It's Been WAY Too Long!!

  The life of a makeup and nail  junkie is not an easy one, especially when you've been either working at home or just kind of retired for 3 years. I have tons of makeup and I never wear it any more. Yet, I have to buy any new, cool things that I see. I lost my MakeupDiva411.com address due to lack of funds, so the site is gone but I may start something new again. You Tube is the thing now, who knows, I may start up there. Not your usual makeup guru kind of thing since I'm Goth, but we'll see where that goes.
  Frankly, I'm much more into nails now. I always have been but since the need for wearing makeup when you have no place to go every day has shifted me to my other true love, nails. After 30 years of wearing acrylic, I made the change to gel (just as the poly gel wave hit) and I LOVE gel, not gel polish, gel as an enhancement for my nails. In 7 months, my nails grew to the length that I always wore them, long, and they have a great claw like curve to them that I never knew I had.

  Yes, those are my very own nails, grown out with builder gel to protect them. So cool!! Since I have, like, 200+ bottles of polish which really needs to be thinned out, I'll stick with regular nail polish. But more on the nails later, I'm going back to makeup here for a few.
  I love a good bargain when it comes to makeup. Palettes from places like BH Cosmetics.com, are a great way to save money because they always have sales going on, you can fin d just about any palette for any need.
  I watch one of the You Tube beauty gurus, she had a video last week about a GREAT DEAL from Physician's Formula, a Butter Bronzer palete with 4 colors (two new ones) and a bottle of their new Butter Summer perfum. See, the Butter Bronzer series all smell like a day at the beach, which I love. Walmart had the palette online for $11.99, an outstanding deal!! That sold out immediately and the only place you can find them now is on E-bay for around $30.00. I'm thinking "What, did they make 50 palettes and the only place to fin d them was at Walmart.com?? They had to know this would sell out, so why not make more of them, give us little people a chance to live like the "Beauty Influencers" but no, I'll never get one now, I am not paying that much for something that came out at twelve bucks.
  Second rants, Sally Beauty. I have a Pro card, I shop at our local Sally's often. Yesterday I stopped by because I had a gift card to use up. A nail polish sale, Buy 1, Get 1 at 1/2 off. Sounds great but yet they always screw it up somehow. I bought 4 bottles at 4.99 each, 2 bottles at $3.00 each. They always take the half off the cheapest things you bought, so the $3.00 ones were a buck fifty, but one of the $4.99 ones should have been half off as well. It wasn't. This happens so often, I don't bother going back, the poor manager must hate me for all the bitching I do but a sale is a sale, right? From now on, I'm going to check out everything individually. Two at a time. That way I will be assured that I"m getting the sale price and that one doesn't get left off "because the computer is never wrong".
  That's it for today. I'll be back soon with more rants, new product reviews and the like. This blog is my new makeup/nail baby and I'm going to use it!!
 

It's Been Too Long!!

I know, I've been a bad Blogger. I haven't posted in many, many months but a LOT of crap has been going on in my life and I haven't even been working on makeupdiva411.com  and I started a sister site for nail art and that's just going to get blended into Makeupdiva411.com anyway.

Some new articles that I've started working on are "It Ain't Nothing but a Goth Thing" for those of us who still love and live the Goth look. There's another one on applying a light summer makeup mostly just liner, mascara, bronzer and lip gloss. And adding a whole huge section on easy, do it at home nail art.

So , if you stay with me, that'll be coming up soon and I'll post some of it on here. Please bare with me. Family drama is driving me crazy and I haven't been spending time on the things that I love doing when I need to relax, I've just been sleeping.

Hair, Nails and the Universe

I’ve been a makeup and nail addict for way longer than I want to admit to, but it’s been like 40 years. I started with polish and while I was in high school I joined the vo-tech program to go to cosmetology school where I got my hours for hair, nails, facials, theatrical and glamour makeup and classroom science.

People kind of scoff at anyone in the cosmetology business like they couldn’t make it in college. Hate to break it to you beauty school snobs but if it weren’t for that woman or man standing behind you with scissors and a blow dryer, you’d look like crap. And you never know what else that person may have done before beauty school, either. I went to college as well and majored in Computer Sciences with a minor in Ancient Religions.

Everyone has his or her place in the Universe, a life to live and a job to do. Even though I’ve worked in my college chosen professions before, I always came back to salon work because that’s what pleased me the most. Cutting hair makes me happy. Doing a set of Acrylic nails makes me happy. As it happens not only can I do hair, nails and makeup, I can also build a computer from parts or write code for software. I can do Graphic Design and I can talk circles around anyone when it comes to discussing 20,000 year old religions and the downfalls of religion today.

But back to my favorite topic. Nails. I recently discovered a not so new product that’s been selling in Europe for years and has finally made it over here. This inexpensive little tool will allow just about anyone to do a set of acrylics on themselves without any prior knowledge of what it entails.

This can be found at Sally Beauty Supply and it’s called “ASP Acrylics Made Simple Form-a-Nail”, $6.99. Big name for a little box of miracles! What you get are 24 different sized reusable clear plastic bendable nail forms that you form the acrylic layer in. You then rock it back against the back edge of the nail and rock forward to the nail tip and press it down. Leave it there for about 4 minutes and tap it. You’ll hear the sound of a hardened nail then gently rock the form back and forth until it lifts off. You now have a nail that needs no filing, shines like glass and only needs a little clean up around the edges.

It’s even easier if, like me, you use a nail tip with an acrylic overlay. I find that this lasts longer on me with almost no breakage and I am way hard on my nails. I make jewelry so I often use my nails as tools when I shouldn’t be.

The kit comes with one of those mini disks that we all hate but check out YouTube.com for a bunch of how-to videos.  Make sure that you follow the instructions to use enough on the outer edges of the form, where the strength is most needed to keep your nail from breaking. You can also pick up everything that you’ll need for the acrylic process, I use ASP products myself and never loose a nail, never get any lifted nails or any fungus growth beneath them.

These forms will revolutionize the home nail industry, making it easy for a novice to apply her own nails and not have to worry about the cost of a nail salon visit. You’ll have to do your own fills but that’s nothing once you master the forms. Check them out at Sally online or in your local store.

