Beauty Tip #1: BLUSH

Regarding BLUSH:

It can be a hard item to select but the point of it is to bring color and brightness into your face after the application of a foundation.  Regardless of age or skin tone, a liquid/creme blush or a powder with an iridescent sheen do the job best.  Both will help to reflect the light off of the face and thus camoflaguing the appearance of fine lines/blemishes.  A matte finished blush will add color but not give a glow so this should especially be avoided for more mature skin or blemished skin.

COLOR: 

You should select a shade that is most similar to your current cheek color when you are flushed.  After working out, look in the mirror to see what color your cheeks are- if they are pink, go with a pink blush, if they are reddish, go with a blush with more red undertones.  If in doubt- find the blush that has both pink and coral undertones (much like this font color) and you can't go wrong!  This shade compliments light or dark hair, warm or cool skin tones and brings life to any face!

Another important tip:  PLACEMENT:

For younger faces, it is perfectly acceptable to place the blush on the apples of the cheeks.  For more mature faces, the blush should be swept just above the apple of the cheeks to help give height to the cheekbones which may be less apparent as we age.  

Less is always best but if you happen to get too much:  no need to wash your face and start from scratch- use some pressed powder over the area to make the color less noticeable- added benefit:  it will help your makeup stay fresher looking, longer!

[caption id="attachment_51" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Reese Whitherspoon's Perfect Blushing Complexion"][/caption]

Most importantly, blush means very little if you don't smile!!!

I have a confession

I am in a funk today.  It stinks.  I have actually been in a funk the past couple of days.  I am not sure if it is hormonal or what, but seriously, it needs to go!  Lately, I have been the picture of positivity and possibility but not the past few days.  I am short on patience and just overall, cranky.  Blah....

So, how am I going to change this?  I am a firm believer that most things in life are mind-over-matter.  So, it's time to buck up and kick this funk to the curb.  

I do have positive news to report that is beauty related (it is my obligation to mention something beauty related in this blog! =) ).  A week ago I received a new skin-care line (google: Skintelligence 5 piece kit).  It's 5 pieces in total and though that was completely daunting initially and is what kept me from trying it for, um, years, it's been totally worth it.  Every single extra milli-second that it takes me to prep my face has been time well spent.  My skin had some eczema patches (on my face, particularly).  I was using an Olay face wash and....I hate to admit this, but....Baby Lotion as a moisturizer.  Yes, and I am "in the business"...Anyway, on to the more important details- the new stuff works!  All of the dry patches are completely gone!  They were gone within 2 days (4 uses) and my skin does look smoother, more radiant and it just feels better overall.  I don't know why I am surprised- it's a line I have carried for years in my business, but, I never used it.  I can't really even say enough.  Needless to say, however, I will NOT be going back to my Olay and Baby Lotion routine!  

I feel better already!  I forced myself to focus on something positive and I do feel much better now.  The other positive thing- we get our new Fridge today (I am choosing to forget that Lowe's has completely messed up the schedule of my day because of their delivery mistakes)!  I cannot wait to reorganize all of our food in a completely new and sterile(!) fridge!!!  It's the little things, people...

Oh, one more positive, exciting thing- tonight I am going to a little event called Wednesday Night Whinos.  I am so excited to get out of the house, have some good wine and food and meet some new people.  I rarely get out so this is huge for me!  

After all of that, it appears there is really no need for this funk after-all.!  Enjoy today for all it has to offer!

Be well ;)

Nicole

Treat yourself from the inside out!

So, you know that awful saying, "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig"...Well, it's true.  And here's why...

Makeup can cover the flaws that people may see just from looking at us.  It can make you seem like your confident, put together, happy, and many other things.  But, its what we learn about people after talking to them that is who a person truly is.  And this is where the illusion of makeup can lose it's holding.

We've all met those beauties (both men and women) that you admire because they seem to be so gorgeous- How could they not be happy?  And finally, YOU, little old you, get's to talk to them and know them...Low and behold, they are not the picture of perfection you once thought they were.  They are negative and bitter or not confident in themselves like you assumed they would be.  Now, we all have our flaws and that's ok, but, my point is:  You could paint the most stunning face, but if you don't raise your attitude to the same level, you may as well have not done anything.

