Disguising Gray Circles.

Were you born with gray circles all the way around your eyes? They’re really difficult to cover, aren’t they? I have a method that usually works.

I use our Enlighten concealer, which has a medium orange color. With our Camouflage brush, I pick up a small amount of product and pat it under the eye, making sure I get underneath the lashes. Then I pat it onto the lid. I add another thin layer if I think I need it. It takes very little product to make a difference.

Skin isn’t a piece of plastic - it’s more like fabric. So concealer covers better if you use criss-cross motions to fill in the weave of the skin. I like to use a mineral powder that's slightly lighter than the skin tone and pat it over the concealer. Usually, this does the trick.

People who’ve been putting up with circles like this from childhood are suddenly smiling!

Choosing Your Concealer.

Our under-eye concealers, Circle\Delete #1, #2 and #3, not only cover but also contain ingredients that condition the under-eye area. I always use our Camouflage brush because it lets me get into the most recessed area of the face, which is the inner corner of the eye where it meets the bridge of the nose. It also lets me get close to the lower lashes. I believe it’s better to cover the whole of the under-eye area, not just the circle.

Circle\Delete gives you two colors, so blend a color that matches your skin tone if you’re just covering a circle. If you want to pull the under-eye area out, then use a shade lighter than your skin tone. If you’re puffy under the eye, then blend a color that’s darker than your skin tone. Use a lighter color on the two outside corners and gradiate the color darker as you cover the puff. Light colors bring things forward. Dark colors make things recede.

Camouflaging Circles.

Under eye circles are second only to finding the right base shade in terms of cosmetic challenges. And it isn’t only women. Men are just as distressed about them. To cover circles the most effectively, you first have to decide what the color of the circle is.

Circles are caused by a number of different factors – hyperpigmentation (this can be brown or grey depending on your hereditary), allergies (grey, blue, purple), toxins (grey, blue), lack of sleep (grey), or skin thinning (usually purple/red - the color of the capillaries that show through the skin.) Circles can even be shadows from a slipped fat pad. There isn’t much that a concealer can do about that!

Once you’ve determined the color then you’re ready to try the right color. Yellow generally conceals red and purple. Peach is very effective on brown, grey, and blue. Try our Circle\Delete #1 for yellow and #2 for peach.

Ruby Red Lips.

Really, anyone can wear red! And since red is such a fashion color, even in summer, be brave and find the right shade for you.

If you have warm undertones like me, a blue red will make you look as if you’re ready for the morgue. A yellow red always looks quite good and gives me a boost for the evening. If you have cool undertones, a blue red will do the same for you.
Especially if I’m wearing black, which can make me look tired, red lips brighten my look, add a touch of drama and make my teeth look whiter.

I always put on a layer of pencil first and blot it to remove waxes. Then I use a lip brush to put on a thin layer of lip color. Blot it and add another thin layer. You’ll be amazed how a lip brush helps the color to stay on because it gets into the tiny crevices in the lips. I usually put a dot of clear gloss in the middle of my lower lip and then I feel like a real femme fatal. Somehow it also boosts my confidence.

We have warm reds in Nicole, Holly and a beautiful cool red in Carrie. For cool reds, try Diana, Rachel or Luara.

Choosing the Right Lipstick.

So how important is the right lip color? After all, when fashion talks about “nude lips,” it isn’t talking about bare lips. It knows that the right lip color completes the look. Just like brows, what you do with your lips can change your look dramatically. The right lip color can make your teeth look whiter, your skin look better and brighten your whole personality. It isn’t an accident that after global or national disasters, the sale of bright colored lipstick increases dramatically.

To find the right color, discover what your undertone is. If you have a yellow undertone, colors with a golden hue will look the best on you. For example, peach rather than pink, brown instead of mauve. If you have cool undertones, you’ll look better in colors that have a blue hue. Pink instead of peach, etc.

How do you know which you are? Try on an orange (warm) and a magenta (cool) lipstick. One of them will look good and the other one will look awful. If they both look good, lucky you; you’re neutral and can wear just about anything.

Our lipsticks contain no FD&C dyes, have an SPF 18 with edible zinc and are so moisturizing that they really are a drink for the lips. You’re bound to find a color that will become your favorite.

Keeping Lips Looking Great.

Having trouble with the lip color bleeding into the fine lines around your mouth? Try these potential problem solvers. Blend a thin layer of our Absence Oil Control Primer around the outside of the lips. Fill the lips in with pencil, blot, then apply one of our LipColours with our Lip brush. You’ll get just as much color but with less product, if you use a brush. Blot again. If you want to use gloss, just put it in the middle of the lower lip. This gives a very useful effect.

A lot of our customers swear by using Circle\Delete, our under-eye concealer, around the mouth to step feathering. Try applying a thin coat with our Camouflage brush, then fill in with a pencil and layer the LipColour. If you want a very matte look that won’t go anywhere, just fill in with one of our pencils and blot. That will remove the surface waxes.