These days I’m fascinated by the commercials for the new lash growth product, Latisse. Maybe it’s because of how gorgeous Brooke Shields still is, or it’s because of the fact that they have found a way to make eye lashes to grow but still can’t give balding men back their hair. Or, maybe it’s because of the laughable way they so casually state the side effects, “May cause eyelid darkening which may be reversible. May cause increased iris pigmentation which is likely to be permanent.” Errrrr seriously? I’m sure it’s a great invention and all, but I’m leaving my irises alone.

For those of you that are looking for ways to make their lashes appear thicker and longer but don’t wish to dabble in the potential destruction of your irises, there are plenty of other things you can do. My primary recommendation would be to try out the eyelash primer I swear by (CLICK HERE), but there is another secret practiced many celebrity makeup artists that uses a product you most likely already have at home – face powder. Yes, I said face powder.

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Here’s what to do:

1) If you use an eyelash curler, curl your lashes. If you don’t, you can skip this step.

2) Apply a quick thin coat of mascara to your lids.

3) Dip a fluffy shadow brush into your face powder (loose vs. pressed doesn’t matter) and quickly brush onto the underside of your upper lashes and the topside of your lower lashes (i.e. the sides you put mascara on so the mascara covers the visible powder).

4) Put on a second coat of your mascara, which should stick to the powder. The extra coating of powder around each lash should result in thicker, longer lashes!

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Some ladies apply the powder first before any mascara, but I feel the between coats method is best. This is because the powder adheres to the first coat and provides a better base for the second. Be sure not to get any powder in your eyes and you should be good to go. It’s cheap and simple, and doesn’t result in darkened lids from any growth serums.

Try it out and let us know how it goes!

Fall is almost here and the new cosmetics collections are arriving in stores. This season is full of vampy lipstick/gloss colors like purple, red (of course) and even black (yes, now you can enjoy Halloween every day). But, before you reach for these new goth-inspired shades, did you know that the lipstick/lipgloss color you choose to wear can affect how big or small your lips look?

Different shades of lipstick can either make your lips appear plump like Angelina Jolie or small like Jennifer Aniston (sorry for that comparison Jen!).

If you want your lips to look a little smaller: This may sound strange as one would naturally assume dark colors would draw attention to big lips. However, darker colors are the way to go, as they will minimize your pout. Avoid light, bright colors and stick to darker, earthy tones that will draw attention away from your lips.

If you want your lips to look bigger: Try sticking to light to medium shades, such as nudes and lighter versions of pink and coral. Anything darker will give a minimizing effect i.e. make your lips appear smaller than they are. There are ways to still use a darker lipstick and counter this effect with a lip liner and some shine, but we’ll share that with you another time. For now, use stick/gloss that has a little shimmer – the reflective nature will make your lips more luscious.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who have a medium-sized pout, wear whatever you like and remember everyone hates you

The truth is, whether your eyebrows are pencil thin or caveman bushy, many of girls, myself included, tend to forget that it is just as important to take care of them as it is any other of your features. Have you ever noticed how much fresher you look once you’ve gotten rid of stray hairs? It’s because your eyebrows frame not only your eyes, but also your entire face. But, grooming your eyebrows is more than simple hair removal. If you don’t like to or don’t have time to pluck, snip, pencil or color in your brows like me, there are other things you and I can and should try to do when we make up the rest of our faces to go out.

Hair Spray: Spritz your favorite, or the closest one available, hair spray onto a toothbrush. Sweep the brush onto your brows and tame them into the look you want. The spray will define the brows, and keep the hairs in place and looking shiny.

Vaseline: Using a toothbrush, brush on a little (too much will make you a grease-ball) into your brows. Again, the product will keep the hair in place and shiny and the thickness makes the brows look darker. Some beauty mavens claim Vaseline is also great to use if you overplucked and want the hair to grow back faster, I personally cannot attest to this, but it’s worth a shot.

