gentledang's Blog

Nothing impresses your friends more than a perfect lip line, because it is the hardest makeup application to do.To get it, avoid applying the lip pencil too heavily, which will be difficult to blend and soften into the lipstick. Keeping your mouth closed lightly trace the lip line with the lip pencil so it can barely be seen, but can be used as a guide line.

Hold the brush horizontally to trace along the lip line, and do a little bit at a time, backing up and going over it again. Don't try to get the whole line in one stroke. The best lip brush is a sable with a slightly tapered edge, not straight one.

This provides more control and a cleaner line.If you are really pressed for time, apply lipstick only on the bottom lip and press your lips together. Then, blend out to the lip line with the edge of a lip brush, not the tip, for a precise line, or use a dampened cotton swab for a soft, natural lip line.

When finished, instead of blotting the lips by biting a tissue, lay the tissue across both lips while your mouth is closed. This will imprint your lips, including the edges of the mouth where lipstick usually bleeds. Perfect!

Mina Dimakis-Lev
BeautyImagebyMina.com

Source:http://online-articles.org/beauty/4875.php 

Years ago, I found out how incredible easy it is to make lotion. It is so inexpensive and organic that I wondered why anyone would even consider spending a dime on the chemical rich lotions on the market.

Besides I had an added incentive, I have eczema, so I am extremely sensitive to what I put on my skin. Making my own lotion was a great alternative for me.

To begin, for a lotion base all you need is water, oil and an emulsifier. An emulsifier is simply an ingredient that blends the water and oil together. Here is the base that I begin with to make my lotion:

ฝ cup distilled water ฝ cup oil (I usually use olive, almond, macadamia nut, or grape seed) 1 TBS liquid lecithin

You can experiment from here by adding essential oils, combining other oils; you can steep beneficial herbs into your water before you add your oil, etc?

Here is a nice winter lotion to get you started:

ฝ cup distilled water ฝ cup olive oil 1 TBS lecithin 6-8 drops of geranium oil 2-4 drops Myrrh oil 400 IU Vitamin E oil (1-2 open capsules)

Geranium oil is good for supporting balance and rejuvenating dry skin conditions and for wrinkled and matured skin. Myrrh is a gentle oil that is effective in replenishing moisture.

Vitamin E oil is an excellent antioxidant and helps to protect the skin as well as a nice preservative.

Blend all ingredients in the blender either on whip or cream. You will have a nice creamy firm lotion. Add more water to make a lighter lotion. Store in the refrigerator in hot climates or store in a cool place. Shake well before use.

Enjoy your lotion. Hopefully this little recipe will inspire you to become creative.

Danielle Sims explored her library of alternative health, herbal books, and aromatherapy books and created a blueprint for making her own body wrap formulas at home. Now she offers this information in an e-book entitled Wrap Yourself Slim: Body Wrap Exposed. Monthly newsletter is also available at her web site. For more information go to http://www.wrapyourselfslim.com

Source:http://online-articles.org/beauty/35588.php 

When it comes to skin care, moisturizing is usually one of the more popular, and though it's hard to believe, more controversial topics. Some experts swear by moisturizing as the best way to keep your skin youthful and healthy while others feel a bit more suspicious of its benefits. Since my grandma lived to 94 years of age with beautiful skin and touted the benefits of moisturizing for years, I tend to lean towards giving it a go. For many, moisturizing on a daily basis is already a daily part of their skin care regime while others are just jumping on the bandwagon for the first time. Regardless of where you fall, deep skin moisturizing is a cost effective and simple way to take hold of the hands of time and rein it in.

First, let's discuss why your skin needs to be moisturized in the first place. Your skin needs water and oil to carry out its natural healing process. Dehydrated skin has a decreased ability to do that. Although not directly responsible for wrinkles, fine lines, and the more serious risks, such as skin cancer, dry skin is a contributing factor. Since dehydrated skin is less likely to heal itself, it is harder for your skin to recover from the negative effects of the sun and the natural aging process. For these reasons, it seems obvious that moisture is an important part of skin care and moisturizing your skin would be beneficial.

