Don't Be Afraid of Eye Shadow

Lets talk about the basics.

Tools

You will need a good quality eye shadow brush. For detail work, also have on hand an eyeliner brush .
As a last resort, you can use a q-tip or your finger. Brushes are best, though, so invest in a good quality brush as soon as time and budget allow.



The basic application includes:
1. Prime your entire eye area (lower and upper eye lid, and all the way up to your eye brow) with your mineral foundation.
2. Apply your lighter colors first, the medium shades next, and lastly, your darkest shades. You can use the same brush for all colors this way. If you use a separate eye shadow brush for each color, then you can apply the colors in any order.
3. Blend, blend blend. Unless you are specifically going for a harsh, strong look (very rare!), then blend all edges well. You don't want to be able to see the line where one color ends and one begins. So again... blend well.

Eye Shape

Look into a mirror and determine the extent of eye lid that shows when your eyes are fully open.
If your lid isn't visible enough, use cream on the eye lid (or other light color that you choose).
If your lid shows too much, use brown on the eye lid (or other dark color that you choose).
If you have the perfect amount of eye lid showing, you can make the decision whether you apply a dark shade or a light shade to your eye lid.

Keep in mind that darker colors will recede, while lighter colors will become more prominent.
Also, depending upon your preference, you can apply your eye makeup either in a rounded shape (following the contour of your eye and brow bone), or in a winged shape (flaring out in a triangle shape).
Try both and see which you prefer. Some eye shapes will look best with the rounded style, while others shine with the winged shape. Some people can use either and look great.

To correct wide set eyes, apply more shadow on the inside area of your eye (next to the nose, and up toward your brow).

To correct close-set eyes, apply most of your eye makeup on the outer corner of your eye.

Choose your colors.  

If in doubt, just about everyone can use brown eye colors successfully, because they will mimic shadows on your face.

Before applying eye makeup, prime the area first by applying a light layer of your loose powder mineral foundation all around your eye, and up to your brow bone.

Then try two different looks to experiment. First, try a rounded look. This is simply when you follow the natural, round contour of your eye lid.

Then try a winged look. A winged look is a flaring triangle shape that gets wider toward the outer corner of your eye.

Decide which you prefer. This will depend upon your face shape.

Once you are ready to apply your eye makeup, apply your shadow to both eyes in the chosen style, either winged or rounded.

You can either apply the shadow to just the crease (fold) area, or the crease and the lid area. This is just up to you.

Apply a lighter color like cream to your brow bone (right under your eye brow).

BLEND WELL. This is KEY!! Smudge those edges until it all blends together!

Next apply eye liner (I prefer a pencil or loose powder with an angled brush), to the upper and lower lash lines, beginning at the outer corner of the eye and stopping about 2/3 of the way to the inner corner. Leave it defined if you like, or smudge it for a natural look.

Mascara is next. I prefer beauty tubes. There are two kinds that I know of one by Blinc and one by Loreal.  NO smudging or smearing during the day; even in the humid climate. It comes in many colors.....

What I like most about it, is that it slips right off your lashes when you wash your face at night!  Little tubes come off on your hand and rinse away... VERY cool. After that, you're done. You can apply eye brow color if need be, but most
people don't need to.

For night time, apply your makeup heavier or use darker shades or even sparkly/shimmery colors!

Eye makeup is really so easy... don't make it harder than it is!

Just keep in mind:

Blend well, go with browns and creams if you can't decide on colors, stay with mattes and neutrals for day, and save your darker or shimmery colors for night. 

Bring on the Color but Do it Right

Natural Make Up

Your cheeks have a natural color to them. Also, if you've been in the sun, certain areas of your face (forehead, nose, cheeks, chin) will be slightly darker than the rest of your skin.

You want to mimic this with makeup. You can do this with blush OR bronzer.

Blush is just applied to the cheeks, with only a tiny amount swirled onto the rest of the face if desired. These usually come in pinks or peaches or rose shades.

Bronzer is applied to any area that the sun would naturally hit. These come in varying shades of brown.

BLUSH:

Once you have achieved smooth-looking skin with the mineral foundation, pick up a large, fluffy powder brush.

