2010 Resolutions

I know I'm a few days late, but I've been really giving my New Year's Resolutions a lot of thought. I have come up with a few things that I'm going to resolve to do. I'm not really interested in saying, "I'm going to lose 25 pounds," or "I'm going to work out every single day." First off, making a resolution like that would be setting myself up for failure. As far as health goes, I'm resolving to cut back on the cheesy, chocolatey, fried foods that have been a staple in my diet. Now, notice I said 'cut back' - not cut out. Because I've learned that depriving myself ruins the whole thing. I'm going to work on adding in more fruits and vegetables. Maybe instead of grabbing a cookie when I'm having a sweet craving, I'll eat an apple instead.

As far as my beauty resolutions go, washing my face thoroughly every single night is one of them. Every once in a while I will go to bed, forgetting to wash my face. This is a terrible habit that I tell my clients every single day not to do. Forgetting to wash your face leaves all the yucky makeup on, clogging your pores causing breakouts and dulls the skin. If you're lazy and don't feel like standing at the sink to wash your face, keep a package of Estee Lauder's Take It Away Makeup-Removing Wipes ($17.50) in your bedside drawer. When you're in bed, you can just pull one out and wipe away all your makeup, even mascara and eyeliner.

That being said, washing your face with a cleanser and water benefits you more because the warm water opens up pores, purging them of dirt and grime. As far as dry skin goes (you're dry if you don't ever get any oily patches and your skin can get tight and sometimes flaky), you'll want to use something gentle that will still take off makeup. DDF Non-Drying Gentle Cleanser ($32) is a very creamy cleanser that gently removes makeup and environmental impurities in the skin.

Clinique's Foaming Mousse Cleanser ($20) is a very lightweight, instant-foaming cleanser that quickly washes everything off the skin. Another bonus - because it's a liquid that instantly foams when you pump it, you just need one tiny pump of cleanser, so the bottle lasts forever and ever. Sweet! That helps save some money in the New Year, another little resolution of mine.

If you have normal/combination skin, you've probably got a little oil through the T-Zone (the forehead down the nose and chin) and your cheeks probably aren't really either oily or dry. Fresh's Soy Face Cleanser ($15) is a gentle, soap-free cleanser that takes everything away without leaving any grimy residue. Lancome's Creme Radiance ($24) is a creamy foaming cleanser that takes everything off and leaves the ski

n feeling squeaky clean.

If you have oily skin, you've more than likely got oil all over the face, not just in the T-Zone. Oily-skinned people (like me) tend to break out a little bit more often because the pores can get clogged up with excess oil and dirt. Kate Somerville's Purifying Exfoliating Cleanser ($32) lathers up and removes oil, dirt, makeup, and any other impurities on the skin, while also helping to slough off dead skin that dulls the complexion and builds up in the pores, causing more breakouts. If you are broken out, Korres' Thyme and Sage Facial Gel Cleanser ($21) is plant-derived and all-natural, perfect for skin that breaks out from fragranced products or other unnatural ingredients. Another great option is Clinique's Liquid Facial Soap for Oily Skin

($15) which dispense the perfect amount in one pump and removes everything from oily skin.

There is one other product that I'm so obsessed with it's ridiculous, and that's Lancome's Huile Douceur ($34.50). It's a cleansing oil that works perfectly for any skin type and it removes absolutely everything from the skin. I was scared of it at first because it really looks like a bottle filled with vegetable oil. The great thing is it takes everything off and doesn't leave a greasy residue. All you do is put a little on dry fingers and massage it into the skin, and even around the eyes because it takes off eye makeup (including waterproof). After you've got it rubbed all over the skin well, you just dampen your fingers a little and rub that water in - miraculously, the oil will actually lather up. Then, you just splash away the lather and rinse it all off and your skin is clean, refreshed, and super smooth. An added bonus - Huile Douceur smells unbelievable.

Another resolution of mine is to moisturize! I have super oily skin, and a lot of moisturizers can feel too heavy to wear during the day under my makeup. I will say, though, that I love Clinique's Moisture Surge (reference back to my post about good moisturizers I recommend). That's one I can put on under my makeup and it will still look perfectly smooth and won't get shiny throughout the day. I've learned something - moisturized skin always looks younger, more luminous, and more healthy. And always use a moisturizer at night - you lose three times more moisture in your sleep than you do during the day when you're awake. Why? Because you're asleep, so you're not drinking anything usually that's helping bring moisture into your skin. So slap on some moisturizer!

