Raging Rouge Beauty Blog: For Makeup Lovers Everywhere!
We can all use a lesson or two when it comes to makeup application. Tips and tricks provided by world-renowned professional artists are below, including online resources, how-to guides, tutorials and more.
Don’t be mid-led, readers! There are a lot of beauty myths floating around, and we’ve all fallen for at least one of them in our lifetime! Today Nick Arrojo, of Arrojo Studio and author of Great Hair: Secrets to Looking Fabulous and Feeling Beautiful Every Day helps to set the record straight when it comes to three common hair myths.
Is there something in the air? A couple of months ago, I changed my light honey-brown tresses to a dark chestnut shade. I feel like a rock star! Apparently, I’m not the only one going darker. Today, Brett Freedman shares some tips with us on how to select a darker shade of hair-color, and what makeup to select after you do the deed!
According to Brett:
I think a lot of women think ‘What hair color do I look best in?’ In truth most women can pull off just about any hair color. It’s the tone and shade that need to be just right for you. A good rule of thumb is not to stray too far from what you were born with. Nature knows what it’s doing. Also keep in mind that your ‘best’ look is always subjective. Most people like what they are comfortable seeing you with. If you’ve always been a blonde and go darker, your fun-loving adventurous friends will embrace it, while your ‘don’t stray from the tried and true’ pals may balk. I like to err on the daring side, that way you’re never boring! A good way to make a new hair color look fresh is to change the cut, too…and especially your makeup! That way it’s not the same ol’ you (just in a darker model).
Here are some great tips from Brett for newly darker gals (like Lauren Conrad, Jessica Biel or Ashley Greene) to switch up their makeup to give the whole look a fresh feeling.
Skin: Since darker hair gives more contrast to the skin I like to give the color a little boost. Jemma Kidd School Bronzing Trio is a universally flattering face warmer that has a beautiful touch of shimmer.
Cheeks and lips: Embrace golds and apricots. Try a soft golden gloss over your fave lip color to give it a twinge of a different look. Benefit’s 24K is great alone, too. For the trendy gal a highly-pigmented, lipstick matched with dark hair is amazing. Revlon’s Matte lipstick in Smoked Peach is gorgeous. For cheeks, try a soft, peachy blush. Bobbi Brown’s Apricot Shimmerbrick blush is a unique way to add glow to your skin without the usual pink.
Brows: Go bold this winter with the hottest look in makeup: very defined, structured brows and deep lips (a classic Hollywood look). A rule of thumb is to fill in brows a shade lighter than the hairs. For girls with L.C.’s coloring, try Vanitymark’s Ultra-Brow pencil in Blondie. To amp up the look and accentuate new lowlights, perhaps try going a touch darker on the brows – try Vanitymark’s Milk Choco shade and really define the tail. Sexy!
Lashes: The eyes really pop when framed by darker hair, so less is more. Try doing lots of lashes. Curl your fringe before and after applying mascara. Chanel does some beautiful mascaras that have jewel-toned hues. They don’t really read as a color until up close or in daylight. It’s a terrific way to add interest without going overboard!
Beauty consumers everywhere swear by the advice of famed “Cosmetics Cop” Paula Begoun. With permission from Paula, I am republishing her list of “10 Makeup Commandments” for your reading pleasure. Don’t foget to check out her book, Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, and her online resource: Beautypedia.com.
10 Makeup Commandments by Paula Begoun:
1. Expensive Doesn’t Mean Better! There are good and bad products in all price categories, and there are brilliant inexpensive products you should absolutely consider before going for the expensive stuff.
2. Shop With A Clean Slate! If you plan to test foundation or concealer, visit the store or salon with a clean, bare face that’s prepped for makeup application, or be willing to take off the makeup you have on.
3. The Right Light is Key! Always check foundation, concealer and powder colors in natural light. Department store lighting is deceiving; what looks perfect under artificial light can look glaringly wrong in broad daylight.
4. Tone Down the Shine! Be careful with shiny blush and eyeshadow. Generally, for daytime makeup, a blush with a matte finish or just a hint of sheen works best. Shinier makeup is best reserved for evening use or special occasions.
5. It’s All in the Tools! Whenever possible, test powder-based products (e.g., blush, eyeshadow) with the appropriate brushes. Avoid sponge-tip applicators for eyeshadows and those cheap, super-tiny brushes often packaged with powder blushes.
6. Protect Those Peepers & Lips! Never test mascara or liquid eyeliner in the store. Even if the brand offers disposable applicators, you don’t know how many people have double-dipped, how old the testers are, or how contaminated they may be. We know it’s a pain, but for the health of your eyes, it’s best to purchase these products and test them at home. The same is true when it comes to lip glosses. Most glosses have sponge-tip or brush applicators that can harbor germs from other people. It’s best to swipe the gloss on the top of your hand so you can get a sense of how the color “reads” on your skin and can assess its texture and finish.
