Eye shadow is one of those things that people can be very picky about. Some people swear by powders, while others say that nothing can beat a good cream. Both can be good for different occasions, and if you haven’t used one or the other, I suggest you try.

Powders are the better known type, and are what most people think of when they hear the word eye shadow. You need a brush to apply them, and the blending can be a bit tough if you’re not used to doing it. On the other hand, creams can be applied with your fingers and blend smoothly, but are thicker and don’t always feel as nice.

If you decide to use a powder, it will look light and feminine. The downside is that it may end up looking splotchy, depending on the brand. To keep it simply looking pretty and feminine, try applying a primer beforehand. You don’t need to go expensive for this, either!

On the other hand, if you want a cream, it will look very smooth and, well, creamy! With this type, the downside is that it can go on too heavy or dark. Remember to only apply a tiny bit at a time, and to blend! You will be an expert in no time.

Both types of eye shadow have their advantages and disadvantages, and it all comes down to which one feels the best to you. You can find ways to be beautiful with each one, no matter your preferences.!

Eyeshadow is an everyday thing for many people, and at first glance it is hardly something to be worried about. You pick a color that goes well with what you are wearing or your skin tone, and simply brush it on. That’s it, time to leave! Right? Well, that could be the end to a wonderful eyeshadow story, but sometimes it leaves people wishing for more.

One thing that eyeshadow wearers forget very often is that blending goes a very, very long way. It can be as easy as blending the eyeshadow in to the rest of your makeup to create a very smooth look, or it can be more complex; such as blending two or more shades together. Either way,  it will get rid of the rough edges.

Have you ever noticed how some eyeshadow stands out and looks like a piece of the puzzle went missing? This is what blending will fix! Simple use a small brush to smooth it out, letting it mix into the surrounding colors or makeup. Be careful not to blend too high or too much on either side though! If you decide to use multiple shades, it works exactly the same. A painter wouldn’t forget to blend each shade of blue in an ocean, would he? Of course not; that would look silly!

The next time you pull out your eyeshadow brush, just remember that; your eyelid is your canvas. Blend, blend, blend!

If you have a short period of time between work and a party or just can’t quite take the time to completely redo your makeup, don’t worry!  Turning your daytime look into a night-time look is surprisingly easy, once you get the hang of it.  It is almost entirely in the eyes.

First, you need to pick out an eyeshadow that is just a few shades darker than the one you wore during the day. Don’t switch to another color, that would add an extra step! Brush it on in thin layers, until you achieve the darkness you prefer.  A tiny bit of dark eyeliner smudged underneath your eyes (and just a tiny bit!) will help add to the dramatic transformation.

Next, add a fresh layer of mascara to your lashes, and a bit of color to your lips. That’s it! In three easy steps, you have successfully turned an everyday look into a gorgeous dramatic one.  Time to hit the clubs; have fun!

Some people have eyelashes that tend to grow point out away from your face. You can really make your eyelashes look fuller if you curl them up. They will show more of the eyelash, and really open up your eyes to enhance them. It’s actually very simple to use an eyelash curler. Here’s how to use it:

Apply all your other eye makeup first, such as your eyeliner and eye shadow. Then, with your lashes still bare, you will use the eyelash curler. Open the mouth of lash curler and insert your top eyelashes. Carefully close down on the mouth until it clamps the eyelashes as close to your lid as you can get. Be very careful not to pinch your eyelid. If you feel any pain at all, then you are probably pinching your eye lid.

Rest the handle of the lash curler against your cheek being very careful not to bump it or move your hand. You may even want to rest your elbow on the counter. Do whatever is necessary to be very still so that you do not risk pulling out some of your eyelashes.

Hold the eyelashes closed in the curler for about 5-8 seconds. Then carefully open it up and release your eyelashes. They should be sufficiently curled, but you may want to repeat it once more to get the full effect. The bottom lashes will not work in a lash curler.

Finally, after you have curled them, you can apply your mascara to both the top and bottom lashes. Now, you can go bat those beautiful eyes and look gorgeous!

I know Halloween is over, but I learned quite a bit this year when I was applying my make up, and I wanted to share what I learned. Perhaps you can put it to use next year.

This year, I was a zombie. Not just a “recently killed” zombie like the ones from the new movie Zombieland, but a genuine — risen from the grave — kind of zombie. I even attended a class on how to do zombie makeup to make it look “authentic”.

