Choosing Hair Color

If you want to change your appearance the easiest way to do it, is to do something to your hair. Adding color to your hair is one of the quickest and most dramatic ways of changing the way you look. But choosing the right hair color can be a difficult task. Given below is information about different types of hair color and information about what color would suit you best.

Types of Hair Color or Dyes:

* Permanent Tints: Is mixed with hydrogen peroxide to lift hair color. The peroxide opens the hair cuticle to allow the color to reach the cortex and form the color. The greater the concentrations of peroxide the quicker and lighter the result.
* Semi-Permanent Colors: They do not lift color. They only vary the tone of your natural hair color or can be made darker. It has very little peroxide, which opens the cuticles slightly. Hence the color will last up to about 20 washes and will fade slowly as you shampoo your hair.
* Semi-Permanent Vegetable Colors: It has only vegetable extracts and natural ingredients. Therefore no color is removed from your hair. The color is superficially on the surface of the hair and will be washed away after about 8 shampoos.

Hair Color Tip:

* The hair color you choose should suit your skin color. Light complexioned people do not look good with very dark hair as it draws color out of their skin. Dark complexioned people look best with four or five tones of blonde; chestnut or honey tones also will look great.
* When you are coloring your hair for the first time don't do it by yourself. Get it done by a professional.
* Blonde hair color is easy to get on dark brown hair. But your hair has been permanently colored then this process can become very tedious.
* Red hair color is the sexiest shade and attracts most attention. Most hair is suitable for red hair color. If you are a blonde you will have to go two or three shades darker than your natural color to achieve a rich red hair color and this color is not easy to reverse.
* Brown hair color suits almost everybody. By varying a shade of brown with highlights you can achieve a huge range of colors.
* Black hair color is easy to apply and is easy to apply on all types of hair. But this color looks good only on people with dark or olive skin color.

It is best to consult a beautician and a professional before you color your hair for the first time. As they will give the best advise as to what color is best for your skin tone and for your hair texture.

Healthy Hair Tips

Your hair reflects your general health and is vulnerable to stresses and strains of your everyday life. If you are not healthy and not taking care of yourself and not following a healthy diet then your hair will lose its shine and bounce and become dull. You should have a healthy diet and exercise enough to ensure that your hair follicles get enough blood.

Food For Healthy Hair
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is important for healthy hair. There are certain specific foods that are important for healthy hair. Your diet should consist of the following foods if you want your hair to look healthy and shine.

* Protein: Is found meat, fish, poultry, milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, sunflower seeds etc.
* Vitamin A: Is found in butter, eggs, milk, carrots, tomatoes, oily fish, dark green leafy vegetables, apricots etc.
* Vitamin B: Found in milk, eggs, wholegrain cereals, bread, wheat germs, nuts, soya beans, poultry, fish, meat etc.
* Vitamin D: Sunlight, fish liver oils, oily fish, milk and eggs etc.
* Vitamin C: Found in blackcurrant, green peppers, citrus fruits, bananas, avocados, artichokes, leafy green vegetables etc.
* Vitamin E: Found wheat germ, peanuts, vegetable oils, pulses, green leafy vegetables etc.
* Iron: Found spinach, cockles, liver, kidneys, pulses, lentils, beans, peas, dried fruit etc.
* Calcium: Found cheese, nuts, eggs, milk, yogurt, sardines, root vegetables etc.
* Iodine: Found in seafood, dried kelp, iodized salt etc.
* Sulphur: Found eggs, meat, cheese, diary products etc.
* Drink coconut water at least twice a week, it is good for your skin, digestive system and does wonders to your hair.

How To Make Your Hair Shiny

Your hair is an important part of your appearance. If your hair does not look good, your entire appearance can be ruined. All of us would like to have beautiful, silky, shiny hair. But like a number of other beauty secrets many of us do not know how to make our hair shiny. Different hair textures need different ingredients to make it shiny. Healthy, shiny hair enhances the beauty of a person.

