Confessions of a Concealaholic

Embrace your inner conceal-a-holic with Benefit Cosmetics' latest makeup kit! Why fight it when you can hide it, conceal it, camouflage it, and cover it? This concealing and brightening kit has EVERYTHING you need to live happily ever after!
This set contains:
• 0.25 oz "That Gal" brightening face primer
• 2 x 0.04 oz Boi-ing industrial strength concealer in 01 Light (for fair complexions) and 02 Medium (for medium complexions) for custom concealing
• 0.11 oz Erase Paste brightening camouflage for eyes and face in No. 2 (for medium complexions)
• 0.03 oz Lemon Aid (sheer pale yellow) color correcting eyelid primer
• 0.03 oz Eye Bright (pale pink) instant eye brightener
• Concealer Brushes
• step-by-step lesson

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

Suzanna

Product Reviews: Stila's Perfecting Foundation Stick

Suzanna here with a product review. As of lately, I've been on the hunt for a good foundation stick for fall that wouldn't be too heavy on my skin or too glossy-like. After searching high and low, come see if I've found the right one in Stila's Perfecting Foundation.

After having a long hiatus from a certain cosmetic brand (cough - Mac), I've decided to start using their pressed powder foundation and to my dreadful surprise my face became even more oily and formed minor outbreaks. At that point I decided that enough was enough - I would look for something new. I know first hand how difficult it can be to find the perfect foundation to fit your beauty needs. It took me a few months but I think I've found the perfect one at Perfume WorldWide.


I'm sure that many of you have heard of Stila Cosmetics and a few of you might have overlooked their foundations - assuming their shades were limited for color women. Well, I'm here to convince you to give Stila's perfecting foundation a try.

The product description states "Unique in formulation, this stick foundation provides build-able coverage for a perfectly polished, semi-matte finish. Perfect for all skin types and can be reapplied throughout the day. Select a shade that blends with and complements your skin tone."

Enough with the potatoes, here's the beef: First, to give you a better understanding of my skin's complexion - in a MAC's world I'd be a NW45 (in Studio Tech) which is equivalent to a shade K. At first I was skeptical that Stila's foundation would do the trick but to my pleasant surprise it more than surpassed my expectations. The first thing I realized was how well it blended in with my skin. Although the shade variations lack in quantity - it's blending ability makes up for it in quality. The pictures captured the natural, healthy and radiant appearance it gave my skin. A little application can go a long way. This foundation stick also doubled as a concealer and the best part was that it didn't clog my pores at all!

The perfecting foundation contains a creamy soft texture which causes it to glide over your skin like butter; leaving behind a noticeably satin (but not oily) finish. If not blended well it can look heavy, but smoothing things out with your fingers or applying it with a foundation brush, solves this problem. When it's carefully blended, you'll get medium to almost-full coverage. The perfecting foundation stick comes in 13 different shades - costing you only $29. I'd recommend Stila's perfecting foundation stick to women of all skin types and colors.

Soon after I completed the product review, I immediately called up my gal pals and announced that I'll be settling down with a special something in my life for a while. I think I'm in love ;)

Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

- Suzanna

Makeup 101: Foundation, Blush And Bronzers

To find the best color of foundation for your skin, you absolutely MUST test it on your jaw line. Testing it on the hand, arm, or wrist is NEVER a true match. Eye-balling it through the bottle is doesn't work, either.


I find that the best applicator for liquid foundation is your clean fingers or a foundation brush. Use a sponge only for blending. Sponges have a tendency to soak up foundation instead of smoothing it out on your skin. For thicker foundations, a sponge may be necessary to help spread onto the skin.

Loose powder like Skin Smoothing Loose Powder is typically best when needing to set your foundation. Check that the color is not too dark for your skin. This will give an unnatural look. A foundation that is too light will look terrible in pictures, but too dark a foundation will look even worse.


