WEDDING-DAY BRIDAL EMERGENCY KIT

I think it’s safe to say that every girl has got her little list of items that can always, always, always be found in her purse, no matter where she’s heading. That list might include blotting papers or lip gloss or a hair tie—and when you rummage around in your bag for one of them and come up empty, panic ensues. You do not want this to happen on your wedding day.

No, on your wedding day, you want to have put some actual time and thought into what supplies will be in your presence—not in your beautiful little vintage clutch, of course, but rather, in some handy tote stashed somewhere out of the way but where you can always get to it, and in the charge of one of your bridesmaids.

This topic happened to come up this week when a friend asked me what she should be bringing along by way of a bridal emergency kit like this for her sister’s wedding. To help her out, I dug up something I wrote several issues ago that put together a pretty comprehensive list, which I’m going to share with you, now, too. (Though I have, since the below was written, added band-aids and Advil, after the lovely experience of toppling out of the trolley and onto my knees when the bridal party I was in stopped at the Museum of Art for pictures before my friend’s wedding. Ouch. And blood.)

Here it is. Go forth and be prepared.

————

Flash back to two summers ago, and five bridesmaids gathered around a large canvas bag. As ‘maids to our dear bride, it was our solemn duty to fill this tote with emergency supplies fit to cover every fathomable wedding-day catastrophe. Although we wondered if it would be worth lugging this kit around, the late-June afternoon to follow would answer our question. We joke (now, we joke) that the most commonly heard words throughout the day were: “Get the Bag.”

Hour by hour, here are a few ways the Bag saved us from cosmetic peril:

PRE-CEREMONY PHOTOGRAPHY During pictures on the front lawn, the previous calm bride bursts into tears during a pose with her parents. Q-tips, eye-makeup remover and tissues make sure she is spic and span for the next photo op. Mineral Bright Eye Concealer From Chris Krenzer come in handy to de-puff the surrounding eye area later in the day when these bursts become frequent.

POST-CEREMONY PHOTOGRAPHY An unfortunately incident involving stiletto meeting hem leaves our bride with a rip in her gorgeous ivory-cream dress. Cue the sewing kit. The concerned bride plants herself in a pew as my mother stitches her dress back into perfection.

PRE-RECEPTION The bride emerges from her limo wearing the telltale sign of newlywed smooching: no lipstick. We reapply her makeup (and clean up the groom), but an hour of posing in the mid-summer sun leaves the bride and her entire party feeling a little less than fresh. Upstairs in the bridal-party suite of the reception venue, the Bag reveals our saviors: Dove Body Refreshers,baby powder, deodorant and perfume. Face powder and concealer are applied as needed, chignons are tightened with bobby pins, curls are reinforced with hair spray, and the party begins.

RECEPTION See all of the above; pop mints as needed.

AMONG THE UNUSED A few items found themselves untouched in the Bag, and although the bride was grateful that this was the case, she was highly appreciative of their presence:

·         Smelling salts, in case she (or, more likely, the groom) keeled over during a pivotal moment, requiring immediate resuscitation.

·         Tampons (self-explanatory).

·         Spot remover, in tragic case of lipstick, powder, soup, wine or chocolate landing anywhere near the Dress.

————

To keep the bride looking her very prettiest and most fresh from the first sip of champagne to the last. And she even included her recs, from “fancy” to more budget-friendly! Here’s what the pro says:

·          Powder, both for combating shine and keeping makeup in place. Laura Mercier Smooth Focus Pressed Setting Powder – Shine Control in Matte Translucent; Chris Krenzer  HD Correcting powder .

·         Lipstick, “Because a bride needs lips!” and added on that long-wear is best. Chris Krenzer Lip Colour and Chanel Rouge Double Intensite Ultra Wear Lip Color Tarte LipSurgence Lip Tint ($24); and Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain.

·         Good idea: “Clear gloss. If nothing else, you get a little shine.” Chris Krenzer Diamond  lip gloss or MAC Clear Gloss

·         A pen-style highlighter/concealer. “It’ll fix any sort of smudge under the eyes or lipstick marks on cheeks.” She likes YSL Touche Eclat . Chris Krenzer Bright Light Eye Concealer and L’Oreal Magic Lumi Highlighter.

·         Other add-ons she’d suggest: A wedge sponge for clean-ups and Evian Water Spray “for feel-good spritzing and refreshing.”

So there you have it! If you’re a bridesmaid, get packing. And if you’re a bride, please do share this with your girls. Because that whole “better safe than sorry” thing? This is the day to really take that little adage to heart.