Then check out a great new magazine called “Nail It!” That’s all about consumer nail art and how to do it at home. I tell you, it’s a great time to be a nail lover right now! I still see a place in the market for nail salons but when you can do some of these things at home and save some money, well, you have to go for it. Face it, the economy sucks right now and it’s only going to get worse before it gets better, if it ever does. So why not learn to cut corners on your budget?

Everything Old Is New Again

Yes, it’s true. The old saying that everything old is new again is starting to show up in fashion and cosmetics and the unfortunate thing is that I’m old enough to remember when they were in fashion before.

I was looking through the latest issue of Glamour magazine the other day and one of the hot new trends for the fall is a high waist bell-bottom jean. Boy, do I remember wearing those when I was a teen and the lower cut the better! Some of those jeans had a zipper that was barely two inches long and we wore them with crop tops! Now they are back but with a high waist on them. Still perfect for wearing with platform shoes, which we also wore back in the 70’s and 80’s. I know that I'm dating my age here but we had some style back then! I wasn't into disco, I was a metal-head and dressed the part. It was Glam-Rock time and everything had to be low cut, glittery and outrageous! My mom gave me her old ankle length llama fur coat with a beautiful silk lining and I just can't say the things that I did while wearing that coat. Added to that was a black Fedora with a silk red rose on the side and behold...I was "Queenie" hanging out back stage at Cobo Hall in Detroit every weekend.

Another comeback trend is Chrome nail polish. It dries to a mirror like finish and comes in bright chromed colors. Avon will be introducing their new nail color line of Metallic Effects Nail Enamel in 5 muted and beautiful shades for fall. I had a whole collection of Sally Hansen’s line back in the early 90’s. That line had at least 10 colors and I had them all. My best friend had to get them, too, so we went polish shopping together and had a race to see who could afford to get them all first. These were bright metallics, like jade green, fushia, bright red. Today's new metallic polishes are prettier than before because the colors are more muted and not so garish.

I'm a perfume addict as well and Avon has an anniversary perfume coming out soon, Far Away Gold. It smells wonderful! I was never a big fan of Far Away but this one is loaded with a vanilla base that knocked my socks off and I’m going to be handing out all kinds of samples. I think it’ll be a hit! There’s also a set called Lucky that will be released for the holidays in women’s perfume and men’s cologne. I haven’t had a chance to test that out yet but we’ll see it soon enough. I'm picky about perfume, I love vanilla based scents and berry notes but also like anything woody and amber laced. My perfume collection has dropped way down because once I put something on and it doesn't smell like it did before, I pass it off to friends. Makeup care packages go out three or four times a year with all my unused stuff.

Remember when all mascara had bristle brush until those silicon brushes came along and changed mascara history? My sister got me a preview sample of one of the first ones by Max Factor and while I loved the "newness" of the design, I missed the old brushes. Well, the bristle brush is back again. Companies like Rimmell of London, L'Oreal Paris and Maybelline New York have all started using bristle brushes once again. Avon has a new one, too, Big & Daring Volume Mascara, that is now utilizing the old bristle brush and not the silicon rubber bristle brushes. While those still have their place, there’s nothing like a tightly packed bristle brush to give you big lashes!

Avon will also be releasing a new skin care line as they re-vamp the Anew line again. Avon Clinical has introduced a new dark circle under eye treatment, Absolute Even Dark Circle Corrector. A new line of skin care will be coming out soon, it’s the Anew Vitale line and it treats multiple skin care concerns.

Want bigger hair? Try the new hair mousse by Mark, This Is Big Body Building Mousse. This is THE BEST product that I have found to lift my fine strands and it lasts from shampoo to shampoo! Now that I've gone to a short Lob hair style, it really lifts. It's pricey but worth it, I have 3 cans put away along with 4 Beach Spray that's new this year from Mark. I use Avon's volumizing shampo, conditioner and spray which are like the L'Oreal brand but cost much less. After I spray on the volumizing spray I add some of the Mark mousse and I have big hair with lots of body and swing to it. 

And speaking of shampoo, Avon has re-vamped their line of hair products for damaged hair (which had a great leave in conditioner) with the new Advanced Techniques Reconstruction 7 line, which includes shampoo, conditioner, daily treatment spray and a weekly hair mask. The old line was great, I expect good things from this new one. If you have had any chemical treatments done to your hair, you’ll want to give this a try! I change my hair color all the time and have the leave in spray, I just haven't used it yet. Maybe today I'll try it out after I change color again.

Well, that’s the news for now! Stay tuned, as Autumn approaches, for all the scoop on the holiday trends that I like, hate or just want to mention, from Avon and beyond! Check out my Avon e-store for all the latest goodies at affordable prices!

Looking to Makeup Future!

I've always been a makeup addict ever since I sat watching my mom get ready to go out on date nights with my dad. Watching her use all those pots of blush, bottles of foundation, wet the brush to her Maybelline solid mascara and do her eyes, I loved it all. I couldn't wait until I was old enough to wear perfume and makeup. She always gave me her old stuff to play with when she got new so I seriously practiced with it all. She gave me some of her almost empty perfume bottles, too, which made me fall in love with Channel #5 at an early age.

My mom looked like a movie star when she got done and even at 82 years old today, she can still get pretty when she goes out with her gang of merry widows. So, of course, I took my love of all things cosmetic and fashion and became an Avon rep so I could get all my stuff at a reps prices. Then I actually started finding people who wanted to buy it, too! I, by no means, make a living at it. For the most part I pay most of my bills with my own money but once in a while I have enough orders to do that for me and I love when that happens!

Imagine my excitement when we were told rrecently that Avon has started working on re-vamping it's whole cosmetic line using a new technology called TrueColor which allows the color you see to be the color you get when you apply it. New formulas for lipstick, new colors, new shadow quads that are numbered for ease of application, new gloss, new lip pencils. I can't wait! There's just too much that I want! It will be coming out very soon.

 

Right now you can check out THE BEST mascara that Avon has ever made, Mega Effect mascara with it's new Panoramic wand. It's not even really a wand, as you can see it looks like a little paint brush with an adjustable handle which allows adjust the way you hold it so you can get right into the lashline and pull out from there. I tried it, I Love it!! It holds up for 24 hours, it's sweat proof, smear proof, and clump proof. I always have to try every new mascara when Avon come out with one and this one just blew me away!

