Blush

Girly Girl cheeks sometimes need help blushing!

BETTER BLUSHING #1: A good rule to follow for most makeup purposes: POWDER CLINGS BEST TO POWDER….so for long-lasting blush results, brush a bit of translucent face powder (or a powder foundation) on cheeks before applying your powder blush. #2: Touch your brush tip lightly over your powder blush product, then tap to remove any excess powder – this will help you control the amount of color going onto your skin. #3: Apply sparingly to cheeks – it’s much easier to add more color a little at a time, than trying to clean up after using too much. #4: If you accidentally apply too much, simply tone down the color with any translucent skin-toned loose powder – don’t try to use your fingers or hands to rub off the blush (the natural oils on your fingers will only make a dark, uneven mess on your cheeks and nobody wants that!). #5: And now, the most often asked question: EXACTLY WHERE DO APPLY MY BLUSH? Look straight into your mirror and give a big smile. On your cheek, align your blush brush with the outer edge of the iris of your eye and no lower than the tip of the nose. You are locating the fullest (the ‘apple’) part of the cheek. Starting there begin a sweep of blush color, softly applying the color back toward the mid-to-upper ear area (this is the area slightly underneath your cheekbone). For most natural results, place the most concentrated amount of blush color on the fullest part of the cheek. The drawing below will help.

applying blush

 

OTHER HINTS: – DO use similar tones when selecting blush and lip colors (for example, avoid using a pink blush with a coral lip color). – With or without a tan, all year long you can create a pretty glow with your makeup – it’s easy! Select a powder blush or blush glow in a pretty coral or pink, sweep it across cheekbones; then sweep a very small amount in the crease of your eyelid. Add shine to your lips with a matching coral or pink gloss, brush on black mascara and you’ve got a natural, glowing look!

My BB Dakota line this Spring/Summer at A Girly Girl Boutique indicates the return of fabulous bright, cheerful color.  Woo wee!  I am so happy.  I love color!

So you may ask, “What makeup do I apply this year to dress for the season?”  It is simple.  Let the color speak for itself!

The makeup you wear should only accentuate the positives, especially during the day.  Fabulously lined eyes and mascara complimented with subtle eye shadows create demure eyes.  A great blush of color and nude, glossy lips complete the look.  The palette you wear will add the rest of the color.  The color should be on your body only, not your face.  This is the most effective way to wear them both well.  Want the total package to look good, follow these tips.  If you wear too much color on both your face and your body, you run the risk of looking a little freaky and that is not a good look for my Girly Girls.  Let your natural beauty shine through and the colors you wear will add the hues!

With that said, if you need some new color palettes for the spring,  look to my website for great makeup lines.  This set is very inexpensive and has everything you need to walk out of the house looking fresh faced and ready to stop in to grab up that new BB Dakota coat you have been wanting for spring.  It’s great and Manilla Yellow!  Does it get any better than that?!

I love that title; it shows my personality!!

So we did it!!  We hosted our first photo shoot in the area that wasn’t related to the store or the clothing.

Perry’s old Schuch Hotel in Saginaw, MI provided the perfect setting for this great opportunity.  The idea is to bring together multiple photographers, models, hair and makeup artists and sometimes designers.  Everyone gets together at one location, hair and makeup is done for the concepts and then the shooting begins.  These photo shoots are extremely fun but also an intense amount of work on all parts.

We started at 10am, unloading all the equipment from the vehicles.  The hair designers from Attitudes salon in Saginaw began transforming the models’ hair for the first segment of the shoot which was Old Hollywood Glamour.  The look I wanted to achieve was glamorous makeup and hairstyles coupled with fabulous, rich colored gowns that would be perfect for walking the red carpet.  The hairstyles were fantastic thanks to Amy and Aleshia from Attitudes.  Gabrielle and I performed makeup artist duties and once the models changed into the gowns, they looked incredible.  Let the shoot begin!

The second faze of the shoot was gong to be a white out.  I made white “costumes” for all the models to wear for this phase of the shoot which I had intended to make look angelic and soft.  We were to be shooting it in the third floor of the old hotel which was in shambles from being restored by the new owners.  Originally, I wanted to incorporate pale makeup and pale white hair on the girls to finish the look for the effect that I was trying to create; but once the hair designers finished with the styles, I loved it so much we left the makeup and hair as it was.  I also thought that maybe they were getting a little tired!  We were pressed for time with cleanup looming, so we shot the models the way they looked.  They were breathtaking and the pictures are fabulous!  After we were done, I discovered that they were disappointed that we didn’t go ahead and add the pale powder to their hair and faces!  Oh well, it was a fruitful day anyway and we can do it again some other time!  You have to check out the pictures on David’s website and let me know what you think.  I loved it!!

It’s a new year so it’s a great time to create a new look for yourself.  Cabin fever is about to strike so I am dedicating the rest of the month to new makeup looks for all the  Girly Girls out there.

Feminine and minimal is always a great look for any occasion.  Check out this picture of Hayden Panettiere.  It works very well for the office or put-zing around home with the young ones.  Let’s face it, you feel better when you look good and you never know when that unexpected trip to the store will come up, so here are a few ideas to look your best whenever.

I have found through my own experience that the days I don’t put much makeup on are the days when I get the most compliments.  But you must always start with a good foundation.  If your skin glows, YOU GLOW.  Let me put it this way.  You know when the dishwasher doesn’t exactly dry the dishes correctly and the drinking glasses look foggy?  (Darn teenagers anyway!)  Even though they are clean you don’t really want to drink from them, do you?  Your skin is the same way.  When you haven’t cleansed, your skin is dull and lifeless and you probably feel the same way.  I can’t stress this enough–GET WITH A PROGRAM!  Make good skin care a regular part of your routine.  I prefer Mary Kay but please use something!  You will thank me for this advice when you are over forty!!

Next moisturize, for the love of God, MOISTURIZE!!  Especially in the winter.  Now the canvas is ready!  You can forgo the foundation and just dab on some bronzer but always conceal first.  No need to proceed if you haven’t brought those dark circles and occasional blemishes into check.  Occasional blemishes I say?  Yes, because those are the only ones you will get if you are taking proper care of yourself and your skin!

Now for the drama!  Drama with minimalist makeup?  All you have to do is accentuate the positive!!  That is what makeup is all about, after all.  Pay attention because this is all you need to know to walk out the door looking absolutely fresh today.  People will probably wonder what you have been up to!  (The nosey ones will inevitably ask!)

EYES MUST HAVE MASCARA!  Not a lot.  Keep them separated and free of clumps so stop buying the crappy stuff!  Invest in good mascara and always keep it fresh.  If you do your lashes right you will not need eyeliner.  If your lashes are teeny tiny then invest in some good falsies.  They go a long way and look good if they are quality lashes and you practice putting them on right.  (I know there is that word PRACTICE.)  If you feel naked, use a little eyeliner in a muted shade but ONLY if you have to.

Cheeks need sheer blush.  You still brush on some blush, but very light.

Lips must be lined with a neutral, soft pencil and then covered with a sheer or SLIGHTLY tinted gloss. 

There you are all you Girly Girls!  That is it!  I am telling you, try it for one week.  That is all I ask.  Let me know the results of your one week test.  I want to hear all the compliments that you get.