Does Looking Glamorous Have an Age Limit?

The other day a potential customer emailed me inquiring about eyelash extensions and what it entailed. I replied to her inquiry and noted that something as simple as enhancing ones lashes can make you instantly feel glamorous and that she will love how they look. She replied that since she was in her 50’s she was beyond needing to look glamorous. Ouch.

For those of you who might feel the same way she does, shame on you! Looking glamorous doesn’t necessarily mean movie-star hair and makeup every time you step out in public, but it should embrace the essence of who you are and how you feel. This includes a woman’s sense of style, the way she carries herself, how she does her makeup and hair, to even the way she wants people to perceive her. Looking glamorous is something you feel, not just how you look.

So on a day when you might be feeling “beauty-challenged”, always find something to make you feel glamorous and show it off.

Can You Drop Subtle Beauty Hints?

I was reading "Dear Abby" the other day and came across this brides dilemma that the mother-of-the-bride was seeking advice for. Although it's rather funny, it brought to mind subtle ways we can make hints to friends sometimes but don't. Some might say it's none of our business to say anything unless asked, so is there ever really a good time or a polite way to tell someone they need to "fix" something?

DEAR ABBY: How can my daughter broach the subject of her matron of honor's "beard"? We're not talking about a few hairs here, but a growth that would make some young men envious. The wedding is coming up soon, and the bride and groom are concerned how it will look in the wedding pictures, but they don't want to hurt her feelings.

I, for one, have been taking quick swipes with my razor for years, and my whiskers haven't grown back thicker or darker, and I only have to do it once or twice a week. Ladies, if unwanted facial hair embarrasses you, forget the myth that shaving will make it worse. You don't have to lather up like a man at the sink, and no one has to know it but you. -- BRIDE'S MOM, ST. LOUIS, MO.

DEAR MOM: Before the wedding, schedule a "spa" day for the women in the bridal party -- manicures, pedicures, waxing. When you get there, invite the "bearded lady" to join you in getting any excess facial hair removed. If she sees she isn't alone, she may go for it. And if she's resistant, your wedding photographer can always "Photoshop" the fur away.

As always, great advice Abby. Although not many of us have bridesmaid issues to deal with to ensure great photo opportunities, we all can agree to have a friend who was or is currently in need of beauty advice, but you're not quite sure how to break it to her. Be it her yellow teeth, bad hair color, too tight or unflattering clothes, poor makeup colors or application, body odor, or anything else that distracts people from seeing her REAL beauty.

I have no qualms about telling a friend when she makes a fashion or beauty faux pas and I expect the same in return [however, for the record I don't make any :)]. I am definitely not subtle though, BUT I can never be accused of being dishonest when someone asks me "how do I look?". I am forthright because I want people to always look their best and sometimes other people can just see things we don't notice because we're so used to our own taste. Even when friends don't ask me, I find a way to express my opinion (but that's just me), and as a friend I believe it is your duty to do the same when you see them needing a little beauty reality check.

Who ever said "the truth hurts" was obviously not talking about beauty fixers because NOT knowing the truth could be a lot worse.

Beauty & The Heat

Now that summer is officially here it doesn't mean your makeup has to melt under the sun. Winter and summer products are made for the elements under which you will be wearing them, so if you are still using your winter makeup and creams, now is the time to switch your regimen. Allow your beauty products to really work their true potential by using the right ones for your skin type, and time of year, so that also means switching your makeup for summer too.

Winter brings dry, dull and lack-luster skin, while spring is about re-newing and freshness. Summer is all about showing off your skin, so protecting it and making sure it looks beautiful is your goal this season. Start with a light weight moisturizer and put away your heavy winter cream. Exfoliate your face twice weekly with a soft face wash that is meant to remove the dull surface layer. Using sunscreen is also important, so be sure to use one that is meant for the face and your current skin condition. Avoid breakouts by washing face twice daily and using oil free products.

Your next purchase should be a light-weight foundation that is more of a tinted moisturizer than a heavy foundation formula. When using foundation always remember to not use it as a way to color your skin (like a tan) but to even out your skin, and it never should be a shade or two darker. This mistake is the most common error women make when picking out foundation, so be sure to match your skin correctly or you will have that dreaded two-tone face and neck color. If you have blemishes to cover and think you need a heavy foundation...think again. You can spot conceal your problem areas with concealer once you've applied your new summer foundation (concealer OVER foundation, not under...and use a makeup brush). A sheer makeup look is what you want, not a makeup shell.

The look of a sun-kissed face can be recreated with a bronzer and peach-toned blushes if you are staying out of the sun, but only apply to the areas of the face where the sun would actually "kiss" it (your forehead, down bridge of nose, apples of cheeks and chin). Bronzer is not meant for all over application like a face powder since it's only meant to highlight and not provide overall color. When you use the proper products for your skin type and for the right time of year, you can achieve a beautiful summer face without it melting, fading or wearing off.

