Quick Beauty Tips

 Beauty Tips  No Responses »
Sep 022011
 

Most of us do not have the time for an elaborate beauty routine before we get ready for work. Whether you are a working girl or a new mom, makeup and skin care is the last thing in your mind when you are rushing to get your work done. But no matter how busy you are, looking good and presentable is something that is essential. Here are some quick beauty tips and tricks that will help you look your best.

Quick and Easy Beauty Tips

Here are some simple and quick beauty tips that you can make use of even when you do not have much time to spare.

One makeup product that you simply cannot do without is a concealer. The key for having a luminous blemish free complexion is to get the right shade of concealer. Do not buy concealers that are several shades lighter than your skin, as you will end up looking too pale and made up. The correct way to apply concealer, is to dot the concealer on your face, on areas that need maximum coverage, like under the eyes and around the nose. Now gently use you fingertips to blend the concealer in gentle outward movements. When you are done, dust some loose powder to set the makeup.
If you have fairly good skin, you do not need to apply any foundation. Applying foundation takes time and if you are not careful, by mid afternoon it starts caking and streaking your face. Instead, you can apply a light concealer for problem areas like under eye dark circles and brown spots. To replace foundation, you can also opt for a tinted moisturizer. This gives you medium to light coverage with a natural dewy appearance that lasts all day long.
When you apply lipstick, make sure that you do so with a lip brush. Apply a lip liner in a shade that closely matches your lipstick shade and avoid using a dark liner with a light lipstick. Lipsticks hold better when the lips are smooth and free of any cracks, so make sure that once a week you exfoliate your lips with a soft baby toothbrush. Applying a bit of lip gloss right in the middle of your lower lips will give it a more plump and luscious look.
One of the best and quick make up beauty tips is to apply concealer on the top of your lip line to instantly make your lips appear fuller and more defined.
If you suffer from puffy eyes, then here is a quick beauty tip to get rid of it. Keep two spoons in the refrigerator overnight and then place them under you eyes for a few seconds. To open up your eyes use an eyelash curler. Just hold the curler as close as possible to your lash line and press for a few seconds. Apply two sweeps of volumizing mascara, allowing the first coat to dry before applying the second coat.
Ditch the boring black and brown eye liners and go for colors in eye makeup. Do not be afraid to experiment with different hues of eye liners and eye shadows. Use navy blue, turquoise, moss green and bronze eye liners to define your eyes. Avoid using liquid eyeliners as they look too harsh. Use a soft eye pencil instead. If you want eyeshadow to last all day, make sure that you apply a primer on your lids before applying eye shadow.
If you have a pale complexion, nothing brightens it up more than a quick sweep of blush. There are different formulation available in the market like powder, mousse, cream, gel and tints. Use a formulation that you are comfortable with and make sure that you apply it only on the apple of you cheeks to get an even appearance. Gel and mousse formulas are longer lasting and work well for oily skin.
When you do not have the time to shampoo your hair, and it looks a little limp and oily, a quick way to revive those strands is by using a bit of baby powder on the roots of hair. Just tilt your head after applying baby powder and brush it with a big paddle brush. It will give you instant volume and the powder will soak up any excess oil.
When you have a bad hair day, do not waste time and effort to blow dry your hair. Just pull back your hair into a low ponytail or create a chignon to look polished and chic.

So, these were some quick beauty tips that will not only make you look gorgeous but can also be done in very little time. You also need to take care of your hand and feet to look polished and well-groomed. Go for a monthly manicure and pedicure and apply a good moisturizing lotion on your hands and feet to make them soft and supple. Purchase the right makeup tools and never compromise on quality beauty products. Lastly, do not forget to spritz yourself with your favorite perfume to feel fresh all day.

 Posted by at 4:13 am  Tagged with:

Pre-wedding Beauty Tips

 Beauty Tips  No Responses »
Aug 012011
 

We’ve heard it said enough times that the wedding day is the most important day in the life of any girl/ woman, so I will refrain from saying that! But this is also the day when you have to look your ravishing best for the shutterbugs, because, 40 years down the line, you still want the oohs and aahs to flow, when your children and grandchildren see you in all your glorious beauty. These pictures are supposed to be of one of the happiest times of your lives, and how would you like it if you saw your pictures with a big pimple on your cheek?! Or your hair a mess? Will not do! So, let’s see what all things must you take care of to look your best on your wedding day, so that the photos will do what they are supposed to do in a few years time – make you smile, and wistful, and remember the magic and love and help you live it again, without any blemishes.

Areas to Cover…

Health Care
Your inner health will affect your outer appearance. Eat healthy and you will have a blemish free skin and a glowing complexion. Avoid all junk food and soft drinks and eat healthy, balanced meals leading up to your wedding. Follow a detox program, to clean up your system from the inside and outside. Get your teeth leveled and whitened if you so wish, but do that a month prior to the day. If you are taking some medicines, consult your doctor before you stop the course. My pre-wedding diet advice would be, sleep and eat well, so that the chances of you falling ill are reduced.

