Enhancing Eye Color

Finding The Right Eye Shadow Color 

Based on Eye Color

As you may already know certain colors look better with certain eye colors and accent each differently. Make up is suppose to enhance your natural beauty not take away from it and using the wrong colors will surely do that. 

Finding the right colors can be a nightmare, but thanks to The Beautiful Cheap Girl you will learn the dos and don'ts of eyes shadow color.

Blue Eyes

Some of the best colors to use for blue eyes are neutral browns and light purple/pink hues. To do an evening look just use darker shades of these colors or even experiment with a grey pallet. Remember most of the time blue eyes are on the lighter side so don't go as heavy on a smokey look because even the slightest colors will stand out and make your eyes pop. Use whites for highlighting.

Here are some of my favorite shadows by M.A.C for blue eyes

Names of Shadows from left to right: Top Row:  Shroom, Beautiful Iris Middle Row: Forgery, Digit Bottom Row:  Idol Eyes, Pink Venus, Gesso (highlight)

Brown Eyes

For those of you with brown eyes you should feel a little lucky! There are many colors that work well with brown eyes. Since brown eyes are usually toward the darker side don't be afraid to go a little heavier on the shadow especially for a night on the town! Colors that work best are darker purples, greens, grays, browns and even some golds. To highlight use golds as well.

 Names: (L-R) Top:  Sketch, Wedge  Middle: Satin Taupe, Humid  Bottom: Trax, Woodwinked (highlight)

Green Eyes

When it comes to green eyes the darker your eye color the darker you can go with your shadow. Some of the best colors that compliment your eye color are purples and darker greens. To highlight use gold tones. 

                         Names: Beauty Marked, Eggplant, Nocturnelle, Humid, Plumage, and Amber Lights (highlight)

Hazel

Since Hazel eyes are a mix of green and brown shades, like both, use your best judgment when it comes to how dark your shadow is based on how dark or light your eye color is. It's simple: the lighter the eye, go lighter on the color and the darker the eye, go darker with the color. The best colors are really up to you as long as they come from either the brown or green eye pallet. Use golds to highlight.

Names are listed above in brown and green eye section.

 

Foundation & Concealer

Foundation and Concealer, two words that probably many of you hear, 

but wonder the difference between the two and if both are really necessary.

For starters the difference between foundation and concealer is simple:


Foundation is a product that is typically applied throughout the whole face to achieve a unified base. Concealer is usually used as a target product,  meaning you usually would only use it on problem areas like dark circles and blemishes.


It is easy to remember what both of these products are used for because when you hear the word foundation you might often relate it to a house. A house's foundation is the first layer of the house set in order to build the rest. This is the role foundation plays as well with your face. It is used to even out your skin and create a, once again, unified base for the rest of your make-up to be applied on.


When one hears the word conceal they relate it to hiding or covering something. This is the same when it comes to concealer. It is used, like stated before, to target and hide flaws throughout the face whether it be under eye circles, acne, or any problem area.


Concealer tends to be a little thicker than foundation as well. Since you apply foundation to your entire face it tends to be of a lighter consistency than a concealer.

Choosing The Right Foundation and Concealer

A common thing to remember when picking both of these products out is skin tone. Many people make the mistake of buying a foundation that is too dark for their skin just because they want to look tanner. NOTE: DO NOT DO THIS!! You will look like a mess! Instead, get a foundation that matches your skin tone and then use the proper bronzer to achieve your sun kissed glow.


When it comes to picking out a color of concealer I usually tend to pick out two shades, one to match my skin tone and one a few shades lighter. I like to use the skin toned one for any blemishes on my face and then use the lighter one to brighten my under eyes and right below my eyebrow on my brow bone.