Drinking more water is another beauty resolution of mine. I watched a special study on drinking water and how it affects your skin, and some scientists and dermatologists have stated that drinking water doesn't actually clear up acne or breakouts. But, it does provide the body and skin with lots and lots of much-needed moisture. Bottoms up!

My last big beauty resolution is to go more natural. In high school, I did the natural thing. But once I got to college and in the years since, I've always gone for super-dramatic makeup. I've worn all the bright colors of eyeshadows and lipsticks, bold designs on my eyes, anything and everything you can imagine. I've drawn inspiration from ads for MAC and Makeup Forever and tried their unique, interesting, and bold looks on my own face. I don't just do this when I'm going out, I wear this look during the daytime, too. Of course, I can probably get away with more than the average person because I work at a makeup counter that has a lot of bold, bright colors, but I'm feeling the need to simplify a little bit and wear my makeup lighter. I want to have fresh, bright, radiant skin. I want to have naturally blushing cheeks. I want my eyes to look bright and wide awake. These women below are some of my inspiration for a fresh natural look that I'm going to try to emulate more this year. And don't worry, I won't ever give up my red lipstick, no matter how natural I go.

I love Zooey Deschanel's matte, flawless skin, nude lips, and super long lashes.

Scarlett Johansson's skin is so radiant and glowing - gorgeous.

Sandra Bullock's look is a little more dramatic than the rest because of her rimmed eyes and rosy blush, but the pale pink lipstick looks natural and the perfect finish to her look.

Reese Witherspoon's look is amazing, and I feel very lucky because my skin tone is very similar to hers. I love that she's groomed her brows perfectly, added a light pink blush, and her makeup is pretty much natural aside from that great red lipstick. Beautiful!

You might not recognize this girl, but it's Nikki Reed, of Twilight and New Moon fame. She plays a pale, light blonde vampire, but I think this red carpet look is a million times better. Her skin looks luminous and fresh, and that little touch of dark eyeliner finishes the look.

Natalie Portman is the epitome of fresh-faced beauty. She's a modern-day Audrey Hepburn, whose skin is always flawless. Love her!

French actress Marion Cotillard (of La Vie En Rose fame) looks gorgeous with her rosy full lips and light eyeshadow.

Mandy Moore never fails to have bright, dewy skin and a radiant smile.

Liv Tyler's super-natural look shows off her flawless skin and amazing smile.

"Glee" actress Lea Michele goes glam with a bronzy blush and extra thick eyelashes with otherwise natural makeup. So pretty.

Twilight and New Moon actress Kristen Stewart proves that all-natural and low-maintenance is beautiful.

"Nip/Tuck" actress Kelly Carlson keeps looking young and fresh with smooth, flawless skin, perfectly arched brows, and shiny lips.

Katherine Heigl is forever looking luminous and glowy with perfect skin. I love the long, dark lashes and pale pink lips she wears here. This is a great look for everyday.

Kate Winslet is yet another natural beauty with fresh skin, defined eyes, and shiny lips. She can do no wrong.

Kate Bosworth is the kind of pretty that almost makes you want to puke. Her skin looks amazing here, and she's finished off her look with black eyeliner, mascara, and the prettiest flushing cheeks.

How could you not include Jennifer Aniston on a list of the most gorgeous celebrities who wear very natural makeup? She's hit her forties now and still manages to look very young because of her perfect skin.

I love when Across the Universe actress Evan Rachel Woods ditches the dark, dramatic hair and makeup and goes natural. Everything about her face is absolutely perfect, and this lighter look shows it off much better.

Ellen Pompeo of "Grey's Anatomy" looks incredible with her smooth skin, lined eyes, and natural lips. She looks just as hot on the show with her scrubs on, too.

Cate Blanchett is a spokesperson for SK-II skincare, and although I've never tried their products, they must pay off because her skin looks incredible.

Camilla Belle's a gorgeous throwback to old Hollywood glamour with her absolutely flawless, matte skin, super defined, dark eyebrows, and bright red lipstick. Even without the red lipstick, she looks like sheer perfection.

My final muse is Audrey Hepburn. Although this look pictured below isn't quite that natural, what with the super dark eyelilner, she exuded such elegance and glamour that so many women aspire to. Not just her outer appearance were impressive, either - her work for UNICEF continues to inspire me.