Pick up a TINY amount of the blush and swirl well in your makeup jar lid.

Tap, sweep or swirl the blush onto your cheeks. Apply another layer if desired, but be careful to do this in good lighting, or you'll apply too much and look like a clown.

If you like, you can sweep the brush (WITHOUT picking up any more powder), across your forehead, nose and chin for a very subtle hint of color there. Be careful with this, though, as you don't want a pink nose, or peachy forehead. You just want a TINY hint of color.

BRONZER:

Bronzers are applied just like blush, except you deliberately pick up more powder and apply to forehead, nose, chin, collarbone and cheeks, as desired. This will give you the look of a gorgeous, golden tan.

Again be careful not to apply too much, or you might end up looking ridiculous.

With either method, start with a small amount of powder and build up to the saturation you like.

**TIP: If you buy a loose powder blush or bronzer that is too dark,
tone it down by mixing in some of your loose powder mineral
foundation.

OR, apply the blush to your cheeks first, and then apply your
foundation. Your cheeks will have a soft, subtle glow of color.**

Part II - How to Conceal Those Trouble Spots

How to use a concealer to cover YOUR specific problems, including acne, under-eye circles, fine lines, age spots, large pores, etc...

Common complaints that need covering include: acne, under-eye circles, spots and splotches, liver/sun/age spots, rosacea, sunburn, wrinkles and fine lines, brown spots, white spots, etc.

I'll talk about how to conceal first, then later, get into correctors (yes, they are two totally different things).

TO CONCEAL:

I recommend a loose powder mineral makeup cover-up. They come in various colors, to match your skin tone.

I normally recommend choosing a shade that is slightly lighter than your skin tone. This way you don't end up with brown spots on your face.

Remember that mineral makeup can deepen just slightly after mixing with the oils on your skin (this happens about 30 minutes to an hour after applying). So choose a shade that is just slightly lighter than your mineral foundation color.

Experiment to find the best way for you to apply. I recommend applying it before your mineral foundation. But some apply it after. Sometimes I will do both.

Acne

I recommend a small, pointed brush. Pick up a small amount of powder on your brush and dab in the jar lid to pack the powders into the bristles.

Dab onto acne, but don't blend. You will now have a bunch of pale round circles all over your face.

Touch up any other areas that need help (under your eyes, for example) and then apply your mineral foundation.

If you find you are wiping off the initial powder with your mineral foundation, just TAP ON your mineral foundation, instead of swirling. This is an EXCELLENT tip that I use every day. It allows you to achieve greater coverage.

Apply everything else, then if you still have a blemish or two poking out, just dab a little bit of powder on them with a q-tip to cover them up.

If you are headed to a special event that you MUST look fabulous for, then take a little bit of mineral makeup with you, along with a q-tip to touch up, should you need it. You never know! You'll feel better having it, anyways.

Another tip is to apply your concealing powder underneath the blemish... Pimples can stand out from your face, causing a slight shadow under them. When you conceal under them as well as on them, you help to eliminate that shadow, thus disguising the pimple better.

Baggy, Puffy, Gray Eyes

Pick up some cover-up powder on a concealing brush and beginning at the inner corner of the lower eyelid, sweep your brush outward toward the outer corner of the eye.

Try to not apply much powder around the crow's feet area, or you'll accentuate wrinkles.

Keep applying a few layers till you achieve the proper amount of coverage.

Dab some of the powder on the inner corner of your eye for a brightening effect.

Sweep a slight amount on your upper eye lid, up to the brow bone, for an excellent eye shadow primer.

Finally, take a small amount of powder and sweep underneath the bag (on the SHADOW of the bag) if your eyes have a puff. This extra step can make all the difference in hiding that baggy eye. I use it every day!

Age Spots

And other blemishes...

Simply apply your concealing powder to desired areas, and top with mineral foundation. Follow the directions for acne above.

Rosacea, Sunburn, and Other Large-Area Problems

If you have a large area that needs covering, like your cheeks and nose, I recommend simply using your kabuki brush for this. Apply as you would mineral foundation.

