the secret to flawless skin
i meet so many brides who ask me how they can get a flawless complexion in time for their big day.
our skin reflects all that is happening in our minds and bodies - so if you have some pre-wedding nerves you may notice yourself breaking out in a few pimples.
the best way to deal with wedding nerves is to give yourself time-out from all the preparations. this means taking time to relax and 'switch off'. you've probably been organising your big day for at least a year and you may have started to feel a bit tired and emotional!
ask your partner to get involved a little and get your bridesmaids to organise a few things - this all helps to take the pressure off you.
find time to go to a yoga class, try some meditation or simply go for a stroll. why not treat yourself & your mum to a pamper day at your local beauty salon - it's a great way to relax and also gives you some mother-and-daughter quality time! all of these things will give you a chance to energise and give your mind a break.
on a physical level, try to avoid coffee and alcohol, replacing them with fruit smoothies, iced water or camomile tea.
cleanse your skin with a good exfoliating scrub - this literally sloughs away dead skin cells leaving your skin feeling smooth and vibrant. Use a good moisturiser - it doesn't need to be an expensive one.
cleanse your skin with a good exfoliating scrub - this literally sloughs away dead skin cells leaving your skin feeling smooth and vibrant. Use a good moisturiser - it doesn't need to be an expensive one.
use a 30+ sun block when out in the sun - especially on your nose and shoulders, there's nothing worse that red noses or strap marks on your wedding day!
consider having a spray-tan instead of going to a solarium, spray tans have improved immensely in the last few years and won't mark your dress.
consider having a spray-tan instead of going to a solarium, spray tans have improved immensely in the last few years and won't mark your dress.
these steps will all help to improve your complexion and allow your make-up to enhance your natural beauty. good luck!
perfect foundation
it's hard to achieve a flawless foundation with only 5 minutes to spare each morning,
but when you do get some extra time, try this
1. moisturise your skin at least ten minutes beforehand - this gives it time to soak into your skin.
2.if you have oily or combination skin, apply an oil-control gel over the worst areas, ie. nose, chin. to help make your foundation last longer apply a primer likeClarins 'Beauty Flash Balm'*or Laura Mercier 'Foundation Primer'.
3. opt for a foundation that is light in texture such as M.A.C Studio Finish Foundation which gives a very natural finish, or'Ariane Poole Mineral Tint Foundation'. always check the colour on your jaw line - it should match the natural skin colour of your shoulder.
4.apply evenly with your finger tips or a foundation brush, going lightly around the eye area. for creamier foundations, apply with a round sponge with downward strokes. start from your forehead and work down, leaving your eyes until last. when all the face is covered, use a small brush to do the eyelids.
5. now cover up any dark under-eye circles using concealer - use one that is very slightly lighter than your foundation with yellow tones. i like MAC Studio Concealer as it really covers up those circles!
only apply the concealer to the darkest areas using a small brush and blend gently with your fingertips. use a medicated concealer on spots such as Dermalogica.
6. if you have time, contour your face using a foundation two shades darker than your skin. create depth and shadow in areas such as the cheeks and jaw. use some highlighting creme on the top of your cheek-bones to emphasise their shape. (please see tips below).
7. if you prefer a dewy finish stop here, or create a matt finish by dabbing some cotton wool into loose translucent powder then press onto the face, starting with the eyes. make sure there are no creases in your foundation before you do this.
8. finally, use a large brush to dust off any excess powder.
contouring and highlighting
few of us have a perfect face shape, the most desirable shape usually being oval. darker foundation or bronzing powder help recede some features while pearly highlighters bring other features out. blusher helps to accentuate and give you a healthy glow. the following pictures give you a guide to where to shade or highlight your face. |
 | round face Contour: Sides of jaw, temples and neck Highlight: Centre of nose, centre of cheeks, chin and forehead Blush: Just under the cheekbones |
 | heart face Contour: Temples and chin Highlight: Lower cheeks on jawline Blush: On the cheekbones |
 | long faceContour: Forehead by hairline, lower cheeks, chin Highlight: Above cheekbones and temples Blush: On the cheekbones |
 | oblong face Contour: Sides of jaw and temples Highlight: chin, temples and above cheekbones Blush:On the cheekbone |
 | pear face Contour: Sides of jaw and neck Highlight: Centre of nose, centre of cheeks, temples Blush: At the very side of the cheekbones |
 | square faceContour: Sides of jaw and temples Highlight: Centre of nose, centre of cheeks and chin Blush: On the sides of cheekbones |
simply pimply
"i am 21 years old and still get pimples. my wedding is next year and i am so concerned that i will breakout that day. what should i do?"
your skin generally reflects what's going on inside your body. it is a living, porous membrane which is affected by many factors, including diet, stress, weather, alcohol, smoking etc. we are always touching our face too, without realising, so it's no wonder the skin can become infected. one or two pimples at certain times of the month are also common in most women.
your skin generally reflects what's going on inside your body. it is a living, porous membrane which is affected by many factors, including diet, stress, weather, alcohol, smoking etc. we are always touching our face too, without realising, so it's no wonder the skin can become infected. one or two pimples at certain times of the month are also common in most women.