When I first saw pictures of it a few months ago, I thought it looked stupid and would fail miserably. I can happily say that I was WAY wrong. It's hands down the best mascara that I have ever used from any company and it's causing a huge buzz in all the latest women's and fashion magazines.

Check out the Avon Pintrest page to see what magazines in the know are saying not only about the Mega Effects mascara but also about the new colors, look and formulas of the re-vamped makeup line as well!

Keep an eye out for Campaigns 19 and 20! It's 'intro to new Autumn collections time' with new lines of clothing, shoes and boots, fall makeup collections, brushed metal polish line, a new skin care line that takes are of daily environmental skin problems and even kids things for back to school.

It's coming up on my favorite time of year when Avon breaks out the Fall colors. And then we have Halloween and Christmas, too! I'm in makeup heaven!! I hope you will be, too!

Mega Effects Mascara

Coming up in Campaign 17 will be the biggest change in a mascara applicator that any one has ever seen! The Mega Effects Mascara with Avon's new Wonderbrush! Well, you'll just have to check this one out!!

The new Mega Effects Mascara has the most unique applicator that you have ever seen!! It almost looks like a paint brush until you take a closer look at it. One look at the square pink and black case will have you wondering just what's inside it. You wiggle off the top and find a pink handle which you also wiggle out. You'll find an applicator with an adjustable ergonomic head. It's called the Wonderbrush, with it's silicon bristles that form a rounded shape over the end of the wand.

It's been in the works for a few years and has been tested on over 2000 women so you know it's been put through it's paces before it hits the market. It has the ability to get right into your lash line and be pulled out over your lashes to give them the fullest look they have ever had!

The best is yet to come! It gives you 24 hour phenomenal lashes that are clump proof, sweat proof, smudge proof and flake proof. It's also Ophthalmologist tested so even the most sensitive eyes can use it. Ask your Rep to show you the info on it and pre-order your tube today!

$600 million is spent every year on mascara in the U.S. and Avon has a wide variety for every need. Remember, you should change your mascara tube every 3 months to avoid bacteria growth. NEVER pump your brush in and out of the tube, instead swirl it around. Pumping allows air and any bacteria in and dries out the mascara inside!

As if that wasn't enough, coming in Campaign 19 will be a whole new line of makeup with color like you've never seen before! Avon is re-vamping it's main makeup lines of eye shadows among other changes and it will be great! Also look the Anew Clinical Skinvincible SPF 50 day cream and coordinating night cream coming this Fall.

One of the best things about being an Avon Indie Sales Rep is finding out about all the great things that will be available soon and at very competative prices to match most drug store brands. In this insane economy, it's nice to know that you can still afford nice things not only for yourself but your family and home! And just wait for the holiday things this year! It's good to be an Avonista!

Avon Nail Art for Summer - Get Nailed!

While reading my latest copy of "People Style Watch" magazine I came across an article that amazed me. According to a study done by "Women's Wear Daily" (the bible for fashion junkies) in 2012 , U.S. women spent 768 MILLION dollars on nail polish alone!!! That's $768,000,000.00. I know I certainly buy my fair share of polish but that amount of money is just unfathomable to spend on nail polish alone. Of course, most women never buy just one new color. They'll always buy a couple because something as simple as nail polish can literally change the look of an outfit.

Most nail polish can cost anywhere from $1.99 to over $20.00 a bottle in mass market retailers, department and cosmetic stores. Why anyone would spend $20.00 on a bottle of polish is beyond me and when I think about what a great bargain Avon nail polish is, it makes no sense at all! Avon's nail polish runs anywhere from $2.99 and $3.49 a bottle when on sale! Avon has so many colors and finishes in it's Nail Pro line and it has an up-dated 30 Second Speed Dry line that has many great, trendy colors. And don't forget the seasonal trend colors, too. All of the polish lines wear like crazy, too!

Look for the seasonal colors for summer 2013 like the 5 different Mega Watt brights, the Celestial line of polish with a new shine type to it and 10 colors to choose from. There's also new eye shadow and new eyeliner colors in that collection. The 4 Fiji colors for summer look great with a tan and can be used as one color or combined for a French tip look, all available in #13.There are two shadow duo's that match as well as a blush/bronzer in that line.

I bought all 10 of the colors from the Celestial line and 2 from the Fiji line and 4 from the Mega Watt collection. The Avon brochures themselves now offer tips and tricks for doing your own nail art (as well as makeup application info, too). I tried the latest mark magalog "Matchy Matchy" foiling technique for the Marakesh mini polishes (mint tea and saffron) and not only did it look great, that same technique will work on a multitude of other polish combinations. It's an easy Ombre' effect.

Avon now sells pre-made nail art sticker polish starting with Campaign 14. They come in a dozen or so trendy prints, some with "crystal" raised beads on them and they look great on! I did find out, while trying to apply to my own nails, that they don't do so well on acrylic nails but should work fine on natural nails. They are easy to apply once you get the hang of it, although they do tend to curl when you peel them off the clear backing but can be easily fitted by following the instructions.

Now is the time to stock up on some great summer colors and it's so easy to do nail art at home. You can buy nail strips for doing French manicures at most drug stores or Wal-mart stores which makes it easy to wear two colors at all times! I do this every time I change my polish, I have so many wonderful colors how could I wear just one at a time? Right now I have Mega Watt in Pop on my nails and the Fiji collection Tropical Teal on the tips and they look great together.

Have fun experimenting on your own and find out just how fun and easy that do-it-yourself nail art can be! It's not only for summer, you can do nail art all year long. Once you get started, it's hard to ever go with one color of polish again.

Nail art is huge right now! With July 4th coming up soon, you'll find examples in both Avon brochures and fashion magazines our U.S. flag nail art consisting of red and white strips on some nails and a solid blue background with silver or white stars on others. What a great way to show your patriotism this 4th of July!

Avon Summer Sales and More Fun!

