Expert Eye Makeup Tips

Tattoo Cover Ups - How to Cover Up Your Tattoo
Tattoo cover ups are for those who have an existing tattoo and want to cover it up with something else. This is a great decision to make if you have some ink that you now regret and want to get rid of in a creative way. Rather than painful tattoo removal, a good cover up job can provide you with getting rid of your old design, while getting a new, fresh and better tattoo.
Here are some steps to take for tattoo cover ups -
Go to a Tattoo parlor.
Go to a tattoo parlor and get advice on what can be done. Even the most stubborn, ugly, or elaborate ink job can usually be creatively covered up. Ask what type of colors and designs the tattoo artist recommends. You won't have to get any immediate work done, but can ponder over your design options and then go from there.
Next, consider your new design.
Remember, this is your second chance! You get to pick something new which looks better, and represents better who you are now, and the qualities or ideals you believe in. So based on what choices the artist recommends, begin thinking of different designs and styles, and if you are into symbolism, factor that in as well.

Now, choose your design!
You don't have to pick your design at the tattoo parlor, nor do you have to go back to the parlor right away. A great way to pick your design for tattoo cover ups is going online to a tattoo design gallery. Here you will find endless designs in every category you could imagine. I would suggest picking out a handful, printing them out, and bringing them to your tattoo artist, asking him which the best one is for a good cover up job.

Makeup Tips to Cover Your Tattoo!
Your big day or special event has arrived and for a variety of reasons, you have decided that you want to cover your tattoo. You have seen the tattoo cover-up kits sold online, but do they really work? What about airbrush makeup? What is the best method to cover a tattoo?
Questions to keep in mind when selecting the best method to cover your tattoo:

• If someone hugs you, will they come in contact with the covered area?
• Will your clothing come in contact with the covered area?

Tattoo Lightener
If you have about seven to ten months and want to lighten your tattoo for the best cover-up, considering using a product like Tattoo Off. Tattoo Off is designed to lighten your tattoo by penetrating your skin and breaking down the ink over time.
Camouflage Cosmetics & Tattoo Cover-up Kits
There are a variety of corrective and camouflage cosmetics on the market (e.g. Tattoo Camo, Smart Cover, Dermablend, Cinema Secrets, Ben Nye to name a few) that are designed to be smudge-resistant, water-proof, and non-greasy. These types of camouflage cosmetics are designed to "cover", "conceal", and are often used to create special effects. Camouflage or corrective cosmetics usually have a creamy texture and may require the use of a setting powder depending upon the brand.
OK, let's be frank. It's make-up. Yes, there are some brands that I like better than others ( e.g. Tattoo Camo and Cinema Secrets), but bottom line, a cream is being used to cover an area on your skin. Depending upon the oiliness of your skin, perspiration, and humidity, the covered area may smudge or smear. Therefore, if your dress or someone will come in contact with the covered area, I strongly suggest airbrush make-up vs. the use of a camouflage cosmetic to cover your tattoo. If not, Tattoo Camo Tattoo Cover-up Kit or Cinema Secrets Ultimate Foundations are your best bet to ensure optimal coverage.
Color Matching
One of the biggest challenges I hear when selecting cosmetics to cover a tattoo is "how do you find the right color?" I suggest choosing two to three different shades that most closely match your skin tone (light, medium, dark). Use a blend of these shades to create your perfect match. Most of us have unevenness in our skin tone, so you will need a combination of these shades to create a tone that appears realistic. Cinema Secrets Ultimate Foundations probably offers the broadest range of shades, particularly for people who have a lot of yellow or olive in their skin tone.
Are cover-up creams easy to use?
The majority of cream camouflage products offer online video tutorials that will show you how to apply their product. Regardless of the product you choose, always remember to:

1. wax or shave the area to be covered;
2. unless the product instructions tell you to, do not apply a moisturizer prior to make-up application;
3. choose two to three shades that most closely match your skin tone (light, medium, dark); this will enable you to blend the shades to better match your skin tone;
4. use a cosmetic wedge to apply the make-up in thin layers; use a stippling motion, not a stoking motion.

