NO MAKEUP LOOK

Winter 2011 makeup trends seem to be characterized by two main key elements: Smokey eyes & stunning colored lips. However, besides these two trends, there is another one that proves to be timeless & able to reinvent itself every season: nude makeup. Take a look to some tips on how to use winter 2011 nude-makeup trend in order to enhance your natural beauty.

This season, makeup trends have the main purpose of exuding femininity & naturalness. Whether we are talking about Smokey eyes, bold red lips, or nude makeup, it should reflect one's personality & lifestyle. Yet hide flaws & emphasize qualities. Even if it might seem easy to make, getting a flawless nude look can become a real challenge. In order to obtain the perfect result you must pay a lot of attention to many details that can totally make the difference. However, nude- makeup will seem the easiest trend with these next simple tips. Nude-makeup could be increasingly spotted on the catwalks.

It is more than obvious that if you want to get the flawless nude look, your skin should be adequately taken care of this rule is applied not only when it comes to nude makeup, but for every makeup you choose. It is one of the essential steps in all the makeup process & it consists in using a moisturizing cream appropriate for your skin type. If you want the cream to be better absorbed, try to apply it on damp skin. Then, wait for about 10 minutes before starting the makeup process.

Well, less is more is totally true when it comes to foundation. Remember that the foundation you use has to make your skin complexion look even & not to cover it completely. If you apply it in a thick layer all on the entire face, you might end looking rather ridiculous, just like you were wearing a mask. Therefore, it is enough if you apply foundation on the T-zone & lighter on the sides & of course, on the neck. If you have an oily skin, choose a foundation one shade lighter than the color of your skin, as due to the fact that the sebum comes in contact with the foundation its color might become darker. This way, you'll only make your problems become even more visible.

Use a concealer in order to hide dark circles under the eyes. The concealer is considered as a part of the foundation & therefore it should be with maximum one shade lighter than the skin. When applying it, you need to make sure that you don't draw the attention on the flaw you want to hide. You can use concealer before or after the foundation. Start by applying a small amount of concealer on the finger & gently blend the concealer in. Make sure you choose the right concealer color & try the shade on the wrist.

As for the powder, this is that special product that offers a matte/flawless appearance to your skin & sets the whole makeup. However, remember to apply it in a light, even, thin layer in order to avoid a rather unaesthetic look.

A blush can totally change your facial features. Therefore, it is very important to pay a lot of attention when using it on your cheekbones. If you want a fresh-looking face, smile & apply blush in a circular motion on rounded cheeks going up towards the temples. Complete the aspect of your cheekbones using a bronzing tone applied at the base of the cheek.

A no makeup look requires a natural eye shadow in tones of pink with slight shades of brown, light peaches, & even light blue or gray can look natural on certain types of skin. In order to avoid that the eye- shadow to settle into the creases, you can use a special product for fixing.

Black can be considered as being too much for a nude makeup. Therefore, brown mascara is the best choice. For the lower lashes you can u e transparent mascara in order to elongate the eyelashes. When applying mascara, be careful not to use it in excess & try to apply it more on the ends & not on the base.

For a perfect, flawless look & smooth lips, exfoliating is a must. For a nude, fresh & light makeup, lipstick is not necessary - a lip balm would work great too. However, if you want to use a lipstick, go for sandy shades that can offer luminosity & complete the look in an amazing natural way. You can also choose a lip gloss especially if you want to make your lips look fuller.

The Most Common Makeup Mistakes

The right makeup colors applied in the right amount will defiantly take your look from dull to dazzling. But the wrong moves can give the impression that you're in the dark about makeup or that you put your makeup on in the dark! Here's what to learn to be in the know & how to avoid the most common makeup mistakes.

You already know some of the cardinal makeup sins - like sleeping with your makeup on (clogs pores!) & sharing your makeup (you'll also be sharing bacteria!). But some other makeup mistakes are a little less obvious. The most dreadful mistake is when the base of the lower eyelashes is traced with a thick eyeliner pencil & not blended in. This not only looks unsophisticated but it also makes eyes look much smaller.

And here are six other faux pas to avoid when applying makeup.

Foundation that’s Too Dark or Too Light: When using, it's imperative that you wear a shade that matches your skin tone exactly. Otherwise, you risk ending up with a face a different shade from the rest of your body, not to mention ending up with the telltale foundation line around the chin that screams you're a makeup novice.

When choosing the right foundation, it's best to go to a makeup counter where you can test three different shades - one you think is the closest match, then one a shade lighter & one a shade darker. Dab the color on your cheekbones & jaw line to get the most accurate assessment. Pick the one that blends effortlessly into your skin (it should disappear on your face). And don't forget that you may have to switch foundation seasonally.

Makeup That Settles Into Lines: Liquid foundation can sometimes slip into pores, highlighting wrinkles & making skin look blotchy. To prevent this, avoid applying a heavy moisturizer beneath your foundation. If you have oily skin, you may not even need to use a moisturizer. Too much foundation or concealer can also cause the makeup to seep into lines.

