Sunday, March 31, 2013

How to Get the Top 5 Sexiest Eye Makeup Looks

Tired of your same old mascara and liner combo? Find out how to create the latest eye makeup looks, including a simple smoky effect and dramatic cat eye, with tips from celebrity makeup artist Vincent Longo.



Change Your Look

When it comes to mixing up your makeup look, there are basically two ways to do it: change your lipstick or vary your eye shadow. Swapping your lipstick is a cinch — there's really only one way to apply it, regardless of the formula or color. Playing around with your eye shadow takes a bit more work, however, it's well worth the effort. (See how BeyoncĂ© masters an impressive range of eye makeup effects, like this classic cat eye.) Resident Daily Glow expert, celebrity makeup artist Vincent Longo spills his secrets for creating the top five eye makeup looks

The Cat Eye

A retro-inspired cat eye has landed on the lids of ladies from Marilyn Monroe to Lady Gaga. "It's sexy and playful all year round," explains Longo. Start by using a stiff, flat-headed eye shadow brush to sweep an iridescent neutral shadow over your lid (Mary Kay sells a fabulous brush set for $55). "This will give dimension to the eye and help the liquid liner stay in place," he explains. Next, place the tip of a liquid liner's brush on the outer corner of the upper lashline and draw a line towards the inner corner of your eye along the lashline. (Try Mary Kay Black Liquid Eyeliner for $11) Make the liner thinner as you work your way in, otherwise the whole look will be too heavy and your eyes make look smaller, advises Longo. Once you've lined the rim, go back to the outer corner and brush out and up using a soft hand to achieve the cat eye.

The Smoky Eye

"The smoky eye can be sultry, romantic, mysterious, feminine, and sexy — which is why it fascinates us," says Longo. For a fresh look, forget the old conventions that you must use only black or gray shadow: Longo loves earth and jewel tones for the smoky eye, but his favorites? A deep, black-plum or green smoky eye.  Here are the Mary Kay colors I like to use to create these smokey eye looks ($6.50 per color):
For a traditional smokey eye - black pearl & silver sation
For an earth tone smokey eye - silky caramel & espresso
For a jewel-tone smokey eye - lemongrass & emerald; or blue metal & peacock blue
For a black-plum smokey eye - sweet plum & black pearl

The Party Eye

When attending a cocktail or holiday party, there's a good chance you're coming from (and changing at) the office. So you need to "think day to evening," explains Longo. "Freshen up your makeup, and add a layer of festive to your look."  Try crystalline, spun silk, silky caramel & cinnabar.

The Nude Eye

While the nude look is in, it doesn't equate to no makeup, unfortunately. "Although we define the nude look as naked, it truly isn't," Longo says. Most important to this look, make sure you use a great foundation and concealer to even out your overall skin tone first. (I like the mineral powder foundation $18).  Then apply a light layer of that concealer ($10) to your eyelids and set with a dusting of powder. "This will help the shadow stay put and look fresher longer," he says.  For the nude look, I love the colors spun silk & silky caramel.

The Bold Eye

Using bright color "is always heaps of fun," says Longo. "One bold shade is often enough." An easy option is to apply it as a liner and contrast the bright hue with black mascara. Try a wet-to-dry shadow or a liquid liner for this look as they have the most pigment and thus, the most depth. Mary Kay's mineral eye color can be used as a wet or dry shadow.  For this look, I love to use our NEW spring line cream eye colors in coastal blue, meadow grass, or violet storm $14.
For more information, please contact me at 508-840-8957 or check out my website at www.marykay.com/akester

Friday, March 22, 2013

Adult Acne: Grown Up and Still Breaking Out


Just when you start thinking it’s time to worry about wrinkles, adult acne can strike. Adult acne affects your skin after your mid-twenties, and can continue into your thirties, forties, and fifties. Some types of adult acne persist from the teen years into adulthood, and others come on suddenly during adulthood.
Why Do You Have Acne?
Acne appears when excessive oil, dead skin, and bacteria accumulate in your skin's pores. Clogged pores can lead to blackheads, whiteheads, pustules, and nodular lumps in your skin. Acne commonly affects the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders, and arms.
There are many reasons adult acne may develop, including:
  • Menstrual cycle hormone shifts. Since acne can be triggered by hormonal fluctuations, some women experience adult acne outbreaks at certain times during their menstrual cycles, often around the time of ovulation.
  • Pregnancy and childbirth. Hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy and childbirth can cause some women to develop acne.
  • Menopause. Female hormone levels can fluctuate widely around menopause.
  • Birth control pills. Women who have been on birth control pills and stop may get acne. Also, certain types of birth control pills, especially pills that contain only the hormone progestin, can lead to the development of adult acne. Other birth control pills, however, can help keep breakouts under control.
  • Stress. When you’re under increased stress, you may be more likely to develop adult acne. This is thought to be because stress can trigger the production of hormones that stimulate the production of oil in the skin, causing acne to flare up.
  • Medications. One of the possible side effects of some medications is acne. Medications that have been linked to the development of acne include anticonvulsants and corticosteroids.
  • Skin care products. Certain skin care products, including some sunscreen formulas and hair styling products, can trigger a type of acne known as acne cosmetica in some people.
  • Medical conditions. Adult acne can be a symptom of some medical conditions, including polycystic ovarian syndrome (in women), adrenal hyperplasia (the failure of the adrenal glands to produce enough of the hormone cortisol), and certain tumors. Consult your doctor if you develop unexplained acne.
  • Genetics. If a parent, sibling, or child has acne, you are at increased risk of developing acne as an adult.
Acne Prevention and Treatment
You can reduce your chances of developing adult acne and help treat breakouts by doing the following:
  • Choose products wisely. Use skin care and hair care products that are labeled as "non-comedogenic" or "non-acnegenic," because these products are less likely to cause acne cosmetica.  Luckily, ALL Mary Kay products are!  Yay!
  • Take the right birth control pill. If you take the pill, work with your doctor to find a type that helps control your acne.
  • Control stress. Work to get your stress levels under control and do what you can to avoid stressful situations.
  • Consider topical treatments. Ask a dermatologist about topical acne treatments, like Cleocin(clindamycin), erythromycin, and retinoids, which can be effective in treating adult acne.
  • Ask about oral medications. Certain oral medications such as spironolactone (Aldactazide and others) and some birth control pills can help control the hormonal swings that often lead to adult acne. Other medications, such as oral antibiotics or oral isotretinoin (Accutane and others), can be used in certain situations to help get stubborn adult acne under control.
  • Talk with your dermatologist about other options. Your dermatologist can offer certain acne treatments, including injecting corticosteroid medication directly into a nodule or cyst, to help clear your acne.
  • Practice proper skin care. Gently wash your face with a mild cleanser, protect your skin from the sun, and resist the urge to squeeze or pop any acne lesion.

Mary Kay sells an Acne Fighters Set for $42 which includes Velocity Facial Cleanser, Velocity Lightweight Moisturizer, Acne Treatment Gel (over-the-counter product), Blemish Control Toner 3 (over-the-counter product) and a bag.

Arming yourself with the knowledge of why adult acne occurs and how to best prevent or stop it will help you maintain the healthiest skin — at any age.

www.marykay.com/akester




Medically reviewed by Cynthia Haines, MD