Top Ten Trends Fall 2009

Makeup trends, unlike other trends, such as fashion, are fairly easy. They don't require you to buy a whole new wardrobe or a new set of furniture. Rather, they're fun looks that you can play with according to what you have. They allow you to spice your normal routine up a bit. Look here for the latest:

red lips: Use a deep, velvety color, and keep the application soft. As with all makeup looks, focus on only one feature, and go easy on the eyes and cheeks. That may mean only some mascara and a neutral blush on the rest of the face.

unconventional shadow: Red, orange, violet, yellow, and even glitter were used on the fall runways this year. For a wearable look, keep the bright colors to the lid only, and skip liner to keep the color the focus. Go neutral on lips and cheeks with this trend. (As you can see from the picture below, no eyebrows are a trend this year, too, but I strongly advise against trying this at home.)


chignons and buns: Do them off-center for a more casual, less severe look.


dark eyes: Eyes were loaded with black shadow and liner, often with glittery blue, brown, or gunmetal on the lids. Lay off the mascara to make it look more modern, and again, pick nude shades for your other features.


tousled, casual waves: This trend speaks for itself. Put a wave-enhancing product on damp hair and air-dry. Don't have naturally wavy hair? Use a large-barreled curling iron, loosely wrapping sections of hair around it starting from the roots. Then lightly brush through to get a tousled effect.


messy, textured ponytails: Easy, fast, and great for dirty, second-day hair. Massage your roots, and spread a texturizer throughout hair. Gather hair into a ponytail, without brushing through, and then fluff the ends. (Models actually had their hair backcombed, but that's damaging to the hair cuticle, so I don't recommend it.)


defined brows: Take an angled brush to trace powder along the bottom of the brow. Be sure to use a powder that matches your brow color and that is matte. You don't want shimmer on your eyebrows!


hair accessories: Black leather strips can be used to toughen up a hairstyle. If you're on the bolder side, you can pin jagged, black feathers into the hair. Make the accessories the center of attention by keeping your style simple; opt for a basic ponytail or bun. This can be coupled with #3.


rosy cheeks: Swirl a pink blush on the apples of the cheeks to keep it fresh. I find blush on the cheekbones a little too tacky for my taste. People don't actually flush in the cheekbone area, so putting blush there seems unnatural.


nude lips: Use a shade that's slightly pink or flecked with shimmer. This is a great look to pair with trends 2 or 4.


Thanks for reading, and please comment!!

Perfectly Coned Tresses

Let's talk cones for a minute. No, not ice cream cones (although that sounds quite yummy), but rather, silicones. What are they? They're based on Silicon, an element found on the periodic table (hello chemistry), and they act as a water-resistant lubricant. Silicones, usually found in most hair conditioners as dimethicone, form a kind of shield over the hair shaft, sealing off the cuticle (making it appear smoother) and keeping out moisture (warding off frizz). They also happen to be used in shoe polish. (So, next time when you're out of conditioner, just rub shoe polish on your hair. Ha, just kidding.) So what's the controversy?

Simply put, there has been speculation that silicones will dry out your hair (Wait, what? Didn't I just say that it makes hair smoother and frizz-free?) Yes, it does, but some people claim that when they keep out moisture, they also lock in whatever moisture is in your hair cuticle. So if your hair has no moisture, it stays that way, meaning it supposedly suffocates your hair and prevents it from fulfilling its thirst. And also, being waterproof has its downsides. It doesn't wash off easily. A dull film on your hair? Lots of buildup? Yep, you've found your culprit. (Oh well, you say, that means I must look for products that have absolutely no silicones in them and condemn any hair product that does.) Well, not so fast.

The thing is, silicones work. (Duh, that's why they use it.) To a certain point. If you use too much, too often, yes I do believe it will not be good for your hair. (But doesn't that apply to pretty much everything?) So my advice is to use silicones...in moderation. If you condition every single day, you might want to alternate between a silicone-free conditioner and a regular one. And use a clarifying shampoo if you feel extra buildup. But you're not even supposed to wash your hair everyday anyway (every other day, at most). So you shouldn't even have to worry.

If you are to avoid any ingredients, I would suggest the following:

Parabens: These preservatives have an infamous reputation for being carcinogens and disrupting estrogen levels. Look for glucose oxidase or lactoperoxidase, which are natural alternatives to keep products fresh.

Sulfates: These are harsh detergents that strip your natural oils. Squeaky clean? yes. Dry, irritated skin? You got it. Look for decyl/lauryl glucosides instead. They clean just as well, without removing all the moisture.

