Your skin is the largest organ of your body and it’s the first thing people notice about you. Broadly speaking, the skin has two layers- the outer layer, or epidermis and the inner layer, the dermis.

The Epidermis

The epidermis is made of several rows of living cells, covered with a horny layer of dead cells. These are constantly being shed and replaced by new cells from the lower layers. the process by which dead cells are shed is know as ‘desquamation.’ In the basal layer of the epidermis are cell know as melanocytes . They produce melanin, the pigment which gives the skin its colour. Melanin also protects the skin from the damage caused by the sun’s radiation.

The Dermis

The epidermis is supported by the dermis,which plays an important role in determining the contours of the skin. The dermis is formed of tough , flexible connective tissue, the structural network of collagen and elastin fibers that support the skin and are responsible for its tone,firmness and resilience. The dermis contains sweat and sebaceous(oil producing) glands. The surface ends of oil glands form the pores of the skin .

How To cleanse gently

• Wash your face in warm- not hot!-water to loosen clogged pores and stimulate blood circulation to the skin

• Wet the face,then squeeze a dime-sized dab of cleanser into your palm , rub your hands together,and gently move them in circles around your face.

• Rinse with cool (but not icy) water to tighten the pores.Water that is too hot or too cold can cause broken capillaries.

How To rub your scrub

• After you cleanse your face, take a bit of scurb into the palm of your hand.
• Wet it and lightly press the scrub into your skin .
• Then massage it gently around your face with the same easy pressure you use to shave your legs.
• The force of the abrasion should lie somewhere between that used to wash with a washcloth and a loofah.(Never use aloofah on your face ;it’s much too abrasive.)To really get your circulation going, splash with cool,then warm water.

WARNING: Don’t overscurb,because you need some of that surface stuff around to protect your skin

How To Maximize your moisturizer

• Gently apply a dime- sized dab to your skin.
• Use an upward, circular motion to lightly massage the moisturizer into your face . Make sure not to pull or tug on the skin . If your skin is oily , don’t massage too much :facial massage stimulates the oil glands to produce more sebem, which is the last thing oily skin needs.
• When you apply cream under the eye ,do it gently .(This is the most delicate skin on the face.) Use your fourth finger (the weakest)and pat the cream back and forth under the eye, starting at the outer corner and working inward Do this twice a day once in the morning before applying makeup and once at night after removing it. Don’t put eye cream on your upper lids before bedtime or you’ll wake up with puffy lids.

Skin care tips

Always apply a thin coat of moisturizer before you enter a sauna. It helps prevent broken capillaries.

• In warm weather , stash your gel, lotion, or cream in the fridge . The chills feels good on your weather , warm your moisturizer between your hands for a few seconds before you apply it your face .It will absorb better.
• When you come home form work and your skin is almost as tired as you are, wash up and then slather on a face oil . Since you won’t be going out again to face the world anyway, it doesn’t matter if your face temporarily transforms into a reflector shield until the oil is absorbed. Once it does , your skin will feel like the proverbial baby’s bottom.
• Keeps makeup out of sunlight; keeps sunscreens out of sun when at the beach.

Toning

Toning is necessary for all skin types. It follows immediately after cleansing and helps to refresh the skin. It also helps to improve blood circulation to the skin surface and gives the skin the ‘glow’ that is associated with its good health.

Toning Tips

• A good way of toning the skin is to cotton wool pads soaking in a bowl of skin tonic, in the refrigerator. After cleansing the skin , wipe with the skin tonic pads and then pat the skin briskly. This stimulates blood circulation to the surface.
• Gentle stroking movements can also be followed. Using the cotton wool pads , soaked in skin tonic , start on the cheeks , with an outward and slightly upward movement. Using both hands, work on each side simultaneously, towards the temples. Press lightly at each temple. For the chin and on either corner of the nose, use small circular movements.Use a circular motion and a very light touch for the area around the eyes.

Whether you are starting your career as a makeup artist, or love to apply makeup on just yourself, there’s certain tools you need to complete a variety of makeup looks.   I’ve always stated that the 2 things that make or break a makeup look are your primers and your brushes.