* Fine Hair : for fine hair look for a shampoo with wheat proteins and polymers. These ingredients coat the hair shaft making it look thicker. Use spray volumizers. These are light enough and will deposit a light mist of shine in the form of droplets without wilting your hair.
* Normal Hair : for normal hair use a shampoo that has silk amino acids, this softens and repairs hair structure. Lecithin restores hair texture. To add shine you can use gels and creams. First apply the product on your palm, rub your hands together and pat gently on to your hair.
* Thick and Coarse Hair: Use pomades they will not only make your hair shiny but will moisturize your hair as well.

Tips For Shiny Hair

* Use heat-activated shampoo
* Deep condition at least weekly
* Don’t use a lot of styling products as they can dull the hair by coating it.
* Use Strawberry hair mask: mash eight strawberries with one-tablespoon mayonnaise. Massage this into washed but damp hair. Cover it with a shower cap and then a warm towel. Wash out with a shampoo and then condition. This mask will give your hair a rich gloss.
* Increase the shine in your hair by giving your hair a cool blast of air to seal the cuticle after it is completely dry. If the cuticles are ragged then your hair will not shine.
* For blonde hair use a few tablespoons of lemon juice to your rinse water. This will make your hair shiny.
* For brown and red hair add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to your rinse water.
* For shiny hair you can also mix one teaspoon of honey into 4 cups of warm water. After shampooing, pour the mixture through your hair, but do not rinse. Dry as normal.

Hair Split Ends

Split ends in the hair are the most common hair problem that every woman faces. Trichoptlosis or split ends occur when the protective cuticle is stripped away from the ends of the hair. Split ends are more common when the hair is dry or brittle. Excessive dying or vigorous brushing can cause split ends. Once the hair cuticle is removed in this fashion it is impossible to replace it. The hair will split into two or three strands, for a length of two to three centimeters in length. The best way to get rid of spilt ends is to cut them off. There is no other effective cure for split ends.

During the seventies women used to burn off the split ends. You need not do this. All you need to do is to cut them off using a pair of scissors. You do not have to visit a saloon to cut them off; you can do it at home itself. To get rid of split ends, take a small section of your hair and carefully twist it gently in a downward motion. When you do this, the split ends will automatically stick out. Carefully snip into the twist with sharp scissors. Carefully remove the split ends; this will give your hair a natural layered effect. Try to cut about the same amount of hair. Cutting your hair is the best way of getting rid of split ends. It is the simplest and least expensive method to remove split ends.

Prevent Hair Loss

Loss of hair makes everyone anxious and no one wants to be bald. So everyone is always trying various methods to prevent hair loss. Here are a few solutions to hair loss problems. These tips will help in the regeneration of hair follicles but will not cure the underlying cause of hair loss.

* Make a drink by blending bananas, honey, yogurt and low fat milk. This drink is rich in biotin and will help your hair to have strong roots.
* Ensure your diet is rich in Vitamin B6, zinc and saw palmetto. Use supplements if you cannot get enough from natural food sources.
* Bend your head while you are shampooing and massage your scalp. This will increase blood circulation to the scalp.
* Get rid of stress and this is most dangerous for your lovely hair.
* Get sufficient sleep. Like a healthy body, healthy hair too needs a good night's sleep.

Oily Hair Remedy

Oily hair hangs limp against your head and does not have any life or bounce. Everyone likes to have shiny, bouncy hair and this may seem a difficult task with oily hair. There are remedies for oily hair and here are a few tips on how to manage oily hair.

* Do not wash your hair everyday. If your hair is clean your glands will secrete more oil. Use a cleaning shampoo to wash your hair and to scrub off the oil build up. Use a mild shampoo and scrub lightly.
* While applying conditioner, do not apply to the roots only apply in the middle or to the ends.
* Reduce the oil intake in your diet. Avoid oily food. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid drugs, alcohol and oils.
* You should consider changing your shampoo. Ask your stylist what you should use. Avoid using the two-in-one shampoos with conditioner.
* If you have to fix oily hair at short notice then just rub in some talcum powder to the hair roots. Make sure that you wash it off later on.

These are a few tips that should help your hair from looking oily and preventing oil build up. It is not easy and you will have to work at it.

