Oily Skin Care - Quick Primer on What to Look For in Oily Skincare Products

Oily skin care must, out of necessity, focus on effective cleansers. But, "effective" does not mean harsh or abrasive. Many oily skincare products on the market contain artificial colors, dyes and other known allergens.
It is popular to include "micro-beads" designed to exfoliate and increase the scrubbing action that would normally only include a clean wash cloth. The question is this. Is any of this really good for your skin's health? The answer is "no". Researchers have shown that washing with plain soap and water removes as much bacteria and sebum as washing with exfoliating micro-beads and antibacterial soaps.
One of the most common ingredients in oily skin care cleansers is triclosan. It's in Clearasil, Dial and many other cleansers that contain the phrase "anti-bacterial soap". You don't need it and you don't want it. You should avoid anything that contains it.
One of the best oily skincare products is simple orange oil extract. The oil is extracted from the orange peels. If you really want a scrub, you should try peeling an orange and using the inner peel to wash your face. Natural solutions are always the best.
Once you've found an effective daily cleanser, you should look for oily skincare products that will balance sebum production throughout the day. Jojoba is one of the best. It has proven benefits in treating a wide range of skin conditions, including acne and psoriasis.
It's hard to find plain jojoba. Typically, you will see it as a minor ingredient in some other lotion. But, if the other ingredients are too greasy, you'll only exacerbate your problem.
Another good step in oily skin care is the regular use of a deep cleansing mask. The ingredients should include extracts from mineral clay, primarily kaolin and bentone gel. These solutions will soak up excessive oil and "pull" dirt out of your pores. You'll have fewer breakouts, as a result, and your face will feel smooth and clean.
Witch hazel is another of the more effective oily skincare products. Unlike alcohol, which is very drying, witch hazel is soothing, particularly after shaving, but it has antiseptic activity that prevents breaking out and soaks up excess sebum.
One thing that you should remember about oily skin care; if the products that you use cause excessive dryness, you'll have more difficulty as you age. Moister skin is younger looking skin. Sebum, the skin's natural moisture, improves elasticity, which is naturally lost with age.
So, to sum it up, harshness, abrasives, excessive alcohols and artificial antibacterial agents should be avoided. No matter how young you are, it's never too early to start protecting yourself from wrinkles, sagging and excessive dryness.
It's always easier to prevent, than to repair. Try to find oily skincare products that also counter the signs of aging. You'll get a better balance.
Read more about jojoba, witch hazel and orange oil. Investigate the benefits of vitamin B5 and manuka honey. The more that you learn, the more successful you will be with your oily skin care routine, for the rest of your life.

Eyeshadow for Brown Eyed Girls

There are a select group of woman who are fortunate enough to be able to wear almost any colour of eyeliner or eyeshadow they want. This group is, of-course, the brown eyed girls.
Brown is a naturally neutral colour, allowing itself to blend well with almost every colour spectrum. Whether your eyes are the deep and rich brown of molasses, or a lighter hue of milky chocolate, the colour palette was made for you.
All too often, women with brown eyes make the mistake of thinking they can only wear dark colours for eyeliner and eyeshadow. Not true at all. In fact, dark colours tend to be too aggressive for brown eyes, and your natural colour will get lost. Instead, choose colours and shades that will make your eyes pop and dazzle.
Choosing a colour combination for your eyes will depend on your personality and sense of style. Blues and purples are fabulous for brown eyes, but you will look just as glamorous in earthy tones such as green or, yes, even brown. If you choose to wear eyeliner, you can choose either a colour that matches your shadow, or if you're feeling bolder, a nice contrasting colour that will stand out.

The secret to shadowing brown eyes is applying your colour in a trio. Choosing a basic colour about one shade darker than your natural skin tone is best. Highlight and lowlight colours should complement the originating shade. Using the darkest colour (the lowlight), start at the inside corner and apply the shadow to the base and crease for the first third of your eye. The basic colour can fill in the remaining two thirds of the base of your eye and the crease. Last, apply a highlighting colour to the top portion up to the brow.
For added drama, you can apply some of your base colour just below the lower lash to make your eyes sparkle. A little mascara will finish off the look for the beautiful brown eyed girl.

