Fantasia Salon / Spa and Wig Specialists

What do you think is the most versatile part of your makeup arsenal?  If you said eyeliner, you would be correct.  With eyeliner you can be dressed casually or for full-on glamour.

There are several forms of eyeliner, go with what you find the simplest to use.  Here are several different looks you can create with eyeliner.

Weekend daytime casual:  Line only your outer eyelid.  Dot the liner on your tip lid, getting as close to your eyelashes as possible.  Use a cotton swab, small makeup brush, the sponge tip or your clean fingertip to blend the dots together so the makeup looks natural and undetectable.

You can line form the inner corner of the eye to where the upper lashes stop, or just the outer half of the eyelid.  If your eyes are wide-set, lining the entire upper lid will make the appear to be closer together.  If your eyes are close-set, line only the outer half of two thirds of the eyelid.  This gives the illusion of wider-set eyes.  This is a good look with no eye shadow and eyelashes merely curled, with no mascara.

Perfect for Work:  This involves little time and effort on your part.  Apply a neutral eye shadow, then line just the very outer corners of your upper and lower lashes, using the dot-on-then-connect method.  Blend together the liner at the corners of your eye, in an angled V shape.  Smudge the eyeliner so a hard line is not visible.

Curl your lashes and apply one coat of brown mascara.  Brown is softer than black and looks professional without looking too ‘done’ for daytime.  This is a particularly effective look for close-set eyes.   Your subtle professional look will be the envy of your co-workers.

Daytime to Evening Eyes:  Line both the upper outer lid and lower outer lid.  You can use a thick or thin line, depending on what you prefer.  Classically, a thicker, softer line is preferred on a larger lid, whereas a thinner, more pronounced line is better for a small lid when lining upper eyelids.

For the lower lid, use the dot method, placing them as close to the lash line as possible.  If you choose to line from the inner lashes all the way to the outer lashes, this is definitely a “made-up” look.  be sure to smudge for a look that emulates thick lower lashes as opposed to a heavily-lined lower lid.

Putting on your shadow all over the lid after the liner will create a wash of color that helps liner blend and highlights your eyes without looking harsh.  Curl eyelashes and apply one coat of black mascara.  Now you are ready for dinner!

Evening Out:  A more intense look, involves lining upper and lower outer lids and lining the inner rim of your lower lid. If you choose to do this, make sure you have clean hands and that the eyeliner you are using is free of any debris that could fall into your eyes.

Apply a light-colored shimmery shadow in the half of your eye, then use a darker shade from the midpoint to the edge and up to the crease.  Next, using a light hand, liner your upper outer lid, using the dot method or using short, quick strokes of tiny lines connected together.  Do the same on the bottom outer lid.  Smudge the line on top and bottom lids.  If you want more intensity, use a second layer of eyeliner or add powder eye shadow in the same color over the eyeliner.

When you use a creamy eyeliner, such as with a pencil, powdered eyeshadow clings to it to give added staying power to your eyeliner.

When lining the inner rim of your eye, use the fingers of the opposite hand to gently pull down your lower lid.  Gently line the inner rim iwth the color of your cohice.  You can line the entire rim, just the outer half or just a small section in the very middle of the lower inner  rim.

There is debate among professional makeup artists about the effect of lining the inner rims of your eyelids.  Some say it makes the eyes appear smaller, while others insist that is a beauty myth with no basis in fact.  Try lining one eye inner rim and not the other, and see what you think.  Always use eye pencils when lining the inner rims of the eyes, not shadows or liquid.  Now your are ready to hit the town!

All these techniques with one product, who would have thought?

Moving right along with item number 6 in our list of makeup no nos.

Flakey/Smudgy Mascara: Women tend to hang on to their makeup much longer than they should. Flaking is a good sign that your mascara is either not a good formula, or that it needs to be replaced. Throw it even if you have finished the tube or not.

If you find your mascara runs and smudges under your eyes during the day, try a waterproof formula or one of those “tubing” mascaras. Waterproof mascara can be difficult to remove so a good solution is to use your regular mascara then use a layer of waterproof over it. Or perhaps just use the waterproof on your bottom lashes.