Healthy Hair

The most effective way to get healthy hair is to have a healthy diet. Lustrous, healthy hair is a result of a healthy body and a result of eating healthy food. Beautiful, healthy hair is a result of a healthy diet. There are certain foods that make your hair healthy and strong. Incorporate these foods in your day-to-day diet and you will notice the difference in your hair within a few weeks.

* Water: One-fourth of the weight, of a strand of hair, is made up of water. Water makes your hair supple and soft therefore you should have enough water. Do not wait till you are thirsty keep drinking water. If you thirsty it means that you have lost water and your body is asking you to replenish the loss. Water keeps your hair silky and shiny as well.
* Protein: A diet for healthy hair should be rich in protein as hair consists of primarily protein. Proteins will give your hair more strength and will prevent it from breaking and splitting. Eat protein rich foods like fish, meat, milk, cheese and cereals.
* Minerals: A variety of minerals are important for healthy hair. Iron carries oxygen to the hair. Insufficient iron will starve the hair follicles of oxygen. Include red meat and dark green vegetable in your diet. Zinc prevents hair loss. Meat and seafood have a high content of zinc. To improve the natural color of your hair, incorporate copper in your diet. Fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds, meat and liver are high in copper.
* Vitamins: You must ensure that you diet has all the necessary vitamins that help in the growth of healthy hair. Vitamin A makes your scalp healthy and is good for your skin as well. It is found in vegetables especially carrots. Vitamin B and C for hair growth and hair color. Include these vitamins in your diet will ensure that your hair is healthy and does not split. Eat fruits, vegetables, cereals, eggs, milk and bread.
* Exercise: Along with a healthy hair diet it is important that you exercise properly as it will ensure that there is proper blood flow to your scalp and will help in the growth of hair.

Dandruff

Dandruff is a common hair problem that bothers many of us. Many people also complain that with dandruff there is an increase in hair loss as well. But there is no established relationship between dandruff and loss of hair. But if you have too much dandruff then you must take it is as a warning about the health of your hair. Dandruff is made up of small pieces of dead skin that peel from the scalp as a result of the effects of metabolism. During its early stages dandruff is not visible to the naked eye. It becomes visible as a result of the growth of bacteria and or as a result of problems with seborrhoeic scalp condition. Dandruff is visible as large pieces of dead skin that we normally call "dandruff". A person suffering from dandruff for a long time is said to be have a dandruff ailment. This aliment along with itchiness can lead to eczema if not treated. One way of treating fatty dandruff is to prevent the growth of bacteria. Bacteria are the cause of this condition.

An effective way of dealing with dandruff is to use a medicated shampoo specifically designed to remove dandruff. Depending on the type of dandruff you have, you will have to decide your shampooing regime. People who suffer from dry scalp should not shampoo daily or it can lead to eczema. You can try a simple home remedy for dandruff. Massage some vinegar into your hair and scalp and let it dry for a few minutes and then wash your hair. Repeat this process is done daily till the problem disappears. If you have a persistent problem of dandruff it is best to consult a dermatologist or skin specialist.

Hair Secrets

Here are some tips and secrets to be the perfect diva that you can try at home, without spending a fortune in the beauty parlors and wandering from beauty clinics and saloons. Remember, they are not to be passed on to your friends:

* The hot tip to make your hair smell aromatic is to prepare your own hair perfume at home. Mix 6 tablespoons of powdered charcoal, 5 tablespoons of powdered myrrh and 1 tablespoon of powdered benzoin together and sieve it thoroughly. Add 2-3 drops of bergamot oil and 2-3 drops of sandalwood oil, 1 tablespoon of potassium nitrate and mucilage of tragacanth to the mixture until it acquires the consistency of a stiff paste. Heat the mixture over a water bath. Shape it into little cones and dry them. Whenever you wash your hair, light one of the cones while your hair is still damp and let them soak the smell of the cone.
* A perfect way to get rid of dry, brittle, dull hair is to massage mayonnaise into your hair thoroughly, starting from the roots to the hair ends. Then pile your hair on top of your head and cover them fully with plastic food wrap. Wrap the pre-heated towel around it and keep it on for 10 minutes. This will help in deep-conditioning your hair. Now, replace the towel with another pre-heated towel and leave it on for 10 minutes too. Now remove all the wraps and shampoo your hair. This cholesterol treatment once a month for your hair is a boon that will keep it soft and shiny.
* If you don't have time to shampoo your oily hair daily, you can try this out. Pour some cornstarch into a dish and dip a clean, large blush brush into it. Brush your scalp and hair roots thoroughly with the cornstarch and leave it on for 10 minutes to soak off the oil. Then brush away the cornstarch flakes, ridding your hair with all that unwanted greasiness.
* Make a mixture by adding ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 gallon of distilled water and store it in the refrigerator. Once a fortnight, shampoo and rinse your hair thoroughly and then pour 2 cups of the mixture over the scalp and let it saturate the hair. Rinse your hair with cold water to get rid of all the drab of hair styling products.
* A possible cure for your impossible dandruff is vinegar. Massage it into your scalp and leave it to dry for a few minutes. Wash the hair thoroughly and repeat the process daily. Dandruff usually disappears within a few days.
* The ancient Mayan women used avocados to keep their skin and hair healthy. Here is their infallible hair mask that you can use too - Mix ½ ripe avocado, 1 tbsp. olive oil, ½ small banana and 1 egg yolk together and massage it into your hair. Cover it with a plastic wrap and leave it on for one hour. Rinse the mask with warm water and then shampoo your hair thoroughly.
* Say goodbye to your dandruff by dissolving 2 aspirins in your dandruff shampoo before washing your hair with it. Moisturize your hair with a good conditioner later.
* Powder your greasy hair by putting it a little at the root of your hair before straying. For very oily hair, powder your hair heavily and keep it on for 15 minutes. Then wash the hair completely and condition lightly before making the desired style.
* To bleach your hair naturally or just lighten their color, rub lemon juice on them and wander out for a walk in natural sunlight.

Bridal Beauty

Every bride deserves to be the very special lady of the day and look her best. The hairdo, the makeup, the bridal trousseau and how the bride conducts herself is the focus of everybody's attention on this day and you will certainly feel much more comfortable, if you have already done the dress rehearsal first. Here are some useful tips for the bride:

* To cover the reddish skin, use sheer color corrector and apply tinted moisturizer of yellowish green or olive green shade to neutralize it.
* Pink color blush is not for the wedding day, generally speaking. Try bronzer under cheekbones instead.
* Bright lip colors may be warm such as orange-red, orange-gold, copper and warm beiges, creams and caramels or cool such as fuchsia, magenta, blue-reds, shades of lilac and pink and make lips look plusher and fuller.
* Deep warm lip colors such as yellowish and orangish browns; mahogany, deep warm reds and chocolate and deep cool shades such as cool brown, taupe, deep purple, plum and blue-toned burgundy underplay too much thickness of lips.
* The subtle look can be achieved by using the air-brush a lot and sticking to light shades such as cream, gold, lime green and brown for warm skin undertones and lilac, plums and soft pink for cool skin undertones.
* Neutrals are the safest choice to make you seem a bride endowed with natural beauty.
* Be sure to coordinate you overall look: all the colors should have either warm or cool tone while your hair, make-up, jewelry and gown should correspond to the carefully chosen theme.
* Hairstyle is usually chosen, after completing the makeup to suit the looks of the bride.
* If you are not used to wearing heavy makeup, keep your hands away from blue and green eye shadows.
* For olive and dusky skinned ladies, maroons and brown lip colors are the safest bet as well as the golden tones.
* Hairstyles are often adorned with pearls, rhinestones, flower buds, golden lace, satin ribbons, jeweled hair bands and tiaras among other hair ornaments and may range from the simplest French braid or bud to complex and elaborate hairdos.
* Bridal makeup includes all the attention to the minutest of details. Don't overlook them for the finished look.
* A timeless makeup look will keep your wedding snaps fresher forever, so try not to give in to the fads of the day.
* Cream foundation with a high pigment level is recommended.
* Don't forget to cover your neck, chest, area behind your ears with foundation and makeup too.
* Morning weddings need natural look makeup while evening weddings need more formally adorned brides with darker makeup shades.
* Lighting also determines your makeup. A well-lit area uses lighter colors while deeper tones are good for darker areas. Fluorescent lighting will add a greenish tinge to everything so avoid green shades.
* Try not to be too dramatic but there is a secret seldom revealed: red lipstick makes teeth appear whiter!