For starters, skip the grease paint that they sell in the grocery stores this time of year. It just looks fake. You’ll do much better with a base of very light, or even white grease paint, but then top it with a white powder. Then, start your shadows and bruises with black eyeshadow and a good brush. Put a touch of purple underneath your eyes, and fill in some of the “bruising” with green and purple in addition to the black shadow. Don’t make the mistake of doing yourself up so that you are mask-like. Instead, be sure to get the makeup well into your hairline, and down your chin, and in fact all over your chest or arms or anywhere your skin is showing. Don’t forget your ears too. Add some dried moss to your messy hair for a finished look.

If you top it all off with some fake blood, you’ll be good to go scare!!

Sunglasses will help you in many ways, besides the obvious of just looking good in your shades!

It’s not a good idea to apply sunscreen on your eyelids or very close to your eyes since it can cause irritation in your eyes themselves. So, you need some way to protect this very delicate skin. Eye shadow can help to block some UV rays, but in direct sunlight, you really need much more than that.

Proper UV sunglasses will actually shield the skin around your eyes from UV radiation, which is what causes most sun damage in the first place. Even more importantly, sun glasses will help prevent you from squinting in bright outdoor light which is what can give you those age-telling “crow’s feet”. Continued squinting causes more wrinkles than almost anything next to smoking, or sun damage.

Not only will sun glasses help preserve the skin around your eyes, but you can certainly take that fashion step that makes you look good wearing them!

Can your glasses be a fashion statement? Or are you just better off ditching them and wearing contacts all the time to give access to your eyes?

Glasses can definitely be a fashion statement. They can come in handy if you want that sultry, sexy, studious look. You can change your frames and have different styles. Choose frames that fit your face shape. This is extremely important, and much easier if you bring a friend with you when you are choosing them to give and outsiders’ opinion. Or, rely on the experience of the frame fitter at the optometry office to help choose a frame to flatter your face. Sometimes it’s worth a little bit more money to get the frames that truly do look the best and are flattering so that you don’t get hung up and feeling like a “four eyes”.

One little known advantage to wearing glasses occasionally, is that they can help hide circles under your eyes when you are tired! Of course, if you get your beauty sleep, this won’t be necessary!

Contacts do help you see better overall though, especially your peripheral vision. You could have fun and experiment with different eye colors. It is a little easier to apply makeup when you are wearing contacts as well.

In short, you can be beautiful in either glasses or contacts. The important thing it to make the most of your options

This should be a no-brainer. It’s a pool, so you want waterproof, right?! Well, actually you may just want to skip most of the makeup all together and just get over it. If you can’t bear the thought of appearing with a naked face, then keep it to a minimum: waterproof eyeliner and mascara.

Consider that you will probably have some big sunglasses to make yourself radiant and protect those baby blues (or browns as your case may be!).

I do recommend some long wearing lipstick such as Covergirl Everlast. This will also help protect your lips from sun.

Wearing your hair up in a pony tail or a clip is a good idea. It will help you keep cool and keep it under control. More than anything else, just do not let yourself get too much UV radiation. The damage will show up on your skin years later, not now.

Now break out your best swim suit and hit the beach looking your best!

Learning to apply mascara takes time and practice. Recently I’ve helped a young teen and new makeup-wearer learn to apply her mascara. She found it awkward at first. The biggest difficulty was applying it to the lower lashes she said. Here are a few tips for applying it:

For the lower lashes, the trick here is to brush it more sideways onto the lashes than brushing in the direction they grow. If you do that, you end up getting mascara all over your cheeks.

Put eyeshadow and eyeliner on first, and the mascara on last to avoid powdered eyeshadow falling onto the lashes.

Don’t just comb the lashes, wiggle the brush right at the base of the lashes to give them good coverage.

Don’t let any skin show between your lashes and your liner. Smudge the line to fill in the gap if needed.

If you’re heading to the pool for an afternoon, you want to look as fabulous as ever, and you don’t want to end up with raccoon eyes as your mascara and other makeup runs down your face from pool water, or just sweat even if you’re not swimming!

Start by keeping makeup at the pool to a minimum, but that doesn’t mean you have to go bare faced. Skip the foundation and the blush. Use a waterproof eye pencil and mascara. Next, use some all day lip color that will not wash off in the water. These all day lip colors are the greatest beauty invention ever, in my book! A beautiful lady never goes anywhere without at LEAST her lipstick! Above all, be sure to put your sunscreen on before you leave the house because even a few minutes of sun exposure on your skin can cause permanent damage that adds up over time. Do not make the common mistake of waiting until you get to the pool to apply your sunscreen.