With a concealer it does not tend to matter what type of a complexion ("the natural color color, texture, and appearance of the skin, especially the face (Wiki)") you have, but when looking for a foundation it definitely does. If your complexion is usually on the oily side you want to make sure that you purchase an oil free foundation. If your skin is on the dryer side then it is best to get a minimal oil level foundation. Remember though to not over apply either way. You don't want to over clog or dry out your pores.


Last, it is always important to look for a foundation that is actually helping your skin while it is on your face. One of my favorites is Superbalanced Foundation by Clinique. This is great for both oily and dry complexions because it adds moisture where it is needed and absorbs oil wherever there is an excess. 

Favorite Foundations and Concealers 

                  

bareMinerals
Powder Foundation
$27.00
(*Has SPF!)
@Sephora

Cliniques Superbalanced
Foundation
$23.00
@Sephora

                  

Right: Erase Paste by benefit concealer $26.00 @Sephora

Left: e.l.f's Concealer & Highlighter stick 

$3.00 @Target

Save Your Skin, Use A Bronzer!

Since the weather outside is heating up, it is the perfect time to discuss alternatives to destroying your skin trying to obtain that sun kissed look. With all the great bronzers out there, it is crazy to risk your beautiful face just to have the summer glow. 

A big mistake that many people make when looking for a bronzer is selecting one that has shimmer or glitter in it. This is a HUGE mistake. Often when choosing a bronzer with shimmer/glitter your skin will look fake and greasy. The whole point of make up is to aide in looking natural and to enhance your natural beauty, shimmer will do the exact opposite. The main word to keep in mind to avoid this problem is matte. A matte finish means a finish with a non-glossy look, which is exactly how you would want your face to appear. I mean lets get real, who wants a glossy looking face?!  

Some of my favorite bronzers are equally as great, affordable, and long lasting. 

* My first pick is Sun Disk by Sephora. This bronzer is huge, lasts forever, and gives your skin the perfect subtle glow. I usually use this as my base bronzer and then use the others as detail and contour bronzers. For only $22.00 at Sephora this is a GREAT find. Sadly, Sephora has recently changed their original Sun Disk to one called Aruba that, I hate to say it, has shimmer! So, this being said if you do decide to go this route look for the previous Sun Disk that says Soleil Cuivre on the back. 

* Second on my list is amazing, not only because of how it looks, but also how it smells! Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder by Too Faced can be found at Sephora and retails at $29.00. Although you may think that it is a little pricey, it last a long time because you only need to apply a small amount in order for it to be effective. A bonus is that this bronzer smells wonderful. It is made with real cocoa and when applied to the face is a pleasant surprise to the nose. This bronzer is great all over, but i usually use is as a contour after I have applied the Sun Disk. By a contour I mean I use it to make my cheek bones more defined and add a touch also to the bridge of my nose.

* Third is a bronzer that really will give you that beach glow, naturally tanned skin tone look. Warmth All-Over Face Color by bare Minerals is a fantastic way to enhance your skin tone. It can be found anywhere that sells bare Minerals and also at Sephora for $19.00. This is a great price for such an amazing quality product. A bonus is also that it lasts for a very long time since a little goes a long way. To use this bronzer you swirl your kabuki brush in the cap of the container, tap the brush, and then apply.

* Last is a choice if you are looking for something longer lasting than make up. I usually would not suggest a self tanner because many tend to make your skin look orange, but I promise you I have found a winner! L'Oreal's Sublime Glow Spray (not wipes) works awesome and looks natural. It is one of my favorites to apply when I'm on the go to the beach or errands and just don't feel like applying any make up. You can also use in underneath your make up as well, but just make sure it drys fully before you apply. All in all it gives you a nice glow without looking fake. Just make sure to not over apply and hold it about 5 inches from your face when applying. I usually spray it in a circular motion until my face feels covered. This can be found at any supermarket or drug store and retails at $11.00.

Note: Keep an eye open for later blogs on proper brushes for bronzer application and the proper way to apply it. 

Ready, SET, Go!