If you have oily skin, stick with an oil-free or oil-absorbing make up or powder. Be wary that skin oils can actually change the color of the foundation you are applying. Avoid foundations that are too yellow. They may create an orange cast to the skin.


Apply loose powder with a velour puff in a "pressing" action for extra coverage and staying power. Press enough powder into your skin, avoiding the immediate eye areas, until you look like a powdered doughnut. Then lightly dust off the excess. When your skin warms up, you will have a natural finish without looking made up.

Choosing a blush color really isn't that hard; it is probably the easiest color to decide upon. It's unfortunate that there are so many unnatural colors on the market. The purpose of blush is to give the skin a healthy glow. I don't know many people who blush brown. Most look better in a color that has some sort of pink to it, although some women look better with a warmer color, Especially those with red tones in their hair. Both Posietint and Baked Matte Satin Blush are beautiful options.


To apply blush start with the apples of your cheeks. Find them by smiling. Start there, and blend backwards straight into the hairline. Blend into the skin so the application does not seem obvious.

If you feel that you are too pale and are afraid of self-tanners, you may want to try a bronzer. These come in loose and pressed powder forms, as well as sticks, gels and mousse. Ulta carries Mousse Bronzer and it looks amazing! Look at yourself in bright light. Where does the light hit you? Your forehead, the tops of your cheekbones, nose, jaw line, etc. This is where the sun would most naturally color the skin. Apply the bronzer sparingly to these areas.

Now that you've been educated on Foundations, Blushes, and Bronzers you are now ready to apply your makeup safely!

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

-Suzanna

Makeup 101: Eye Makeup

In order to keep concealer from caking, make sure the eye area is properly moisturized.

Avoid using facial concealers for the delicate under eye region. These can cause excessive drying of the skin in the perioccular area. Use a concealer that is specific for use around the eyes.

Apply eye concealer with a small, tapered synthetic brush and blend with your ring finger for the best application.

Gloppy Mascara? Make sure you throw out your Mascara every 3 months, no matter what. Jog your memory by applying a small sticker to the tube and dating it.

Save your Mascara wand when you discard an old tube, wash it with antibacterial soap, and you have a better lash divider than you could ever buy at the store.

When you apply your Mascara, apply one coat, then follow-through by combing with your clean wand. Repeat application if necessary. This process will cut down on clumps of Mascarasticking in your lashes.

If you have a tough time getting your lashes to curl, apply your Mascara immediately after curling your lashes. This acts as a setting gel. If you continue to have problems, use your hair dryer for about 5-10 seconds on the lash curler (don't make it too hot, you do not want to scorch your skin or burn the lashes.)

Eye liners are easy to apply if you use a thin, flat, synthetic-bristle brush and simply apply (press, not brush) a highly pigmented shadow to the lash line.

Maximize the appearance of your eyes by applying your eyeliner across the entire eyelid margin. The key to dramatizing the eyes is to vary the width of the line. If your eyes are close together, then you want to even out their appearance, so adjust the line with the thickest point along the outer portion of the eye and taper it inward. For eyes that are far-set, taper the line in the opposite direction, making certain the line is not too thick.

If you decide to line under the eye, after doing so, take a cotton swab and wipe half of it off. Trust me, it will look much more natural.

If you have oilier skin, stick to matte powder shadows. Those with a dry skin type can tolerate cream based shadow and light shimmers.

If your eyes are closely set, use lighter eye shadows toward the nose, and apply darker shadow at the outer edge. If your eyes are far-set, apply the deepest color on the entire lid or crease, with only slightly more emphasis on the inner half of the eye.

To create a wide-eyed look, especially for those with small eyes, apply a white or silver shadow along the upper outer edge of your eyebrows. This truly "opens up" the eyes.

