Blush comes in cream, gel, stick, or liquid formulas (in which case it should be applied before face powder), as well as powder formula. Here, I'm going to assume you're using powder blush. A good-sized blush brush - not the dinky plastic one that comes with many powder blushes - is essential for creating a natural-looking result. Run the brush gently over the blush powder, then hold the brush at the apple of your cheek. Using small strokes, softly sweep the brush up the cheekbone, toward the hairline. For an especially realistic look, sweep a bit of blush across the top of the forehead, the chin, and the bridge of your nose.
Where does a natural blush come from? Blood vessels, which lie directly under the skin. When we're aroused, embarrassed, excited, or active, these blood vessels enlarge, allowing a greater amount of blood to flow to the skin. The result of this is visible as flushed cheeks.
Applying Mascara
Mascara is often applied after eye shadow, but it can be applied before in fact, I like to apply mascara before shadow simply because I always spatter mascara everywhere which can ruin a painted eye. Whichever you choose, if you curl lashes, it should be done before applying mascara. After you curl your lashes, you can make lashes look lusher, and help mascara to adhere better, if you lightly dust lashes with a bit of face powder. Next, close one eye and paint the upper side of the upper lashes. Then, open the eye and apply mascara to the inner side of the upper lashes. Yes, I know this sounds weird, but trust meapplying mascara to both sides of your upper lashes gives you an amazingly luxurious look.
Lower lashes are strictly optional. I know makeup artists that won't do them, saying it gives the eye a droopy, overly made-up look. Mascara is also especially prone to smudging when applied on the lower lashes. That said, if you like wearing mascara on your lower lashes, hold the wand vertically and apply a light coat to lashes. let all lashes dry for a minute or two, and then comb through them with a lash comb to unclump them and create a more realistic-looking finish. Clean up any errant bits of mascara with a cotton swab dipped in a small amount of foundation, makeup remover, or moisturizer.
Don't set stuck in a rut. Every once in a while, experiment with your look by trying a new makeup product or playing with new ways to apply old favorites.
4.23.2008
Applying Blush and Mascara
Pink Cufflinks
Pink is an extremely beautiful color, it takes on the properties of the color red and mixes it with the beauty and simplicity of the color white. Just like the color red, pink can cause a person's heartbeat to increase, the respiration and blood pressure can increase as well just by looking at this eye-catching color.
People who use this pink are said to be very passionate, sexy, confident and in some cases care-free. This last statement is used because the color pink is related to youth, a time when there was nothing to worry about and we lived happily. The tones of pink people use can project an aggressive personality or a softer more carrying one. Those who use this color are also believed to live a happy life.
The color pink is used in rooms in order to reduce erratic behavior, it is also linked to the exquisite New York fashion and punk urban styles which bring sexy back. When someone gives flowers pink blossoms are usually the favorite because the color is not very common and also because it represents passion and romance.
Interesting facts about pink:
* In sports, light pink is said to be a color which calms and helps people relax this is also why some teams paint the opposing team's locker room with this color, a small advantage is still an advantage. - When it comes to strength-based olympic performance males loose strength when they see a great deal of pink and women gain strength when they are around the color.
* Pink makes people crave sugar which is why sweets taste better when they are served in pink plates or come out of a pink box. In the same note, the flavor of pink is related to cotton candy and grapefruit.
* Did you know that during the times of Nazis homosexuals were labeled with a pink triangle which represented their sexual orientation?
* In Catholic belief pink represents happiness and joy.
* In Japan the color pink is associated with males because it is linked to Sakura trees (cherry blossoms) that is used to represent the young Japanese warriors who died in battle while young (referring to samurai warriors)
* Marrakesh is known as the "Rose city" because of the color of its buildings, the reddish color of the ground.