Mineral oil: Ah, all you acne sufferers out there, beware. Two words: clogs pores. Look for beeswax. It moisturizes better but still maintains that buttery consistency you find in body creams.

Thanks for reading, and please comment!!

Mother and Daughter Companies

Yes, I know. I haven't been here in a while. Okay, more like a year and a half. Forgive me. I got busy. I must admit, blogging is harder than you think it is. You have to keep it up. It's like having a job. Well, anyway, enough of that. On to the important stuff.

I was looking for a good conditioner for my long, thick hair the other day and was about to check out Makeupalley for some reviews and recommendations when I remembered something The Beauty Brains had written about. According to their article, products from the same "mother" company most likely will use the same formulations and ingredients for all of their "daughter" companies. One of the best known "mother" companies, as far as cosmetics goes, is L'Oreal (I mean, come on, they practically dominate the beauty scene). I had speculated this topic myself, even before reading The Beauty Brains' article and decided that this would be a good time to see if it was really true.

So I (somewhat reluctantly) x-ed out of my Makeupalley account and went to compare ingredients of three different conditioners, all of which are made by companies that happen to be owned by L'Oreal. The first one, the one I originally had my eye on, was Redken Smooth Down conditioner (Yes, Redken is owned by L'Oreal, along with Kerastase, Matrix, Shu Uemura, and Kiehl's. Surprise, surprise). The second is Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine, and the last, but not least, is L'Oreal Vive Pro Smooth Intense. All three of these conditioners are supposed to smooth down hair. I've compiled the ingredients lists for each below. The findings? They are very similar, indeed. Take a look for yourself:

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine
Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Fragrance (Parfum), Cetyl Esters, Lauryl PEG/PPG 18/18 Methicone, Methylparaben, Persea Gratissima (Avocado Oil), Niacinamide, Pyridoxine HCl, Trideceth 12, Citric Acid, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot Kernel Oil), Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane Extract), Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citrus Limonum (Lemon Peel Extract), Camellia Sinensis (Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract)

Redken Smooth Down
Aqua/Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, PEG 180, Cetyl Esters, Amodimethicone, Perfume (Fragrance), Methylparaben, Mica, Linalool, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Limonene, Citrimonium Chloride, Butylphenyl, Methylpropional, Trideceth 12, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, PPG 5 Ceteth 20, Oleth 10, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Disodium Cocamphodipropionate, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Lecithin, Phosphoric Acid, Macadamia Ternifolia (Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil), Candelilla Cera/Candelilla Wax, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylparaben

L'Oreal Vive Pro Smooth Intense
Aqua/Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerine, Amodimethicone, Lanolin, Parfum/Fragrance, Cetyl Esters, Methylparaben, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Cetrimonium Chloride, Trideceth 12, Hexyl Cinnamal, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Yellow 10 (CI 47005), Citronellol, Amyl Cinnamal, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Red 4 (CI 14700)

So similar are they, that, in fact, their first three ingredients (which are pretty much the bulk of the product) are exactly the same! Enlightening? Perhaps. If we could only figure out those ridiculously long, unfathomable ingredients, right?

What point does that bring us to? Well, why waste money on a very similar product that will most likely end in the same result? Or maybe, more fairly, are expensive products really worth the extra money?

Now I'm beginning to doubt the holiness of Redken and opting for the cheaper drugstore version. Should I? What are your thoughts?

The Smoky Eye Look

Of all the makeup trends and looks out there, none other is more famed than the smoky eye. I'm sure many of you out there would love to know how to achieve it. It's simple yet dramatic.

Color choice, amazingly enough, is an important factor in the smoky eye. Stay away from blue...unless you want to look like you have undereye circles. Black, gray, brown, or dark green all work well.

Black looks good on everyone. Gray looks best on fair-skinned blondes and pale-skinned brunettes. Green and blue eyes look great with brown shadow. Brown eyes look good with dark green and gray. Brown shadow brings out the green in hazel eyes, and vice versa.

1. Apply an eyeshadow base over your eyelid to create a smooth canvas for your eyeshadow and to prevent creasing. Eye primer, foundation, and concealer all work.

2. Use either a black or gray pencil liner to trace your top lashline from the inner corner to the outer. Then, use the same pencil to line your lower lashes. Don't line close to the tear duct; otherwise your peepers will look smaller. Smudge both lashlines with a cotton swab or an eyeliner brush.

3. Sweep powder shadow (brown, gray and dark green all work with black or gray liner) over your lid and into your crease, blending the color up and outward. You can also pat a cream shadow over the concealer on your lid first, wait five minutes, then top with a matching powder shadow. This will help the shadow stay longer and look more dramatic.

