Makeup Tips & Tricks How to get the false eyelash look:

1. After you curl your lashes, apply a thin layer of powder to the top and bottom of your lashes before you apply your mascara. You can just run an eyebrow brush over your powder compact or use baby powder.
2. Apply two coats of mascara to the bottom and top of your lashes, waiting 3-5 minutes between the coats to avoid that clumpy look. A cool trick for doing the bottom lashes is to use a plastic spoon under the lashes to prevent getting it on your skin.  Turn the spoon upside down so that the bowl of the spoon is under your lashes.
3. When you apply the mascara also go back and forth rather than just moving the wand from base to the tips.
4. Check the lashes. If you see any gaps use the tip of your wand to apply another coat of mascara to individual lashes or you can use the tip of a liquid eyeliner brush to fill the gaps.

How to Apply Blush Like a Pro:

1. Choose the blush best for your skin. Gel and powder work best for oily skin; cream is best for normal/dry skin.  The shade should match your skin tone when you blush or make a tight fist for about ten seconds, the color on your fingers is what you will want to match.
2. Apply in a well- lit space after you have washed, put on foundation and concealer
3. If you choose a powder, use a fluffy brush and apply the powder to the brush, tap it out to remove any excess.
4. If you selected a cream or gel, dab a small amount to your cheeks with your ring finger. Make a fish face to find the apple of your cheek.  Smiling will raise your cheeks up and your blush will be too low.
5. Stroke your cheeks with a brush towards the nose out to the side of the face toward your ears with the concentration of color on the apples.  Try not to make diagonal lines to avoid an unnatural look.
6. Use a clean brush for blending. Brush downward at the end of blending to allow the facial hairs to lie smoothly.
7. To get a more youthful look, and who doesn’t want that, apply the blush on each side no lower than your nostril and no closer to your nose than your pupil.
8. Too much powder blush? Cover it with a translucent powder to tame the color.  If it’s a cream you want to correct, just blot it with a tissue, and a gel can just be washed off and reapplied.
9. Dust your face with a translucent powder to set your look.

Blush emphasizes the redness of broken skin and pimples.  If you are broken out you should forgo blush and all powder and creams until your skin improves

Sandi’s Q & A

Q:  My lips seem to be dry and peeling and lipstick makes it worse. What causes it and is there something I can do to fix it? A: There are several reasons that lips can become dry; a vitamin deficiency, allergic reaction, dehydration, smoking, excessive lip licking, sun exposure and harsh weather.  It is not possible to know what is causing your condition. There are many products that will moisturize lips such as Burt’s Bees lip balm, however don’t overuse lip balms. The average woman uses balms two -thirty times a day! Here are some home remedies you can try for dry lips:

1. 2- teaspoons of sugar
2. 1-teaspoon honey

Leave on for a few minutes then gently rub in circular motion to exfoliate Rinse with warm water.

• Try using honey applied several times a day.
• Apply a mixture of honey and glycerin to lips at bedtime,
• Coat with coconut oil several times a day.
• Use aloe, cucumber or petroleum jelly throughout the day.

Q:  I have small bumps all over my upper arms and I can’t get rid of them.  What causes them? A:   It sounds as though you are describing Keratosis Pilaris, a variant of eczema.  This is a harmless condition caused by extra skin cells that cluster around hair follicles causing a knob to form and elevate.  This condition is quite common and cannot be completely removed, as it may be genetic, yet you can make the skin feel smoother:

• Use a chemical exfoliator wash with 15% glycolic acid.
• Wash with a gentle moisturizing cleanser such as Dove.
• Wear a sunscreen of 30 SPF.

Q:  My heels are an embarrassment because they are always hard and callused.  I avoid going for a pedicure because of it.  How can I do it at home? A:  Corns and calluses are patches of hard, thickened skin.  This condition is often caused from the rubbing irritation created by ill-fitting shoes. There are some home remedies:

1. Rub pumice stone on the wet skin.  Don’t try to do this all in one day if there is an excessive accumulation, do a little each day and moisturize the area each time after completing the process.
2. Apply Castor Oil to the area.
3. Soak in an Epsom Salt footbath then exfoliate.
4. Crush 5 aspirin, 1 teaspoon lemon, and ½ teaspoon water to make a paste.  Cover with plastic wrap and a heated towel, leave on for 10 minutes then remove and gently rub with pumice stone then repeat the procedure until smooth.

Q:  What are the newest lip colors this season? A:  While this column does not promote specific products I have gathered a list of the colors that appear to be poplar this season and who makes them:

• Maybelline – Very Cherry (pink-red)
• Essence – Dare to Wear (pink-red)
• Body Shop Color Crush – Damson in Distress (a magenta)
• Rimmel London Moisture Renew – Diva Red (true red)
• M.A.C. matte – Fashion Revival (deep raspberry)
• Clinique Long last soft matte lipstick – Matt plum (magenta)
• Nars Audacious soft matte – Vera (blue-red)

Q:  I need to buy some makeup brushes, but I find there is such a difference in prices and I am confused whether to buy natural or synthetic bristles. A:  Natural bristle brushes are great for using with powders since they grab well. Synthetic brushes are usually polyester or nylon and work well with cream-based formulations such as concealer, foundation, and lipstick. Q:  I would like a recipe for cleaning my makeup brushes since the one I use seems to be too soapy and I’m not sure they are being disinfected at the same time. A:  Here’s a good brush cleaning recipe that you might try:

• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup 90% alcohol
• ½ tablespoon dish soap
• ½ tablespoon shampoo
• 1 tablespoon of leave-in-hair conditioner

Put the mixture in a jar and mix well.  You can dip the brushes in the solution one at a time and repeat as needed until clean or pour some of the mixture over each brush into a small bowl and repeat swishing each brush until clean.  Rinse under warm water.  Lay flat on a towel to dry.  Your brushes should sparkle and be sanitized. Views:]]>