Skipping foundation

Although many people dislike the feel of a full face of makeup, an even base creates the perfect canvas for the rest of your color makeup. Heavy, cakey foundation is a thing of the past; with tinted moisturizers, sheer formulas and finely milled powders, you won’t even feel like you’re wearing makeup.

The key is to find the texture that is right for your skin type. If your skin is dry, try a sheer or moisturizing tint that you can actually use instead of your regular moisturizer.. Normal to oily skin types should stick with powder textures.

Concealer that is too light

If you have dark under-eye circles, the biggest mistake you can make is to choose the wrong color concealer. A good under-eye concealer should match the rest of your skin. Many people pick one that is too light to overcompensate for the darkness, which actually looks unnatural.

If you have blue or purple undertones under your eyes, choose a concealer that is peachy to counteract the darkness. Again, the under-eye area should be uniform in color with the rest of the skin, so avoid one that looks too white or light on the skin.

Wearing the wrong foundation color

Although you may be tempted to wear a foundation that is a little bit darker than your natural skin tone, the result can look mask-like. Think about it: If you wear a base that is too dark, the rest of your body will not match your face.

If you insist on adding a little bit of color to your face, choose a foundation that matches your natural skin tone exactly, and add warmth with a blush or bronzer. If you decide to use a bronzer, place the color on the cheeks, nose, chin and forehead to mimic a natural tan.

Not taking care of your skin

Many of us don’t have the time or energy to take proper care of our skin, but the results will eventually catch up to you. By starting a good skincare regimen, you will keep your skin healthy while preventing premature signs of aging. Use a moisturizer with an SPF daily to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays. In addition, many people with oily skin think they don’t need a moisturizer.

However, people of all skin types should regularly use some type of face lotion. If you have oily skin, choose one that is oil-free, like DDF Ultra-Lite Oil Free Moisturizing Dew ($35, macys.com) to help hydrate your skin without greasiness.

Limiting color choices based on “season”

It’s not what you wear, but how you wear it. Many women are under the impression that they are limited in their makeup choices due to their eye or hair color. This misconception is completely outdated and unnecessarily limits you. Makeup is made to make a person feel beautiful and confident. If you feel great in certain colors, then by all means, wear them. Makeup colors can be worn all year round.

So many women ask me, I had my colors done and I am a Winter (or Spring, Summer or Fall), so what colors can I wear? My answer to them is always Wear what you feel good in! Remember, its just makeup!

Not using makeup brushes. Would an artist ever begin painting without a palette and brushes? Probably not. While blending with your hands is convenient, it’s not always the best way to maximize the product you are applying. Certain products, like eye shadow and blush, are best applied with the right brushes.

By using the right tools, you’ll end up with a more polished and professional look, instead of looking like you finger-painted your face. After all, what’s the point of spending a lot of money on makeup if you don’t have the proper tools?.

Popping pimples

The occasional zit can be unsightly and annoying, but the last thing you want to do is try to pop it. Not only can this lead to scarring, but you also may spread bacteria, which can lead to a serious infection. Instead, try a topical treatment such as Mario Badescu Drying Lotion to get rid of that pimple in a heartbeat.

Overplucking brows

Eye brows play a very important role on the face. As a makeup artist, I find that many people have brows that are either overplucked or very light. Thin brows make your face look severe and outdated. Remember that growing them back is no easy task. If you’re unsure of how to shape your brows, leave it up to a professional. However, if you do end up taking out more than your expect, do remember to fill in any gaps with an eyebrow pencil or powder.

If you have very thin brows, a fine pencil is your best bet because you can draw them in. Try an Eye Brow pencil in a natural-looking color. For thicker brows, consider a powder to fill in any bald spots.

Overly contoured blush

Blush is meant to give the cheeks a natural flush. Many women apply a dark blush to the hollows of their cheeks in order to give the appearance of higher cheekbones. On a daily basis, this looks completely unnatural and actually ages you. Instead, choose a subtle color in rose, peach or bronze to bring out a healthy glow.

Apply the cheek color to the apples of the cheek (where your cheek muscle balls up when you smile) and blend outward towards the hairline. This method will give you a fresh, youthful glow, instead of a harsh, outdated line.

Debby Grossman is a professional Make-Up Artist and Beauty and Fashion Editor, specializing in bridal and fashion make-up. She is also a leader in Make-up Training. Courses teaching classic looks and the latest trends. For courses, lessons or booking wedding make-up Debby can be reached at 1-888-376-7610

The Right Regimen

Did you ever feel like you need to wash your face twice before your skin feels clean? How about the time you cleansed with a product that made your skin feel tight or flaky? When that happens, you’re using the wrong product or regiment for your skin type. But how do I know what’s right for me?

With the onset of winter, your skin can really get abused due to the harsh cold weather conditions. Knowing how to pamper and protect your skin properly can be invaluable. I find that women know more about make-up than taking care of their skin. Most women are misinformed or know very little about basic skin care. I always say, Your make-up can only look as good as your skin which is under it. Therefore, knowing how to make your skin look its very best is just as important as beautiful make-up.

There are so many different manufacturers pushing so many kinds of creams and regiments. Knowing which one is right for your skin can be very confusing. Questions abound, like, what should I cleanse with? Do I need Toner? Should I use an Alpha Hydroxyl Acid? These are some of the many questions make-up artists like myself have to answer on a regular basis, when preparing a client for a wedding or special event.

4 beauty myths

Here’s a list of misconceptions people have about their skin, and some real answers!

Myth: My skin needs to breathe

Fact: Yes, it’s nice to take a break from your make-up routine. Women have that attitude especially in the summer. But not because make-up suffocates the skin. If that were true, we would be getting quite sick wearing make-up. It is true that certain make-up’s and heavy creams can irritate or clog your pores. That is why a correct skin care regiment is so important.

