Beauty Archives | Page 3 of 3

Unless you have a perfect complexion, makeup is the saving grace for minimizing the appearance of flaws. In addition to being an Aesthetician, I’m a professional Makeup Artist, so I’m constantly approached with inquiries on perfecting the complexion. My answer is simple – the key to a flawless makeup application and improving the complexion is proper skin prep and care.

#1 MAINTAIN A DAILY SKIN CARE REGIMEN
Daily cleansing, toning, and moisturizing will ensure your skin locks in nutrients and maintains hydration levels. A healthy regimen will not only prep your skin for makeup application, it guarantees proper removal at the end of the day. Failing to cleanse at night causes premature aging and is a breeding ground for bacteria.

#2 EXFOLIATE
Using a mild daily exfoliant will ensure proper cleansing and help minimize unwanted tone and texture in your complexion. If you use a Clarisonic or something similar, avoid overusing it as it will strip your skin of its nutrients and cause dehydration. I opt for a glycolic cleanser by Dermaesthetics Beverly Hills for exfoliation 2-3 times a week. It contains 3% glycolic acid which polishes the skin to perfection after each use.

#3 WEAR SUNBLOCK DAILY
I cannot stress this enough, NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT SPF 50 ON! Failing to protect your skin from harmful UV Rays will cause premature aging that appears in the form of fine lines/wrinkles, inflammation, and hyperpigmentation (dark spots). You’ll have to pack on more makeup to camouflage those self-inflicted imperfections. Colorescience has a powdered sunblock that can be applied over makeup for reapplication throughout the day. It’s available in SPF 30 and 50 with a variety of shades to suit all skin tones.

#4 USE A NUTRIENT RICH PRIMER
Creating a barrier between your skin and makeup will ensure you experience less breakouts and have a smoother surface for makeup to adhere to. There are many primer options targeting the treatment of every skin concern, so add one to your daily routine to protect that pretty face. My latest fave is the iPrime Flawless Blur Gel by Image Skincare. It smoothes out imperfections while infusing the skin with antioxidants and stem cells to nourish the skin.

#5 GET REGULAR PROFESSIONAL TREATMENTS
If you don’t have an Aesthetician on speed dial yet, find one ASAP. Monthly customized facials can improve skin tone and texture so you don’t have to layer on makeup. An added bonus is if you’re proactive in your battle against aging, you’ll maintain a youthful appearance well into the future.

Proper skin prep will smooth out texture, reduce inflammation, minimize fine lines and wrinkles, and blur out unevenness in the skin tone. Just a few extra steps will give your makeup that airbrushed look with some real staying power!

xoxo

There’s nothing like finding an amazing foundation as the base for a flawless makeup application. In my opinion, perfecting the complexion is the most important process of the makeup routine, so spending extra time getting that airbrushed look will always be well worth it. There are 3 key areas to focus on when searching for that perfect foundation – your skin undertone, skin type, and desired coverage.

WARM – Your veins will appear green, and you tend to tan easily and rarely burn.

COOL – Your veins will appear blue, and you have a tendency to burn slightly. You may also notice a pink or reddish undertone to your complexion.

NEUTRAL – You will have difficulty discerning the color of your veins, and you will have no distinct undertones in your skin. Olive skin tones tend to fall into this category as well. Neutrals can basically wear the foundation of their choice.

NORMAL – No visible signs of dryness or oiliness. You may experience shine in your T-zone, but that is fairly common with normal skin. You can use any foundation dependent on your preference.

DRY – Your skin is lacking hydration and can appear tight and/or flaky. A moisturizing foundation is best and you may want to skip setting it with powder. Using a hydrating setting mist can also help provide that moisturized appearance.

LIGHT COVERAGE – Ideal for daily wear, and can come in the form of a tinted moisturizer, BB cream, CC cream, or lightweight foundation. This will provide minimal coverage but not provide much color correction.

MEDIUM COVERAGE – Perfect to lessen the appearance of mild skin concerns. Also great for buildable coverage with a lightweight feel.

FULL COVERAGE – Best for those seeking color correction and camouflaging uneven skin tone. It’s also suited for those wanting to differentiate their daytime from night time look.

This is merely a basic guide for choosing the perfect foundation, but is a good place to start if you’re seeking something new. My latest go-to foundations are the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation and Cover FX Custom Pigment Drops. I like to add a drop or two of Cover FX to the HD foundation for an polished look that doesn’t feel heavy and conceals my dark spots well.

xoxo

5 Tips For A Flawless Makeup Application

3 Tips For Choosing The Perfect Foundation