Bridal Makeup

The day of the wedding is perhaps the most-awaited day in the life of any woman and to look like a fairy queen is the dream of most of the brides. The bridal makeup is not only about makeup for the occasion but also about pre-bridal skin and facial care and treatments. It must be photography friendly too and thus, professional help is often desired to assist brides to look their best on this very special day of their lives. Correct use of colors and expert highlighting and contouring leave you looking as stunning and dazzling, as you want. Choose cosmetics that are long lasting, can be easily blended and have high pigmentation level for your wedding day and you are free to use shimmer and gloss to make you shine. Cosmetic colors should compliment your wedding attire yet you must also keep in mind that there will be lots of flash photography and blue-toned colors will make you appear darker.

Naturally beautiful is the best look of all times and warm and neutral shades go a long way in helping you to achieve it. Fuschia and blue-red lipsticks may end up giving you a vampy look while frosted and highly reflective lipsticks are too old-fashioned these days. If you really want to shine and exude warmth, use sheer application of luminescent cosmetics instead. Remember, rightly applied concealers and foundations are your best friends on your bridal day. It is always a help to know your face well - your skin type, your facial features, undertone of your coloring and what you want to highlight and what you want to underplay. So determine these things, well before the wedding day. Rehearsals don't harm you anyway and are very useful in successfully achieving the desired look on the main day.

For weddings in summers, spray your face with sealer after doing makeup so that it lasts longer. For make your lip color last longer, define your lips using the lip liner and then apply the lip color. Tissue off the extra color and reapply it. Seal it too and then add the gloss or shimmer. Be sure to take good care of skin and cleanse, moisturize, tone and protect it months before wedding. Don't forget to use sunscreens and sun blocks with vitamins and nutrients good for skin too. Coordinate the color of your eyebrows with your hair and use a firm angled bristle brush to comb them properly. Gray ash blondes can use ash brown shade to cover their eyebrows while redheads can use reddish brown shades or orange or gold tones depending upon the undertone of your hair.

The beauty sleep before the wedding is absolutely essential so make sure that you are well rested and well fed on the day of your wedding despite all the excitement, fun and anxiety so that you do not look dull and sick at the time of the occasion. Keep one of your friends nearby with all the little things that you might need for that quick touchup such as powder, hair pins, safety pins, lip color and gloss, paper tissue, Qtips and even a mild pain killer, just in case. Keep a second pair of very comfortable shoes handy so you don't look as if you are going to try just because your feet are hurting so! It is always better to check what hairstyles suit you well before the wedding, so you don't mess up on the day of the occasion. Makeovers are thrilling but try them out much before the wedding so that you don't land up feeling strange and uncomfortable on the big day.

Makeup For Teenagers

Mothers have been fretting over their teenaged girls ever-increasing cosmetic use and the threat to their skin. Now they should breathe easier for even teens can use cosmetics made especially for them. Teenagers should opt for more natural look and use light application of makeup only as their skin is still young and is naturally beautiful. Soft and subtle are the two keywords that teens should keep in mind while doing makeup. The colors that work best for them are the ones that are closest to their natural skin tone or add just a bit of color to their faces such as shades of pink, coral, neutral brown and gray. Here are a few steps that any teenage girl can use to transform into a blooming beauty in a jiffy:

* Use a concealer pencil that matches you skin tone to cover any skin imperfections, acnes, skin blemishes, scars or dark circles.
* Use a toothbrush to brush brows into place.
* Use a soft gray eye pencil to fill in any gaps in the eyebrows.
* Use soft gray eyeliner to line the lashes and blend it well to the outside edge.
* Apply one coat of brown mascara but if you have naturally black eyelashes, you may also use black mascara too.
* If you have a warm skin undertone, use sheer application of peach blush but if you have a cool skin undertone, use soft pink shade. Blend it well using cotton ball.
* Use natural shade of lip color or just sheer gloss for a soft nude look and you are ready for the party, girl.

