Nothing is quite as frustrating as achieving the perfect look and then watching it fade throughout the day.  From eye liner to lip stick and everything in between seems to fall victim to midday smudging or fading.

If you find that your eyeliner and/or mascara smudges or runs halfway through the day, try reducing the amount of eye cream used in the mornings by half or leave a little space between where the eye cream is applied and where the eye makeup goes.

If your blush seems to disappear throughout the day, put a very thin layer of cream blush under your finishing powder and then top it off with a powder blush.

To keep lips in place and avoid feathering, always start with a lip liner.  Apply lip color, blot, lightly dust with face powder and finish with a gloss to add extra shine and moisture.

Trying these quick and easy tips will help keep that perfectly applied face in place all the live-long day.

Whatever look you are trying to achieve, here are some styling tips to help with the everyday styles that so many of us sport.

*To create an easy, wavy, natural look, gently use your fingers or a pick to untangle wet hair.  Add a small amount of anti-frizz or shine enhancing product and let hair air dry.

*Permed hair often requires a bit of perking up between shampoos or on the mornings when a full-styling session doesn’t fit the time constraints.  Start by lightly misting hair with water and then pushing curls into place with your fingers.  Keeping a spray bottle with water and a few drops of essential oil in your favorite scent will really kick up the overall effect of this quick fix.

*Pomade is the perfect product in a pinch.  It can be used (very sparingly) to remove static, control flyaways, or create a glossy shine to dull hair.  Always start pomade by gently rubbing between palms and applying to ends first.

*Once that beautiful braid is completely, finish the look by applying a little gel or pomade to the little loose hairs around the face and nape of the neck.  After smoothing on a little product, a hairpin can help hold things in place until dry.  These products can also be applied to damp hair before braiding to help keep everything in place.

Some people have it and some do not…hair with natural volume that is.  If you are among those who have been blessed with voluminous hair, congratulations!  On the other hand, if you haven’t and still crave volume, don’t despair.  It can still be achieved!  In addition to using volumizing shampoos and conditioners, there are also supplements that can be taken to help hair.

B-vitamins, zinc, and iron can help boost hair volume and growth and are the key ingredients that help prenatal vitamins seem to work so well.  During the styling process, creating the illusion of volume is also possible.  Try blow drying hair while bent over at the waist and flipping hair upside down.

Applying hairspray while flipped over this way will also help to volumize hair, but be sure to avoid putting a stiff layer of laquer on the top of the hair as it will weight it down and reduce the voluminous look.

Brightly colored steaks are all the rage these days.  These are a fun and quirky way to express yourself and the look can often be achieved in a temporary way.  Normally, dark hair has to be bleached first and then colored for the vibrant colors to show.

There are some products on the market now such as Spiker colored gel and various hair sprays that can help you achieve the look without the bleaching.  Obviously, the process and intensity of the color is easier for those with lighter hair, but anyone can achieve the look.  The ‘at-home’ method involves using peroxide or a bleaching kit from the local drug store to strip the color from the hair (unless the hair is already a light blonde).  Any shade of Kool-aid can then be used to dye the hair and create the desired color streak.  There are also dyes at the local beauty supply store that can be used.

For the less adventurous or those who don’t want to make the full commitment, single extensions can be clipped into the hair and come in a rainbow selection of colors.  These extensions can be trimmed to match the hair’s length, but DO NOT use the curling iron on these locks because it isn’t real hair and will melt.  Even with the clipped-in version, the look is fun and cool!

Often we get so caught up in creating the latest look or trying the “new” secrets to beautiful hair that the basics get lost along the way.  There are a reason these things are called “the basics” and practicing them will make hair all that more beautiful.

*Thoroughly wet hair before adding a quarter-size amount of shampoo and lather for less than a minute to avoid breakage.

*Rinsing with cool water seals in moisture.

*100 strokes of a brush will help distribute hair’s natural oils and keep the scalp healthy.  Be sure to flip the head over and brush back to front for at least half of those strokes.

*Use a comb to get tangles out of wet hair.  Using a brush will cause more breakage and do more damage than good.

*If hair has been recently colored, be sure to wait at least 48 hours before shampooing.  When hair is wet, the cuticle opens up and the color needs time to be sealed in to avoid fading.

*Coated rubber bands are a must to secure ponytails and the ends of braids.  They reduce the chances of breakage.

By remembering and following some of these tried and true basics, hair will be healthier, happier, and hotter!

