How to Choose the Right Powder

There are many different types of powder, ranging from pressed to loose powders and sheer to full coverage. The suitability of each depends on what you are using it for daily.

Sheer Powders or Blot Powders

• Great for setting foundation 
• Reducing shine on the skin
• WILL NOT build up or get "cakey" looking on the skin after a few applications
• Great product for weddings and everyday makeup

***You can use a dark-coloured sheer powder as a bronzer on lighter tones of skin

Coverage Powders

• Useful in taking any additional redness out of the skin and level out skin tone
• Full-coverage powders, can be used like a foundation (they are heavier that just regular coverage powders)
• Great for the "quick fix", if you end up needing a little more coverage

***If you have a slightly incorrectly coloured foundation, these powders can deepen the skin tone or lighten it up a shade, depending on what colour is used.

Loose vs. Pressed Powders

For the everyday person, the choice between loose and pressed powder is usually down to personal preference. Will you need to do touch up during the day? Loose powder can be bulky and messy when carried around. But, for people dealing with acne, pressed powder can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

*** IMPORTANT TIP ***

If you are having you picture professionally taken. Wait to powder you face until the first shot has been taken. This is because you may not need to powder the face at all., depending on what type of look you are going for, or you may only need minimal powder in certain areas.


Spring is in the air. Take a walk in the warmth of the sun to a prettier you. XOXO
Stay tuned!!! Tomorrow is all about eyeshadows !!!!!

The Power of Blush Part 2...Face Shapes and Contouring

Lets begin on part 2...

Accentuate the cheekbones by using a slightly darker shade in that area, while blending it down the cheek for a more natural look.

If you have a full face, focus your blush near your hairline.

If you have high cheekbones, apply the blush into the center of your face and DO NOT apply to the underside of your cheeks.

Round Faces: Give an illusion of slenderness by applying blush in a sideways V on the cheekbones. Blend it well and add a little to the chin as well.

Square Faces: Soften the square angles of the face with a dab of blush on the forehead and shin. Apply blush from the center of the eyes toward the cheekbones and blend.

Rectangular Faces: Applying blush below the outer corners of the eyes will reduce the elongated square shape.

Oval Faces: Apply blush to the prominent part of the cheekbone and blendit carefully toward the temples.

Contouring the Face

Contouring creates illusions on the face. It is an art of using shadow and highlight to sculpt, emphasize and accentuate features. *A great example of this is with cheekbones: highlighting above the bone and shadowing just below dramatically draws out the cheekbone.

To truly understand contouring, you need to understand the structure of the face. Symmetry is actually what makes a face "beautiful" and more photogenic, and so contouring can be used as a tool to create the illusion of balance and symmetry in the face.

Even the most subtle for of contouring has the power to transform, creating a natural look without the need to add colour and "makeup".

Contouring can do the following:

• Give more defined cheekbones.
• Define the jawline/chin and minimize a "double" chin.
• Minimize a large forehead.
• Create fuller lips.
• Straighten and/or narrow a wider/larger nose.
• Lift sagging eyes.

KEY POINTS:

***The key point to remember is that the dark colours draw back and make things appear smaller and lighter colours make features appear larger and closer.

***ALWAYS use a matte shade when creating shadows. For achieving a natural look, this should be between two and three shades darker than the skin tone.

***You can use a matte or shimmer product to highlight, although for more Mature Skin it is recommended that a matte shade is used, as shimmer products will accentuate fine lines and wrinkles.

***The level of blending you do will determine how natural the contouring looks. ALWAYS check all angles in natural light before completion, to ensure there are no obvious streaks.

***Highlighting is the opposite if contouring. With darker shades, you create a shadow, such as under the cheekbone, to help create "shape", whereas the highlight colour, applied where the light would hit the bone-above the cheekbone, not on the cheekbone, helps create the "depth" of the shape.

Unlocking the Mystery of Blush...The Power of Blushes Part 1

Blush is the one product that can instantly make you look younger, healthier and prettier. A good blush replaces the natural colours in your cheeks that drain away with age.


For healthy, natural colour, nothing beats blush. They can also be used for contouring the face.

However, if applied incorrectly they tend to be overused and overdone.

There are three basic types of blushes: cream , liquid/gel and powder. 

• Powder blush is typically best for Oily and Combination Skin Types.
• Cream is great for Dry Skin Types.
• Liquid or Gel are best for Oily Skin Types.
• Cream blush is great for Mature Skin as it blends easily for a very natural look.
• Blush stains are ideal for well-moisturized skin, but AVOID use on Dry Skin Types as they dry very quickly.

***For even better results, combine cream and powder blushes together - it will help the blush stay on longer and look more luminous.
***Some powder blushes can be highly pigmented so you end up with excess product on the brush and it can look overdone, especially when placed too close to the nose.

Choosing a Colour !

USE NATURE AS YOUR GUIDE!!! Find a colour that matches your cheeks when they are flushed.

Fair Skin looks great in rose.

Olive Skin looks great in peach.

Dark Skin in apricote or even red.

Dusty Pink will warm up and tired looking skin.

***Another trick is to find one that matches your lip colour.

Blush Application !

• For best results, the skin should be prepped and foundation applied carefully.
• Apply the blush onto the high apple of the cheekbones and softly blend backward, following the cheekbone and ending at the hairline.
• Use a professional full brush for applying powder blush, tapping off any excess.
• For extra contouring and a more chiselled look, a bronzed or darker colour can be used underneath.

***Blush should NEVER go below the bottom of your nose or any closer in to the centre of your face than the iris of your eye.

• Apply a small amount of blush to your forehead - on the spot where the sun normally hits the face - if you look very pale.
• Applying blush near the eye can help give your eyes an additional sparkle look.

***For over-applied powder blush,use translucent powder on top to calm down the colour.
***For over-applied cream blush, blot colour off with a tissue.

Applying Gels and Creams

• For a natural, healthy flush, keep the colour light and blended.
• Dab a dot of gel or cream on the apple of the cheeks only, using the middle finger, then blend with ring and middle fingers. *The clean finger will pick up any excess.

***A little foundation can be used to lighten over-applied gel or liquid blush., but as these formulas "stain" the cheeks, the only real way to correct the colour is to wash the face, moisturize and reapply

Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow. I talk about the correct placement of blush for your face shape.

Have a beautiful day and remember to smile at least once at someone, for no reason at all. It could change your life and theirs forever.