Hair Care
Depending on the gown you choose, decide your length, style and cut at least 3 – 4 months prior to your wedding. Get regular hair spa treatments to give your hair that shine and make them luxurious. If you are planning to straighten out your hair or put them under any other permanent treatment, it is advisable to do it a month before, and if you also want to color it/ add highlights then do it a week after getting them straightened, so that there is time for the hair to get used to new things. If you follow quick treatments, you may end up damaging your hair, and it will end up dry and limp on your wedding day. Decide the hairstyle you are going to wear on the day and see if it goes with the type of gown you have chosen. Consult with your hairdresser as to which style will suit your face structure best.

Skin and Nail Care
Your skin is an indicator of your health, so it has to be at its glowing best on your day! Remember to moisturize your skin daily after your bath. One of the best pre-wedding beauty tips that I can share with you is, apply the moisturizer within a minute of having your bath/ shower, so that it locks the moisture in your skin and makes it look healthy, young and gives it a glow. It works much better than applying the moisturizer on dry skin. Also, clean your face, hands and feet thoroughly before sleeping, and apply a good overnight cream. Hands, feet and nails are equally important, specially if you are going to take close up shots of your rings, hands held, and the like. Also, if you are going to wear heels, you do not want to display chipped, and unkempt nails. If you are going with clear nails, good for you, but if you are going to have them painted, best to do that two days prior to the wedding.

Body Care
Body care is of equal importance in the pre-wedding beauty regime. If you are prone to acne on your back, then get a scrubbing brush/ loofah and exfoliate your body regularly. Every other day is also fine. Exfoliate all the exposed and most covered parts, like your hands, legs, armpits, etc. It helps in reducing the tan and also exposes the healthy and plump cells by getting rid of all the dead cells, to give you a fresh and glowing look. This is really necessary if you are planning to wear a backless/ strapless gown.

Facials
Facials are top ranking in pre-wedding beauty care checklist. Start getting regular facials almost six months before the big day, and get one every other week if you like. Don’t overdo it either, though, or you may end up looking like you had a layer of skin taken off, off your face. Facials will help your tired and tanned skin look cleaner and fresher and give your face a glow. Also, they will remove the layers of dirt that have accumulated on your face over time. Strictly stop facials a week before your wedding. And stick to products that suit you. Don’t test any new tempting products, anytime shortly before your wedding.

Waxing and Threading
Waxing and threading should be done regularly. If you have never done either before, but want to do it for your wedding, then I suggest that you start early, to let your skin get used to all the pulling it will be subjected to. And do wax two days before the wedding. The redness and rash, if any, will take a day to settle down and you’d not like your photos to look like you just got a bad rash or sunburn. Threading your eyebrows and upper lips should ideally be done a week before that actual date of the wedding, so that in case you need to correct the shape of your brows, you have time to do it.

Manicures and Pedicures
Get manicures and pedicures monthly for a few months before your wedding. That will also take care of the dryness and tanning of your hands and feet, and make them soft and beautiful. Getting manicures and pedicures on a regular basis will help in moisturizing your hands and feet and will get rid of dry, scaly skin, specially at the heels of the feet and tips of your fingers and toes. Get your final pedicure and manicure a couple of days before the wedding day, and you will surely notice the change. If you are not comfortable with long nails, then a french manicure will not please you. Go for the simple shaping of short nails, and apply a clear coat of polish over it, to make them shine.

Makeup
Whatever makeup you choose to do, make sure that it suits your skin type and skin tone. Do not go for new products as you do not know whether they will suit your skin or not. Also keep in mind your outfit and the shades in it, and see that the makeup doesn’t clash with the outfit. Make it subtle, highlight your best features and leave the rest be. Do not go over the top in an attempt to look ravishing, as you may end up looking like an overdone doll. Try to keep the makeup as neutral, subtle and light as possible. Use waterproof makeup, to avoid smudging and running in case you tend you sweat a lot. You are happy and that in itself is going you make you look pretty and gorgeous. The makeup is just to complement your natural looks, not alter them.

 Posted by at 10:31 am  Tagged with:

Fragrance Profile: Choosing a Perfume that Suits your Personality

 Perfumes  No Responses »
Aug 012011
 

Just like your clothes and mannerism, your perfume also plays an important role in making or marring your impression. There may have been numerous times you must have complimented your friends’ perfume or must have yourself gotten compliments. Secondly, it is a well-known fact that perfumes and memories are related to each other. You can relate to your family members, school days, your childhood, etc., with a certain scent. The perfume that you wear becomes your signature perfume and people relate to you based on the scent. Therefore, it is essential to choose the right perfume.

Selecting a proper perfume is no less than a fine art. With thousands of different perfumes available in the market, it is really difficult to single out one from them. However, if you follow certain tips, you can get your own unique perfume. For that purpose, it is essential to know your fragrance profile. So, wondering what is your fragrance profile? Let us take a look.

Perfume Families

Before looking into the guide on perfume selection, let us first know more on the classification of perfumes according to their scents. You must be aware that perfumes are broadly classified as fruity, floral, woody, etc. However, there are several categories or families. The following is a list of perfume families that you should look for, when choosing a perfume.