Healthy hair is shiny and soft to the touch, but often in the process of creating the perfect hair-dos, we use a lot of hair-don’ts.  Always avoid styling products that contain alcohol.  The alcohol in many hairsprays and gels can dry out hair, leaving it dull and lifeless.   Once you’ve chosen a good (alcohol-free) product, keep it off the scalp.  Putting products like mousse, gel, and pomades on the scalp can clog the pores and lead to flake-causing build-up.

As you are creating the perfect style, remember that hot air can damage hair as well as heat-styling products.  Change the hair dryer setting to cool, especially if you are also using a straightener, curling iron, or hot rollers.  To speed up the drying process and keep the heat off of your hair as much as possible, try towel drying your hair and then doing the other things in your morning routine such as brushing teeth and applying body lotion as the hair has a chance to air dry.

Finishing any hairstyle with a leave-in treatment such as Redken’s Extreme is always a good idea and a win-win for your hair’s look and health.

Ugh!  Is that a pimple coming up?  No matter what age, pimples seem to be a perpetual plague.  Those pesky skin blemishes make it difficult to feel beautiful, but achieving clear skin isn’t impossible.  These easy-to-follow beauty tips can help clear up that complexion:

*Cleanliness is key, but don’t over clean.  Washing your face first thing in the morning and right before bed at night is plenty.  Try to use an antibacterial facial soap which can be found to meet any income.  Over-cleaning and over-scrubbing your face can dry out the skin and cause pores to produce more oil.

*Moisturizers are an essential step in skin care and should not be skipped, even if skin is very oily.  Oil-free moisturizers can help to balance and even out the oiliest of skin.  ALWAYS choose a moisturizer with an SPF of 15 or higher, no matter what time of year it is.  The sun can still cause damage even in the winter.

*Non-comedogenic products are a must for clear skin.  Whether choosing a moisturizer, foundation, powder, or other make-up products, be sure the label says “non-comedogenic” which means that it won’t clog pores and create more blemishes.

*Carefully apply makeup to cover blemishes until they heal. Don’t over-apply your makeup foundation, or you’ll end up drawing more attention to the area than it would have had in the first place.

*Finally, listen to your mother and NEVER squeeze pimples!  Not only will the act of squeezing the skin cause bruising and possible scarring, but opening up the skin can spread bacteria and cause even more pimples.  Don’t do it!

Gorgeous blondes are all too familiar with the dangers of summer and chlorine-treated swimming pools.  As beloved as Kermit the Frog may be, none of us are really dying to look like him. To help keep blonde locks from taking on the green tint of summer, use a cheap conditioner on the hair before taking a dip in the pool. During the process of bleaching or lightening hair, the cuticle layer of the hair has holes created in it and the chemicals used to clean pools settle into these holes giving hair look that greenish look.

By applying a little conditioner to dry hair before jumping in, the holes are filled and the chemicals kept out. This also works wonders on children’s hair too.  If the hair has already gone green, using a quality clarifying shampoo like Nexus Aloe Rid will bring it back to blonde in just one or two shampoos.

A smell can linger in your memory forever.  We all have scents that we love and that make us feel good.  When you finally find a scent that fits your personality, your mood or the day, it feels great.  Keeping that scent throughout the day can often be a challenge though.

One trick to increase the staying power of your favorite smell is to layer the scents as you get ready.  Layering makes them last longer.  Start with a body wash (if you shower in the mornings) and follow that up with a body sprays or lotion.  There are also deodorants and antiperspirants on the market now with complementary scents.

When achieving the perfect scent for you, the choices are endless.  You can mix and match scents in a more creative way or be more traditional with same-scent combos.  As the day wears on, and your scent wears off, try spritzing a body mist behind your knees and on the wrists to help you feel refreshed and energized with that just starting the day feeling.

Nothing can give away your age like your hands.  To keep hands looking healthy and young, apply the same daily SPF facial moisturizer to your hands in the morning.  Before bed, smear some of your favorite night cream on the backs of your hands as well.  To keep your fingernails healthy, soak them in lemon juice for about 10 minutes once a week.  This will help them stay stronger and brighter.  You will be amazed at how shiny they will look.

Well-manicured nails can also make your hands look great.  If you are among those who keep your nails painted, remember to give the polish the day off at least once month to help keep nails healthy.  On the days when you are sporting your favorite manicured color, carry around a bottle of clear polish.  You can apply a coat of clear polish every day or two to help keep your manicure chip-free and looking great longer.