Summer will officially be here in a few weeks, even if it feels like it already is here in the desert. With the temperature rising, you'll want to make sure that your makeup can stand up to heat, humidity and perspiration. Avon has many types of eye shadow that are smudge proof, mascara that is water proof and foundation that is resistant to perspiration. You might want to switch to a lighter formula like Beauty Balm cream, a tinted moisterizing cream with SPF and loads of good for your skin things in it.

Lots of new sandals, summer clothing and lighter perfumes wiha beach scent will be coming like the Fiji fragrance line in Avon books and the Marakesh line in the mark books. Free2O, last years fresh summer scent is still available along with the Haiku line that everyone loves.

Two new hair care lines have been created to compete with a particular store brand. One is called Advanced Techniques Moisture IQ which targets the driest parts of the hair shaft while leaving the roots alone so hair isn't weighed down. There is a shampoo, a conditioner and a leave-in tratment. It leaves your hair healthy looking and bouncy.

The other line is the one I totally love! I have aging hair and had tried a line of shampoo, conditioner and leave-in treatment for thickeing hair by another company. It worked great but with the shampoo and conditioner at $6.99 each and the leave in serum at $20.00, it was WAY too expensive for me to use. The new Advanced Techniques Strand Mender line does the same thing as the expensive store line. It leaves my hair soft, shiny and looking thick and full of volume. The line has the same type of shampoo, conditioner and leave-in treatment like the expensive stuff but at a fraction of the cost! It helps keep hair from falling out faster than it should, mends the hair shaft and ends and thickens the hair shaft giving the look of more hair. Look out P**tene!! If you've wanted to try that brand's new line, try this one instead. It will be out in Campaign 15 but can be ordered early from your Avon rep right now.

That's it for now, stay cool this summmer, and if you are going to be in the sun don't forget to pick up a big sun hat and a few tubes of Avon sunscreen for face (SPF 40) and body (SPF 25)which are on sale for $5.99 each right now and a great buy because of the large size tubes they now come in. Pick up a tube or two of after sun cooling gel with aloe, too, just in case you spend too much time in the sun!

Great New Products Coming at Avon!!

Just had to enter a special “Great Things Coming Soon” edition to my blog. With Campaign 13 there will be some great new products introduced and it’s so exciting that I had to share!

First, Avon Solutions skin care line will be going away to be replaced by Avon Elements. It’s a great new line featuring natural ingredients like Amethyst Mineral Complex in he anti-aging formula, Aronia Berry Complex in the Radiance line and Sea Oak Complex in the Moisture Boost line and Camellia Tea Leaf in Moisture Boost oil-free version. I will have samples galore for those who want them!

This new skin care regimen line comes with day cream containing an SPF level between 15 to 20, night cream and eye cream. The Radiance line eye cream comes in a roller ball, vibrating tube to help with under eye puffiness and the Anti-Aging eye cream has a cooling ceramic roller ball to help smooth fine wrinkles.

All items are under $12.00, are suited to specific skin types and are a great alternative to drugstore brands that cost much more. If you want to invest in good skin care but can’t quite afford the higher end lines that Avon sells then this new line will be perfect for you! Plus you have Avon’s money back guarantee if you aren’t pleased with the product.

If you haven’t heard about the popularity of BB (beauty balm) creams, a trend that started in China a few years ago, you’ll hear about it Campaign 12! Avon is jumping on the BB bandwagon with their very own version! What it is Beauty Balm you ask? It’s a combo product that is like a tinted moisturizer. It cover 10 different skin needs: it’s infused with vitamins and minerals, it hydrates the skin, evens skin tone since it’s tinted, minimizes redness, conceals flaws, has a lightweight feel, SPF 15 protection, gives skin a smooth feel and with continued use, leaves your skin in better shape than without it! That’s a lot for one product to do! It comes in a shade range of 5 shades from Light to Deep and will be sale priced at $7.99 a tube.

Last but not least, Avon’s Lasting Wear makeup line is being re-vamped and will be launched as the new Extra Lasting line. 24 hour wear lip stick, 18 hour wear foundation, concealer, powder, cream-to-powder foundation along with long lasting lip gloss and liquid eye liner will start the line off in Campaign 12.

Along with those new lines add colorful new summer clothes, sandals, jewelry, perfumes and all kinds of new things for both Mother’s and Father’s Day! It’s looking like a great Avon summer! Stop by here for the latest!

If you are a fan of the Avon insect body sprays, sun tan lotions and after sun care line, those will be out in Campaign 11 for summer so get them while you can!

New Articles at MakeupDiva411.com

You'll find some new info at my website, MakeupDiva411.com. I've added an article about BB creams, what they are, and what to do with them. Also check out the Nails section on Nail Art for some Halloween nail step-by-step stuff. After all, there hanging right at the end of you fingers, why not dress them up for every holiday, too?

I've done some major overhauling of the website to try and make it more user friendly. I'm not done yet, expect more changes in the future, like a better looking lay out.

That's it for today! Got Halloween decorating to do! Thanks for stopping by!

Saving Money on Holiday Glam

With the holidays soon upon us, we all want to be able to afford gifts for everyone even though our budgets are tight so give Avon a shot if you haven't looked at a brochure in a while. The holiday issues will be coming up with the next few campaigns and you don't want to miss any bargains! You can take a look here to check out the online store for some of the great sales and new things that have come out.

You'll find many cosmetics on sale, like the famous Eye Quad at "2 for $10.00", lip colors at "2 for $5.99", which is less than the cost of one when not on sale. Eye liners, lip liners and brow pencils for $2.99 each. Mascara for $4.99 to $5.99 including the new Lash Drama. There are some great gifts sets with all of the things you need to make a great gifts for your favorite makeup diva! You know the huge makeup pallet collections that some stores come out with during the holidays that run about $40.00? Well, Avon has the same great pallets in three different sizes and the most expensive one is $19.99, that's for the really big one! Avon has some of the best cosmetic products that I have ever used, especially the mascara! The shadows are highly pigmented, the liners come in so many colors!

Avon has gone "luminous", too, with the new Magix Illuminating Face Primer, newly formulated luminous blush and foundations. Check out the "mark" product line for some really show off makeup! Mark is the younger line of Avon geared for younger women up to late twenties but anyone of any age will love the jewelry and cosmetics, some of us can even fit into the clothing, although it's Misses sizes, not Womens.

