“Luck of the eye-rish.”

“Luck of the eye-rish and ”Beware of the eyes (ides) of March!"

With so many signs, I have to discuss the topic of eyeliner in the month of March. Last month I talked about lips being the “weapons of mass seduction”, so it seems fitting to say eyes provide the art of attraction. And if eyebrows “frame” the face, then eyeliner is the “window treatment of the soul”. We “listen with our eyes” because we communicate with more than words. The eyes are capable of "speaking" our deepest emotions; happiness, sadness, playfulness, guarded, distressed, and more. What are your eyes saying about you? Are they saying, “I’m tired”? Are they saying “Va Va Voom, I’m exciting!”?

Do you need to get that sparkle back in your eyes? Eyeliner defines one’s eyes to be more appealing and alluring. This is what many Egyptian women have known for centuries allowing them to create many beauty treatments such as milk and honey bath’s* and spectacular eye makeup. Cleopatra’s most defining feature was her trademark almond-shaped black kohl-lined eyes. The kohl liner was used to line the entire perimeter of the eye. Beyond being the style of the times this thick eyeliner might have offered some protection from the sun as well. The Japanese geishas also lined the borders of their eyes with a thin piece of charcoal. The blanched white faces would accentuate the dark eyes. To emphasize the eyes even more, the eyeliner would be drawn on thickly past the outer corner of the eye with an upward turn like the wing of a bird. This look is still somewhat popular today. Some clients come to me and ask for permanent eyeliner with strong “wings” on the outer corners of their eyes or the “cat eyes” look. I can do a thicker wedge on the outer corner of the eyeliner and possibly a little bit of a wing or cat eye, but I don’t go to extremes with permanent cosmetics. Because it is permanent, I recommend having a more natural look and dress it up with conventional makeup for the occasional, more dramatic look. I believe permanent makeup should be timeless, not trendy. Sometimes we don’t see eye to eye (to have fun with the pun), but luckily most of my clients want standard permanent eyeliner or even less with a permanent eyelash enhancement.
With permanent eyelash enhancement the pigment color (usually black, brown or brown black) is placed in the eyelashes. This gives you a 'fuller and darker lash' look and creates an effect similar to mascara at the base of the lashes. Others desire a more distinct make-up look. For those clients permanent eyeliner is the solution. I place the pigment color in between the lashes like eyelash enhancement and ABOVE the lashes for the look of eyeliner. Permanent eyeliner can be applied as thin or thick as you normally wear it using conventional makeup. Generally, clients request a more natural line during their initial visit. Later, if you decide to increase the thickness and/or darken your liner we can do that during your follow-up/touch up visit (within 4-6 weeks).

Permanent makeup is for you if you:

…. want to always look fresh and ready to go.

….feel better when you are wearing makeup and looking your best.

….like convenience and want to save time.

....have ever refrained from social events, like swimming or tennis, because you were afraid that someone might see you without makeup.

....find it more challenging to apply your makeup because of your vision or shaky hands.

….are bothered that a small breeze can make your eyeliner run and ruin how you look.

….don’t want to look like a plain Jane.

Permanent eyeliner can easily achieve noticeable “eye-catching” results, so take a tip-off of Cleopatra's style and highlight your eyes.


* Milk has vitamins, lactic acid to exfoliate the skin, and fatty lipids for hydration. Honey also has humectants to moisturize the skin along with antiseptic and antibacterial properties.

LIPS: Weapons of Mass Seduction Part 2 of 2

Now that you know how to find a flattering lip color that harmonizes with your skin tone, we should review some application techniques before you start putting on lip color or lip gloss. The first step to get luscious lips is to prime your lips. Start with a gentle exfoliation from a wet tooth brush. Next use a lip balm to hydrate. For the same reason one uses moisturizer or an eye cream before makeup, you will want to fill in the cracks with a lip salve. Lips can get dehydrated from the cold weather and wind outside, as well as the dry heat inside. The biggest culprit of chapped lips is licking ones lips. Saliva has enzymes that help us digest food. The saliva enzymes combined with evaporation of temporary moisture cause lips to get dried out. Lips are mucous membranes without any oil glands. They should be kept moist with lip balm. BUT WAIT--Hand over the Chap Stick, put down the Blistex, and quit the Carmex obsession. Some of these products are so addictive that their dependents are rumored to be in a secret wing at the Betty Ford clinic. All jokes aside, although these products are fine for a temporary fix they do not help us in the long term. We need a lip rescue. It’s best to use lip products that are free of irritants like lanolin, and without mineral oil or petrolatum.
You need lip products with soothing ingredients like:

•Aloe Vera-healing agent, moisturizes, softens and soothes skin
•Vitamin E Oil-antioxidant, repairs tissue, reduces scarring
•Jojoba Oil-penetrating moisturizing oil, softens and soothes
•Evening Primrose Oil-anti-inflammatory, rejuvenating and regenerating
•Comfrey-blood cleanser, reduces pain, promotes healing
•Calendula-anti-viral herb, antimicrobial and anti-oxidizing action
•Echinacea-antibiotic agent, reduces inflammation
•Purple Violet-healing agent, softens and soothes

One of my favorite products that contains all these ingredients is Whit’s Finishing Touch Lips (for $2.49) by Naturally Whit’s est. 1993. http://naturallywhits.com

This aftercare product is a favorite of technicians in the permanent cosmetic community because it’s full of safe, healing, and restorative ingredients. Whit’s created an “aftercare product specifically designed to treat sensitive areas and facilitate healing without possible side-effects like stinging or redness.” So, if the winter weather has taken a toll on your lips you need to get some of this TLC to restore your lips in preparation for lip color. Next, use a sponge or makeup brush to lightly apply foundation around the lip rim to keep the lip color from “feathering” outside the lip line. After a short time, blot off the excess foundation with a facial tissue so that lip color will stay in place when you apply it. Start with lip liner pencil. The dry pencil liner also acts as a border patrol and keeps the lipstick inside the line. When you choose a color for lip liner remember the phrase “Swiss lips”. Like Switzerland your lip liner should be neutral. Once thought of as a way to accentuate the lips, wearing a darker liner than the lipstick color actually makes lips look smaller. Darker liner was popular in the 90’s, but it doesn’t deserve a revival since it is not a becoming look for lips. Makeup artists now use a little off-white or cream pencil, right above the Cupid’s bow along the vermillion ridge to hi-light the lips. This creates a fuller look.
Rule: Lip liner should be a shade that matches your lips or the same color as the lipstick.

Finally, it’s time to apply the lip color. Select lipsticks with conditioning ingredients. The “Mineral Essence” brand has jojoba, vitamin E, beeswax, sesame seed oil, green tea and chamomile to nurture your lips while providing beautiful color. Many of these ingredients are certified as organic. You’ll fall in love with their rich and creamy lipsticks, sheer lip color, and “Vitarich” lip treatment. Right now you can get free shipping on all $50 orders, as well as, 25% off (with coupon code: LOVEME) on the favorite valentine picks of “romance”, “charm”, “flirty rose”, “Eskimo kiss”, “raspberry truffle”, “red hot”, and more. With names like these I want to buy them all. http://www.mineralessence.com/offers.html

Using a small lip brush will assist with lip color application to produce a more defined rim. When using a lip brush, spread color from the middle of the lip to the outer corners. Always apply lipstick with lips relaxed in their natural state, not puckered up. That way you don’t get too much lip color inside the lips. Too much lip color inside the lips can end up on your teeth. To prevent lipstick on your teeth, slightly part your lips and lightly press them against a horizontal finger with the finger half in and half out of your mouth. In addition, using lip stain prevents lip color from traveling. You are now ready to conquer the world of lip color or entice a world leader with lips of mass seduction! Kisses!

LIPS: Weapons of Mass Seduction!