To cover trouble spots and imperfections, think color.  Now, correctors are different. They are not meant to match your skin tone, but rather correct certain discolorations.

Green correctors help to cancel out redness.

Yellow correctors help to cover up blue/gray circles under your eyes.

Create the Flawless Look Part 1 - Mineral Powder Foundations

Mineral Powder Foundation

Start with your Foundation:1. Apply foundation to your jaw line and work your way inward to cheeks, forehead, and chin using a kabuki brush foundation brush or . Blend the foundation all the way to your natural hairline with long, light strokes.
2. Continue blending over the jawline and onto your neck to achieve a natural, seamless look. Check your face and neck in natural light to make sure the foundation is completely blended in all areas.
3. If under-eye circles or red spots remain, do not add more foundation; it can look heavy and cakey. Instead, try a concealer.
 Tip: Choose the shade of your foundation carefully. When testing out shades, pick one that matches the tone of your jawline exactly. It helps to use a mirror outdoors to see how shades look in natural light.
 Tip: Begin by applying a small amount of foundation then increase amount to achieve the degree of coverage that suits your skin.

Part 2: Concealers - How to Conceal Those Trouble Spots

Emeralds

Emeralds belong to the most precious gemstones. A quality emerald can cost more than a diamond, and emeralds have been highly valued in many ancient cultures.

The word emerald simply means a green gemstone and comes from the Greek word “smaragdos” and the Old French word “esmeralde”. Emeralds were already mined in ancient Egypt between 3000 and 1500 BC, and they have also been known in the Inca and Aztec cultures in South America, as well as in India where the sacred scriptures, or Vedas, describe emeralds as stones that can bring good luck.

What are Emeralds

Emeralds are loved around the world for their green color, and deep green emeralds are the most valuable. Some stones can also have a slightly blue tone and some have a yellowish green shade, but lighter green emeralds are considered lower quality. The best emeralds come from Colombia and are pure, deep green.

Emeralds belong to the mineral group beryl and are relatively hard gemstones, graded at 7.5 to 8 on Mohs scale (the internationally accepted scale used to determine the hardness of gemstones). Emeralds don't scratch easily but they are brittle. It is difficult to find an emerald without any flaws, and even in the best stones some small flaws, such as cracks or inclusions, are usually acceptable. Most emeralds have some small inclusions and the stones are often treated with a process called oiling, which makes the flaws less visible and the stones clearer.

Because of their natural flaws, emeralds can be difficult to work with. The "emerald cut" is a way of cutting the stone that has been created especially for working with this beautiful but challenging gemstone. Since genuine emeralds are so expensive, synthetic and fake emeralds have become increasingly common, and to find a true emerald it is important to buy from a reputable dealer.

Emeralds in History and Folklore

Emeralds have an important place in the myths and folklores of many countries. The Aztec and Inca cultures in South America considered emeralds to be holy stones. The ancient Egyptians, including Cleopatra herself, held emeralds in high regard. The Romans linked green emeralds with Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, and the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, talk about emeralds as stones that can bring wellbeing and good luck.

In different cultures emeralds were believed to bring contentment and love, to heal eye problems, to improve the memory and intelligence of anyone who wears them and to give their owner the ability to see into the future. In today's astrology, emerald is associated with the Zodiac signs Cancer and Taurus. It is also the birthstone for the month of May.

Morgan's Jewelry Boutique

Source: International Colored Gemstone Association

Part II - Dead Sea Skin Care and Natural Skin Care

Many dead sea skin care products also use other natural ingredients that can have great benefits to the skin.  We will discuss some of these ingredients and what benefits they have for the skin.

In my last post we talked about the Dead Sea Minerals- over 20 minerals in high concentration, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc, bromide and other which are essential for helahty skin function and appearance.  Minerals help a skin maintain a natural moisture balance, repar and renew itself, act as anti-oxidants and natural UV blockers as well as many other functions that keep skin healthy and beautiful.

Along with dead sea minerals there are other natural ingredients that can aid in healthy skin and are often used in natural skin care products.  Next we will talk a little about these ingredients and their benefits.