You'll find tons of jewelry for the holidays full of sparkle and shine and on sale! Also, check out the great new dresses and clothing for winter and to add sparkle to a holiday party! Most dresses come in sizes up to 3X now.

Boots, shoes, under garments and even kitchenware! Lots of things for the kids, too, including toys, clothes, shoes, bath time fun products. Avon has it all! And for the man in your life, you will find some of the best colognes, tools that will make him smile and even a new line of high tech gadgets for I-Pods.

What's not to love when it comes to Avon? So contact your local Avon rep today and get the latest brochures so you can start making a wish list now and get in on these great deals! If you haven't seen an Avon brochure in a while, you will truly be surprised at all the new lines of products they carry for the whole family and at prices we can still afford.

Self Tanner Revolution!!

(This was in Draft from early summer so I thought I'd clean it up and post it anyway)

It's getting warmer outside and we all want to spend more time in the sun. I remember the good old days when my sister and I would oil up and lay by our pool for hours on the weekends. That was about 35 years ago and people didn't really know that skin cancer was such a threat from sun exposure. I'm a fair little Irish girl and I burn easily. My sister being from a Scandinavian background (we're adopted), was blonde and could get a tan by looking at a picture of the sun. So, I slathered on the Sea & Ski tanning lotion and turn a wonderful shade of red, mostly burning my Lilly white skin, which would later tan down to a normal healthy color. My sister would mix a bottle of baby oil and iodine and use that to tan with. She'd get a deep golden brown tan, her hair would bleach out naturally and she'd look great. I looked like an Irish girl that wasn't used to the sunny days in the U.S., red, flaky skin and much redder hair then normal. After a couple summers, I gave up. Besides, I can't lay still that long. I'm like a hummingbird on crack most of the time anyway.

Today we know how much damage that the sun can do to our skin and my sister is living proof. While she's never had skin cancer yet, her skin has a thickened look that has caused premature wrinkling. She looks at least 3 years older than me and she's actually 4 years younger. She still lays out in the summer, especially since she and her husband bought a beach house that she stays at all summer long. I, on the other hand, live in the Southwest desert, which is even more sun damaging then her east coast home. I wear sun screen daily, a big floppy hat when I go outside, Capri pants so my legs don't burn, and everything that touches my skin has an SPF factor of at least 50. My arms are an ugly shade of brown with spots on them because they see the sun the most. I use a bleaching cream to try and keep the ugly factor down.

I got brave a few years ago and decided to try the new self tanners, which have improved greatly over the past few years. I thank the Gods daily for self tanner because now people no longer need to be deathly white anymoreif they want a tan. This also means that I have tried a few self tanners myself just to see which ones work the best. I grade them on ease of application, developed color tone and natural look.

There is a difference between self tanners and bronzers. Bronzer just gives you a bronzed color and then washes off  while a self tanner develops with the skin's amino acids over a matter of hours giving you a tanned look that lasts for a few days. Some self tanners have both so the bronzer gives you color now while the self tanner develops over a few hours.

Here is a list of my favorites and why:

Bare Escentuals Faux Tan: This is a really odd self tanner. It's almost a black -green when it comes out of the bottle but that's so you can see where you are putting it and how even it is being applied. It gives the most natural tan that I have ever seen! You can layer it on, applying it every other day for a few days and get the deepest most natural tan ever. It may be considered too dark for fair skinned people but I like the versatility of how dark you can go with it. It doesn't smell too bad either and has mostly natural ingredients. No SPF. Kind of pricey unless you can get it during a Bare Minerals sale at QVC.

Bare Escentuals Faux Tan Daily Moisturizer: They came out with this a couple years ago and it was perfect for me color-wise. It's a daily use version of the original Faux Tan with moisturizers and isn't as dark as the original. Even after one use, you'll have a nice golden tan started. I sometimes mix it with a dollop of the original stuff and mix it together to kick start my tan when I first apply it. It gives it a bit more color but not too heavy. No SPF. About $18.00 a tube, one tube lasts me all summer. Bare Minerals also makes a Faux Tan mineral powder for the face, in case you'd rather not do your face but still have some color.

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze: This comes in a variety of types, gel, lotion, pre-moistened towels, bronzer-tanner and face tanner. It comes in formulas for fair to medium skin and medium to dark skin so you'll get a more natural looking tan. One note, if you have fair skin and try using the medium to dark just to get a darker looking tan it's going to look BAD!! I learned this the hard way. I tried the towlettes on my legs and they looked really streaky and blotchy because I couldn't see where it was being applied and where I missed. For an mass market brand, though, this brand does an excellent job and a reasonable price.

Too Faced Tanning Bed in a Tube for the Face: Didn't really like this one. It smells funny and the color comes out a bit dark on me. It also has a bronzer built in for the look right now which gave me a kind of muddy faced look instead of a lightly bronzed look. It may work well for women who have some color already.

How to apply: Take a bath or shower and use a loofah or some type of skin exfoliant everywhere that you will be applying the tanning lotion. Self tanner looks better when applied to skin that is smooth and moisturized so it's important that you get that dead skin off before you apply. Towel dry and start applying from the legs up, using
upward strokes. Using a self tanner that has a color to it helps you make sure that you haven't missed any spots. Do your legs, move up to your torso and upper body, then arms. Wash and dry your hands when you are finished. Apply a small dollop to the back of one hand and rub the backs of your hands together making sure to cover from wrists to finger nails. Don't wash your hands again for a few hours, that gives time for the backs of your hands to develop some color, too.

Make sure to apply moisturizer every day to keep your tan looking good. You may want to re-apply tanner every few days as well in order to keep that tan look. Read the directions for the product that you pick to see if it can be used on the face if you also want to do your face. Some tanners are not made to be used on the face and you'll have to look for a tanner made specifically for this purpose.

What ever product that you choose or what ever way that you get your tan, always remember that if you are going to be out in the sun wear a sun screen, the stronger, the better! Protect your skin and it will keep you
looking good for years to come!

Makeup Tips for Halloween

Just like any holiday, you want to look good but Halloween is a bit different. You might be going in costume, you might just want to wear gothy looking makeup all month long in honor of Halloween. Hey, it's a big holiday for some of us and we like to celebrate all month long!