Makeup in Five Minutes

When you have only five minutes before rushing out of the house and you want to apply make up, here are the steps on how the apply make up in five minutes.

* Apply moisturizer.
* Apply foundation and blend it in with a foundation brush for even coverage.
* Apply blush and blend it in. Powder blushes are easiest to apply.
* Apply eye shadow of your choice lightly.
* Apply eyeliner according to eye shape, concentrate on the outer corners.
* Apply mascara to your lashes.
* Use a fat brown pencil and apply color to your brow bone and blend.
* Color your lips with the help of a lip brush. This is not time consuming.
* Powder your nose and t-zone with loose powder.
* Check your blush and add more if you need.

Party Make Up Tips

We all wear makeup everyday, but when you are invited to a party the make up has to be special. Your make up should be such that it should make you stand out in the party. Here are a few tips on party make up that will make you the center of attraction in the party.

* Before the night of the party decide what you are going to wear and try it on. Do a dress rehearsal with the accessories that you are going to wear.
* Choose lipstick according to the color of your skin. Pick something that will suit you nicely.
* Highlight either your eyes or your lips. If you are wearing red lipstick then do not highlight your eyes.
* Choose a nice perfume and do not eat garlic, as it will affect the scent of your fragrance.
* Soak in the bath for a while and relax before you leave for the party. This will make you relaxed and you will have more fun at the party.
* Choose an elegant and easy hairstyle.
* If you are not comfortable in a dress you do not have to wear one, you can wear trousers and you can accessorize them for the occasion.
* Don't wear too many accessories. Less is better for a party.
* Apply fresh nail polish before the party to ensure that your nails are looking gorgeous.
* Last but not the least be on your best behavior at the party.

Make Up Tips

Every girl or woman wants to look beautiful and to highlight their important features, especially on their face. Every girl sooner or later starts experimenting with make up. There is no doubt that make up, makes you look beautiful but only if it applied properly. Many women do not know how to apply make up properly. Here are a few make up tips that should help you.

* Use a gel blush or a cream blush instead of powder in a shade of pink and it will look more natural. Gels or creams are more transparent and blend smoothly. Rub them onto your cheekbones and blend upwards towards your eye for a glowing rosy complexion.
* To fix unpolished nails, fail nails into square shape, buff them to give some shine and then apply a clear coat of polish. Then rub a little cuticle oil around the edges of your nails and apply rich moisturizer on your hand. In about 15 minutes your hand will have a polished look.
* The trend now is to have natural looking eyebrows and not thin, arched brows. Use a tinted brow definer or eye shadow to fill your brows if they are scanty.
* Before you sharpen your eyeliner or lip liner keep it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. The pencil will harden a little and will not break when sharpened.
* Women whose eyes are deep-set should use liquid liner instead of pencil eyeliner. Liquid liner does not smudge easily and will not smudge in the crease of the lid in deep-set eyes.
* To prevent mascara flaking off and smudging on your face, apply a thin coat of mascara on your top lashes only. Then brush your lashes with an eyelash brush to prevent clumpy mascara build-up.
* Before curling your eyelashes, heat the eyelash curler with a hair dryer for a few seconds. Test to make sure that it is not very hot and then apply it on your eyelashes. The heat will ensure that the curl stays in place on extra long eyelashes.
* Before buying a concealer or foundation, test the color on the inside of your wrist. The skin here is unblemished and will give you an idea on how the color will look on your face.
* To extend the life of your foundation mix a drop of your moisturizer to create a glowing look for your skin.
* Apply foundation after you have done your eye make-up. This way you will be able to fix any mascara or eyeliner smudges.
* To prevent your lips from feeling dry when you apply matte lipstick, apply lip balm on your lips before start your make up. By the time you do your eyes and the rest of the face your lips would have absorbed the balm and will be ready for the matte lipstick.
* To make lipstick last for longer shade your lips with lip liner before you apply lipstick.
* If you have applied nail polish in a sloppy fashion, then just soak your nails once they are dry in warm water for a few minutes and them rub off the extra nail polish with a finger.
* Dark eye shadow can be used as eyeliner as well. Use a very flat brush, wet is and dip it in dark eye shadow. Wriggle the brush into your lash line paying special attention to the space between the lashes and then use the color just above your lash line.

