How To: Nude Lip

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Originally applied to downplay the rest of the face when having a dramatic smoky eye or a major blush moment, the nude lip has transcended from a trend to a classic.

Your perfect nude lip will depend entirely on the shade. Remember nude is not the same as neutral, you must take into consideration your skin tone and lip color. The right color will create depth and contour as the wrong color can make the entire face look dull or washed-out.

Choosing a color for your skin tone:

• For fair or pale skin: Avoid beige tones. Opt for soft pinks, peaches or pale apricot as your base shade.
• For the golden girls: Creamy, caramel-toned nudes and warm beiges. Avoid anything too cool, like grays or silver-toned shades.
• For olive tones: Just about any nude shade will work, from beige to bronze to pinks.
• For skin with yellow undertones: Light, creamy-toned beiges like latte or mocha.
• For dark-toned skin: Go for chocolate tones such as rich golden browns and coffees.

Needed:

• Foundation
• Nude Lip Liner – Favorite: Here
• Lip Brush
• Nude Lipstick – Favorite: Here
• Nude Lipgloss – Favorite: Here

How To:

• Prep and moisturize the lips.
• Blot a layer of foundation onto the lips. This will let lipstick perform at it’s truest color.
• Define lips with a liner that is the half-a-shade deeper than lipstick. This will give the illusion of plumper lips.
• Using a lip brush, apply lipstick.
• Blot the lips with tissue and reapply.
• If a glossy finish is preferred – apply nude lipgloss.

Perfect Pink: NARS Gaiety

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NARS Gaiety is my current perfect pink blush. It creates the perfect youthfulness and will instantly brighten your day… and complexion.

Described as a “bright candy pink,” the cool-toned pink has a strong blue-base. The buildable color allows for a sheer wash of color on the cheeks or layer for a bold pink flush. The color is matte with tiny specks of silver sparkle, that when applied offers a soft subtle sheen – perfect for the apples of the cheeks.

NARS blushes are long-lasting and true to color. I love Gaiety in the summer, when tanned/bronzed skin needs a flush of color. The contrast of the warm tan and cool pink reflects youthfulness and fun.

Healthy Glow: Kevyn Aucoin – The Pure Powder Glow in Myracle

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Radiant, youthful-looking skin is just a brush stroke away with Kevyn Aucoin’s The Pure Powder Glow in Myracle.

Formulated with Aucoin’s signature finely milled powders, The Pure Powder Glow blends seamlessly and lasts all day. The hot pink hue is completely matte, pigment-rich and beautifully shocking. If applied with a light-hand, it will create a soft, more ethereal look. If applied with a heavy-hand, it will create a more vibrant, radiant glow.

Myracle is designed to work on all skin tones and looks amazing all-year-long. It will add life to bronzed skin in the summer and enhance a natural flush to fair skin in the winter.

For an instant cheek lift, place your blush brush at the highest point of your cheekbone and apply color in a circular motion. It’s a Myracle!

Spring Forecast: Fashion Trends

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From electric neons to practical pastels, Spring 2012 Fashion Week hosted colorful and wearable fashion trends. From New York to Milan, there were many noticeable patterns and trends from the designers collections.

Shocking Neons and Electric Brights were glowing at Nanette Lepore. Though we have seen this trend before, Spring 2012 viewed a more feminine nature rather than an 80’s interpretation.

Animal Prints and Tribal Patterns were let loose at Michael Kors. A trend that re-invents itself every spring, this season it looks like a lot more texture has been added. A wealth of beading, metal and wood embellish the prints.

Bold Floral Prints sprouted up at J.Crew. Floral prints in Spring…Shocking! However, this season the prints are stronger/bolder and less “pretty.” Bright colors and loud patterns engulf entire outfits, i.e pant suits and jumpers.

Pretty Pastels speckled the runway at 3.1 Phillip Lim. This was the most obvious trend for the season. Washes of lavender, spearmint and blush flooded the runways. A pastel palette in Spring is a charming bouquet of chic and feminine style.