But amiss the mass amounts of makeup brushes out there, how do you decide which ones you should have in your kit?   I’ve broken down the types of brushes you should have and what each one is used for, so hopefully this eliminates all those useless brushes sitting in your makeup drawer and saves you some money!

*Now I do compare the MAC brushes to some of the MUG ones- I am completely 100% honest in my reviews of these brushes and am not going to push certain ones just to “make a sell”- I promise!  I have spent many months trying out different brushes to sell in the store that were comparable to some of the MAC ones- my goal is for you to save money while still having decent quality tools.   I will describe each brush so you can choose for yourself whichever brush you feel is best for you

Eyes

There are 4 main brushes you should have for your eye makeup…..

This brush is used to pack on color to the lid.  It needs to be flat so you can pat on the eyeshadow over your eye primer,  and it needs to be stiff so it picks up plenty of color.

The MAC equivalent is the #239- the Eye Shader Brush

• Cost:  $24.50

A cheaper alternative is the MUG Eye Shader Brush

• Cost:   $4.29

Both brushes work well in packing on color, and both are stiff.  The MAC one is a bit larger and thicker than the MUG one.  Technically, the MUG one is a concealer brush, but does not work well at all for concealer- it is MUCH better at packing on eyeshadows or pigments…

This brush is used for creating the perfect smoky eye, for feathering in darker eyeshadows, and for applying more color to the crease.  This is my all time favorite eye brush!

The MAC equivalent is the #217- the Blending Brush

• Cost:  $22.50

A cheaper alternative is the NYX Professional Crease Brush

• Cost:   $8.89

These brushes are VERY comparable- the only difference I can tell is the NYX one is a smidge shorter

This brush is just like the stiff dome brush but much softer- it creates a much softer blended look.   It is used for blending shadow under the brow, applying a softer amount of color in the crease, and even for applying powder under the eyes to prevent that creasing throughout the day.

The MAC equivalent is the #224- the Tapered Blending Brush

• Cost:  $28.00

A cheaper alternative is the MUG Soft Dome Brush

• Cost:   $7.49

These brushes are very comparable- the only difference is the MUG one is a little bit smaller, which is actually better as the MAC one can be a bit too large for smaller eyes…

This brush is used for smudging eyeshadow under the lower lashline, for smudging eyeliner, or for creating a very defined crease.  The smaller tip allows for more precise lines.

The MAC equivalent is the #219- the Pencil Brush

• Cost:  $23.00

A cheaper alternative is the Essence of Beauty Crease Brush Duo

• Cost:   $9.99

Many companies sell similar brushes, so you can find this one fairly easily. The Essence of Beauty one has 2 sizes, so is great if you have a smaller area to work with and need a smaller brush.  They are also a bit softer than the MAC one.

Face

There are really only a few brushes you need for the face- it really depends on what all you wear.  But these 4 are the ones I use daily…

This brush is used for stippling foundation onto the skin for a more airbrushed finish.  The bristles need to be stiff in order to hold up to the foundation and not streak.

The MAC equivalent is the #130- the Short Duo Fibre Brush

• Cost:  $38.00

A cheaper (and better) alternative is the MUG Foundation Stippling Brush

• Cost:   $12.98

I am completely honest on this one- the MUG one works much better for me than the MAC one.  I say this as the MUG one has stiffer bristles which allows for more of a stippling effect and doesn’t streak like the MAC one.  Granted the MAC one is softer against the skin, but it doesn’t give the airbrushed finish as much.  These 2 brushes are quite different, but are used similarly.  I do wish the MUG one was a bit softer, so I wash mine with a bit of olive oil then baby shampoo.