 The best thing you can do to prevent your make up from disappearing from your face throughout the day is to team up a great primer and setting spray. We already went over some great primers, so now it's time to talk about setting sprays! Setting sprays are designed to set your make up on your face after it is applied. If you get a good setting spray then it should water proof your finished look. How to look for a good primer is hard since you can't really test it out, so although this is a blog about getting the best for the buck, unfortunately, this is a product that is defiantly worth spending money on. Your best bet to find a good primer is to ask someone who knows a lot about the product or find one that you need to spend a few dollars on.

*The absolute best setting spray that I have come across and swear by is All Nighter by Urban Decay. This product is available at Sephora and ranges from $29.00-$45.00. I use this on all my clients and they have all loved it and agreed that their make up lasted all night long!

* Recently, Urban Decay has also come out with two new lines of setting sprays that work just as great as the All Nighter. One is made for those who have dry skin (Dew me) and the other is made for those of you who have oily skin (De Slick). They are priced the same as the All Nighter.

* Another setting spray that I have found that is good, but not great, is Victoria's Secret's Face Prime Setting and Priming Spray. It retails for about $15.00, but is no where near as good as Urban Decay's. Yes, you are saving money, but you defiantly need to apply the spray more throughout the day where as the All Nighter you can just spray it once. It does say that you can use it as a primer too, but I found that the other primers I mentioned before worked better. 

* The final setting spray that I have found that is the best buy is e.l.f's Makeup Mist & Set that can be found at your local Target. Costing you only $3.00, this spray does work, but like Face Prime you do need to apply it throughout the day in order for it to hold up as well as the All Nighter.  

HOW TO APPLY A SETTING SPRAY: When applying a setting spray you want to make sure that your look is complete because after you spray your make up should become set! Once you have your look ready hold your breath and close your eyes. Hold the spay about five inches from your face and spray first in a cross pattern (down the middle of your face and across your eyes) and then an X across the diagonals of your face (that being starting from your temple to your jaw line). Try not to squint when applying so that your make up does not crease up. Allow a few minutes to dry and your ready set to go! 

Prime Time!

One of the best kept make up secrets is the wonderful power of a good primer. Primer is used to fill in any pores or wrinkles before applying foundation and concealer. If you have ever looked at yourself in the mirror after a long day and noticed your concealer or make up gathering in certain areas, this is because your face is porous and uneven. Everyone has uneven skin, some worse than others especially as you age, but there's a solution! When you apply a primer, as I stated before, your wrinkles or "expression lines" and pores get filled in so that there is one complete smoothed out surface to begin the next step of foundation and concealer. The key to applying primer is to use just enough and not too much. Since primer is filling in your pores you want to make sure you are not overloading your skin. Depending on what brand you get a little will go a long way, but make sure to really hit your problem areas first, like your brow lines, crows feet, and frown lines.


 Another great thing about primers is that they help your make up remain longer on your face throughout the day, it's almost like a glue, so to speak, between your skin and your make up. Of course, your primer will help your make up stay, but for the true battles of sweat, humidity, tears, etc. it is best to team your primer up with a setting spray after you have achieved your finished look, which we will talk about in the next blog! 


Also, ladies do not forget that although an all over primer is great, our eyes (especially the under eye circles) need a little extra TLC. Eye shadow is hard to keep on the eye because it is always blinking and shifting your make up around. It is also a more moist area since your eyes tend to water. So, on top of the all over primer it is always good to have an eye primer as well.


Below are some of my favorite all over primers:
 * Bare Essentials: Bare Vitamins Prime Time is one of those primers that spreads very easily throughout the skin so you only need a pea size amount for your whole face. It retails at $26.00 at Sephora. It is a little pricey, but it goes a long way since you only use a little at a time. 

* For the gals that are pinching pennies, this next primer is just as great, but doesn't hurt your wallet as much! L'Oreal's Studio Secrets Face Primer. This can be found at any local department store for only $10.99. Since this primer is a little more dense, I would use about the size of a dime throughout my face applying a little to the forehead, cheeks, nose and chin first and them smoothing it all around.