make sure you are using a good cleanser which suits your skin-type. it also helps to use a clarifying (toning) lotion
.
try not to squeeze pimples as this may leave a scar which will take many years to fade. instead, apply a medicated cream and a good concealer such as MAC to hide it.
curly burly
"i would like to have my hair in curls on my wedding day, but when i curl it myself they drop out after about ten minutes! what can i do?"
hair needs all the help it can get to hold it's shape, especially in high humidity or rain. thick, heavy & also healthy hair can be very difficult to curl. when you come to curl your hair spritz some gel through & roll your hair onto bendy rollers for small corkscrew curls or larger rollers for soft tumbling curls. dry them off with a hair dryer or leave to dry naturally.
hair needs all the help it can get to hold it's shape, especially in high humidity or rain. thick, heavy & also healthy hair can be very difficult to curl. when you come to curl your hair spritz some gel through & roll your hair onto bendy rollers for small corkscrew curls or larger rollers for soft tumbling curls. dry them off with a hair dryer or leave to dry naturally.
you can also style dry hair on heated rollers, try to leave the rollers in until the hair has cooled right down (about thirty minutes) and then gently separate the curls with your fingers adding texture with a gel then add a little hair spray to set your curls in place.
Allergies
Cosmetics shouldn't affect the health of your skin. Perfumes, cosmetic preservatives and other ingredients can cause different allergic reactions. There are two allergic reactions after the skin comes in contact with different substances: irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis.
The first one is more common and it begins by itchy skin and red rash, but it can evolve into blisters that ooze. Allergic contact dermatitis affects those who are allergic to a certain ingredient in the product.The symptoms of thys type of dermatitis are redness, swelling, itching and breakouts. Face, lips, eyes, ears, and neck represent the parts more susceptible for allergic contact dermatitis.
Allergy treatment means avoiding the products that could have caused the allergy.This might solve the problem, even without medication. You can find in drug stores hypoallergenic products. Creams and ointments that contain cortisone can be beneficial in controlling itching, swelling and redness. You should check with a doctor before using cortisone on your face.
Acne
Women having dry or very sensitive skin should use less adherent products that can be removed only by washing with water. For women having oily skin there are fat-free foundations. Not only an oily basis produces pimples, but also makeup products that clogs the pores. Therefore, covering makeup should be used as rarely as possible and always remove makeup before going to bed. You can also use noncomedogenic makeup, which doesn't have ingredients that clog the pores.
Women having brown or white spots on skin, acne scars or visible birthmarks can hide them with adherent and opaque products. These products need special cosmetics in order to remove them.
It's forbidden the use of makeup products over affected skin that presents crusts or ooze as this can cause a secondary infection by retention of heterogeneous elements. Makeup products applied on areas with such skin problems can even have the effect of an unwanted scar. Also the brush or applicator can take from the affected skin germs that it can impregnate in the makeup container. Pay attention to the lipstick applied on herpes vesicles as it can aggravate the eruption. Attention to the sponge used for applying foundation as it can transmit skin infections from one person to another.
Applying makeup is no jokes, according to me. I mean it is a whole process, where the brain and the hands need to coordinate with each other and produce results which not only look good on oneself but to others too. Imagine you got ready for this huge wedding ceremony and you look in the mirror to find yourself looking beautiful and when you enter the wedding hall everyone starts giving you “what has she done” looks. Oops who would like that, so I thought I should hammer down an article which will give some BEWARE tips for makeup.
• The base: We usually have a primer, foundation and concealer base. Always get your foundation and concealer which is closest to your skin color. Usually we conceive the foundation as a skin whitener or a mask rather than a base. The foundation must not be even visible on your skin and should coordinate with your skin color. Imagine the plight, when you have brown forehead, orangy cheeks and a white neck.
• Always keep your skin hydrated and moisturized. Moisturize your skin before going to bed religiously.
• Do not use a blush which is more than 2 tones darker your natural color, it will more of a contouring shade then.
• Do not share your eye products: When being in a family we tend to share our make up with our moms and sisters, it’s so obvious right? But apparently eye products are not be shared. The eyes are microbe sensitive and these microbes infect the eyes so you ain’t just sharing your eyeliner but you are also sharing microbes. :P
• Never overdo your eyes during the day. There’s a difference in an evening make up look and a daytime make up look. The heavy metallic eye makeup must be kept for the night whereas the smokey smudged eyes are appropriate for the day.
• Do not use the same mascara for ages it gets contaminated with microbes, 3 months is more than enough for one mascara. Do not pump the mascara wand up and down in the tube, swirl it in circular motions inside the tube for a longer shelf life of the mascara.
• The eyebrows play a very important role in enhancing and accentuating your face. Cream eyeshadows are better for brow filling than pencils and the powdered ones. Cream eyeshadows not only provide an appropriate filling but they also give a nice healthy sheen to the eyebrows.
• Be SA proof: The SA’s are paid to say that a particular shade looks nice on you, and the lighting of the store may also play a trick. Take a walk around the store with the product on; go to a space which has natural lighting.
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