The Big Kiss

This post is dedicated to my friend, who is looking for a great kiss to help her ring in 2012.  You shall remain nameless :)  Oh, your makeup will look fly- just like you!

You have already made all the big decisions: where to go, what to wear and who to celebrate with.  Now it's time to have some fun with your makeup!  This is the night to try something fun, unexpected and perhaps outside your comfort zone.  I beg of you to leave the smokey eye, holiday lip color or frightful New Year's Eve glitter look behind.  Haven't you done that enough in 2011?

Try bold, colorful eyeliner and don't forget plenty of mascara and perhaps a set of lashes too ;)

Check out these amazing looks:

I want to die wearing this look!  How sexy is she?  Fierce black liner accented with emerald!!!

A bright and bold statement without trying too hard.  Gorgeous!  Just promise to keep the rest of your makeup simple and subtle.

Metallic (not glitter) with lashes, this just screams Happy New Year!

So here is to a great year, a great night and a great kiss ;)  Happy New Year.

A Natural Beauty

It't that time of year- stores open 24 hours (yuck), shopping lists a mile long, busy parking lots, grocery stores and just about everything else!  There is too much to do and not enough time. With consumption at an all-time high, I thought it might be nice to talk about taking something out- of your product that is.  Let's talk about using more natural products and less "stuff".  Here are some of my favorite "green" products.

Burt's Bees Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter
I have one of these in my purse, my car and my nightstand.  It is the best and it tastes good too:)

Organix Exfoliating Coconut Milk Body Scrub
This smells yummy and let's be serious: who couldn't use a really good exfoliation right now? Just don't forget to moisturize really well after.

Origins Reinventing the Heel
This heavy cream will help sooth dry cracked feet with shea butter.  Taking good care of your feet now will make sure they are ready for open toe season (I promise it will be here again).





I would love to here about your favorite natural beauty products- I love trying out new stuff!

Secret Weapon: Blush

Alright Kate, this one is for you (well maybe not just for you, but you did ask about blush).  In my opinion, and please note I have a very strong opinion about blush, every woman needs to wear about twice as much blush as she does, so pack it on ladies.  I say this especially with the drab and dull months of winter approaching.  Don't you think we could all use a little pick me up that doesn't cost $4.50 at Starbucks EVERYDAY?

Blush is the most under-utilized product used in a woman's cosmetic arsenal.  It has the ability to brighten up your face when you feel a little grey and it requires no touch ups during the day (unlike lipstick)!  If I could only use two beauty products every morning for the rest of my life, it would be mascara and blush.  Mascara to open the eyes and blush to brighten the face.  This takes 60 seconds to apply and I am out the door!

Let's talk colors.

Every woman needs two basic blushes- keep it simple.

1. Pink (think spring flowers, not dusty)

2. Coral  

Let's talk placement.

There are a million theories on how to apply blush.  Again, let's keep it simple.

Smile and apply to the apples of your cheeks, gently blending up your cheekbone towards your temple.  The concentration of color should be on the apples of your cheeks.

I was once asked: "Blush or Bronzer?" and my response: BOTH.

This is spot on!

Who knew red lips could be this simple (and gorgeous)?

This is your holiday go-to item.  I am OBSESSED!  Here are 3 reasons why I love it:

1.  I knew this was a winner when my husband, who never comments on my ever changing makeup, stopped me at 7:15am the other morning and dipped me in the kitchen and kissed me after he noticed it.  Our mornings rarely allow the time to look at each other (we have a 2 year old boy and a 5 week old daughter that consume our morning routine), much less notice the lipstick I am wearing.
2.  It was $7.99.  Who doesn't love a good deal?
3.  No lipliner required (lipliner is much to fussy for me).

Sonia Kashuk Velvety Matte Lip Crayon $7.99
Rosey Nude 10








Now stop reading this and go get it before it is gone!

Brow Raising Idea

If you were born with big, beautiful eyebrows than you are in luck this season (if you weren't born with them, I am going to teach you how to pretend you were).  Fall/Winter 2011 is all about a big and beautiful brow.  Of course, this doesn't mean a messy brow so you still need to shape them.  Here is a step-by-step guide to the perfect brow.

1.  Maintenance- tweeze, wax, whatever you prefer and are comfortable with.
2.  Brush- Smooth brow hairs with a brow brush to identify areas that need filled in.
3.  Fill & Define- Fill in brows with short light strokes starting from the center of your face working toward your arch.  Tip:  Choose a color one shade lighter than your natural brow hair.
4.  Hold Shape- You can do this two ways.  Either with your brow brush or with a clear brow gel.  Brush through brow to maintain desired shape and soften color.
5.  Highlight-  Choose a light shimmery eyeshadow (NOT white) to place under your brow.  Focus color just underneath the arch and blend in each direction.

Full, natural brows frame the face and eyes.  A beautiful brow is to the face what a great frame is to a piece of artwork.  Get framing!!!

Secret Weapon: Navy eyeliner

I've decided to start a new series of blog posts called Secret Weapon.  This comes from the barrage of questions I am constantly being asked by my grandmother, friends and strangers about makeup and skincare tips.  This series will give you an idea of absolute must haves, trends, makeup tips and more!

So the first secret weapon is my favorite beauty product and makeup tip....navy eyeliner.  EVERY woman, and I mean EVERY woman, should have one!  3 reasons I say this:
1.  It is more interesting than black or brown, but still dark.
2.  It brightens your eye color (any color).
3.  It can by glamorous or an everyday look.

Important to keep in mind:  I said navy, not blue.  Navy eyeliner will work for anyone because it is deep in color and understated.  Blue eyeliner will not work for everyone and is a trickier application.  When choosing a liner choose a matte color for your everyday look and one with a touch of shimmer for a more dramatic look.

Jennifer Aniston often wears navy eyeliner, this is a great example of an everyday look.

Here is an example of how to use navy eyeliner in a glamorous and more dramatic way.

Why you shouldn't be afraid of oil

It's a common thought- oil causes breakouts.  FALSE!  Oil is actually valuable to your skin, our skin naturally produces oil for a reason.  So stop searching for all those products that claim "Oil Free".  Below you will find a few good reasons to start using MORE oil to take care of your skin.

It might be counter-intuitive that oil could actually be good for clearing up acne-prone skin.  But let's think about this for a minute.  Remember the phrase "oil and water".  The wet to dry cycle of washing can dehydrate the skin if your cleanser doesn't have some oil in it.  An oil cleanser will sweep away pore clogging oils, not break you out.

The cold winter months ahead are going to dry out everyone's skin (even the oily).  Oil based cleansers and moisturizers will keep you hydrated.  Oil forms a barrier, which will actually seal in hydration better than a moisturizer without oil.

Here are the oil based products I love and recommend:
Cleansing Oils:  Shu Uemura carries an entire line of cleansing oils.  These are great because you can rub them on your eyes without irritation.  Apply one pump of cleansing oil to a dry face and tissue off or rinse.

Moisturizing Oils:  Bobbi Brown Extra Face Oil.  Use a few drops and apply directly to the face or add a few drops to a moisturizer you are already using.  My favorite way to use it is mixed with an exfoliator for a gentle treatment.