After applying a light moisturizer (if you need it), let it absorb into your skin for a few minutes before moving on to your makeup. Then use a wedge sponge, which soaks up any extra color, to blend an even layer of foundation onto your skin. No matter what your skin type, a matte foundation is a good choice if you want to prevent slippage into lines & pores. Finally, set your makeup with translucent powder.

Too Much Blush: Beautiful, rosy cheeks can give you a healthy & youthful glow but only if you go easy on the color. Shade that looks too bright on your face will attract the wrong kind of attention.  If you tend to be heavy-handed in this area, choose a sheer. Blush in a pink or peachy shade - these are more goof-proof. And apply with a large blush brush in an upward motion only from the apples of your cheeks to your temples. If you're using a mineral   or loose-powder blush, remember to tap off the excess before applying.

If you notice that you’ve still got too much blush, use a cotton round or cotton ball to gently remove the extra color. Or add a light dusting of translucent powder to soften the look. Many makeup experts are never without a velour powder puff as it's great for toning down the color of blush if you've accidentally applied too much.

Clumpy Mascara: Wearing is a no-fail way to open up your eyes & give your entire face a glam touch. But that can all backfire if you have clumpy, spidery lashes. This can happen for one of two reasons:

You've applied too much mascara or your formula has dried out (maybe its past prime or you've let too much air get in the tube by not closing it properly). A rule of thumb is that mascara should be tossed after four months.

If the mascara has gone bad, you know what you have to do (buy a new tube). If there's nothing wrong with your mascara, then it's your technique you'll have to tweak.To keep clumps at bay, always blot the wand with a tissue before applying. Avoid wiping the wand on the rim of the tube - otherwise, you’ll be creating clumps that may end up on your lashes. When applying, place the wand at the base of your lashes & wiggle it from side to side until you reach the tips. Repeat this process only one or two times. Then use a lash comb to separate any stuck-together lashes..

Visible Lip Liner: When it comes to applying lip liner, some women  make the mistake of choosing a shade that's much darker than their lipstick. The point of lip liner isn’t to stand out on its own - it’s to help define your lips, to make your lipstick last throughout the day & to keep it from Bleeding into fine lines (see the next tip). The easy remedy is to choose a lip liner either the exact same shade as your lip color - or in a neutral color.

Lipstick Feathering:  As your age, your natural lip line begins to fade & fine lines start to form. This often causes your lip color (particularly sheer or creamy lipsticks & lip glosses) to be more prone to bleeding & feathering. Your first line of defense is to trace the edges of your mouth with a lip liner (the same color as your lipstick or in a skin-toned shade).  After applying lipstick, blot with a tissue. If you find your lip color is still too slippery, consider switching to matte or semi-matte lipsticks. Using semi-permanent lip stains is another way to prevent feathering.

Few more tips:

• Never ever rub your eyes. To remove the most stubborn eye makeup, soak a cotton pad with a dual-phase eye makeup remover for at least 30 seconds.

• Use earthy tones to make it more wearable.

• To combat puffy eyes, sweep a light color all over the eyelid & a darker color on the crease -sounds clichéd but it works!

• When it comes to blending, it is all about practice. Make sure you use a fluffy brush & blend with the tip in a feathery, windshield motion.

Simple Makeup Tips

These simple makeup tips are sure to speed up your daily routine with striking results

• Apply mascara to upper & lower lashes, in two thin coats to avoid clumsiness. Choose brown mascara if your coloring is fair; black or brown-black works well for darker coloring. Or try colored mascara such as navy or plum for fun, but don't go too bright if you want to be taken seriously.

• Apply a concealer that is one shade lighter than your foundation. Dot it on over any blemishes or under-eye circles & blend with your fingertips or a makeup sponge. If your concealer tends to cake, apply eye cream first.

• Choose foundation that matches your skin tone exactly. Apply it in dots over the central part of your face, and then blend it out with a makeup sponge or your fingertips until it covers your entire face.

• Use a loose or pressed powder to keep foundation & concealer on longer. Use pressed powder to touch up when you’re away from home.

• Do your eyebrows next. Use powdered eyebrow shadow on brows instead of pencil, which can often look unnatural. Apply it with a hard, slanted brush.

• Choose three colors of eye shadow: light, medium & dark. Use the dark only to line your upper eyelid, in a fairly thin line along the upper lashes. Use the medium shade for the crease & the lightest shade for the area under the eyebrow. There are many variations on eye shadow application techniques.

• Use cake eyeliner with a damp, thin liner brush, or an eyeliner pencil & line the lower lid below the lashes. Line only the outer two-thirds of the lower lid, or all the way across if you're trying to achieve a darker look. Line all the way across the upper lid (just above the lash line & as close to the lashes as possible), or start the line where your lashes begin.

• Smile to find the apples of your cheeks & apply blush to the apples or below, whichever you prefer. If you have to blend in blush, it’s too bright.

• Choose a lipstick color that’s suited to your skin tone & that's perfect for your day look. You can mix colors & textures to suit your moods & your outfits.

• Line lips after applying lipstick, not before. That’s way you won't end up with a dark circle of lip liner after your lipstick has worn off. Avoid combining very dark lip liner & pale lipstick.

Your tools include: Foundation, Mascara. Face Powder.  Blush, Lipstick.  Lip Gloss, Eye Shadow & Brushes.