Long-wear Lipstick: Friend or Foe?

I absolutely LOVE long-wear lipsticks (a.k.a. “lip stains”) because the extended wear cannot be beat and is perfect for anyone who always needs to reapply regular lipstick throughout the day because you've managed to lick, bite or eat it off. Anyone who has worn a lip stain however can attest that even though you get lasting color, the sometimes undesirable dry feeling on your lips can drive you crazy. So, do the benefits outweigh that side effect? YES, if you prep your lips properly to get the best application and use a lip stain that comes with a moisturizing topcoat. That topcoat (usually a clear gloss) will be your new best friend.

A word to those of you who might be trying this for the first time though: Exfoliate your lips to the point where you buff, brush and soften your lips to eliminate any and all existing dry skin that’s there (or could potentially be there) before you apply color. Dry lips and lip stains are a disaster to look at, so keep your lips looking lush and soft by prepping them first. Removing the lip stain can be a bit tedious as well, but nothing that baby oil can't fix.

Aside from the beautiful, long lasting color for 8-12 hours, there is no more smeared, bleeding or feathering going on, AND your lips will never look better with all that exfoliating you’ll be doing. For me, the best part about long-wear lipstick is that the color you see in the tube IS the actual color you get on your lips, so no more guess work or disappointment. How awesome is that?

What's Trendy Now

Most makeup trends are first seen on the fashion show runways from Paris to NYC, so for spring and summer 2009, the hot makeup trends are dramatic eyeliner, metallic shades, fuller brows and fresh looking skin.

The best way to start a new season is with a refreshed look, so stop using your heavy winter makeup and lighten up! Vibrancy is back and tinted moisturizer formulas are better than ever with light-weight feel and great coverage. Makeup trends will mimic what is current in the fashion world because the two go hand in hand, so you will see lots of color in clothes this season (pastel jeans anyone?) and lots of color at the makeup counters too.

Knowing what trend to follow is as simple as knowing what your comfort level is with makeup. Are you tried and true with your makeup routine and don’t like change? Then perhaps just trying a new bold lipstick color this season is the baby step you’re willing to take. Are you a makeup junkie who loves to try, buy and collect everything? Then you can take a few pointers from the fashion magazines to see what new look you’ll try next.

Whether you opt for the bold colors of the season, the precision of perfect eyeliner or dabble in the metallic shadows, you will be set for spring and summer’s hottest looks. Just be sure not to wear all current trends at once. Good luck!

4 Reasons Why You Should Never Leave the House Without Makeup On

1. You never know who you might run into (like the ex-boyfriend who you swore would eat his heart out the next time he saw you).
2. It makes you look people in the eye rather than avoiding eye contact, which will give you more confidence and encourage you to be more outgoing.
3. Never miss an opportunity to look your best.
4. YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU MIGHT RUN INTO!

Permanent Makeup & Why It's Never a Good Idea

We’ve all seen a woman at some point in our life who has permanent eyebrows, eyeliner, lip liner, blush or even lipstick. Aside from wondering how excruciatingly painful that must have been to get done, we may have also thought for a split second how great it would be to wake up with makeup already on, right? Wrong. Permanent makeup is tattooed on, which means a few things, for those of you who don’t have tattoos, so I will point out the obvious for you. It’s a painful process with needles (plural) injecting ink at a rapid speed. Removing a tattoo is even more painful and consists of a needle to numb the area, lasers to burn it off and scabbed skin left to heal, possibly with a scar.

Tattoo ink pigments change color when exposed to the sun, and over time the colors change, fade and bleed (look smeared). Since your face will always see the sun, you can’t control that change process with sunscreen, and you will experience those side effects. So imagine this; the once brown or black eyebrows you had tattooed will eventually turn to orange and blue over time. The fine line eyeliner will also change color and transform into a thicker, smeared looking line due to ink bleeding. Lastly, the process of aging will change our face once gravity takes over and will make lips thinner, brows lower and eyes droopier. So if you tattoo your face with brows at 30 years old, you will have them too high on your forehead at 60. See my point?

Also the permanent makeup needs to be touched-up every few years because of those fading, bleeding and color changing issues, so it’s not a onetime deal. It’s also expensive and although it may look good once it’s done, it never looks good as time goes on. I have yet to meet a woman who doesn’t have obvious tattooed makeup or that looked good with it. I have however seen so many women before me getting their makeup done and regretting their decision and asking me to “cover up” the tattoos. Sometimes I can, but usually it’s only a temporary fix for something that they have to live with.

Although there are reputable companies out there that specialize in permanent makeup, you can’t see into the future of how you will look with it, so is it really worth saving you an extra 10 min every morning? Part of the fun of makeup is to try out new colors, trends and application techniques, but if you are already tattooed, you give yourself no options and are stuck with what you have. That’s one regret I wouldn’t want and I can't think of many who would.