4. Dust a lighter, neutral eyeshadow (such as ivory) over your browbone and the inner corners of your eyes.

5. Curl your lashes and finish with two coats of black mascara.

Any constructive feedback is greatly appreciated. Feel free to add comments, questions, complaints, praises (please, a lot of praises), requests, or any ol' thought that comes to your mind.

Thanks to any readers out there who are willing to waste some time and listen to my babbling. =]

Everyday Eye Looks

I am currently signed up with Carmindy's (a makeup artist) newsletters. She gives great makeup tips in each volume. Check it out at http://carmindy.com/. Here are the everyday eye looks she suggests for each age group:

"TEENS AND TWENTIES: Sparkle and color is key for a fun and flirty look. Try sweeping on a color intense loose eye shadow that really shimmers in a bold shade like aqua or purple. Apply sparingly across the lid from the lash line to the crease and smudge under the lower lash line. Skip liner and finish off with a lash building mascara. Keep cheeks and lips neutral so they won’t compete.

THIRTIES: Highlighting your eyes and intensifying your lash line will create the drama your looking for. Sweep liquid eyeliner across the upper lash line starting where the lashes begin and finishing at the outer corners in a little wing. Apply a shimmering highlight eye shadow under the brow, on the center of the eyelid and at the inner corners of the eyes. You can choose cream eye shadows for a really natural look or a loose formula for more intensity. Apply a midtone pressed eye shadow in the crease and under the lower lash line to bring your eye shape to life and polish it all off with volumizing mascara.

FORTIES AND FIFTIES: Define brows and eyes that may seem to be fading with time. Choose waterproof formulas that won’t disappear and choose pressed formula eye shadows instead of creams or loose powders that may settle into fine lines. Apply brow color in featherlike strokes with a stiff angle brush to deepen fading eyebrows. This technique will look more like your real eyebrows and less drawn on. Highlight under the brows with a pearly shadow and apply a midtone shade across the lid. A touch of darker contour eye shadow in the same color family as the lid shade can be subtly blended into the crease. Smudge the upper lash line with waterproof pencil eyeliner and coat the lashes with waterproof mascara.

SIXTIES AND ABOVE: Create a polished and effortless looking eye with ease. First you want to keep eye shadow in place and even out any discoloration by applying eye shadow base across the entire lid area. Next, use an eye shadow brush to dust a subtle amount of face powder across the lid to set the stage for a longwearing look. Line the eyes with waterproof liquid or pencil eyeliner in a shade like lead grey. Sweep on a pressed midtone matte eye shadow across the lid and apply a pressed vanilla matte eye shadow under the brow bone. Top off this look with smear resistant tube technology mascara."

Any constructive feedback is greatly appreciated. Feel free to add comments, questions, complaints, praises (please, a lot of praises), requests, or any ol' thought that comes to your mind.

Thanks to any readers out there who are willing to waste some time and listen to my babbling. =]

Bat Those Lashes (continued)

Now since a girl has to have mascara, she also has to have the right techniques to apply it. From what I've read and researched, there is one common way that is simply fool-proof:
1. Take out the mascara-coated wand.
2. Place the wand at the very base of the lashes.
3. Wiggle with a zig-zag motion, going up.
4. Finish the ends with an up-and-out.

The wiggling deposits more mascara and covers more lashes, therefore, building volume and lush lashes.

Check out this application video: http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/default.aspx#page=top{navmedia:_blankoverlay:videopage//id+LOP_VID_015//diagnosticmain:beautyfilter//category+F1_Cosmetics_Eyes_Mascara//userdata//d+d//}

A few more tips:

• Never, ever, EVER pump the wand in your mascara. Never. Why? Well, if you want your mascara to dry out more quickly and harbor more bacteria, then be my guest...


• Instead of pumping, gently twist and roll the wand inside the tube. It will evenly coat the wand with mascara.


• If your wand is clumpy, roll the excess onto a facial tissue. There will be no clumps and you'll have a clean look.


• Curl your lashes to open up your eyes and make them appear bigger. You can also heat the lash curler with a blow dryer to make the curl stay extra long.


• If you want to apply mascara to your lower lashes, roll the wand on a facial tissue to avoid clumps, hold the wand vertically (up and down), and move it back and forth across the lower lashes.


• Dust powder on the tops of your lashes to add volume and staying power.


• Separate your lashes with a lash comb if needed.

A good lash curler: Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

Any constructive feedback is greatly appreciated. Feel free to add comments, questions, complaints, praises (please, a lot of praises), requests, or any ol' thought that comes to your mind.

Thanks to any readers out there who are willing to waste some time and listen to my babbling. =]