store makeup, but for really bright colors, I would recommend using a brand known for their amazing colors (can you guess which brand I'm talking about?) Yes, MAC makes awesome eyeshadows that you can use for Halloween, but that you could probably use all the time-make your makeup last all year!!! Also, think outside the box! Go to a craft store and get inspired. Don't limit your face to just makeup! Think feathers, jewels, fabric, etc. A great glue to use to apply all of these treasures (as long as you're not allergic to latex) is DUO-you can buy it at the MAC counter or at Walgreens.
Okay-time to get this party started!
So first things first, make sure your face is clean, moisturized and ready to go. Put a headband on/ponytail so that you don't get any makeup in your hair-that's just not cute.
As always, I like to start with the eye area-especially if the rest of your face is going to be a lot lighter. Many of us like to use glitter during Halloween and that's great-just be EXTREMELY careful with it around/on your eye. That last thing you want is to be in the ER on Halloween with a scratched cornea. If you DO use glitter, make sure it is a fine grade glitter (really tiny particles) and mix it in with something creamy (cream eyeshadow) so that it will stay in place better. And again, don't limit the glitter just to the face-would it look good on your body? How about your hair? Another trick I like to use for eyes is Scotch tape-yeah, you read it right. Anywhere you would like a crisp, clean line on your face, use your Scotch tape as a stencil! It will give you a perfectly straight edge! If the tape is really sticky, put it on the back of your hand first (this will pick a little bit of dead skin-eew, I know)and the tape won't be quite as sticky. Go to town with it! Give yourself a plaid face using that Scotch tape-it's so much fun!
Now, for your face, don't make the same mistake I did in high school. I "dressed up" as a bored housewife (self-fulfilling prophecy, much?) and thought it would be cute to make a green-colored "mud mask". I mixed some of my mom's foundation with some green food coloring. Sure, it did the trick-I had a green face FOR ABOUT A WEEK! Seriously, I scrubbed like crazy to get it off, but who knew my pores were so thirsty for green food coloring? I managed to get it off, but I still had a weird "I'm about to throw up" hue to my face. Nice. So, a better trick to make ANY color face you want is to buy inexpensive, very lightly-colored foundation (I think a little piece of my heart just died while typing that) and some inexpensive powder eyeshadow (there goes another piece) in your desired color. Crush the eyeshadow and mix it into the foundation, and voila! You have makeup for your face, and it will come off much better than food-coloring. Promise.
Now, I'm not sure what you plan on dressing up as for Halloween, but keep in mind that any place on your face that you are trying to recede (sunken in cheekbones, eyes) you will use a very dark color. Any place that you would like to highlight (brow bone, bridge of nose), you will use very light colors. You can see what I'm talking about in the pictures. Of course, if you are a "slick chick", or you want to make sure your makeup doesn't come off throughout the night, you will need to set it. A great Halloween setting powder is baby powder! The talc in it will help absorb oil and keep your face intact! And of course, don't let me catch you going to bed with all that on your face! I don't care how many Bloody Marys you drank! Suck it up and take that paint off your face! Start off by using makeup remover wipes-this is especially important if you used a lot of glitter. You don't want to go straight to scrubbing your face with a bunch of glitter on it-otherwise, you'll go from being a Sexy Fairy to Freddy Krueger-it will "exfoliate" your skin to the point of burning. I know this because I learned it the hard way after dressing up as the Wicked Witch of the West and having glitter all over my face. My face was on fire (and not in a good way!) Once you've gotten most of your makeup off with the wipes, wash and moisturize your face as usual. Make sure to take extra good care of your skin the next few days-it may be a little sensitive...
So, enjoy all of the pictures and Happy Halloween!
1 Peter 3:3-4

Love,
Mel

For Mature Audiences Only...

