Hi everybody!  It has been another beautiful week here in Savannah.  The weather could not be any more perfect.  Finally a break from the heat, now I can pull out my heavier moisturizers that I miss so much during the summer months.  As I mentioned before it is important to change your skincare with the seasons.  It is also important to change your makeup!  So this week’s blog is going to be all about makeup.  I will mention some of my favorite products as well as some nice tips for keeping your look lasting all day.

All makeup begins with skincare.  The right moisturizer will make all the difference between makeup that looks amazing and makeup that is sitting on your skin looking like a mask.  An issue I have noticed with many women is the fear of putting on to much moisturizer for fear of breaking out or looking oily.  Ladies, hydrate your skin; people with oily skin do not wrinkle as much as people with dry skin.  Also, if your skin is thirsty it will drink the moisture out of your foundation leaving the color ingredients sitting on the surface.  How to fix this?  Apply a medium to heavy moisturizer in the winter.  I personally make a winter time moisturizer that is wonderful and wears very well under makeup.  Some other options are Bobbi Brown’s Extra Moisturizing Balm or her Hydrating Face cream.  If you have oily skin, please don’t be fooled into thinking that you don’t need to hydrate.  Your hydration needs are different than that of a normal to dry skin type, but are just as necessary.  Use a light moisturizer like Bobbi Brown’s Hydrating Face Gel or Eminence’s Stone Crop Hydrating Gel.  Both products are great.  They will provide your skin with the moisture needed to prevent skin from over producing oil due to dehydration.  The skin should have a slightly shiny appearance before you begin your makeup application; that is how you know your skin is properly hydrated.

Most women need to change their foundation shade during the winter.  Unless you are tanning in a bed (which I certainly hope your not) the summer sun’s kiss will start to fade and you will need a lighter shade foundation to match your skin tone.  Depending on what type of powder you wear, that too may need to be tweaked.  It is safe to say that usually under eye concealer remains the same partially thanks to sunglasses.  If you shop at a department store for your cosmetics be sure and ask the consultant to match your shades before purchasing your winter color.  If you purchase over the counter cosmetics it can be a bit tricky to find the perfect match.  A few of my favorite foundations are Bobbi Brown’s Skin foundation or Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizers.  Both of these are medium coverage foundations.  I believe in setting all foundation with a powder even if you have a dry skin type because the powder sets the foundation into place extending its wear time and gives the skin a very soft finish.  Laura Mercier’s Universal Powder is my absolute favorite.  Another great Laura product is her Secrete Camouflage.  This product is probably the best concealer I have ever used.  It is not for under eye use, but it is amazing for blemishes, discolorations, birthmarks, scars, and tattoos.

Once you have the basics covered then the fun part begins.  Color!  I love color.  Bright colors and bronzes during the summer are my favorite.  However, for winter I love deep browns, plums, and reds.  If you walk through a department store during the Christmas holiday you will see all the consultants wearing every shade of red lipsticks known to cosmetics.  It makes my heart smile!  If your not a big red person, that’s fine too.  There are always in-between shades to fit every skin tone and personal preference.  You don’t have to wait until Christmas to start wearing all the wonderful shades of the cooler seasons.  Check out Bobbi Brown’s Tortoise Shell Collection.  It has beautiful chocolate and gold shades to warm up every face.  Laura Mercier has come out with her Canyon Collection which has rich earth shades for eyes and face.  It’s a beautiful collection.  Don’t forget about your nails.  Now is the perfect time to pull out all the dark shades that have been retired for the summer.  I recently purchased a deep blue polish from a drug store.  Its called starstruck by “10” professional nail lacquer.  I love it!  Looking in magazines is the easiest way to find out what the hot color for the season will be, however when it comes to nails I prefer to go with my instinct.  Whatever color calls to me is the one I will be wearing.  I like neutral makup the majority of the time, except for my night time lip color, so I use my nail color to really make a statement.  Again, this is not a rule it’s a personal preference.  If you prefer to have your nails manicured professionally check out http://www.beyondbeautifulbyheahter.com.  I can guarantee you Heather gives the best mani and pedi you have ever had.

The final makeup item that may just be one of the most important is mascara.  I have heard more people than I can count tell me how they love Maybelline’s Great Lash Mascara.  I have tried it, and I must say I am not impressed.  I found it to be messy and clumpy.  The mascara wand is really what makes all the difference between lengthening your lashes or volumizing them.  Chanel’s Inimitable mascara was my favorite for a long time until Bobbi Brown came out with Lash Glamour Extreme.  Ladies if you haven’t tried it, you absolutely must.  If you don’t like it then I apologize, but I personally have found this mascara to do everything I need it to without making a mess or ending up looking like dark circles under my eyes by the end of the day.  I love it!

As you have read, most of the products I prefer are department store brands that are of luxury pricing.  I will be honest and say that these products are the ones I have worked with the most.  There are more brands and options than one person could ever try.  So, play around.  Try different brands, colors, and products.  Truly the best makeup advice I can give is to step out of your box.  Even if you don’t wear much makeup, have a professional make over and you just might be amazed.  A simple color choice can make your eyes pop, your lips luscious, and put that glow back where it used to be.  Have fun playing ladies.