This brush is used for applying darker powder under the cheekbones to create a contoured effect- it makes the cheekbones stand out and your face look slimmer.  This brush isn’t absolutely necessary unless you want to contour your cheekbones, but I recommend having if you are a makeup artist…

The MAC equivalent is the #109- the Small Contour Brush

• Cost:  $32.00

A cheaper alternative is the MUG Deluxe Contour Brush

• Cost:   $7.89

Now these 2 brushes are VERY different, but they work the same way.  I actually prefer the MAC one as the rounded edge allows me to get under the cheekbones for that more “chiseled” look.  If you are just starting to contour though, you may want the angled brush as it’s a little easier to work with.   If you do find an angled brush, make sure the bristles are stiff as you need enough powder to actually contour your cheeks- don’t use the fluffy blush brush as it will apply color all over the place.  Just my helpful tip for the day

This brush is used for applying powder blush to the cheeks.  It needs to be angled so the blush is easier to blend, and it needs to be soft so it doesn’t pick up too much color.

The MAC equivalent is the #168- the Large Angled Contour Brush

• Cost:  $32.00

A cheaper alternative is the MUG Blush Brush

• Cost:   $7.49

These brushes are VERY comparable- I honestly cannot tell much difference between the two.  They’re both soft and both apply blush beautifully!

This brush can be used for many things- light application of foundation, applying a small amount of blush to the cheeks, or for highlighting the top of the cheekbones.  My favorite use is for highlighting as the bristles are soft and pick up little color, and it is small enough to not cover the whole face with shimmer.  This isn’t an absolute necessary brush for your kit, but definitely nice to have.

The MAC equivalent is the #188- the Small Duo Fibre Face Brush

• Cost:  $34.00

A cheaper alternative is the MUG Cheek Highlighter Brush

• Cost:   $6.98

These brushes are VERY comparable- I honestly cannot tell much difference between the two.  Just like the blush brushes, they’re both soft and both apply shimmer beautifully!

Men’s eyebrows should be slightly thick and heavier in shape and the centre should be absolutely clean while for women the eyebrows should be of medium thickness and the shape must be very well defined.

Normally eyebrow are shaped at a 45 degree angle. The eyebrow Shaping can be done in different styles:

Sweeping

This shape generally suits all faces and gives a scope for different types of eye make-up. A sweeping shape in eyebrows helps to create an illusion of large and open eyes, balance a wide mouth and large nose and provide width to a long and triangular face.

Angular

Angular eyebrows portray elegant and stern looks. A chubby, round face can be made more interesting by making angular eyebrows.

Round

Round eyebrows look very good on the faces that have big eyes and a large forehead. The eyebrows are shaped along the frontal bone and follow the shape of the eye. Since it is natural flow of the eyebrow it gives an innocent look to the face.

Special Considerations while eyebrow shaping.

Tip for eyebrow shaping

Close-set eyes

Close-set eyes on an individual’s face can be made to look apart by widening the centre distance of the eyebrows and increasing length at the ends.

Wide-set eyes

Wide-set eyes can be made to appear closer by shaping the eyebrow lines slightly from the inner corner of the eyes. You should study the characteristics of your face and determine the most suitable shape for the eyebrows.

Preparation For Eyebrow Shaping tip

1. Tie your hair carefully with a head-band so that they don’t fall on the forehead or eyebrows during the shaping procedure.
2. Place a medium size towel under your chin to protect your clothes.
3. Clean your forehead and eyebrow area with cleansing milk or lotion to remove make up.
4. Apply talcum powder to remove greasiness from the brows and buff the skin.
5. Brush eyebrows to check the pattern of hair growth.

Eyebrow Shaping Procedure

There are three different shaping methods for eyebrows:

1. Eyebrow plucking – Very simple method.
2. Eyebrow threading – It’s all in the shape.
3. Eyebrow waxing – Quick and relatively easy alternative to plucking your eyebrows

Remove lid from blush jar and turn it over. Again, tap a small amount of blush in lid. Use a blush brush to pick up blush. Swirl your brush in the lid. Tap excess blush in the lid.

Smile and start applying blush at the apples of the cheeks. Glide brush along cheekbone toward hairline, blending it in a circular motion.

For sculpting your eyebrows, use your favourite pencil or shadow. Then apply your favorite mascara.

After your mascara, apply your favourite eyeliner. Tap a small amount of eyeshadow in the lid of the jar and add a couple drops of water. Mix thoroughly. This will serve as your eyeliner.

