“Blush” Recap: Is it a Go or a Bust?

Filed Under (Makeup tip) by admin on 01-12-2008

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If you can look past some of the Diva-Drama and you love makeup, then Blush will be a show for you. Last night was the premiere of the show and after introducing the contestants, they were thrown into their first “Max Challenge”. After being shown a buffet of food, the contestants were told to use the food as makeup, instead of eating it. Right away I thought they should grab berries, powder, water, sugar, and anything highly pigmented like beets. Some of them fell on their butts as they didn’t quite understand how to transform the food into great color, while others knocked it out of the park.

Maxi, as arrogant and somewhat freakish as he is, did a phenomenal job (minus the flower petal lashes) and actually won immunity because of it. Nolan also did a great job by applying an abstract sort of sun burst on the models face. Todd on the other hand must have lost his mind when he put icing on his model’s eyes and then added curry powder. The curry made her eyes water, which made her makeup run and then the icing heated up on her skin and began to slide south. At the bottom of the barrel was poor Jessica, who seemed like the average sales person that you run into at the mall that knows how to apply regular makeup, but never goes outside that comfort zone.

After Maxi’s win they moved on to the weekly elimination challenge where the contestants had to come up with a unique “Twisted Disco” look for a Dannii Minogue music video. Once again Maxi rocked it by using stencils of all things! I have to say that the idea of art stencils was a brilliant move on his part because his girl looked fabulous. Maxi wasn’t the first pick however, but instead Dannii fell for the vibrant multi-colored look from Todd (who is actually color blind). Some of the women faired well, but in the end Jessica still couldn’t think outside the box and delivered just another pretty makeup look. So everyone else made the cut while poor Jessica has left the house to go back to her two daughters in Dallas, where she can continue to make women look beautiful. So what’s the final consensus on Blush? It intrigued me enough to watch it again next week, but if it ends up being more of the same drama and so-so makeup applications, then this may be Blush’s only season.

Skin Care Routine

Filed Under (Makeup tip) by admin on 08-11-2008

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Skin constantly changed in response to different stimuli, what is right one week may not always be appropriate the next. Pay attention to your skin. If it feels dry and taut, you maybe treating it too harshly, using very strong products or exposing it too much to sun and wind. If it is shiny and oily with a tendency to break out, ask yourself if you are removing every trace of make-up removers, whether you would be better off washing it with soap and water or whether, perhaps, you are over-washing it. If your skin develops lumps, bumps, pimples or scaly patches, simplify cleansing and make up routines wash or cleanse the skin,once a day only. Your skin care routine – some tips are :

1. Skin Washing and Skin Cleansing

Try not to disturb the skins normal function any more than you have to. Left to itself, the skin is a remarkable  elf-cleansing and self-nourishing organ and both nourishing and cleansing come from the inside. The purpose of washing is to take off surface grime and excess oil regularly and efficiently, but never abrasively.

Because the skin is constantly changing in Jesponse to different stimuli, what is right one week may not always be  ppropriate the next. Pay attention to your skin. If it feels dry and taut, you maybe treating it too harshly, using very strong products or exposing it too much to sun and wind. If it is shiny and oily with a tendency to break out, ask yourself if you are removing every trace of make-up removers, whether you would be better off washing it with soap and water or whether, perhaps, you are over-washing it. If your skin develops lumps, bumps, pimples or scaly patches, simplify cleansing and make-up routines wash or cleanse the skin, once a day only.

2. Skin Toning

Toners remove any left-over cleansing lotion and dirt and make your skin feel cool and fresh. Skin tonics or fresheners are the mildest and therefore the best. Astringents contain varying degrees of alcohol and are much harsher to the skin. They remove the skin’s natural protective oil and can eventually make it dry and coarse.

The skin gets congested with dirt and grime and various other impurities. Cleansers help drain out these impurities and allow your skin to breathe freely.

3. Skin Moisturizing

The skin is covered by its’ own natural moisture (a thin layer of oil called sebum) which helps to prevent excessive water loss. Use of a good ‘artificial’ moisturiser is extremely important as it acts as a further barrier between the skin and external dryness elements such as wind and sun. This therefore doubles the skin’s natural protection in keeping it supple and preventing it from becoming too dry and thus more prone to wrinkling. Extra protection in sunshine is essential. Sunscreens which are water-resistant are the most effective and of the moisturisers the water-in-oil preparations are the best. Ideally, you should use two types of moisturisers – a light consistency for day-time under make-up and a heavier one the ‘feed’ the skin at night. The latter is the especially necessary to aid dry skin. Finding the right moisturiser for your skin is a matter of trial and error but once found can make a very positive contribution to the look of your skin.

4. Skin Massaging

  • Facial massage should be done daily and should not take more than five minutes because if done for a longer time, there are chances of your skin being stretched and loosening of facial muscles.
  • Massage should be done on a clean face and your hands should be scrupulously clean as well.
  • Stand in front of a mirror, take a little cream and spread it gently all over the neck and face.
  • Start from the base  of the neck and move in upward strokes to  the jawline repeating this movement ten times.
  • Then move to the side of the face, with gentle upward and sideway strokes.
  • Then move your fingertips in circles around the nose.
  • It is essential to remember that the area under the eyes has to be massaged from the outer corner of the eye to the inner comer, going over the top lid to the outer comer and again going under, thus completing a round. Repeat ten times, using your finger tips.
  • Then work your fingers to the forehead. Start from the eyebrows upto the brow line, in upward strokes
  • Frown lines if any, can be removed by massaging in circles on the forehead with your fingertips
  • Prevent laugh lines around the mouth by moving in circles around the mouth line, starting from the comers of the mouth to the sides of the nose.
  • Use your thumbs to massage the chin. Incase you have a double chin, do a little bit of pinching at that area.