Part 1 of 2

Feb is the month of love and I didn’t get a chance to blog about it, but it is never too late to talk about lovely kissable lips. Whether it’s for kissing a lover, a child, a family member, or a pet, we all want kissable lips! Dr. Oz Mehmet says “Kissing feels so good because your lips have some of the highest number of nerve endings in the body.” The problem is most of us have trouble finding the right shade of lipstick and even more trouble keeping it where we want it. Have you ever noticed that you feel better when you are wearing lip color? Have you ever been timid when hugging someone because you were afraid they'd end up wearing your lipstick on their clothing? Have you ever noticed how much time you spend during the day applying and re-applying your makeup? Have you ever spent time in front of the mirror quickly applying makeup just to spend one minute running into the post office or store? Have you ever seen an elderly woman with her lipstick surrounding her mouth and told yourself that you will never let that happen to you? Have you ever noticed that as you age your lips are becoming smaller and less plump and think that you would benefit from a lip color enhancement? Have you ever….wondered what it would be like not to worry about makeup?

Permanent makeup solves all those problems and more. No more “feathering” lip liner that draws attention to unattractive wrinkles around the mouth. We can do only lip liner to create a more defined look. It is good for correcting asymmetrical and faded lip borders. Lip liner can also be done with a shading technique by lightly coloring into the lip for a more natural look. Properly applied, permanent cosmetics look more natural than conventional makeup. Most people prefer full lip color that brings vibrancy to their face. Full lip color can give you the optical illusion of fuller looking lips without painful and temporary lip injections. Permanent lip color is the best way to have lip color that always stays in place. Permanent cosmetic lip procedures require a consultation to see if you are a candidate and may require you to take anti-viral herpes medicine before the procedure, if you’ve ever had a cold sore. My first suggestion is to schedule a complimentary consultation with a Certified Permanent Cosmetic Professional (CPCP) to discuss the treatment and find a flattering lip color that enhances your own natural lip color.

That’s not the end of the story, since I always say that permanent cosmetics can be the in between of no makeup and full (evening) makeup. What if you want to wear a new shade of lipstick? A frequently asked question is, “What if I get full lip color and want to change the color or shade?” My reply is simple, “just add lipstick.” If you want to change your lip shade for the day or for the night simply put lipstick over it. Most lipsticks act like a “cover stick”, so you can even put a lighter shade (opaque) over your darker permanent color. If you want to permanently change your permanent full lip color that may be possible as well, depending on the color and condition of your lips. You can play it safe with colors that are close to your natural lip color. If you want to add more color then go for it with a bold color of the season! Red is hot for spring and is all over the fashion magazines. It is a classic color that is making a big comeback on the red carpets. To get your high fashion glamour look select a shade of red that compliments your skin tone. To find a lip shade that matches your skin tone you will want to follow some basic rules. Are you warm or cool? When it comes to personality we like to think we are both warm and cool, but all complexions are one of two skin tones: warm or cool. Fair skin tends to be cool with pink and blue skin undertones. Medium, olive and darker skin complexions tend to be warm with a golden skin undertone. Remember this is just a generalization and everyone has unique skin undertones. If your skin is cool then lip colors that are pink and blue based look the best. Warm skin tones look best in warm and deeper colors. Natural hair color can be another indicator of skin tone. As a rule the lighter the hair the lighter the lipstick shade, meaning the cooler the color should be. It doesn’t mean that blondes can’t wear red lip color or that dark skinned ladies can’t wear pastel lip color. This is just a general guideline. You can find red that is (cool) blue based or (warm) orange based. To test colors apply lipstick to the inside pads of your fingers (as if you were finger painting) and hold the shaded fingers near your lip as you look in the mirror to see which color looks best. You can also use different lipstick colors directly on your bottom lip by applying them in sections to see the colors with your skin tone. You can do this at the makeup counter or with lipstick you already own. If red is too daring than try another spicy color that is popular for spring like coral. Coral is a universally flattering lip color, but again like all colors shades of coral can be more on the pink “cool” side or more “warm” with an orange base. Coral also has been reported to make your teeth look whiter. Another product that makes your teeth look whiter is blue lip gloss. I love the blue satin lip shine called “transcendent” by Being True. It contains “an infusion of peppermint oil, caffeine and exotic antioxidants to accentuate the natural fullness of lips and hydrate while helping to decrease fine lines.” Lips look fuller and sexier with a little shine, plus this formula adds freshness to the glistening. https://www.beingtrue.com This is not the viscous, glutinous gloss of the last decade with the super sticky mess that got caught in your hair. This is a gloss that we’re all meant to use.

Stay tuned for part 2.