Bronzer in the Right Place For a Beautiful Glow

Bronzer can be a blessing, or an unfortunate beauty disaster. Bronzer is not meant to be slathered on your entire face. You don't want a bronze mask, but instead a pretty, "glowing" highlight. Use these tips when applying bronzer:


Use a big, natural hair makeup brush for your bronzer. The focus of the bronzer's placement should be approximately where the sun would naturally hit your face; across the forehead, the bridge of the nose and the apples of your cheeks. Don’t forget to dust a little on your neck and chest too, if those are exposed. If you overdo it and it end up looking a little too much orange, just grab a clean makeup sponge to wipe off some of the excess.

Stop The Shine

If you have oily skin, your face is probably shining by midday. Apply a regular powder or additional foundation will only sit on top of the oil and create a blotchy and cakey look. Instead, invest in from blotting papers. These sheer sheets of paper contain a light layer of talc to absorb excess oil. Just press lightly on your forehead and nose area, or wherever you feel you’re too shiny. Keep a package in your handbag for touchups throughout the day!

Blush Twice For a Flush That Lasts All Day

No product will give you that little bit of color and fresh look like a good blush will. It perks up the whole face, even when you aren’t feeling your best. However, all good things do end. Powder blushes tend to disappear not long after you apply them. The key is to double up with your application. Start with a cream based blush and gently tap it into the apples of your cheeks with the pads of your fingertips. Then, take a swirl of color from your powder blush and layer it right over the top of the cream. Blend upward along the cheek bones. The correct placement of most of the color is on the apples, where you would naturally flush like if you had been running around. This layering process will add hours and hours of wear to your blush.

Neutralizing Red Complexion

To counteract redness on your face, use a green-tinted cover up. Green effectively hides redness from rosacea or broken capillaries. Merle Norman makes a wonderful green cover up; you need only a small amount to neutralize redness. Almay also makes a similar green cover up. To calm and decrease red skin, try Clinique's skin repair system from their "Rx" line. This is a white cream that you apply to red facial areas to actually tone down the redness. Then you can apply a green cover up over these areas, and you're ready for your foundation make-up.

World´s Best Blush Trick

Jeni Lee, the makeup artist who keeps stars like Salma Hayek and Denise Richards flawlessy flushed, gives these tips for getting the most natural glow.
1. Start by looking straight into the mirror and placing your finger on your cheek bone right under the outer edge of your eye´s iris. That´s where you should begin applying color.
2. On that spot, place a large, soft brush dipped in a blush that´s slightly darker than your skin tone - like the flush you get if you pinch your cheeks - for the most true-to-you effect.
3. Sweep color straight back -not up- toward ear.

Making a round face look slimmer

You can make a round face look slimmer by placing blush or bronzer where the hollow of your check should be (you can find it if you make a fish face!!) and use a back and forth motion with the brush, not circular as that would make your face look fuller. Dust translucent powder over makeup when complete to set the look.

Foundation Application

If you want your foundation to look sheer, apply it with a sponge. For more coverage apply it with your fingertips. Professional makeup artists prefer using a makeup brush as this will apply and blend the foundation beautifully.

Foundation Needs to be a Perfect Match

Foundation is made to accentuate your features. It should look natural and match your skin. The first step to matching your foundation is to determine your skin tone.
In order to find a "perfect match" for your foundation you must test it on your face. Testing it on your wrist is a “no, no” because your wrist has a different color and undertone than your face. Also, other parts of your body may tan easier or be exposed to the sun more often than your face. Make sure the lighting in the store is close to natural light. Ask for several opinions and test a couple of color shades so you can compare. See if you can take a sample home to try before you buy.

Long-wearing Foundation for Oily Skin

Many women with oily skin find their foundation starts to "disappear" mid-day. A typical foundation tends to wear off faster if your skin type is oily or combination.



There are formulas on the market that are called matte foundations or longwearing make up that is specifically formulated to stay in place. Estee Lauder has a foundation called "Double Wear" that is a longwearing formula it is a stay-in-place makeup. It stays on until you take it off and absorbs excess oil so you don't get the mid-afternoon shine. Lancôme has a foundation called "Tient Idole Ultra" that lasts for 14 hours and is touch-up free. Cover Girl makes a foundation called Outlast that has a 10-hour wear. Maybeline also has a foundation called "Pure Stay" that is long lasting.

Oily Skin Problems

Deep pores can be hidden or camouflaged by foundation. Most foundation will cover your open pores and give your face a smoother look. In order to minimize your oily skin you should wash your face with an oil control face wash at least twice a day. Also use an oil-free moisturizer and an oil-free, water based foundation. You can try oil-blotting sheets for your touch-ups through out the day. Touching up your face with powder can help control the “shine” that is common with oily skin.

You might also want to try a “deep pore” mask or a mud mask to help shrink your pores and clean them out so they will reduce in size.

Powder Over Bronzing Gel

If you are wearing a bronzing liquid or gel, you can go solo or add a face powder. The powder will give you a smooth finish. Be sure to choose a color that compliments your skin tone. Use a deeper tone if you are tanned. Apply the bronzing gel, then a blusher, perhaps in the form of a bronzing powder, then use a face powder with a big powder brush. This will blend the edges of your blusher also.

Loose vs. Pressed Powder

Loose powder is used in the morning to set the makeup.Use only in the T zone unless your skin is oily all over. It is best to let the cheeks look moist. Pressed powder is used during the day to touch up. The added benefit in a compact is that it contains a mirror which is handy in applying lipstick.

Face Powder

You can set your foundation with a light dusting of loose powder. Choose from translucent or a variety of colors. It can be applied allover or to the T zone (forehead,nose,chin) only. If your skin is oily, you may want to use an oil free foundation that comes in powder form. This can be used alone or over foundation for maximum coverage. This can be made loose with a big brush or applied with a sponge to touch up the T zone area during the day when shiny.

Great foundation for oily skin

Having problems finding the right foundation that covers well and doesn't add a dewy look to your skin? Try GloMinerals Oil-Free Liquid Base. This is great for oily skin types because it's natural antioxidants and skin care benefits work together to give you matte coverage while improving skin tone. Or, stick with a good three step skin care regime (cleanse, tone, moisturize) with alcohol free products as to not irritate the skin anymore.

Natural "Blush"

Red cheeks would be considered a blessing to some women. Usually we want what we don't have though. The best way to minimize your redness is to even out your skin tone with your foundation. You can lightly brush some powder over your cheeks if you don't like to wear foundation. I would recommend wearing a brown-based blush (light, natural color) or a bronzer on your cheeks instead of the pink tones. If you leave your cheeks bare after applying foundation you may look “washed out”. The brown color will help offset the redness.

Make Face Appear Thinner

Use contouring to make your face appear thinner. Apply your blush below your cheekbone. You can also apply a bronzing powder on either side of your throat to extend the lines of your neck.

Removing dead skin cells

Facial skin constantly renews itself and as new cells are formed, the old cells shed onto the surface. One of the most important cosmetic tasks is to assist the natural skin´s scaling process by removing dead cells completely. Without proper care, the old cells will combine with skin oils and clog pores causing blackheads and pimples. Use an exfoliator once a week to help remove dead skin cells and keep skin healthy and hydrated.