Once you have decided to moisturize, next you'll need to know just how to go about it. There are a large variety of moisturizing products on the market today that claim to be the ultimate choice in a sea of options. With all these choices it can be difficult to decide what works best for you. Some of the easier, more natural remedies for dry skin are protecting it from the sun, drinking plenty of water, and eating a well-balanced diet high in fiber. Avoid alcohol, smoking, and caffeine. This alone will increase your skin's moisture content without actually applying anything to it.

For some though, an application of some type of moisturizer is necessary. You want your moisturizer to contain not only moisturizing ingredients, but protective elements as well. Look for products that include in their ingredients including collagen, herbs like Gotu Kola, Flame of Forest, and Sensitive Plant, as well as biological oils. Although moisturizing your skin in most cases is beneficial, if you suffer from acne or particularly sensitive skin, you will need to use a moisturizer that is low in oils and allergen free.

The most effective time to apply a skin moisturizer is directly after showering or bathing. While the skin is saturated, the moisturizer will help to lock in the water and keep your skin moist longer.

Brian Fong
http://www.NaturalVisage.com/

Deep skin moisturizing is a cost effective and simple way to take hold of the hands of time and rein it in.

Source:http://online-articles.org/beauty/20496.php 

Never used a sunless tanner? Don't sweat it?it's a no brainer. These products are available in the local pharmacy, department store and/or from your local beauty consultant. They come in many forms; spray-on oil, foam, mousse, lotion, gel and creams. Always test a small area first, on your inner arm for instance. If you are happy with the results, then continue applying to the rest of your body. (You're probably thinking about the time you turned your entire body orange.) Fortunately, today's formulas are an improvement from the products of the past. Most contain a derivative of sugarcane or sugar beets that oxidizes with the top layer of the skin. This gives the skin a realistic looking tan without altering the structure or function of the skin. Since our body naturally sheds the top layer of dead skin cells regularly, you will see your tan fading fast. You will need to re-apply every two to three days, especially if you shower every day. Just refresh as necessary. A word to the wise, don't use your sunless tanner immediately after shaving. Shaving opens up the pores and the product will find its way into those open pores, giving you a polka-dotted appearance. Also, sunless tanners do not provide protection against the sun. Don't get lulled into thinking that the darker you are, the more protected you are! Sunless tanners provide ZERO sun protection. They are strictly cosmetic.

How to apply: The easiest way for a beginner, would be to use a cream or gel. Mousses, oils or lotions are sometimes difficult to control. Foam mousse dries fast, consequently, it can leave you with stripes, if you don't even it out quickly enough.

Step One: Exfoliate to remove dead surface skin cells. Since the product lays only on the top layer of your skin, you'll want to gently exfoliate around the coarsest areas like your knees and elbows. Then moisturize those same areas.

Step Two: Spread out a large towel or drop cloth to protect your floor and/or furniture.

Step Three: Pin up your hair. Use surgical gloves to protect your palms. (You don't want tanned palms?that's a dead giveaway.)

Step Four: Start at your feet. Apply using long, even strokes, first up and down, then across for an even distribution. You may need help with those hard to reach areas.

NOTE: Before applying sunless tanner to your face, make sure it is formulated for use on the face. You want to avoid clogging your pores.

Step Five: Finish by applying to the backs of your hands. Since your hands generally get washed and dried more frequently than the rest of your body, touch up as necessary.

Sunless tanners require a bit of practice for a perfectly sun-kissed look. But, your glowing new tan will certainly make your co-workers green with envy.

Have a Beautiful and Happy New Year!

I am an Independent Skin Care Consultant. My goal is to help my clients achieve and maintain healthy radiant skin while saving them time and money. For a Free Consultation, e-mail me at jbhull@comcast.net.