Applying eyeliner to your top lid will make your eyes look bigger but for a more dramatic look, you can also apply it on your lower lid.

It’s time to apply the eyeshadow. Again, remove lid, turn jar over and tap a small amount of eyeshadow in the lid.

We will start by applying a lighter eyeshadow color on inner part of the eye. Then blend your favourite colors on the outer corners of your eyelid.

When applying mineral make-up, always start with a clean face. When cleansing, focus on the T zone area. Rinse thoroughly and pat your face dry. Next, gently apply moisturizer. Rub it thoroughly into your skin. Allow five minutes for skin to absorb the moisturizer completely.

Now, it’s time to conceal. Use a concealer that’s one shade lighter than your foundation. Get your mineral concealer jar, remove the lid and tap a small about of concealer into the lid. Add a couple drops of water and mix thoroughly with a brush.

When applying the concealer, start in the inner corner of your eye and work your way outward. Use middle finger to gently finish blending the concealer for that natural look.

It’s time to apply your foundation. Remove the lid from your mineral foundation jar and turn it over. Tap a small amount of foundation into the lid. Use your powder brush to pick-up the foundation. Swirl your powder brush in the lid and then tap the excess powder into the lid.

Apply the foundation in a circular motion to blend in the foundation. Apply foundation in layers until you reach desired coverage.

We are almost done applying our mineral makeup. But now, it’s time to apply the setting powder.

Remove the lid of your setting powder jar, turn it over and tap a small amount in the lid. Use a powder brush to pick up the setting powder.

Swirl the powder brush in the lid and tap the excess powder off. Then brush on setting powder to minimize you pores and decrease the appearance of fine lines.

To complete your look, apply your favorite mineral lipstick to enhance the natural beauty of your lips. Using mineral makeup can create an all natural, stunning look.

You can be casual by day and be seductive at night.

Which Tweezer?

Thin Tip: Good for grasping small, fine hairs, and plucking ingrown hair.
Slanted Tip: Gives maximum control.
Square Tip: Best used for removing coarse hairs or several hairs at a time.

1. Tweeze immediately after showering or apply a hot washcloth to loosen hair follicles.

2.Hold a pencil vertically along the side of the nose. Eyebrow should start at outside edge if pencil. Hint: Leaving a bit more space will widen close-set eyes.

3.Hold pencil to outside of eye. This is where the eyebrow should end.

4.Smooth brows with a little moisturizer to help hairs slide out.

5.Brush brows up to find a natural arch.

6. Draw in the desired shape beforehand with a soft eye shadow pencil. Hint: Don’t use an eyeliner pencil. It will cause you to pluck too much.

7.Tweeze under the brow first, plucking in the direction of the growth. Hint: If your plucking becomes too painful, apply a little anbesol (yes, that pain reliever for teeth also numbs the brows)

8.Using an eyelash comb, comb brows upwards and trim any hairs that extend beyond the natural top or brow bone.

9.After tweezing, soothe the area with cool, wet tea bags.

Dull shades, a muted look, the sharp professional guise, a stylish bright party appearance – women can vary their appearance today at will with some simple make-up. Whether one is just a lip gloss with eye-liner woman or one who goes the whole nine yards, women love their cosmetics.

A person who knows how to use makeup would never scorn at it. It can enhance your natural beauty, add spunk and life to your appearance hide the minor imperfections and allow you to take on any role you prefer. With a few strokes of the brush, you can enhance your features: high cheekbones can be obtained, fuller lips can be fashioned and almost any effect you desire can be produced. While cosmetics are great, if you do not use them with caution they can cause damage instead of magic.

It is essential to remember that cosmetics are also made of chemicals and substances that may not always be the best for you. Some may be produce an allergic reaction or some may get outdated even before their expiry date. It is recommended that one should buy trusted brands for cosmetics; trusted does not have to mean expensive, it means one that you find suitable for your body and complexion. When you purchase any cosmetics, make sure you read any instructions provided, take any necessary precautionary measure and test the product if you can before using it.