Great examples of elegant pink cufflinks are:
* Stunning Pink Mother of Pearl Cuff Links: (cufflinksman.com, keyword: “CL-0009”) These are absolutely exquisite pink cufflinks which are rhodium-plated and have been polished to perfection, they feature several tones of pink which are sure to grab people's attention.
* Curved Pink CZ Crystal Cuff Links (cufflinksman.com, keyword: “CL-0011”): The many beautiful pink stones in these silver cufflinks is nothing less than elegant and sophisticated, they make a clear fashion statement.
* Pink & Pearl Silk Knot Cuff Links Trio (cufflinksman.com, keyword: “SK-0005”): Small, delicate and extremely elegant. These cufflinks are made from real silk and the threads have been carefully intertwined, perfect for those who love simplicity.
* Pink Strawberry Silk Knot Cuff Links (cufflinksman.com, keyword: “SK-0031”): Just like the Pink & Pearl Silk Knot trio, these full sized cufflinks are simple, elegant and are made with the most beautiful tone of pink silk you could find.
Natural is Best - The Most Flattering Shapes
Eyebrows create a flattering frame for the eyes and lend balance to the face. A well-shaped brow can also deflect attention from what you consider a flaw, such as close-set eyes or a wide nose. First, consider what you don't want: patchy, over-tweezed brows; tadpole brows with a thick inner corner and nearly nonexistent line; or brows tweezed into an unnatural halfmoon shape. Such misshapen lines create an unfavorable frame for the eye and diminish your good looks. For instance, too-thin brows can make your nose seem wider, tadpole brows lend a furrowed expression to your face, and half-moon brows give your face an appearance of permanent fright.
Limit your hair-removal activities to between, underneath, and at the outer edges of the brows. Shaping above the brow can lead to a flat, archless, unnatural-looking line.
Now consider what you do want: a realistic line following your natural brow shape. After all, when it comes to flattering shapes, nature has probably done much of the work for you.
Preparing to pluck
Ready to shape up those brows? Always bear in mind that your aim is to make the most of what you were born with. The best time to tweeze brows is after a shower or bath, when your hair is at its most pliable; this will make for easier and less painful plucking.
If you have especially sensitive skin, consider numbing the brow area with a topical analgesic such as Anbesol before plucking.
Tweezers at the ready
Stand or sit in front of a mirror. Natural light is ideal, but bright artificial light will also work. Identify obvious stray hairs between brows, under brows, and at brows' outer corners. Using a good-gripping pair of tweezers, grasp individual hairs near their roots. With swift, sharp movements, pluck hair in the direction it is growing.
Styling tips
If necessary, do minor reshaping. Unless your eyes are close-set or wide-set, brows should start at the inner corner of your eye and end slightly beyond the eye's outer corner. Removing hair judiciously along the underside of the brow creates more lid space, making small eyes appear larger and more open.
If your eyes are close-set, consider starting brows a few hairs farther from the eye's inner corner. Creating a wider space between the brows mimics the look of average-set eyes. If you have wide-set eyes, create the illusion of average-set eyes by starting brows closer to your nose, and then removing a few extra hairs from your brow ends. With a brow brush or an old toothbrush, brush brows vertically. Trim any individual hairs that are noticeably longer than the rest. As we age, our brow hairs often grow longer and more unruly. In other words, when you are 30, your brows may look tidy with no trimming, while at age 50 you may find numerous hairs in need of snipping!
Hand Made Perfume Bottles
Blown glass is definitely one of the oldest ancient techniques of creating hand made perfume bottles. It is believed that the ancient Egyptians are the original inventors of the glass making technique. The production of the metallurgy and the faience contributed a great deal in the manufacturing of glasses for a perfume bottle. The earliest Egyptian glass that was introduced to us came in a form of small beads and other pendants that were found in the area way back in the 3000 B.C. Glass was made by melting a combination of lime, soda and silica sand. The glass is formed through the chemical reaction and interaction of the heated sand and soda which produces a transparent flowing liquid. When the liquid is cooled down, the glass is formed instantly.
