Simple Smokey Eye Look

If you haven't got the hang of intricate makeup but still want something dramatic, this simple smokey eye makeup look is one to try! Prime you lid with liquid foundation or concealer and create a base with soft black eye liner. Line lower and upper lash lines as well as inside rim. Use a small blending brush to soften the edges then apply light base (silver in this case) all over your lid. Now using a round brush in our crease add a dark color (black in this case) all along your brow bone. It helps if you open your eyes so it make a track for the brush as you move it. Drag it towards your lash line and mid way of your eyelid. Finish them by blending well and add mascara. 

Beauty Spring Cleaning

A blog on what to clean, throw away and add to your collection this Spring.

Would you go months with out cleaning your house?, eat foods that have been sitting in your fridge that are past their expiration date? I hope your answer is no! So why is it that many of us don't show our makeup the same respect? If you haven't been washing your brushes on a regular basis and many of your favorite products are looking more and more like a science project then check out this guide to brushing the dust off your makeup collection and starting fresh this spring.

THROW AWAY

• Liners, lipsticks and glosses have a self life of about 12-18 months if they are past that time frame you need to ditch them. You should also throw them away if the texture starts to change as that is a sign that it is going bad and bacteria is in effect. 
• Change your mascara every 3 months like you change your underwear every day! Don't try to push its lasting power because bacteria can cause redness, irritation, and pink eye. A sure fire way that I know when to buy a new mascara is when I take the wand out and it doesn't make that fresh pop sound from the suction.
• Replace your foundation (if liquid) after 6-8 months to keep bacteria from growing in the wet environment and ditch it real fast if it starts to smell not so fresh like it used to. 
• Blush, shadow and any other dry products should be thrown away every 12 months.

Just like you throw away a bad batch of eggs or expired milk so you don't get sick you need to make sure you are protecting your face from bacteria that is harmful. Make sure your checking and cleaning out your products at the right time. 

WASH IT

When you are using makeup brushes you should be cleaning them at least once a week especially the ones used for foundation, blush and other powders. These brushes come into contact with more moisture factors then others like lotion, foundation, and liquid makeups which makes them a massive breeding ground for harmful bacteria that can cause breakouts. When washing your brushes you should use a makeup cleanser, face wash, or a mild shampoo. Gently massage them with warm water and then rinse them before laying them down flat to dry. Make sure that all the pigment is gone from the brushes before rinsing. Always dry your brushes laying down so you don't ruin the shape of the brush.  Many times for smaller brushes you can use a makeup removing wipe and brush your makeup brush back and forth until the pigment is gone.

ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION

• Luminous pink powder or bronzer to add a glow to dull winter skin that is just starting to get its summer glow back.
• A nude or light colored lip gloss or stick that will make your lips pop with out over doing it. spring and summer is all about natural effortless beauty. 
• After being in the sun for a while you may want to consider checking into a new foundation color that will match your new pigment until winter. It is always good to buy one shade higher than your shade in winter.
• Highlighter is a great add to any women's collection for any season since it helps to make your eyes pop and stand out with any makeup look. You apply it under your eye brows and in a "C" shape  following your cheek bone from the outer corner of your eye. 

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Makeup Brush Essentials...

   My Professional set has 34 brushes, but the average woman only needs the essentials and should know how to use them. Here is a break down of the brushes I feel are the most important for the everyday woman and what they are used for.

ENJOY! LEARN! BE MAKEUP GEEKS!

E. Marie Makeup Artist's Brushes

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Large Powder Brush: An over sized, fluffy brush that is used to dust on loose powder to set foundation, or to dust on bronzing powder. Use it to brush off excess powder too! 

Powder/Blush Brush: A smaller version of the Large Powder Brush that is used to apply blush, sheer powder or bronzing powder. This is one of the best makeup brushes you'll ever own!

Contour Brush: This brush has a rounded-angle shape, but it’s essential for defining cheeks.  

