Photo: Getty Images
By Carrie Asato
Warm weather is here. Time to hit the gym, show a little skin, and get the fake tan going. It’s a great time to refresh your makeup routine too.
- Lighten up! Instead of heavy foundation, switch to tinted moisturizer. If it’s too painful to leave foundation behind, opt for a lightweight formula so it doesn’t melt off your face or feel like a mask as the temps heat up.
- Make a splash with color. Good choices include green, pink, and coral. Purple shadow also works well with almost all skin types and eye colors. To brighten eyes, apply a little bit of shimmery white eyeshadow to the inner corner of your eye. Complete the look with a lighter shade of mascara—for instance, try black/brown instead of black. Mascara should be tossed every three months anyway so it’s a fantastic way to experiment.
- Go natural. For a summery flushed look, apply bronzer where the sun would naturally hit your face—such as the forehead and cheeks. Brush on pink or peach blush.
- Gloss over heavy lipstick. Experts recommend replacing lip gloss or lip balm every year so opt for a pale, baby pink shade or lip gloss this season. Recent reports have linked lip gloss to an increased risk for skin cancer so be sure to slick on a lip balm with SPF 15 first.
- Stay cool. Instead of having to reapply powder during the day, check out blotting paper to keep oil at bay.
Photo: Getty Images
May 16th, 2008
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By Jenny Pham
Honorary Brit, Gwyneth Paltrow, made a rare red-carpet appearance at the Prince’s Trust Success Awards 2008. The event recognized young people that have overcome adversity in their lives such as homelessness, unemployment and drug addiction. Gwyneth, alongside Kevin Spacey, joined the Prince of Wales in paying tribute to these young people. It’s always a pleasure to see the mother-of-two making appearances, especially when she is lending her name to a good cause.
Gwyneth mastered the balance of wearing something stylish, yet conservative. Her look was finished off with her trademark tousled do, smoky eyes, and a rosy make-up palette, with glossy lips to match. We would have liked to have seen perhaps a little more pop of color via either her lipstick or cheeks, since her outfit’s colors are so subdued and she skipped accessories. But what we do like about our Gwyneth, whether on the red carpet or casually lunching with Madge, is that she always manages to look fresh and chic. Who can forget those crimson lips, her super sleek mane, with that amazing salmon gown from Oscars 2007?
Up next for Gwyneth, is continuing her role as spokesperson for Esteé Lauder, which has just announced new fragrance “Sensuous” to arrive in July 2008. The fragrance is bringing Esteé Lauder –whose fragrant line-up usually only includes florals—into the realm of woody amber scents. We can’t wait!
May 3rd, 2008
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Photo: Getty Images
By Carrie Asato
There are many ways to go green to reduce your carbon footprint—recycling, taking the bus, bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. To further help the environment, consider switching to organic makeup. It can be good for your skin too.
Common ingredients in makeup are known irritants and carcinogens, such as parabens and lead. Many of these preservatives can aggravate sensitive skin, irritate eyes, and even lead to cancer. In fact, preservatives found in cosmetics are a leading cause of skin problems.
But the road to organic makeup is still under a little bit of construction. Currently, companies can call their products “natural” without any clear definition to the term. There is help on the way though. Later this year, an organic standard for cosmetics will be finalized. Qualifying companies will be able to use a sticker on their products, which will identify them as natural.
In the meantime, looking at the ingredient list and label will provide clues to the product being organic. Key words to seek out include:
•No artificial preservatives
•Grapefruit seed extract
•Phenoxyethanol
•Potassium sorbate
•Vitamins A (retinyl) and C (ascorbic acid)
•Free from synthetic dyes, perfumes, or talc
A good choice is mineral makeup, which contains minerals that are good for the skin such as zinc and magnesium. Several traditional cosmetic companies are starting to offer their own mineral product lines.
Another perk of going organic: Some products even come in environmentally-friendly containers, with minimal or recyclable packaging.
May 3rd, 2008
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