BlushPretty: Make-up Artistry Weblog

fun, flirty, fabulous: a timeless cut

There is definitely a haircut out there that is suitable for all ages.

It's the pixie.

I like how each of the actresses above have put their little spin on it.

Carey Mulligan has a total ingenue thing going on, and I like how she paired it up with darker makeup! It glams it up just a bit - perfect for all her red carpet appearances.

Audrey Tautou wears her hair a little more flirty with some volume and wave. Her rosy cheeks and lips really add to the look too, making it fresher.

And how can we forget our favourite pixie-haired Gleek, Jane Lynch ... on the show she's a total ball-buster, but in the photo above, her shorter, rumpled pixie hair makes her more approachable - right?  Instead of heavier makeup, which can read as severe with such a short cut, she goes light and natural which makes her look a little more youthful plus her face and features stand out!

If you plan to go pixie, definitely take inspiration from any above three actresses, but remember one important rule: MODIFY! While these are great reference pictures for your stylist to work from, be flexible - you may need to go with longer layers, you may have to forgo sideswept bangs, or maybe, you might need to add more face framing layers.  Think of your face shape and hair texture first!

-bp-

fun, flirty, fabulous: pump up the volume ...

... but maybe not that much.

So yesterday I posted about how teasing your hair is a handy to skill to have. In addition to knowing how, you should also know when too much is just tooooo much.

Flirty: A flirty in total control of her confidence can definitely get away with going all Demi Lovato on her hair.  Matched with the right outfit it will look good so don't be afraid to go a bit higher and bigger. It's just a matter of keeping your fashion age appropriate, modern and tasteful so that the throwback hairstyle also looks modern (instead of dress-up). On the flip, the wrong outfit can be just plain wrong.  For example: Snooki pouf and a skin-tight mini tank dress in leopard print paired with matching heels, not good. At all.

Fun: It's a toss-up. Since the fun group are more than likely to be children of the 80s - like me - it is very reminiscent of Samantha Micelli and Stacey Q ... which is nice ... for the 80s. Sometimes I wonder if this in-between state can do a voluminous half up half down style or faux-hawk front - you either risk looking like you are trying to hard or looking like you're a bit older than you are.  If you think you have gone to high, you probably have. When teasing your hair, keep the height to a minimum UNLESS its for a special occasion. Same with hair accessories - don't use anything too cutesy if its an everyday look you are going for. Keep extremely jewelled pieces for special events.

Fabulous: See Peg Bundy/Katey Sagal in the picture above?  See her hair (how can you not)?  Now, do you remember Katey Sagal and how great she looked back then when she wasn't in her Peg get-up - didn't she look younger, fresher, even hot?  Well that is exactly the point. You might remember all the retro styles and how great they were and yes, maybe they are making a comeback, but for you - they'll just show your age. And right now, if you don't look your age - why would you want to start?  For you, teasing is about filling in the volume where your hair doesn't have any. Go easy and try not to do a bouffant, a beehive, or anything remotely like that.

-bp-

fun, flirty, fabulous: headbands

Yesterday I wore a headband.

It just seemed to hot to wear my hair in my face. Plus, since I do not shampoo every day, my hair was a bit oily in the front and I needed to camo that a little bit.  Shhhhhh!

Anyway, when I opened up my little red Samsonite train case that holds all my baubles and what not, I realized that I have a lot of headbands.  Bright colours, simple black, sporty and jewelled. I tried each and everyone on and then thought to myself, you're 33 dude - can you still even wear headbands?

Fun: This stage says it all. Have fun with it. You could do brightly coloured headbands in various widths or you can do feathers and flowers attached to a simple black headband. Whatever suits your fancy. Just be sure that you are pairing your headband up with an outfit that translates as chic and grown-up and your proper age. Wearing a Hello Kitty brooch headband with an LBD and designer handbag is cool.  Wearing a Hello Kitty brooch headband while wearing a Hello Kitty t-shirt and a bag to match - not so much. Thank you!

Flirty: When you're a flirty, wearing a headband is more about function than it is about statement. At this stage, you probably are choosing to wear a headband because your chosen look actually requires it. For everyday wear, stick with simple headbands. A little bit of bling or embellishment is cool especially if it is against a neutral coloured band. You can also wear statement, coloured, or blinged out headbands, but try to save those for special occasions and events.

Fabulous: It's pretty much the same as a Flirty and also a little bit of Fun. Stick with functional choices for everyday wear and bust out your statement or bling headwear for a special occasion or look. And, always be sure to pair up your headband with age appropriate clothing. A jewelled pink headband while wearing a matching skintight minidress sends a whole different message ...

-bp-

fun, flirty, fabulous: pencil, powder, cream or gel

Eyeliner is a tough call.

Some people love liner because of the definition it provides (frames the eyes, lifts them up). Some people hate liner because of the definition it provides (makes eyes appear smaller, highlights downturned eyes). See what I mean?