How to Apply Airbrush Makeup for Everyday Wear

It's simple and easy to learn how to apply airbrush makeup for your everyday makeup look. Airbrush makeup gives a long wearing, natural looking finish. The foundation formulations can be in matte or dewy depending on your personal preference.
You can choose silicone based foundation which will give superior coverage and hold up for a very long time under hot studio lights but can have a plastic like look on the face.
Airbrush makeup foundation also comes in a water base with a mineral pigment mixed. Both of these choices need to be shaken very well before use to help get a smooth and even application.
There are 3 simple steps to doing great airbrush makeup at home:
1. Start with a clean and moisturized face
2. Load the stylus with a few drops of foundation. Start the system, and hold the stylus about 8 inches away from your face, now gently pull half way back on the lever to start the air flow into the stylus cup that is holding your foundation.
3. Now move the stylus in large circles across your face-or the area that needs foundation, or bronzer, or blush and eyeshadow! The true secret to great airbrush makeup is to keep the stylus moving at all times, in circles-whether big or small of doing detail on the face like hiding a pimple or concealing an age spot.
There are 3 main companies that provide air brush makeup systems: Luminess Air, Kett Cosmetics and Temptu. Each of these companies offer a pro makeup artist machine as well as an at home system for the everyday lady who wants superior makeup application at home.

I like the Luminess Air brush makeup system because of it's affordability, ease of use and easy to clean plus it comes with great customer support. In my experience the Kett Cosmetics brand is perfect for special fx makeup and doing a lot of body makeup. The Temptu brand has several choices but I had challenge with the customer service.
If you are getting married, doing your own airbrush makeup for the wedding will ensure you get an amazing look in the wedding photos while having a look that lasts through the ceremony and reception.
Remember to clean your airbrush makeup system thoroughly after every use to ensure a smooth application every time.

Are Tattoo Cover Ups a Good Idea?

Changing one's mind about a piece of body art is very common. People change their minds about tattoos all the time. A change in taste, a change in relationship, a hasty trip to an untalented artist - all of these are examples of reasons people no longer want their tattoo.
Unfortunately, some individuals are hasty and act on compulsion when they originally got the unwanted tattoo. I highly recommend that the decision to get a tattoo is not done in haste.
If you find yourself with a tattoo you now regret and no longer want to have, getting a cover up may be the perfect solution. For financial reason, many individuals cannot afford the high cost of laser tattoo removal or other costly options. If you desire to get additional tattoos and had planned on getting more ink in the same area as the unwanted tattoo, you should consider a cover up.
There are basically two types of tattoo cover ups. One type is basically reworking a badly done tattoo. The artist takes the existing design and embellishes it with better lines and color work and turns an ugly and poorly done tattoo into an attractive one. The other type of cover up essentially eradicates the old design by completely disguising and covering it up with a brand new design
Your first goal should be to find a talented artist and preferably one that specializes in cover ups. If you visit a reputable parlor you should be able to looks at the artist's portfolio. If they do cover ups then they are bound to have a sample of their work - before and after - in their display of tattoo work.
Once you've settled on a proficient artist, have a discussion with them about what your goal is. They can guide you on choosing on a design that will adequately cover the area.
With a complete cover up, there are some limitations as to the design option you could choose. For example, if you are trying to cover a tattoo that has a lot of black ink, you will be limited to choosing a design with dark colors. The cover up is usually much larger than the original tattoo. You have to follow the advice of the artist as they know what will work to meet your goal. Each tattoo must be evaluated individually. The one drawback to a cover up is that you are limited to your choices. Some artists are able to take a design or idea you may have and improvise and produce a custom design to accomplish a cover up.

Easy Tips & Techniques For Cleaning & Caring For Professional Makeup Brushes

Taking good care of your new cosmetic brush set will prolong the life of the brushes. Makeup brushes are an investment and if you clean makeup brushes on a regular basis they can last indefinitely.
Basic Makeup Brush Cleaning:
Daily cleaning is a necessity if you are a makeup artist and will be using your professional makeup brushes on clients. However, daily brush cleaning can also be beneficial for your personal makeup brush set. This will prevent product build-up and will provide a clean, healthy application of your cosmetics.
Technique #1:

• Spray both sides of the brush with a makeup brush cleaner.
• Take a paper towel and wipe the brush. You can do this by wrapping the paper towel around the brush. While applying pressure with the thumb and fingers on one hand, pull the brush through the paper towel with your other hand. You can also sweep the tips of the brush across the paper towel, as if you were trying to paint the paper towel. You should continue wiping the brush until the paper towel is clean and you can't see any makeup or color being transferred from the brush to the paper towel.
• Repeat the process as necessary.
• As a professional makeup artist, this type of quick cleaning should be done both before and after working on a client. You can never be too careful with the cleanliness of your professional makeup brushes.

Technique #2:

• Fold a paper towel in half and then in half again. Pour your favorite makeup brush cleaner directly onto the paper towel. Lightly sweep the brushes back and forth between the fold of the paper towel until all make-up residue is removed and the brush hair is completely clean.