Myth: Oily skin should be dried out

Fact: When teenagers spot pimples coming on, the first thing they do is scrub, cleanse, squeeze, and poke to try to make them disappear faster. So what’s a mother to do? Educate your teens. Just because your skin is oily, removing every trace of oil will only aggravate your complexion more. Having created a dehydrated condition, your skin may begin to over produce more oils to compensate for the over zealous cleansing and dryness. Oils trapped underneath become infected, causing pimples. We put moisture on the skin to help it stay supple on the outside, as it receives oil and water from the inside. Remember, after cleansing, your skin should never feel tight, dry, or burn. Hint: For oily skin use an oil-free moisturizer. For normal to dry skin, use a moisturizing one.

Myth: Sun is a great source of vitamin d

Fact: In the l950’s, doctors advised their patients to place children in the sun as a great source of vitamin D. As we all know today, prolonged sun isn’t healthy. Tanning in the sun is like burning a slice of toast. It’s bad for you. Get into the habit of wearing sunscreen all year round. Make sure it has both UVA and UVB protection with an SPF of 15 to 45. All doctors admit that one of the main causes of wrinkles and sun spots is exposure to the sun. Wouldn’t you rather be safe than sorry?

Myth: Blue eyes should wear blue eyeshadow

Fact: Imagine putting a ruby into a red velvet box, what happens to the ruby? It disappears, and becomes less noticeable. The same applies to eye shadow. Contrast your eye color with a complimentary shadow, not the same color.

To get your skin back into a healthy state, here are a few simple changes to help you get great results.

1. Never go to sleep with make-up on. Make-up settles into your pores and causes breakouts.
2. Choose a gentle cleanser that takes off all your make-up. “Gentle” means that it doesn’t burn or sting, and doesn’t make your face feel taut or dry after rinsing.
3. Moisturize where and when you need to. Listen to your face. Don’t over moisturize areas that are not dry. On the overly dry areas use a little extra hydration.
4. Masks are a great way to pamper your skin, and work wonders before an important event. They can be a wonderful, soothing part of your skin care routine. You can find masks made for every skin type. Oily skin should try gel masks. If your skin is normal to dry, use amask that is moisturizing. Your skin will glow and feel soft for hours. So there you have it- the myths and facts about great skin care, revealed.

Don’t forget, it’s up to you to take proper care of your skin. You’ll be glad you did.

Debby Grossman is a professional Make-Up Artist and Beauty and Fashion Editor, specializing in bridal and fashion make-up. She is also a leader in Make-up Training. Courses teaching classic looks and the latest trends. For courses, lessons or booking wedding make-up Debby can be reached at 1-888-376-7610

Being organized and staying focused is definitely the key in remaining calm during the few short months of your engagement. Your gown is beautiful, your hair will be perfect, but what about your makeup? One thing is for sure, you know on your wedding day you want to look and feel your absolute best. Here are some helpful beauty tips to help make your wedding day hassle free.

Your wedding make-up should enhance your features so you look like yourself, only more radiant and beautiful. Stay away from anything trendy or complicated. Fresh, pretty make-up with a natural warmth, has a timeless appeal at the wedding and in your photos for generations to come. For the bride that loves to wear make-up and needs reassurance, consider scheduling a trial with a professional make-up artist well ahead of time. Your make-up artist and you will discuss how to best enhance your features, as well as how to help your skin look great on your special day.

Skin care:

Don’t try any new skin regiments right before your wedding. If you’ve never tried a facial, or waxing, Don’t try them right before your wedding. Keep in mind that facials, and electrolysis and waxings should be done at least two week in advance in order to avoid temporary acne and unnecessary mishaps, which takes time to clear up. The best make-up starts with good skin. Getting your skin into a good regiment is important. Remember, your make-up can only look as good as your skin under it. Begin with cleansing your face every night with a gentle cleanser. And never go to sleep with make-up. If your skin is overly dry and flaky or extremely oily, now is the time to tackle the problem. It’s a good idea meet with a dermatologist well before your wedding day. You’ll be glad you did!

Quick fixes for the bride:

• Emergency crying tips: Brighten red eyes with an off-white eyeliner on the inside of the bottom lid
• Puffy eyes from lack of sleep: A cold compress, using either a tea bag, cucumber, or potato slices, are all very good for reducing puffiness
• You over tweezed your eyebrows: Many girls have a tendency of wearing their eyebrows too thin. Keep in mind that thin eyebrows can be harsh looking, and are not today’s look. After prolonged over-tweezing, you will have a very hard time growing them in. So beware! If over done, have them filled in with eyebrow powder. Using small light-handed strokes will achieve a most natural effect

Helpful hints for wedding make-up:

• Brows frame the face so make sure they are defined if need be.
• Having your eyes and face lightly contoured adds a nice dimension to your face and photos.
• Powder helps your make-up stay on, and keeps your face looking matte in photography as well.
• Waterproof mascara is a must to prevent smudging if you would get teary.
• For lips – make sure they are not dry. Apply lip balm for a few days before your wedding day. There is nothing worse then a pretty lipstick on chapped lips. Stay away from brown tone lipsticks. They can make you look washed out when wearing white. Most of all, staying calm is important in order to enjoy planning the wedding and everything that goes along with it. May you always be a source of joy to all your friends and family!!

Best wishes,

Debby.

Debby Grossman is a professional Make-Up Artist and Beauty and Fashion Editor, specializing in bridal and fashion make-up. She is also a leader in Make-up Training. Courses teaching classic looks and the latest trends. For courses, lessons or booking wedding make-up Debby can be reached at 1-888-376-7610