OK...get your minds out of the gutter...this is about your makeup routine as your skin ages. There's nothing worse than seeing a 30-something young lady walking through the mall thinking she's 70, well...yeah there is-a 30-something young lady thinking she's 15. So, what do we do at this age-too old for glitter and too young for girdles? I say, BE GLAD! You've seen enough to have learned some things, but not old enough to know it all...
I like to think of my 30s as a time to find my "signature look". Now, that doesn't mean getting stuck in a rut of wearing the same two (or in my case, five) eyeshadows everyday, same gloss, etc. It just means making some decisions on your basic look that can be tweaked every once in a while...
When we were teens, we could throw on any Debbie-Gibson/Mary-Kate-and-Ashley glitter on our faces and call it a day. Well, we could do that because we were probably either coming from or going to a pep rally. That was our schedule.
In our 20s, we could experiment a little more with color and get really bold, keep some of that glitter on the eyes for nights out, and still not look too ridiculous. During the day, we probably still wore some frosted eyeshadows, a foundation that was two shades too dark (because we wanted that "sunkissed" look-FYI...we looked like we forgot to rinse after a mud mask), too much "translucent" (not when WE were done with it!) powder, some pepto-colored lip gloss, a chalk-line of eyeliner, and layer upon layer of Great Lash mascara. Ouch, did I hit a nerve? Don't worry-I was there with ya!
Now, we're in our 30s and it's time to shine-literally. We're just going to do a little less shine on the eyes and a little more on the skin. Yes-you heard me-even my "slick chicks"! First and foremost, I will reiterate, less is more!
FOR YOUR SKIN: Glow for it! Create radiance! Get rid of all the mattifying powder. Now, if you have oily skin, use something UNDER your foundation to help control oil or use a blot powder (only where you need it) or blotting sheets. But, as far as foundation goes, start using foundations that give you a natural, satin, or radiant finish. You can even pump up the radiance in a favorite foundation of yours by adding an illuminating lotion. The reason we want to stay away from so much of the matte ingredients is because they REALLY accentuate fine lines and wrinkles-you know...those pesky little boogers underneath your eyes-yeah, that's where mine first popped up-sneaky devils! And powders do the same thing-they will camp out right into those lines and scream, "Hey look at me! I'm making this chick look old!" Not cool.
FOR YOUR EYES: Don't kill the messenger. I know the really crazy, funky colors are BEAUTIFUL (and you don't necessarily have to put them away just yet...), but they are not appropriate for everyday use! So, if you're channeling your inner Boy George, stop-I must save you from yourself. Bold, funky colors are fun for nights out, holidays, 80s parties, what have you, but for every day, keep it pretty and soft. This doesn't mean you can't switch it up! You can wear neutral browns one day, olives the next, and purples the next! Just don't be too heavy-handed and NIX THE GLITTER. When was your last pep rally? OK-that's what I thought. And with eyeliner...electric blue isn't helping anyone out! Again simplicity is key! You can never go wrong with brown or black-those are always safe bets and again-SOFT, SOFT, SOFT. No Cleopatra, no Tammy Faye (RIP, sister)...Speaking of Tammy Faye! Those LASHES-whew! Keep in mind, you want nice, long, thick lashes, right? Well, coat after coat after coat of mascara will not give you this! More is not better! What happens is you get dry, brittle, spider lashes (yikes!). Just use a primer first and then use a lengthening mascara-this will give you length and volume minus the CRISPY lashes. Ew.
FOR THE CHEEKS: I love cream blush! Again, I have drier skin, so it does well for me, but with the winter time coming, it may work well for you, too! Cream blush just really looks so nice if it is well blended and the color is right. I try to choose a color that is close to the inside of my lip and I look for some with a little bit of a shimmer to it (radiance, remember?). Now the key is placement with this. You don't the Raggedy Ann-two circles on your face, but you also don't want to regress to the 80s and take it to the temples, either. Who started that, anyways? Just smile at yourself (which is good for your self-esteem-I highly recommend it) and your sweet apples will pop right out! That's where the focus of your blush should be. Then gently rub in the cream blush into a "Nike" symbol-the fatter part of the "swoosh" on your apples with the smaller part going away from the nose (I REALLY hope y'all already knew that...) Now make sure to pick a cream blush that's not too sticky-I've been the victim of a gnat fly-by before and dang if it didn't stick to me like needy girl to a new boyfriend! I already have enough beauty marks on my face-I didn't need another! And if you're not comfortable with cream blush...powder is still great-just make sure to find one with a hint of SHIMMER, NOT GLITTER. They look nice, too.
FOR THE LIPS: This is where it gets easy. Unless you smoke (naughty, naughty) your lips should still be in great shape! So, unless you really feel the need to use lipliner, you don't have to! A great gloss in a light color will work great for day and/or night. Nothing ages a woman more than really deep, dark lipstick. Put down the dark burgundy, dark purple, dark red, and most certainly, the dark brown. Do you really wanna look like you just polished off a turd sandwich?! Yeah, I did just go there. And again, you want shine-get rid of the matte lipsticks and the ones that stay on for 12 hours...they just dry out your lips and make you look like you desperately need a drink! Gloss is very pretty and low-maintenance, but some of you still don't like the feel of it-I understand. Some of you just love the look and feel of lipstick-no problem! Just make sure that you don't fall into the trap of a frosty, non-hydrating pink or coral color! Why do we do this? Look at your teeth after you put that on-it makes you look like you could spit butter! Go for a creamy, hydrating, even sheer texture in those colors if you like-it will look much better than the frost! Your lips and smile will thank you.

Lastly, here is a list of some of my favorite MAC products that I was describing if you ever want to check them out for yourself:
FOR THE SKIN:
Strobe Cream or Lotion (to add to your foundation for radiance)
Mineralize Satinfinish SPF 15 Liquid(sheer coverage)
Studio Tech (medium coverage)
Full Coverage Foundation (full coverage-but can only be found at MAC stores)
FOR THE EYES:
Eyeshadows...
NEUTRALS: Vanilla, Shroom, Blanc Type, Era, Naked Lunch, Haux, Texture, Kid, Cork, Wedge, Grain, Mulch, Bronze, Folie, Embark, Espresso, Sable, Sketch
GREENS: Sumptuous Olive, Humid
PURPLES: Beautiful Iris, Satellite Dreams, Fig. 1, Star Violet
PINKS: Girlie, Expensive Pink
DARKS: Typographic, Signed,Sealed, Carbon, Prussian
FOR THE CHEEKS:
Ladyblush (creme)
Lillicent (creme)
Laid Back (creme)
Plum Foolery (powder)
Peachtwist (powder)
Ambering Rose (powder)
FOR THE LIPS:
Viva Glam V (gloss and lipstick)
Viva Glam VI (gloss and lipstick)

So there you have some of my favorites! I hope this has helped! Please leave me feedback either on this blog or on FB (The Beauty Mark). If you have any other topics you'd like me to write about, please, let me know! And if you like my blog, TELL YOUR FRIENDS!!!

1 Peter 3:3-4

Love,
Mel