Clear Mascara: Does the same as both products above, but available in a less messy, compact way. Some brands even make clear mascara specifically for shaping the brows. But, why spend almost $14 at MAC when you can get the same product for much cheaper? Check out Maybelline Define-A-Brow Gel Clear Mascara for Eyebrows $4.99, available on drugstore.com

Of course defining your brows won’t hide the stray hairs that have found their way all the way onto your upper lid, if that’s the case, then you may want to make an appointment with your threading lady. However, your eyebrows need a little more attention than a simple tweezer. You may not realize it, but your eyebrows are in fact the most animated part of your face when you find yourself in deep conversation. You make sure to highlight your lids, cheeks and lips, why not also your most expressive feature?

Photo Credit: cvs.com

As much as we all love shopping to satisfy our makeup/shoes/clothes obsessions, parting with $$$ in this recession is not so fun. But, don’t worry, there are plenty of beauty products available to satisfy multiple needs at less than $5. One of our recent favorites is regular old Chapstick. Not only can you use it to moisturize your lips, but it also makes a great base for eye shadow.

The great thing about Chapstick is that it’s slightly emollient but not greasy like Vaseline. Apply a thin coat onto your lids and then apply powder shadow. The sheen from the Chapstick will give your eyes a dewy look that’s perfect for the Spring/Summer time, and the slight tackiness from the wax content will grab the pigment for longer hold.

Quick Notes:

- This should also work for you if you have oily-skin, but if you feel it’s too rich for your skin type try a regular primer like Urban Decay’s Primer Potion or one of MAC’s paints.

- You can also use Chapstick as a base for your lipstick – it’s perfect for turning matte lippies into creamy for the warm months.

- Make sure to not use the flavored/mint ones – eyelids are sensitive and the tingly sensation may irritate your lids – so be sure to use the original formula!

When the cold season ends, most of us tend to turn all our attention to repairing the damage caused to our now dull, lifeless hair and dry, ashy skin. However, in the process we forget about one of the most important features constantly in motion on our face – our mouth. Not only have we subjected our poor lips to the frigid gales of winter, but we torture them every day while drinking, eating, smoking, kissing and talking. Some of us even unwittingly bite or pull our lips with our fingers while we are stressed out or thinking about something. The result – a rough, flaky mouth. If you think you can cover it up with lipstick or gloss, you are doing yourself a disservice, because drawing attention to your lips is the last thing you want to do when they are peeling.

If you want to salvage your lips, you must exfoliate them before you use any kind of balm. Until you remove the dead layer of skin, no amount of chapstick or carmex is going to heal your mouth.

Here’s what to do:

- Apply either a little Vaseline or olive oil to your lips. If you feel this is not enough for how rough your mouth is, you can add a little sugar to the olive oil.

- Using a toothbrush (preferably not electric and not the one you are currently using for your teeth), gently start brushing your lips all over in small circles for about a minute. Be gentle – your lips are sensitive and they will be sore if you are too harsh!

- Wash off your lips with cold water and clean the brush.

- Apply lip balm and your lips will feel as smooth as butter!

- If you already have soft lips, some actresses and models also use a toothbrush lightly without any exfoliating product before they go out. This invigorates the blood flow to their mouth for a poutier look before they apply lip-gloss. (However, this is for purely aesthetic reasons, not as a remedy).

Remember: this is not just for after the winter season. It is important to keep your lips healthy year-round, so try to exfoliate your lips at least twice a month.

Photo Credits: http://wallpapers.jurko.net/pic/1074/
http://www.slipperybrick.com/2007/11/solar-powered-toothbrush-no-toothpaste/

Photo Credit: amazon.com

The weather is changing and so is your skin. With the mixture of warm and cold air, the dry areas on your face are getting drier and the oily parts oilier. Try to avert extra shine or avoid tightness on your face by paying attention to how you apply your lotions/creams. Most of us just dab a little on our fingers and quickly smear the product all over – this way of lotion application is a big mistake! It results in dry patches, and worse, increased blackheads (especially on the nose area).

Tomorrow morning, apply lotion first to the driest areas of your face ending at the oily parts. In most cases this means the end point should be your T-zone (your forehead and nose), which is on average the problem area for women – but your skin may vary. By doing this, the most of what is on your hand will end up on the areas that need the lotion the most, leaving very little on your fingers for skimming over the oilier parts. You may feel you don’t even need to apply lotion to your t-zone. Trust us, you will start to see a difference very soon.