Mistakes happen, but don’t let a minor beauty boo boo wreck an otherwise pulled-together look. Here are some common offenders and how to handle them with style. Be sure to login daily for new tips and tricks to keep you at the top of your game.
Hair
Too much product equals limp, greasy-looking hair. Apply conditioner to the ends and only where damage is most prevalent. This mild tweak will add volume and prolong the time between washings.
Foundation Avoid blotchy, uneven skin simply by waiting a few minutes after using moisturizer and before applying your foundation. You can also blot your face gently with a tissue to remove excess product.
Fragrance Avoid spritzing perfume on your clothing, which doesn’t mix well with fabric fibers. Apply to pulse points and avoid rubbing in, which breaks down a fragrance’s structure and changes its scent.
Face Over-plucked brows are all-too-common yet easily prevented. Instead of using a magnifying mirror, use a larger mirror, preferably near a window for the best light. Step back every few minutes to check symmetry.
Body Even the most diligent sunscreen users often forget to apply in overlooked areas like the neck, back of the hands, even lips. These areas are among the first to show signs of aging, so don’t forget them.
Due in no small part to the B train being held up "due to an earlier incident" I was super late into the office this morning. It's also Monday. Needless to say my outlook isn't, shall we say, "sunny" Actually it's pretty darn p-d off and pale.
Luckily I keep my go-to tinted moisturizer, Paula Dorf's Face Tint by my computer for days like this. The shade I'm reaching for today is called "Jet Set Glo" and as the name implies, is the bronziest color in the collection. The coverage is sheer and with a bit of glimmer so it's just the pick me up I need. I've tried and loved other tinted moisturizers, but what I especially like about this one is that it doesn't give you that artificial orange-tinged color that many bronzer tints do -- just luminous coverage. An important consideration for a pale face like moi.
It's PABA free and filled with anti-oxidants so it's super delicate on your skin. It's also, unlike other tinted moisturizers I've tried, really great for blending with foundation - I've used a little squirt and blended with a foundation brush for totally customized coverage. On a related note, you really can't beat a brush for applying foundation -- and Paula makes a great one. I'll have to post about that separately because the results are so outstanding it warrants further discussion.
I received this info courtesy of the good folks at Consumer Reports - if you haven't already subscribed to their Shop Smart magazine you probably should. There's nothing more valuable than honest advise to make shopping smarter -- they don't accept advertising which means you get unbiased info -- brilliant!
Following is a reprint from their November issue. To learn more about them click here.
You’re willing to scrimp on some things to save money, but not your makeup. So how can you save without giving up your favorite brands? Go online.
ShopSmart, from the publisher of Consumer Reports, checked out more than two dozen beauty sites to find the best ones, screening out sites with bad Better Business Bureau records, no contact information, poor return policies, or high shipping fees and ones where items were bundled (Amazon’s best cosmetic deals were in multipacks). Here are the results:
Return policy 30 days on unopened products or, for certain items, if you don’t like the color. Returns cost $4.99 unless a product is damaged or incorrect or the color is wrong.
Shipping Free on orders over $75; otherwise $5.95 to $8.95.
Return policy 30 days. You pay for return shipping unless the product was damaged. All returns are for exchange or store credit only. There are no refunds or returns on color cosmetics.
Shipping Free on orders of $35 or more; $4.95 on orders of less than $35.
Return policy 30 days. Products must be unused and unopened, unless they are defective. You have to call or e-mail before returning products; you will also have to pay the costs of return shipping.
Shipping Free on your first nonprescription order of $25 or more; free on orders of $49 or more after that.
Return policy 30 days. Returns are free if a product is damaged, defective, or incorrect. Returns are free on certain products if you don’t like the color. Otherwise, products must be unopened and unused.
Return policy 30 days. Product must be at least 75 percent full. You have to pay return shipping fees, and no returns are allowed of an opened product if you received a sample of it with your order.
Best Online Version of a Walk-In Store:Walgreens.com
Shipping Many items qualify for free shipping of purchases of $50 or more; otherwise $5.49 for 10 pounds or less.
This site didn’t have a wide selection of products. You have to buy $99 worth of stuff to get free shipping; otherwise you could end up paying $7.95 or more for UPS ground. Cosmetics (and many other products) were not returnable, and there’s no toll-free customer-service number.
If you’re like us and enjoy squeezing in a little extra snooze time in the a.m., streamlining your beauty regimen and organizing your products is a must. Here are a few fast tips to speed up your routine and get your zzzzs.
Take stock. Certain products have the shelf life of a gnat, while others never really worked for your personal coloring or skin type to begin with. Take a critical look at what you have and pitch anything that isn’t used on a regular basis to de-clutter your surroundings. You will be amazed at how liberating this is. Really.
Sort it out. Break your products into two piles: the stuff you use daily and your special occasion items. Put go-to items in your medicine cabinet or in a pretty container near your mirror. Stow more glam evening makeup or hair rollers, etc., under the sink.
Group it. Invest in some clear acrylic containers or mesh baskets to place in drawers and cabinets. You could even raid kitchen items like muffin pans and ice cube trays to store smaller products or samples. If you have room, consider a lazy susan so you can easily access brushes, cotton swabs, and other makeup tools. Group like items together; eyeshadows, lippies, etc., and place them label up so you can quickly find the colors you need.
Maintenance. Makeup and its assorted accoutrements can harbor germs that can make you sick or break out. To prolong a product’s freshness, avoid dipping your fingers and use clean applicators instead. Wash your brushes on a regular basis by running under warm water with a tiny bit of shampoo, then air dry. Alternatively, you can buy pre-moistened wipes which disinfect and remove pigments.
We all want to look and feel good. To wear clothing that expresses who we are and make us look our personal best. But where do you begin to find what is right for you? Always(In Style)® understands that style is not about following fashion or trends – it’s about what works for you.
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Mistakes happen, but don’t let a minor beauty boo boo wreck an otherwise pulled-together look. Here are some common offenders and how to handle them with style. Be sure to login daily for new tips and tricks to keep you at the top of your game.
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