Glow-T 2011: Best in Beauty

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Happy New Year! As 2012 begins, I want to recap on my favorite beauty products of 2011. These are items that I constantly reach for and will continue to use in the new year. From skincare to cosmetics, here are Glow-T’s Best of 2011 Beauty Products:

Body Lotion: Kiehls Creme de Corps

Face Cleanser: Fresh Soy Face Cleanser

Face Moisturizer: Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre

Face Moisturizer/Foundation: Origins VitaZing SPF 15

Sunscreen: NIA24 Sun Damage Prevention 100% Mineral Sunscreen

Eyeshadow Palette: Urban Decay Naked Palette

Foundation: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Mascara: Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara

Bottom Lash Mascara: Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

Concealer/Corrector: Giorgio Armani Master Corrector

Blush: By Terry Rose De Rose Blush Fluide

Powder: Becca Fine Loose Finishing Powder

Hair Mask: Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask

Makeup Sponge: Beauty Blender

Hair Product: Bumble & Bumble Texture

Lip Product: Smashbox Limitless Lip Stain & Color Seal Balm

Ruddy Cheeks: NARS Blush Exhibit A

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NARS Exhibit A

I love the look of ruddy cheeks in the Winter. A rosy flush instantly provides the look of glowing and  healthy skin.

NARS Blush in Exhibit A is a fire red hue that looks extremely intimidating at first glance. However, when applied with a light hand, this blush can be quite sheer. It envelopes the most perfect rosey cheek I have seen. Instantly transforming the skin into a natural, healthy, “just ran through an enchanted forest” glow.

To achieve this look, use a stippling brush for the sheerest application. A tiny amount of product is all that is needed. Remember, you can always build the color but it is difficult to take away.

Dynamic Duo: Per-fekt Cheek Perfection Gel Duo

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Per-fekt Cheek Perfection Gel Duo

The Per-fekt Cheek Perfection Gel Duo uses two products to create radiant skin. The two different shades, Blushed and Bronzed, instantly enhance the cheeks appearance.

The formula consists of a gel-like texture that smooths beautifully over the skin to create a flawless canvas. Silicone-based, this silky gel reduces the appearance of redness and discoloration, enlarged pores, fine lines and shine. The formula also contains Niacin (Vitamin B3) which helps increase circulation, Caffeine, Vitamin A and E, antioxidants that protect from free radicals.

The Per-fekt Cheek Perfection Gel Duo provides both a bronzer and blush product. The colors of these products are quite intimidating. The bronzer is a dark green-based brown and the blusher, a deep rosy red. I prefer to mix the two products to create a warmer pink-flushed cheek. A drop of product is all that is needed for application, the gels are extremely pigmented but blend easily.

These products are not the simplest to apply, some precision and control is needed. I prefer applying the product with a brush because it renders more control. I use a dense contour brush (MAC 109), and stipple the product on the skin in circular motions.

The Cheek Perfection Duo can also be used on the body, try a little bronzer on the décollage for a sun-kissed appearance. When applied Per-fektly, these products are a great option for the cheeks, however, if not heedful it can end up a duo-disaster.

 

 

 

 

Tried & Tested: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush

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Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush is a nutrient-rich, fade-free, long-wearing cheek product.

The main ingredient, Amazonian clay, minimizes oil on the skin to keep the product in place. Its nutrient-rich formula, infused with Vitamins A, C and E fights free-radicals and protects from premature aging.

The Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush comes in an assortment of eight shades. From baby pink to strawberry red, the colors are strong and pigmented.  Some of the colors have a sparkly finish, while others take-on a more more matte finish. I have found that the matte finishes tend to be a bit chalky on the skin and prefer a more shimmery hue.

This blush is accurate in it’s 12-hour, long-wear promise. The color remained true throughout the day and survived in 75 degree heat.