Anyone have anything to add to this list, especially from experience? Please share!

Reshape Your Face: How to use Highlight & Contour

Bring out your best features and minimize your not-so-best ones. With the right know-how and plenty of practice, you can easily use your makeup to reshape your face and bring attention to what you love about your face while subtly hiding the flaws. All you need are the right makeup tools, colors/shades, and application tips. Of course each face shape has its own instructions for reshaping so make sure you follow the right set of directions and application tips. In most cases, you’ll need the following:

• Large, round makeup brush
• Foundation
• Pressed Powder
• Blush
• Bronzer
• Highlighting Powder

General Tips to follow:

1. To find out what shape are you, simply touch your face and feel the structure.
2. Always contour with a matt finish powder/cream. Everything with a shimmer in it will make the area to pop out.
3. Whether you use cream or powder, always start with the creams first.

Oval Shaped face

Characteristics

• Considered the perfect shape face Length is equal to one and a half times width
• Equal distance from hairline to eyebrows, from eyebrows to tip of nose and from nose to chin
• Forehead and jaw the same width
• Prominent cheekbones

Techniques

1. Apply blush just under the ball of cheekbone, directly below the outer part of the iris
2. Extend in smooth arc, fading toward top of ear

Celebrity Ovals

Cameron Diaz, Cindy Crawford, Courtney Cox Arquette, Elle MacPherson, Heather Locklear, Mariah Carey, Sharon Stone, Tyra Banks, Uma Thurman, Jessica Alba and Julia Roberts.

Diamond shaped face

Characteristics

• Forehead and cheekbones are narrow
• Wide jaw line

Objective

To balance Forehead and jaw line must appear wider

Techniques

1. Apply lighter shade of foundation at angle on both sides of forehead.
2. Apply lighter shade of foundation at angle from middle to bottom of jaw line.
3. Your cheekbones are your best asset, so be sure to give them a little blush. Apply blush on the ball of the cheek in a crescent shape. Blend outward out toward hairline.

Celebrity Diamonds

Katherine Hepburn, Sophia Loren and Linda Evangelista.

Heart shaped face

Characteristics

• Widest across forehead
• Tapers down to cheeks, then down to narrow, sometimes pointed chin.
• Jawline is not prominent

Objective

To balance face: forehead must appear more narrow and lower half of face more wide.

Techniques

1. Apply regular foundation before contouring makeup
2. Apply darker shade of foundation on either side of forehead to diminish the width of your upper face.
3. Apply lighter shade of foundation at either side of jaw line
4. Apply blush starting under the ball of the cheeks
5. Blend away toward the center of the ear

Celebrity Hearts

Ashley Judd, Claudia Schiffer, Lucy Lawless, Michelle Pfeifer, Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Lisa Kudrow.

Rectangle/Square shaped face

Characteristics

• Width of cheeks and forehead are similar
• Width of jaw line and forehead are similar
• Prominent jaw line
• Angular overall appearance

Objective

To soften angles Forehead and jaw line must appear narrower

Techniques

1. Apply regular foundation before contouring makeup
2. To make forehead appear more oval, apply darker shade of foundation on either side of forehead and blend
3. To make jaw appear more oval, apply darker shade of foundation on either side of jaw line and blend
4. Apply concentration of blush directly on the ball of the cheek. Blend toward the top of the ear for a square face and middle of the ear

Celebrity rectangles

Janet Jackson, Jessica Simpson, Isabella Rosellini, Mandy Moore, Hilary Swank, Mena Suvari, Sandra Bullock, Calista Flockhart, and Demi Moore.

Oblong shaped face

Characteristics

• Width of the face is thinner then the length
• Pointed/Narrow chin

Objectives

Face length must appear shorter and lower half of face wider

Techniques

1. When enhancing a long shaped face never highlight, as this will make your face look longer
2. Contour across the lower section of your chin to shorten your face length
3. Apply Blush to the apples of your cheek to widen your face. The proper way of putting blusher on a long shape face is to start at the cheeks’ center and sweep it outwards across the face.

Celebrity Oblongs

Gabrielle Reece, Niki Taylor, Stephanie Seymour, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kirstie Alley.

Natural makeup for a stunning summer look

Natural makeup for a stunning summer look

Now that we are in the swing of summer, it’s the perfect opportunity to update your look.  Instead of buying makeup that is packed with artificial ingredients, opt for natural makeup featuring botanicals and nutrients that feed your skin. Here are some of our favorite picks for the face, eyes and lips from natural brands you can trust.