I'll leave you with some famous words from Audrey Hepburn. Best wishes in 2010!

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." - Audrey Hepburn

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." - Audrey Hepburn

Ravishing Redheads

I love red hair, from natural coppery red to dark burgundy red that obviously came from a bottle (a color I wore for about two years). One thing I've noticed when looking through some pictures of some of my favorite redheaded celebrities is that they all define their brows perfectly, wear their foundation smoothly, and keep it pretty natural with a soft glow. They don't over do any crazy colors or anything that clash with their bold hair color, their makeup is just soft and neutral, often warm tones that compliment their hair. The finishing product on all of these ladies is just beautiful :)

First up is the one and only Lucille Ball, comedic legend. She was insanely bold, always wearing her signature red lips with her orange-red hair. Surprisingly enough, it doesn't clash - it just looks classic and perfect. In a time when men really ruled the world, she stood out not like a sore thumb but like a beacon of light, paving the way for other unique women who just wanted to have a good time and make people laugh. So she gets a double-whammy beauty award from me - not just amazing for her looks, but amazing for standing out. I love Lucy!

Next up is Marcia Cross, star of Desperate Housewives. I'll be honest, I think I've only watched two episodes of the show, but I'll always remember her from Melrose Place. I love how she plays up her beautiful eyes by sometimes adding a touch of either purple or green, two colors which always look good on a redhead. Her alabaster skin is always perfectly flawless - she's gorgeous!

Now we come to Kate Walsh, who plays Dr. Addison Montgomery on Private Practice (love that show, and her character). She has unbelievable bone structure and isn't afraid to try different looks (like the dark burgundy lips with her dark red hair). I don't know that I've ever seen Kate look bad!

Next up, I've got Julianne Moore. She's another redhead who isn't afraid of purple (she actually got married in a pale lavender dress!). Her hair is always shiny and smooth, and she finishes her face with soft, perfectly matte skin and smoldering eyes. She's definitely someone I wish we saw more of.

Another actress I wish we saw more of (she's insanely funny, like her husband, Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen) is Isla Fisher. She switches her hair up from her natural red to soft brown sometimes, and either way she looks great, although I'm partial to the red. Her makeup is always absolutely flawless, just accentuating her beautiful eyes. Love her!

One of my all-time favorite actresses is is Debra Messing. She really has followed in the footsteps of Lucille Ball by being incredibly beautiful and outrageously funny. Will and Grace is my favorite show that's ever been on TV, and a lot of it has to do with Debra. She never fails to look fabulous, always emphasizing her unbelievably gorgeous eyes and accentuating her brilliant smile with natural lips. It's a crime to be this beautiful.

Mad Men star Christina Hendricks has to make my list, of course. She's got these beautiful eyes and a full, pouty mouth and that fiery hair. Of course, everything from the neck down is pretty incredible, too - she's extremely voluptuous and curvy, which she's very proud of and shows off, another thing I love about her. How sexy!

And finally, we come to British singing sensation, Adele. A curvy woman (gotta love that) with an unbelievable voice. She often goes for the old Hollywood look with dramatic black eyeliner, which I adore. She's gorgeous, and you should check out her music, too!

Is there a redhead you think is beautiful? What does you think makes her beautiful? I want to know!

Eye Love Eyeliner <3

I'm a big fan of eyeliner - all colors, styles, and application techniques. They can be used to make that sexy, smudgy, smokey eye or the old Hollywood cat eye, and no matter what, they all make your lashes look super thick. Here are a few of my favorites and some tips on how to use them.

For the dark smokey eye, I recommend using a pencil that comes with a sponge tip on the opposite end to use for smudging. I like Dior's Crayon Eyeliner ($26) because it's waterproof, which means it's going to hold through hell and high water. It glides on precise, but with the sponge on the end, you can softly blend it out. I like to use Trinidad Black, which is a jet black. To get the smokey look, you just line from the outer corner to the inner corner on the top lash line. As far as the bottom lash line goes, it's a matter of preference as to whether you want to go from the outer corner halfway in or all the way in to the inner corner (if you have small eyes, only go halfway because if you go all the way, it will just make your eyes look that much smaller). Then, before the liner sets as all waterproof liners do, you take the sponge on the end and just blend softly in small strokes until it's just smudged enough to not be a precise line. Then, with a stiff-bristle brush, smudge a dark charcoal grey or black eyeshadow along the eyeliner and a little bit out past it. I like Urban Decay's Matte Eyeshadow in Perversion, which is a matte black.