Our eyes, lips and skin can be easily damaged if a certain product is unsuitable or if we are not careful while using it. Eyes can easily suffer an allergy, infection or even injury if you do not exercise caution. The reactions may vary from a mild itchiness to a response ultimately leading to blindness! People who suffer from allergies and those who wear contact lenses may be more susceptible. As a general rule, cosmetics must be discarded after six months so you avoid the risk of infecting yourself. Apart from the products itself, the application of cosmetics especially to the eye must be done carefully. We have a short list of guidelines to help you use your products safely and effectively.

Your lips can also suffer damage from outdated products or those that you may be allergic to. Swelling and discoloration of the lips, mouth ulcers and several other such problems may occur. Above all other features we pay attention to, our skin receives the most amount of pampering and care. Eating healthy and exercising is just the first step towards keeping your skin happy and glowing. Several other necessary practices like washing your face at least twice a day, removing make-up before bed, using cosmetics in moderation, the proper use of soaps and cosmetics etc. must be adhered to for a glowing and fresh complexion.

Problems like skin rashes and itching, nail fungus, dark circles etc. can be dealt with effectively with our simple tips. We offer helpful remedies and clear instructions on how to use cosmetics successfully to tackle beauty problems and to do justice in maintaining your natural beauty.

As you know there are two sides to every coin, there are some positive and negative points to everything on this earth. For example makeup can make you look young, beautiful and attractive but if you will keep your face covered with makeup all the time then it will harm your skin beyond repair. Removing makeup is also important part and you should remove the makeup at least before going to bed. Hence it is better to use makeup only when it is very important for you to do so. The cosmetics are made from some kind of chemicals and the prolonged contact of these chemicals is harmful for the delicate skin of your face. In case you will see the clinics of skin specialists, you will find 9 out of 10 cases will be getting the treatment for some kind of skin irritation or other skin problems caused due to makeup.

Hence make removing makeup a practice along with applying the makeup. Whenever you are back from work, party or any outdoor activity, wash your face with water and remove all the makeup that you have applied before going out of the house. No matter how much tired you are, make sure that you remove your makeup before going to bed. You can use various makeup removers to make sure that your face is clean. In case you forget to remove your eye makeup and sleep with eye makeup on your eyes, next day you will see the harm caused to your eyes by the cosmetics. Hence remember to remove your eye makeup along with cleaning your face.

Removing makeup is not a clichéd process, as there are various makeup removers that make your work easy. If you keep your skin makeup free, then your skin too will get fresh air and remain well oxygenated throughout the night. You can purchase any kind of makeup remover from the various makeup removers available in the market. You can even buy one eye make up remover s as to be on a safer side. Eye makeup removers are specially prepared to remove the makeup form the eyes without causing any kind of damage to the eyes. You can also make use of eye makeup tissues for removing makeup from the eyes. You can also clean your eyes with the help of some natural remedies. Like you can wash your eyes with milk, baby shampoo or olive oil. But these things can be little messy to manage and when you are tired, it will be not in your list to use these things. Hence may women prefer using, eye makeup tissues for removing the eye makeup.

According to your skin type, you can select the proper makeup remover for you, as according to various skin types there are various makeup removers available in the market. For removing makeup from the oily skin, you can make use of makeup removers that are specially prepared for oily skin. Soak a cotton bud or towel in this makeup remover and clean your face and eyes in gentle way without rubbing them. Repeat this procedure three to four times and then wash your face with water. After this apply some moisturizer cream on your face and then go to your bed and sleep in peace, as your skin will not get any harm due to cosmetics.

Eyebrow shaping is very common procedure and done by almost everyone. Now even men are interested in shaping their eyebrows. The simple reason behind this is eyebrow shaping gives a well-defined look to the face. Depending on your facial feature, you too can shape your eyebrows in easy five steps. But while your eyebrows, you will need to be very careful or else you might end up looking worse than what you will look without eyebrow shaping. You will need to do it carefully so that both your eyebrows have the same shape and look identical.

