Monday, December 20th, 2010
Today I look a day over 40. Why? I am! Yesterday was my Big 4-0! Woot! Okay, enough joking around…
I’m more vain than I care to admit. A lot of whether or not I’m happy any given minute depends on how I feel I look physically. I’m not proud of it, but I’m not alone. With time I become much more accepting of my physical self, but I have a long way to go. Part of my problem is that I chose a profession with an element to it wherein my would-be “clients” shop with their eyes. So my love of good health and how to help others attain it has sort of shot me in the foot a little there with regard to where I wrap my self-esteem. I’m dealing with that in many ways. Aging helps and hinders the process, but it seems to be a forward-moving process, thankfully. And most who spend 5 minutes or more with me realize that I know what I’m talking about, thereby (I think) being less concerned with my physical imperfections. Assuming they were in the first place. Most of the time, I get a “Wow, you look great for 40!” so I think most of this is (and was and will be) of my own creation. Ironic considering how many would be surprised to how nonjudgmental I am of that sort of thing when it comes to other folks.
I gave up on perfect a long time ago. If we’re talking just about physical appearance, I looked about as perfect as I was ever going to look just a few years ago. I felt great about myself, much more confident. But that time period also put me in close contact with other women who were SO wrapped up in their physical appearance, that: a) They never looked good enough; b) There was nothing else to them. And how could there be? I know that for that brief blip on my 40 year screen, the extreme effort it took with nutrition and training to (naturally) achieve that extreme of a look felt like a part-time job. It was hard to foster any relationship unless it was with someone who shared the same pursuit at the time, or maintain an interest in something other than asparagus and interval cardio. Needless to say, it was not the time to take up a hobby. Unless you consider trying not to be a social leper at special events a “hobby”.
My first physique show. When I had the thought: "I love you, Honey, but I'd sell you for a cookie right now", I knew this would not be a long-term activity for me.
One thing that has really helped me embrace the “me” that’s more than the meat suit within which my spirit is housed is delving into interests beyond fitness. This year, for example, I’ve taken sewing lessons and I’ve even been painting with friends, something I can’t wait to do again! I’ve been much more social and I’m sinking my teeth into another aspect of my career—segueing it into something that will enable me to help people improve their health on a much deeper level. Not only will that stimulate my brain—something I need—but it will indirectly help me with my own psychosis, reinforcing to me that optimal (dare I say “radical”?) health goes way beyond one’s dress size or eyelash length. So in big and small ways, artsy-craftsy or extra-intellectual, I’m moving beyond what I see in the mirror. And where I work I’m quite literally surrounded by mirrors, so that’s no small feat.
Pillowcase I made for my hubs in sewing class. Hopefully that makes up for the sell-you-for-a-cookie thing...
Does this mean I’m packing it in to search for meaning outside of my bod? No, of course not. Without a really healthy physiology, how in the heck am I going to feel well, think well, function well—all necessary things for having the time, desire, and aptitude to do things outside of fitness activities. It just means I’ll care a little less about how I look while I’m doing them. If you are at all like me, I suggest reaching beyond what’s apparent to the naked eye, and realize that it’s okay to be a dynamic person devoting time and energy to varied interests. And that it’s not ALL about looking good… naked.
Picture I painted at Sips 'n Strokes with some great gal pals. It's "perfectly imperfect". (The "sips" part helps with its appearance. 
)
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
Ok gang, it’s time for more make up! I said last time that I would order topics in the make up mini-series according to my own must haves, but that’s not the case today. For me, eyebrows and cheeks come next, and then foundation with all it’s magical ways, but in the interest of what probably makes more sense, let’s do foundation. K?
I wish I didn’t need it, but I truly appreciate foundation. When it’s the perfect shade and formula, a face can be transformed to that of a happy eight year old … glowing, smooth, flawless. But therein lies the challenge. Even if like Amy you have perfect, crazy gorgeous skin, and don’t wear hardly any make up at all, know that if nothing else, foundation serves as a great base for bronzer and blush to apply more smoothly and adhere to throughout the day.