7. Smack On Lips, Not Germs! Before you test a lipstick on your lips, have a salesperson sanitize it for you with an alcohol-based spray. Lipsticks at the counter can become contaminated with germs and microbes that you don’t want near your mouth. No alcohol spray? Then wipe off several layers of lipstick with a clean tissue or have the sales associate “shave” off the top portion of the lipstick with a disposable spatula.
8. Take Cues from the Pros! See a cosmetics salesperson whose makeup you admire? Ask them for application tips, especially if their skin tone is similar to yours. Chances are good you’ll pick up some great tips and begin to feel more confident about selecting the best colors for your needs.
9. When In Doubt, Take It Back and Try Again! If you buy a product that doesn’t work for you, don’t be afraid to take it back. Almost all drugstores and mass-market stores (think Rite Aid and Wal-Mart) will provide a complete refund on cosmetics purchases if you have the receipt—even if the item has been used.
10. Bye, Bye Blues! Lastly, as stated in Paula’s first book, Blue Eyeshadow Should Be Illegal, AVOID blue eyeshadow. Unless it’s a deep navy, which can almost pass for black, most shades of blue are difficult to work with. Plus, they do not play up blue eyes; actually, the opposite is true. The same goes for any eyeshadow shade that’s too colorful, including orange, green, fuchsia, teal and especially red, which can make your eye area look inflamed rather than attractive. Not ready to give up such shades? Think of the fashion magazine covers you’ve admired, and then ask yourself: How many of those models or celebrities were sporting bright, colorful eye designs?
What a special treat, readers! Today, the fabulous Jemma Kidd brings us her personal tips for achieving the sexiest red lips for Valentine’s Day!
Application:
– No lipstick looks good on chapped lips and some matte lipsticks dry lips even more. Keep lips smooth and moisturized with a balm containing natural oils, such as beeswax, and SPF. If you have chapped lips, apply balm and after a few minutes massage gently with a soft toothbrush or muslin cloth.
– Dab foundation around the lip are and over the lip itself. It will tone down any redness and ensures the line of the lips will be sharp and defined.
– Use a matching waxy lipliner to prevent any bleed around the lips. Spend time drawing the outline, making sure the lips are completely symmetrical and the bow is even. An uneven top lip shows up with red lipstick more than any other color. Start at the V of the Cupid’s bow and take the liner right into the corners.
– Fill in the lip with the pencil to hold the lipstick in place and make it last longer. Go over the pencil color with a lip brush, working it into any creases.
– Paint on the lipstick using a lip brush for precision, starting in one corner and working inward. Use the tip of the brush for the edges and the flat of the brush for larger areas. Blot with a tissue and apply another coat.
– Add a dab of gloss in a clear or slightly lighter shade at the center of the lower lip and press your lips together. High-shine glossy lips create instant glamour, make the lips look fuller, and draw attention to your mouth-a luscious evening look.
Attitude:
– Red lips spell grown-up glamour and should be worn with confidence.
– Hair color is irrelevant when choosing the right shade of red – it’s skin tone that counts. Pink tones are best suited to cooler “blue reds,” while darker, Mediterranean, and Asian skins are better suited to “orange reds.”
– Deep, plumy reds look fantastic on dark skin, cool blue-based reds suit pink-toned and pale skin, while orange-based reds are less draining on a warmer complexion (but make sure it doesn’t accentuate any redness in your cheeks).
– Red lips will be the focus, so keep the rest of your make-up minimal.
– A red-tinted lipgloss will give a more subtle effect.
– Try not to touch your mouth so you don’t risk smudging the lipstick. Matte finishes are more resistant to smudging than gloss.
“Lip color is one of the most fun and accessible areas of make-up, and also one of the most noticeable. From pretty and natural through classic and sophisticated to glamorous and vampish, how we make up our lips can change our mood in an instant”
Are you a red head in search of makeup tips? Reba McEntire’s makeup artist, Brett Freedman, has these great tips and tricks for you!
BROWS: A clean, structured brow is really in right now, but freckles around the brows can make the area look messy. Try dabbing on a bit of concealer to ‘clean up’ the area.
It’s important to find a great brow pencil that works for your coloring. Always err on the lighter, blonder side of pencils than darker shades if you’re unsure. Brett specifically created Vanitymark’s Gingerella Ultra-Brow Pencil for strawberry blonds and brighter red locks like Reba’s. If you’re more of a deep henna redhead (think Emma Stone), Vanitymark’s Auburnista is the shade for you!
CHEEKS: You don’t want too much color on cheeks, or you’ll end up looking doll-like. Forego blush and try a highlighter to catch the light instead! Brett loves Benefit Girl Meets Pearl.
LIPS: Plums shades look great on red-haired mavens. Try a wine or plum lipstick for a dramatic lip that’s more unusual than the standard red. Clinique has a bunch of great shades in this family – in order of sheer to dark, try Black Honey, Perfect Plum or Vintage Wine.