Some ladies love the 60's/Goth black shadow and liner eye. I know I do! Here's an easy way to do it. You can wear this all year long or just around Halloween.

The "Quick & Easy Goth Eye"

Here's an easy way to get a very dramatic looking Goth eye with a minimum of work. You only need one shadow, two if you want a white brow bone. This works best with a gun metal gray shadow or a black shadow. Use a kohl liner pencil in a deep black for your eye liner. Make sure it's s soft liner so there's no tugging on the lid. You want a smooth application. If your liner is a bit dry and pulls, you won't get a smooth line so roll the tip between your fingers to soften it up. If you are an Avon lover like I am, you'll find every thing that you need right there to do this. Black Kohl liner, Mega Shadow in Flash Black and Super Drama mascara in Black. Just go here and get what you need.

1. Use a black Kohl liner pencil to line the upper lid. This type has a very creamy texture and makes it easy to use. Avon just came out with one that is also safe to line the inner rim with, comes in 5 colors and I just love it! Use your middle finger and lift the skin at the outer corner of the eye up and out slightly. This makes the skin more taut so it's easier to apply liner and also gives a slight cat eye up turn to the outer corner. Use short, feathery strokes to draw a line as close to your lash line as you can, start at the inner corner and work out. Do this on each upper lid. Now line the bottom lashes by dotting the pencil between lashes to give the illusion of more lashes. You may want to use a finger and pull skin taut here as well. If you like to line your inner lower lid, do it now. Okay, now smudge upper and lower lines using a cotton swab or smudging tool to soften the look.

LOAD YOUR BRUSH: Using a dark gray or black shadow, load your shadow brush with product and tap off excess. Fold a tissue and hold it under your eye to catch any excess shadow that may fall on your cheeks. You really need to do this if you are using a mineral powder eye shadow as they can be messy to begin with if too much is used.

2. Now, close an eye and starting at the outer corner of your upper lid, use fast, small strokes and brush shadow from the outer corner to the inner corner on the eye lid only. ( This means the rounded part of the lid that covers your eye when it's closed.) Get it as close to the lash line as possible, going over the liner. This will cover your lid from lash line to the crease of the eye lid. You can also run a line of shadow on the bottom lid, under the lashes and over the liner.

3. Leave the area between the brow bone and brow bare. You want just the black liner & shadow, no other color. When applying foundation, you might want to do your eye lids as well so they have a smooth look. Plus, it will act like primer on the eye lid.

4. Curl your lashes and add a few coats of blackest black mascara. You want one that packs a punch so try something like Avon's new Super Drama Mascara in Black or Avon's Super Shock Max for volume and length. Both are great mascara's and they are about $5.99 a tube on sale. The newest mascara, Super Drama, has these cool fan shaped bristles on the wand that allows cover for all lashes with no clumps.

The final look that you want is the eye surrounded with black liner and shadow, sweeping out or up at the outer corners for a cat eye look. Any shadow that goes over the liner will darken it and also set it to make it last longer. Clean away any shadow dust that may have gotten on your cheeks.

This looks great with either pale nude lipstick or red lipstick and a pale face. A berry stain on the lips or a matte red is great for day, at night you can go darker. Use a light colored foundation or none at all if your skin is good. Use a light blush, just a hint of flush on the apples of your cheeks. Your eyes are the focal point and you don't want to distract from them.

So, there ya go! You can wear this every day of the year if you want to. If you feel like something more colorful, use a color other than black. If you want to check out some ideas for Halloween costumes, decorating and any else Halloween, click here!

Happy Haunting!!

Spring 2012 Looks Bright!

I've neglected my blog in order to work on other websites and maintain my Avon busniess and I'm sorry about that! I'm in the middle of re-working MakeUpDiva411.com to make it easier to navigate and to find the info that you are looking for in a faster way. It's taking some time to re-do the site but I'm hoping you'll like it better when it's done!

The Spring part! I love fall and winter the most but I sure do love the dpring colors that are coming out! One of the nice things about being an Avon & mark Rep is that I get to see thier lines of makeup, clothes and new fragrances for each season coming up and it's looking bright, colorful and mark is showing it's first capsule collection called "Night Iris", perfume, makeup in pinks and pirples and matching clothing! It's really great! 

I'm actually looking forward to getting out my warm weather clothes so I can get out of the black jeggings and dark shirts and get back into my cargo jeggings and colorful tops again! I forgot how much I love coral, peach, pink and lime green! Fortunately, all those colors are being featured again this spring in the magazines so I won't need to buy anything new, like I could afford it anyway with gas going over $4.00 a gallon this summer.

Here's my makeup tip for this session:

Remember the "Three L's". Lashes, liner and lips. If nothing else, make sure that you Line your eyes as close to the lash line as you can with a black liner. This gives the look of more lashes. Next, Lashes, use a lash curler first and then add a couple coats of black mascara. Next comes the Lips, put on a neutral, pink or peach lip stick or gloss. Find a color that looks natural but better, save the red for night time makeup unless you feel particularly spunky. By just doing these three things, you'll add dimension to your face. It really does make a difference!

Sun Worshiping Without The Skin Cancer

It's getting warmer outside and we all want to spend more time in the sun. I remember the good old days when my sister and I would oil up and lay by our pool for hours on the weekends. That was about 35 years ago and people didn't really know that skin cancer was such a threat from sun exposure. I'm a fair little Irish girl and I burn easily. My sister being from a Scandinavian background (us kids were adopted), was blonde and could get a tan by looking at a picture of the sun. So, I slathered on the Sea & Ski tanning lotion and turn a wonderful shade of red, mostly burning my Lilly white skin, which would later tan down to a normal healthy color. My sister would mix a bottle of baby oil and iodine and use that to tan with. She's get a deep golden brown, her hair would bleach out naturally and she'd look great. I looked like an Irish girl that wasn't used to the sunny days in the U.S., red, flaky skin and much redder hair then normal. After a couple summers, I gave up. Besides, I can't lay still that long. I'm like a hummingbird on crack most of the time anyway.