With regard to foundation at least, to the extent possible, the goal is for your made up face to not look like it is wearing a layer of foundation and so finding the right shade and formula for your complexion and skin is key.
The color of your skin and foundation must match exactly. NEVER a half shade or so darker in the summer, and NEVER more pale! Foundation should not be used to change the underlying color of your skin in any way. Even a slight difference in color between foundation and your true skin color will cause the foundation application look way more obvious, as will anything orange, peach, pink, rose or ash colored.
Look for a foundation that matches the “good” part of your facial skin, like your jawbone, cheek, or forehead, rather than the too red side of your nose, whitish scar on your chin, or the gray/brown melasma splotch. A lot of times the best place to work with for a great match is your neck because this skin almost never tans and is usually the same color as your face. In fact, the neck skin is a lot like facial skin in how it ages, so if you use a retinol or vitamin C product for wrinkles, for example, smooth some onto you neck as well. That being said, please don’t ever put foundation make up on your neck. Just, weird.
Once you’ve selected a foundation, the only way to know for sure if it is the perfect color match is to apply it to your whole face and view it in natural daylight. Wait at least two hours then head back outside with your big mirror for another look to evaluate how it wears over time (does it change color, become greasy or highlight flaky skin?). Keep trying foundations until you’ve found the right one.
Department stores and make up boutiques like Sephora and Ulta have testers everywhere. The make up is more expensive than the drug store but it’s worth it to get samples of foundations and get trained guidance. Most of these places have a good return policy if you can’t bring a sample home to try or because of their awful lighting you’ve chosen wrong. I believe that even Walgreens and RiteAid allow you to return cosmetics.
In addition to the perfect color match, a foundation formulation needs to be right for your skin type. Are you dry? Oily? Have scars and spots to cover? It’s a big bummer when an otherwise perfect foundation turns your face into a grease slick or ends up settling into and spotlighting lines. Ask me how I know. Ugh!
As you can image, there are many formulations to choose from.
Oil-free and matte liquids – these set to a matte finish with no shine or dewy appearance. These last a long time on oily skin like mine, and are also good for normal skin too. They aren’t suitable for dry or flaky skin. I love NARS Sheer Matte foundation.
Water-based standard liquids – This is regular old foundation and is good for normal to dry skin and is great to wear without a moisturizer. They do not work for oily skin types, even with a finishing powder. I have heard that the emollient in standard foundation give women with dry skin and women of color a nice glow preventing dark skin from appearing dull or ashen, I guess for the latter whether they’re oily or not. Hmm. Any comments ya’ll?
Loose and pressed-powder foundation- they look and act like a powder but have more coverage and stay on. They have a silky feel and blend on easily and provide light coverage and a smooth, fast application. They are good for all skin types except maybe dry-very dry skin. Be careful with very oily skin, as powders in general tend to thicken and glop up as oil reappears. I was and then wasn’t a fan of bare minerals powder foundation. The coverage and performance was really great but I could never get a good color match.
Cream-to-powder – in the compact cream to powders have a creamy appearance but when applied the creamy part disappears to a medium coverage, slightly matte, powdery finish. Cream to powder can apply thick and so isn’t great if you want a sheer natural finish; and as well is usually too creamy for oily skin and too powdery for dry skin.
Liquid-to-powder – like cream to powder these go on wet and dry to a smooth, sheer satiny, slightly matte finish with sheer to medium coverage, yet feel much lighter on the skin than cream-to-powder and tend to last longer on combination and oily skin. It is unsuitable for dry skin due the powdery finish and once applied set quickly, so don’t dawdle with blending.
Stick foundations – basically these are cream-to-powder foundation in a fat twist up stick. Sticks come in a wide range of sheer to full coverage and either creamy or matte texture.
Ok, you have the right color and best formula for your skin. Now, for application. I use clean fingers to dot on and smooth evenly over the areas that need coverage, like my forehead (thanks melasma), nose, and cheeks. If I’m doing a full face of make up for a night out or photos or whatever, I’ll use foundation around mouth and chin too. Avoid going too close to the hairline and ears. Occasionally I’ll use a stippling brush to smooth around after dotting on foundation. These are those weird looking brushes with black bushy bristles and much longer fine white hairs sticking out of a long handle: simply swirl and smooth on the dots of foundation. Natural sponges get a lot of good press although I’ve never been able to get it together with a sponge. I don’t love the little white sponge wedges for foundation application or blending because they tend to drag and grab too much product (probably a user error), but for that reason I like them for dabbing off excess foundation or concealer from lines, corners of the nose, eyebrows, etc.