My favorite, and most inspiring teacher from high school used to always say, "Fake it til you make it!" Even if initially you can't match your inner and outer selves- keep trying- trying to keep everything in balance and one day you will wake up and you won't have to try so hard!  It will be true...I really believe beauty radiates from the inside out!  So, smile today and even if you have to fake it today, it will get easier!

Be well! :)

Nicole

"Embrace your own personal beauty-...

...Love who you are today and every day" (Robert Jones).  What an amazing quote- both amazingly correct and amaingly hard to do at the same time.  We should embrace our flaws and assets in just the same way- they are what make us unique and they are what make us, "us".  When it comes to personal opinions of ourselves though, I think we can be and usually are, our own worst critic.  But, that should change today...

The beautiful thing about working as a makeup artist, is that I am able to see people transformed on the outside every day.  That outward transformation slowly chips away at old, negative perceptions we have of ourselves and unveils a more confident, beautiful, and positive person.  I love watching this process unfold.  It's one of the most rewarding parts of my job.  

So, if you are feeling down in the doldrums, why don't you take some time to evaluate your look?  It could literally be ONE change that will set the wheels in motion- on the path to a new, brighter you.  Go get a new lipgloss...a haircut, and new pair of shoes...sometimes you don't even need to buy anything- just take some time and DO your hair (and if you happen to be lucky enough to do your hair everyday, try doing it a different way).  It may just inspire you to change even more things....when people see you taking care of your appearance, they are drawn to you.  Try it- and revel in (AND BELIEVE) all of the compliments you receive.  =)

Proactivity pays off...

This afternoon, I preheat my oven to bake a pizza for my family for lunch.  I am busy putting the pizza together and on a time schedule because my husband had somewhere to be.  I am finally ready and think that the oven will be good and hot and ready to bake our pizza to golden, bubbly perfection.  Not so much...I opened the oven and it was ice cold...ok, maybe just cold...either way, not hot!

So, we fudge around trying to figure out how to light the pilot, etc.  Nothing happens.  No gas smell...nada...the fridge has been on the fritz for months...and thats when we decided to proactively replace both the oven AND the fridge.  And it got me thinking...

We, as women, as a society, will pay good money to fix a problem after it's already a problem.  But why not spend the money over time to take care of the things we have- example:  YOU.....Think about it:  If we took time everyday to eat right and exercise, we would have more time over the course of our lives to enjoy the people and things around us (less time sick, recovering from surgeries, etc).  If we took preventative measures and cared for our mental health a little bit each day, we wouldn't waste a whole day (or more!) taking a "mental health day".  If we took the time to care for our skin a little each day, we would look and feel younger all the time instead of just after a day at the spa.  It's a challenge, for sure.  Life is busy, kids take over, life takes over- money is an issue-, etc.  There will always be a reason not to do something.  But, think about long-term.  Don't think about how tired you are today and how you just want to go to bed and not worry about the 5 step skincare routine (I'm definitely not using myself as an example, definitely not! ;) )...Think about how 5 minutes every day will save you money and time and confidence later- take the time now to squeeze in some proactive time for yourself!  You'll thank yourself later! 

It's Blog time!

As a business owner, I am constantly trying to find new ways to reach my customers and educate them as they attempt to create their most beautiful (and healthful) self!  It's always a challenge because although Facebook is an amazing tool, not everyone uses it!  Twitter, in my opinion, (even as a generation X'er) is completely overwhelming for me.  So, I decided it was high-time I created my own blog!

As a wife and mom to two beautiful, inspirational little-people, this will be an immense challenge!  As I find my way in those roles, I find myself, also, with a shortage of time and ability to concentrate!  Some days, I even find myself with the inability to articulate even ONE grammatically correct sentence.  Days are long and my brain is fried!  But, I will do my best to keep this blog informative, cutting-edge, and FUN!

So, as we set off on this voyage together, I want to invite you all to treat this blog as a chat-room of sorts...discuss, question, comment away!  Afterall, a blog is only as good as its' followers!  So, tell me what you want to hear, see, learn!  That's part of my job, too!

Here's to a lot of fun blogging and great makeup and tips in the future! =)

Nicole