The first glass vessels first appeared in Egypt during the middle of the 2000 B.C. They were made by molding on a core that is made of sand and mud to form the interior of the vessel. The core is then submerged to a very viscous molten glass; the core will then be scraped out when the vessel has cooled down. During that time, the glass was referred to as an artificial semi-stone which was quite a costly novelty item. The aristocrats during that time did not own any glass workshop since it was a royal monopoly. When the decline of the royal power ended, the New Kingdom ended prompted a stop on the production of glass for a certain period of time. The revolutionary invention of the blown glass then took place in Syria in the 1st century B.C. However, the technique was not able to reach Alexandria until the later half of the the 2nd century B.C where the glass blowing was introduced by the Romans. The newest discovery gained an increase in production.
Blown glass perfume bottles were made by sticking a piece of molten glass to the end of a blowpipe and introducing pressurized air the other end of the pipe. This was entirely done by the blowing of the mouth. The artistic transformation of the shapes of the perfume bottles begins to emerge. The shape will then be cut using a copper wheel and then ground using an emery powder. When the perfume bottle has already took its shape, fine embellishments and other decorations were added by pinching the hot glass, adding handles and other features. The simple straight patterns could be transformed into a more intricate and complex shapes that adds up to the beauty of the perfume bottle. When the shape is already formed, coloring and hand painting takes places. It is then followed by placing the perfume bottles in a furnace that has a very hot temperature in order for the color to set in the glass making it permanent. After which, the bottles are left to cool down before they are used.
Today, the blow glass products still undergo the same process the way the ancient create them. No other primitive tools were added to the original ones.
Skin Care Diet - Enemies of Good Skin
Stress
You've had a bad week - or maybe a bad month. You've been working overtime, your child is going through a difficult phase, your boyfriend's eyes have started wandering, your boss seems to hate you, and you have insomnia. In other words, nothing in your life is going smoothly and you are feeling more stressed than ever. Chances are a few obvious pimples have sprung up since your life got so hectic. How do I know that? What do you think my face does when I'm feeling frazzled?
The reason for a spotty complexion is simple: When the body is under stress, it releases adrenal hormones, which are known generally as "stress hormones." These hormones generate a number of changes in skin, including breakouts, oily patches, dry patches sallowness, dark circles under the eyes, and rashes. Obviously, you can't avoid all forms of stress, but you can learn how to deal with them. Deep breathing, visualization, a professional or at-home massage, or even a spa-night at home can help relieve some of the tension.
Exercise boosts circulation, which in turn delivers oxygen-rich blood to the skin's surface. The short-term result is a beautiful glow. According to some skin-care experts, the long-term benefit of exercise is improved skin elasticity and more efftcient new cell growth.
Rough treatment
As resilient as skin is, it also has a delicate side. Aggressive handling can make skin appear worn, abused, and just plain old. What qualifies as rough treatment? Picking pimples, which can cause scars; using overly hot water, which can break small capillaries and make skin dry; tugging at skin, which can break down collagen and elastin fibers and lead to slackness; and using harsh skin-care products, which can cause sensitivities and redness.
Skin and your diet
Severe diets that skimp on calories and on one or more nutrients are detrimental to your skin, and so are eating habits that include plenty of complexion-spoiling fast food. Here's a rundown of common nutrient deficiencies and how they affect your complexion:
A lack of protein can lead to a dull, dry complexion and poor wound-healing.
A shortage of iron can result in a pale complexion.
A lack of vitamin A can produce dry skin or unexplained breakouts.
A deficiency in vitamin B Complex can result in cracks at the corners of the mouth, unexplained breakouts, impaired wound-healing, and pallor.
A lack of vitamin C can cause poor wound-healing, dullness, and easy bruising.
A shortage of vitamin E can lead to poor wound-healing and dry skin.
A lack of vitamin K can result in weak, broken, or distended facial capillaries.