Once smoothed on evenly, blend. Blend, blend, blend! Please don’t skip this step. Blend with a gentle buffing motion going out from the center of your face. Blend using your sponge or a make up buffing brush (I love and totally recommend the Botan Brush by Nars). Blend/buff before applying any touching up make up later in the day too.
Less is best when it comes to fine lines and foundation settling into them. Be meticulous about blending and remove any excess product from the areas you have lines (usually the eyes, forehead, marionette lines around nose and mouth) with a damp make up sponge. Allow the very little bit of moisturizer used here to fully set in before applying foundation or concealer. And be sure your foundation and concealer are not too heavy or emollient (greasy).
A lot of foundations contain sunscreen, however I don’t recommend relying exclusively on sunscreens in foundation to protect you from the sun and it’s damaging, and very aging effects. Be sure to read the ingredients to avoid chemical sunscreens or ingredients that you have sensitivities to. To ensure complete protection, use a separate sunscreen product before applying foundation. I’ll take the opportunity here to stress again that you must be vigilant about sun protection on your face, neck and décolleté (fancy for chest).
I’d love to know what you use and do and love about your make up rituals. Tell me about techniques I may not know about. If you use an adored and favorite product, I want to know! Let’s hear about it in the comments. Thanks!
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
For the make up mini-series I’m thinking about doing (haha), I’ll probably post topics in order of importance to me, which makes concealer #1B on my list. It’s actually a toss up, with mascara narrowly edging out concealer for the top spot on my list of must-haves. Fortunately they are both friendly and cool with each other and are each fine to share the love.
Concealer does what it sounds like it would – conceal – specifically darkness under and around the eyes. Darkness happens because the skin under the eye is thinner than the rest of the facial skin, allowing discolorations and surface veins to show through easily. (That’s also why the eye area wrinkles first.) Also darkness is created because the eye is set back in the eye socket so it lies in a shadow created by the surrounding bone structure (brow bone and nose). Concealer is used primarily to off set this discoloration and darkness.
In a full blown face of make up, concealer can be used as a shimmer-free highlighter to bring more light to the cheekbones, center of the nose, forehead, and chin. Concealer is also the first thing I reach for to cover spots and blemishes, although it works, not all concealers are appropriate for this job. (See formulations below.)
Concealers don’t come in a myriad of shades like foundations, but the options have gotten a lot better. (There used to be three: light, medium, and dark.) Choose a color that is slightly lighter – to no more than – 1 and a half shades lighter than the color of your foundation/skin. A lot of times your foundation of choice has a concealer in a complimentary shade. Be careful of going too light with concealer. Have someone take a photo of you in indoor lighting to get a good read on where you are. If your eyes are circled in white (or it looks white compared to the rest of your face, neck, shoulders …) your concealer is too light.
The next most important thing to know about concealer is that it must be blended very well where the concealer meets the rest of your face. Take care to avoid any hard or weird colored edges. Blend, blend, blend.
Concealer, like foundation, needs to be right for your skin. Are you dark, dry, oily, lined, puffy? The perfect formulation and color for you is out there because it comes in a lot of good formulations:
Stick concealer is as old school as pancake make up. It comes in a twist up tube like a lipstick and can provide full, very complete coverage, so if you have very dark under eye circles, this may be good for you. But because they go on thick, to apply and blend well requires a bit of tugging and pulling. My very first concealer, waay back in high school when I absolutely didn’t need concealer and was completely unconcerned with pulling of the delicate under eye skin, was a Cover Girl stick concealer in medium light. It smelled like Noxzema. It wasn’t right for me at 16, but it may be for you if you are very dark circled yet adept at working with a stiffer concealer formulations.
