Makeup and Beauty Tips

When the right foundation is applied properly it's the perfect start to a flawless finish. But with so many formulas and shades to choose from, selecting the right one to build on can sometimes be confusing. Here are a few foundation facts that can help you find your perfect match.

Choose a Foundation Type for You

Mineral Powder Foundation

combines the feel of a powder with the coverage of a foundation. It is a weightless, skin-perfecting powder that provides coverage and blends with the sweep of a brush. For a flawless look, a specially designed mineral foundation brush should be used when applying this type of foundation.

Medium-Coverage Liquid Foundation

is generally best for normal to oily skin. It provides even coverage and helps control excess oil.

Full-Coverage Liquid Foundation

is generally best for normal to dry skin. It helps hydrate skin while providing coverage.

Creme-To-Powder Foundation

is a two-in-one product that glides on like a cream to hide imperfections. It works well with all skin types and dries to a soft, powdery matte finish.

Tinted Moisturizer

can be a fabulous option for on-the-go sheer color coverage. It's perfect for an active lifestyle and has the added bonus of sunscreen and moisturization.

Find the Shade for You

Once you've found the perfect formula to fit your needs, the next step in achieving complexion perfection is finding the right shade. In addition to evening out skin tone and helping protect the skin from environmental damage, foundation can make the skin look smooth and flawless. Here are a few tips for nailing down the perfect hue.

Yellow-based foundations work well on almost everyone. Foundations with a little yellow will even out almost every complexion. Yellow minimizes red, which may be inherent in skin's coloring as a result of tanning, aging or broken capillaries.

Test a shade on your jawline or cheek. The correct shade should literally disappear into the skin and blend with the skin tone of the neck rather than the face.

When trying a new shade, it is best to test in natural light. Also be sure to allow a few minutes for the foundation to adapt to your skin before making a decision on the color.

Autumn is a time of transition for the skin. Not only does summertime damage need to be corrected, but a lack of preparation now becomes critical during those long winter months ahead.

Winter skin care routines should be designed to help balance your skin. Your goal is to help your skin achieve a state of calm. To do this, look for products with a slightly thicker moisturizer than what you were using in the summer. Stay within your skin type on the moisturizer. Combination or oily skin should stay away from oil based moisturizers.

Drink plenty of water.
This is a good idea no matter the season. Water is good for your body and your skin. Dehydration can cause your skin to dry out and flake. If you want your skin to be able to withstand the changing seasons, water is an excellent place to start.

Look for more moisture in your moisturizer.
It's simple - more moisture hydrates better. So whatever moisturizer you've been using for summer, if your skin will tolerate it, go for the next more hydrating option. Try Intense Moisturizing Cream (Dry Skin) or Oil-Free Hydrating Gel (Normal/Oily Skin).

Start a lip care program now.
Keep your lips in shape now, and help prevent excessive winter chapping. Too many of us forget about dry cracking lips until it is too late. Fall is the perfect time to boost the hydration level of your lips and take preventative measures. Try Satin Lips® Set (Mask & Balm) to buff away dry skin and moisturize in 2 easy steps.

Exfoliate to restore your glow.
Dead skin cells from sunburns, dry areas from chlorine and lots of sun exposure and environmental debris clogging the pores all contribute to a dull, unhealthy complexion. It's also a great way to keep dry flaking skin areas at bay during the winter. Before you can really restore, you need to gently remove the barrier to your natural beauty. Not only will it help restore your glow, it will prepare the surface to better absorb whatever treatments or rejuvenators you may fancy. Try TimeWise® Microdermabrasion Set, Step 1: Refine and Step 2: Replenish.

Intense Moisturizing Cream (Dry Skin)
Lavish your skin with Intense Moisturizing Cream for an immediately more radiant look and unbelievably soft feel. This luxurious cream leaves your skin feeling hydrated for up to 10 hours as it infuses the skin with a marine extract, vitamin E and minerals like copper, magnesium and zinc that help nourish skin beautifully. Great for dry skin.

BENEFITS AT-A-GLANCE
Leaves skin feeling hydrated for up to 10 hours.

Infuses skin with a boost of intense moisture.

Skin looks immediately more radiant and feels unbelievably soft and smooth.

