By Jessica Lander
Many American women spend hundreds of dollars every year on cosmetics. Part of the reason is they don't know what cosmetics are worth keeping and what should be thrown out.
We'll help you figure out the must-haves for your cosmetic case.
Cosmetic Brushes
Your make-up is your palette, and you can't expect to make a work of art without the right brushes. It's a necessary investment. Brushes allow makeup to glide on while leaving a light, sheer coverage that won't clog pores. Brushes also use less makeup, saving you money.
It's important to buy a few select brushes:
- A foundation brush.
- A blush brush for powder blush.
- All-over eye-shadow brush to apply shadow on the lid and brow bone.
- A smaller eye-shadow brush for the crease of your eye.
- An eye-liner brush for powder liners.
- A lip brush.
- An eyebrow/eyelash brush combo.
- Tweezers to pluck those brows into a nice, defining arch.
Plucking your eyebrows can give your eyes a little lift, so make sure to keep up on it, or have them waxed regularly by a professional.
Try: Beauty Strokes Brush of Beauty compact set, $10.47 at www.yourbeautystrokes.com.
Skin Cleanser and Moisturizer
"If you don't use proper skin-care, your makeup won't glide on," says Tina Harlamert-Kelly, an aesthetician trained by Dr. Murad, the skincare science specialist. The most important part to picking an appropriate cleanser is knowing your skin type. Using facial cleansers is an essential part of a basic skin-care routine. First, splash warm water on your face to open pores and then apply the cleanser using a circular motion. Allow the cleanser to penetrate the skin for a few minutes. Rinse and apply an oil-free moisturizer to keep skin smooth and flake-free.
Try: Clinique foaming cleanser ad Clinique moisturizer, $17.50 each, available at department stores.
Mineral Foundation
Minerals like titanium dioxide and zinc can create a block against the harmful UV rays that damage skin while also giving a light coverage. "It's the most natural because you can use a powder and it doesn't clog the pores. It's sheer and makes skin look radiant," Harlamert-Kelly says. Mineral make-ups are also free of preservatives, chemicals and pesticides. "It makes it good for those who don't take care of their skin at night."
Try: L'Oreal Bare Naturale Mineral makeup, $15 at drugstores.
Concealer
Concealer plays two important jobs. It can conceal skin imperfections and also mix with your foundation to tweak it to the perfect shade that matches you. A concealer palette lets you blend depending on what you are covering up, like acne or under-eye circles.
Try: Physician's Formula concealer palette, $8 at drugstores.
Eye Shadow in Your Shades
Eye shadow is the most ambiguous cosmetic in a makeup bag. Most women have too many options, searching for that perfect combination to flatter their eyes. Search no more. All you need are three eye shadow palettes. Have a charcoal or gray shadow on hand for those smoky-eye nights out with the gals. Choose one color palette meant to match your hair color, and one to match your eye color. Most of these palettes come with at least three color selections. Outside the spectrum of these palettes, you're jumping into the realm of the unnatural, and the goal of all cosmetics should be to look naturally fabulous. Darker shades are best for hooded eyes, and go lighter for close-set or deep-set eyes, says Cosmopolitan magazine.
Try: Almay Intense I-Color powder shadow, $8 at drugstores. And try: Sonia Kashuk eye color, $19.99 at Target.
Pencil Eyeliner
For precision looks, use an easy-blend liner pencil to shape your brows and define your eyes. Pencils leave a defining line that isn't as messy as liquid eyeliners. New eyeliner "pens" give a thick line of coverage with liquid liner in pencil-like precision. Stick to golden browns for green and light brown eyes, charcoal and black for dark eyes, and consider navy for those baby blues.
Try: Max Factor MAXeye liner, $6 at Kmart and Wal-Mart. Try: L'Oreal Paris Voluminous eye pen, $7 at drugstores.
Powder Blush
A powder or mineral brush will allow you to put a touch of color on cheeks, chin and nose without looking like rouge. Powder is also best for oily skin because it won't clog pores. Some makeup artists like to apply blush before foundation for a more natural look, says InStyle magazine. Look into the mirror and smile to help figure out where the apple of your cheek is before applying. If it's too heavy, a bit of translucent powder over it will calm it down.
Try: Bourjois Pastel Joues blush, $14 at Sephora.
Sheer Lip Gloss
"Sheer lip gloss adds coverage but allows the lips to look radiant and plumper. It's very fashionable," Harlamert-Kelly says. Targeting the application of lip gloss on the middle of the bottom lip makes thin lips appear bigger and fuller. To make too-full tips look thinner, use dark lip colors. For Angelina Jolie lips, use a lip plumper. Most contain a type of cayenne pepper, so you can make your own lip balm by mixing the powder with Vaseline.
Try: Bourjois Effet 3D Mobile High Shine Lip Gloss, $9 at Sephora.
Contact Jessica Lander at (937) 225-0710 or jlander@coxohio.com.
Source: Dayton Daily News. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. Powered by Yellowbrix.
When it comes to makeup, sometimes less is more.
Learn more about mineral makeup.
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