The next generation of concealers, at least that I noticed, were creamy liquid concealers. I moved on to these when they began showing up at the local Revco and I’m still a fan. They are like a densely pigmented foundation in a squeeze tube or with a wand applicator. Creamy liquids provide light, even coverage, can be layered easily and tend not to cake on the skin. However, like everything else, all creamy liquid concealers are not created equal. Sometimes they have too much slip and can creep into lines, are too thin thus offering not enough coverage, can absorb too quickly making touch ups necessary, and can be hard to control. I’ve been through many, many creamy liquid concealers, and happily, I’m in the throws of a passionate love affair right now with Make Up For Ever Full Coverage Concealer. I lurve this concealer. My heart is pounding, I’m blushing just typing. After a year and a half, it still owns me.
Cream concealers usually come in a small pot and have a smooth, thick, creamy, texture. Like a bit creamier stick concealer in a little pot. They weren’t for me, and these are NEVER the concealer to use for covering breakouts, but if you have dry skin, minimal under eye lines and are looking for even, opaque coverage these may do the trick for you.
A concealer formulation I have not tried is matte-finish liquid concealers. Matte-finish liquid concealers can provide light to full coverage, they tend not to crease or migrate and outlast creamy concealers (read, less touch ups). A cool thing to know is they work well as an eye shadow base and are very good at covering blemishes. Who knew! There is a caveat, of course; matte-finish liquid concealers can go on thick and dry, making them difficult to blend and dry quickly, plus they make lines around and under the eyes look more pronounced.
Application: Regardless of formulation, the application is simple. Pat Pat Pat. No really! Remember, this skin is thin and delicate, so no matter what, DO NOT PULL!
Dot concealer in a crescent under your eye where it’s dark and with a soft, gentle motion, with a clean fingertip (they say your ring ringer is the least strong so use that one), small make up brush or cosmetic sponge, pat until it’s blended. If you need to dab a touch more because it was a very late night or whatever, that’s ok. Just pat and blend gently but don’t let it get cakey. If it does cake up, start over, because it only gets worse from there.
If the under eye skin is dry or wrinkled, it helps application and the end result to apply a tiny amount of very lightweight moisturizer first. Give it moment to absorb and then apply concealer. If under eye lines are more pronounced by your concealer, skip the pre-concealer moisturizer, try a lighter moisturizer or switch to a lighter, less creamy concealer formulation.
What NOT to do:
The goal with concealer is to make the under eye area look brighter, smoother and more radiant. When concealer makes it look worse than it did when you started out, you are using the wrong formula. Remove everything and go bare face (but use moisturizing sunscreen of course) to the nearest cosmetics counter, drug store or supermarket and begin anew. The right formula for you is out there.
If you have noticeable wrinkle and lines around your eyes, do not wear a concealer that goes on thickly or dry because it will cake, settle into lines and exaggerate wrinkles. Try something lighter, thinner with less coverage. Experiment until you find the right formulation.
In the photo mentioned above, the one taken in indoor lighting, (we all have camera phones-just do it!) if your conealer is obvious (or anything else for that matter), something is wrong. It’s either the wrong shade, too much has been applied, and/or it hasn’t been blended quite well enough.
Wear concealer that is the color of human skin. Not peach, orange, green, rose or ash, in an attempt to correct something. Stuff like this just looks weird.
My favorite beauty reviewer, Paul Begoun, the Cosmetics Cop, gives the following concealers really high marks. All price points are represented, so if you’re not in love with what you’re using now, or just a little curious as to what’s out there, give one of these a go.
Artistry by Amway Stick Concealer
Get Bright Hook Up Highlighter By Avon Mark
Becca Compact Cream Concealer
Biotherm Forget It Instant Liquid Concealer
Cargo One Base Concealer + Foundation in One Liquid
Chanel Correcteur Perfection Long Lasting Liquid Concealer
Chanel Eclat Lumiere Highlighter Face Pen
Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer
Clinique All About Eyes Concealer
DiorSkin Sculpt Lifting Smoothing Concealer
Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Concealer
Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Skin Smoothing Concealer
L’Oreal True Match Concealer
L’Oreal Paris Visible Lift Line-Minimizing & Tone-Enhancing Under Eye Concealer SPF 20
Lancome Maquicomplet et Eclat Eye Brightening Concealer
M.A.C. Select Cover-Up
Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer
Mary Kay Concealer
Mabelline New York Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector
Origins Quick, Hide! Easy Blend Concealer
Revlon Age Defying Concealer with Sunscreen
A word about this list … if your very favorite concealer isn’t on here, don’t fret. I’ll say it for the hundreth time, if something works for you and you love it, that’s all that matters. Do what is right for you.
