I’m excited to share my ideas, techniques, experience and opinions about how I use make-up to reveal beauty. I’ve been in the beauty business for over 25 years and have worked with some of the most gorgeous women in the world. Everybody I meet has the desire to look and feel good. I think using make-up is a way to reveal our beauty to ourselves and to others. Everyone has unique skin tones, features and style. As we start this journey together, I want to encourage you to look in the mirror and make friends with your face. Instead of focusing on what you don’t like, let’s celebrate and love what’s pleasing to you. There are so many brands of skin care and make up to choose from. I’m sure many of you have bags, drawers and/or cabinets full. I’ll eventually let you know some of my favorites. This week I want to go over a quick daytime look to get you out of the house in minutes feeling confident and ready to face the day.

WASH: It starts with consistent skin care!

Wearing make up doesn’t necessarily make you break out, BUT not removing it completely can congest and irritate your skin. I always tell people to wash their face at least twice – once to breakdown the make up and second to completely remove and rinse. Follow up with some kind of treatment (like a serum), moisturizer and eye cream and you’re ready for more make up tomorrow. **Note: Which brand you use is up to you, your esthetician or your dermatologist. I’m more interested in knowing that you’re taking the time to care for your skin every day.

PREP: Moisturize and protect

In the morning after you wash your face, apply your moisturizer with upward strokes and then pat on the sunscreen. I like to use at least spf 30. **Note: Don’t forget your neck and any other exposed skin.

MAKE-UP: Quick & basic daytime look
1. Now that you have clean, moisturized and sun protected skin start with mascara. I know, the order seems different, but if you start with your eyes, any mascara or eye shadow that falls can easily be cleaned up without messing up the foundation. It also gives the moisturizer and sunscreen time to settle. Do the bottom lashes first to prevent the top lash mascara from transferring to your eyelid. **Note: I’m giving you suggestions, not rules. If you don’t want to do eye make up first, that’s ok. You might consider trying it and see what works best for you.

2. Use a small amount of liquid foundation spread evenly over the face with clean fingertips. For this quickie make up, I’m not going for total opaque coverage. I just want to even out the skin tone. **Note: Remember to blend well along the jaw- don’t leave any hard lines.

3. Pat on a concealer under the eyes and on any blemishes that are very distracting. **Note: Use a concealer that neutralizes the dark circles under the eyes instead of just making them lighter. I’ll address this in more detail in another blog. Choose what you like best, concealer then foundation or the other way around.

4. Use a powder puff to gently buff the make up into the skin. You can use a little translucent powder on the puff if desired.

5. Brush your eyebrows and fill in and/or extend as needed with an eye brow pencil or eye brow powder.

6. Apply powder blush to the apples of your cheeks. I like the blush to be placed high on the cheek bones. I think it looks youthful and healthy to have rosy color.

7. Add a lip color and/or gloss and you have a QUICK daytime look.

“Beauty is not caused. It is.” – Emily Dickenson