When you do a dramatic, smokey eye like this, I recommend sticking with natural makeup everywhere else, with just a touch of blush and a soft, natural lip. This way, it doesn't look too overwhelming.

I also like when people do the smokey eye with different colors, like deep purples, blues, or greens. Here are some examples.

I'm also a big fan of the old Hollywood, super glamorous cat-eye with a precise, black line. Most of the time, liquid eye liners or brush-on ones in a cream or gel form are the best kinds to get this look. Stila Smudge Pots ($20) are gels that can actually be used as eyeliner or even a cream eyeshadow. If you use a small, stiff brush similar to a lip brush, it will glide on perfectly smooth and precise. I pull out the corner of the eye with one hand, while brushing on the eyeliner with the other. This takes some practice and you have to angle the wing on the end differently depending on your eye shape, so just keep practicing and you'll get the hang of it.

I've mentioned before another liquid liner that I really like - Lancome's Artliner ($28) which has a long, pointy, felt tip that's incredibly easy to apply and stays on all day without flaking.

I like dramatic looks with the black liquid eyeliner, too, that are a little more fresh and modern, a little less Hollywood glamour.

I love bright colors, too. Makeup Forever's Aqua Eyes ($17) are incredible eyeliner-eyeshadow hybrids that come in a ton of different colors and can be matte or shimmery. They're waterproof, so they stay on incredibly long and look super awesome.

Brighten Up in 2010 :)

Hey there! Sorry it's been a while since I've posted - the holiday season gets pretty hectic when you work crazy retail hours. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's.

Lately, I've gotten a lot of inquiries about how to brighten up under the eyes. Not just with makeup, but also what skincare products really help get rid of those yucky dark circles and puffy bags.

One of Lancome's newest creations, Genefique Eye Youth Activating Concentrate ($59) is at the top of my list of all-time favorite products ever made, and obviously at the top of my list of best products to get rid of dark circles and puffiness. It's a gel-cream that's lightweight and can be applied under any makeup because it sinks right into the skin and leaves a smooth, velvety finish. It boasts that within 7 days, the skin will look brighter, more luminous, and radiant. All signs of fatigue are gone. The science behind Genefique Eye is that it boosts gene activity in the skin cells and stimulates the skin's production of youth proteins that are in everyone's skin. As you get older, these proteins break down and wear out, and depending on the level of damage the skin has, Genefique Eye will work differently for everyone. It's by far one of the most amazing products I've ever used. Lancome also has Genefique for the face ($78-$98) and will be coming out around late January/early February with a cream version of both that will not only brighten the skin as the Youth Activating Concentrate does, but it will also provide plenty of moisture that everyone needs, too.

As far as makeup goes to help cover dark circles that just won't go away, I recommend using a yellow-based concealer. Dark circles are nothing more than pooled-up blood that appears purple, and on the color wheel, yellow is opposite purple. This means that the yellow will counter-balance that purple-y look, helping effectively hide those ugly circles. One of the best yellow concealers is Benefit's Lemon-Aid Eyelid Cream ($20). Yes, it's called 'eyelid cream' and it is technically intended for use as an eye base, but I've actually never once used it as such. I use it as an under-eye concealer because of it's creamy, yellow appearance and it always instantly make my eyes look a million times brighter.

Another awesome under-eye concealer that's won tons of awards is Yves Saint Laurent's Touch Eclat ($40). It doesn't come in a yellow shade, but what it does do is reflect light. By doing this, it helps brighten the eye area and banishes shadows. *(Another trick I like with this is to put it on the inner corners of the eyes - it instantly widens them if they're set close together). It comes in a nifty click-pen contraption with a brush on the end, and you just brush it right on - super easy.

I also recommend setting the concealer with a light sweep of loose powder (not too much or it'll make the skin look crepey) that also reflects light. It will help hold the concealer in place and keep the area looking smooth and luminous all day. Laura Mercier's Secret Brightening Powder ($22) is perfect, and can actually be used all over the face if necessary, too.

Good luck with having bright eyes in 2010! Make sure to get plenty of rest (not just for those puffy circles, but for your all-around wellbeing) and drink lots of water, too - that always helps!