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
If I were able to wear only one item of make up, it would be mascara. Maybe it’s because my lashes are invisible on my bare face, but, regardless, mascara is key for me.
Mascara is a cool little invention that has been used for thousands of years to darken and enhance lashes. It was originally made from soot or charcoal. That makes my eyes red just thinking about it. Mascara is now made of things like oil (mineral linseed, castor oil or lanolin) to provide lubrication; guanine to give it shine; and beeswax to bind the formula and hold it to the lash.
A funny thing I ran into while researching … I guess at some point in time there was a rumor that mascara was made from bat poop? Something about the guanine? Ha! I love a stupid urban legend.
I have tried a lot of mascaras in all the price ranges. I think the most I’ve paid for mascara was around $35. At the moment, I’m crazy about one that runs for $6. As with all things, make up being no different, price is not an indicator of performance or quality. Drugstore brands can be every bit as good as higher priced department store brands.
Has this ever happened to you? You open a brand spanking new tube of mascara, and it’s dried out, like it’s old or something? Apparently this happens often. Paula Begoun, the Cosmetics Cop, says that this is a common problem in make up industry and you should not be shy to return it for a refund or exchange.
Mascara comes if water soluble, water-resistant and waterproof formulas. I’m a water-soluble girl. I like being able to swab away mistakes after mascara is completely applied rather than the moment it gets somewhere other than my lashes. I don’t like having to pull and push my lashes around with remover to get it off. Plus I’ve found that a mascara brand that I love in regular isn’t the same in waterproof; either too thin or it never quite sets right or something. Just a preference thing for me, so if you love waterproof formulas, stay with it.
Finding your formula:
Ask yourself what you want from your mascara. I am an eyelash freak, have regular lashes and I want them thick, long, and skanky. Ha! Basically, I want it all, so a mascara formula that provides volume and length fits the bill for me. If your lashes are very straight, try a curling formula. (And an eyelash curler. More on that below.) Short lashes do well with a lengthing formula. Sensitive eyes need a dryer, wax-based formula that won’t crumble. Try Shu Uemura Mascara Basic. Amy was asking me a while ago about mascara for sensitive eyes and I’m psyched to finally have something to recommend.
The applicator brush is an indicator of the final results. If the bristles are big and bushy, that’s how your lashes will end up. Bare Essentials Buxom and Maybelline Colossal Volume have big bushy brushes. If the brush has spiky bristles, you’re going to have more separation. Cover girl LashBlash has spiky applicator bristles. The little spikes do nothing for my lashes but are perfect for my daughter, whose lashes are already thick and long. The bushy brushes make her lashes look like she’s wearing falsies.
What color?
Black is classic and beautiful on everyone. However, black can be intense on blonde lashes, so in that case, try black-brown or brown. There are some beautiful other colors of mascara out there too and I encourage you to experiment if you’re so inclined. I’m a fan of plum, purple, dark green and blue mascara. Try a full set of colored lashes or over black on the tips and on the bottom lashes. Colored mascara pops more when worn with neutral, natural eye make up.
Eyelash curlers are an important little gadget to have in your make up kit. They do a good job of opening up the eye even more. On clean, bare lashes place the curler near the base to middle of lashes and squeeze gently with even pressure and hold for a few seconds. Resist the temptation to curl your lashes after mascara has been applied. It never looks good and this is when lashes will get yanked out. Ouch!
A few tips:
Don’t use dried up mascara. Unlike lipstick or eye shadow, as mascara starts to get old, it becomes useless long before it’s actually used up. There’s no scraping out the last little bit. Keep a new tube at the ready.