Helps soften skin with marine extract and humectants to attract moisture, and vitamin E.

Helps nourish skin with essential minerals such as copper, magnesium and zinc.

Oil-Free Hydrating Gel (Normal/Oily Skin)
This refreshing, oil-free gel transforms your skin by restoring its moisture balance and hydrating for up to 10 hours. The cooling gel absorbs immediately, leaving skin feeling silky smooth and perfectly quenched with a marine extract to help soften, plus vitamin E and green tea extract. Ideal for normal to oily skin.

BENEFITS AT-A-GLANCE
Hydrates skin for up to 10 hours.

Transforms skin by restoring its moisture balance.

Silky, non-greasy gel formula absorbs quickly.

Enriched with vitamin E and green tea extract.

Contains marine extract to help soften skin.

Leaves skin feeling cool and refreshed.

Tools of the Trade
There are three basic tools to try when applying concealer. Try them all to see which give you the most natural results:

Your middle or ring finger

A wedge-shaped makeup sponge

A small, slightly pointed or square, nylon

Liquid Concealers
Used mostly for covering under eye circles, simply put three tiny dots of the product on your under eye area, pat with your index finger until the concealer is well blended. Apply a light layer of powder to set the concealer or skip this step entirely if you have extremely dry skin.

Concealer Gone Wrong
Don't apply concealer before the foundation; you'll just wipe it off when you apply foundation. And don't use a shade much lighter than your foundation; that highlights rather than conceals.

Concealing Blemishes
Apply the concealer or masking cosmetic over the blemish using an eye shadow brush or sponge. Blend the edges with the surrounding skin, using a circular motion.

Makeup Artist Tip
Use the residue in the cap of your foundation as the perfect concealer. It's slightly dehydrated, making it just the right thickness to conceal. And of course, it matches your foundation beautifully!

Powder Brush

Is a full, fluffy brush designed to evenly distribute powder to the face. Sweep brush across pressed powder or dip into loose powder; tap gently to remove excess and apply to the face from forehead to chin using long, light strokes.

Cheek Brush

Is used to accentuate bone structure or add a healthy blush to cheeks. Use the tip of this soft, angled brush to apply color to the apples of the cheeks and stroke upward along cheekbones, stopping just below the temples, then blend. This brush is also a great tool to use for applying bronzer. Apply across the bridge of your nose, temples, cheekbones and shoulders for a gorgeous, healthy looking glow.

Eye Definer Brush

Has bristles that are tapered and rounded at the end to shape and define eyes and blend color evenly. Sweep color softly across the eyelid and then lightly above the crease for a natural, yet polished look.

Eye Crease Brush

Has long, thin, pointed bristles and is used with midtone and darker shades of eye color to add depth to eyes. Begin by placing the brush at the outer corner of the eye and then sweep inward following the natural crease. This brush can also be used to create a smoky eye look. Using the brush tip, sweep softly along lower lashes from the outer corner inward.

Eyeliner Brush

Is used to line eyes and enhance sparse brows with eye color. This flat, angled, short-bristle brush makes it easy to apply a thin line of color along top and bottom lashes. It's also a great tool to use for blending your eyebrow pencil.

Eyebrow Brush

To brush brows in the opposite direction from which they grow to remove any excess foundation. Gently brush back, following their natural shape and direction, as a finishing touch to your makeup application.

Eye-Dentify

Creating a beautiful look for eyes starts with identifying their shape. Then you can customise how to apply highlighter, midtone and accent colors for eyes that captivate. For example, dark shades add depth while lighter shades create "lift". Knowing how to bring out the best in your eyes starts with shape.

Standard Eyes

When eyes are set about one eye width apart, they're considered standard. You can play up the versatility of these eyes by changing the intensity of shades for more or less definition.

1. Highlighter shade: Apply on brow bone, lid and along inner third of lower lashes.

2. Midtone shade: Apply in crease starting at the outer corner and blend

3. Accent shade: Apply and blend along top lashline and into outside half of crease. Apply along lower lashline.

4. Eyeliner: Glide on along upper and (if desired) lower lashline. Soften with an Eyeliner/Eyebrow brush.

5. Mascara: Apply to upper and (if desired) lower lashes.

This is a good application technique to start with if you're unsure of your eye shape.