Lavender oil and Evening Primrose Oil - Natural oils which help wash away dirt particles and bacteria while providing moderate moisturization to prevent overdrying.  Evening primrose oil contains Moega-6 EFAs such as gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid reputed to strengthen skin cells and boost their moisture content.

Vitamin A - Accelerates cell renewal and stimulates the collagen in skin, thereby reducing wrinkles and fine lines.  Due it its anti-oxidant properties, it is also a great anit-aging ingredient, and helps promote a softer smoother skin.

Vitamin C - Proven as effective anit-oxidant fighting free-radicals in skin cells, thereby helping slow down the aging process of skin.  Also enhances the synthesis of collagen:  a critically important skin protein that strengthens structural support and firmness of skin, helping reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Jojoba Oil - Has similar chemical makeup to the sebum oil that our skin produces naturally.  Helps reduce wrinkles and other lines associated with aging.  In addition, it helps promote the growth of new skin cells.

Chamomile - Contains two powerful anti-inflammatory agents, while other compounds work as antioxidants to repair damaged skin cells.  Soothes and calms sensitive skin as well as skin afflicted with sunburns, eczema or allergic reactions.

Aloe Vera - Contains numerous vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and natural sugars which help to smooth wrinkles, soften and moisturize the skin, reduce inflammation and sooth and calm irritate or sensitive skin.

Green Tea - Naturally rich in antioxidants, which help protect the body from free radicals - known as one of the biggest causes of aging skin.  It also appears to exert sun damage protection by quenching free radicals and reducing inflammation rather than by blocking UV rays.

Shea Butter - Soothes rough, dry or chapped skin, providing lasting moisture and hydration.  Contains high level of cinnamic acid, and a natural sun screen.  Restores elasticity and moisture to skin.  Known to help relieve symptoms of Eczema, sunburned skin and reduce blemishes and scarring.

Glycerin - acts to dry acne blemishes, without over drying skin.

Dead sea skincare  products often go hand in hand with these other natural ingredients.  As you can see all of these ingredents have great abilities to help relieve many skin conditions and also helps protect your skin.

Benefits of the Dead Sea Minerals

These are the major minerals found in the Dead Sea and their actions:

MAGNESIUM: Accelerates cell metabolism by activating enzymes.

CHLORIDE: Balances all minerals in the cells and body.

BROMIDE: Heals and relieves skin disorders.  Stimulates the natural repair process.

SODIUM CHLORIDE: Protects body against fluid loss, balances acid alkali levels and influences muscle activity.

IODINE: Vital for cell metabolism and necessary for production of thyroxin, which regulates the metabolic energy.

POTASSIUM: Helps regulate osmosis and water balance. Stimulates and maintains nerve signals and muscle contractions.

CALCIUM: Strengthens cell membranes. Necessary for regulation of heart muscles and nerve transmission, building and maintaining bones and teeth.

What's so special about the Dead Sea?

The waters of the Dead Sea contain 21 life-essential minerals such as potassium, bromide and magnesium.  Many of these minerals are found in no other sea or ocean.

The Dead Sea distinguishes itself from the earth's most bountiful sources by it's lavish contents. In fact, this body of water contains 10 times more salts and minerals then the Mediterranean Sea, which is one  of the richest, most fertile locations on the planet. These salts and minerals are recognized worldwide for their amazing therapeutic, nourishing and activating abilities.

Time is typically considered something that opposes us.  In it's course, our bodies become depleted from many life-essential minerals. This results in an acceleration of the aging process. Premature wrinkles, aches and pains, age spots and tiredness are a few of the resulting effects. Though, ironically, it is time itself which had enriched the Dead Sea with so many minerals and other rejuvenating essentials as well as it's unique position of being the lowest inhabited location on earth (1,312 feet below sea level).

Since before the days of Cleopatra, people have traveled to the Dead Sea to soak up it's minerals and heal their ailments. Even Cleopatra herself was reportedly enamored with the Dead Sea's amazing health benefits and used it's distinctive minerals for her legendary beauty treatments.

The benefits of the dead sea are so numerous that it's has become a buzz in beauty product industry.  You will find dead sea products are good for sensitive skin, exzema, dry skin, normal skin, acne care and anti aging skin care