For the Face –  Chris Krnzer Minerals

Chris Krenzer Minerals was developed in collaboration with professional makeup artists in order to bring consumers effective, natural options that work well on even the most sensitive skin. Products are vegan with no GMO’s and no nanoparticles and contain organic fruits and botanicals. The Concealer helps to hide and fade minor blemishes and is enriched with certified organic raspberry, pomegranate, grape and rosemary.  The Soft Rose Blush contains crushed red rose petals that provide natural color and fragrance for a natural, sheer matte finish. The Bronzer is derived exclusively from fruits, botanicals and clays offers a natural ultra sheer finish with just a hint of shimmer. Finally, the Foundation resists caking and settling in lines and pores to provide a silky smooth natural matte finish. www.chriskrenzer.com

For the Eyes – Mineral Fusion

Based in Denver, Mineral Fusion began as a mineral cosmetics brand in 2007 and now is the leading natural cosmetic brand proudly offering cosmetics that help to improve the complexion while nourishing the skin. We especially love their eye shadows in distinct shades, which go on flawlessly and do not crease. For instance, the Diversity Trio Eye Shadow palette offers a delightful trio of rich plum, shimmering pink & matte taupe that looks good on just about everyone. The fabulous Eye Pencils are enriched with skin-soothing botanicals to glide on smoothly and define and enhance eyes. Also, make sure to check out their NEW Glow & Go Volumizing Mascara with a full-bristle brush that effortlessly coats to create thicker and fuller lashes. www.mineralfusion.com

For the Lips -  Dr. Hauschka

Dr. Hauschka Decorative Cosmetics work to support the skin’s natural processes with nurturing botanicals that help it achieve a healthy, balanced and radiant state. Dr. Hauschka Lip Cosmetics highlight with just the right amount of shine while imparting valuable and healing nutrients such as mango butter and apricot kernel oil to keep lips moisturized and protected. You’ll find a variety of glosses, lipliners and lipsticks depending on the look you want to achieve. We especially love the Lip Glosses in two easy colors that highlight your lip’s own beautiful tones and feature seabuckthorn oil to deliver beneficial vitamins and antioxidants.  Another favorite is the moisture rich Lipstick Novum in four stunning moisture-rich radiant colors that enhance as they refine, renew and protect. Try the Copper Beach color to add a glittery touch of summer. www.drhauschka.com

Tags: dr. hauschka,chris krenzer, mineral fusion, natural makeup options, natural summer makeup tips, Rejuva Minerals

WHY MINERAL MAKEUP?

“It looks like my skin only better.”

My answer to the question “Why Mineral Makeup?” is “Why would you wear anything else?”  The look and benefits far surpass traditional makeup.  And the category gets bigger and bigger and more inventive every day with choices from low-end to high-end and everything in between.

It does, however, get more important to examine thoroughly the ingredient list.  I had one mass brand explain to me that they put talc in their mineral makeup because it’s a mineral.  Yes, but then it’s not mineral makeup; it is traditional makeup relabeled.  Be careful of those marketing people – they’re clever!   

What minerals should you see in mineral makeup?  The quality, quantity, particle size and type differ from brand to brand, but you should see a combination of any of these ingredients:  Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Iron Oxides, Mica, Bismuth Oxychloride or Boron Nitride.  The minerals should appear at the top of the ingredient list and not at the bottom.  (Ingredients are listed in descending order with the largest amount listed first.) 

Why is it important not to dilute minerals with fillers such as talc?  The high percentage of minerals is what provides such versatile coverage, sun protection and benefits for the skin.  This concentrated pigment also gives the mineral powder such adherence that it rarely transfers or needs touching-up.  Traditional color cosmetics contain 70 – 90% talc and are often colored with petroleum-derived dyes (FD&C or D&C). 

I should add that minerals have no relationship to mineral oil which is a liquid petrolatum, a by-product of petroleum. 

I am often asked if minerals are organic.  All substances can be divided into two categories:

a)        Organic – that which contains organs to support life and will eventually rot (humans and plants, for example)

b)        Inorganic – without the organs necessary for life (rocks, for example).

I think what people really mean when they ask me if minerals are organic is: “Are they natural?”  That’s a hard question to answer because there isn’t a satisfactory definition of “natural” in our industry.  Perhaps a better question would be: “Do they occur naturally?”  The answer to that would be “yes and no.”  There is a misconception that minerals used in mineral powders come directly from the earth.  Even if the FDA allowed that, you wouldn’t want these minerals on your skin because they would be contaminated with heavy metals and other toxins.  All minerals are manipulated extensively in a laboratory and many are made there.  This doesn’t make them bad.  They are still minerals but they are manufactured under strict laboratory guidelines that ensure their purity.