Great brows defy the latest trends by embracing your natural shape and making the best of it. With the right tips and tools you can have brows to be envied.

First off let's start with what not to do. Here are the top five no-nos when grooming your brows.

1. Being too thin. Thin brows tend to make you look older and heavier.

2. Zooming in. Using a magnifying mirror makes you over-pluck.

3. Matching. Brows should compliment your skin not match your hair.

4. Trimming. You only need to trim your brows if you have a high arch.

5. Pointed tweezers. Pointed tweezers can break the skin, stick with a slanted pair for plucking.

Types of Arches

High Arch
Women with high arches have to be careful about over-plucking since the sharp curve can easily look severe, so less is definitely more when it comes to tidying up. Carefully tweeze just the stray hairs below the arch, but never dig into it's middle. After you pluck, if your lines still don't look clean, put your tweezers away and use brow scissors to control bushiness. Comb hairs up at an angle with a brow brush, then snip just the tips. Never over trim or you'll lose the shape. Finish with a clear gel to keep wayward hairs in place.

Medium Arch
These brows are most flattering with a slightly elongated shape. Tweeze stray hairs just underneath the highest point of the arch, but avoid pulling out any hairs above your natural brow line, which will flatten your shape. The best way to accentuate your arch is to slightly lengthen the tail. To do this use a stiff angled brush to apply powder with short light strokes from the eyes' inner corners to just past the ends. Then comb trough with a clean spiral brush to blend.

Low Arch
Low arches require relatively little maintenance because the shape looks most natural with soft lines and imprecise edges. Tweeze only the errant hairs that sprout beneath the brow bone and above the bridge of the nose. Avoid the tendency to over-tweeze, thinking you can create an arch. If you take off too much it will make your face look too full. Use a waxy brow pencil to fill patches and give a soft hold.

Top Tools

Brow Pencil
Frame your brows perfectly in a beautiful Brunette. Keep the wood pencil sharp for dramatic brows, or use a softer tip with feathering strokes for a more natural look.

Eyebrow Brush
Use an Eyebrow Brush to brush brows in the opposite direction from which they grow to remove any excess foundation. Gently brush back, following their natural shape and direction, as a finishing touch to your makeup application.

Concealer
Dot below brows to create definition.

Eye Color
For a softer look fill in and define brows with shades that match your brows.

Tweezers
Stick with slanted tweezers with a wide grip.

How do you know when it's time to clean out your makeup bag? Here are a few tips to help you in your spring cleaning.

First off how long you should expect your makeup to last:

Oil-Free Foundation - 1 year
Cream Foundation -18-24 months
Concealer - 12-18 months
Powder Foundation - 2 years
Powder Blush & Bronzer - 2 years
Cream Blush - 12-18 months
Powder Eyeshadow - 2 years
Eyeliner Pencil - 2 years
Liqid Liner - 3-6 months
Mascara - 3 months
Lipstick - 2 years
Lip Liner - 2 years
Lip Gloss - 18-24 months
Fragrance - 18-24 months

Signs its Time to Trash

* Liquid contents have separated
* It should be moist, but has dried up
* The surface is spotted and discolored or particles are floating inside the container
* Pencil tips are coated white or grey- Lids are coated with hardened product
* It's goopy, clumpy or the consistency has changed
* It smells bad
* The application is inconsistent
* The color has changed

Makeup will last longer safely if you clean your tools (brushes, applicators, sponges). And never share makeup. Dirty tools and sharing will contaminate your makeup with bacteria. Store it in a dark, dry and cool place.

Happy Cleaning!

1. First, apply TimeWise Age-Fighting Lip Primer on lips, inside and outside your lip line, to extend the wear and help prevent lipstick and lip gloss from feathering or bleeding.

2. Next, to erase the existing lip line, apply concealer or foundation to the lips.

3. Next use Mary Kay Lip Liner to draw a line slightly above the natural top lip and around the bottom lip lines. Fill in lips completely with lip liner to create a matte base that helps increase lipstick wear.