Today we know how much damage that the sun can do to our skin and my sister is living proof. While she's never had skin cancer yet, her skin has a thickened look that has caused premature wrinkling. She looks at least 3 years older than me and she's actually 3 years younger. She still lays out in the summer, especially since she and her family bought a beach house that they stay at all summer long. Her husband goes in to work every day and she heads for the beach. I, on the other hand, live in the Southwest desert, which is even more sun damaging then her east coast home. I wear sun screen daily, a big floppy hat when I go outside, Capri pants so my legs don't burn, and makeup and skin lotions that all have an SPF factor. I have always been the whitest person in the desert bar none.

That is until I got brave a few years ago and decided to try the new self tanners, which have improved greatly over the past few years I might add! I thank the Gods daily for self tanner because I no longer need to be deathly white anymore, I can go anywhere from a natural golden glow to an all out dark tan and look great. This also means that I have tried as many self tanners as I could afford each year just to see which ones work the best. I grade them on ease of application, developed color tone and natural look.

There is a difference between self tanners and bronzers. Bronzer just gives you a bronzed color and then washes off while a self tanner develops with the skin's amino acids over a matter of hours giving you a tanned look that lasts for a few days. Some self tanners have both so the bronzer gives you color now while the self tanner develops over a few hours.

Here is a list of my favorites and why:

Bare Escentuals Faux Tan: This is a really odd self tanner. It's almost black when it comes out of the bottle but that's so you can see where you are putting it and how even it is being applied. It gives the most natural tan that I have ever seen! You can layer it on, applying it every other day for a few days and get the deepest most natural tan ever. You'll look like my sister in mid-summer! It may be considered too dark for fair skinned people but I like the versatility of how dark you can go with it. It doesn't smell too bad either and has mostly natural ingredients. No SPF. Kind of pricey unless you can get it during a Bare Minerals sale at QVC.

Bare Escentuals Faux Tan Daily Moisturizer: They came out with this a couple years ago. It's a daily use version of the original Faux Tan with moisturizers and isn't as dark as the original. Even after one use, you'll have a nice golden tan started. I sometimes mix a pump (I buy the jumbo sized pump bottle at QVC) of the original Faux Tan stuff in with a glob of this stuff and mix it together to kick start my tan when I first apply it. It gives it a bit more color but not too heavy. No SPF. About $18.00 a tube, one tube lasts me all summer. Bare Minerals also makes a Faux Tan mineral powder for the face, in case you'd rather not do your face but still have some color. I see that QVC is now selling a jumbo tube of this Faux Tan for around $24.00.

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze: This comes in a variety of types, gel, lotion, pre-moistened towels, bronzer-tanner and face tanner. It comes in formulas for fair to medium skin and medium to dark skin so you'll get a more natural looking tan. One note, if you have fair skin and try using the medium to dark just to get a darker looking tan it's going to look BAD!! I learned this the hard way. I tried the towlettes on my legs and they looked really streaky and blotchy because I couldn't see where it was being applied and where I missed. For an mass market brand, though, this brand does an excellent job and a reasonable price.

How to apply: Take a bath or shower and use a loofah or some type of skin exfoliant everywhere that you will be applying the tanning lotion. Self tanner looks better when applied to skin that is smooth and moisturized so it's important that you get that dead skin off before you apply. Towel dry and start applying from the legs up, using upward strokes. Using a self tanner that has a color to it helps you make sure that you haven't missed any spots. Do your legs, move up to your torso and upper body, then arms. Wash and dry your hands when you are finished. Apply a small dollop to the back of one hand and rub the backs of your hands together making sure to cover from wrists to finger nails. Don't wash your hands again for a few hours, that gives time for the backs of your hands to develop some color, too.

Make sure to apply moisturizer every day to keep your tan looking good. You may want to re-apply tanner every few days as well in order to keep that tan look. Read the directions for the product that you pick to see if it can be used on the face if you also want to do your face. Some tanners are not made to be used on the face and you'll have to look for a tanner made specifically for this purpose.

What ever product that you choose or what ever way that you get your tan, always remember that if you are going to be out in the sun wear a sun screen, the stronger, the better! Protect your skin and it will keep you looking good for years to come!

The Shelf Life Of Cosmetics

There are as many questions about makeup as there are people using it! I know that I've had questions asked of me on such a number a subjects from "How long does makeup last?" to "How do I apply makeup?" to "Where can I find the best products for the lowest prices?" Below, you'll find the one I'm asked most, "What's the shelf life of makeup?"

What is the safe shelf life for most cosmetics?
Many ladies have asked me "When is it time to throw out the old stuff and break open the new?". In general, if it's a powder based product, it's going to have a longer life than, say, mascara. Here's a basic list of when to get rid of something, although, keep in mind, if at any time your product develops a funny smell, changes color dramatically or dries out, it's time to pitch it and get a new one. Here's a list of basic time tables for the expiration of cosmetic products.

Makeup Brushes:
The main problem with brushes is bacteria being transferred from face to product. Using clean brushes to apply makeup will help make it last longer. Clean any brushes that you use at least once a week with a good brush cleaner and warm water. Blot as much moisture from the brush when done cleaning and reshape it to it's proper form. It's best if you can give them a day to dry, standing up for half the time and inverted the rest of the time so that any water that may have collected in the collar that holds the bristles to the handle can dry as well.

Loose Mineral makeup: Brands like Bare Escentuals, where the brush does not come into contact with the actual product container will last for years. You are using a small amount of product tapped into the lid and applied from there so you never actually touch brush to container. Some of the newer brands from other companies use a sponge topped applicator to apply from the product bottle. These will last a long time, as long as you remove the sponge top and wash it every other week. Philosophy sells replacement covers for their mineral makeup so you can change them regularly. If it's a type of mineral makeup that comes with a brush attached to the lid and is dipped in the product and them tapped off, you will have the contamination problem with the brush coming into direct contact with product so keep the it clean and figure it'll last a couple years. This applies to all types of mineral makeup from foundation and blush to shadows to liners.

Liquid Foundations:
Water-based foundations last for about a year, while cream-based foundations may last longer, about 18 months. Compact powder or foundation lasts for two years but may become drier before that time. Cream foundations that are applied with a sponge have the problem stated above, contamination due to contact so always make sure that you use a clean sponge. You can buy packs of disposable sponges at any store that sells cosmetics. If your fingers are coming in contact with a bottle, like with liquid foundation, and then applied to face you need to wash your hands before and after.