Eyebrow Shaping

• The first step is to trim your eyebrows. Trimming your eyebrows will make you look younger instantly. As you know the eyebrow hairs also grow and each month you will need to trim the eyebrow hair depending upon your hair growth. You will need a little comb and a point scissors to trim the extra growth of the eyebrows. Comb your eyebrows in the upward direction and then trim the extra hairs that are going above the natural eyebrow line. Next comb your eyebrows down and trim the hairs that are going below the natural line of your eyebrow.

• Your eyebrow should start from a particular point. To decide this particular point, hold an eyeliner pencil vertically against your nose. The point where it touches the eyebrow line is the particular point where the eyebrow should start. You will need to tweeze the hairs that are present before this starting point.

• To decide the arch of your eyebrow, hold the eyeliner pencil diagonally so that it touches the side of the nose, mid-mouth and the tear duct of the eye. Make sure that you tweeze some hairs from the arch but make sure that you do it in gradual line.

• Now hold the eyeliner pencil diagonally from the other end of the face so that it again touches the opposite corners of the mouth, nostril and the outside corner of the eye. The point where it touches the outside corner of the eye is the point after which there should be no eyebrow hairs. Hence trim all the hair outside this point.

• Now hold the eyeliner pencil horizontal over your eyebrow. The pencil should show a perfect straight line. Hence in these easy five steps, you have already done with eyebrow shaping.

In the beginning you will find these steps very hard and will not understand how you will manage to do it on your own. But with time you will surely know what you are supposed to do in eyebrow shaping. Just make sure that you are not standing too close to the mirror while shaping your eyebrows. Also make sure that there is enough light falling on your face and mainly on your eyebrows, so that you don’t end up cutting wrong hairs. In case you are not daring to shape your eyebrows then go to any professional makeup person, who will shape your eyebrows. In this there is no risk that you will end up spoiling your eyebrow shape.

All women no matter of what age and where they stay cannot even think their life without makeup. Most of the time of a woman’s life goes in buying the makeup products and applying makeup products. Being a woman, you yourself have spent lots of time and money in buying the best quality products. But you will agree on one thing that you don’t pay much attention to makeup brushes, which are also equally important aspect of applying makeup. You apply the makeup with your fingers and other brushes that are available in your house, just to save few bucks. Makeup brushes are very important and hence make sure that you buy them along with buying your makeup.

How to select makeup brushes so that you don’t end up buying any kind of brushes, which later you have to throw in dustbin. To know more about makeup brushes, you can do some research on the Internet and know in detail about the makeup brushes and the criterion’s to buy them. Buying makeup brushes has to be done wisely, so as to make the brushes last for long time. If proper quality makeup brushes are chosen then they can last for more than ten years. The quality brushes are very helpful, as they allow the application of makeup is smooth and perfect way.

One very essential tip while buying makeup brushes is to buy those brushes that are hand made, as they last longer. There are main three parts in any makeup brush – the hair, handle and a metal part that joins hair and the handle. Among the hair part of the brushes too there are three main types – natural hairbrushes, natural bristle and synthetic hair. Among all these three types of hairbrushes the natural hairbrushes are considered to be the best ones. The makeup application becomes very easy and effective with the natural hairbrushes. These types of brushes are good for applying foundation, blush and eye shadow. The synthetic hairbrushes are good for applying concealer, eyeliner and liquid foundation.

Also one more important tip to remember while buying makeup brushes is to buy first cut hairbrushes, as they are the best quality brushes available in the market. Virgin cut hairbrushes and blunt cut hairbrushes are not that effective. Squirrel hairbrushes are the most in demand brushes as makeup artists use them. These brushes have fine point and thus are very effective in applying makeup. But only thing is that squirrel hairbrushes are a bit expensive. Hence you can buy pony hairbrushes, which are less expensive and almost equally effective in applying makeup as that of squirrel brushes.

Makeup brushes has to be kept carefully too, so that the brushes will not get damaged. The makeup brushes should not be shared with anybody, keep it for your personal use only. This way you will not get any kind of skin problems. The brushes should be cleaned properly after using them. But make sure that you don’t wash them often or they will loose their soft touch. Don’t use the same brush for applying all the makeup products. Each makeup product is unique; so make sure that your brushes for applying them are also unique.