Perhaps “clean” rather than “natural” is a better word to describe products that are attempting to eliminate toxins and questionable ingredients.  Clean has been the mineral makeup pioneers’ quest from the start.  Because the category is so much more extensive than it once was, it has opened the door for compromises.  Now, you will see mineral powders with talc, parabens, synthetic dyes and other ingredients.  However, there are still a few purist brands around.  The choice is yours. 

Let’s look at what minerals are used and why.

• Titanium dioxide (TiO2) – approved as a physical sunscreen – is a manufactured oxide of titanium.  Titanium is most commonly found in the mineral rutile (beach sand).  TiO2 is seldom used raw but is coated to eliminate oxidation and to increase its ability to refract UV rays.  Dimethicone is commonly used as a coating to increase the light scattering properties of TiO2.
• Zinc oxide (ZnO) is manufactured from the mineral zincite.  ZnO is also approved as a physical sunscreen.  This pure white mineral is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.  It remains white when exposed to UV light.
• Mica occurs naturally but in cosmetics is a manufactured mineral which gives slip and glide to the finished product.  It can be used in a larger particle size to provide shimmer or it can be used in a much smaller particle size to render it matte and absorbent.  Mica is often used as a colorant.
• Bismuth oxychloride is a synthetically prepared iridescent white or nearly white powder.  Its metallic sheen has led it to being called synthetic pearl.  It adds color, coverage and adhesion to the finished product. 
• Boron nitride (BN) is a manufactured white, silky powder that gives smoothness, coverage, slip and sheen.  It is also known as the “soft focus” mineral because of its light refraction qualities.
• Iron oxides (Fe203), commonly known as rust, are primarily used as colorants.  All iron oxides used in cosmetics are synthesized under strict laboratory processes.  Iron ore cannot be used from nature because it contains heavy metals.  

At the beginning of this article, I made the rather bold statement that the look and benefits of mineral makeup are far superior to traditional makeup.  How can I back this up?  Well, to begin with, in the fourteen years that I’ve been intimately involved with mineral makeup, I have never known a woman return to traditional makeup once she’s found a mineral brand she likes.  I’ve seen women and men with skin challenges turn their lives around because of the benefits and coverage from mineral makeup.  Celebrities become fanatical about it.   It has grown from a few pots in a plastic surgeon’s office to a world-wide phenomenon.   It is now the fastest growing segment of the cosmetic industry.

Let’s look at some specific benefits.  Authentic mineral powders are a foundation, concealer and powder all in one.  If the label indicates an SPF, they are also a sunscreen.

Coverage

It is the way mineral makeup interacts with light that creates its celebrated coverage.   It can cover almost any distraction without looking heavy and cakey.   Minerals interact with light in complicated ways: 

• They allow light to pass through the particles so it bounces off the skin reflecting back some of the skin’s hue – literally taking on the color of the skin
• They reflect, refract and diffuse light creating a soft focus effect
• They create a luminous look to the skin – a healthy, youthful glow

This interaction with light makes color-matching the skin tone easier than with traditional makeup.  In fact, you will rarely see where minerals end and the skin begins.  It is important to try minerals on the skin to test for color.  Often, the color in the jar looks quite different when it is applied.

Allows the skin to breathe

Minerals allow the skin to breathe and function normally – a boon to all skin types but especially for those with acne and rosacea.

Sun Protection

There is no question that sun protection is one of the most important things we can do for the health of the skin.  The elegance of minerals is that they make this protection easy, effective and beautiful.  However, do not assume that because you have a mineral makeup in your hand that it has sun protection.  Assume the reverse unless it has an SPF rating on its label.  Mineral sun protection satisfies everything that we want a sunscreen to be.  It is part of the makeup not a separate layer.  It is non-occlusive,  There is no wait for chemicals to absorb before protection begins.  It stays where you put it – no running into the eyes.  And it is so easy to add more if you need it.