Foundation Brush: Used for applying and blending cream foundation. Feel free to use it to apply liquid foundation as well. An advantage to using this brush is that it does not absorb foundation.

 Cheek/Face Brush: A little smaller than the Foundation Brush, but is ideal in applying concealer over large areas of the face. Also, is you’re a fan of cream or gel blushes, this makeup brush is a must-have for blending those products onto the cheek. 

Large Application Brush: Usually made of synthetic fibers, and are firm and tapered at the end. Use this to apply concealer to larger areas of the face, or a cream base to the eyelid.  

Small Application Brush: Same as the Large Application Brush, but used to apply product to smaller areas of the face and eyes.




Blending Brush: A long, fluffy brush that is tapered at the end. Use in the crease area to apply and blend eyeshadow. Excellent in smoothing out the contour. This is one of the best makeup brushes I have to date!
Error prof for using in the crease of your eyelid.

 Angle Brush: This makeup brush has firm bristles that are clipped at an angle. Use this brush to fill in sparse areas of the eyebrow, and trace an exact line along the lashes. Don’t overdo it, or you will create very animated brows! Also great for layering powder eyeliner over your pencil liner.

Shadow Brush: A fine brush used to sweep color all over the eyelid, accentuate the crease, or highlight the browbone.


 

  Smudge Brush: Very small brush that is used to achieve a soft or smoky-eye look. Trace it back and forth along eyeliner, giving it a blur effect. I highly recommend this brush for use in lining the bottom lid because it gives the eye a much softer look.

Lip Brush: A tiny brush, but wonderful for controlled application of lip products. 

How to Properly Store Your Makeup!

I sure hope none of you are still keeping your makeup in zip lock baggies. If so it is time to change your ways! HELP YOUR COLLECTION! Proper storage of cosmetics is essential to the life and quality of the products. Improperly stored cosmetics deteriorate at a rapid rate, which can be costly as well as unhealthy.

Here are some tips to help you ensure the life of your collection..

TIPS FOR STORAGE:

1. Keep them dry:  Here are a few ideas to keep your cosmetics dry. Moisture kills makeup! 

 -There are makeup storage boxes available that have plenty of room for everything from eye shadow to implements such as tweezers. These containers resemble fishing tackle boxes and have compartments to separate various products and tools.

 -The introduction of dampness and moisture is most often the means by which cosmetics go bad. Moisture and humidity will cause the composition of pressed powder, powdered blush, and powdered eye shadow to change. It will typically become crumbly and soft. Lip stick, cover sticks, cream eye shadows, and eye liners can become moldy and unhealthy to use. The best way to prevent this from happening is to store cosmetics somewhere other than the bathroom. 

2. Hide Your Makeup from Light and Heat:   

Keep your makeup safe from light and heat, both of which can cause some serious damage.

 -Get a functional, plastic set of stackable drawers, which is nice for things like lipstick, gloss, pencils, and bodycare items. It looks relatively neat, and is a great clutter-buster. If you get the clear kind, you can see everything inside, and you could even label the fronts with what the contents are. This a great way to organize and save our makeup from disaster. Actual makeup storage can be expensive so check out cart storage or hardware stores.

3. How to Store Makeup Brushes: No one likes their brushes getting smashed or worn — not if they’re shooting for flawless application. Learn to help your brushes be their best with these how-to tips.

-Buy a set of brushes and use the roll-up storage bag that comes with them. You can also buy these storage bags at most beauty supply stores, drugstores and cosmetics counters. Look for a roll-up bag with separate compartments for each brush.

-Be sure to keep brushes used for liquid makeup away from powder brushes.

-Remove brushes from storage every 3 weeks and give them a thorough cleaning. Use a gentle baby shampoo or your facial cleanser. Pat them dry and leave them out on a clean, dry washcloth overnight.

 

SOME EXTRA TIPS FOR CHEAP INNOVATIVE MAKEUP STORAGE: