Be Your Stylist

Feel good in your skin with the perfect foundation

2008-09-12T11:44:00.011-04:00

Choosing the right foundation is the key to achieve a perfect look. With so many choices in the market, it is overwhelming to look for the perfect texture, color and brand.

The most important thing before you buy your foundation, is knowing your skin type. Once you know, look for the ingredients and the finish look your skin needs. This article will help you discover the perfect match for your skin type.

NORMAL SKIN:

It does not feel dry or oily. Pores are visible but not large or clogged. After a wash it feels smooth and comfortable. At midday it still looks fresh and clean. Only occasionally break out in spots.

Moist semi-matte foundations are very good, especially if they don’t have too much oil. Look for moderate coverage if your skin has different tones due to sun damage.

DRY SKIN:

Dry skin is fine-pored skin which looks dull. It has a sallow tone and also is easily irritated. Those having dry skin will be surely experiencing from flawlessness, taut and flaky feeling. You need a rich and satiny foundation. Oil-based or water based foundations with a moderate degree of oil give you the best chance of retaining moisture in your skin.

Liquid foundation: Look for Illuminating Foundations.

Cream foundation: Very moisturizing and great for this skin type. These are usually marketed at older skins, because of dryness and loss of radiance. They contain high proportion of oils and are creamy. Cream foundations provide heavy coverage but give a glossy finish.

OILY SKIN:
This kind is oil-rich and prone to pimples, spots and even blackheads. The oil balance in this skin can go awry at times because of various reasons, related to stress, heredity factors or hormonal imbalance.

Liquid foundation: Look for Long Wearing Foundations.

Compact Powder Foundations are great foundation for busy people. They are very easy and fast to apply. They are also good for normal to oily skin types. MAC Studio Fix is a very good choice.

COMBINATION SKIN:
Your skin feels taut and flaky on the cheeks but oily on the T-zone, forehead, nose and chin.

Mineral foundations are great for normal or combination skins or sensitive skins looking for a flawless finish.

Matte Foundations are intended for combination to oily skin types so they are of course oil-free.

Powder foundations are an oily or combination skinned girls' best friend. They offer great coverage and absorb oil at the same time.

Look taller tips

2008-08-28T10:39:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately, the only thing that can lift me a few inches is a good pair of heels.... I have to admit it….I am short but I like to use a few tricks to help me look taller.

Altitude has a lot to do with attitude, but there are tips that can help us elongate our figures.

1. Dress clothes of the same color, including shoes. You can still work with textures and get creative.

2. Vertical lines: great way to add length to your body. Remember to keep it simple. If you’re wearing a vertical striped shirt then wear a simple pair of skinny jeans.

3. Choose jackets that end right under your bottom.

4. Straight Leg/Skinny Jeans: Elongate your legs wearing skinny jeans or straight leg jean. This trendy style will create a vertical line from your hips down and therefore will make you look taller.

5. Choose the right size. Big or baggy clothes will make you look heavier and shorter.

6. If you wear flat shoes wear pants above your ankles.

7. Use high heels, but not too high because your figure can look out of proportion. Unfortunately very high heels look better on tall people.

8. Wearing pencil skirt has the same effect as skinny or straight leg jeans. A pencil skirt has a high waist and will therefore give the appearance that your waist is higher and that your legs are longer.

9. V-Neck Shirts: A V-neck shirt or sweater is an excellent way to elongate the body. A V-neck top will draw attention to your center and downwards, giving the illusion of an elongated top.

10. Low rise pants will fit you well if you don’t have wide hips. This will elongate your top and accentuate your waist.

How to shape your eyebrows

2008-08-26T09:59:00.005-04:00

Eyebrows are a very significant and prominent facial feature and yet they are the most forgotten of all feautres. Shaping your eyebrows in the wrong way can change the expression of your look. The trick is to shape your eyebrows instead of trying to redesign them.

Achive the most natural look with some easy tips!

DEFINE THE SHAPE

Your brows should begin directly over the tear duct at the inner corner of your eye and rise in a gentle curve along the brow bone. The highest point of your eyebrow arch should be even with the outer edge of your eye's iris, ending at the outside corner of your eye.

To define your ideal brow length, line up a pencil parallel to the bridge of your nose and then at an angle across the outer edge of your eye.

Accent the natural arch by tweezing any hairs that fall under your arch, but be careful! Pull one hair at a time. You don't want to leave them too thin. They would look artificial. If you have short brow lines naturally or have lost them after years and years of tweezing, I recomentd brow zings to bring your brows out to their proper length.

TRY THIS!

Shepora brow zings: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P1274&categoryId=RPYMAL&navAction=jump

Invest in a good pair of tweezers and pull one hair at a time. Don't get too excited! I know it can be adictive... but remember that it can take eight weeks for your eyebrows to grow back! So a good recomendation is to stop every few hairs, step back and check the job you're doing! Your eyebrows should be the perfect frame for your eyes.

Make the best of your face shape

2008-08-21T17:18:00.000-04:00

Finding out what your face shape is to choose the perfect make up is as important as knowing your body shape in order to find the best outfit. Look at yourself in the mirror, analyze your face structure and take the best out of what you have!

Oval
This is considered the most aesthetically balanced face. Eyes separated by an eye’s length, a forehead wider than the lower face, and eyebrows that arch just above the middle of your eyes. Use make up to bring out your personality choosing by highlighting either your eyes or your lips, but not both at the same time!!!

Round
The principal objective is to create an illusion of length.

Use makeup to create lightness from the lower lip to the chin and from the brows to the hairline in order to minimize the fullness in the lower cheeks and temples.

You can use two different shades of foundation. Place the darker foundation, which should be just one shade deeper than your skin tone, in the fullness at your temples, as well as in the fullness of your jaw line. Blend the lighter foundation under the eyes, on the nose, chin and forehead. Also, keep your eyebrows on the thick side and as tapered outward as possible.

Rectangular
The basic cosmetic principle lies in accentuating the cheekbones and bringing out the middle third of the face. You have to create an illusion of length. Bring lightness to the cheekbones, the center of the forehead and the chin. Horizontal lines will help give your face more width. Shorter and less arched eyebrows also help. Blush should go always below your cheekbones.

Square
Sweeping your brush upward toward your temples can minimize a harsh jaw line and soften the lines of your face. Generous eyebrow shaping toward the outer edges of your eyes will also help.

You can use two different shades of foundation. The deeper shade will go in the areas that you want to minimize: the forehead and square parts of the jaw line. Apply the lighter foundation in chin, forehead and cheekbones. It's almost as if you are making a diamond of lightness that extends from forehead to chin and widens at the cheekbones.

Triangular
Enhance a wide forehead and a small, narrow, chin by accenting your cheekbones and filling out your eyebrows. The eyes and the mouth are very important. If you highlight both it will draw attention away from the sharper features of your face.

2008-08-15T20:57:00.000-04:00

HOT HOT HOT!

You don’t need to have a perfect body to wear a fashionable bikini and look “hot”. Summer is definitely the season to enjoy the beach, have fun and show your natural beauty. So why not choose the most suitable bikini in order to live the summer? You only have to find out which shape makes you look the “hottest”…

PEAR SHAPE: Try pairing an eye-catching bikini or tankini top with subdued bottoms in a dark color. This type of swimsuit will draw attention toward your top.

RECTANGULAR SHAPE: Give a square figure the appearance of a waist with a one-piece or tankini (a bikini with a top shaped like a tank top) that has a darker color from the crotch to the middle ribs and a lighter color on the chest.

LITTLE BREAST: Choose bright colors. They will look your breasts look bigger. Forget about dark colors and go for patterned or painted fabrics. Try flowers, stripes and big dots. To add curves and subtle cleavage to a small bust, look for a bikini top with triangle-shaped cups and a tie-front.

BIG BREASTS: For the generous bust, underwire is desirable. Choose one that hooks up -- rather than ties -- at the back to "bring you in and up a bit". Look for a straight across cut at the top of your swimsuit with wide set straps to minimize your bust.

BIG BOTTOM: Wear hotpants. They are absolutely on fashion right now! If you have wide hips, choose styles that cut across the hips rather than hanging below them. Also, try pairing dark red, blue, or black bikini bottoms with a light-colored bikini top. The light color will draw attention and eyes toward your bust and away from your hips.

SMALL BOTTOM: Wear white or small black dots over white. Details on a bikini, such as bows, belts, ruching, embroidery, beading, and ties will make your bottom look more voluptuous.

PLUS SIZE: In general, you will want to look for swimsuits in darker colors . However, a black swimsuit/bikini is not your only choice. Deep reds and blues will have the same effect and are more vivid for the summer. To accentuate curves, look for a fitted swimsuit with a defined waist and a high percentage of Lycra/spandex. A high-cut leg will also slim your legs and hips.

Don’t forget to accessorize your bikini with a nice hat, huge sun glasses and a pair of fun flip flops. Now you are ready to enjoy the beach and look sexy!

To wear or not to wear...

2008-08-11T10:44:00.000-04:00

Do you want to look gorgeous all the time?
Then, you will have to spend some time choosing the right clothes for your body type. Don’t get carried away by what you see on fashion magazines…. Remember that the key to look great is not to wear what’s on fashion at the moment but rather choosing what flatters your body type.

Put some time and thought into your closet, whatever your natural shape is. You must know what to wear and what not to wear….

THE PEAR SHAPE
The pear shape is very common among women. Balance the difference between your top and bottom by drawing attention to your upper body.

YES!

Push up bra. Emphasize your curvy top.
Wrap dresses. They are perfect for you because the v-neck will lengthen your top and draw attention to your breasts and the belt will define your waist.
A-line wrap tops & dresses – they emphasize your upper body.
Stiffer fabrics in your dresses, like crisp cotton or chiffon.
Layers! They create a visual balance between the top and bottom half of your body.
Three quarter sleeves to draw attention to your waist.
Wide-collared shirts or capped sleeves to widen your shoulders. Halter tops are great!
Bottom choices must be plain and simple saving all the visual interest for your tops.
Straight or wide legged pants that just skim the curves of your hips before falling straight down. It will make you look taller and your hips narrower.
Jackets with structured shoulders and a definite waist. They should end at the top of your hips.
Pointy heeled shoes to make you seem taller.
Jewellery on your top half.

NO!

Long-line tops and jackets that cover your butt. You will draw attention to the area you’re trying to hide.
Horizontal detailing like ruching or stripes on your waist on lower half. Horizontal stripes on the top half will widen your top.
Cropped or capri pants. They will make you look shorter.
Combat pants or anything with cargo pockets on them.
Pleats in pants or skirts. They will add volume to your hips.
Bias-cut skirts and pencil skirts.
Loose, long line jackets. They make you look bigger.
Be careful choosing your accessories! A bag that sits on your hip will draw attention to your hips.

Do you know your body shape?

2008-08-01T10:14:00.000-04:00

Girls!

We all have a specific genetic body shape. You might be a pear shape, an hourglass shape, a ruler shape, or an apple shape. I know…. none of these names sound good at all but … take a minute to learn the characteristics of each one. Once you know your body shape you will know how to get the best out of your look. I promise!

Pear Shape: You have larger hips, with a smaller chest and arms. Most women with this body type have flat stomachs and chests.

Hourglass Shape: This is one of the favorite shapes of a woman. Your shoulders and hips are about equal in width, and you have a small waist and normally flat tummy.

Ruler Shape: You have a thinner body, with almost no curves.

Apple Shape: You have larger shoulders and larger breasts, with smaller thighs, and thinner or smaller hips and butt.

It is difficult to change our body type but there are some good and easy exercises designed for each type of body. Here are some tips!

Pear Shape: Do aerobic activities that target the lower body, and resistance exercises for the upper body. You will get the best result: slimming the lower part, and building the upper part. Exercises recommended: push ups, chin ups, leg lifts, jumping rope, and elliptical training.

Hourglass Shape: Cardio work out is great, combined with resistance exercises. This will help maintain your weight and ensure a good balance between upper and lower body.
Exercises recommended: swimming, stationary biking, jumping jacks, bicep curls, shoulder presses and squats.

Ruler Shape: If you want to build muscle, go for resistance training for the upper and lower body.

Apple Shape – Most likely you want to focus on losing weight. Losing weight in general will balance out your larger upper body.
Exercises recommended: low resistance exercises with lots of repetitions, such as stair climbing, running and incline walking.