Floral ~ bouquet, green floral, aldehyde
Fruity ~ sweet, nutty, aromatic
Citrus ~ zesty, aromatic, tangy
Woody ~ earthy, dry woody, moss
Aquatic ~ sea breeze, marine notes
Fougère ~ woody, oakmoss, lavender
Chypre ~ woody and moss
Leather ~ floral or smoky
Gourmand ~ sweet, edible, chocolate flavor
Oriental ~ musk and spicy

The guide outlined below will be helpful to you to understand your perfume better. Secondly, you will also discover that every perfume has a top, heart and base note.

The “top note” is the scent that you will feel immediately on applying the perfume.
The “heart note” is the scent that appears after some time and lasts longer.
The “base notes” are the strongest and long-lasting ingredients of the perfume.

Lastly, it is also essential to note that perfumes are the strongest, the Eau de Parfum (EdP) is less concentrated, whereas Eau de Toilette (EdT) and Eau de Cologne (EdC) are quite mild. With this, let’s discover which perfume suits you, based on your personality and zodiac sign.

Personality and Perfume

Following the advertisements or popular brands is not the proper way of buying a perfume. It is essential to try the perfume on yourself before buying it. You must have observed that the perfume that smells good on your friend does not smell the same on you. This is because, the scent of every perfume differs from one person to the other. Secondly, your perfume should be such that it goes with your personality and attitude.

Personality Type     Perfume Families     Popular Picks
Romantic and Natural     Floral perfumes are the best for women for a romantic evening. Fruity and floral scents are even good for women who are utterly feminine, who love to pamper themselves and wish to feel and smell like a fresh flower. Woody and oriental scents are best suited for men for a romantic and natural appeal.     You can try some of these: Sex appeal by Jovan, Burberry Weekend, Armani Code Pour Femme, L’Eau D’Issey by Issey Miyake, Givenchy Amarige, etc.
Easygoing and Playful     If you are vivacious, exuberant, free-spirited or outdoor types, then scents belonging to the families citrus and aquatic will suit you the best. If you love jazz music or traveling to exotic locations, then you may also love scents belonging to the oriental family.     Ralph Lauren Polo Sport, Davidoff Cool Water, CK One by Calvin Klein, Alfred Dunhill, etc., are some of the best picks for you.
Confident and Extrovert     If you are classy, self-made, confident and sophisticated, then you can choose perfumes that are oriental, woody and natural. These perfumes are also meant for those who are stylish and elegant.     Donna Karan Cashmere Mist, Gucci by Gucci, Calvin Klein Escape, Carolina Herrera 212 H2O Men, Dunhill Desire Blue, and Ferrari perfumes, etc., are for you.
Sexy and Adventurous     Sensual scents are meant for sexy, sensual and adventurous as well as optimistic personalities. Using sensual perfumes from woody and floral families can have a long-lasting effect on the opposite sex.     You can try Sex Appeal by Jovan, Calvin Klein Obsession, Giorgio Armani Sensi, Angel by Thierry Mugler, Dior Midnight Poison, Dior Fahrenheit, etc.

Zodiac and Perfume

The information given above will be helpful to you to choose a perfume according to your fragrance profile. On the other hand, did you know that your zodiac sign will also help in choosing the perfect perfume according to your personality type? We know that zodiac signs are categorized into four groups (Air signs, Fire signs, Earth signs and Water signs). The perfumes used by people belonging to a single group are more or less similar. The following is a list of scents according to the zodiac signs.

Zodiac Sign Group     Traits     Perfume Families
Air Signs     Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are air signs and fresh scents are considered simply perfect for them.     If you belong to any of these signs, then you can consider using perfumes from floral or citrus families.
Fire Signs     Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are the zodiac signs categorized as fire signs.     Oriental or spicy perfumes are meant for them. Strong floral scents like rose and jasmine may even appeal to women of these signs.
Water Signs     Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are the three water signs.     People belonging to these signs can try using aquatic or mild floral perfumes, or any delicate ones that have a calming effect.
Earth Signs     Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn signs are known as Earth signs.     Earthy perfumes like woody, musk and floral are best for men and women belonging to these signs.

Similar to personalities and zodiac signs, it is also essential to use a perfume suitable to the season and situation, and change it accordingly. It is a misconception that stronger and heavier scents like musk are meant for summers. These perfumes, although heavy, do not tend to last long in summer. It is wise to go for citrus and floral scents in summer and spring. You can wear them more than once for a long-lasting effect. Similarly, floral scents and milder perfumes are meant for day and office wear. On the other hand, heavier scents like musk, other woody scents and oriental scents are meant for winter and autumn. You can even use these perfumes for an evening or night outings.

You can also take a look at perfume buying tips for further information on the same. It is essential to look for detailed information about the perfume (like its notes, perfume family, etc.) before buying one. Lastly, as one of the most effective tips, note that it is always wise to try the perfume first before buying, and go by your instincts, rather than reviews.

 Posted by at 9:54 am  Tagged with:
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