4. Then dab a small amount of concealer to the center of the top and bottom lips.

5. Next, apply Mary Kay Creme Lipstick to the top lip working from the center out. Then apply to the bottom lip, sweeping color from corner to corner.

6. Finish with coordinating color of Mary Kay Lip Gloss. Apply lip gloss to the center of the top and bottom lips to help make lips appear fuller.

* And here's a tip when it comes to picking the perfect lipstick shade. Remember that the lighter colors illuminate and help make lips appear fuller. Bright, warm colors tend to make lips look more youthful while darker colors can cause lips to appear smaller.

Fragrances contain a wide variety of ingredients which vary not only in how they smell, but also in their "staying power" on the skin. Perfumers identify three parts of a fragrance called notes.

The top note is the first impression of the fragrance. It is the initial impact of the scent on the sense of smell.

The middle note is the heart of the fragrance which unfolds and develops a few minutes after the perfume is applied to the skin.

The bottom note is the final impression of the fragrance and can last several hours after the fragranceis applied.

To help identify their aromas and attributes, fragrances are classified by type or family. Fragrance families cover a wide spectrum of scents such as Floral, Oriental and Chypre (pronounced she-pra).

The Floral family includes a diverse bouquet of aromas that range from a light Floral Sheer to a sweet Floral Fruity and a spicy Floral.

Floral Oriental combines floral aromas with hints of sweet and spicy notes.

Fragrances in the Oriental Sheer family include a light blend of traditional oriental notes.

Chypre fragrances include a mixture of pine, lavender, citrus and mossy notes.

To get the most out of your fragrance, try the following tips.

Scents rise. So start spritzing at your ankles. Move to the backs of your knees or wrists and then to the nape of your neck or behind your ears. For a final touch, spritz a comb and run it through your hair.

Lotions may be applied to the skin before applying fragrance to extend its wear time.

The Keys to Color
Because the tone of your skin impacts a color after application, it is important to consider skin tone as much as eye color when choosing an eye shadow.

Ivory complexions work well with a range of neutrals, cool purples, reddish browns and blue-greens. For a more dramatic look, deep greens and taupes or warm purples can also be used.

Beige skin tones can be complemented with taupes, tawnies, greens, warm browns and deep plums. Charcoal gray, navy or deep purple are perfect for a striking evening look.

Bronze skin tones use deep or dark browns, deep greens such as forest green or charcoal grays. Dramatic looks are best created with dark purple, dark brown or charcoal.

When choosing eye shadows that bring out the color of your eyes, pick shades that either complement or contrast your irises.

Blue eyes radiate with warm browns, bronze, copper and other shades with similar orange undertones.

Green eyes look great in purples, plums and taupes.

Hazel eyes stand out in shades of deep greens and lavenders and shades with soft yellow undertones.

Brown eyes look gorgeous in any color, especially purples, pinks, grays or blues.

Pinks

The woman who treasures a pink lip shade possesses a beauty that never goes out of style. Classy and feminine, she's the measure of a true lady. But don't be surprised to discover a fun, flirty side winking beneath the pink.

Metals

A metallic lip luster is the perfect shade for a girl on the cutting edge of fashion. She knows how to add that extra something to make any outfit go from simple to amazing. And when it comes to the next new thing, you can bet she's already there.

Berries

You'll find shades of berry on the lips of a woman living life to the fullest. She's energetic, enthusiastic and walks into a room with confidence. It's no wonder she's drawn to a lip shade as lively as the life she's leading.

Neutrals

Don't be fooled by demure lips in neutrals. When it comes to expressing her style, this woman knows how to make a bold statement. Spend an afternoon with her, and you'll learn to expect the delightfully unexpected.

Chocolates

Generous and giving, the woman with a loving heart can't resist a lipstick in a warm chocolate shade. She exudes genuine affection. She'll make you feel fabulous. And of course, she's as sweet as candy.

Tawnies

For the sophisticated woman, tawnies are the lip shade of choice. Gifted with impeccable taste, she appreciates the fine things in life from beautiful art to artisan coffee. When it comes to perfecting her pucker, only a shade of tawny will do.

Red

She's confident and sophisticated. She's glamorous, trendy and classic all at the same time. She's true to the end, and her beauty spans a lifetime. What more can we say about the woman in red?