Complete Makeup Process

Makeup is an art and an artist must know what he/she wants in the end. You may choose for naturally beautiful look, bold and exotic nightclub look or a high-profile dinner party look, depending on the occasion and place, where you are heading. To look beautiful, you need to understand your face, your best facial features, which can be your eyes, lips, cheeks and/or eyebrows and what suits you the most. Coordinate your colors beforehand and remember, bolder colors are for exotic looks only and can play havoc on your face, if not used expertly. The basic list of products that any makeup-conscious lady needs, includes:

* Blusher,
* Eye Shadow,
* Eyebrow Color,
* Eyeliner,
* Face powder,
* Foundation,
* Lip brush,
* Lip liner,
* Lipstick,
* Mascara, and
* Moisturizer.

We will define the steps for daily or simple makeup here. For details, you can refer to our article for that particular product:

* Moisturize your face, especially people with dry skin.
* Apply foundation that matches your natural skin tone for a smooth skin effect.
* Apply powder for that flawless look to your face and matte down any shiny areas on your face. Gently tap the powder pad on the back of your hand before applying it on the face to shake off any excess powder.
* Blush adds color and freshens up your face instantly. See 'Applying Blush' for more details.
* Pluck your eyebrows, apply eye shadow, eyeliner and mascara and do eye makeup very very carefully. If you are not confident, leave this part out completely.
* Classic, tried and tested natural/neutral color combinations are best for eyes, unless you are quite an expert.
* Define the lips using the lip liner and fill up the lip color using the brush.
* You may use lip-gloss too for a sexier look.
* A tinge of shine powder can instantly transform you for that evening party.

It is always good to be aware of the latest trends and fashions in makeup and being innovative and creative to have a distinctive style of your own helps too.

Makeup For Older Women

You may be above 40 but there is no reason, why you should look so. So here are some tips and tricks for mature women to conceal their age effectively and look young forever:

* Use a stiff bristled brush and blush to line the lips rather than a lip liner pencil that helps your lip color to stay put longer and prevent it from bleeding or feathering.
* Use loose translucent powder with a powder brush only once in the morning to set your makeup as reapplying it again and again can accentuates lines and wrinkles. Use a fluffy brush alone for the touch up.
* Use a highlighter to de-emphasize jowls (the lines from the edge of the nose to the corner of the mouth).
* Use a non-frosted powder under the chin to de-emphasize saggy neck. Choose a shade slightly darker than your natural skin tone.
* Frosted eye shadows can actually make you look younger but be sure that you are expert at handling them properly. Use the lightest shade under your brow, a darker one close to your lashes and the darkest on the crease and blend them properly.
* Be soft and subtle in the choice of makeup and colors for the youthful look or get professional help!
* A foundation with a lighter-textured base that matches your skin tone is a must.
* Use concealer generously to cover up any aging lines or blemishes.
* Use cream blushes in golden almond and copper tones and blend them gently from cheeks to temples in an arc for a soft transparent effect.
* Blends of pink and gray eye shadows soften graying hair.
* Use a soft eyebrow pencil that matches your hair color and never ever use black eyebrow pencil.
* Use soft matte lip colors in pink, berry, coral or peach shades to make your lips fuller.

Day and Evening Makeup

You must have heard several times that the day makeup should be light and simple while you are free to use bolder colors for an evening party and use lots of sheer and gloss. This usually causes the myth that it is the colors that make all the difference in the day and evening makeup. Well, the truth is that it is the lighting that makes all the difference. Here we will discuss how different light sources can present us differently. Most of the big corporate offices have bright fluorescent lighting and people generally use incandescent lighting at home. Fluorescent light is a blue light that sharpens all colors while incandescent light is a yellow or red light than tends to soften all colors. So, we must do our makeup accordingly.