A quick word about SPF protection.  SPF only refers to protection against the UVB ray – the shorter ray that goes into the epidermis and creates a burn.  The FDA is actually considering changing SPF to SBF (sunburn protection).  Why?  Because the ray that is now considered more dangerous that UVB is UVA, the longer ray that enters the dermis and injures the collagen and elastin layers.  It also lowers the immune system.  (UVA creates the tan which is the body’s response to injury.  This is the ray that tanning booths use.)  Until now there has been no method approved in the US for testing UVA protection.  Other countries such as the UK, Australia and Japan have measured UVA for years.  The FDA has the Japanese method under consideration for approval and some labs are already conducting these tests.  It is reasonable to expect that mineral powders with an SPF rating will also have meaningful UVA protection.  Our company’s initial tests have shown this to be true.

Feel and Look

If minerals are applied properly, they should feel weightless on the skin.  Some wearers even report that for the first time in many years they can actually feel air on their faces.  If minerals feel or look heavy, it is probably an application problem and not the minerals themselves. 

Minerals are so versatile that practically any look is attainable.  But I think a phrase that I’ve heard more than any other to describe the finished effect is:  “It looks like my skin only better.”  Perhaps in the end this is what attracts women and men to mineral makeup.  It fits perfectly with today’s lifestyle.  It’s fast, easy and effective.  It’s multi-functional.  It allows us to feel natural and look flawless at the same time.  And for those of us who are interested in eliminating as many toxins as possible from our lives, it does that too.

Why mineral makeup?  Why would you wear anything else?

 Irish Mineral Makeup - Chris Krenzer Mineral Cosmetics

www.BeautyBrands.ie

Step by Step Eyebrow Filling Tutorial.

Everyone uses different brow filling methods - some swear soley by pencils, while others prefer brow powders. You may even prefer a cream product (such as a brown cream liner) or a brow-marker (such as Brow Tint Pen). I love ILAH Brow travel kit. Today, I'm going to go through one way I fill in my brows using both an eyebrow stencil and an eyebrow powder.

I don't always use both products, but I like combining both because the stencil yields a very precise, clean line, whereas the brow powder gives a softer, more natural diffused line. The result is a very clean and precise brow, yet it's not as straight/chiseled as it would be if only a pencil was used.

What the kit contains:

 Brow Kit (Blonde, Brunette, Charcoal)

 Eye shadow highlighter

 Mineral Brow wax ( also use as a lip balm)

 3 Stencils 

 Double sided Brow brush 

Here's the classic diagram of where your brows should ideally start, arch and end. Since we all have different face shapes, natural brow shapes, etc, this figure might not work for everyone. It's often referred to as the ideal brow - with the beginning of the brow lining up with the side of your nose (if you hold a pencil vertical to your nose, it should line up with the beginning of your brows). But depending on the symmetry of your nose, placement of the eyes (if they are very far apart for instance), etc, this method may not work. Instead, I use the "Paris" stencil. Three stencils come in this kit and they fit over 98% of eye shapes ! 

Thanks !!

8 best ways to lose your belly fat

A common question is how successfully to get rid of stomach fat quickly. Who doesn’t want flat stomach? Around 70% of USA and Europe adult population is not happy with their weight and most of them would like to lose belly fat altogether. It has been scientifically explained! High level cortisol in our body is one of the main culprits to gain weight in our stomach area. Due to stress, cortisol secretion is increasing. The good news is achieving belly fat is not as difficult as most of the people think. Here are 7 best ways to lose your stomach fat in no time!

1. Sleep enough!
At least 8 hours of sleep needed of your body to recover from daily stress load

2. Forget about alcohol
Alcohol is calorie. Drink a glass of wine with dinner and you will feel the button of his jeans cuts in your belly. Reduce the alcohol to a bare minimum to have a strong stomach and a beautiful flat belly.

3. Avoid Soda
Instead of soda, drink more water, green tea and fruit juices without artificial sweeteners.
You will feel more comfortable and your stomach will be swollen.

4. Cut out fast food and sugar
Carbs hold water and that your belly swells. It’s easy to eat 1,000 grams or more carbohydrates weekend; just a pizza, a few drinks and dessert, than these carbs can easily lift a pointer on the scales of up to 2 kg on Monday.

5. Drink much water with lemon
Giving up sparkling, opt for plain or mineral water with some lemon in it. Lemon helps digestion and is a natural diuretic, so earning excess water from the body.

6. Vitamin C
When you’re under stress, cortisol secretion is extremely high Vitamin C helps balance the cortisol levels in your body

7. Doing bearing exercises
Exercises like crunches and all other related abdominal muscles are the best effective method of getting flat tummy and shaping the so-called 6 “tiles”.

8. No supplements and fat burners
You don’t need to spend money on expensive supplements and fat burners. You must use the natural power of food and sports to achieve the desired flat stomach