Blushes & Bronzers:
Compact powder blushers or bronzers can last for two years, cream blushers and bronzers are good for about 18 months. If you notice that the color of the blush or bronzer has changed or developed an odor, it is time to change it.

Eye Shadows: Powder compact eye shadows are good for about two years unless you notice a color change or odd smell. Cream shadows in tubes are good for about 18 months. If the cream shadow is in a pot, the life is less, about a year, as long as you use clean fingers or brushes when applying. Remember to keep lids tightly closed on cream products, it will help keep the air from coming into contact and drying them out faster.

Eyeliners and Lip Liners: These have a shelf life of two years or longer. If they start to get so dry that they pull the skin during application, get rid of them! Sharpen them before each use to make sure that any bacteria that might have grown on the tip is removed and clean the sharpener as well. If you have a pencil that you have not used in a while and a white coating has developed on the tip, sharpen before you use it, and smell it as well, to make sure that it is still good.If they have a waxy smell or an odd crayon type smell, throw it away.

Mascara: Three to six months is usually the limit on a tube of mascara. It's the pumping action that most women use to try and get more mascara on a brush that hurts it by letting air and bacteria into the tube. A better way to coat the brush it to give it a swirl before you pull it out of the tube. By doing this, you get more product on the brush with out getting air into the tube. If it starts to get dry, clumpy, sticky or develops a bad waxy or moldy smell before it's time to get a new one, replace it anyway! Never use spit to try and wet your mascara!! Bacteria, ladies!! If using cake mascara, always use tap or bottled water to wet the brush. Your eyes are one of the most important body parts you have! Don't risk going blind just to get another mile out of your mascara!

Lipsticks & Glosses: Lipstick should last about two years, but lip gloss lasts for only around 12 to 18 months. Make sure to keep the tops of gloss tubes clean if build up starts on the threads. Clean it off with a clean tissue and wipe down any residue on the wand but not the tip. Lip plumpers last for about 2 years before the plumping ingredients go bad. For more information on all things makeup, go to MakeupDiva411.com

Hot Flashes and Makeup

Makeup Problem: How to keep your makeup on when you are constantly having hot flashes.

I had to have an emergency hysterectomy four years ago. I chose to go with out hormone replacement therapy because of the possible health risks that go along with them. The hot flashes started in earnest not too long after and have never let up. I have categories for them: Desert Afternoon (where I'm slightly hot inside and a bit sweaty outside), Super Soakers (where I'm drenched from head to toe), and Towering Inferno (where I feel like I could spontaneously combust but am trying to put out my own fire with sweat). I have more of the last category then the other two. That makes it difficult to keep makeup on for more then a minute at a time and I find myself just skipping it all together lately.

I miss wearing makeup! 9 times out of 10, I'll have a hot flash right out of the shower, which makes it hard to even put on moisturizer let alone makeup. I have found some solutions to this problem, after all, you have to do what you can with what you've got! I've learned some tricks over the past four years to applying makeup and keeping it on for as long as possible in a world in which I'm ready to burst into flames at any given moment.

Waterproof makeup has become my best friend. In the summer, which is hot enough here in the desert, it's hard enough not to sweat off makeup under normal situations. Add to that the Towering Inferno and it's a challenge to make it out the door with makeup still intact. I'm going by the less is more theory for summers now. Waterproof eye liner and mascara, maybe a waterproof eye shadow. If I use foundation at all, I use a mineral powder like Bare Minerals because it seems to stay on even when you sweat. I'll use the same in eye shadow, blush and bronzer, too.

You can find all kinds of great waterproof makeup out there. The biggest problem is removal. I don't like oily eye makeup remover, which you really need to remove the waterproof eye makeup. Avon just came out with makeup remover sheets infused with minerals. I tried it on my waterproof stuff and it took it right off without the heavy oil. Plus, you don't need to wash your face before applying night moisturizers because the Avon mineral makeup remover sheet residue evaporates. This feature makes them great for using in places where water might not be available to wash with.

After applying either a full makeup using Bare Minerals or a simple eyes and blush makeup, if I break out in a flash, I take a tissue and blot my face off. I don't rub, I just lay the tissue on areas of my face and pat dry. This seems to work, it soaks up the sweat and leaves my makeup in place. You have to use tissues, not those little papers made to blot up excess oil during the day, although those would be fine for someone younger that doesn't have the same problem that I do.

So, remember when the hot flashes start, waterproof makeup is your new best friend! Go to MakeupDiva411.com for more info.

What Makes A Makeup Diva Run?

What makes a makeup diva? Well, for me, it started with my mom, watching her get ready when her and my dad went on a date night. She's spend a couple hours getting ready, always looking like a movie star when she was done.

She'd sit at her vanity table and apply all kinds of things from pretty bottles and tubes and pallets. She's spray on perfume, dress in wonderful evening dresses that had matching shoes and purse. Her hair was always impecable, she had it done at the salon every week.

That started my love of all things cosmetic. Mom bought me my first makeup for my thirtenth birthday. Blue eye shadow, blush and some other things. I finally had my own makeup instead of her hand-me-downs, although I loved those!

By the time I was starting high school, I was a makeup applying genius. I'd do my friends in the school bathroom. I'd always carry a makeup bag in my purse so it would be handy for touch-ups during the day. I also had a fixation for hair and started playing with hair color and my own cuts around that same time.\

I enrolled in cosmetology school in my senior year of high school, going in the afternoons when I was out of school. I also got degrees in theatrical and glamor makeup as well as hair and manicuring. I got my license in 1978 and went to work at a friends salon. I was in heaven!

While I have retired from that profession years ago, I still cut and color my husband's hair and my own and do my acrylic nails. I mani-pedi myself every week and do the hubby as well. He deserves some pampering, too!

After doing make-overs and giving lessons to many of my women friends, I started my own website, MakeupDiva411 to share my knowledge with women who want to wear makeup but don't have a clue as to how to get started. You'll find all kinds of tips, tricks, ideas and info there from how to do a simple smoky eye to the shelf life of cosmetics. Stop by and check it out! I hope you find it as helpful and fun as I did making the site!