In fluorescent light, people with blue eyes will look more reddish while people with brown eyes will appear yellowish or greenish. Photographer uses soft and warm red-toned incandescent lights while doing portraits to hide imperfections and make you look flawless. Thus, for day makeup, when most of the people are at work with fluorescent lights or bright sunlight, which makes everything appear clearly, we must use more sheer, natural and neutral colors and their combinations so as not to appear dramatic or wearing a mask. While in the evening or in parties with incandescent lights, you can add more contrast to your face by using slightly brighter and bolder colors.

For under lit areas such as dancing clubs and nightclubs with little lighting, we use a lot of makeup, very bold colors and over dramatic styles so that it is easily available to others. Similarly, theatre artists and stage artists wear a lot of makeup so that it is visible when stage lights light up their faces. So, it is not the clock that changes the makeup style but the lighting. Of course, if we have to stay day and night, under same type of lighting, we won't need to adjust our makeup differently for day and evening but hen, the life will become so dull and boring!

Daily Makeup

Applying cosmetics on a daily basis may make the women feel more confident but may not be a good idea for sensitive skin. Only quality products should be used for routine use and choosing cosmetics is an important step towards skin care and health. For daily purposes, powder cosmetics are preferable as they keep the shine under control and have lesser preservatives and skin irritants than liquid ones. If liquid foundation is an item you cannot possibly cross out, opt for one with a silicone base as it does not cause acne. The makeup remover to clean out waterproof cosmetics also wipes out the protective layer of sebum from the skin, so use waterproof cosmetics only occasionally.

Never use cosmetics that have crossed their expiry dates. Normally, life span of mascaras is about three to four months, foundations and lipsticks last for one year while powder and eye shadows last for about two years. It is also important to wash and clean brushes and sponges regularly. Black mascaras and eyeliners are dramatic and also the least allergenic of all colorants. Pencil eyeliner and eyebrow pencils that are wax based should work for daily use and they can be cleaned off using only water. Light earth tones not only give you a natural look but are less likely to cause skin irritation than the darker colors.

Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor 15 or higher and ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to avoid harmful effects of UVA rays. Cosmetics with fewer ingredients are much safer, so for daily use, opt for cosmetics that have no more than 10 ingredients. Remember, nail polishes are not for daily use. For a quick pedicure, scrape the dead skin off the soles of your feet after shower using an emery board, rub them over with lotion or olive oil or petroleum jelly and push back the cuticles of your toenails. To maintain them, wear socks all the time. If socks make you feel hot, cut the toe section and ankle section of your socks. You can do a quick manicure in a similar fashion too and maintain them by wearing socks or gloves at night.

Winter Makeup

Skin care routine and cosmetics for winters need to undergo a heavy makeover for the chilly cold season. You need to look more glamorous and more polished during the season. Matte understated shades such as coffee, chocolate and smoky shades for eyes and berry tones for lips and cheeks replace the fresh summer face. Gloss is in again and so are our beloved fruity and spicy tones of cosmetics. Velvety shades are the way to go for a winter woman. Here are some tips you can use this Christmas season:

* A bit of sheen on eyes can be used too for a change, if you are using nude shades; while on lips, it can help your lips to look more voluptuous.
* Either your moisturizer or your foundation should have broad-spectrum sun protection factor to block UV sunrays that do not leave our skin alone even for winters. Matt finish foundation is better for winders.
* For fragrance, stick to essence of essential oils, spices and other natural aromas.
* If you want to sport long eyelashes, you may try fake individual eyelashes that can be applied using tweezers.
* Sheer layer of creamy blushers can boost up your subtle makeup.
* Smokey eyes look best in winters and you can use eye shadows in cinnamon and coffee shades for sultry effect.
* Though, normally black mascaras make a comeback every winter season, this time it is the shades of Aubergine that are a great hit for the purple tint that matches your colored locks. A dark brown shade of waterproof mascara is a multipurpose product too.
* Tinted lip balms in honey, blackberry and red currant tones look great too in winters.
* Tinted powder with a slight shimmer is great for winters.
* Use ample amount of skin-priming moisturizers, especially meant for winters, on your face that may have properties to exfoliate gently and lower concentration of alpha hydroxy acids. Night cream should be heavy for winters.