Too Much Glitter: Glitter makeup probably should not be worn by anyone over the age of 14. It travels on your face and leaves strange sparkly spots where they shouldn’t be.

If you have a sparkly personality and must express it through your makeup, a more grown-up option would be to ditch shadows containing large flecks of in-your-face glitter for those with very, very finely milled luninescence or shimmer. Always apply with a restrained hand.

Over-bronzing: Too much bronzer can make your face look dirty or too orange, or too shimmery if you are using a bronzer with shine.

Bronzers with sheen are fine , just be careful where you apply or you will be guilty of our next culprit, “too much illumination”. A little bronzer in winter can add a touch of warmth without making you look too tan.

Too Much Illumination: One or two luminous products can make you look fresh and glowing. Too many can make you look very, very strange. You run the risk of your face texture not matching that of your body.

A few places where luminizing products could work: the cheekbones, the inside corners of the eye, and if the products are subtle enough, under the eye. Avoid using a luminous foundation with a shimmer powder on you cheekbones and a very shimmery eye shadow.

Just because it looks good in the magazines doesn’t always mean it will translate well in real life, approach with a restrained hand.

Neglecting Your Skin: Good makeup starts with a good canvas. This is hard to achieve if you are not taking care of your skin. Probably this one should be at the top of our list rather than the bottom. A good skin care regime is invaluable. Obviously there are enough outside elements which can affect your skin such as smoking, lack of sleep, lack of sun protection and lack of moisturizers are all contributors to bad skin. At Fantasia, we are excited about SkinCeuticals Skin Care products. If you are not familiar with this line, come in and we’ll give you some samples so you can experience it.

Don’t just use anything on your skin. Do some research, seek out a skin care professional and make certain you select a good cleanser, moisturizer and targeted treatment products suited to your skin type.

Also, remember, your face extends further than you think. Don’t neglect your neck and chest, they need moisturizer and sun protection as well.

Treat yourself to a facial and as you are experiencing the products, ask about them, why they are being used on your skin and what you can do at home to maintain your skin properly.

We can’t stop the aging process but we don’t have to look as old as we are if we just avoid some of these no nos.

It can be a challenge maintaining an impeccable image when it’s upwards of 100 degrees outside.

You wake up and shower, iron your clothes so you’ll look “fresh”, style your hair and of course, apply your makeup. Then, you walk outside the door and realize it was all pointless! Your light, cool pants are sticking to you in a wrinkled mess, your hair is stuck to your melting face of makeup. So, don’t you look pretty?

Here are some tips on keeping makeup looking cool in the dog days of summer.

• Wash your face will, moisturize and follow up with a foundation primer. This sets your makeup and keeps your skin from getting shiny.
• Apply foundation but don’t go overboard. Just because you want it to last all day doesn’t mean you have to pack it on. Use a damp sponge or foundation brush for a nice, even coverage. Don’t forget to apply foundation to your eyes.
• Apply your eye shadow as normal. Use a dark brown or black pencil to fill in between your upper and lower lash line. Blend the liner with a flat brush dipped in a shadow similar to your eyeliner color. This should keep your liner from smudging throughout the day. Add a coat of mascara to finish the look.
• Give your cheeks a fresh and natural flush by mixing shades of pink and apricot. Slick on a sheer tint of gloss that coordinates with your blush.
• Dust some matte powder on your T zone and you are done.

Here’s a Summer Beauty Survival Kit:

• Makeup wipes. Great to refresh anytime and you never know when they will come in handy. Put a few in a Ziploc baggie and toss them in your purse.
• Concealer. For touch up, also works great to brighten up the T zone. Use as little product as possible and blend, blend and blend again.
• Compact powder. Shine, be gone! Apply with a brush so you get the sheerest application possible and to avoid weighing down your skin with product overload.
• Bright apricot blush and your favorite lip gloss.

You will now be prepared for whatever comes your way. After, a gal’s gotta look good, even in the dog days of summer!

Some women don’t try false eyelashes because they think they are impossible to apply. But, if you have an occasion coming up which calls for glamour, with a little know-how and some practice, you can look red carpet ready in no time. So, here you go, false eyelashes 101.