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

- Suzanna

First Date: Beauty & Makeup Tips

So you're going on a first date with a hot guy that you've just met and you really want to impress him: this night has to be perfect! You've found the perfect dress, shoes, perfume, and accessories -- but you're clueless on how to wear your makeup and what to wear. Having the right cosmetic application is just as important as what you're wearing when it comes to a first dates. Here are some beauty tips that'll help you make your first date a success

First, give yourself a refreshing start. Exfoliate your face, neck, and body. This method is great for shedding dead cells, softening your skin, and radiating your youthful glow. Don't get caught out there rugged and ashy. Instead, lather yourself up with silky lotion. Men love it when a woman has silky smooth skin --- he won't be able to keep his hands off you.

Although they say honesty is the best policy when it comes to a relationship; you're not so sure if and when this will blossom into something more... after all, you are prepping for your first date. Don't be so quick to expose your flaws such as pimples, blackspots, and uneven tones. Cover it up with a concealer. Here, I used Make Up For Ever's Full Cover Concealer in Chocolate #18. This concealer worked it's magic in concealing my dark spots.

Next, I applied NARS' Balanced Foundation in Trinidad. As I previously posted, I love using this foundation - it shows off the natural radiance of my skin and the shade matches my complexion perfectly. Unlike most makeup, this liquid foundation has a lighter feel; resulting in a translucent finish that smoothes fine lines and imperfections without appearing heavy on my skin.

Since this is your first date, I would suggest staying away from bright and bold theatrical eye shadow colors such as green, yellow, pink, purple, etc. They scream attention and may look tacky in this occassion; save those colors for a girls' night out instead. Believe it or not, most guys are turned off to such colors. Guys are more interested in your inner beauty, so try going for a natural, soft, feminine look. Here, I used earthy tones such as Lola Lola (neutral brown with shimmer), Fez (velvety cocoa), and Galapagos (rich bronze with gold flecks) by NARS. First I was going for the Smokey Eye Look then decided to play around. Not only do these colors compliment my complexion - they're excellent for day and evening uses as well.

Because you love your lashes so much, bat your babies to Benefit's BADgal Lash Mascara in black. I love using this mascara: the oversized brush defines, volumizes, and lengthens your lashes without clumping. Also, it separates your lashes beautifully without weighting down your eyes. One coat of this mascara will have his eyes locked into yours all night!

To enhance your brows for a fuller appearance, penciled it in with Anastasia's Perfect Brow Pencil. Here, I used Brunette - which is a dark warm brown color. This double-duty wand is comprised of a velvety pencil on one end and a brow brush on the other.

Just in case he makes you blush - come prepared with NARS' Orgasm. This soft, sheer pressed powder blush gives cheeks a perfect pinky-peach flush and subtly highlights with accents of golden shimmer. I love using Orgasm; the color goes well with just about any complexion and is a definate must have. Its no wonder Orgasm was chosen as the winner of the best of Sephora for the past 5 years!

And finally, give your date the ultimate lip service with a limitless lip smacking gloss. The perfect shades are always hard to find, but just incase you can't make up your mind don't be afraid to get creative and mix up different colors. For fun, I mixed Smashbox's Lip Enhancing Gloss Full Color in Aura (a light muted pink shimmer) with Limitless - Long Wear Lip Gloss SPF15 in Boundless (juicy melon). I applied Boundless - which is darker, around the outter edges and Aura - which is more neutral, around the center. The Long Wear Lip Gloss is idea for a long evening: it lasts up to 6 hours so you don't have to worry about taking frequent beauty breaks to reapply gloss on your lips. Want more; Here's a quick list of the hottest items beauty addicts all over the world are shopping for right now.

And there you have it: your First Date Beauty and Makeup Tips!

Don't forget these items with you on your first date:

1. A small touch-up brush, such as a Kabuki brush to refreshen your look

2. Breath Mints

3. Credit/ Debit card - a woman should be able to hold her own

4. Cell Phone - for emergency purposes

5. Most importantly, Your smile and sense of humor

Remember that purity is the key to beauty: use colors that will compliment your beauty and radiate your smile. Have fun on your date and good luck!

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

- Suzanna