Thick, thin, defined or blurred, there are many ways to wear liner. It CAN work for everyone, its just a matter of finding the right formula.

Fun: You can take your pick of the litter - liquid, glitter, pencil, gel - most liner formulas will work given that the delicate skin around your eyes is still firm and smooth. Since you are also at a stage where you will be experimenting with different eye makeup, you can play around with your liner application too. You can wing your liner up and out, cat-like, and even exaggerate that wing making it long and thick (like Amy Winehouse ... or maybe not). You can wear thicker liquid lines and you can also do glitter eyeliner. When playing around with different liner styles and products - especially those that are more fun and "pow", like glittery winged liner - be sure to keep it neat and clean. Fix up any errors. This will keep your fun eyeliner looking great and not like a child who got into mommy's makeup bag!

Flirty: For the most part, you can still wear most liner formulas and colours. What you want to take into account is any subtle changes to your skin tone and texture. If the skin around the eye has changed, you may have to reconsider using a shimmer based firm pencil that now drags across the lash line. Instead, you may want to find a gel or cream eyeliner in a similar colour that will provide for a smoother application but the exact same look. Also, if you never flicked the end of your liner up before, now is a good time to start, especially if your eyes are beginning to "droop" a bit. A quick flick at the end may look different if you always followed your natural line, but trust me, it brings the eye up.

Fabulous: It's going to sound a little harsh but now's the time when, maybe, the skin around the eyes are starting to become a bit crepe-y and a little less firm. You may find that your eyeliner - any formula - drags across the skin when you apply it, looks choppy and heavy, and worst of all smudges even more. This is the perfect example of when less is more! Don't think that smoothing on a line of thick black will hide the crepe-y lid. Or that rimming the eyes all the way around will give shape to the eye where you have lost it. Both just weigh the eye down. Instead, look for eyeliner formulas that have little to no shimmer, lighten up the colour (think deep browns, soft greys), and learn to create a thin soft line that I refer to as the crescent moon - tapered on either end, and slightly thick throughout the middle. I find cream and gel liners look best on Fabs. Powder tends to drag across and liquid liner comes off harsh. You can get a smooth application with gel or cream with the look of a liquid.

Note: Remember, these are just guidelines and not hard, set rules. Wear your makeup the way you want to. With eyeliner, at any stage, the key is to take into account the shape and placement of your eyes and the texture of the skin. Sometimes, even when you are a fun, a black liquid line just doesn't look right ... or, vice versa ... a Fab never looked better until she put on purple glitter eyeliner!

-bp-

fun, flirty, fabulous: primer

You wouldn't paint a wall without priming it first, right?

Actually, maybe you would, especially if you wanted to achieve your end result quickly, but for the most part you would prime your canvas first.

And so, the same can be said about preparing your face for makeup. (It's all paint and colour anyway!)

Any beauty junkie can repeat the core reasons why applying primer BEFORE your makeup can do a world of good. It helps makeup last all day, it smooths out the skin, it prevents creasing. These are all really good things - so why would you fight it?

Here are some tips to wearing primer whether you are fun, flirty or fabulous.

Fun: As a fun, you can get away with wearing next to no makeup - so you don't. But maybe you like to play up the eyes: a wash of bright purple one day, smokey browns the next. If this happens to be the case, you won't need a primer that can be used for all over coverage. Instead, try a primer specific to applying eyeshadow and colour. Something like Urban Decay Cosmetics Eyeshadow Primer Potion can be spot applied to the eyes before you start creating your eye art. You apply a think layer, let it dry, then apply your eyeshadow. It smooths the eye and holds shadow in place to prevent it from fading away and creasing.

Flirty: When you become a flirty, you may find that changes in your skin result in your makeup not holding on the way it used to.  Look for a primer that promises longer wear out of your makeup, and helps bring back some of your youthful glow. Benefit Cosmetics That Gal has a pink shimmer to it so that it helps you achieve a healthy glow but also softens and evens out the skin. It also works double duty since you can pat some on midday to brighten up your skin when it starts to slump! Fan favourite, Smashbox's Photo Finish, is great for diminishing the look of pores and increasing the wear of your makeup.

Fabulous: Keep your makeup looking fabulous by choosing to work with a primer that can fill in and soften fine lines and wrinkles. You'll want to apply something like dermaglow's Ageless Makeup Primer over the entire face for an even surface. This particular primer provides all-day hydration, which is handy for fabulous skin, while it reduces shine by absorbing excess oil. Trick for you fabulous ladies: even when you aren't heading out or when you don't want to wear makeup, apply the Ageless Makeup Primer to bare clean skin and wear it alone for the day. Sure, you might be putzing around the house all day, but you will look a tad bit more put together in case unexpected company arrives.

-bp-