Source:http://online-articles.org/beauty/5803.php 

Doing your own home hair color for the first time can be intimidating, to say the least. Have I chosen the right color? What if I make a mistake and wind up with green hair? What if I end up with overprocessed, dry damaged hair?

The fact is that you can achieve excellent results and save a lot of money by coloring your hair at home as long as you know a few basics about how to select the right color and apply it correctly.

Here are seven of the most common questions and my advice on hair coloring at home.

Advice on Permanent Hair Coloring at Home

1. How do I know whether I should color my hair at home or go to a salon?

Most people can successfully color their hair at home but there are exceptions. You should get a professional color job if your hair is in poor condition - coloring dry damaged hair at home can result in uneven color. Also, if your hair has different shades and you want one even tone, a hairdresser can apply different formulas to the different areas. Finally, it's best to leave it to the experts if you want to make a drastic change to your hair color, say dark brown to platinum blonde, or you want special color effects or highlights.

2. Are drugstore hair colors just as good as salon hair color products?

In general, salon hair colors contain higher-quality ingredients than the drugstore brands. Salons also offer a wider variety of colors and tones. But home coloring kits are getting better all the time and can deliver good results if used properly.

3. How do I pick a color that will look natural on me?

When choosing a hair color, your skin tone and natural hair color are the two most important factors. Whether you're going lighter or darker, stay within two or three shades of your natural hair color. Here is a guideline for selecting a compatible hair color for your skin tone:

Dark/olive skin: Stay with darker hair colors.

Yellow skin: Dark, rich colors like deep auburn.

Pale skin: Almost any color.

Pink skin: Neutral tones like sandy or beige blonde or chocolate brown are best. Avoid reds or golden tones.

If you know what clothing colors suit you, you can also use that to help in choosing hair color:

If you look good in warm shades like red, orange, golden yellow, cinnamon brown, olive green, and rust, then warm hair tones like golden blonde, golden brown, strawberry blonde, and auburn will suit you best.

Cool color favorites like bluish red, fuschia, black, royal blue, and pine green indicate that cool hair tones are best for you: platinum, ash blonde, ash brown, burgundy, and jet black.

If you look good in true red, purple, charcoal grey, periwinkle, and teal, then neutral tones like sandy or beige blonde, chocolate brown or mahogany will suit you.

4. How do I get ready to color my hair the first time?

It's a good idea to gather a few materials together before starting: an old T-shirt, a few old towels and a washcloth that you don't mind getting stained, some hair clips for sectioning your hair, a timer, and a hand mirror to see the back of your head.

5. If I color my hair at home and hate it, what can I do?

There are some home hair color products you can use to repair the damage, but it isn't easy. The problem is that if you used a home hair color kit to obtain a lighter color, your hair has been bleached and colored in a single process. So the color needs to be added back in a process called "filling" before using the final color formula. Whatever you do, don't simply buy a box of your original color and try to cover over a bad dye job... it won't work. Fixing hair color gone wrong is a multi-stage process so a trip to the salon may be in order.

6. I already have permed hair. Can I color it without damaging it?

If your hair has been permed or relaxed, color has to be applied carefully or it can weaken the structure of your hair. Salons have colors specially formulated for treated hair. But if you insist on home hair coloring, choose a shade darker than you want since processed hair may come out lighter than expected. Then do a strand test to make sure your hair can handle the chemical stress.

7. I love my new color... now how do I keep it looking good?

You'll probably want to recolor every four to six weeks. Make a record of the hair color product and shade you used, and how long you left it on the ends and the regrowth. Use shampoos and conditioners formulated for color-treated hair to prevent fading. Stay out of the sun and chlorinated pools. Hair that has been previously been bleached isprone to such effects and should be rinsed as soon as possible. Don't use heavy conditioners and oil treatments after coloring... they can lift the color.

Now go out and enjoy your new look and all the money you saved by doing it yourself!

Source : http://online-articles.org/beauty/23098.php