Makeup Tips/How To

Hola, muchachas bonitas. I barely speak a lick of Spanish, but I’ve decided it would be REALLY FRICKIN’ COOL to teach Señor Tabs (aka El Gato) some Español.

So far he only seems to understand two phrases — “Friskies, muy bien!” and “Dónde está Fancy Feast?” — but he’s been a fast learner for a cat.

After our Spanish lessons this morning, Tabs and I went through some e-mail. Here’s a note from Christine, who asked about a makeup ish I’m guessing many of us have had to deal with at one time or another.

Help…I have redness on my cheeks and nose. I’m able to cover my cheeks pretty well, I use Laura Mercier’s Secret Camoflauge mixed with a little bit of moisturizer (my skin is dry) and then pat on Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals on top…I do this to my nose as well but by the time I arrive at work in the morning, I look like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer! What can I do to keep my nose red-free? Is my application of the makeup wrong?

Hi Christine,

Girl, when my nose is pulling a Rudolph I try to remember two things: 1) that Rudolph is awesome (he leads the sleigh!) and 2) that there are quite a few products out there designed to help red-nosed ladies like us.

I’ll often start by incorporating a makeup primer with a green tint (to offset the redness on my nose) into my routine; if you’ve never used a makeup primer before, then you’re in for a treat. Makeup primers provide a surface upon which foundation or concealer adhere, extending the wear time of many products and creating a smoother appearance. When used to conceal redness, I’ll apply it only where the redness occurs.

A new one I’ve heard good things about is Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer ($32) in Green. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m a fan of the Make Up For Ever line, and I think the product looks really promising for fellow members of Club Rudolph.

Other green primers to consider:

• Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correction Foundation Primer in Color Adjust ($38)
• Pur Minerals Colour Correction Foundation Primer in Green ($30)
• Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Protective Base SPF 15 ($17.50)

If you’re not sure which one to try, a Sephora sales associate may be able to provide you with a few samples to help you decide (sometimes this doesn’t work, but if you live near a Sephora it could be worth a try).

My fellow rosy-nosed girls, do you have any tips/tricks/product suggestions to help hide a red nose? Let’s give Christine a helping hand.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Today Jessica of Little Thoughts and Lovely Things gives the 411 on ways to wear glitter.

My name is Jessica, and I’m your guest beauty blogger this afternoon. 🙂

MBB guest mascot Kitty and I (yes, I do have a kitty named Kitty) are easy to please. As long as Kitty gets her naps and can shed all over the house, and I have my makeup — particularly glitter — we’re great!

NOTE: Make sure you’re careful with glitter around your eyes, and only use glitter products approved for use with makeup (no craft store glitter!).

Glitter adds that extra “pop” to any look. Apply a lot to, say, the entire lid, and people will definitely look your way. Or, play it safe for school or work with a lighter application for a subtle shimmer.

The first time I tried using a loose glitter shadow, I skipped the base and applied it directly to my eyelid. By the end of the day… well, you know how that went. I got it everywhere but my eyes! — on my hands, my clothes, my desk and all over my cheeks.

No problem. You can definitely apply glitter in a way that won’t leave your coworkers wondering why you looked dressed to hit the disco, or why there are bits of glitter in their sandwich.

Loose glitter

What it is
The most concentrated form of glitter you can get. Unless you don’t mind getting glitter all over the place, you’re either going to want to mix it with a base or something else.

Bases
You could use something creamy like a MAC Paint Pot ($16) as a base for loose glitter, but you’ll probably end up with more fallout than if you actually mixed it with something like Mixing Medium.

Ask about Mixing Medium at your nearby MAC Pro Store (the water-based kind, about $15), or you can make a base yourself by mixing 2/3rds water with 1/3rd glycerine (bought from a drugstore).

The glycerine just makes everything sticky, so in this case the glitter adheres to your skin.

Consider also trying MAC Fix+ ($17), which combines glycerine with a couple of other ingredients like cucumber extract.

Just drizzle a few drops onto your brush, dip your brush into your loose glitter, and then pat it on your eye.

If you’d prefer a more liquid consistency, you can actually mix your MAC Fix+ and glitter together in a container or in a palette and can even make your own glittery shadow or liner.

A makeup sealant like Benefit’s SheLaq ($30) also helps make glitter stick to skin, but it’ll cost you a lot more than either MAC Fix+ or its drugstore equivalent.

Application

There are many different ways to apply glitter. One way is to apply it to the entire lid. In this pic I’m wearing NYX Glitter Powder in Silver (about $2).

Or, in the center of your lid above the iris, for a little understated sparkle (MAC Glitter in Reflects Antique Gold over MAC Amber Lights shadow, about $20, but much cheaper if you get it with a holiday pigment set).

Glitter also works added to your lipgloss. Here’s some NYX Glitter in Clear over NYX Round Lipgloss in Doll Pink…

Or perhaps above your blush as a highlighter for your cheekbone, though I don’t apply glitter on my face on a regular basis. Above shows some NARS Orgasm Blush and NYX Glitter in Clear over Revlon Crème Shadow in White…
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