Use a lash comb to separate lashes after mascara ahs been applied. We aren’t in high school anymore – no needles or safety pins!
Supplement a sparse lash line with artificial lashes. Ardell is a favorite drugstore brand, and MAC and Make Up ForEver have a great selection of awesome over the top lashes. Try the little clumps as well as the full strips.
Be gentle when removing mascara, even water-soluble formulas so as not to pull out your lashes.
Do not share mascara (or any other eye make up) with anyone.
Sources:
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5010009_what-mascara-made.html
The Original Beauty Bible by Paula Begoun
Allure magazine, November, 2010
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010
To say I like make up is an understatement. I’m crazy about make up. I’ve used it every single day since I was 16, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I think I’m pretty creative (and gutsy) with colors with generally pleasant results (don’t look at my high school yearbook though). I have more make up than I’ll ever use yet like to think of myself as a discerning make up shopper! I guess I feel like I’ve learned some things along the way and I’m thinking about pulling this together in a mini-series all about make up.
In the meantime though, while I get my thoughts together, below are just a few general tips and opinions about make up to get you thinking …
Choose one feature to focus with make up, ie. dark, smoky eyes OR big brightly colored lips, but not both.
Use shine, shimmer or sparkle on only one part of your face at a time. To avoid looking like a Cullen in the sun, choose: shimmery eyes only, cheekbone highlight only, or glittery lips only.
Nude lips let the eyes be the focus. However, avoid white or very pale lip color with a white cast to it. It just looks ghostly. Choose a nude gloss or lipstick with a little pink, peach or beige in it to warm up your face without distracting from the eyes.
Lip liner color and lipstick or gloss color should be as close to the same as possible. (Remember the 80s? Dark brown liner and frosty pink lipstick? Unbelieveably, this still happens.)
Don’t be afraid to use a light swipe of mascara on the bottom lashes. In fact, if you’ve used liner on the bottom lid at all, apply a touch of mascara to the bottom lashes too otherwise it looks like you got distracted and forgot.
But know when to say when with mascara in general. If you just can’t seem to get them long or thick enough, consider false lashes which when applied well will always look better than clumpy spider lashes.
Eye make up in classic browns, grays and plums are always beautiful for photos. Save the very bright colored liners, shadows and mascara for a regular day.
Use navy blue eyeliner or mascara to make the whites of your eyes look whiter.
Overly shiny and shimmery eyeshadow exaggerates wrinkles around the eyes. Matte is much better.
Well-shaped eyebrows provide a nice frame for the entire face. Don’t be afraid of filling in sparse brows with brow pencil or powder.
Stay on top of brow shape maintenance. In other words, keep stray hairs tweezed!
Blush and lip color should be in the same color family.
For mature faces, light lip color is always better than dark. Dark colors make lips appear thin and small.
Be discerning with bronzer. Use the barest hint of bronzer to warm up your face where from above the sun would naturally tan your cheeks, chin, nose, forehead.
Use a concealer that is only 1-1½ shades lighter than the color of your facial skin, and be sure to blend thoroughly into your foundation.
Don’t use make up to correct the shape of anything on your face. Especially lips. Working with what you have (full cheeks, small lips, uneven brows, etc.), highlighting what’s good and not so much what is imperfect is always more beautiful.
Match foundation to the color of your skin as closely as possible. When shopping for foundation, test the color on your face, not the back of your hand or inside of your wrist.
Once make up is applied, don’t mist with water to “set”. Somehow it just doesn’t do anything except make your face wet.
Blot oil from a shiny face before applying touching up powder. Powder and oil get pasty fast.
Once your make up is on, try not to touch your face.
These aren’t tips about make up, but whatever …
Very dark nail polish (black, navy, burgundy, grey, etc.) look best on nails that are trimmed short.
Pale polish that sort of matches your skin is always classic and is good for short fingers.
Artificial nails can be beautiful when done VERY WELL, especially with a French manicure. I love them long too.
These are in no way rules but my opinions. Its just make up. In the end, I’m all about doing whatever makes you feel beautiful.
Got any tried and true make up tips and tricks? I’d love to hear from you and learn something new!