Deep Cleaning:
Every two to four weeks you should perform a more thorough cleaning of your brushes. If you are a makeup artist, or someone who will be using your professional brushes with clients, you should do a deep cleaning of your brushes at the end of each day.
Technique #1:

• Start by wetting the brush hair.
• Pour a small amount of mild shampoo or antibacterial soap in the palm of your hand, or on a plate.
• Swirl the brush around in your palm so that it mixes with the shampoo. Rinse the shampoo out of your palm and keep cleaning until the water and shampoo in your hand is clear.
• Apply more shampoo to your palm and repeat the process as needed.
• Rinse the brush thoroughly at the end to make sure that all of the soap and residue has been removed. Be careful when rinsing your brush so that only the brush bristles are under the water. Rinsing the entire brush can lead to water being trapped under the ferrule and compromising the glue that attaches the brush to the handle.
• ** Turn the brush upside down and place the brush handle between the palm of your two hands.
• Spin the brush between your palms so that the brush fibers spin and release the water.
• Use your fingers to reshape the brush.
• Lay the brush handle on a counter top, vanity, bureau or anyplace where the brush handle can lay flat and the brush bristles can hang over the counter. This will allow air to circulate the brush and to dry it more quickly. Let the brush dry completely overnight.

Technique #2:

• This technique is good if you have a full makeup brush set that you need to clean.
• Fill a sink, or large bowl, with warm water.
• Mix a small amount of mild shampoo or antibacterial soap with the water.
• Dip the brush hair into the water and shampoo mixture. Swirl the brush around, using your fingers as needed, to work the shampoo into the bristles and to release the makeup from the brush.
• Rinse the brush under the faucet until the water runs clear and all residue has been removed.
• Follow the steps above (from the ** on) for how to dry the brush.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4088903

Best Foundation For Oily Skin

One of the best secrets for great looking makeup on your skin is to prepare your skin with good foundation so your makeup looks good. However, if you have oily or acne prone skin, only foundation for oily skin will do. Else, your skin will only go from bad to worse. Powder foundation is what you'll need for your oily and acne prone skin, and here are 3 reasons why.
Reason 1 - It Doesn't Clog Your Pores
One of the most common causes of acne is clogged pores, and that's why you should only use powder foundation for oily skin or acne prone skin for that matter.
Other kinds of makeup foundation are usually in cream or liquid form, and they tend to clog your pores, worsening your acne problem.
Reason 2 - It's Easy to Apply And Easy on Your Skin
Cream and liquid foundations are harder to apply on your skin, and they can be worsen your acne condition, and that gives you another reason to use powder foundation for oily skin.
Dermatologists often advise their acne prone patients to be gentle with their skin, in whatever they do. That's because acne prone skin is usually more sensitive and thus, more susceptible to damage.
So even simple tasks like washing or applying moisturizer to the skin call for utmost care. And that also applies to applying foundation, which is why powder based foundations are most suitable.
All one needs to do to apply it is to just use a make up brush and brush it all over the face in circular motions. No need for harsh rubbing or difficult applications.

Reason 3 - It Absorbs Excess Oil
That's one of the big reasons for using powder foundation for oily skin and acne prone skin as well. And that's also something that no other foundation out there will do for you.
Cream and liquid foundations tend to worsen oily and acne prone skin because they add oil to your skin. So they should be avoided at all costs.
Powder foundation on the other hand helps you to absorb the excess oil so your acne condition is not worsened.
By using a foundation, your aim is to be able to apply the best make up possible. So for your oily or acne prone skin to look its best, you'll want to use only the right foundation for oily skin. Always remember to use powder foundation and you'll be on the right track.

A How to Guide for Cleaning and Maintenance

Airbrush Makeup Kits

Airbrush makeup is growing in popularity across the world and is moving from television studios to small salons and even homes. This change has meant that hundreds of new products have appeared on the market making it difficult to tell which ones are worth the money.
When choosing the right kit it is important to keep a few things in mind throughout. In many ways, choosing an airbrush makeup kit is very similar to choosing any product. The first thing that you need to consider is the value of the product; is it worth your money? Some kits are way too expensive for what they provide and others seem to cost very little but actually will not work very well and will end up having to be replaced in a few months time. If you are working with paying customers then it is particularly essential that you have equipment that works well every single time. Some brands such as Kett Cosmetics and Dinair have been around for decades and are trustworthy with a good warranty program. Others are less well reputable and cannot be relied upon if something were to go wrong.
It is very important to consider what kind of user you are. If you are a beginner then it is not worthwhile getting a system which is designed for a salon. Many companies now offer beginner kits which even come with a DVD to help get you started. Understanding your level of competency will mean that you will not waste money on a kit which may be too difficult for you to ever learn on.
Selecting a good airbrush product comes down to a bit of common sense and good research. Fortunately, there are some sites out there which have reviews on products such as these that you can use to choose the right product.