Application will take some practice so be sure to order your products months prior to your wedding; allow plenty of time to practice the technique.
Advantages of Airbrush Make-up to Cover a Tattoo
Airbrush foundations are traditionally high in coverage, but thin in texture. Because the makeup is dispensed in micro-fine layers with an airbrush versus a make-up brush or cosmetic sponge, the results appear more natural and sheer.
Typically, to achieve optimal tattoo coverage, an alcohol-based or silicone based airbrush make-up is used. My personal favorite airbrush make-up for covering tattoos is Temptu Pro Dura. Dura is widely used for body art, prosthetics, tattoo coloring, and special effects. Temptu Pro Dura combined with the use of their new pro palettes, and matte sealer is a winning combination! These products will ensure that your tattoo area is covered and can withstand hugging and touching! Airbrush make-up is typically best applied by a skilled make-up artist.

Top 5 Drug Store Makeup Brands
The beautiful women in advertisements for expensive makeup brands like MAC and Stila make us wish we could re-create the look. What if we don't hundreds of dollars to spend on makeup? Beautiful makeup doesn't have to be expensive... If you are using the right tools, any brand of makeup can give you a flawless look. Here are my top 5 favorite drug store makeup brands.
NYX
NYX eyeshadows are very pigmented and vibrant. They go only smoothly and last all day with no creasing or fading. Their gorgeous colors blend together beautifully. NYX currently has over 160 different eyeshadow colors in their collection, which is more than enough to keep you busy for a while...lol Many of the NYX colors are good dupes and in some cases exact dupes for MAC eyeshadow colors.
Prestige
Prestige eyeshadows are very silky and last all day with no creasing. Their Golden Retriever eyeshadow is the prettiest gold shade I've seen this season from any makeup brand whether drug store or high end. They have a wide selection of shimmery and matte shades, many of which are good dupes for MAC eyeshadows.
Physician's Formula
Physician's Formula is one of the most overlooked makeup brands. Their Mineral Wear Loose Powder Foundation goes on beautifully, and provides medium to high coverage depending on how you apply it. With beautiful eyeshadows, and Shimmer Strip Custom blushes and bronzers you just can't go wrong. If you want well defined, dramatic lashes be sure to try their Plump Potion Mascara... you definitely won't regret it!
Wet n Wild
Wet n Wild products were all the rage when I was a teenager, and as an adult I forgot about them for a while. I have recently come to love their products again... Their colors are amazing and many of their eyeshadows are good dupes for MAC eyeshadows. Wet n Wild's gel eyeliner is an amazing product for the price.
NYC
Who can forget NYC or New York Color in a list like this? Their products are notoriously the least expensive of any drug store brand, and yet their colors are undeniably beautiful. NYC's nail polishes are comparable to many higher end polishes.
Next time you're in your local pharmacy, take a moment to check out the makeup section. You may find that their are some amazing treasures waiting there for you. Beauty doesn't have to be expensive if you take the time to look for the alternatives.

Side-By-Side Comparisons of Mineral Makeup
They call them mineral make up. They call them pure. They say they have only "good things" in them. Is this true? And how do they compare in price? Let's compare apples to apples. I've listed all the well know brands of mineral cosmetics, compared their ingredients, their cost, and their actual cost per gram. Although each company offers several products such as foundations, blushes, eye shadows, etc, I've chosen the most popular - foundations - as a basis of comparison. I've stacked them against Purely Cosmetics to see how each holds up against the other.
Any ingredient marked in bold contains a non-pure, non-earth mineral. Some even worse: parabens are preservatives that are thought to be linked to breast cancer and early aging of the skin. Bismuth oxychloride is a filler that is a by-product of lead and copper processing and is irritating to the skin.
This is lengthy, but you'll find some real eye openers. Your favorite mineral makeup is most likely listed here, as I've compared Bare Escentuals, Jane Iredale, GLO Minerals, Sheer Cover, Laura Mercier, Youngblood, PUR Minerals, L'Oreal, and Neutragena to Purely Cosmetics.
NOTE ABOUT MICRONIZED PARTICLES: The use of micronized titanium dioxide is controversial. Some research indicates that micro-size particles do stay on the surface of the skin and do not enter the bloodstream, while others question the long-term safety of using nanoparticles. Studies have shown that it is possible for micronized titanium dioxide particles to penetrate cells and eventually lead to DNA damage following sun exposure. Asthmatics and others with repiratory problems should be cautioned about using loose powders with micronized ingredients as they are easily airborne. Micronized particles are liked by some mineral makeup companies because they provide a smooth coverage and adhere easily. The smaller the particle, the more sheer and natural looking the application. On the flip side, micronized particles cannot provide medium to full coverage for those who need to cover life's imperfections.