• Purchase a set of false eyelashes. You will need eyelash glue, a pair of tweezers and a small pair of scissors. Fantasia sells wonderful eyelashes as well as the adhesive to apply them.
• Trim the lashes to fit your eyes. Hold the strip of lashes up to your eye. If they are a little longer than your lash line, use your scissors to trim the edges.
• Apply eyeshadow primer to cover your entire eyelid from the lash line up to the brow-bone. The primer helps the glue adhere.
• Place a line of lash adhesive on the back of your hand. Allow it to set for a few seconds to get tacky. (follow instructions included with the adhesive)
• Using your tweezers, glide a strip of lashes in the glue. Make sure the glue is totally covering the edge.
• Place the strip onto your eye as close to the natural lash line as possible. Press it in to place, pushing down on the edges.
• After you are sure it’s firmly attached, repeat with the other eye.
• Use a cotton swab dipped in eye makeup remover to clean any glue around the eye area.

Now, for some finishing touches,,,

• After applying your foundation or powder to your face, add light brown eyeshadow to just the lid. You can use whatever color you like but brown works for all skin tones.
• Add a deeper complementary shadow into the crease of your eye to create some depth and definition. Blend the shadow upward and outward toward your brow-bone.
• Use a black eyeliner or ink lining pen to line your top lashes, filling in any gap between your natural lashes and the false eyelashes
• For the cat-eye look, extend the liner just slightly past the outer corner of your eye, extending it upward.
• Apply a coat of black mascara to your eyelashes. Apply the mascara to both the fake lashes and your natural lashes to help them blend together.
• Choose a deep red lipstick and matching lip liner. Avoid brick reds which make your teeth look yellow and your skin sallow. Instead pick true reds or blue reds.
• Line your lips and fill in with lipstick using a lip-brush for through application. Add a dab of clear gloss in the center of your bottom lip. Smack your lips together to spread the gloss.
• Keep your cheeks bare or very light. If desired, apply a pale pink or peach blush on the apples of your cheeks to complete your look.

Taking off your lashes.

Remove your lashes by using petroleum jelly or an oily eye makeup remover. This helps to dissolve the lash glue. Don’t tug or pull off the lashes or you might take some of your natural lashes off with them. Instead, apply more petroleum jelly and allow it to sit for about 30 seconds, then gently lift off the false lashes.

Don’t throw your lashes after wearing once. You should be able to wear them about three times. Place them back in their origional container so they will retain their shape.

With just a bit of practice, you will soon be the most glamorous girl around town!

How about some quick beauty strategies that will fire you up from head to toe? You can look and feel instantly energized and lets face it, who doesn’t want a tad bit more energy these days?

The eyes have it! De-puff by placing ice cubes over swollen eyes. The science? This shrinks blood vessels quickly. Or, try cucumber slices. Use a moisturizer with lots of proteins and vitamins. Splash some cold water on your face. The cool temperature will even out a blotchy complexion. Or, if you prefer, use your spray water bottle and mist.

Red lips scream confidence so apply some red lipstick or lip gloss. If red isn’t it for you, try some coral or a berry shade. To freshen up eyelids fast, dust on some peach or bronze eye shadow. Dark circles? Use a little beige eye shadow just along the lower rims of your eyes to offset darkness. Use the blackest mascara you can find on the lashes, the contrast will make the whites of your eyes stand out. Bronzer can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Too much and you look orange - so you can try a cream highlighter instead.

Dress for success. People notice what you are wearing. A well dressed person will always get precedence over an underdressed person - even if the underdressed is more qualified. Spice things up with a shimmery belt or dangling earrings.

Breathe, exhale slowly and deeply for five seconds, then exhale for five. Smell something mint or citrus. Studies have found that fragrances with citrus or mint help keep you alert. They also improve concentration and memory.

Posture. Stand straight up with shoulders back, don’t slouch! If you catch yourself slouching, pull your spine up. Bad posture is not just bad but it makes you look tired. People will feel they are not getting the best out of you if you are constantly slouching.

Eat and drink for health. Rather than skipping breakfast and lunch, have a protein shake, it will work wonders for you! Snack on citrus fruits, they may improve your mood. Drink lots of water and forget the pop!

These may seem like simple things but they will give you the appearance of professionalism!