* Next is my absolute favorite eye and under eye primer. Stay Don't Stray by Benefit is one of the best eye primers I have come across. To be applied on the eye lid up to the brow and under the eye, this product does wonders. Not only does it keep your eye make up in place, but it also lightens your under eye circles before you add your concealer. It is costly at $26.00 from Sephora, but once again it last a long time since only about a pin head amount is needed for each application. 

* Now for another great eye primer, but not nearly expensive is e.l.f's Essential Eyelid Primer. I picked this up at my local Target shop just to see how it works and it ended up working great especially for the price! For only $1.00, yes you heard me right... ONE DOLLAR, it is definitely a great find. I will admit it is not as great as Benefit's, but will get the job done and get it done nicely. 

HAPPY PRIMING EVERYONE!

BB CREAM A.K.A The Miracle Moisturizer

The United States is finally catching up with the U.K. on beauty products. A lot of you have probably heard of a thing called "BB Cream" lately and wondering what in the world it was, well I'm hear to tell you! BB stands for Blemish Balm. Many different companies have it out right now, but the best for the buck I have found is Garnier's B.B. Cream. It is a tinted moisturizer  that evens out and tones your face. It also SPF 15 which is great because we all know how that beautiful sun isn't so nice to our skin. It is hard to believe how great it covers up being that it feels so weightless on your skin. It comes in various shades to match all skin types. So while your skin looks perfect after application, it is also being protected and corrected!  It is great for those who like to use a base moisturizer before make up (you might even get away with skipping the concealer), but is also great for those who wear little, if no make up at all. Just a simple touch to enhance the face! This is such a great find and I hope you all try it out! Find it in any local drug store for only $11.99.

                                           

The Never Ending Search For The Right Mascara

Are you tired of the never ending search to find a mascara that fulfills all of your lashes needs, well I am! It seems to me like it is impossible to find a mascara that increases lash volume AND gives your lashes great length at the same time. Why should you have to choose which feature of your lashes you want to enhance and what if you in fact need help in both lash departments? Well, fear not my beauties! I have come up with a great lash solution, it is called mixing it up. Buy a mascara that lengthens and buy another that volumizes then use them together! This technique has really given me the desired look that I have been trying to get from using just one single mascara. Right now my favorite combination has been Maybelline's Illegal Lashes and Rimmel's Lash Accelortator. Although these both are lengthening mascaras and not volumizing, for some reason, it does both jobs. The Illegal Lashes actually adds small tube like extensions on your lashes and Rimmel's mascara actually helps your lashes grow over time. First I apply the Lash Accelortator to my entire lashes and then I apply Illegal Lengths to mostly the ends of my lashes. Whenever you apply mascara you should start at the base of your lashes and bring the brush forward in a zigzag motion allowing each lash to be coated. Together these make your lashes stand right out! If you find that this combination is not volumizing enough for you  then try matching one of them with a volumizing mascara, two of my favorites being Maybelline's The Colossal Volume and Falsies mascaras.  

      

Maybelline's Illegal Lengths

 

                                Rimmel's Lash Accelerator    

        

Maybelline's The Colossal Volume

       

Maybelline's Falsies

On a side note, remeber gals that mascaras don't last a lifetime! It may seem like it is "A OK" , but if you have had a mascara more than  six weeks then its time for a replacment. Since used with the eye, mascara slowly builds up bacteria and by over using it you risk the chance of an eye infection. Also, not sharing mascara will also decrease the chance of infection. Another sign your mascara is getting too old is its texture and smell. If it is starting to become clumpy and dry or has a chemical type smell to it then it's time to toss it out. To keep it fresh during the time in which your using it try not to pump the mascara wand more than once or twice because each time your pushing air into the container which will speed up the drying out of your mascara.